TACOMA, Wash., July 13 (UPI) -- An accused child rapist has been allowed to watch child pornography while in jail in Tacoma due to a loophole in the law, authorities say.

Under a law that permits defense attorneys access to materials pertaining to the case, Marc Gilbert, who has opted to act as his own attorney, has been given legal access to hours of child pornography while in the Pierce County Jail, KOMO-TV, Seattle, reported. Restricting or denying his access could risk a mistrial.


Gilbert, accused of sexually assaulting young boys and videotaping the assaults, has access to -- and has viewed multiple times -- his collection of over 100 DVDs containing 28 hours of pornographic footage, some of which he allegedly shot. The material was seized by investigators.

"Make no mistake -- I don't like it," said Pierce County Sheriff Paul Pastor. "But it is not my choice whether to do it or not to do it. There's no question that I don't like it. There's no question that this makes me grind my teeth."

Gilbert has to watch the videos in a private room, to guarantee other inmates do not see it.