An IT department inquiry showed that the private, official section of the 911 Web site was allegedly accessed from IP addresses used by the newspaper 57 times. Those site visits, between Aug. 7, 2005 and Aug. 21, 2005, used Kirchner's username and password, according to the grand jury.

The confidential site includes warnings telling users that they are entering a secure government computer system and that unauthorized access may result in criminal prosecution, according to the grand jury. A series of related e-mails between the reporters and the coroner about the use of the site was also detailed in the grand jury report.

One of the reporters told the grand jury that Kirchner gave her his 911 log-in information so she could get answers to her news questions without having to call him and ask him the questions. At least one of the reporters told the grand jury that since Kirchner provided the log-in information, the coroner had presumably given the reporter authorization to use the confidential site, according to the grand jury.

Kirchner has been charged with one count of unlawful use of a computer and one count of criminal conspiracy to commit unlawful use of a computer. Each charge is a third-degree felony and is punishable by up to seven years in prison and a US$15,000 fine.

Kirchner said Wednesday he had no comment on the charges. His attorney, Emmanuel Dimitriou, of Reading, Pa., also declined to comment.