There was a story on the news last week about a woman who was arrested and tried for walking around IN her house topless. She ended up getting fined by the judge. My question for the legal minds out there is simply: could the person who filed the complaint be arrested as a peeping Tom? Someone had to be looking in her window to see her topless and, as far as I know, that's illegal everywhere.
There was a story on the news last week about a woman who was arrested and tried for walking around IN her house topless.
If it's the story I'm thinking of, it's older than last week, and it's more complicated.
The one I'm think of, the complaint was filed by the woman's husband's ex, accusing her of being naked in front of her step children. The ex supposedly found out from the kids.
DS is right. The woman and her husband were putting insulation in the attic, and they BOTH took their tops off. The kids told their mother (his ex) and she filed charges of lewdness in front of children against the woman.
Since this was in Utah, their laws are a little effed up. She took a plea agreement to prevent potentially being found guilty at trial and being forced to register as a sex offender for 10 years, and is filing suit against the county and state for discriminatory laws - since it's now gone to their Federal District court that laws that ban women being topless are discriminatory if they don't also ban men from being topless as well.
I wonder if there is an exception for nursing mothers in the law.
Edit: I looked it up (https://law.justia.com/codes/utah/2006/title76/76_0b039.html
The woman and her husband were putting insulation in the attic
If you've ever insulated an attic, you would be a damned fool to do it topless whether you're a male or female. The sweat combined with the residue from fiberglass insulation would be more than enough punishment even for a Utah jury! My question still stands: if someone glanced at my window and had me arrested for parading around nude in my own house, could they be charged as a peeping Tom?
could they be charged as a peeping Tom?
Only if his name was Tom. (Sorry, couldn't resist.)
If you've ever insulated an attic, you would be a damned fool to do it topless whether you're a male or female.
They took of their tops after, removing clothing contaminated with fiberglass after they were done with the installation.
charged as a peeping Tom?
No, because that's not the terminology the law would use.
In Wisconsin where I live the charge would be Invasion of Privacy.
a peeping Tom
If you lived in the capital of China when the name was Peking and your name was Tom, you were a Peking Tom.
A Pekingese is a dog and a Tom is a cat so a Peking Tom would have to be a hybrid.
And I bet the Chinese could engineer a coronavirus for it :-(
AJ
My question still stands: if someone glanced at my window and had me arrested for parading around nude in my own house, could they be charged as a peeping Tom?
Where I am, if you were naked and clearly visible from the street that would be on you. You could be charged for public obscenity depending on the extent (what and for how long) of the exposure. If they had to climb a tree to see through the window to where you were naked, then that would be a problem for them.
Edited to add: They probably wouldn't be charged unless you were under-aged, or they took photos etc
if someone glanced at my window and had me arrested for parading around nude in my own house, could they be charged as a peeping Tom?
If they were on your property and could see you through a window only visible from on your property you may be able to get them charged, depending on the local laws.
In many legal jurisdictions there have been cases where people were charged for being naked and other activities within their own home when those activities were visible from a public place or a neighbour's property without the neighbour having to take unreasonable steps to view what's going on in your property.
For example, I look out me window and see you wandering around in your backyard naked or can see you in your front room naked with the blinds open - you can be charged as it would be reasonable to believe you would be seen. However, if I'm on my roof doing repairs and see you naked in you backyard but can't see you from any room in my house or the yard, no charge would be upheld as it was reasonable for you to believe you had total privacy.
The heat in an attic can be extreme. While it is common sense to be clothed when installing insulation, if you have to remain in the attic for an extended period, you could develop a severe case of heat prostration. Some choices are no win situations.
If you've ever insulated an attic, you would be a damned fool to do it topless whether you're a male or female. The sweat combined with the residue from fiberglass insulation would be more than enough punishment even for a Utah jury!
You are presuming they were using fibreglass insulation, there are other flavours. Some of which are much more nudist friendly.
The real crime is the view that a child seeing a pair of tits is so terrible as to require criminal prosecution. Do these bigots require babies to wear blindfolds whilst nursing..?
The real crime is the view that a child seeing a pair of tits is so terrible as to require criminal prosecution.
Amen!
Do these bigots require babies to wear blindfolds whilst nursing..?
While an infant is nursing is okay, but give it a glimpse one day after it's been weened...