Springfield, Virginia resident Eric Williamson was arrested and charged with indecent exposure yesterday for failing to put on any clothes after getting up at 5:30 am to make some coffee. A woman and her 7-year-old daughter had cut across Williamson's front yard and saw him through his kitchen window.
If convicted, Williamson could be fined $2,000 and spend a year in jail. Fairfax police say Williamson wanted to be seen naked. Which I guess means Williamson's front yard is a pretty popular spot at 5:30 in the morning.
Are you kidding me? There are so many things wrong with this story, I can't believe it's even being reported as anything but disgraceful neighbors misusing the local police department.
Here's what's wrong with this:
- He was in his OWN HOME. Alone.
- The woman that reported him is married to a police officer.
- "cut across Williamson's front yard" They were on his property. CASE CLOSED.
Channel 5 reports the woman and 7-year-old boy who saw him naked apparently had cut through Williamson's front yard from a nearby path.
Despite this ... all reports still indicate - they were ON his property. The woman who called the police at the time of the incident was at 8:40 am, not 5:30 am as Williamson says. She also says Williamson was first standing in an open doorway, then moved in front of a window, still in her view. Given that she was apparently on his property (undisputed by both parties), and he was in his home the entire time, I'm not sure his exact position in his own home matters, unless he was otherwise in plain view of someone using the public sidewalk. Even then, it seems more like tacky behavior than behavior that should be criminal. And you'd think the guy would get a warning before you arrest him for nudity in his own house.
I mean, is this like a reverse "peeping tom"? Wait around naked and hope someone looks in? I'd say the mother and child were peeping themselves, but I'm sure that'd never fly. At what point is the government reaching into our private lives? I think it's safe to say this is the prime example.
The final straw: depending on the laws in Virginia - he could be added to the sex offended registry.
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4 comments:
That's a gigantic Santa Claus bag full of gay, right there. NWA said it best... though they probably should have thrown a line in there about nosy neighbors as well.
I will be interested in the outcome, as it seems though this seems to be a neighborhood ganging up on a person they don't particularly care for. I would hope the law is behind him (he's in his home, they were on his property) -- but I've people get away with worse in the courtroom.
"reverse peeping-tom" is definitely what this is. The unfortunate part is that I think I may suffer from the same disorder. I mean, I *am* naked in my own homw, and at times it wouldn't be impossible for someone to see me if they were trying hard with a pair of binoculars and the drapes weren't pulled all the way shut...
The best part about this is that IT'S JUST A NAKED PERSON. I saw nothing about him doing anything untoward or perverse (which, last time I checked, you're free to do in your own home) and this lady is all freaked out? Geez, if your kids can't handle seeing somebody naked, I think you've got bigger problems in life.
Americans always freak out about nakedness. Yes, there are laws ... but the simple fact remains - he was IN his own home!
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