Super Bowl streaker arguing no one said not to

Associated Press ^ | March 30, 2004

[Dog Gone]

The Brit who stripped to a thong and danced a jig on the field before a stunned Super Bowl crowd intends to plead innocent to trespassing because no one told him he couldn't do it, he said after a court appearance today.

Mark Francis Roberts, 39, was fully clothed and advertising-free when he visited a county court-at-law in downtown Houston. After he agreed to another hearing on April 22, Roberts told The Associated Press he planned to go to trial on the misdemeanor charge.

Roberts, asked by attorney Sharon Levine not to discuss the case specifically, said he didn't mind the prospect of two more trans-Atlantic flights for the hearing and a trial.

"I like to fly," the Liverpudlian said.

The post-Super Bowl chatter was dominated by halftime performer Janet Jackson's baring of her right breast on national television, although few in the stadium noticed it. Conversely, CBS didn't air Roberts' antics but he was in full view of fans in their seats.

Plenty of other cameras captured him, however, and his stunt was shown repeatedly on television and on the Internet after the game.

Roberts doesn't deny he was the one who darted onto the Reliant Stadium field in a tear-away referee's uniform, stripped near the kicking tee before the second half began and started dancing and displaying a skin-borne advertisement for an online casino.

Police were slow to react, and Roberts appeared to be running out of dance moves before they finally charged the field. New England Patriots linebacker Matt Chatham leveled Roberts, who was carried from the field by officers.

His sponsor carries images of the incident on its Web site and Roberts does the same on his own Internet page, www.thestreaker.org.uk.

"I'm not charged with streaking," Roberts said.

The contention of Roberts and Levine, who works for famed attorney Richard "Racehorse" Haynes, is that no one told Roberts he was not allowed on the field.

"It's on video, so there's no question as to what happened," Levine said. "It's just a question as to whether he violated any laws.

"Under trespass you're entitled to a warning that entrance is forbidden."

And Roberts said he saw no such warnings.

"Nothing at all," he said.

Police said Roberts got into the game with a legitimate ticket wearing a referee outfit held together with Velcro under civilian clothes. He was charged with criminal trespass and public intoxication.

According to his site, Roberts has streaked more than 300 times. He has cases pending in Paris and back home in Liverpool, and his Super Bowl moment was his first North American venture.

If convicted of the Class B misdemeanor, Roberts could spend up to six months in jail and pay a fine of up to $2,000. A trial setting likely would come this summer.

[Dog Gone]

[BMiles2112]

IIRC, George Costanza used this defense as well when asked about sleeping with the cleaning lady.
"Was I wrong? Should I not have done that? I gotta tell ya, I gotta plead ignorance on this one. Had I known that that sort of thing was frowned upon......"

[Dog Gone]

The whole reason he does this routine is because he knows it's frowned upon. He'd better not opt for a jury trial in Texas, because Texans know BS when they see it.

Plea bargain, pay a fine, and stay out of jail.

[scab4faa]

And if IIRC he still got fired for it. LoL

[KOZ.]

welcome to texas :)

[corkoman]

what does IIRC mean? I feel dopey asking having seen it so many times.

[Owl_Eagle]

Yeah, well, good luck.  I tried that when my boss found me rifling through his desk and it didn't hold water for me and it won't for him either.

BTW- there was some great porn on that site, the next day anyways.

Owl_Eagle

”Unleash the Hogs of Peace.”
P.J. O'Rourke Parliament of Whores

[Dog Gone]

Why thanks. I got here as fast as I could.

[Dog Gone]

Internet shortcut for If I Recall Correctly....

[eureka!]

If I Recall Correctly....

[Poohbah]

The contention of Roberts and Levine, who works for famed attorney Richard "Racehorse" Haynes, is that no one told Roberts he was not allowed on the field.

Putting up a fence or railing separating the seating area from the playing field is more than sufficient notice. I don't have "No Trespassing" signs on my property, but I am fully within my rights to detain trespassers.

[firebrand]

I thought we were the Puritans and the Brits were uninhibited in comparison, yet our streakers didn't wear thongs.

[Dog Gone]

He fully expected to be arrested. He's been arrested every other time he's done this stunt before. Some weenie lawyer is trying to suggest a defense that simply won't fly.

He's really dumb to take it to trial unless he wants to live in the Harris County jail for a few weeks.

[Izzy Dunne]

And Roberts said he saw no such warnings.

I haven't seen any warnings that a ball peen hammer upside this guy's head is forbidden, either.

[packing heat]

I think he was told he couldn't do it the 300 other times he was reprimanded.
Technically, he was told "no" multiple times.
Any lawyer with a brain can get around that one. Of course, I'm sure some idiot judge who wants to liberalize the world will let him go.

[harrowup]

I don't have "No Trespassing" signs on my property, but I am fully within my rights to detain trespassers.

Not sure where you live but in most jurisdictions you have no right to detain anyone. You can request that they leave but if you do not have signs posted it would be tantamount to kidnapping. And even with the signs you best just ask.

You can kick them out of your house, but don't leave marks or other signs of force like blood and teeth.

[steplock]

If Texas prosecutes this poor slob, they had best put out the arrest warrants for the other two televised sluts for public indecency.

[Dahoser]

Isn't this the basis of most of the moronic liability cases---the company didn't warn me? For example, the woman who drank a fifth of bourbon a day while pregnant and had a brain damaged child, then sued the distiller because there was no warning that she shouldn't do that.

[Mr. Buzzcut]

IIRC, George Costanza used this defense as well when asked about sleeping with the cleaning lady. "Was I wrong? Should I not have done that? I gotta tell ya, I gotta plead ignorance on this one. Had I known that that sort of thing was frowned upon......"

Hahahahaa ... was gonna post that :)

[Poohbah]

Not sure where you live but in most jurisdictions you have no right to detain anyone.

It depends on the situation. If the person refuses to leave and poses an imminent threat to my quiet enjoyment of my property by his conduct (such as doing the hootchy-kootchy butt-nekkid in front of my daughter), yes, I can use reasonable force to detain him until the cops show up.

[Flightdeck]

The streaker who skated onto the ice during last weekend's world championships had the same website advertised on his chest. I wonder if they are liable for "inciting or solicitation of streaking" or some other BS.

[stands2reason]

I feel dopey asking having seen it so many times.

LOL! I never did ask about GMTA ---I finally looked it up in the Freeper Lexicon.

For those who remain ignorant it's: Great Minds Think Alike. I'm pretty good at guessing them but I could not crack that one!

[ihatemyalarmclock]

I love this!

It's Al Gore's "no controlling legal authority" argument redux!

[BMiles2112]

See #23

[harrowup]

If the person refuses to leave and poses an imminent threat to my quiet enjoyment of my property by his conduct (such as doing the hootchy-kootchy butt-nekkid in front of my daughter), yes, I can use reasonable force to detain him until the cops show up.

Nope. Your obligation is to protect your daughter (tell her to go inside the house) if that is your choice. You can order him off your property and call the police to effect that process, but, you may not physically detain him and that most certainly includes the use of any kind of firearm or other deadly weapon.

The term is reasonable and you could probably chase the guy and kick his ass and get away with it; but, if he has a lawyer, he'll sue, and win eventually which is why your insurance company will pay him off. Check your umbrella policy.

[NYCVirago]

Putting up a fence or railing separating the seating area from the playing field is more than sufficient notice. I don't have "No Trespassing" signs on my property, but I am fully within my rights to detain trespassers.

Plus, isn't there usually lots of legal mumbo-jumbo on the reverse side of every ticket, saying that if you violate certain rules, you are subject to being thrown out of the game and/or arrest?