There goes the groom -- to jail

Times Picayune ^ | May 21, 2009 | Mary Sparacello

[BBell]

A groom was arrested at his own wedding for disturbing the peace after his nephew violated the dress code with low-riding pants, Kenner police said.

Arrested at the wedding reception Friday were groom John Lucas, 53, of River Ridge, his brother, Walter Lucas, 52, and nephew Samuel Lucas, 19, both of St. Rose.

"We got arrested like 20 minutes after they said 'I do,' " said Samuel Lucas, the 19-year-old with the allegedly low pants. "They spent $1,500 on dance lessons and they didn't even get to dance."

The incident began Friday evening at the Crystal Plantation when the police officer working a detail at the wedding asked the youngest Lucas to pull up pants that were "sagging below his buttocks" to comply with the reception hall's dress code, according to the police report.

"All the kid had to do was pull up his pants," said Leonard Dazet, owner of the Crystal Plantation. Dazet said each bride and groom is required to sign a contract agreeing that guests will abide by the dress code.

Samuel Lucas denied that his pants were so low, though he acknowledged that his belt was loose. "I have beaucoup witnesses. All my cousins and everything said my pants were not sagging," he said.

"His pants were not obscene in any kind of way," father Walter Lucas said, acknowledging that his son's belt wasn't tight enough and that he asked him to pull the pants up whenever he saw that they were a little low. He said he told the officer it was his responsibility as a parent to govern his son's clothes.

But according to the police reports, the teenager's father told the police officer to mind his own business and began arguing with him. When the officer escorted

[RobinOfKingston]

... father Walter Lucas said, ... pull the pants up whenever he saw that they were a little low.

This sorry little pr!ck is 19! Does daddy tell him when to take a breath, too. At 19 I was guarding my country's borders, responsible for multi-million dollar pieces of equipment. This sad little boy can't keep his pants up.

As I frequently remind my wife, this is the caliber of 'people' who will be changing our diapers in a couple decades. Heaven help us.

[trisham]

LOL!

[pogo101]

Kid’s almost certainly lying. Which is more plausible:

1. that someone with the banquet hall — which just wants to make money and avoid trouble — LIED when they called police over a sagging-pants violation that had led to arguments?

or

2. the kid’s lying, picked a fight with guests and then cops, and later got his friends and relatives to agree to be “beaucoup witnesses” for him by also lying?

[ArrogantBustard]

Dress code contracts typically include language to the effect that those who do not abide by the dress code (conditions of the contract) will be required to depart the premises. Their failure to depart, when requested to do so, becomes trespassing ... and can quickly escalate to disorderly conduct or assault. These most certainly are criminal matters. The cop was "moonlighting" as a private security guard, thus was well within his authority to :
1) request that the guest abide by the terms of the contract that allowed him to be on the premises
2) arrest the guests who became disorderly rather than abiding by the contract.

This simply is NOT a matter of police or state overreaching. It's a matter of a young punk acting like a young punk, and two old idiots who should know better aiding and abetting him. The groom has no excuse whatsoever: he signed the contract, he knew its contents.

[trisham]

Enforcability of contracts is a fundamental pillar of civilised society. The matter of the contract may be seemingly trivial (a dress code at a private dining establishment), but the contract itself is far from trivial.

********************

I could not agree more.

[ScreamingFist]

They were at a private club, and had signed a contract agreeing to meet the dresscode.

All three were arrested for disturbing the peace. Aparently "having your pants below your waist" isn't a crime yet.

[DieHard the Hunter]

> Aparently “having your pants below your waist” isn’t a crime yet.

Great way to lose fights, but.

[joesjane]

It is if the private business who owns the property has a dress code that all parties sign. Many officers work after duty jobs down here to make extra money.

[ScreamingFist]

This simply is NOT a matter of police or state overreaching. It's a matter of a young punk acting like a young punk, and two old idiots who should know better aiding and abetting him

hmmmm. I have my own story. We were done with a wedding reception in a downtown Oklahoma suburb, walked back to our car....only to meet a pimply faced asshat with his thumbs in his brand new "Security Guard, Hotel" belt on his new clothes.

My friend asked politely, three times, "Where is my car"? Asshat stood there with a grin only a true moron could give. Things got heated, we would have to take a taxi 25 miles or so just to get back to our hotel. The pimply faced punk finally asked.."How would you like to go to JAIL"? My friend responded "How would you like to go to the F'ing Hospital,,,,,WHERE IS MY CAR?"

We had the location and phone number for the garage instantly. Funny how that works.

[BBell]

As of August 10, 2007 wearing your pants so that it exposes your underwear is a violation of public indecency laws in Lafourche Parish.

[ScreamingFist]

As of August 10, 2007 wearing your pants so that it exposes your underwear is a violation of public indecency laws in Lafourche Parish.

I have no problems with that, but these gents were booked for disturbing the peace. Indecency laws are difficult to prosecute on private property, which these gents apparently paid for....

[SampleMan]

I think low riding pants are one of the stupidest things I have ever seen but it is not the law’s business how a person wears their pants.

If you aren't OK with public nudity, then you do think that its the law's business.

[Balding_Eagle]

Thanks for bringing a bit of sense to all this.

[OneWingedShark]

>I think low riding pants are one of the stupidest things I have ever seen but it is not the law’s business how a person wears their pants.

Government: It’s not intrusive until it’s in your pants.
[/sarc]

[Frank_2001]

“All my cousins and everything said
my pants were not sagging,”
“Everything”?
What-even the champagne and hors d’oeuvres were crying out in his defense?/s;)

I thought proper attire for a wedding included a TUXEDO. Oy vay....

[DieHard the Hunter]

(grin!)

[newhouse]

But it is such a repugnant ass...

[Bogey78O]

“Beaucoup” is pretty much slang around here.

He probably knows not a lick of French.

[Bogey78O]

I’m 28 and went to my cousin’s high school graduation. I wore a pair of slacks, button up long-sleeve shirt, and dress shoes.

I’d say half the people my age and under wore jeans, sneakers, and a clean T-shirt. People just don’t like to dress well anymore.