Filming Up Women's Skirts Is Legal In Washington

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[chance33_98]

Filming Up Women's Skirts Is Legal In Washington
Men Arrested For Shooting Up Women's Skirts

POSTED: 3:38 p.m. EDT September 19, 2002

OLYMPIA, Wash. -- Photographing or videotaping up a woman's skirt in a public place doesn't violate Washington state's voyeurism law.

That's the ruling from state Supreme Court Thursday. The case involved two men arrested for shooting up women's skirts without their permission.

One case was at a mall in Union Gap in 1999, the other at the Bite of Seattle in 2000.

In a unanimous ruling, the court found that the voyeurism law only protects people in places where they have a reasonable expectation of privacy.

Justice Bobbe Bridge called the behavior of Sean Glas and Richard Sorrells "disgusting and reprehensible" but said it's not illegal.

[wildbill]

Some of us are old enough to remember the urban legend about the guy who glued tiny mirrors to the top of his shoes and went up to girls in the halls of his school.

I might have tried it but my eyes were too bad--I couldn't see my shoe tops and couldn't afford glasses.

[ezo4]

The should be hung! (haha)

We actually still hang people here in WA. I allways thought that was kinda cool for the capital punishment sentence. One of the last guys the state had on death row to be exicuted I believe was to fat. They thought his head would pop off. So they gave him a cocktail in stead. I could be wrong on that maybe they did hang him.

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RCW 10.95.180 establishes the procedures for carrying out the death penalty in Washington State. Death shall be inflicted by intravenous injection, or, at the election of the defendant, by hanging. The Washington State Penitentiary, according to state law, is the designated facility where executions are to be carried out.

[waterstraat]

Bid deal. Very few women wear skirts these days, there are probably now more male transvestites that wear skirts than women.

[Young Werther]

In my era women/girls didn't wear patent leather shoes because...?

If the Washington Surpreme Court wished to maximize this pronouncement they could have held a press conference in BeaverTown Washington!

[tomakaze]

RE:Photographing or videotaping up a woman's skirt in a public place doesn't violate Washington state's voyeurism law.
 
fine.
all right folks listen up. If your ever called for jury duty, in an assualt trial dealing with a husband, boyfriend, father, (or even son) who beat the living crap out of and hospitalized someone who was pulling this crap on a wife, grilfriend, mother, daughter, be advised of your right and duty to aquit them of all assualt charges.

[San Jacinto]

I have seen reports lately about people who have installed hidden cameras in bathrooms, dressing rooms, shower areas, a tenant's bedroom, and similar places. Perhaps this law (which I have not read) was written to address those issues and thus was not written in a way so as to make filming in a public location illegal. If so, it could be that the judges' ruling was quite proper.

As to your question, I think it is reasonable for a woman to consider the area under her skirt to be private and not subject to being video-taped by strangers.

Perhaps the legislature could now address that issue. On the other hand, shall we have the legislatures try to criminalize every sort of obnoxious and unreasonable behavior under the sun? If so, what shall be the punishment for public farting of for honking at the car in front of you the second the light turns to green?

[Kermit]

All righty then, Washington FReepers need to find out, which Idiots on the Supreme Court voted this way and make sure they get voted out at the next opportunity. I couldn't find who voted how, but here's the court directory.

Supreme Court
415 12th St W , PO Box 40929  Olympia    98504-0929
General Information	360-357-2077
Alexander, Gerry L., Chief Justice	360-357-2029
Bridge, Bobbe J., Justice	360-357-2049
Chambers, Tom, Justice	360-357-2045
Ireland, Faith, Justice	360-357-2033
Johnson, Charles W., Justice	360-357-2020
Madsen, Barbara A., Justice	360-357-2037
Owens, Susan, Justice	360-357-2041
Sanders, Richard B., Justice	360-357-2067
Smith, Charles Z., Associate Chief Justice	360-357-2053
FAX Number	360-357-2102
E-mail Address: supreme@courts.wa.gov

[San Jacinto]

Well, not that there is anything wrong with that.........

[Kermit]

I was too fat, I couldn't see my shoe tops.:^0

[patent]

In a unanimous ruling, the court found that the voyeurism law only protects people in places where they have a reasonable expectation of privacy.

Unless the Court ruling worded it at least somewhat differently than this reporter did, this is insane. You have a reasonable expectation of privacy under your clothes. Otherwise, why the hell do we wear them? (at least when the weather is nice.)

patent  +AMDG

[freedomlover]

John Candy bump

[rdb3]

By the way, how're yo mamma'n'em?

Aw, man, mama 'nem straight. ;-)

[rdb3]

...I would take his camera and use it to give him a complete colon exam.

Hey! Easy on the visuals!

Got me feeling all creepy now.

[rdb3]

...anyone on the flight below her can look all the way up to Toledo.

And all the way to the horizon over Lake Erie.

[Lockbox]

If someone makes themselves visible - wittingly or unwittingly - it isn't a crime to view what one is displaying.

Michael,

It's one thing to unwittingly view what one is displaying, and another to shoot photos. If you believe that it is acceptable for someone to take photographs of females in such a manner, then let me know when you use a bathroom in a public place and I'll bring my camera to shoot your photo and distribute via the Internet.

[Chad Fairbanks]

Actually, when the legislature wrote the anti-voyuerism law it wasn't very good... this, imho, is an invitation for the legislature (a dem majority, btw) to actually rewrite it and see if they can do it right this time... at least teh court didn't try to write new laws from the bench...

Also, 4 of the 9 judges are females.... ;0)

[Chad Fairbanks]

All 9 voted - the result? 9-0...

The legislature clearly goofed up... the law will be fixed VERY quickly, one can be certain...

[Junior]

Have you seen this?

[connectthedots]

As the undisputed expert on the workings of the Washington State Supreme Court, I am in complete agreement with the WA Supreme Court in this case. If you want to read the opinion: Push this Puppy

They've screwed up a lot of other decisions lately, but they got this one right.

[connectthedots]

When you call the number for the WA Supreme Court, tell them that Don said to say "Hi". They will know who you are talking about.