Texas A&M Student Sentenced For Videotaping Girlfriend

Associated Press ^ | March 11, 2003

[grundle]

http://www.clickonsa.com/sh/news/texas/stories/news-texas-203273420030311-100326.html

Texas A&M Student Sentenced For Videotaping Girlfriend

Girlfriend Addresses Bice During Sentencing

Posted: 11:47 a.m. EST March 11, 2003

Updated: 11:57 a.m. EST March 11, 2003

BRYAN, Texas -- A former Texas A&M student who videotaped a sexual encounter with his girlfriend without her knowledge and showed the footage to his fraternity brothers must apologize to her in a half-page ad in the campus newspaper.

Brennan Bice, 21, was sentenced Monday to five years probation and a month in jail. He also was ordered to take out a half-page ad in the Texas A&M student newspaper, apologizing to his former girlfriend.

Bice was charged under a little-known law that makes it a felony to videotape or photograph someone without consent if the images are intended for arousal or sexual gratification.

Police said he videotaped consensual sex with his unsuspecting girlfriend, a freshman at Texas A&M, on Oct. 8 and showed the footage to as many as 15 members of his fraternity. When the woman found out, she notified authorities.

Bice was arrested and pleaded guilty to a fourth-degree felony charge, which is punishable by up to two years in jail and a $10,000 fine.

The former girlfriend addressed him Monday during an emotional sentencing hearing at the Brazos County Courthouse, the Bryan-College Station Eagle reported in its Tuesday editions.

"You violated me in ways I don't think you'll ever understand," she said. She was afraid to even be on campus the past five months because she didn't know who had seen the tape, she said.

"My freshman year of college has been a relentless nightmare," she said.

Bice, who was suspended from A&M and now attends Blinn College in Brenham, was taken into custody after the hearing on Monday the first day of spring break. He will remain at the Brazos County Jail until Sunday. Then, he will serve the rest of his 30-day jail sentence on weekday nights, said his attorney, Travis Bryan III.

Under a plea agreement, Bice also must pay a $1,000 fine and perform 250 hours of community service. If he does not violate the terms of the plea agreement during a five-year deferred adjudication period, the court will not convict of him of the felony. He has no prior felony convictions.

State District Judge Rick Davis, who approved the plea agreement, told Bice he was getting off with a fairly mild punishment.

"You've taken something that should be precious between a couple and made a cheap thing, and made it an ugly thing," Davis said.

The judge told Bice to think about the anger he'd feel if someone unknowingly videotaped his future wife, or mother, or sister, having sex.

In Bice's advertisement, which is set to run in next Monday's edition of the college newspaper, The Battalion, he apologizes to the woman and her family. He also says he did not know about the videotaping law.

The ad -- which cost Bice $637, Bryan said -- acknowledges wrongdoing and urges other Texas A&M students not to participate in "this type of immoral and illegal conduct."

Phelps said the unusual advertisement makes Bice's arrest a cautionary tale to other young men while serving the community's interests.

"This punishment fits the crime," he said.

Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press.

[newgeezer]

Little girl,

When you sleep with dogs, you're liable to get fleas.

When you decided to be a pig, you agreed to wallow in some mudholes.

Tsk, tsk, tsk.

[GilesB]

I have a theory I call "Ride the Wild Stallion".

My theory (to which there are no doubt exceptions):

At some point in her life every woman fantasizes about a wild stallion that cannot be ridden by anyone but her. With her he is gentle, responsive and kind - AND he needs her. With anybody else, he is a wild, dangerous killer. Of course, this is because she is the only one who understands him, and she is the only one he trusts.

Some women take a long time to grow out of this fantasy, some never do.

It's kinda the female version of the guys' "Baywatch Babes" fantasy, or in former times the "Ginger or Mary Ann?" fantasy.

[bobbyd]

You two should meet.

Ha!....the FReepin' Singles Club!!!

Where do I sign up?

[ArneFufkin]

LOL!

Let's see, some poor freshman girl had her privacy and dignity absolutely violated by an a-hole frat boy, and the hapless male doofus brigade here have turned it into a "why don't women like ME?" thread.

It's her fault, y'know. That's the first conclusion a "nice guy" would have when evaluating the details of this sordid affair. Hmmm ... why wouldn't women flock to these Freeper semi-males .... hmmm .....

[habs4ever]

Arne, you may very well think that, but I couldn't possibly comment ;-)

[MatthewViti]

lol, women drivers are too much! the lady across the street from me is a "soccer mom" she drives a souped up dodge grand caravan. the real kicker is that she drives with her headlights (high beams) and fog lamps on during the day.

[Old Professer]

Why are so many nice guys unable to get even so much as a kiss?

It's like the difference between a Kleenex and a handkerchief: you have to wash and care for a handkerchief; a Kleenex, you use once and throw away.

[jwh_Denver]

Because nothing you are saying seems to have anything to do with real women or real relationships.

My point was that women look for strength and security in a man. Adjusting this to your post I'm saying basically you can forget about a "real" relationship with a "phoney" or "real" woman. If a man is not perceived as having strength and can give security to a woman there isn't going to be much past this first hurdle. But then again there are different kinds of relationships but I'm talking here in a marital sense.