This story out of Oregon; it hurts my head. A judge has ruled that a 61-year-old Oregon man by the name of Patrick Buono, did nothing illegal when he crouched down in a store aisle and took an upskirt photo of a 13-year-old girl. Yes, for real!
And it's not that Patrick's lawyer was able to convince the judge that he did not take those pictures — in fact that was not disputed. Instead the lawyer argued that even though he took the picture, he did not break any laws. He argued that there could be no invasion of privacy because they were in a public place. The privacy law bans (clandestine) photography in bathrooms, locker rooms, dressing rooms, and tanning booths but the aisle of a Target (store) is a public place, and in a public place, upskirt sightings can occur. The lawyer giving the example of Marilyn Monroe.
The privacy law also specifies that nudity has to be involved, and because the 13-year-old girl was wearing panties, it did not count.
As for the charge related to child sex abuse, the lawyer was able to argue that away because according to that state law, the girl should have had to be engaging in sexual conduct. So, I guess perverts everywhere rejoice...
...and everyone else cringe.
And that group of people would include the judge who is not happy with this decision. Judge Eric Butterfield saying:
And he called the decision to acquit this man — Buono — upsetting.
And it's not that Patrick's lawyer was able to convince the judge that he did not take those pictures — in fact that was not disputed. Instead the lawyer argued that even though he took the picture, he did not break any laws. He argued that there could be no invasion of privacy because they were in a public place. The privacy law bans (clandestine) photography in bathrooms, locker rooms, dressing rooms, and tanning booths but the aisle of a Target (store) is a public place, and in a public place, upskirt sightings can occur. The lawyer giving the example of Marilyn Monroe.
The privacy law also specifies that nudity has to be involved, and because the 13-year-old girl was wearing panties, it did not count.
As for the charge related to child sex abuse, the lawyer was able to argue that away because according to that state law, the girl should have had to be engaging in sexual conduct. So, I guess perverts everywhere rejoice...
...and everyone else cringe.
And that group of people would include the judge who is not happy with this decision. Judge Eric Butterfield saying:
And he called the decision to acquit this man — Buono — upsetting.
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