A Virginia man was convicted of indecent exposure for walking around his own house. Eric Williamson, the defendant in the Virginia naked trial, says that he was just having a cup of coffee nude, when he was spotted by Yvette Dean and her 7 year old son as they walked to school.
Williamson received a criminal conviction in the Virginia naked trial but escaped jail time; he plans on appealing the ruling. Yvette Dean says that she first saw Williamson by a door at the carport, as she continued to walk the path in front of Williamson’s home she saw him in the window. Maybe someone should ask Mrs. Dean why she continued to look at Williamson’s house after she initially saw him naked.
I’m not a proponent of walking around naked all the time, unless you’re Megan Fox or Kim Kardashian then by all means have at it. From all indications, Eric Williamson was simply having a cup of coffee in the buff; and Yvette Dean was a little too inquisitive about what Williamson was or wasn’t wearing.
The Virginia naked trial brings to light this simple question. Do you have the right to be nude in your own home? If the answer to that is no, then we’ve got problems. The judge said that Williamson was seen by more than one witness over the course of several hours, deeming the behavior indecent.
Still the question remains, even if the guy chose to be naked from the moment he stepped through his front door to the time he left the confines of his home, shouldn’t he be allowed to do that if he wants? Witnesses say that even though he was naked and you could clearly see him, he made no gestures or gave any indication that he was trying to allow Yvette Dean to see him.
I’d like to hear what Right Pundits readers have to say about the Virginia naked trial, and how it relates to private property and our individual rights. A warning though, you may speak of your own experiences as it relates, but please, no pictures.
December 20th, 2009 at 7:59 am
Ridiculous that he was arrested. I realize that police have to follow up a complaint, but to actually arrest him. How did that woman manage to have a child if she is so uptight about nakedness? Wow is all I can say.
December 20th, 2009 at 8:02 am
Whenever I see the Jehovas Witnesses coming for my house I strip as soon as I hear the doorbell ring.
Yes, can I help you?
December 20th, 2009 at 8:05 am
Bottom line: If you want to walk around naked in your own home, just make sure the blinds or curtains, etc are closed and you eliminate this kind of problem.
December 20th, 2009 at 8:20 am
He should return the favor and press “peeping tom” charges against her. She didn’t just glance one time, she continued to look at him from different vantage points.
December 20th, 2009 at 8:21 am
Actually Lloyd from what I gathered at the supplied link was that the only real way they can convict him is to prove he had previous knowledge these people were coming into his view.
You’re right in that it could all be avoided by drawing the curtains and whatever but the question goes to us really having to do that ?
The real bottom line is that no one has any business looking into your house as unavoidable as it might be at times.
When I walk my dogs I do my best not to look into other peoples homes regardless of how open their doors or windows are.
I dont think I could stand the humiliation of being caught staring into someones house. Which kinda makes me wonder what this broad and her kid were up to if they;d already seen him naked in one part of the house but continued looking to the point where they saw him naked again elsewhere.
As the author said, she seemed a little to inquisitive and could well be the real pervert in this case voicing a feigned outrage just to appear as some example of morality.
Who knows, these types are often the ones with a full black rubber suit under their bed
December 20th, 2009 at 8:39 am
Micky in reference to comment 2, thanks for the imagery there pal.
I think my minds eye is blind now.
December 20th, 2009 at 8:52 am
I think the reason he has to appeal is that, at least in some states, an indecent exposure conviction means he’d be classified as a sex offender.
The best part of the story, tho, is clearly that the woman saw the necessity to make sure she was right the first time by getting an up close and personal view.
December 20th, 2009 at 9:08 am
This is a crack up.
Think about a social norm is it normal for this guy to stand at his the back door of his house naked or in his front window in the buff? This guy knows when kids go to school if you live by a school you know. No body wants to see his naked ass. So in other words he imposed on the social norm or right of a kid and his mother to walk down the street. By the law if you open your drapes or blinds you are allowing the world to look in to your home if you are naked it is exposure. Research it. What you do behind closed doors or closed drapes and blinds is your business.
December 20th, 2009 at 9:09 am
This is about your right to be nude inside your own home. The right you have to dress as you please INSIDE YOUR OWN HOME! If we are not free to dress, or not, as we please inside our own homes how are we free? From what I have read the guy was not standing in front of an open door waving or acting weird he was walking around his kitchen getting a cup of coffee. Yikes! I do that everyday! I may even go out in my private backyard and drink it. The Supreme Court ruled in 1957 that mere nudity is not indecent. Time to update that I suppose, along with the national anthem home of the free indeed!
December 20th, 2009 at 9:18 am
WAKE UP AMERICA! THE COURTS ARE TRYING TO TAKE ALL OF OUR FREEDOMS AWAY! I agree, Mr. “Virginia” should file “peeping Tom charges against her, and Child endangerment”, as she encouraged her son to PEEP into someones home! A NORMAL response to someones nakedness, IS TO TURN YOUR HEAD!!!! Unless of course you are TRYING to see something!!!
December 20th, 2009 at 9:24 am
i think a man should be able to do whatever he wants in his own home. if the lady saw him one time, why didn’t she look away or cross the street or whatever? one thing i am curious about though, and i’m not trying to be funny, why do so many white people not close their curtains, ever? i live in a black neighborhood borded by 3 other white neighborhoods and i have noticed white folks almost never close their curtains. i have seen naked, kissing, hugging, arguing, and i just keep it moving. i just can’t help wonder why people would want their business known like that?
December 20th, 2009 at 9:27 am
I think the real reason this woman was offended is, the guy had a scragly beard and frizzy hair.
He looked sort of like a homwless guy. Had this been some playgirl model or hot model, i think she would have enjoyed the view. Obviously she was looking harder to ensure he was not her dream lay.
December 20th, 2009 at 9:31 am
Face it boys and girls – we do NOT live in a free society. Welcome to utopia
December 20th, 2009 at 9:32 am
what ever happened to giving a warning to a homeowner that people can surely see them and it violates city code first? Until that is done first, its a complete waste of court and city time to prosecute someone. people have a right to a reasonable expectation of privacy in their own home. obviously if the neighbors are complaining they should first just be educated they are being seen.
December 20th, 2009 at 9:33 am
Unreal, what is this Country coming to? More $ wasted on stupid cases,that the average being can count!Dude close your blinds and have at it, women stop peeking inside private dwellings, and sounds like she stayed around to watch with her 7 year old?? She probably like it,but called cops because her child was present. This kind of crap is threating our rights as AMERICANS!!!
December 20th, 2009 at 9:56 am
This must be the only town in the country where there is absolutely no real crime. I could just imagine down here what would happen if the police decided not to investigate a homicide, or hit and run, or something else, to file charges against a guy for drinking a cup of coffee without clothes on.
December 20th, 2009 at 9:58 am
I was outraged at the pettyness of this situation. Where does our right of privacy end? We should all have the right to do as we please inside our own homes. I personally have many windows in my home in order to see the view and enjoy the weather from inside. Windows are not to be used by others to violate my privacy. I agree with Robert that she should be charged with peeping. She should be teaching her son the value of respecting the privacy of others!
December 20th, 2009 at 10:05 am
true Jen. I think the police are more hamstrung than ever in simply going for the prosecution of any violation, rather than like in the old days, where they policed by their presence. you know, “move it along” “go home” or “clear the area” and educated people that they were violating a stature they may be partially ignroant of. The idea being if the person learned and followed the officers directions they would not be arrested and prosecuted for the small stuff. warnings are an effective policing tool for most of us. we don’t all need to be arrested for every technical violation. I am very convinced there is something wrong with a substantial number of our Americans in that they have gotten our justice system to so move into a zero tolerance mentality over virtually everything now. The police are losing the art of discretion and instead adopting the techniques of pure force and prosecution. That further erodes our freedom, as any group of busy bodies can get yet more laws passed very easily. I read that most of our laws really are put through by barely 20 percent of the people who are in key places in sthe system. and that 80 percent of the rest of us would not support most of these laws. its the tyranny of the minority over the majority as the most aggressive among us have their ways with us.
December 20th, 2009 at 10:26 am
A woman walks down the street and sees a naked guy in his own house drinking a cup of coffee. She reports him and he is charged with indecent exposure. A man is walking down the street and sees a naked women in her own house drinking a cup of coffee and he might be charged with being a peeping tom. It’s almost as bad as a guy trespasses on your property and is bitten by your dog and you are responsable for his medical bills and can be sued. Even if “Beware of Dog” signs were posted for everyone to see.
December 20th, 2009 at 10:31 am
Get a Barker not a Biter!
December 20th, 2009 at 10:48 am
Unbelievable. I guess if it was a woman walking around naked and a man “checked” several times to be sure of what he was seeing then we would have a case of a peeping tom here, right? Way to go Virginia, keep perpetuating those stereotypes of backward-ass hillbilly’s bent on making everyone see the world through your right wing evangelical eyes. Way to go.
December 20th, 2009 at 10:50 am
If that’s your answer then maybe he should get a robe. Even a barker can be a biter if it’s provoked.
December 20th, 2009 at 11:05 am
The woman not only was peeping, but encouraging her kid to do so (child endangerment) while violating Erik’s privacy. Dog owners should post No Trespassing signs. Beware of Dog admits having a biter while No Trespassing protects your right to protect your property.
December 20th, 2009 at 11:10 am
All are overlooking the simple idea of morality.
Everyone is taking sides on the morality issue and are fighting for their point of view. It is as simple as this. When in your home, you have the right to be naked but you have the responsibility to ensure that no one can see you. If what everyone is saying, I could set up some lights, open my big bay windows and parade around every night naked because its my right. Its my responsibility that I do not contribute to the deliquiency of a minor or cross a morality issue.
Everyone can have an opinion but we are all a social group first
December 20th, 2009 at 11:35 am
I think, the woman shouldn’t have been looking in his window. He was getting a cup of coffee for god sake! If I don’t wanna wear any clothes in my own house so be it! Don’t be peeping in my windows! Didn’t her momma teach her any manners? You don’t go looking in peoples windows! It wasn’t like he was saying WOOH HOOO!!! OVER HERE LOOK AT ME EVERYBODY!!!
I think trespassing and endangering a minor are the charges she should be brought up on, not him! He was minding his own buisness SHEESH!!