This here is great news for moon fans. AND the decision was made on my birthday! Now that is something to add to "this day in history"! I now have to update my weekend plans to include some moon activities.
No more giving one fingered salutes for me. Nope, it will be a full moon over Maryland! Of course I can't do this while driving, but I could use a photo of my full moon! Now there's an idea. I have to update my weekend plans again to include moon photos! I wonder if this ruling will start a rash of moonings across the state?
***** BEGIN ARTICLE EXCERPTS/QUOTES*****
(this is in case the link should cease working)
Copyright © 2006 ABC News and the Associated Press
Judge Clears Md. Man Accused of Mooning
Judge Rules Mooning Is Not Illegal in Maryland, Clearing Man Accused of Indecent Exposure
ROCKVILLE, Md. Jan 4, 2006 — A Montgomery County judge ruled Tuesday that the act of mooning is not illegal in Maryland, clearing a man accused of indecent exposure after showing his buttocks to a neighbor during an argument.
"If exposure of half of the buttock constituted indecent exposure, any woman wearing a thong at the beach at Ocean City would be guilty," Judge Debelius said, according to a report Wednesday in The Washington Post.
"Then, for whatever reason, in full view of my daughter, he mooned us," Vonfeldt wrote in court documents.
Montgomery District Court Judge Eugene Wolfe ruled against McNealy on the indecent exposure claim, a charge that is punishable by up to three years in prison and a $1,000 fine.
...state law only covers display of a person's "private parts," which does not include the buttocks. His attorneys cited a 1983 case of a woman arrested in front of the U.S. Supreme Court with only a cardboard sign on the front of her body. An appeals court later ruled indecent exposure only relates to a person's genitals.
McNealy attorney James Maxwell said the Debelius ruling should "bring comfort to all beachgoers and plumbers" in the state.
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or is that REAR end?
If you remember, I got "picked up" with your brothers by Westimster's finest for "mooning" that crazy/drunk guy that lived down the street from your parents.
I was told I drove by (in my manual Datsun B210 hatchback), stood up, while driving (?), then the four of us all mooned the dude. Even the idiot Westminster cops, when it was explained to them several time slowly, finally saw the humor in the idea and let me go. Sheew, dodged that one. Ha!
Posted by: mm on January 5, 2006 12:33 PMWestminster....opps, I was typing too fast. Pardon me.
Posted by: mm on January 5, 2006 12:34 PMHappy Birthday, Will!
Posted by: Theresa on January 5, 2006 01:50 PMI used to have a 1973 Datsun B210. Orange with those oh so cool honeycomb looking wheel covers. It only came with an AM radio, but I quickly added a combo FM radio/8-track player. Never mooned anybody in it on purpose.
Posted by: Brian the Red on January 5, 2006 10:35 PMWhen I saw the headline, I thought you meant this:
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2005/22dec_lunartaurid.htm
... and I'm honestly not sure which one is cooler. I suspect it's yours, though. "Indecent exposure" has no business being a crime. People need to relax.
Posted by: Thomas G. Atkinson on January 6, 2006 05:28 AM