The neighbor with no clothes on; police say no law broken

[Davin]

A Charlotte man who stands at his front door naked is upsetting his neighbors, but police say he is not doing anything illegal.

http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/The-neighbor-with-no-clothes-on-police-say-no-6137463.php

[WiiDoit]

Thanks for the article a lot more details and comments at:
http://www.wbtv.com/story/28530671/p...ighbors-fed-up
The police say he has a right to be naked as long as he is inside his house. Comments run both ways but the one thing I didn't see was the suggestion about educating the neighbors about simple nudism not harming anyone.

[natureboy1776]

I hope someone does something about the crime done here... the photographing of a neighbor in the privacy of his own home is voyerism. The magistrate has confirmed this is not a public space therefore he should press charges.

This story was on the front page in Boston this morning too.

[nudeM]

I would tend to think since the man is open to the public, even if he is in his own home, charges "could" be filed and followed through. Being simply nude in your own home is not a crime, but exposing yourself the outside world would could be trouble. Why would he "push the envelope" by hanging around the front door, on a cell phone, and standing there completely naked? Granted, he isn't doing anything wrong, but he opens the controversy by being seen by the public (neighborhood). I myself love being nude all the time both indoors and out (backyard), but once the front door is open, I at least put on pair of shorts or a robe. Even if the side gates (going to the backyard) are open, I will stay clear or cover up, because it is open to the neighborhood. I think this guy uses bad judgment by exposing himself to the neighbors. And by looking at the news clip, he has caused unwanted attention from others not associated with the general area "googlers".

[Naturist Mark]

The guy must have friends in high places. Police can and will arrest people for *legal* nudity if those in authority want it to happen. They will simply use one of the catch-all charges like 'unruliness' or 'disturbing the peace'. That happened here in Ohio whenLorien Bourne went topfree in a public park in Bowling Green in 2005 - in Ohio where the state courts have specifically ruled that it is legal for women to be topfree in public. She was mistakenly arrested for public indecency, but the charge was amended to 'disorderly conduct' when the prosecutor discovered she hadn't broken any laws.

[jasenj]

Here's a link to NAC's copy of the law: naturistaction.org/StatesFrames/State_Laws_Frames/North_Carolina_Laws/body_north_carolina_laws.html
I was of the opinion NC has a pretty strict/harsh indecent exposure law. I'm very surprised the local police have not taken action. The "in any public place" phrase does seem to mean that the place in which the exposure is occurring is public, not that the exposure can be seen from a public place. That seems to open NC up to people being nude anywhere they want on their private property - doesn't need to be indoors.
However, parsing all the commas and sub-phrases out of the law I think it can be read as:"any person who shall willfully expose the private parts of his or her person ... in the presence of any other person or persons .... who as owner .... permits the land ... to be used for purposes of any such act, shall be guilty ..."
The law is a terribly written sentence with lots of subordinate clauses and craziness. But basically, I think it can be interpreted as anyone who allows their land to be used for exposing privates to others (with no qualification of where the viewer is, on the property or off) is guilty of breaking the law.

IANAL.

[WiiDoit]

Let's put a twist to the story and put clothes on him with a beer in his hand and move him to Arkansas where it is illegal to drink in public.

Public Intoxication and Drinking in Public:
5-71-212(a) A person commits the offense of public intoxication if he appears in a public place manifestly under the
influence of alcohol or a controlled substance to the degree and under circumstances such that he is likely to endanger himself or other persons or property, or that he unreasonably annoys persons in his vicinity. (c) A person commits the offense of drinking in public if that person consumes any alcoholic beverages in any public place, on any highway or street, or upon any passenger coach or in or upon any vehicle commonly used for the transportation of passengers, or other public place other than a place of business licensed to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises.

Here's the story:
Residents in a Fort Smith, Ar neighborhood say they are fed up with a neighbor they say stands at the front door of his home drinking a beer, but police say he's not doing anything illegal.
People in the neighborhood in north Fort Smith say the man has been doing this for nearly ten years and on Friday, they called police again.
"I was out rolling the trash can on Friday and I just happened to look over there and he was standing there with a beer in his hand," neighbor Pecolia Threatt said. "It's not good to have people standing in their door drinking like that with all these kids out here you know,"
Neighbors say the man opens his door holding a can of beer and even talks on his cell phone all in clear view of his neighbors while holding it. They're disgusted and fed up. Harris says she's called police numerous times over the last ten years to complain, but nothing has been done.

Sound ridiculous?
Remember at one time alcohol was blamed for a sorts of bad behavior and said to harm the children by some, and so made illegal in the USA.
Should the police arrest him for public intoxication even tho he may have had only 1 beer because his neighbors are annoyed of his behavior?
If he wants to drink a beer should he close his door and all the blinds to make sure no one can see him therefor not annoy his neighbors?
Is he "pushing the envelope" or has some other agenda other than enjoying a cold beer?

[garbo]

Despite what the law says regarding public view of a nude man in the doorway of his own home, it is not only bad form but disrespectful to his textile neighbors. The same with opening the door nude for the mailman or package delivery person. It seems that this person is intentionally looking for attention and getting it. It's what I call the "look at me" syndrome derived from shock value. THIS issue, and others absolutely give nudism a bad name. I understand when nudists try to push the envelope by participating in activities with the intention of securing a nude beach or petitioning for a nudist resort with zoning issues, but intentionally irritating neighbors is simply ridiculous. I wonder if the negative reaction to his action would be the same if the person standing nude in a doorway was a woman??

[Agde]

Despite what the law says regarding public view of a nude man in the doorway of his own home, it is not only bad form but disrespectful to his textile neighbors..

Having lived many places around the world, including long stretches in the USA, we've found the key seems always to be getting to know our neighbors and talking to them. It takes 'disrespect' out of the equation and puts 'mutual respect' into it. We've always found a friendly modus operandi with neighbors. They know about our family culture and that we are just naturists, not perverts. Ultimately, we all as neighbors just like to know what to expect and how to communicate and solve any day-to-day issues. This NC guy doesn't seem to be a communicator. On the other hand, a private property based legal line for non-sexual nudity sounds, in principle, pretty compatible with American values, and certainly has the virtue of being easily understandable and enforceable as a general rule-of-thumb.

[Guest]

we've found the key seems always to be getting to know our neighbors and talking to them.

Here, here Adge. I make it a point to meet all my neighbors and while I don't disclose all my personal hobbies, I do tell them to please let me know if they ever have a problem with me appearing unneighborly in any form. It has worked for the past 6 years in current home without one complaint even though you can look in through my fences and the house across the street has at least one tall upstairs window that can see into the back yard. The only time I was seen by a neighbor of note was quickly followed up with a better screen to seal off the fence to prevent any future possible incidents. Good neighbors come from both sides of the fence in a residential district!

[Eldernude]

I read that there is already a proposal to change the law. So how strict will that law be because of one guy? I know we're not supposed to call names here, but I will, this guy is just a flasher without using a raincoat. This is like the story I think I read on this site about a guy who would hang out nude in his garage with the door open but stay back in the rear shady part until his neighbors were out then he would walk into the sun lit front so he could be seen. I think he said he was allowed to because he was a nudist. I don't know what happened to him.

[usuallylurk]

I read that there is already a proposal to change the law. So how strict will that law be because of one guy? I know we're not supposed to call names here, but I will, this guy is just a flasher without using a raincoat.

Blasphemy! Sacrilege! You must be one of those who only believe in nudism at nudist parks!

(sorry, couldn't resist.) I agree with you -- sometimes the actions of one person can result in a backlash on the legal front. But many in here disagree. And if you make a statement like that, people will put words in your mouth. But ...

This is like the story I think I read on this site about a guy who would hang out nude in his garage with the door open but stay back in the rear shady part until his neighbors were out then he would walk into the sun lit front so he could be seen. I think he said he was allowed to because he was a nudist. I don't know what happened to him.

No, contrary to some people's statements - being a nudist does not give you a license to be nude where people can see you.

[Naturist Mark]

No, contrary to some people's statements - being a nudist does not give you a license to be nude where people can see you.

What! Do you mean I've been paying $200 a year for a State Nudist Pass to that guy in the State Parks van for nothing?

[usuallylurk]

What! Do you mean I've been paying $200 a year for a State Nudist Pass to that guy in the State Parks van for nothing?

No, but I tried offering him my high school elevator pass...