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Legislators are going over-the-top when it comes to laws in Denver, Arapahoe, and Jefferson County and across Colorado. And, they are especially broad when they decide to label a crime as a sex offense. I recently read an article that shows just how ridiculous lawmakers can be. In another state, a representative wants to make it illegal to wear yoga pants in public. He wanted to expand the definition of Indecent Exposure to cover this new law. In Colorado, we aren't much different; sex offenses are charged easily and have unreasonably harsh consequences.
Should Yoga Pants be Illegal?
The representative says that yoga pants should be illegal, and wants to expand the Indecent Exposure definition to include “garments that show off a person's buttocks, genitals or pelvis.”
What is Indecent Exposure?
Indecent Exposure – C.R.S. 18-7-302, is charged in Adams, El Paso, and Douglas County whenever a person exposes their genitals to another person with the intent to arouse sexual desire, when doing so is likely to cause alarm. It is also charged when someone masturbates in a public place, like a parking lot in Northglenn or Westminster.
Why Wearing Tight Clothing Shouldn't Be Indecent Exposure
What if someone was a sex offender because they wore yoga pants in public?
Obviously, wearing yoga pants shouldn't be added to this statute. Indecent Exposure is a sex offense, meaning a person convicted of this crime is required to register as a sex offender and go through harsh treatment overseen by the Sex Offender Management Board (SOMB). Imagine for a moment that a sex offender moves into neighborhood, causing fear and disgust to all residents. They think this person is a violent offender who harms innocent people, when in reality, the sex offender was convicted for wearing yoga pants in public. If a ridiculous law banning yoga pants went into effect, this kind of situation would occur.
Laws Like this Really Do Exist
Obviously, the yoga pants law was laughed off and never passed. But, ridiculous laws just like this are in effect today.
Public Indecency:
For example, if a person is convicted twice of urinating in public, they will be registered sex offenders. Or, if someone streaked at college one too many times, or was caught mooning classmates, they could be a registered sex offender. Two convictions of Public Indecency are considered to be a sexual offense.
Unlawful Sexual Contact
Another ridiculous sexual offense is Unlawful Sexual Contact. All it takes is for someone to touch the clothing covering another person's intimate parts (such as a butt or breast) without permission, and that person can be charged with a sex offense. Next they would need to register as a sex offender and complete years of unnecessary sex offender treatment
When Definitions are Vague, Innocent People are Hurt
Innocent people are hurt when words and definitions lose their meaning.
When definitions are so broad, innocent people are hurt. This is especially true when it comes to sexual crimes in Boulder, Pitkin, and Gilpin County. A sex offense conviction will follow you for the rest of your life – it isn't something to be taken lightly, but legislators often create laws that don't consider the consequences. Definitions and labels don't mean anything anymore – people don't know if the sex offender moving in next door was a violent, habitual sex offender or a college student who got caught peeing in an alleyway one too many times. If you've been charged with an over-the-top law, don't hesitate to contact one of our hardworking, aggressive criminal defense attorneys to defend you in court. Here at the O'Malley Law Office, we fight to win.
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