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Home Alone Nudist Faces Trial On Indecency Charge

A MAN who was arrested for being naked – in his home – has been found guilty of indecent exposure, but the judge did not fine him or sentence him to jail.

Erick Williamson, 29, continues to believe that he has done nothing wrong and that he did not purposely expose himself to two women and a seven-year-old boy who had walked past his house on the morning of October 19.

He immediately appealed against his conviction.

A seven-person jury will rule on the propriety of Williamson’s domestic nudity in February.

”That’s outrageous,” he said, after the verdict. ”It’s unbelievable.”

He said publicity from the arrest had cost him a job as a commercial diver. ”I’m the victim,” he said.

Testimony in the hour-long trial before District Court Judge Ian O’Flaherty revealed two separate incidents of alleged exposure had occurred over a two-hour period.

Williamson denied standing naked in his doorway or front window and said he had no intent to expose himself to anyone.

But Judge O’Flaherty likened Williamson to bank robber John Dillinger, who also ”thought he was doing nothing wrong when he walked into banks and shot them up”.

The incidents occurred at Williamson’s rented townhouse in Fairfax, Virginia.

Williamson testified that his four flatmates had left the house at 5.10am.

He said he had been up all night packing, preparing to move out of the townhouse. Because he had the place to himself, he said, he walked to the kitchen sans garments.

”Personal freedom,” Williamson said, explaining his nudity. ”It’s very liberating.”

He said he never stood in front of the open doorway or the window, was merely going about his morning business and didn’t intend to expose himself.

Williamson’s lawyer argued that ”nudity in one’s home is not a crime. Under the circumstances of this case, a person who is careless, who should have drawn the blinds and didn’t, that is not criminal behaviour. If you’re in a private place and take your clothes off, you have not committed a crime.”

Judge O’Flaherty responded: ”What if you’re in a private place and standing in front of a big plate glass window?”

Judge O’Flaherty sentenced him to 180 days in jail, suspended for one year.

He imposed no fine, just court costs of about $US72, which Williamson didn’t have to pay because he appealed.
2010.01.04 / no responses / Category: Nudist News