So you’re a janitor at a Syracuse, Utah movie theater. You want to see a live sex show and make a little extra money. Why not recruit participants from Craigslist and charge admission? Well, everything was going swimmingly, until it was revealed that two of the viewers turned out undercover police officers who decided to arrest and book six of the participants.
Not only did the threat of six people having sex with each other warrant undercover police officers, but apparently the Davis Metro Police Department also sent out a SWAT team “because it was unknown how many people would be attending.” What are the cops afraid of that they need to be wearing SWAT gear? An extra-hard dildo?
Now these six people have been charged with victimless crimes such as distributing pornographic material and sexual solicitation. Someone explain to me, with more than just “yuck,” why are these are against the law again.
Apparently the owner of the theater is unhappy about what happened, which is understandable, especially if he wasn’t offered a cut of the $35 – $74 admission price (depending on whether you’re watching or taking part). But shouldn’t this be a firing-and-lawsuit situation, and not a rape-cage and misdemeanor situation?
Most prosecutors will not allow you to be part of the jury if they find out that you even know what jury nullification is.
Good point. Even if they can’t find cause, they could use one of their peremptory challenges. The Fully Informed Jury Association (FIJA.org) has good advice on this.
The simplest solution is to feign ignorance and then simply refuse to be convinced by the evidence.
I’ve never served on a jury, but would love to do so if it was a victimless crime case.
Mark Read Pickens
Yes, the FIJA handout on how to survive voir dire is very good advice.
The ironic thing about FIJA is people with radically differing (often diametrically opposed) political perspectives can support it. People on both sides of major issues, such as abortion, think juries will support the justice of their cause (whatever it may be) because they see the justice.
Mark Read Pickens
I cant imagine the SWAT team has anything better to do in utah….
Right?! So random question, but did you by chance find this post via a particular FB page?
I got the link from “Progressive Libertarianism”.
Thank you!
Given their history, I guess they are going after the real criminals. http://www.copblock.org/1594/search-and-destroy-utah-swat-team-murders-drug-suspect-on-video/
I hope they had a camera running so they can claim free speech…