Man Ordered to Wear "I Am a Sex Offender" T-Shirt

[Lemur]

I can't decide if this is a "stupid human tricks" thread or a "horrible crime" thread. Anyway:

A Delaware judge on Friday ordered a man who twice exposed himself to a 10-year-old girl at his workplace to wear a T-shirt with the words: "I am a registered sex offender" in bold letters, a prosecutor said.

Russell Teeter, 69, who pleaded guilty to two counts of indecent exposure, also was sentenced to 60 days in jail by Superior Court Judge Jan Jurden in Wilmington.

Deputy Attorney General Donald Roberts said he requested the unusual T-shirt punishment because he was concerned about Teeter exposing himself to children at the gardening business he runs with his wife.

"This is a unique way to let his customers know that he is a sex offender," Roberts told Reuters.

[Ronin]

I can't decide if this is a "stupid human tricks" thread or a "horrible crime" thread. Anyway:

A Delaware judge on Friday ordered a man who twice exposed himself to a 10-year-old girl at his workplace to wear a T-shirt with the words: "I am a registered sex offender" in bold letters, a prosecutor said.

Russell Teeter, 69, who pleaded guilty to two counts of indecent exposure, also was sentenced to 60 days in jail by Superior Court Judge Jan Jurden in Wilmington.

Deputy Attorney General Donald Roberts said he requested the unusual T-shirt punishment because he was concerned about Teeter exposing himself to children at the gardening business he runs with his wife.

"This is a unique way to let his customers know that he is a sex offender," Roberts told Reuters.

is this type of punishment written out on the law?....I doubt it.

I don´t see how a judge can legally make up whatever sentence he sees fit.

[rory_20_uk]

Sounds like a very fitting sentence.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

Is he allowed to wear a hat that says: "ignore this t-shirt"

There are so many ways to get around that and make it seem like he's wearing it for a joke or something, it's silly.

[Kralizec]

I see some problems with that. Like how you're going to make him go through with it.

"I haven't worn it for some time but it's not my fault. I haven't washed it for 2 months and laundry machine broke down."

[Duke of Gloucester]

Doesn't the US constitution prevent this?

[Ronin]

I also just noticed that he can just wear it under another shirt.

just silly...and downright illegal from my standpoint.

[Samurai Waki]

Constitution isn't generally very lax on Sex Offenders... I think once you've been convicted you lose the Right to your most basic freedoms if the court orders it.

[Ronin]

Constitution isn't generally very lax on Sex Offenders... I think once you've been convicted you lose the Right to your most basic freedoms if the court orders it.

but can´t the court just aplly punishments that are described in the law?......or is there actually a point in the american penal code describing the use of tshirts with messages as penal discipline?

[yesdachi]

I support creative sentencing. This was clearly a case where the judge wanted to make a headline and draw attention to the crime, I would imagine in an effort to curb any similar instances from occurring in the future.

I hope it did cause a massive fight with his family and that in the future he will remember his actions effect more people than just himself.

If I were the girl’s father I would spend time every weekend putting up flyers around the guys business describing the criminal actions of the proprietor of the business they are going to.

This guy is not the victim here the 10 year old girl who had to see his 69 year old wiener is.

[Peasant Phill]

Noone is disputing the fact that the girl is the victim. The point is that people (family, friends, ...) are being punished without violating the law. A far better sentence IMHO would've been a fine or jailtime (or both), damages for the girl, a restriction to get anywhere near children or places they could be and mandatory treatment for the man.

I'm sure treatment will do society far more good than making him and anyone around him social outcasts. We're not in medieval times anymore.

[yesdachi]

We're not in medieval times anymore.

That’s the beautiful thing about the creative punishment thing; we don’t have to be in the medieval times to enjoy humiliating freaks and their families. IMO the reaction from a humiliated family is a far better punishment than anything the state could dish out, and a public display like this is sure to be noted by any other freak considering dropping trow in front of another little girl.

*takes giant bite out of the leg of some roasted beast “serving wench, more ale!”*

[CrossLOPER]

That’s the beautiful thing about the creative punishment thing; we don’t have to be in the medieval times to enjoy humiliating freaks and their families. IMO the reaction from a humiliated family is a far better punishment than anything the state could dish out, and a public display like this is sure to be noted by any other freak considering dropping trow in front of another little girl.

*takes giant bite out of the leg of some roasted beast “serving wench, more ale!”*

Criminal punishment is not meant to be for your amusement.

[GoreBag]

I would wear this shirt without having pulled my pud in front of a 10-year old.

[yesdachi]

Criminal punishment is not meant to be for your amusement.

It may not be meant for my amusement but that doesn’t mean I can’t be amused by it.

[Banquo's Ghost]

That’s the beautiful thing about the creative punishment thing; we don’t have to be in the medieval times to enjoy humiliating freaks and their families. IMO the reaction from a humiliated family is a far better punishment than anything the state could dish out, and a public display like this is sure to be noted by any other freak considering dropping trow in front of another little girl.

*takes giant bite out of the leg of some roasted beast “serving wench, more ale!”*

The problem with "creative punishment" is that one tends to get differing sentences for the same crime. Whilst you may think the wearing of a T-shirt is creative enough for this crime, many others would argue that jail time would be more appropriate. Still other would argue that a spell in a paedophile rehabilitation clinic would be more sensible.

Tell me, if the latter course had been chosen, would you have still said you supported the judge, or would that have been seen as the soft option?

[yesdachi]

The problem with "creative punishment" is that one tends to get differing sentences for the same crime. Whilst you may think the wearing of a T-shirt is creative enough for this crime, many others would argue that jail time would be more appropriate. Still other would argue that a spell in a paedophile rehabilitation clinic would be more sensible.

Tell me, if the latter course had been chosen, would you have still said you supported the judge, or would that have been seen as the soft option?

Judges are elected (or appointed) for their ability to judge, I would support the judges sentence either way, if I didn’t I would be sure not to vote for him (or those responsible for his appointment) in the future. I think a rehabilitation option and a fine would have been an acceptable punishment for a first time offence but without knowing the details of the situation I can’t really judge, but I would guess from the sentence the guy must have done something to fire the judge up.

I think our justice system is often a lame duck and occasionally needs a creative punishment to better fit the offender. Example, a rich guy getting a fine for littering, woopie, right? How about a punishment that better fits the crime, perhaps being forced to ware an “I’m a litterbug” shirt for a month, boardroom meetings and all. Obviously to the judge this flasher needed a more dynamic punishment.

[Scurvy]

That’s the beautiful thing about the creative punishment thing; we don’t have to be in the medieval times to enjoy humiliating freaks and their families. IMO the reaction from a humiliated family is a far better punishment than anything the state could dish out,

Why do you want to humiliate the family? They've done nothing wrong.

Yes, the offender should be punished, he commited the crime. However by using such punishment you make his family and frends suffer just as much - put it this way, if soemone in your family was made to wear that t-shirt, would you feel it was right? (i ceretainly wouldnt - i'd feel almost as hmiliated as the offender)

I think our justice system is often a lame duck and occasionally needs a creative punishment to better fit the offender. Example, a rich guy getting a fine for littering, woopie, right? How about a punishment that better fits the crime, perhaps being forced to ware an “I’m a litterbug” shirt for a month, boardroom meetings and all. .

I actually agree with this, creative punishment is far better than jail time for some crimes - although i would claim for the "rich guy littering" simply having to pick litter off the streets for 6 a month would be an appropriate punishment.

however it is important that creative punishment doesnt make the family suffer anymore than seeing a relative go to jail.

[yesdachi]

Why do you want to humiliate the family? They've done nothing wrong.

Yes, the offender should be punished, he commited the crime. However by using such punishment you make his family and frends suffer just as much - put it this way, if soemone in your family was made to wear that t-shirt, would you feel it was right? (i ceretainly wouldnt - i'd feel almost as hmiliated as the offender)

Exactly what I’ll bet the judge was going for. The flasher doesn’t seem to have much concern about what he has been exposed for, but maybe the threat of embarrassing his family and having them pissed at him again would force him to think about his actions before showing little girls 69 year old man parts again.

If it happened to someone in my family I would be pissed as ever, at the family member that did it, much like my family was at me. Funny story, I was suspended from high school for flashing a bus full of a visiting girl’s basketball team (mom was sooo proud). Ahhh, the good old days, I would have gotten away with it had my principal not been standing on the opposite side of the bus as it pulled away, Instead I got to be called “flash” for about 6 months until someone else did something stupid and people (not my mom) forgot.

People eventually forget the stupid things we do and hopefully we learn from them. Granted my experience was more of a prank than the one from the article but similar enough to apply the same rationale. Being suspended was a piece of cake compared to the grief I caused and received from my family. Lesson learned.