Private Parts? Columbus, OH...

Demiurge

Topless Woman Lured Perverts in Police Sting
Firefighter Busted for Exposing Himself to Sunbather Appeals 'Entrapment' Conviction

Robin Garrison, an off-duty 42-year-old firefighter, was walking in Berliner Park in Columbus, Ohio, in May when he saw a woman sunbathing topless under a tree.

He approached her and they started talking and getting comfortable, the woman smiling and resting her foot on his shoulder at one point.

Eventually, she asked to see Garrison's ****; he unzipped his pants and complied.

Seconds later, undercover police officers pulled up in a van and arrested Garrison; he was later charged with public indecency, a misdemeanor, based on video footage taken by cops who were targeting men having sex or masturbating in the park. While topless sunbathing is legal in the city's parks, exposing more than that is against the law.

The case is just one of the more extreme examples of police stings aimed at luring people into committing crimes, a tactic that has resulted in hundreds of arrests, many convictions and plenty of controversy.

Law enforcement officials say that such sting operations are an extremely effective means of lowering crime rates and stopping the criminally minded before they commit worse offenses. From early 2006 to the spring of 2007, there were 160 citations for public indecency in the city, according to an investigation by 10TV News. Among those who were caught in the stings: an Ohio State University doctor, government employees and a retired highway trooper.
But such operations veer dangerously close to entrapment, say lawyers, civil libertarians and defendants who've been caught in sting operations.

At Garrison's trial, his attorney argued that it was a case of entrapment. "Columbus police utilized this topless woman to snare this man," said Sam Shamansky. "He sees her day after day. He's not some seedy pervert."

The argument failed to sway a Franklin County Municipal Court jury that found Garrison guilty of public indecency last month. He was ordered to stay away from the park, placed on a year's probation and fined $250. Currently, Garrison remains on paid desk duty while the fire department conducts an internal investigation into his behavior.

"We want to be held to a higher standard, we are in the community every day and we put our best foot forward, but sometimes we stumble and make a mistake," said Columbus Fire Battalion Chief Doug Smith.

Garrison could not be reached for comment.

Shamansky plans to appeal the verdict on the grounds that the jury wasn't instructed on the definition of entrapment.

Link to ABC News Story...

Talk about a double standard and gross abuse of power. These cops had nothing better to do than trying to entice men into coerced illegal behavior? I wonder what would have happened if another woman exposed herself or tried to get friendly with this undercover cop. Would she have shooed her away or tried to entrap her too?

The article didn't state whether this guy is considered a sexual offender now, but I would be curious to know if he was.

Let me be clear, the guy was still wrong to approach a chick and accept all invitations after that, but clearly any guy who would do that can't be labled a sexual predator. Most rational people can agree there are various degrees of wrong in this world, and having your life ruined in this way is such a dangerous path this country is headed down.

Shizelbs

What a great use of resources.

F1nut

JHC, stay the fu(k outta Columbus, OH. Nothing but a bunch of preverts running that PD.

obieone

"I wouldn't BE paranoid, if everyone wasn't AGAINST ME!"- Frank Burns
Talk about baiting the F**kin' hook!

george daniel

Shizelbs wrote: »

What a great use of resources.

yep,, god forbid if they have to go after real criminals.

treitz3

I dunno, that's entrapment. I have to be honest. If I saw a topless woman [pretty, that is], I'd have to go her direction whether it's PC or not. Eye candy. When walking down the street, what more could one ask for???

Systems

Sure its entrapment, but for gosh sakes keep the package in the pants in public no matter who wants to see it.;)

lightman1

treitz3 wrote: »

I dunno, that's entrapment. I have to be honest. If I saw a topless woman [pretty, that is], I'd have to go her direction whether it's PC or not. Eye candy. When walking down the street, what more could one ask for???

A nice round booty.;)

ninerbj

I would have looked the judge straight in the eye and said..." She didn't ask to see my ****, she asked me for the time...and that is where I strap my watch".