Texas Justice: Judge Orders Man To Wear 'Sex Offender' T-Shirt

**Sojiita** · November 7th, 2006, 11:22 AM

Judge Orders Man To Wear 'Sex Offender' T-Shirt
Man Has Several Convictions Dating Back To 1976

POSTED: 8:14 am CST November 6, 2006

WILMINGTON, Del. -- A sex offender with a history of exposing himself has been ordered by a judge to wear a T-shirt proclaiming "I am a registered sex offender."

Superior Court Judge Jan Jurden also sentenced Russell Teeter, 69, to two months in jail Friday for repeatedly exposing himself at his business to a 10-year-old girl.

Jurden handed down the unusual sentence at the suggestion of deputy attorney general Donald Roberts, who noted that Teeter has more than 10 convictions dating to 1976 and has been treated for being a compulsive exhibitionist.

Roberts told the judge that perhaps the shirt and jail time will "teach him to keep his zipper up."

Teeter will have to wear the shirt for almost two years once he gets out of jail and returns to his horticulture business.

Defense attorney Arlen Mekler opposed the sentence, describing the T-shirt as "a modern-day scarlet letter," referring to the humiliating punishment given an adulterous woman in Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel about puritan New England.

Drewry Fennell, executive director of the Delaware American Civil Liberties Union, shared Mekler's concern.

"There is no evidence that public shaming is effective in public safety," she said. "And there are serious dangers posed to the person wearing the shirt, exposing them to possible violence."

Roberts, the prosecutor, said he believes the T-shirt fits in with the community notification requirement of Megan's Law.

Mekler said Teeter is battling depression and regressed because he went off of his medication. He also noted that Teeter has never molested a child but is just a chronic exhibitionist
san antonio texas newshttp://www.ksat.com/news/10250247/detail.html

**greysfang** · November 7th, 2006, 11:25 AM

In most instances I don't think public shaming would be effective in the western world. He shoulda just cut his shit off, then he won't have anything to expose.

**twitchy** · November 7th, 2006, 11:29 AM

And he can just buy it from CafePress.
http://www.cafepress.com/buy/sex+off...t_/fpt_/c_360/
That's not the only one they offer either.

Monitor him, yes, but this is just wrong.

**crumpet** · November 7th, 2006, 12:57 PM

Defense attorney Arlen Mekler opposed the sentence, describing the T-shirt as "a modern-day scarlet letter," referring to the humiliating punishment given an adulterous woman in Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel about puritan New England.
Ummm....no, I think that being a sex offender endangers the public more than somebody's act of adultery.
Mekler said Teeter is battling depression and regressed because he went off of his medication.
Well, that was his choice, wasn't it? It's not like he's a victim of not taking his meds. It's a self-imposed condition.

I will say, though, that exhibitionism doesn't cause harm to the public, either. Offense, maybe, but not harm. The shirts should be reserved for real predators and that wouldn't include an 18 yr old who got busted for banging a 15 yr old, either.

**buttmunch** · November 7th, 2006, 02:09 PM

The Scarlett Letter makes a comeback.

**sputnik** · November 8th, 2006, 03:54 AM

you know this is going to start a trend on college campuses everywhere...

seriously though, that's just wrong. idiot judge. and of course it had to be in texas...

**sweetrebel** · November 8th, 2006, 01:42 PM

"There is no evidence that public shaming is effective in public safety," she said. "And there are serious dangers posed to the person wearing the shirt, exposing them to possible violence."

IMO it is not about shaming the pervert, it is about warning the public. You may have to register as a sex offender, but not everyone you come in contact with will know that, and they have the right to know who they are dealing with and coming in contact with.

Originally Posted by twitchy

Monitor him, yes, but this is just wrong.

Monitor him how? Make sure he is taking his meds and making his parole visits? That won't stop him from exposing himself (or worse) to another child. If a mother with a young child comes into his business and sees that shirt, she will know what he is, and will not let her child near him...
What is wrong is that this pervert is serving 2 months and will be let out to offend yet again.

**Mel1973** · November 8th, 2006, 02:15 PM

No offense, but what kind of business was it? Why was the 10 year old there after having the perv "repeatedly" expose himself to her? Where are her parents?

No, I'm not blaming the victim, but I'll tell you, some old fucker shows me his dick, I'm out of there...

**twitchy** · November 8th, 2006, 02:36 PM

Yes, make sure he is taking his meds, getting appropriate counselling, staying away from parks, schools etc. and checking in with his parole officer as conditions of release. If he has mental problems that require medication to control impulsive behaviour then that plus counselling may prevent him from exposing himself again. If he is not going to stop this behaviour, then he is unlikely to wear the shirt either. If someone is a danger to society, then they need to be locked away.

Yes, children should be protected from the likes of this man. If he has served his time then he should go back to work without being harassed by vigilantes. If a mother with a young child comes into his business and sees or doesn't see a warning shirt, it should make no difference. She ought not to let her child go off with a stranger anyway. You can't assume that anyone without a sex offender shirt is safe.

Maybe he should just serve the full term that will satisfy the residents of Delaware – if his judge has given a parole of 22 months, then his jail time should be the 22 months plus the 60 days he is serving at this point – at which point a psychiatric evaluation should decide if he is fit to re-join society.

Is this particular guy likely to reoffend? Can't say for sure, but it looks likely given his history. I don't like the precedents set for public shaming for crimes as it just encourages mob "justice" and I really don't feel that it will make anyone safer. I think that there must be some better way to deal with people like this than driving them further to the fringes of society where increasing desperation may lead them to worse crimes.

**sweetrebel** · November 8th, 2006, 02:43 PM

It said he had a horticulture business...not sure exactly what type of business it may be...

He also noted that Teeter has never molested a child but is just a chronic exhibitionist

That really kills me. He hasn't molested a child, he just exposes himself...IMO that makes him as much of a pedophile as someone who rapes a child...

She ought not to let her child go off with a stranger anyway. You can't assume that anyone without a sex offender shirt is safe.

You don't have to let your child "go off" with a stranger...she could have walked around the corner, and this perv was waiting on the opportunity to expose himself. I speak from experience when I say that if a pedophile wants to do something, it doesn't matter if someone is close by or not...hell, it may even heighten the experience for them...I was molested with my entire family a room away...
The t shirt may not make a difference, but the idea of people knowing right off the bat what type of person they are interacting with makes sense to me.
I'm sure that is because I was molested, and I have a different outlook on many things that deal with molestation.
As far as him reoffending...you can just about count on it considering his history, like you said.

**twitchy** · November 8th, 2006, 03:17 PM

Aw hell, sweetrebel, what happened to you is horrible and unforgivable. I'm sorry to hear that happened to someone as nice as you. I realize that you are coming at this from a different perspective than I am and I will most likely not fully understand what that is like. I still just can't see how this is going to work.

Originally Posted by sweetrebel

she could have walked around the corner, and this perv was waiting on the opportunity to expose himself. I speak from experience when I say that if a pedophile wants to do something, it doesn't matter if someone is close by or not...hell, it may even heighten the experience for them..

She could walk around a corner without seeing the guy in his shirt. If he really wants to do it, the shirt won't stop him.

**sweetrebel** · November 8th, 2006, 03:40 PM

It sucks that ANYONE should go through something like that, but...
You are right, and I said it myself, if he wants to do it, nothing is going to stop him....