Disorderly Conduct

While significantly increasing the criminal penalties for “indecent exposure,” the legislature refused to approve an amendment, proposed by Representative Edith Ajello at the ACLU’s request, which would have prevented police officers from serving as the sole complaining witnesses to such a charge. The amendment was prompted by a tragic incident a number of years ago when Johnston police raided a gay adult movie theatre and arrested patrons on “indecent exposure” charges; one of the arrestees committed suicide days later.