HUNT IS ON FOR “HOMELESS-LOOKING” MAN BOTHERING LOCAL NUDE BEACHES

August 1, 2010 - Last month we wrote about two people who were ticketed at Bates Beach in Santa Barbara after a homeless-looking man appeared on the beach, appeared to use a cell phone, and then left the beach as two deputies then came down and issued a pair of tickets.

On July 18, the same homeless-looking guy was observed on More Mesa Beach and witnesses said he looked like he was masturbating. Nudists approached him and told him to leave. He used his cell phone and left, and minutes later deputies came down and issued two more tickets, thinking one of the remaining nudists was the pervert. One of the victims, who was definitely not guilty of anything except not wearing his pants, was told if he fought the indecent exposure ticket they would charge him with lewd behavior, so when he said he would fight it, they arrested him, thinking he was the guy. We helped connect his lawyer to NAC for legal advice.

Both Dennis Craig Smith, of Friends of Gaviota (FoG) and Gary Mussell were interviewed by reporters from the Santa Barbara Independent newspaper as word about this homeless-looking person spread through the beach-going community. Another story appeared in the Santa Barbara News-Press.

SCNA is distributing fliers on the beach asking people to take pictures of the man so we can determine if he is someone who needs to be put away. As we told the press, if he is just an individual on his own warpath, then it isn’t just the beaches under attack, it is also the parks, playgrounds, and shopping malls, anywhere this guy may decide to visit. Some think he is a rogue cop trying to provoke a shutdown of the remaining nude beaches in the County, but we have no proof of that yet. On the remote chance anyone gets a ticket as an accidental result of this person’s actions nearby, please be polite with the officers, write down all conversations and try to get names of witnesses who can help if later legal help is required. It is our position all these tickets need to be challenged. SCNA also is looking for a sympathetic ear in the District Attorney's office so that these cases won’t be prosecuted.

SCNA and other naturist clubs in Southern California are hoping to find local lawyers to assist those retained by those who received tickets, whose own lawyers may not be familiar with social nudity case law. If you know of additional lawyers in Santa Barbara County who might be willing to help, please call us at (818) 225-2273 or email us at scna@socalnaturist.org.

Also contact us immediately if you hear of any other tickets being issued. Be sure to tell the victim that legal advice is available to them and give them our phone/email info.

Meanwhile continue to enjoy More Mesa. With your help, we will find and isolate this pest and get him off of our beaches!