State v. Brooks

537 P.2d 574, 22 Or. App. 30
CourtCourt of Appeals of Oregon
DecidedJuly 8, 1975
DocketNo. C 74-05-1335 Cr; No. C 74-03-0930 Cr; No. C 74-08-2469 Cr; No. C 74-11-3620 Cr; No. C 74-06-1918 Cr; No. C 74-05-1580 Cr; No. C 74-07-2277 Cr; No. C 74-07-2278 Cr; No. C 74-06-1981 Cr; No. C 74-04-1054 Cr; No. C 74-06-1983 Cr; No. C 74-08-2470 Cr
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 537 P.2d 574 (State v. Brooks) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Oregon primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Brooks, 537 P.2d 574, 22 Or. App. 30 (Or. Ct. App. 1975).

Opinion

SCHWAB, C. J.

Each of the defendants was convicted of violation of ORS 163.465, which provides:

“(1) A person commits the crime of public indecency if while in, or in view of, a public place he performs:
“(a) An act of sexual intercourse; or
“(b) An act of deviate sexual intercourse; or
“(c) An act of exposing his genitals with the intent of arousing the sexual desire of himself or another person.
“(2) Public indecency is a Class A misdemeanor.”

The information as to each stated:

“* * * During her performance on stage, the defendant was engaged in a series of rhythmic steps and acrobatics in more or less an accompaniment to the music which was playing * * *.
“The defendant exposed her genitals for the purpose of sexually arousing the members of the audience inside the Old Chelsea Theatre, 514 Northwest Fifth Avenue, Portland, Oregon.
“It is necessary for any individual to pay an admission fee of $5 to gain entrance to the theatre. None of the activity of the defendant could be seen by passers-by from outside the building which houses the Old Chelsea Theatre, and, in fact, one must be in the seating portion of the theatre in order to view those acts.
“The Old Chelsea Theatre is engaged in the business of providing entertainment in the form [33]*33of hard core, fully explicit motion pictures and live nude performances by females such as the above-named defendant.
“On the outside, the Old Chelsea Theatre has signs which restrict admission into the theatre to those 18 years or older, and, in fact, does not allow anyone under the age of 18 to enter .the premises.
“The theatre, on the outside, advertises the nature of the type of entertainment which is shown and warns those who are offended by nudity that they should not enter.

Defendants stipulated to the truth of the facts charged.

Defendants raise two issues on appeal: (1) Is a theater which charges admission to an audience consisting only of persons over 18 years of age who are aware of the type of show which they are to witness prior to their entry a “public place” as that term is defined in ORS 161.015(9); and (2) must a specific finding that a dance is obscene and therefore not protected by the First Amendment be made before a dancer can be found guilty of violating the public indecency statute, ORS 163.465?

We turn first to the question of whether the theater in which defendants’ conduct occurred constitute a “public place” under the definition contained in ORS 161.015(9):

“* * * a place to which the general public has access and includes, but is not limited to, hallways, lobbies, and other parts of apartment houses and hotels not constituting rooms or apartments designed for actual residence, and highways, streets, schools, places of amusement, parks, playgrounds and premises used in connection with public passenger transportation.”

If the meaning of the definition is unambiguous it [34]*34must be enforced, according to its clear language, absent constitutional limitations. Remodeling Consult. v. Builders Bd., 19 Or App 794, 528 P2d 1373 (1974), Sup Ct review denied (1975); Haas v. Myers, 10 Or App 495, 500 P2d 1068 (1972). If the statute is ambiguous, legislative intent must be examined to determine its meaning. Remodeling Consult, v. Builders Bd., supra. Another relevant factor is the intent of the draftsmen of the statute where such intent can be perceived. Crampton v. Harmon, 20 Or App 676, 533 P2d 364, Sup Ct review denied (1975).

In the context of this case the definition of public place is ambiguous. Public place is defined as “* * * a place to which the general public has access * * *.” “General public” is not defined. All of the examples contained in the definitions are places into which admission As normally unrestricted and where casual observers, including minors, are likely to wander. "Whether a theater which advertises the type of show to be presented, charges admission, and prohibits entry by persons under 18 fits within this definition is not immediately clear, and must be determined by reference to the intent of the legislature when it enacted both the definition of public place (OES 161.-015(9)) and the public indecency statute (OES 163.465).

The public indecency statute was passed as part of the 1971 comprehensive revision of Oregon criminal laws (Oregon Laws 1971, ch 743, § 120, p 1910). This section is included in Article 13 which deals with sex offenses. Legislative history indicates that the purposes of this article are:

“* * * [T]he protection of the individual, adult or child, against all nonconsensual or forcible acts, protection of the incompetent and physically helpless, protection of the young and immature and protection of the public from affronts to gener[35]*35ally accepted standards of conduct.” Minutes, Senate Committee on Criminal Law and Procedure 3 (Feb. 24, 1971 — statement of project director).

Speaking specifically of the public indecency section, the project director stated that it is basically an “indecent exposure” type of statute designed to prohibit conduct which might be offensive to others. Minutes, supra at 7.

The Commentary to the public indecency statute, § 120 of the Proposed Oregon Criminal Code which was codified in OES 163.465, indicates that this statute is taken from Connecticut Eevised Penal Code § 186 (1969).

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Related

State v. House
676 P.2d 892 (Court of Appeals of Oregon, 1984)
State v. Tidyman
635 P.2d 1355 (Court of Appeals of Oregon, 1981)
State v. Brooks
550 P.2d 440 (Oregon Supreme Court, 1976)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
537 P.2d 574, 22 Or. App. 30, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-brooks-orctapp-1975.