State Court: Not Wearing Pants In Hotel Room Not A Crime

You read the headline right. The state Superior Court ruled yesterday that not wearing pants in a hotel room is not against the law. Or not enough for probable cause, at least.

Here’s the story: In January 2005, Ahmad Bebee was sentenced to 5 to 10 years in prison on a cocaine dealing charge. Police caught him when they received an anonymous tip in July 2004 that Bebee was with an underage girl at the Neshaminy Motor Inn. Police announced their arrival and Bebee opened the door without any pants on.

Police entered the room, and that’s when they found the coke. Oh, and they found a 16-year-old girl. In a room with a man then in his late 20s with no pants. Somehow, the coke charge trumped that and Bebee was never charged with any sex crimes.

But, after appealing, the court found Bebee’s fourth amendment rights were violated. The state court wrote:

Moreover, that fact that Appellant was half-naked when he first opened the door was not, as the trial court suggests, indicative of criminal activity; people often remove their clothes inside of motel rooms.

The officers didn’t see him doing anything illegal, they just saw a man naked from the waist down. The court has said that doesn’t rise to the level of reasonable suspicion that criminal activity is occurring.

You know I always thought answering the door with no pants was a crime, but apparently you can even do it to the police! This is a great country.

Charges dropped in case of half-naked suspect [Bucks County Courier Times]
Photo via some dude’s Livejournal