Opinion ID: 2516621
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Under RCW 9A.44.115, does a person have a reasonable expectation of privacy in a public place?

Text: Washington's voyeurism statute provides: A person commits the crime of voyeurism if, for the purpose of arousing or gratifying the sexual desire of any person, he or she knowingly views, photographs, or films another person, without that person's knowledge and consent, while the person being viewed, photographed, or filmed is in a place where he or she would have a reasonable expectation of privacy. RCW 9A.44.115(2) (emphasis added). The statute defines a place where a person would have a reasonable expectation of privacy as either [a] place where a reasonable person would believe that he or she could disrobe in privacy, without being concerned that his or her undressing was being photographed or filmed by another; or [a] place where one may reasonably expect to be safe from casual or hostile intrusion or surveillance. RCW 9A.44.115(1)(b)(i), (ii). Both Glas and Sorrells contend that the voyeurism statute was misapplied in their respective cases because the victims were in public places and therefore did not possess a reasonable expectation of privacy. In Glas, both women were employees working in the public area of a shopping mall, while in Sorrells, the woman was standing in a concession line at the Bite of Seattle at the Seattle Center. Although Glas' and Sorrells' actions are reprehensible, we agree that the voyeurism statute, as written, does not prohibit upskirt photography in a public location. The Court of Appeals in Glas determined that the statutory definition for a place where a person would have a reasonable expectation of privacy created two separate categories of places. Glas, 106 Wash.App. at 902, 27 P.3d 216. The court applied two general rules of statutory construction: that different language signifies different intent and that no part of a statute should be rendered superfluous. Id. (citing State v. Jackson, 137 Wash.2d 712, 724, 976 P.2d 1229 (1999); Cazzanigi v. Gen. Elec. Credit Corp., 132 Wash.2d 433, 446, 938 P.2d 819 (1997); Dep't of Transp. v. State Employees' Ins. Bd., 97 Wash.2d 454, 458, 645 P.2d 1076 (1982)). Following these rules, the court concluded that the first subsection, RCW 9A.44.115(1)(b)(i), applied to the traditional venue of the peeping torn, such as bathrooms, bedrooms, changing rooms and tanning booths. Id. at 902-03, 27 P.3d 216. It then concluded that the second subsection, RCW 9A.44.115(1)(b)(ii), applied not to places where one would normally disrobe, but rather to places where one would normally remain clothed. Id. at 903, 27 P.3d 216. Notably the court stated, People preserve their bodily privacy by wearing clothes in public and undressing in private. It makes no sense to protect the privacy of undressing unless privacy while clothed is presumed. Id. A plain reading of the statute does not support such a construction. To ascertain legislative intent, a court will first turn to the plain language of the statute. State v. Reding, 119 Wash.2d 685, 690, 835 P.2d 1019 (1992). If the statute is unambiguous, as it is here, it is not subject to judicial interpretation and its meaning is derived from its language alone. State v. Chester, 133 Wash.2d 15, 21, 940 P.2d 1374 (1997). The voyeurism statute protects an individual while the person ... is in a place where he or she would have a reasonable expectation of privacy. RCW 9A.44.115(2) (emphasis added). Grammatically, it does not make sense to apply this statement to a part of a person's body. It is the person who is in the place, not a part of the person. The two categories of private places modify and define the place where a person may have a reasonable expectation of privacy. Thus, each subsection relates to the place where the person is located (i.e., where the person is in). Thus, it is the physical location of the person that is ultimately at issue, not the part of the person's body. Although the Court of Appeals in Glas concluded that its interpretation gives effect to a legislative intent to protect the right of people to control the exposure of their bodies to public view, the plain language of the statute does not support such a conclusion. Glas, 106 Wash.App. at 903, 27 P.3d 216. The second definition of a place where a person would have a reasonable expectation of privacy is one where a person would reasonably expect to be safe from casual or hostile intrusion or surveillance. RCW 9A.44.115(1)(b)(ii). Considering that casual intrusions occur frequently when a person ventures out in public, it is illogical that this subsection would apply to public places. Casual surveillance frequently occurs in public. Therefore, public places could not logically constitute locations where a person could reasonably expect to be safe from casual or hostile intrusion or surveillance. It is possible to reach a logical reading of the statute while still granting meaning to both subsections defining a private place. The first subsection applying to [a] place where a reasonable person would believe that he or she could disrobe in privacy, without being concerned that his or her undressing was being photographed or filmed by another applies to standard peeping torn locations as the Court of Appeals suggests. This would include a person's bedroom, bathroom, a dressing room or a tanning salon. These locations are all places where a person is expected to, and frequently does, disrobe. This definition is not challenged here. The second subsection, [a] place where one may reasonably expect to be safe from casual or hostile intrusion or surveillance applies to locations where a person may not normally disrobe, but if he or she did, he or she would expect a certain level of privacy. These locations could include any room in a person's domicile other than the bedroom or bathroom, such as the kitchen, living room or laundry room; a locker room where someone may undress in front of others, but not expect to have his or her picture taken; or an enclosed office where someone may close the door to breast feed or change for a bike ride commute home. It would also apply to places where someone may not normally disrobe, but would nonetheless expect another not to intrude, either casually or hostilely. An example would include a private suite or office. A person would reasonably expect that another individual would not place a camera under his or her desk to view or film his or her genital region. Thus, this second subsection is necessary and not superfluous because it expands the locations where a person would possess a reasonable expectation of privacy beyond those of a traditional peeping torn, but not so far as to include public locations. Therefore, although the Legislature may have intended to cover intrusions of privacy in public places, the plain language of the statute does not accomplish this goal. We may not add language to a clear statute, even if [this court] believes the Legislature intended something else but failed to express it adequately. Chester, 133 Wash.2d at 21, 940 P.2d 1374 (citing Adams v. Dep't of Soc. & Health Servs., 38 Wash.App. 13, 16, 683 P.2d 1133 (1984)). Other state courts have faced similar frustration when confronted with acts of voyeurism, but with no statute clearly covering the challenged violations. See generally Lance E. Rothenberg, Re-Thinking Privacy: Peeping Toms, Video Voyeurs, and the Failure of Criminal Law to Recognize a Reasonable Expectation of Privacy in the Public Space, 49 AM. U.L.REV. 1127 (2000). Of these states, a situation in California draws the closest parallel to the case presented here. In 1998, citizens in Orange County were subjected to three incidents of video voyeurism, including one case where the perpetrator followed several dozen women while he attempted to position a gym bag containing a hidden video camera between the woman's legs while she stood in line or shopped in a crowded store. Id. at 1159. Prosecutors determined that California's voyeurism statute was inadequate to cover these incidents. Id. The statute provided: Any person who looks through a hole or opening, into, or otherwise views, by means of any instrumentality, including, but not limited to, a periscope, telescope, binoculars, camera, motion picture camera, or camcorder, the interior of a bathroom, changing room, fitting room, dressing room, or tanning booth, or the interior of any other area in which the occupant has a reasonable expectation of privacy, with the intent to invade the privacy of a person or persons inside. Cal.Penal Code § 647(k)(1) (West). Significantly, the statute focused on the location of the incident and did not cover public places. In response, the California Legislature amended its statute, adding a subsection that focused on the nature of the invasion itself, rather than where the crime was committed. Rothenberg, 49 AM. U.L.REV. at 1160-61; see also David D. Kremenetsky, Insatiable  Up-Skirt  Voyeurs Force California Lawmakers to Expand Privacy Protection in Public Places, 31 McGEORGE L.REV. 285 (2000). The supplemental subsection stated: Any person who uses a concealed camcorder, motion picture camera, or photographic camera of any type, to secretly videotape, film, photograph, or record by electronic means, another, identifiable person under or through the clothing being worn by that other person, for the purpose of viewing the body of, or the undergarments worn by, that other person, without the consent or knowledge of that other person, with the intent to arouse, appeal to, or gratify the lust, passions, or sexual desires of that person and invade the privacy of that other person, under circumstances in which the other person has a reasonable expectation of privacy. Cal.Penal Code § 647(k)(2) (West). The key language under circumstances in which the other person has a reasonable expectation of privacy differs from the first subsection, which named the place where this privacy is expected, thus leaving the option open to include public places. Although this subsection has its own limitations, such as requiring that the victim be identifiable, it is broader in scope than both the earlier version and Washington's voyeurism statute. [1] We conclude that the plain language of RCW 9A.44.115 does not cover an expectation of privacy in a public place.