Court Opinion

ID: 9769850
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 15:04:12.792405+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:31:08.663800
License: Public Domain

BURGESS, Justice,
dissenting.
I reluctantly dissent. The legal question is whether an individual commits indecent exposure1 when he exposes himself to a video camera rather than a human. A recent case, Young v. State, 976 S.W.2d 771, 773-74 (Tex.App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 1998, pet. ref'd) (citing McGee v. State, 804 S.W.2d 546, 547 (Tex.App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 1991, no pet.)), held that indecent exposure requires that a defendant actually expose himself to another individual. In Beasley v. State, 906 S.W.2d 270, 272 (Tex.App.—Beaumont 1995, no pet.), this court ordered the acquittal of Beasley because he did not “expose” his penis. We stated:
Using the complainant’s own words, “His left hand was used almost like a shield. It blocked my view of his penis.” “His hand shielded the penis area.”, “The only thing I could not see was his *374penis which was shielded by his hand.” and “[H]e had his left hand in the way blocking the view of his penis.” There is no evidence appellant exposed his genitals. Since appellant effectively hid his genitals from view, as evidenced by the complainant’s testimony, there was no exposure within the meaning of the statute.
Clearly, this case is not quite the Beasley case because Swire exposed his penis, but he exposed it to a video camera, which was unknown to him,2 not to Mrs. Roy herself. But on the other hand, it is similar to Beasley in that Swire effectively hid his genitals from Mrs. Roy’s actual view. Swire’s actions were disgusting, repugnant and inexcusable, but they were not criminal at the time they were being committed. Therefore, I would reverse the judgment and order an acquittal.

. A person commits the offense of indecent exposure if "he exposes his anus or any part of his genitals with intent to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person, and he is reckless about whether another is present who will be offended or alarmed by his act.” Tex Pen.Code Ann. § 21.08 (Vernon 1994).

. Exposure to a known video camera would be a different question.