On 2009-09-01, the Keene Police Prosecutor, Eliezer Rivera, sent Cassidy a letter notifying her that they were dropping the charges against her for going topless in Keene as an act of civil disobedience against discriminatory indecent-exposure laws.

In a Keene Sentinel article published on 2009-09-08, the Keene police and prosecutor admitted that they had made a mistake when they charged Cassidy, agreeing that exposing one’s breasts isn’t “gross lewdness.” Keene police officer Lt. Jay U. Duguay explicitly admitted that the Keene Police Department wanted to avoid the possibility of a Supreme Court challenge to the law if Cassidy were convicted and appealed.

We’ll continue following this case and any future similar events that end up leading to charges.

Media coverage

• “Topless charge dropped!”, Free Keene article by Ian Freeman, 2009-09-03.
• “Charge dropped against teenager”, Keene Sentinel article by Phillip Bantz, 2009-09-08.
• “Proof KPD Officer knew toplessness not a crime prior to making arrest”, Free Keene article by Ian Freeman, 2009-09-08.

Attachments

• Letter from Keene prosecutor Eliezer Rivera dropping the charges, 2009-09-01.
• Porc411 call from Cassidy, 2009-09-03T11:44.