Cobb County Man Accused of Indecent Exposure in Public Library

Police in Cobb County are on the lookout for a man who has been accused of walking up and down aisles in a public library targeting women before flashing them. He allegedly fondled himself in front of several women.

The unidentified suspect has been accused repeatedly. Police first released a photo from a surveillance video of the accused man after incidents in August. According to reports, he was at it again this past month on the second floor of the same library.

As a Georgia Sex Crimes Lawyer, I will outline the offense of public indecency, otherwise referred to as indecent exposure, in today's post.

Public Indecency in Georgia

According to Georgia Law, public indecency in Georgia is defined in O.C.G.A. §16-6-8 as:

A person commits the offense of public indecency when he or she performs any of the following four acts in a public place:

1. An act of sexual intercourse;
2. A lewd exposure of the sexual organs;
3. A lewd appearance in a state of partial or complete nudity; or
4. A lewd caress or indecent fondling of the body of another person.

Legally, a public place includes jails and correctional institutions of the state and political subdivisions. Public places also include private residences that are visible to the public.

Georgia Courts have gone as far as convicting individuals who have been caught urinating on the ground in a public place as enough to support a conviction of making a lewd appearance in a state of partial nudity in a public place.

A person convicted of public indecency in Georgia shall be punished as a misdemeanor for the first and second conviction.

A third conviction will result in a felony conviction and a prison term between one and five years.

Practice Note

As you can see from the statute, public indecency is the intentional exposure of one's private parts in public. There are laws prohibiting this behavior throughout the country, but each state has their own distinctions, and I have outlined Georgia's standard above.

Realistically, many people assume guilt when an individual is arrested for a sex crime in Georgia. These crimes can range from sexual battery in Georgia to child molestation in Georgia.

If you or a loved one has been arrested for a sex crime, contact a Georgia Sex Crimes Attorney today. We know that everyone deserves a fair chance, and that an arrest is not the same as a conviction. We have over 50 years of criminal law experience and can help you now.