Georgia College Student Reports Flasher on Campus

Authorities on campus at Kennesaw State University are searching for a man who reportedly exposed himself inappropriately to a female student.

Yesterday, the student reported that the man allegedly propositioned her and exposed himself while on the main campus. Police searched immediately after the report, however, the man was nowhere to be found.

As a Georgia Criminal Defense Lawyer, I will expand on the law behind the offense that the man allegedly committed on campus in today's post.

Public Indecency in Georgia

Public Indecency in Georgia is defined by Georgia Law in O.C.G.A. §16-6-8 as:

(a) A person commits the offense of public indecency when he or she performs any of the following 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.

(b) A person convicted of the offense of public indecency as provided in subsection (a) of this Code section shall be punished as for a misdemeanor except as provided in subsection (c) of this Code section.

(c) Upon a third or subsequent conviction for public indecency for the violation of paragraph (2), (3), or (4) of subsection (a) of this Code section, a person shall be guilty of a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than five years.

Public indecency can be classified as a misdemeanor or felony offense. A first conviction of public indecency is typically classified as a misdemeanor, which means that the penalty can include up to 12 months in jail as well as a fine up to $1,000.

A subsequent conviction of public indecency is generally classified as a felony, which means that the penalty can include up to five years in prison.

Practice Note

Most people are under the impression that crimes, such as public indecency, are merely ordinance violations or just some sort of slap on the wrist. However, this is false. Depending on the circumstances, a conviction for public indecency could even require registration with the Georgia Sex Offender Registry.

If you or a loved one has been arrested for a crime in Georgia, contact a Georgia Criminal Defense Attorney now.