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Florida Judge Says Saggy Pants Are Not Unconstitutional
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by Jon Azpiri | September 17, 2008 at 03:18 pm
345 views | 4 Recommendations | 6 comments
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Julius Hart, 17, was charged last week after an officer said he spotted the teenager riding his bicycle with 4 to 5 inches of blue-and-black boxer shorts revealed.
Hart's public defender, Carol Bickerstaff, urged a judge Monday to strike down the sagging pants law, telling him: "Your honor, we now have the fashion police."Circuit Judge Paul Moyle ruled that the law was unconstitutional based on "the limited facts" of the case. Technically, however, the charge hasn't been dropped yet: a new arraignment awaits Hart on Oct. 5.
Voters in Riviera Beach approved the law in March. A first offense for sagging pants carries a $150 fine or community service, and habitual offenders face the possibility of jail time.
Meanwhile, Police Chief David Dicks of Flint, Michigan says that the Florida court decision will not cause the town to reconsider its law banning baggy pants.
Pointing out that the law by a trial judge in Riviera Beach has no legal weight in Flint, Dicks said his officers will continue making arrests “if the pants are at the knees and your underwear is exposed.”
“That is disorderly,” Dicks said. “We’re not going to sit here and let that happen in Flint.”
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (6)
at 15:26 on September 17th, 2008
I am in favour of this. I always hated when guys thought it was cool to wear their pants halfway down to their knees - I mean, make some effort!
at 15:34 on September 17th, 2008
Their effort is trying to keep those pants up. Ive seen some pants really low and I have no idea how they keep it up, cus I can't.
at 15:44 on September 17th, 2008
Maybe it's some kind of special tape...?
at 15:46 on September 17th, 2008
Jon Azpiri, I like this story. It's good stuff. unconstitutional or not, it's still offensive. I don't want to see someone else's snuggies.
Funny thing is, that fashion trend started in prison as a signal that your booty was for the taking, just don't hurt it. Since rape is common in prison, it's enevitable that you're going to get something where you don't want it, so convicts who were willing to take it so long as it wasn't forced wore their pants down below the butt cheeks as a signal.
Wonder how many tough guys out there in the world would still wear their pants down that far if they knew the origin of the fad?
Besides, how can you commit a crime and run from the po po with your pants falling down? lol
at 15:52 on September 17th, 2008
I didn't know about the origin. Makes sense though. Thanx masterjim.
at 02:08 on September 27th, 2008
The story you told about the origin is simply not true. there are lots of explanations where the trend comes from. the trend obviously started in ny (as lots of them do) and in the ghettos younger brothers had to wear the pants of their older bros which were still to big form them and that is how the trend started - it has nothing to do with sexual intensions.
by the way: the baggy-trend is starting to become "in" again. lots of fashion designers take it up at the moment once again. i like baggypants, especially on young guys.