Monday, December 10, 2012

D.A. Drops Charges
Against Nudist Arrested At Supes' Meeting

(Ercell Fleurima moments before she was arrested at last week's Board of Supervisors' meeting.)

This morning, I had the fine pleasure of receiving a voice mail from my nudist gal-pal Ercell Fleurima who was at the Hall of Justice, telling me the two charges against her had been dropped by the District Attorney's office.

She had been charged with disrupting the December 4 Board of Supervisors' meeting and resisting arrest. The board took its final vote outlawing public nudity that day and several nudists showed their displeasure by disrobing.

I asked the DA George Gascon's public information officer Stephanie Ong Stillman to confirm the dismissals and she replied:

The case was discharged pending further investigation. 

Why was there a need for any further action, if there was a discharge, I asked. Stillman said:

Standard procedure when a case is not charged is to discharge a case pending further investigation.

Fleurima said she was pleased with the outcome of the short court hearing today. Let's all be happy for Fleurima's good legal fortune today!

1 comment:

Rusty Mills said...

As I understand it, "discharging" a case does not "dismiss" it. The arrest is still on one's record until it is formally dismissed. The DA's office may try to "shake down" the arrestee for money by suggesting that the case be heard before a neighborhood committee -- a procedure that may involve paying a fee. (It's kind of like the medieval Catholic priests selling "indulgences" to those accused of sins.)