State of Iowa v. Paul Andrew Monahan
State of Iowa v. Paul Andrew Monahan
Opinion
Paul Monahan appeals his convictions on five counts of invasion of privacy. We find the State has failed to show the complaining witnesses had a reasonable expectation of privacy. Also, because there is limited evidence to show Monahan knowingly viewed the genitals of the five complaining witnesses and no evidence beyond that to show he was acting for the purpose of arousing or gratifying his sexual desires, we conclude there is not substantial evidence in the record to support Monahan's convictions. Due to our findings on the sufficiency of the evidence, we do not address the other issues Monahan raises on appeal. We reverse the decision of the district court.
I. Background Facts & Proceedings
On April 4, 2016, Monahan, who was then eighty-two years old, attended a high school track meet in Treynor. Monahan was the school chaplain for St. Albert Catholic School. He often photographed athletic events for the school and was at the track meet for this purpose. Monahan was charged with five counts of invasion of privacy, in violation of Iowa Code section 709.21 (2016), a serious misdemeanor. 1 The State alleged Monahan viewed the genitals of five members of the same track team while they were using the urinals in the public restroom at the track meet. The court denied Monahan's motion to dismiss on the ground his alleged actions did not meet the definition of the offense of invasion of privacy. Monahan signed a written waiver of his right to a jury trial. The case was tried to the court.
At the trial, V.K. testified he was a participant in the track meet and was eighteen years old at the time. V.K. stated he used the urinal in the public restroom, and an older man walked up to use the urinal next to him. V.K. stated he looked over and saw the man take a step back and raise his arm as a front between their eyes, and then he believed the man looked down at V.K.'s genitals. V.K. stated, "Put your eyes on the wall, f***er." The man looked startled and left the restroom. V.K. and an adult, Steve Worley, who had been in the restroom, followed the man to his vehicle and got the license plate number, which was later traced to Monahan.
W.W., who was then fifteen years old and participating in the track meet, testified he had been washing his hands in the restroom when he looked in the mirror over the sink and saw Monahan using the urinal next to V.K. He stated, "I saw this old guy with his hand behind his head looking over at [V.K.]" W.W. stated he believed the man was looking at V.K.'s penis. W.W. testified to a later incident, when as he was using a urinal, out of the corner of his eye he saw Monahan went to the urinal next to him and raised his right hand behind his head. He stated he believed Monahan was looking at his penis. W.W. testified he went into the restroom with R.B. and pretended to be washing his hands while R.B. used the urinal and in the mirror he saw Monahan do the same things as before.
R.M. was seventeen years old at the time of the track meet. He testified he was using a urinal in the restroom when a man, identified as Monahan, came out of the stalls and went to the urinal next to him. R.M. stated from the corner of his eye he saw the man take a step back and then look down. He testified, "I couldn't really see his eyes. I know his head looked towards my genital area."
R.B. participated in the track meet and was fifteen years old at the time. He stated he was washing his hands in the restroom when he looked in the mirror and saw Monahan at the urinal next to R.M. and Monahan "glance[d] down towards [R.M.'s] penis area." R.B. stated he used a urinal later and Monahan went to the next urinal. Due to his awareness of other incidents, R.B. looked over and stated he believed Monahan was looking at his penis.
B.P. was on the same track team and was then fifteen years old. He stated he used a urinal in the restroom and Monahan went to the next urinal. B.P. stated from his peripheral vision he saw Monahan lean back and look down at his privates. He testified he later used the urinal again and the same thing happened. B.P. stated he was looking straight ahead, but saw Monahan with his peripheral vision. He also stated when he was washing his hands he saw in the mirror Monahan looked at W.W. Deputy James Doty testified it was possible to see the urinals from the mirrors above the sinks in the restroom. At the close of the State's evidence, Monahan filed a motion for judgment of acquittal, which was denied by the court.
Monahan presented the testimony of his physician, Dr. Jon Thomas, who testified Monahan has an enlarged prostate and this caused him to urinate frequently. Moreover, he was taking a diuretic for high blood pressure, which also causes frequent urination. In addition, Dr. Thomas testified Monahan had diabetes and if his blood sugar was too high, this would also cause frequent urination. Dr. Thomas stated Monahan had problems with balance and stability due to dysfunction in his ears. His diabetes caused tingling and numbness in his feet. Dr. Thomas described Monahan as being "very unsteady in the gait." Furthermore, Monahan had arthritis and muscle spasms in his neck, which caused severe pain.
Lynn Ford, a former sheriff of Pottawattamie County, gave the opinion the investigation by law enforcement was problematic because the witnesses were not interviewed until several weeks after the incident. Ford also stated officials should have done more to determine the extent to which the witnesses discussed the incident with each other before they were interviewed. Ford went to the public restroom in Treynor, Iowa and made several measurements. There were four urinals in the restroom, with partitions about six feet high between the urinals. The urinals extended about fourteen inches from the wall and the partitions were about sixteen inches long, thus only extending two inches further out from the wall than the urinals.
Kenneth Schreiber, the athletic director at St. Albert's, testified he noticed Monahan made more frequent use of the restroom. He stated he had known Monahan for many years and never had any cause for concern. Dan Gradoville, a former student, testified Monahan had "a little more trouble maneuvering around," and was sometimes out of balance. John Helton, a co-worker, testified Monahan "kind of wobbles these last two years." He stated Monahan sometimes had an accident where he did not get to the restroom in time. Monahan also presented the testimony of several past and present students who testified they never had any concerns about his behavior. Monahan renewed his motion for judgment of acquittal, which was again denied by the court.
The court determined Monahan was guilty of five counts of invasion of privacy. The court found the testimony of the boys was credible. The court concluded Monahan "looked directly at each boy's penis," and he "did so with the specific intent to arouse or gratify [his] sexual desires." The court also found the boys had a reasonable expectation of privacy while in a partial state of nudity as they were urinating in the public restroom.
Monahan filed a motion for new trial and motion in arrest of judgment, seeking to overturn the court's verdict on several grounds. The court found a claim regarding the waiver of a jury trial was not ripe for adjudication. The court also found Monahan had not timely raised a challenge to the trial information, on a claim of vagueness. On other issues concerning the sufficiency of the evidence, the court overruled the motions. Monahan was sentenced to thirty days in jail on each count, to be served concurrently, and the court suspended the sentence. Monahan was placed on informal probation for one year and ordered to register as a sex offender. Monahan now appeals his convictions.
II. Trial Information
Monahan claims the trial information was unconstitutionally vague. He states the information mentions two or three incidents for some of the teenagers, but does not indicate which incidents the State was relying on for the criminal charges. Monahan claims he preserved error on this claim by his motion to dismiss and his combined motion for new trial and motion for judgment of acquittal.
An objection based on a claim of defects in the trial information must be raised prior to trial. Iowa R. Crim. P. 2.11(2)(b). Monahan filed a motion to dismiss prior to trial, claiming even if all of the allegations in the trial information were true they did not constitute the offense of invasion of privacy. He did not challenge the trial information in the motion to dismiss. Furthermore, he did not file a bill of particulars seeking a more specific statement of the details of the offenses charged.
See
Iowa R. Crim. P. 2.11(5). We conclude Monahan failed to preserve error on his claim the trial information was unconstitutionally vague.
See
State v. Davis
,
III. Sufficiency of the Evidence
On claims concerning the sufficiency of the evidence, our review is for the correction of errors at law.
State v. Sanford
,
Section 709.21(1) provides:
A person who knowingly views, photographs, or films another person, for the purpose of arousing or gratifying the sexual desire of any person, commits invasion of privacy if all of the following apply:
a. The other person does not have knowledge about and does not consent or is unable to consent to being viewed, photographed, or filmed.
b. The other person is in a state of full or partial nudity.
c. The other person has a reasonable expectation of privacy while in a state of full or partial nudity.
The phrase, "Full or partial nudity," is defined as "the showing of any part of the human genitals or pubic area or buttocks, or any part of the nipple of the breast of a female, with less than fully opaque covering."
A.
Monahan claims the State did not adequately show the five teenage boys had a reasonable expectation of privacy while using the urinals in a public restroom. The criminal offense of invasion of privacy occurs only in situations where a person "has a reasonable expectation of privacy while in a state of full or partial nudity."
Each of the five teenage boys testified he had an expectation of privacy while using the urinal in the public restroom at the track meet, meeting the requirement of a subjective expectation of privacy. To determine whether this subjective expectation is reasonable under the law, we must also consider whether it is one society would objectively consider reasonable.
See
Lowe
,
In general, "there is no absolute right to privacy in a public restroom."
State v. Boynton
,
In
State v. Berber
,
(1) society's belief that certain areas are ordinarily understood to afford personal privacy; (2) the character of the area in which the claimed privacy interest is asserted; (3) the way in which the area is used; and (4) the method, means, or manner by which the government agents intrude into the area.
Berber
,
The court noted, "[T]he fact a toilet or urinal is not completely shielded from public view does not necessarily destroy the expectation of privacy an occupant possesses."
Also, in
Commonwealth v. Bloom
,
Additionally, in
People v. Anonymous
,
On the other hand, in
State v. Ulmer
,
We turn to a discussion of the specific facts of the case.
See
Lowe
,
Considering the configuration of the restroom, we find the urinals were in an open, common area.
See
Berber
,
Furthermore, as the alleged incidents occurred in a public restroom, members of the public could enter at any time.
See
Bloom
,
We conclude the State has failed to present sufficient evidence to show there was an objectively reasonable expectation of privacy for a person using the urinals in the public restroom at the track meet.
See
Lowe
,
B. This case does not involve photographs or films, so the State was required to present substantial evidence to show Monahan knowingly viewed the genitals of another person. The State presented evidence to support its theory Monahan would use the urinal next to the teenage witnesses, take a step back so he could see around the partition, then look down so he could see their genitals. Each of the five teenagers testified he was in a state of partial nudity as he used the urinal.
The State's theory claimed Monahan would purposely take a step back so he could see around the partition. Monahan presented testimony from his physician to show his balance was unsteady due to problems with his ears and numbness in his feet. Monahan was described by various witnesses as "very unsteady," had "trouble maneuvering around," and "kind of wobbles." There was also evidence he had arthritis and muscle spasms in his neck, which was presented as a reason he put his arm up by his head and turned his head.
In addition, even if Monahan did step backwards, either accidentally or on purpose, there was limited evidence as to what he would have been able to see. The State did not present any evidence to show a person in the position of Monahan would have been able to see the genitals of a person in the next urinal.
See, e.g.
,
State v. House
, No. 06-0568,
We find there is at best very slim evidence to show Monahan viewed the five teenage witnesses while they were in a state of partial nudity. In
State v. Ashmore
, No. 11-1878,
C.
Section 709.21 also requires the State to prove an accused viewed another person "for the purpose of arousing or gratifying the sexual desire of any person." "Intent is a matter that is seldom capable of direct proof. Consequently, we have recognized that a trier of fact may infer intent from the normal consequences of one's actions."
State v. Evans
,
There are three previous Iowa invasion of privacy cases where the issue was raised of whether a defendant was acting for the purpose of sexual arousal or gratification. First, in
State v. McAfee
, No. 13-0268,
Second, in
State v. Johnson
, No. 15-0623,
Third, in
State v. Qualls
, No. 15-1292,
Unlike the cases of
McAfee
and
Johnson
, there is no evidence Monahan touched the victims in any way, which could have led to a conclusion the defendant was acting for the purpose of sexual arousal and gratification. Also, there is no evidence he viewed them over a length of time. Monahan did not make any remarks to the teenage witnesses. The surrounding circumstances, the use of urinals in a public restroom at a track meet where people were walking in and out, does not give rise to an inference of sexual arousal and gratification. Nor is there any other evidence to show he was interested in viewing the genitals of teenage boys.
See, c.f.
,
Ashmore
,
The court found Monahan had looked at the genitals of the five boys and determined "[t]he only reasonable conclusion" was he "did so with the specific intent to arouse or gratify [his] sexual desires." Thus, the court's conclusion was based on Monahan's conduct. We have determined, however, there was at best very slim evidence to show Monahan viewed the genitals of the five teenage witnesses.
Because there is limited evidence to show Monahan knowingly viewed the genitals of the five complaining witnesses and no evidence beyond that to show he was acting for the purpose of arousing or gratifying his sexual desires, we conclude there is not substantial evidence in the record to support Monahan's convictions.
Due to our findings on the sufficiency of the evidence, we do not address the other issues Monahan raises on appeal. We reverse the decision of the district court.
REVERSED.
Danilson, C.J., concurs; Vaitheswaran, J., concurs specially.
I specially concur. I agree the State failed to prove Monahan viewed the teenagers "for the purpose of arousing or gratifying the sexual desire of any person." Accordingly, I agree with the decision to reverse the finding of guilt. I write separately because I believe substantial evidence supports the district court's finding that the boys had "a reasonable expectation of privacy." As the court stated:
A male using a urinal in a public restroom that has some limited dividers, as the Treynor track men's bathroom does have, has a reasonable expectation that he will not be intentionally spied upon and have another person try to look around the dividers to observe him.
The court cited
State v. Ulmer
,
The design of the restroom ... affords a user more than a modicum of privacy by virtue of the partitions that separate the urinals. When a person steps up to a urinal, the partitions and the user's body create a space in which the user would quite obviously expect to be free from even incidental observation, let alone from the exploring eyes of predatory restroom stalkers. In that space shielded from the public's view by partitions and the user's body, we conclude that a reasonable person has an expectation of privacy. Put differently, only an unreasonable person would consider that space open to public viewing.
Section 709.21 was subsequently amended to make the offense of invasion of privacy an aggravated misdemeanor.
See
The Washington Court of Appeals later distinguished
Berber
in
City of Tukwila v. Nalder
,
Deputy Doty was asked, "And if you took a step back, could you clearly see around the divider?" but the court sustained defense counsel's objection to the answer on the ground of foundation, as the deputy stated he had not taken a step back.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.