State v. Adams
State v. Adams
Opinion of the Court
¶ 1. Charles Adams was convicted of capturing a representation that depicts nudity without the knowledge or consent of the person who is depicted nude, see Wis. Stat. § 942.09(2)(am)l. (2013-14),
BACKGROUND
¶ 2. Prior to trial, Adams moved to dismiss the complaint, arguing that the woman who was recorded nude while engaging in the illegal act of prostitution had no reasonable expectation of privacy. On appeal, he argues that the circuit court erred in denying his motion to dismiss. Adams argues that, as a matter of law, a prostitute does not have a reasonable expectation of privacy with regard to being videotaped in the nude during commercial sexual activity.
DISCUSSION
¶ 4. Wisconsin Stat. § 942.09(2)(am)l. prohibits anyone from (1) video recording a person in the nude, (2) without that person's knowledge or consent, (3) in circumstances where the nude person has a reasonable expectation of privacy, and (4) when "the defendant knew or had reason to know that the nude person did not know of and did not consent to the recording." State v. Jahnke, 2009 WI App 4, ¶ 5, 316 Wis. 2d 324, 762 N.W.2d 696. Application of a statute to undisputed facts is a question of law we review without deference to the circuit court. Id., ¶ 4. Additionally, statutory interpretation presents a question of law we review de novo. State v. Nelson, 2006 WI App 124, ¶ 18, 294 Wis. 2d 578, 718 N.W.2d 168.
By placing limits on the ability of others to record, the statute protects a person's interest in limiting, as to time, place, and persons, the viewing of his or her nude body. It follows that the pertinent privacy element question is whether the person depicted nude had a reasonable expectation, under the circumstances, that he or she would not be recorded in the nude.
Id,., ¶ 9. That Adams and the woman were engaged in the crime of prostitution does not mean that the woman relinquished her reasonable expectation of privacy under Wis. Stat. § 942.09(2)(am)l.
¶ 6. Adams maintains that he was justified in videotaping the woman without her consent because she was a prostitute and might, during their illegal sexual encounter, overdose on illegal drugs or accuse
¶ 7. Adams's reliance on the "legitimate reason" language in Nelson is misplaced. The Nelson court said that the evident purpose of Wis. Stat. § 942.09 is to penalize those who invade the privacy of persons who are depicted nude "when the offenders have no legitimate reason for doing so." Nelson, 294 Wis. 2d 578, | 24. But the court quickly added that "the legislature has already made the judgment that, in the circumstances described in the statute, the offender does not have a legitimate interest in capturing representations depicting nudity." Id. Nelson did not add a "legitimate reason" exception to the reasonable expectation of privacy prong of the statute. And Adams's reasons do not provide factual or legal support for any such defense. "It is no defense to a prosecution for a crime that the victim was also guilty of a crime . . . ." Wis. Stat. § 939.14. Recording someone nude in violation of § 942.09(2)(am)l. in order to protect against possible adverse scenarios is not a legitimate reason or defense. Furthermore, there is no evidence that Adams made the recording for the purpose of self-protection.
¶ 8. Finally, we briefly address Adams's halfhearted argument that the woman consented or relinquished her expectation of privacy because the laptop computer that was recording her was in view. Adams
By the Court. — Judgment affirmed.
All statutory references are to the 2013-14 version of the Wisconsin Statutes unless otherwise indicated.
Although a person who engages in commercial sexual activity has no constitutional right to privacy to shield their activities from government intrusion, City of Madison v. Schultz, 98 Wis. 2d 188, 204-05, 295 N.W.2d 798 (Ct. App. 1980), the statute does not incorporate the constitutional right to privacy, but rather a right to privacy as commonly understood by its terms, State v. Nelson, 2006 WI App 124, ¶¶ 19-33, 54, 294 Wis. 2d 578, 718 N.W.2d 168. We need not balance the government's interest in law enforcement against a person's right to privacy because it is not the government that is invading that right. Id., ¶ 24.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.