Justices Hears Case of Bare Chested Woman’s Arrest in Rochester
St. Paul, MN (KROC-AM News) - The Minnesota Supreme Court heard arguments on Tuesday in the case of a woman who was arrested and jailed in Rochester for exposing her breasts.
28-year-old Eloisa Plancarte is appealing her conviction for indecent exposure and the Minnesota Court of Appeals split decision to uphold it and her 90 day jail sentence for the crime. According to court records, was also convicted of a drug possession charge due to a small amount of cocaine found in her possession when she was arrested in July 2021 at a Rochester Kwik Trip store.
In its ruling, the Appeals Court stated that Rochester police found her walking around the store's parking lot with her breasts fully exposed. The ruling also describes a conversation between the responding officers and Plancarte, who responded to a question about why she Exposing herself by saying, "Catholic girls do it all the time." She then added, "I dance at the biker club; I am a stripper."
Court records indicate that Plancarte argued that she was improperly arrested because female breasts should not be considered "private parts" under Minnesota's indecent exposure law. Through her attorney, she asked the Supreme Court to consider whether her prosecution violated the Equal Protection Clause of the US Constitution because men are not charged when they walk around bare-chested.
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It's not known when the Supreme Court Justices will issue a ruling in the case.
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Gallery Credit: Jessica On The Radio