MassCops - Massachusetts Law Enforcement Network, A Mass Police Web Portal

Massachusetts Law Enforcement Network

Massachusetts Police News, Information and Discussions on MassCops

Pages: 1

Main Page Obscure Charge?
(Click here to view the original thread on the MassCops Message Board)

Posted by: Cinderella

Do You Have Any Wierd Laws in MASS You Actualy Enforce?

i read this on another web site from an officer in San Fransico...

"My partner is a little on the nutso side (to put it mildly). When someone irritated him, he
made no bones about using the most obscure sections of the Municipal Police Code to
make his point. In one instance he arrested a transient for "displaying a deformity for profit"
when the transient charged a kid 25 cents to see the stump of his amputated arm.

In another incident he arrested someone literally for looking ugly in public.
The relevant code made it a misdemeanor for "any unsightly person to make
themselves visible to public view."

I know Marin County has some rule about people who do not smell
good (or smell too strongly) cannot attend county meetings. I guess they have county
"Sniffers" at the door lol

(I used to threaten drunks that if they did not leave, they would be charged with "Mopery
with intent to Gawk, and being in a public place without a permit." I sometimes added
"Ugly in Public with a prior"). LOL

what is the most obscure charge you ever placed against a person?

Posted by: MSP75

GENERAL LAWS OF MASSACHUSETTS

PART IV. CRIMES, PUNISHMENTS AND PROCEEDINGS IN CRIMINAL CASES TITLE I.CRIMES AND PUNISHMENTSCHAPTER 272. CRIMES AGAINST CHASTITY, MORALITY, DECENCY AND GOOD ORDER

Chapter 272: Section 36 Blasphemy

Section 36. Whoever wilfully blasphemes the holy name of God by denying, cursing or contumeliously reproaching God, his creation, government or final judging of the world, or by cursing or contumeliously reproaching Jesus Christ or the Holy Ghost, or by cursing or contumeliously reproaching or exposing to contempt and ridicule, the holy word of God contained in the holy scriptures shall be punished by imprisonment in jail for not more than one year or by a fine of not more than three hundred dollars, and may also be bound to good behavior.

This is how I plan to shut down the local ACLU.

Posted by: phuzz01

Maybe this isn't that obscure, but I find it funny that it is actually a criminal offense:

TITLE LXII
NH CRIMINAL CODE
CHAPTER 645
PUBLIC INDECENCY
Section 645:3
645:3 Adultery. – A person is guilty of a class B misdemeanor if, being a married person, he engages in sexual intercourse with another not his spouse or, being unmarried, engages in sexual intercourse with another known by him to be married.

Posted by: JoninNH

Great Phuzz, Now I'll fail my next polygraph. "Have you ever committed a crime for which you were not prosecuted or arrested?"

Quote:

Originally Posted by phuzz01

Maybe this isn't that obscure, but I find it funny that it is actually a criminal offense:

TITLE LXII
NH CRIMINAL CODE
CHAPTER 645
PUBLIC INDECENCY
Section 645:3
645:3 Adultery. – A person is guilty of a class B misdemeanor if, being a married person, he engages in sexual intercourse with another not his spouse or, being unmarried, engages in sexual intercourse with another known by him to be married.

Posted by: JoninNH

Not at all obscure, but a very nice thing to see codified.

TITLE LXII
CRIMINAL CODE
CHAPTER 646-A
DESECRATION OF THE FLAG
Section 646-A:2
646-A:2 Desecration Prohibited. –
I. It shall be unlawful to knowingly desecrate a flag of the United States while it is properly displayed.
II. It shall be unlawful to knowingly desecrate a flag of the United States while it is the property of another.

TITLE LXII
CRIMINAL CODE
CHAPTER 646-A
DESECRATION OF THE FLAG
Section 646-A:4
646-A:4 Penalties. – Whoever knowingly casts contempt upon the flag of the United States by desecrating the flag when it is properly displayed or is the property of another shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

Posted by: Cinderella

Quote:
Originally Posted by phuzz01
Maybe this isn't that obscure, but I find it funny that it is actually a criminal offense:

TITLE LXII
NH CRIMINAL CODE
CHAPTER 645
PUBLIC INDECENCY
Section 645:3
645:3 Adultery. – A person is guilty of a class B misdemeanor if, being a married person, he engages in sexual intercourse with another not his spouse or, being unmarried, engages in sexual intercourse with another known by him to be married.

i plead the 5th on that one lol

<< says 10 hail marys>> will that work? lol

Posted by: Crvtte65

I always like this one:

CHAPTER 270. CRIMES AGAINST PUBLIC HEALTH

Chapter 270: Section 14 Spitting

Section 14. Whoever expectorates or spits upon any public sidewalk, or upon any place used exclusively or principally by pedestrians, or, except in receptacles provided for the purpose, in or upon any part of any city or town hall, any court house or court room, any public library or museum, any church or theatre, any lecture or music hall, any mill or factory, any hall of any tenement building occupied by five or more families, any school building, any ferry boat or steamboat, any railroad car or elevated railroad car, except a smoking car, any street railway car, any railroad or railway station or waiting room, or on any track, platform or sidewalk connected therewith, and included within the limits thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not more than twenty dollars.

CHAPTER 270. CRIMES AGAINST PUBLIC HEALTH

Chapter 270: Section 15 Arrest without warrant for spitting

Section 15. Any person detected in the act of violating the preceding section may, if his name is unknown to the officer, be arrested without a warrant by any officer authorized to serve criminal process in the place where the offence is committed and kept in custody until he can be taken before a court having jurisdiction of such offence.

Would be interesting to know if anyone used this one recently

Posted by: Mortal knight

CHAPTER 272. CRIMES AGAINST CHASTITY, MORALITY, DECENCY AND GOOD ORDER

Chapter 272: Section 86 Stabling horses or mules on second or higher floors, in places other than cities

Section 86. No person shall stable a horse or mule on the second or any higher floor of any building, unless there are two means of exit therefrom, at opposite ends of the building, to the main or street floor, unless such building is equipped with an automatic sprinkler system. This section shall not apply to cities.

If you do live in a city it's 272.86A: Section 86A. No person shall stable a horse or mule above the first or ground floor of any building not equipped with an automatic sprinkler system, or horses or mules exceeding six in all on the first or ground floor of any building not so equipped, unless there are two unobstructed means of exit from each floor whereon it or they are stabled, as far apart as practicable and so constructed as to grade that the said animal or animals can quickly and safely leave the building in case of fire and approved as to situation, arrangement and utility by the chief of the fire department. The person in charge of horses and mules stabled in any building not equipped with such a system and requiring two exits as aforesaid shall cause each such animal to use each such exit at least once a week. This and the four following sections shall apply only to cities

ma police, boston ma police, massachusetts police, massachusetts police, mass state police, mass police, ma, mass, massachusetts, massachusetts, massachutes, massachusetts law, massachusetts polece, police, officer, police officer, cops, police gear, law enforcement, police duty gear, state police, sheriff, law, police supply, police agency directory, police agency, police department, traffic officer, police dept, state trooper, dispatcher, massachusetts county sheriff, massachusetts sheriff, massachusetts department of corrections, ma doc, doc, dept of corrections, police information, civil service, ma civil service, massachusetts crime, police training, police academy, ma police academy, massachusetts officers, masscop, masscops, mpa, bpa, ibpoa, police association, massachusetts police news, massachusetts crime news, mass most wanted, police career information, police patrol, police administration, police books, crime scene training, police discussion, crime discussions, cops

About MassCops, the home for Massachusetts law enforcement.

The Massachusetts Law Enforcement Network opened in 1998 and is now a part of the New England Police Network The site is a pro-police discussion forum intended for sworn police officers and civilian law enforcement officials as well as those interested in pursuing a career in law enforcement here in Massachusetts.

The goal of The Massachusetts Law Enforcement Network is to provide an informal network of law enforcement officials here in Massachusetts for educational and informational purposes.

The forum covers many topics such as Police Related News Articles, Agency & Profession Discussions, Police Training as well as Law Enforcement Career Information.

The Massachusetts Law Enforcement Network and The New England Police Network (NEPN) and it's network sites are privately owned websites/domains and are not affiliated with or endorsed by any government association or agency.

MassCops (masscops.com) and (masscop.com) are privately owned are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Massachusetts Coalition of Police (masscop.org)

3 4 5 6 7 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 49 50 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108