Video Voyeurism

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This is Robert Scirocco bringing you today's Law Bit.

In 2003, two women stayed over a friend’s house. After one of the women took a shower she noticed that a floral arrangement located on a shelf in the bathroom had a wire connected to it. She moved the flowers and discovered a concealed video camera. It turns out the owner of the house was taking videos of the women while they showered and used the bathroom.

This individual was indicted under a so called “Peeping Tom” law. But once the case got to court, the judge dismissed the charges against the defendant. His attorney argued that the law under which he was indicted only prohibits an individual from peering into a home from the outside – say through a window or open door. In New Jersey there was no criminal law that prohibited one from setting up cameras in his own home to secretly video tape and invade the privacy of guests. The following year, a specific law was enacted making such Video Voyeurism illegal.

This is Robert Scirocco, Attorney at Law, Budd Lake, New Jersey, bringing you today's Law Bit.

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