__Kratos__ Posted May 26, 2005 #1 Share Posted May 26, 2005 WHEELING, W.Va. - City and county attorneys are defending Wheeling police who arrested a man for wearing a Grinch mask while walking along a city street. Norman Eugene Gray, 42, was arrested Tuesday. He was arraigned and released on a personal recognizance bond. Officers saw Gray about 8:45 a.m. Tuesday, told him to take the mask off and not put it on again. Gray removed it and asked why he could not wear it, according to Wheeling police reports. Officers told him wearing masks in public is illegal. Gray said he felt he had a right to wear it and said it was not illegal. He put the mask back on and was arrested. The mask was confiscated. Wheeling City Solicitor Rosemary Humway-Warmuth and Ohio County Prosecutor Scott Smith said masks as well as dark window tinting in vehicles can pose a safety hazard to law enforcement officers and hinder efforts to identify criminal suspects. "When we think about masks, we don't always think of Halloween," Humway-Warmuth said. Smith said wearing a mask or hood in public is a misdemeanor under state law, punishable by a fine of up to $500 or up to a year in jail, or both. Children up to 16 years old can wear masks. Traditional Halloween masks, safety gear used in occupations, theatrical productions, civil defense or protection from bad weather also are legal. Source --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We shouldn't have to give up our rights to make the cops life easier! That is complete bullcrap right there. I am glad he put his mask back on! Good for him! The laws shouldn't tell you what to wear and what not to wear! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shivel Posted May 26, 2005 #2 Share Posted May 26, 2005 We shouldn't have to give up our rights to make the cops life easier! angry.gif That is complete bullcrap right there. I am glad he put his mask back on! Good for him! The laws shouldn't tell you what to wear and what not to wear! I dont see anything wrong with it at all. It's not like the cop told him not to wear a shirt or pants, the guy was wearing a mask for no good reason. It isn't safe to other people; if that guy were to hurt someone, no one would be able to identify him, it was perfectly reasonable to ask him to take the mask off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForRizzle Posted May 26, 2005 #3 Share Posted May 26, 2005 I say he should be allowed to wear the mask. The grinch is way cool. He was probably wearing this sucker.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
__Kratos__ Posted May 26, 2005 Author #4 Share Posted May 26, 2005 We shouldn't have to give up our rights to make the cops life easier! angry.gif That is complete bullcrap right there. I am glad he put his mask back on! Good for him! The laws shouldn't tell you what to wear and what not to wear! I dont see anything wrong with it at all. It's not like the cop told him not to wear a shirt or pants, the guy was wearing a mask for no good reason. It isn't safe to other people; if that guy were to hurt someone, no one would be able to identify him, it was perfectly reasonable to ask him to take the mask off. 642510[/snapback] Key Word "IF" Do you need a reason to wear a mask if you want to wear one? It shouldn't be a law that you can't wear a mask, because some paranoid people get scared! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amalgamut Posted May 26, 2005 #5 Share Posted May 26, 2005 So, if wearing a mask in public is illegal, do they not have Halloween? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Pancake Posted May 26, 2005 #6 Share Posted May 26, 2005 And this is the so call "land of the free" it should be called "land of certain rights"! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Celumnaz Posted May 26, 2005 #7 Share Posted May 26, 2005 Do you need a reason to wear a mask if you want to wear one? It shouldn't be a law that you can't wear a mask, because some paranoid people get scared! It's up to the people in that location to decide though. If they voted that law in, they must have felt the need. Now if it were a federal law, or a state law, even county I'd be all ranting about it, but it's a city law. If the people in that city decide it's dumb, they can legislatively change it. I hope... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brittish_gurl Posted May 26, 2005 #8 Share Posted May 26, 2005 lol..... like there's nothing else that could be illegal..... Pffffffff........... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
__Kratos__ Posted May 26, 2005 Author #9 Share Posted May 26, 2005 Do you need a reason to wear a mask if you want to wear one? It shouldn't be a law that you can't wear a mask, because some paranoid people get scared! It's up to the people in that location to decide though. If they voted that law in, they must have felt the need. Now if it were a federal law, or a state law, even county I'd be all ranting about it, but it's a city law. If the people in that city decide it's dumb, they can legislatively change it. I hope... 642578[/snapback] Smith said wearing a mask or hood in public is a misdemeanor under state law, punishable by a fine of up to $500 or up to a year in jail, or both. Start Ranting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmonsoon Posted May 26, 2005 #10 Share Posted May 26, 2005 (edited) Mark this day in your calender folks-it may never happen again-god save me-I agree with the cop (I feel so dirty just typing that). For all the cop knows, the guy was going to rob some place and had the mask on to hide his face. Now maybe if the guy had a good reason-like I am going to a custom party... ok, it could be allowed to pass. Now the other side of the coin is of course, once the cop saw him and presumable got his id, if anything happened involving a man in a grinch mask-they got their man. Now the cop could have been a decent human-yah right- and explained his concerns to the person and may have gotten an understanding nod and cooperation. *post edited because I didn't hear my case fan and did fast shut down to save computer. Edited May 26, 2005 by mrmonsoon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Nyx_ Posted May 26, 2005 #11 Share Posted May 26, 2005 So, if wearing a mask in public is illegal, do they not have Halloween? 642531[/snapback] That was my first thought, too. What a bunch of maroons...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadEyePixie Posted May 26, 2005 #12 Share Posted May 26, 2005 I can see why wearing a mask could be illegal, but a hood? Pfft. Really though, why is a 42 year old man wearing a Grinch mask in the first place? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hans Dolbrook Posted May 27, 2005 #13 Share Posted May 27, 2005 that's west va for you.they can't take dna tests up there because everyone is related! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheOriginalF Posted May 27, 2005 #14 Share Posted May 27, 2005 Wow what a stupid place...sigh. Illegal to wear a mask? The cop probably was traumatized by the Grinch as a small child and has been seeking revenge ever since. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BabyBash82 Posted May 27, 2005 #15 Share Posted May 27, 2005 Haha, wait, wearing a HOOD in public is also illegal there? Are people supposed to only wear hoods inside of their houses? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALNA70 Posted May 27, 2005 #16 Share Posted May 27, 2005 I wonder if wearing ski masks in the winter is illegal as well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gemmafawn Posted May 27, 2005 #17 Share Posted May 27, 2005 ti all seems so little boy like to me. perhaps they guy thought that by wearing the grinch mask he might become more like jim carry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplos Posted May 27, 2005 #18 Share Posted May 27, 2005 Was this guy a nutter, or just another 'I can do what I want... I have rights' kinda guy. Nowhere in the constitution does it say "You have the right to be a complete and utter fool." So what if you can't wear a mask on public streets? What sane person would feel the need to? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Celumnaz Posted May 27, 2005 #19 Share Posted May 27, 2005 Smith said wearing a mask or hood in public is a misdemeanor under state law, punishable by a fine of up to $500 or up to a year in jail, or both. Start Ranting! Holy cow I somehow read it was a city thing... I'm kinda speechless atm lol. Amazing. I was reading on that law they have and it sounded reasonable to me too... dang I hope there's not something wrong with me... They've had some wild cases in W.Va I was reading involving masked individuals... one dressed up in a devils costume at an official meeting... wierd stuff... I feel cheated out of my rant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metalix Knightmare Posted June 1, 2005 #20 Share Posted June 1, 2005 Oooo! Lookit me! I'm whering a hood with a mask! Stop me before I kill someone!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkSinister Posted June 1, 2005 #21 Share Posted June 1, 2005 I wonder if wearing ski masks in the winter is illegal as well? 643371[/snapback] Well, the article states that they can wear it for bad weather, but i presume they'll get harass anyways for wearing a ski mask... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
girty1600 Posted June 1, 2005 #22 Share Posted June 1, 2005 What about a bhurka? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkSinister Posted June 1, 2005 #23 Share Posted June 1, 2005 I'm presuming that's allowed since outlawing it will infringe on our civil liberties of religion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigger Posted June 1, 2005 #24 Share Posted June 1, 2005 lol..... like there's nothing else that could be illegal..... Pffffffff........... 642590[/snapback] i dunno... isnt there a state in america where if you have sex in the missionary position you can be fined or put in jail.. or some such thing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
girty1600 Posted June 1, 2005 #25 Share Posted June 1, 2005 lol..... like there's nothing else that could be illegal..... Pffffffff........... 642590[/snapback] i dunno... isnt there a state in america where if you have sex in the missionary position you can be fined or put in jail.. or some such thing? 650292[/snapback] I don't know about that one but in Indiana, where I live, oral sex is still on the books as being illegal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now