Hey Neighbor

It seems that almost everyone has one neighbor that drives them crazy, for one reason or another.  It may be deferred maintenance on the neighbor’s home is driving down values in the overall neighborhood, or, the neighbor keeps a junked car or three in their front yard, or, quite possibly, the neighbor is just a general nuisance and, like the kid picked last for the team sport on the playground, nobody really wants them around.  It appears we have a case here in West Michigan that fits the profile of the kid picked last.

One Marlin A. Sleeman, a resident of Lake Bella Vista, a subdivision a tad north of my home with a bit of snob appeal, was convicted for “indecent or obscene conduct in a public place.”  Sounds serious.  The conviction results from Ms. Sleeman’s sunbathing habits, which, Ms. Sleeman’s neighbors found offensive.  Based on the accompanying photo in the dead tree rendition of this article, there may be an aesthetic validity to the neighbors’ complaint, but, if you read article, one finds the neighbors’ use of the law is simply a method the neighbors attempted to use to control Ms. Sleeman’s behavior.  The basic testimony, per the article.

“They” (the neighbors who testified I assume - ed. - itals by ed.), “said she sat provocatively in a lawn chair near the street.  They also said she arranged her shorts and hiked up her shirt to expose as much skin as possible, but never showed her private parts.”

Ooh, sounds horrendous.  Believe it or not, Ms. Sleeman was convicted.  Not necessarily surprising, when you consider the strong conservative base of West Michigan, and the fact that you are never further than a mile or two from a church in a fifty mile radius.

Even more amazing than Ms. Sleeman’s conviction though is the fact that Judge Dennis Kolenda threw out the verdict on appeal.  The judge’s ruling as reported by the Grand Rapids Press.

He said Sleeman did not engage in indecent behavior, and pointed out other neighbors wore similar apparel. The judge also disputed that the manner in which she sunbathed moved beyond that which is readily observable on television.

Kolenda said accusations that Sleeman gave people “the finger” also were insufficient to prove she acted criminally. He said “the finger” is expression, and expression is protected under free speech.

In the end, the judge said, neighbors were annoyed by Sleeman’s “lifestyle and appearance”—clearly not a crime.

“Nonconformists must be tolerated, not merely because genuine freedom encompasses the right to be odd, which it does, but because such tolerance dignifies the right of dissent,” he wrote in his opinion. “Dissent is essential to a free society.”

Congratulations Judge Kolenda.  But Ms. Sleeman isn’t quite shuck of this little dust up yet.  It appears that the Kent County Prosecutor’s office is on the side of conformity and voter appreciation, as evidenced by the following.

Now, the Kent County prosecutor’s office is trying to move the case to the Court of Appeals. Because this is a second appeal, the county must ask the court’s permission to hear the case, said Lynn Hopkins, an assistant prosecutor who often argues appeals.

Reading the entire article will provide you with other details of Ms. Sleeman’s eccentricities and interactions with her neighbors over the years.  While Ms. Sleeman is, to say the least, somewhat of a pain in the ass, she isn’t breaking any laws.

Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 02/04 at 07:02 AM

  1. I HAVE NEVER RESIDED IN SUCH A RASES NEIGHBORHOOD IN MY LIVE; AND THAT LOCATION IS VERY BAD JUST BECAUSE OF OUR SKIN COLOR; BUT YES IT IS BEHIND US; THEY TRYED TO TAKE MY KIDS AWAY FROM ME JUST BECAUSE THEY DID NOT LIKE OUR SKIN COLOR AND THEY FELT WE DID NOT BELONG IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD; BUT ENOUGH IS ENOUGH I DID FLIP THEM OF; BECAUSE I DID NOT WANT TO USE BAD WORDS; IT WAS THE BEST THING WHEN MY DAUGHTER WANTED TO GO TO SCHOOL IN FLORIDA( SHE WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE GONE TO WESTERN IN KALMAZOO WHERE HERE DAD WENT), BUT WAS WORRIED ABOUT THE BAHAVIOR OF PEOPLE IN KALMAZOO, SO SHE CHOOCE FLORIDA WHERE THERE A COLORED PEOPLE, AND WHERE SHE WOULD BE ACCEPTED; I WAS TOLD THAT MY SON WOULD BECOME A JUVINILEE AND MY DAUGHTER AN UNWET MOM; WELL GOD DOESNOT LIKE UGLY MY SON IS AN UPSTANDING SOLDIER DEFENDING OUR FREEDOM AND MY DAUGHTER HAS A MASTERS IN 2ND DAIRY EDUCATION; THERE WHICHES FOR MY FAMILY DID NOT COME TRUE,
    SO THANK GOD FOR THAT; HOWEVER IF YOU LOOK AROUND JUST LOOK HOW THERE FAMILY TURNED OUT; I FEEL IF THEY HAD SPEND MORE TIME ON THEIR FAMILY AND LESS TIME ON MINE; THEIR FAMILY WOULD HAVE TURNED DIFFEREND (THAT’S MY OPINION); IF YOU WANT TO WRITE A BOOK ABOUT THIS I AM WILLING; I LOST A LOT OF JOBS BECAUSE OF THIS.
    I AM HAPPY WITH MY FAMILY; I TOTALLY LOVE MY GRANDBABY MAX; HE IS SO ADORABLE; MY DAUGHTER IN LAW REBECCA; SHE IS JUST ADORABLE; LOVE MY DAUGHTER AND SON; I AM HAPPY THAT I HAVE GOOD FAITH AND AM NOT A RASES PERSON.
    SORRY ABOUT THE SPELLING; I GET EMOTIONAL JUST THINKING ABOUT THESE NARROW MANDED PEOPLE; AND KEITH KALSALSKI WAS THE OFFICER WHO IN MY OPINION KEP TRYING TO CONFICT US FOR THINGS WE DID NOT DO; THE JUDGE SAID IF TWO PEOPLE SAY YOU DID IT THAN YOU MUST HAVE DONE IT; WHAT HAPPEN TO THAT JUDGE GOD DOESNOT LIKE UGLY; HE TRYED TO BURN HIMSELF AND SAID HE WAS SUFFERING FROM DEPRESSION; I HAVE THAT NEWS PAPER FRAMED; BECAUSE I FELT HE KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON; BUT TRY TO TAKE THOSE PEOPLE SIDE.
    I HOPE I READ THE ABOVE RIGHT ENGLISH IS A 5TH LAUGUES FOR ME.
    PEOPLE IN lAKE BELLA VISTA IN MY OPINION PRETENT THEY HAVE MONEY; BUT DO NOT ( A WANNA BEIER)
    HAVING SAID HILARY CLINTON SAID SOMETHING WHEN HER DAUGHTER WAS YOUNGER; IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD; BUT IN LAKE BELLA VISTA IN MY OPINION IT TAKES LAKE BELLA VISTA TO TRY TO PUT KIDS IN THE SYSTEM WHEN THE MOM IS A SINGLE PARENT; INSTEAD OF HELPING THE PARENT; FURTHER I STILL FEEL AND HAVE THE OPINION THAT KEITH KASALSKI IS LAKE BELLA VISTA PUPPY DOG ( NOT A PIG), A LAKE BELLA VISTA DOG; THIS IS MY EXPERIENCES AND OPINION; AS OFFICER SHOULD PROTECT THE POEPLE NOT DRIVE THEM OUT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD (MY OPINION) KASALSKI YOUR DAY WILL COME; GOD DOESNOT UGLY I LEAVE IT INTO HIS HANDS; BY NOW YOU CHILDREN I HOPE THEY KEEP YOU UP AT NIGHT AND I HOPE YOU WILL THINK WHAT YOU TRY TO DO TO MY FAMILY (BASE ON MY EXPERIENCES AND OPINION)
    I AM RAMBELING NOW;S O LET ME SIGN OFF.
    MY FAMILY TURNED OUT GREAT.
    GOOD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)  on  11/01  at  12:47 PM

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