The Case of Bridget Webb on Essex Street in Boston

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Facts Police observed Bridget Webb on Essex Street in Boston on the nights of October 28, 29, 30, and November 4. Prior to these dates, Police had no knowledge of Webb. On November 4, police observed Webb walking up and down Essex Street wearing a short mini skirt, a thin tank top, and stiletto heels, despite an outside temperature of thirty-five degrees. Several lone male drivers pulled over, sometimes on their own and sometimes after Webb flagged them down. On a few occasions, Webb ran into the middle of the street in an apparent attempt to “catch” the cars. Webb yelled loudly, whistled, and made obscene gestures in response to the men who pulled over, but police could not hear or observe what, if anything, the drivers said to Webb. Other drivers honked their horns as they drove by, causing Webb to get angry, stomp her feet, and yell obscenities. Though Essex Street was unusually quiet on the night of November 4, Webb’s actions created a disturbance for several patrons of nearby restaurants, causing them to look out the windows to see what was happening. Additionally, a few pedestrians stopped to see what was happening. Police arrested Webb as a “disorderly person.” The Commonwealth must now decide whether to charge Webb as a “disorderly person” or a “common night walker.” Question Should the Commonwealth charge Webb as a “disorderly person” or a “common night walker” for waiving down cars driven by lone males, yelling obscenities, and creating a general disturbance to the public? Brief Answer The Commonwealth should charge Webb as a “disorderly person” for running into the street with no legitimate purpose and creating a hazardous condition to drivers. Discussion Webb should be charged as a “disorderly person” for creatin... ... middle of paper ... ...ied upon. Nor is there explicit evidence that Webb had solicited illicit sex as King used to convict the defendant. Circumstantial evidence such as Webb’s clothing, police observations that Webb was on a street frequented by prostitutes several times over the course of about a week, and that Webb conversed with unidentified lone male divers, without any evidence as to the content of those conversations, is unlikely that the Commonwealth can convict Webb of “common night walking.” Conclusion Webb should be charged as a “disorderly person” for creating a hazard to the public by running into the street with no legitimate purpose, endangering her self and others. The Commonwealth should not charge Webb as a “common night walker,” because circumstantial evidence is not supplemented with more explicit evidence that she was attempting to solicit illicit sexual activities.

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