Tiara Monique Garness, 22, disobeyed requests to cover her exposed buttocks and was arrested. On Friday, May 24, 2013, Garness was charged with indecent exposure for wearing a thong bathing suit. She was asked twice by police officers to cover up.
The High Point, NC resident should have done her research. Regarding beach laws, the City of Myrtle Beach’s website reads: “Thong bikini bathing suits and public display of certain body parts are illegal and can result in arrest.”
The laws on indecency have been in effect since 1993 and section 14-83 of the city’s ordinance reads: “It shall be unlawful for any person to intentionally appear in any public place in such as state of dress or undress as to expose to the view of others… the buttocks.”
And in good faith, the police officer should warn the offender before making an arrest.
Officers definitely weren’t targeting or picking on Garness. Three other women, Latosha Faye Collins, 27, of Dalton, Ga., Tenisha Blair, 34, of Shelby, SC and Latoya Michen, 31, of Philadelphia, were all arrested between Friday morning and Saturday night and also charged with indecent exposure for their exposed buttocks.
Prior to the Memorial Day weekend, a Virginia couple Jasmine Kim Walton, 21, and Kyle Martin Schnoebelen went skinny dipping at North Myrtle beach and their clothes disappeared. They were also arrested for indecent exposure.
Garness was held on a $469 cash bond.
