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Pennsylvania renews a warning to make it illegal to touch a pregnant woman's belly without her consent. WPXI's Katherine Amenta reports. By Daniella Silva, NBC News A Pennsylvania man was charged with harassment for allegedly hugging a pregnant woman and rubbing her stomach without her consent in what may be the first case of its kind, according to police and a legal expert. Richard J. Beishline, 57, went to his pregnant neighbor's trailer at about 5 p.m. on October 20 in Cumberland County, according to Trooper Robert Hicks, a public information officer for the Pennsylvania State Police. While there, Beishline hugged the woman and touched her stomach against her wishes at which point she pushed him away, Hicks said. Beishline returned to his trailer, and the pregnant woman called police. "Beishline was later charged with harassment in connection with the incident", Hicks said. In Pennsylvania, a person can be charged with harassment for an action they take that has an intent to harass, annoy or alarm another person. But rarely if ever has the law been applied to unwanted belly-touching and other physical contact aimed at pregnant women. "It’s extremely rare and uncommon," said Pittsburgh attorney Phil DiLucente. "I have never heard or saw this ever being found." "This might be the first of its kind," he added. Hicks also said he had never heard of the law applied in this way, but added that any unwanted physical contact can be considered harassment under state law. The charge is what is known as a summary offense in Pennsylvania, not a misdemeanor or a felony, and is typically disposed of with fines, DiLucente said. After a person is charged, a citation is issued where the individual can plead guilty and pay a fine or plead not guilty and scheduled a hearing in district court. A magistrate in Cumberland County filed the harassment charge against Beishline, but he has not yet received his formal citation or responded to the charge, according to Hicks. Her face was already shown on tv here about a week ago. She appears to be a young, black woman." />Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Pennsylvania renews a warning to make it illegal to touch a pregnant woman's belly without her consent. WPXI's Katherine Amenta reports. By Daniella Silva, NBC News A Pennsylvania man was charged with harassment for allegedly hugging a pregnant woman and rubbing her stomach without her consent in what may be the first case of its kind, according to police and a legal expert. Richard J. Beishline, 57, went to his pregnant neighbor's trailer at about 5 p.m. on October 20 in Cumberland County, according to Trooper Robert Hicks, a public information officer for the Pennsylvania State Police. While there, Beishline hugged the woman and touched her stomach against her wishes at which point she pushed him away, Hicks said. Beishline returned to his trailer, and the pregnant woman called police. "Beishline was later charged with harassment in connection with the incident", Hicks said. In Pennsylvania, a person can be charged with harassment for an action they take that has an intent to harass, annoy or alarm another person. But rarely if ever has the law been applied to unwanted belly-touching and other physical contact aimed at pregnant women. "It’s extremely rare and uncommon," said Pittsburgh attorney Phil DiLucente. "I have never heard or saw this ever being found." "This might be the first of its kind," he added. Hicks also said he had never heard of the law applied in this way, but added that any unwanted physical contact can be considered harassment under state law. The charge is what is known as a summary offense in Pennsylvania, not a misdemeanor or a felony, and is typically disposed of with fines, DiLucente said. After a person is charged, a citation is issued where the individual can plead guilty and pay a fine or plead not guilty and scheduled a hearing in district court. A magistrate in Cumberland County filed the harassment charge against Beishline, but he has not yet received his formal citation or responded to the charge, according to Hicks. Her face was already shown on tv here about a week ago. She appears to be a young, black woman." /> |
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10-28-2013, 08:37 PM
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 ★The Queen★ Poster Rank:67 Female Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 23,498
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PA Man Charged With Harassment For Rubbing Pregnant Woman's Stomach
<object width="420" height="245" id="msnbc6df298" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=10,0,0,0"><param name="movie" value="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32545640" /><param name="FlashVars" value="launch=53394747&width=420&height=24 5" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><embed name="msnbc6df298" src="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32545640" width="420" height="245" FlashVars="launch=53394747&width=420&heigh t=245" allowscriptaccess="always" allowFullScreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.adobe.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed></object><p style="font-size:11px; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #999; margin-top: 5px; background: transparent; text-align: center; width: 420px;">Visit NBCNews.com for <a style="text-decoration:none !important; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; font-weight:normal !important; height: 13px; color:#5799DB !important;" href="http://www.nbcnews.com">breaking news</a>, <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032507" style="text-decoration:none !important; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; font-weight:normal !important; height: 13px; color:#5799DB !important;">world news</a>, and <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032072" style="text-decoration:none !important; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; font-weight:normal !important; height: 13px; color:#5799DB !important;">news about the economy</a></p> Pennsylvania renews a warning to make it illegal to touch a pregnant woman's belly without her consent. WPXI's Katherine Amenta reports. By Daniella Silva, NBC News A Pennsylvania man was charged with harassment for allegedly hugging a pregnant woman and rubbing her stomach without her consent in what may be the first case of its kind, according to police and a legal expert. Richard J. Beishline, 57, went to his pregnant neighbor's trailer at about 5 p.m. on October 20 in Cumberland County, according to Trooper Robert Hicks, a public information officer for the Pennsylvania State Police. While there, Beishline hugged the woman and touched her stomach against her wishes at which point she pushed him away, Hicks said. Beishline returned to his trailer, and the pregnant woman called police. "Beishline was later charged with harassment in connection with the incident", Hicks said. In Pennsylvania, a person can be charged with harassment for an action they take that has an intent to harass, annoy or alarm another person. But rarely if ever has the law been applied to unwanted belly-touching and other physical contact aimed at pregnant women. "It’s extremely rare and uncommon," said Pittsburgh attorney Phil DiLucente. "I have never heard or saw this ever being found." "This might be the first of its kind," he added. Hicks also said he had never heard of the law applied in this way, but added that any unwanted physical contact can be considered harassment under state law. The charge is what is known as a summary offense in Pennsylvania, not a misdemeanor or a felony, and is typically disposed of with fines, DiLucente said. After a person is charged, a citation is issued where the individual can plead guilty and pay a fine or plead not guilty and scheduled a hearing in district court. A magistrate in Cumberland County filed the harassment charge against Beishline, but he has not yet received his formal citation or responded to the charge, according to Hicks. Her face was already shown on tv here about a week ago. She appears to be a young, black woman. |
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10-28-2013, 11:00 PM
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 ★ Legacy Member ★ Poster Rank:40 lady Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 37,489 Mentioned: 40 Post(s) Quoted: 3618 Post(s)
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Re: PA Man Charged With Harassment For Rubbing Pregnant Woman's Stomach
I honestly don't see how it wasn't considered a simple assault. I'm sure it would be in my state. It's just like that here.  He's a weirdo at the least; she told him not to touch her. |
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10-28-2013, 11:22 PM
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 My Rank: MAJOR Poster Rank:179 Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 8,413
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Re: PA Man Charged With Harassment For Rubbing Pregnant Woman's Stomach
They're in a trailer park. He was probably drunk, and rubbed her belly. |
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10-29-2013, 01:07 AM
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 My Rank: MAJOR Poster Rank:92 Male Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 16,925 Mentioned: 9 Post(s) Quoted: 1885 Post(s)
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Re: PA Man Charged With Harassment For Rubbing Pregnant Woman's Stomach
We don't know the whole story. Maybe she told him not to and he did anyway. No one should without permission otherwise it does come off creepy.
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10-29-2013, 01:31 AM
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| ★The Queen★ Poster Rank:67 Female Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 23,498
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Re: PA Man Charged With Harassment For Rubbing Pregnant Woman's Stomach
I've never been pregnant, but, the women I've been with who were, were always asked. It wasn't to rub the stomach like it was a buddah. It was to feel the baby move. The guy should not have hugged her, if she was uncomfortable with him, but, we don't know his side. She said he stroked her belly. Creepy... OK, so in Detroit, they do it for luck! Just found this! <script type='text/javascript' src='http://KMSP.images.worldnow.com/interface/js/WNVideo.js?rnd=2526;hostDomain=www.myfoxtwincities .com;playerWidth=630;playerHeight=385;isShowIcon=t rue;clipId=9461787;flvUri=;partnerclipid=;adTag=Mo rning%2520Show;advertisingZone=;enableAds=true;lan dingPage=;islandingPageoverride=false;playerType=S TANDARD_EMBEDDEDscript;controlsType=fixed'></script><a href="http://www.myfoxtwincities.com" title="KMSP-TV">KMSP-TV</a> **Pregnant Belly Harassment Charge** October 28, 2013 By myFOXDetroit.com Staff (WJBK) - A Pennsylvania man was recently accused of repeatedly touching a pregnant woman's belly, and it could lead to a harassment charge. It's an old statue in the state, but he could be charged. We spoke to our producer Connie Smith, who's expecting a child next month. She agrees, don't touch the baby bump without permission. Read more: Pregnant belly harassment charge - KMSP-TV http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/story...#ixzz2j5USHjUW The website is from Minnesota |
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10-29-2013, 03:54 AM
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 ★ Legacy Member ★ Poster Rank:809 Female Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 962 Mentioned: 3 Post(s) Quoted: 297 Post(s)
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Re: PA Man Charged With Harassment For Rubbing Pregnant Woman's Stomach
When I was pregnant old men used to love to rub my big ole belly. They were not being creepy. Maybe because it was a small town. IDK, but I never minded people rubbing my baby belly. Of course I don't have a stick up my ass.
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10-29-2013, 04:05 AM
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| ★The Queen★ Poster Rank:67 Female Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 23,498
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Re: PA Man Charged With Harassment For Rubbing Pregnant Woman's Stomach
I'll take your word for it  |
