You’re Free To Go
The Peeping Tom Files: 3 Bizarre Criminal Cases
Three cases. Three completely different stories. And one thing connecting all of them: voyeurism. On this episode of You’re Free to Go , criminal defense attorneys Guy Fronstin and Marc Nurik take a look at some of the strangest “Peeping Tom” cases they've encountered throughout their legal careers. Guy starts by explaining what legally constitutes voyeurism, including consent, expectation of privacy, sexual intent, hidden cameras and why a charge that may sound bizarre can carry extremely serious consequences. Then come the cases. The first involves a man living in a gated country-club community who was accused of waiting until his wife went to sleep, dressing completely in black and sneaking onto the golf course with a camera. According to the allegations, he would hide outside neighboring homes and secretly record people through their windows. After police eventually searched his home, investigators discovered more than 100 recordings . But when prosecutors struggled to identify and secure cooperation from the alleged victims, the legal case became much more complicated than the disturbing facts initially suggested. Then there's the filmmaker. After purchasing a tiny camera at a convention, the successful filmmaker allegedly attached it to his shoe and used it to secretly record underneath women's skirts at a shopping mall. He was caught, arrested, hired Guy to defend him and spent weeks preparing for court. Then the day of his hearing arrived... He vanished. Years later, according to Guy, the client still hasn't returned and the warrant remains open. The third case begins with teenage girls on a Key West beach who believe a man is secretly recording them. What police allegedly discover after examining his camera turns the investigation into something far more serious than the original voyeurism allegation . Marc also shares a courtroom story involving a key government witness whose credibility became critical to a federal drug case. After discovering contradictory statements the witness had previously made under oath, Marc found an opening during cross-examination — and the trial ultimately ended in a hung jury. Before getting into the cases, Guy and Marc also provide an update on their previous discussion involving Dr. Anthony Fauci, the Fifth Amendment and contempt of Congress , including why lawyers may advise a witness to invoke the Fifth repeatedly rather than selectively answering questions. In this episode: What legally constitutes voyeurism? The origin of the term “Peeping Tom” The country-club case involving 100+ recordings How a polygraph affected negotiations The filmmaker with a hidden shoe camera The client who disappeared before court A Key West investigation that became much more serious Marc's cross-examination of a government witness Why credibility can change an entire trial Dr. Fauci and the Fifth Amendment Criminal vs. civil consequences of pleading the Fifth Real cases. Real courtroom strategy. And stories that prove truth can sometimes be stranger than fiction. Subscribe to You’re Free to Go for more criminal defense stories, legal analysis and behind-the-scenes conversations from Guy Fronstin and Marc Nurik.
