Updated November 26, 2001, 2:43 p.m. ET   

BEND, Ore. — Terri Sue Webb stood up in court and swore to tell the truth, nothing but the "naked" truth.

Webb, 26, appeared in a Deschutes County courtroom earlier this month wearing nothing but a pair of red cowboy boots. Webb, who was on trial for riding her bicycle in the buff in July, thought she'd seize the opportunity to make a statement that non-sexual public nudity is not against the law.

"When I walked into the courtroom, she was already naked," prosecuting attorney James Monsebroten told Court TV, adding he did not know how or when Webb got undressed.

Though some in the ogling crowd cheered her resoluteness, the judge was not amused. Judge Barbara Haslinger ordered Webb arrested for contempt of court and sentenced her to a year of supervised probation, and ordered her to undergo a mental examination.

Haslinger set a new trial date of Jan. 27 and told Webb she must be properly attired for all future court dates. If she doesn't comply, Webb could be sentenced to 29 days in jail.

Webb was originally charged with disorderly conduct for pedaling naked. Her attorney, Alana Brenneman, called the charge unjustified because Webb didn't cause any inconvenience or annoyance. The state, however, contends Webb's actions jeopardized public safety. Monsebroten declined to go into detail, but said Webb obstructed traffic and caused much alarm.

Webb faces up to six months in prison and a $2,000 fine.

 

NEWPORT, R.I. — If you smoke pot and don't want to get caught, then you should think twice before leaving your stash lying around the house. Your kid may just help turn you in.

That's what allegedly happened to a Rhode Island mother when her two-year-old showed up at a daycare center with a bag of marijuana he had taken off the kitchen table. A daycare teacher found the pot and alerted police. A search of the mother's apartment uncovered an ounce of marijuana, several smaller bags, a pipe, and $800.

Authorities arrested and charged Melissa Connell, 21, and her boyfriend, Christopher McKinney, 24, with child neglect. McKinney faces an additional charge of possession with intent to deliver marijuana.

 

LACROSSE, Wis. — After downing a few beers, Robin McCain came up with a novel idea. He decided to make an impression at a friend's party by streaking naked around the house.

Unfortunately for him, he wound up on the wrong block.

McCain, authorities say, removed his clothes in an alley behind what he thought was his friend's house. When he got to the front of the house, McCain realized his blunder, but not before alarming some neighborhood residents.

McCain hid in the bushes and looked for an opportune time to retrieve his clothing. Neighbors, however, spotted him and called police. Authorities charged the 23-year-old with disorderly conduct. They do not expect him to become a repeat offender.

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A passenger's inability to control his bladder forced a U.S. Airways flight from Pittsburgh to Reagan National Airport to make an emergency landing at Dulles International Airport.

Raho Ortiz, 33, broke a new federal rule requiring passengers to remain seated in the last half-hour approach to National when he got up 15 minutes before landing and started walking toward the cockpit. Two sky marshals in plainclothes, one with his gun drawn, immediately yelled at Ortiz to get on the ground, said a Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson.

A stunned Ortiz complied immediately and kept saying, “I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I just wanted to go to the bathroom.”

The marshals ordered the other 106 passengers on board to put their hands behind their heads for the rest of the trip. Some passengers briefly panicked, thinking the plane was being hijacked. The plane landed without incident.

Ortiz, a lawyer who works for the Environmental Protection Agency, was arrested once the plane landed. He was originally charged with interfering with a flight crew, but after holding him for three hours, the FBI decided to drop the federal charge and release him.

But Ortiz did not escape scot-free. Airport authorities issued a summons ordering Ortiz to appear in court on a charge of possession of marijuana.

 

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Some Syracuse University film students' recent attempt to stage a robbery for a movie project almost became reality TV.

Police arrived with guns drawn after a man riding his bike past a coffee shop near campus alerted them about someone robbing the business.

John Remis, a student-actor playing the gun-toting holdup man, quickly dropped his toy gun and put his hands in the air, said Syracuse police Sgt. Joe Sweeny. Remis, a chemistry major, wasn't even supposed to be part of the scene as he was filling in for a student who didn't show up. Remis vows he is done with film and will stick solely to chemistry projects.

Sweeny said police have asked the students and university to contact them before staging any future “crimes.”

 
Stupid Crimes & Misdemeanors, a weekly feature of CourtTV.com, is reported by Hozaifa Cassubhai.


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