Jeremie Calo and Tiffani Lynn Barganier are accused of a bizarre crime of having sex in public at a Florida restaurant in front of families with children. Yet, they will not be charged with that crime because none of the adults, including parents, who watched the disgraceful scene are willing to come forward to be witnesses. It is an sad statement about our society that parents, who were upset with the alleged public sex act, do not view themselves as bound by civic duty to step forward as witnesses for the police. It appears that Calo is not the only one treating the incident with a wink and a nod.
The scene allegedly occurred at Paddy Murphy’s, an Orlando restaurant, after the manager was told by various patrons about the couple’s tryst. It is not clear why the manager is not a sufficient witness for the charge. He reported told the couple to stop and Calo, 32, allegedly told Tom Murphy “She can’t get up at this time” — a reference to Barganier.
Calo is accused of then scuffling with the staff and trying to leave without payment. He was charged not with having sex in public but “defrauding an innkeeper.”
What disturbed me about this story was the statement of the police that “The parents of the young children that observed Calo and Barganier having sex declined to write statements regarding their observations.” It is a chilling lesson that these parents are giving their children in not cooperating with police and stepping forward to serve as witnesses. I am not sure which is a worse lesson. This couple was presumably drunk but the parents were sober. In my view, one committed a contemptible act of commission while the other committed a contemptible act of omission. What do you think?
Source: Smoking Gun
It’s not the name as much as the food indicated by the name. This wouldn’t happen in a Greek, Italian, Chinese, Indian, German, Jewish, Mexican restaurant. You know, the cultures w/ great food. This couple probably drank some superb Irish whiskey and when the food came said, “This sucks, let’s f@ck.”
wow really……. oh my god… what is the world coming to… I agree throw cold water on them and everyone get your phones out… lol send the kids to the car… lol tell them they will be famous on U-tube lol did the manager add an extra fee to everyone’s bill for entertainment lol geeeessss the things people do… were they naked lol or was it hidden ?? lol just saying
nick,
nothing wrong with the Irish restaurant name, except that it is in Florida! How come I never get that kind of sideshow when I am out to dinner?
I, for one, would also decline to give an interview or a statement. I would make an exception if someone was “really” harmed. This leads me to my second point which is that this is not such a big deal in my view. They were drunk and had sex in a restaurant — she was probably sitting on his lap and no really saw much of anything — they likely just “inferred” from the movement what was going on. I do not think the government has any business in this type of matter — it certainly should not be criminal.
To me, laws like this are continued evidence that we are loosing our freedoms bit by bit as the state increasingly legislates morality. Why is it criminal to smoke a joint but not to drink a whiskey? Why is adult material illegal to even possess in some places here? Who gets to decide?
I live in Texas and it was not too long ago that a law was still on the books criminalizing sodomy between consenting adults. If someone told you they engaged in such activity, would you report them?
I do not respect laws that I feel are legitimate and I will not help the state enforce them in any way. I would even lie under oath and say I did not see anything – and I would have not guilt about doing that.
Our government is corrupt and out of control.
1984 is almost here.
Having witnesses participate is part motivation, part manipulation..then there’s the subpoena. Part of my job working for the prosecutor was this function. I’m guessing this wasn’t a high priority case.
Mespo has the nipping it in the bud right. My first thought was to start shooting them w/ your cell phone camera but these narcissists would probably like that. Maybe we need to ask ourselves, what would Lorena Bobbit do in this situation. Finally, what would one expect @ a restaurant named Paddy Murphy’s?
keestadoll:
maybe it will end up as a short at the local adult peep show.
The article seems a bit oer the top. So a couple had sex in public. It may be somewhat discraceful but the fact the parents didn’t want to be party to prosecution is simply testiment to the fact prosecution would be a disproportionate response to the supposed crime.
The parents were probably relieved to not be the subject of scrutiny by other patrons whose dining is typically ruined by poorly managed children!
This should resolve itself once one of these moronic parents posts a video of the “event” on YouTube. Generation Y: bringing apathy to new and exciting levels.
Mespo, Frankly, 🙂 Exactly! I like the Zen of it- no barrier between thought and action.
Oh great! Dinner AND a show!! woo-hoo.
This looks like another one of those stories that must have some important bits of info missing. There has to be more to it than what I have read.
Had I been there I think I would have tossed some ice water on them like people do when two dogs are humping & you want to break them up
Apparently the couple had protection.
Floriduh never disappoints.
Maybe the parents don’t believe in prosecuting victimless “crimes”.
Maybe they don’t consider open and notorious sex an injury to the nebulous public.
Maybe they don’t want to go to court and get jerked around.
“It is not clear why the manager is not a sufficient witness for the charge.”
He could testify so the kids and parents would not have to suffer through it, because he may have to be there as a witness on the refusing to pay the bill issue.
He is the one that was being harmed a lot, seeing as how reputation is important in the difficult restaurant business.
What mespo and OS said plus given the bevy of odious stories about people who’ve had nothing but trouble when they’ve tried to cooperate with the police as our law enforcement community grows every more militarized and out of control with little or no consequences for their bad acts? Cooperating with the police, while a civic duty in aiding in the solving and prosecution of crimes, has a strong case for avoidance these days. I’m certain of one thing for sure. I’d teach my kids to be very circumspect in dealing with the police in any capacity. An ounce of prevention beats a pound of cure.
Is this an isolated event? I have been pretty drunk as a 20 something but never that drunk.
I guess their parents went to Woodstock in 69?
Maybe most of the food are out of staters and it would be an inconvenience to return……
Just guessing, but I suspect the refusal to go on record as a witness has more to do with not wanting to get involved and have to go to court and testify against the guy. Getting involved as a witness is inconvenient, may cause one to miss work if you get called to court, and may fear retaliation as well. Remember the case of Kitty Genovese? More of the same.
Classy couple. The parents should have thrown water on them like you would with any other two similarly situated animals.