Masturbation Only Self Abuse

Not a legal profession case, but of possible interest is a decision today from the Wyoming Supreme Court that reversed a criminal conviction. The defendant walked into the hospital room of a woman (previously unknown to him) who was recovering from knee replacement surgery, masturbated in front of her, and departed.

The court found that the conduct did not involve abuse of the victim and did not subject the victim to punishment. Thus, the conviction for abuse of a vulnerable adult was reversed because, in the court’s view, it “cannot stand.”

Wonder if that was a comment on the evidence. (Mike Frisch)