Any of our prosecutors in Palestine want to comment on this?
Authorities arrest nude man on courthouse lawn By PAUL STONE The Palestine Herald
PALESTINE — Law enforcement officials say charges against a 36-year-old Palestine man who was walking naked around the Anderson County Courthouse late Monday afternoon ultimately may be dropped.
Around 4 p.m. Monday, the man was observed walking naked on the sidewalk outside the Anderson County Courthouse, according to authorities.
Joe Willis, investigator with the special prosecutor’s office, was inside the courthouse when he said that Anderson County District Attorney Doug Lowe told him there was a man with no clothes walking outside the courthouse.
Willis said he and Allen Douglas, investigator with the Anderson County district attorney’s office, then went outside to investigate.
“We went outside and he was walking on (East) Lacy Street — at the sidewalk there at the Lacy Street entrance,” Willis said.
The man — who clearly appeared to be suffering from mental problems according to the investigator — was not even wearing shoes, he added.
“He was kind of incoherent,” Willis said. “When we asked him what his name was, he said he was a friend of Jesus. When we asked him where he lived, he quoted Bible verses.”
Willis said several members of the general public observed the naked man.
In almost four decades as a peace officer, Willis said he had never been exposed to such an incident.
“Thirty-seven years in law enforcement,” Willis said, “this was the very first time.”
Palestine police quickly arrived and arrested and charged the man with the Class C misdemeanor offense of disorderly conduct.
Oftentimes in such circumstances, Anderson County Sheriff Greg Taylor said law enforcement will drop criminal charges and get the person the appropriate mental health care.
“If they need help,” Taylor said, “we’ll forego the charge and let them get some help.”
