A bystander at James Baird State Park was already holding down a naked man when New York State Police troopers showed up to what had been called in as a fight in progress. Police say the man being restrained was 51-year-old Paul Roberts of Hyde Park, who had allegedly been engaging in lewd conduct in the park just off the Taconic State Parkway.
Troopers responded to the LaGrange park around 2:50 p.m. on October 1, according to New York State Police reporting detailed by Daily Voice. When they arrived, they found a bystander physically restraining Roberts, who was naked, before officers themselves had a chance to intervene. Police reportedly said Roberts had been observed engaging in lewd conduct, according to Newport Dispatch.
What exactly sparked the physical altercation between Roberts and the person who held him down has not been detailed. Daily Voice reported that state police did not release specifics on what triggered the scuffle, nor did they elaborate on the precise nature of the lewd conduct that was observed before officers got there.
Charges Reflect a Mix of Misdemeanor and Minor Violations
Roberts was charged with public lewdness, which New York Penal Law defines as intentionally exposing one's private parts in public. That charge is classified as a Class B misdemeanor, carrying maximum penalties of up to 90 days in jail, probation, and fines up to $500 upon conviction, per the New York Desk Appearance Ticket Lawyer guidance on the statute.
He also faces two lesser charges: exposure of a person and harassment in the second degree. Exposure of a person is classified as a non-criminal violation rather than a crime, punishable by up to 15 days in jail or a fine up to $250, and it does not result in a criminal record, according to The Fast Law Firm, P.C. The harassment charge is similarly classified as a non-criminal violation, carrying a maximum sentence of 15 days in jail or a fine, and is typically applied when physical contact occurs without causing physical injury, as explained by the New York Criminal Lawyer Blog.
Roberts received an appearance ticket rather than being taken into custody ahead of arraignment. Roberts is scheduled to formally answer the charges at his initial appearance in Town of LaGrange Court on October 27 at 5:30 p.m., according to News 12 Hudson Valley.
A Heavily Visited Park Along the Taconic
James Baird State Park spans 590 acres in Dutchess County and traces back to 1939, when engineer and contractor James Baird — whose firm built the Lincoln Memorial — donated the former farmland to New York State, according to state park records.
The park sits directly off the Taconic State Parkway in the Town of LaGrange. A civilian bystander apparently intervened before troopers could reach the scene themselves.
Much about the circumstances leading up to the altercation remains unknown, including what exactly set it off and the precise conduct that drew the bystander's attention in the first place. Those questions are likely to surface again when Roberts appears in LaGrange Town Court later this month.
