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Judge deals blow to stepmother charged for being topless at home

Posted at 6:47 AM, Jan 22, 2020
and last updated 2020-01-22 07:49:28-05

SALT LAKE CITY — A judge has refused to overturn part of Utah’s lewdness law in a criminal case against a woman who was topless at home.

Tilli Buchanan is facing criminal charges after her stepchildren saw her topless in their home. If convicted, she could face jail time and be forced to register as a sex offender.

The Salt Lake Tribune reports that the female judge sided Tuesday with prosecutors who argued that lewdness is commonly understood to include women’s breasts in American society.

She rejected arguments that the law is unconstitutional because it treats men and women differently.

The decision comes as a movement advocating for the rights of women to go topless has seen mixed results fighting similar rules nationwide.

While a Colorado law was overturned, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld topless convictions in New Hampshire.