A jury acquitted a Grimes man Tuesday in Dallas County District Court of all charges of indecent exposure on which he was arrested in July.
Austin Lee Murphy, 26, of Grimes was arrested on a Dallas County District Court warrant July 26 in connection with three counts of indecent exposure in which “he allegedly was seen publicly masturbating” while driving in Waukee and West Des Moines in June.
According to court records, Murphy “knowingly conducted himself in such a manner while others could see him in a public place.” He “had his dome light on, which allowed the victims to see him.”
In the course of the trial, Murphy’s defense counsel, Natasha Marie O’Hollearn, presented evidence that persuaded the jury that Murphy had a sex toy in his vehicle, the sight of which led some people to infer falsely that Murphy was exposing his own nudity when in fact he was displaying his toy for public view.
Displaying a sex toy in public apparently does not violate any section of the Iowa Code of Criminal Conduct or if it does, then it was not the crime that Murphy was charged with.
