Here are some remarkable legal cases involving gestures. They show, hopefully, that gestures are taken seriously, and that there is need to defend them against unaware courtiers.
Is that a threat by Rove?
News on 7Online, may ’06: A man in the US was put behind bars because ‘he made sexual gestures at a group of children’.
Metro NL, may ’04: 16 year old Goran P. hears a demand for six years for his part in the murder of Maja Bradaric (blog archive). The ministry of justice said Goran had prior knowledge, could have walked away, but instead encouraged Goran M. with gestures ‘to do it’. (He got five years in jail)
2001: 30 days for threatening gesture on flight from Israel to US
Fined for Gesture:
US lady and Qatari exchange the finger in Qatar – Brando threatening jury in US or gesturing ‘guilty‘ – Skolnick fined for finger in Brazil – Koeman for ‘blind’ gesture in Portuguese football match – Artest for obscenity in US basketball – SA Cricketer Gibbs for faking injury in UK – Russian Tennisplayer Zvereva at Wimbledon for two fingers high – Info on the forbidden Hitler Salute
Jeroen Arendsen
20 may 2006: Bollywood ‘item girl’ Rakhi Sawant has been booked in an obscenity case for her gestures and skimpy costume at a stage show.
Jeroen Arendsen
26 May ’06 Dina Rodrigues’s brother Orlanda in Cape Town (SA) regional court for intimidation via a cutthroat threat to a witness.
Jeroen Arendsen
27 May ’06 Son of Marlon Brando fined $1000 for contempt of court, because he “engaged in gestures and was mouthing words towards the jury in the presence of the court … as he was departing from the witness box.”
Jeroen Arendsen
31 May ’06 Kim Roberts caught on camera slipping the finger and sticking out tongue at TV-crew.
Jeroen Arendsen
1 July ’06: Warning over obscene gesture in Kentucky.
Jeroen Arendsen
21 Aug ’06: A judge was not moved by a man’s apology for cursing and making an obscene gesture in court, sentencing him to 10 days in jail.
Jeroen Arendsen
16 Aug ’06, Scotland: Elliot Macrae, who made a threatening gesture to a female witness in a rape case has been ordered to perform 200 hours of community service.