Michigan Handyman not guilty of peeping at tanning salon, jury says

[Editor-in-Chief]

Handyman not guilty of peeping at salon, jury says

Web-posted Jul 25, 2007


By STEPHEN FRYE
Of The Oakland Press


Clasping his hands together and crying out in thanks, the handyman accused of peeping at a nude woman at a tanning salon was acquitted Tuesday of felony charges.

Rodney William Bumstead, 50, started to cry after the jury of four women and eight men announced its verdict of not guilty, coming after nearly six hours of deliberations and after one note saying jurors had reached an impasse.

"Thank you," Bumstead cried out softly, looking upward with his hands on his face.

Bumstead, of White Lake Township, had been accused by a 22-year-old woman of peeking over a nearly 8-foot wall to leer at her as she prepared to tan at the Exclusive Tanning salon in Waterford Township on Jan. 11. Bumstead admitted he was in the next room installing speakers and speaker wire.

If convicted of surveying an unclothed person, he could have faced two years in prison.

"Everyone has been telling me, don't worry, but you haven't been sitting in my shoes," Bumstead said Tuesday after the acquittal, which followed a one-day trial Monday before Oakland County Circuit Judge Steven N. Andrews. "I haven't slept a whole night for a whole month."

After the verdict, Bumstead said nothing negative about the Waterford Township woman who brought the charges, except to say that her story seemed polished and had slightly varied from earlier accounts.

During the trial, he denied ever looking at the woman, and he also testified that she was a nice person and he did not think she brought the charges to be vindictive.

"I never doubted, from day one, she saw my hands and she was probably scared," Bumstead said. "It's my life. It's my livelihood."

During the trial, defense attorney Mark Rouland questioned the woman about receiving a free year's membership to the salon and said she had gone back dozens of times.

The woman told jurors that she made eye contact with Bumstead, knowing him because he worked at the salon often. She said she had mentioned to him which room she was going to use.

Assistant Oakland County Prosecutor Tare Wigod was disappointed with the verdict, especially after jurors told him they believed the woman.

"They said they believed her," Wigod said. "But they wanted more."

Wigod said some jurors told him they wanted more physical evidence to show how tall the wall was, as some members doubted Bumstead could physically look over the wall. Testimony showed that the height was about 7-foot-8 to 7-foot-10, and Bumstead said he had been standing on a stool or chair to work on the speakers.

Jurors declined to comment afterward.

A veteran court employee, who asked not to be named, said it is difficult for juries to convict someone when the only evidence is the word of one person against another's.

"Jurors are reluctant to find who is lying and who is telling the truth," she said.

Bumstead said he simply wants to get back to work, figuring the case cost him $20,000 worth of business. He also had been frustrated with the initial press coverage of the charges being levied against him, saying he heard on television news that he was a "predator."

"I thought, Wait a minute, you've convicted me,' " he said, shaking his head.

Bumstead said he had eight people to call to let them know he could return to work.

First though, he considered getting some rest.

"I think I'm going to go home and take a nap," Bumstead said.

Contact staff writer Stephen Frye at (248) 745-4634 or steve.frye@oakpress.com.

Source

[Jim Fisher]

WOW
What a nightmare