Playboy Model Pleads Not Guilty After Posting Locker Room Picture
LOS ANGELES (CBS/AP) — A Playboy model who acknowledged taking a photo of a naked, 70-year-old woman in a locker room and posting it on social media with insulting comments about the woman's body pleaded not guilty Monday to a misdemeanor count of invasion of privacy.
Defendant Dani Mathers was not in court when her attorney entered the plea on her behalf, City News Service reported. She was not required to attend. Outside the courtroom, defense attorney Tom Mesereau said Mathers "very much regrets" what happened.
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"She apologized for her behavior and we're looking forward to resolving this case in a very fair manner," he said.The 29-year-old Mathers faced widespread criticism after she shared the photo on Snapchat in July with the caption: "If I can't unsee this then you can't either." She later apologized and deleted her social media accounts.
Lucia Ferrara of Reading added, "There's really no excuse for it. It's an invasion of privacy."
"She should be punished," declared Yusufu Bryant of Old City.
If convicted, Mathers could face up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. A pretrial hearing was set for Dec. 21.
Detectives began investigating after the LAPD received a report of "illegal distribution" of the image, police Capt. Andrew Neiman said after the photo became public.
"Her behavior is appalling and puts every member at risk of losing their privacy," Jill Greuling, an LA Fitness executive vice president, said at the time.
Jessica Arneson of Philadelphia said, "I think a misdemeanor might be overdoing it a little bit."
"It is invasion of privacy. That is a law," countered fellow Philly resident Elijah Prince.
"I'm trying to put myself in the victim's shoes and if that were me, I think I'd want there to be serious repercussions for it," explained Ferrara. Brown-Bryant added, "You're trying to do self-improvement and you have someone tearing you down. And by another woman on top of that, so that makes it even worse."
The person in the photo was identified only by her age and it was not clear if she knew she was being photographed.
Mathers said in July that she accidentally posted the photo publicly.
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"That was absolutely wrong and not what I meant to do," she said in an online video. "I know that body-shaming is wrong. That is not the type of person I am."
Mathers was Playboy's Miss May in 2014.
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