Man convicted of groping Minnie Mouse

[Shutterbug]

Sorry, but this IS about this case....
If you come on here, post after post after post (how many do you have on here now...), on this thread and others with similar themes, you can expect there to be others who will comment.

Yes, most here know that I do have a son...

Yes, I still find your posts troubling...

My son will know better than to disrespect woman and to think he will get away with it. My son will know better than to put himself in any such position with a woman.

So it is your belief that this man with no prior background of this type of behavior did intend to do this? That it was no accident?

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

Sorry, but this IS about this case....
If you come on here, post after post after post (how many do you have on here now...), on this thread and others with similar themes, you can expect there to be others who will comment.

Yes, most here know that I do have a son...

Yes, I still find your posts troubling...

My son will know better than to disrespect woman and to think he will get away with it. My son will know better than to put himself in any such position with a woman.

Well, just pray that your son never makes a mistake.

BTW, I find your post troubling, too. You come off as a person with serious personal issues. But I at least try to keep those personal attacks off the boards. Maybe you should, too.

Edited to add - I have, from the beginning, said that I do not know what happened. I have said that this girl almost certainly believes that she was groped. But I have also said that her belief that his actions were intentional might not be accurate. I am trying to be fair to both sides. My concerns are with the findings in court in the face of so little evidence. That should concern every American, because that could be any one of us some day...

 

[MusiqChic99]

Look, none of us were actually there...

But, I have to ask the obvious question... Just what in the heck was his hand even doing there....

The cast member said that she was doing everything she could to try to keep his hands away from her breast....

That whole 'pose' looks 'contrived'.....

Millions of people take photos with characters every day without stooping into an awkward position and placing their hand right there.....

I could never imagine my DH or most any other man that I know in that particular pose, at all.In fact, just to be open and honest... I don't know any grown 60 year old men who would want a one-on-one shot with Minnie Mouse.

I was thinking the same thing.

 

[Kim&Chris]

Look, none of us were actually there...

But, I have to ask the obvious question... Just what in the heck was his hand even doing there....
The cast member said that she was doing everything she could to try to keep his hands away from her breast....That whole 'pose' looks 'contrived'.....

Millions of people take photos with characters every day without stooping into an awkward position and placing their hand right there.....

I could never imagine my DH or most any other man that I know in that particular pose, at all.
In fact, just to be open and honest... I don't know any grown 60 year old men who would want a one-on-one shot with Minnie Mouse.

Exactly. You're right, we weren't there, but in that tiny photo you can certainly see both of her hands grasping his forearm and her head turned towards him. She certainly isn't posing for the photo, like Mickey was.

While maybe he didn't 'mean' to offend her, I'm guessing there's no way he would have posed in that position with Jasmine, etc. Just because this girl had a full body costume on, it doesn't mean she still can't feel his hand against her breast. It's not a suit of armor for goodness sake.

 

[MusiqChic99]

So it is your belief that this man with no prior background of this type of behavior did intend to do this? That it was no accident?

No prior background is hard to show considering most incidents go unreported.

Just because it's not on his record, doesn't mean it never happened before.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

No prior background is hard to show considering most incidents go unreported.

Just because it's not on his record, doesn't mean it never happened before.

This guy hasn't had so much as a speeding ticket in his entire life...

 

[MusiqChic99]

This guy hasn't had so much as a speeding ticket in his entire life...

Awesome now I know that if I want to trust someone with my 3 year old son, I just need to look and see if they have a speeding ticket!

 

[DebIreland]

And the lesson learned is this - if a man is accused by a woman of something like this, he is going to jail. Again, ir reminds me of a time when a black, accused by a white, was automatically guilty.

Dear God, that is not true at all. According to www.rainn.org (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) "Only 6% of rapists will ever spend a day in jail."

Sexual assault isn't about males versus females, it's about civilized society saying no to violent crime (which is what sexual assault is).

Men and boys are sexually assaulted too. Do you think those cases are fairly tried? Is a person accused of molesting a man going straight to jail? Or in your view is it only females accusing males that have the straight-to-jail card?

I'm trying to make you see that this isn't about gender - it's about violence.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

...I'm trying to make you see that this isn't about gender - it's about violence.

Good point, so let me amend my comment. Anyone accused of inappropriate sexual conduct is automatically assumed to be guilty. Even when they are found to be innocent, they are followed by the taint of the accusation for the rest of their lives...

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

Awesome now I know that if I want to trust someone with my 3 year old son, I just need to look and see if they have a speeding ticket!

Never mind - not worth it...

 

[MusiqChic99]

Never mind - not worth it...

My thoughts exactly.

But seriously if she was groped then he should get something for what he did. I'm disturbed to "hear" that it happens to so many CM. I can understand a child not understanding there is a real person under those costumes but an adult hitting or grabbing a person in a costume???

 

[DebIreland]

Good point, so let me amend my comment. Anyone accused of inappropriate sexual conduct is automatically assumed to be guilty. Even when they are found to be innocent, they are followed by the taint of the accusation for the rest of their lives...

Oh I agree with you there.

Because sexual assault is so heinous, it's an absolutely horrific thing to be wrongly accused of and, yes, it will stay with the wrongly accused person forever.

 

[Robinrs]

I am going out on a limb here and hopefully will not regret this. I have done that job, I have worn that costume (see my sig). Believe me, the majority of guests know that certain characters are almost always exclusively played by females. There are just not many men wandering around who are that short.

In that costume, the character's "chest" is your chest and it is very obvious whether or not you have something up there to grope. Any guest looking at it can see that right away. I don't know what happened. What we have a case is he said, she said. But if a jury convicted, I'm going to assume there was some overwhelming evidence.

Having been in her position with guests and seeing the picture, it does look like his hand is where it should not be and she is trying to physically restrain him. Maybe he didn't realize it, I don't know. But again, I have been that person so am more familiar than most with how these things work.

I have literally had a guest lift up my costume shirt in front of a line of children. I have had a drunk guy all over me at 9:00 am, I have been punched, I had a friend who was groped. It happens more than people realize it, but most of the time we don't do anything about it.

Unbelievable!! I'm so sorry you had to endure that kind of treatment. Wow!

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

...But seriously if she was groped then he should get something for what he did. I'm disturbed to "hear" that it happens to so many CM. I can understand a child not understanding there is a real person under those costumes but an adult hitting or grabbing a person in a costume???

Agreed, assuming that she was "groped". What if the contact was unintentional, as he claims? Should he be found guilty because the girl misinterpreted his actions? And any chance to work out a "misinterpretation" among themselves was lost because WDW requires that she remain in character - she couldn't confront him at the time.

Who knows - had she broken character, she might have decided that it was an innocent mistake and let it go. Or other could have been made aware of the contact and seen his response when accused. All of that would have been helpful.

But WDW needs to end this policy. If a WDW character feels endangered or abused, they need to be able to defend themselves immediately. Staying "in character" has to be secondary to their safety...

 

[MusiqChic99]

Agreed, assuming that she was "groped". What if the contact was unintentional, as he claims? Should he be found guilty because the girl misinterpreted his actions? And any chance to work out a "misinterpretation" among themselves was lost because WDW requires that she remain in character - she couldn't confront him at the time.

Who knows - had she broken character, she might have decided that it was an innocent mistake and let it go. Or other could have been made aware of the contact and seen his response when accused. All of that would have been helpful.

But WDW needs to end this policy. If a WDW character feels endangered or abused, they need to be able to defend themselves immediately. Staying "in character" has to be secondary to their safety...

I definitely think there should be something done about this. Maybe even some kind of signal they can give their handlers. Something that people wouldn't notice as being "out of character".

 

[Shutterbug]

Good point, so let me amend my comment. Anyone accused of inappropriate sexual conduct is automatically assumed to be guilty. Even when they are found to be innocent, they are followed by the taint of the accusation for the rest of their lives...

Exactly, I brought up the case yesterday of the 4 male CM's accused of assualting a female CM. Even though the proof came out that they were innocent, they were probably dragged over the coals about it.

Actually if this type of thing is indeed as much of a problem that people are saying it is, I think its time to end the photo meets or a mandatory no contact rule/neutral zone for the safety of the workers and the guests.

 

[Wishing on a star]

I definitely think there should be something done about this. Maybe even some kind of signal they can give their handlers. Something that people wouldn't notice as being "out of character".

I believe that there IS such a signal...
It may have been used in this case.
Maybe the incident (alleged groping) came to an end before the Cast Member found it necessary to free herself and issue the signal.

I am assuming that the Cast Member did alert authorities quickly.
Wasn't he detained a short time afterward????
Again, I do know know these details, but this is my understanding.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Okay, one other thing... about the whole 'but nobody saw it' response.

There have been children drown in a busy public pool with dozens of people and even lifeguards around... nobody saw...

There have been violent crimes committed on the streets of our cities... with, very obviously, several passers-by... nobody saw.

We go around, most every one of us, every single day, seeing a fraction of what we could/should...

In no way whatsoever does the 'nobody saw' constitute any defense or evidence of innocence....

Especially in a case of this kind of alleged personal/sexual assault.

 

[KinPA]

Hi Wishing on a Star. Ok... I learned that only 1 at a time could go in and testify. BIL alone, SIL alone, CM alone. so nobody really knows what the other ones said. I can only go by testimony released on the net saying lawyer "hammered" woman as to why she didn't use "the signal". I never heard the answer. FIL was detained 1 1/2 hrs after pic was taken FIL, BIL, SIL, the kids and SIL's parents were tracked down in the park. FIL was taken into the office shown the picture and then released to Orange County police.
3 people actually did testify FOR woman: herself, photographer and person that played Mickey. I don't know besides 4 family who else said they saw nothing.

 

[Hercules10]

Interesting statements by Judge in case.

As I read this he is not guilty of "groping" her just simple battery which means that Ms. McGoldrick felt reasonably threatened. Removing the sexual conotation, which seems to be what those here have latched onto, I can see how the jury agreed. However I also think Ms. McGoldrick needs to find another job since she's doesn't seem thick enough skinned for this job.

'Minnie Mouse' Groper Convicted Of Battery
A grandfather was convicted of battery Tuesday after being accused of inappropriately grabbing Minnie Mouse at Walt Disney World on June7. However, 60-year-old John Moyer wouldn't apologize for his actions.

"I'm sorry they came up with the wrong verdict," Moyer said.

John Moyer said he was having fun with Minnie Mouse and she took it the wrong way. But Disney didn't think so and they threw him out of the park indefinitely.

A jury didn't think so either when they convicted the 60-year-old man of battery.

The Pennsylvania grandfather is on probation. Moyer said he was just fooling around. John Moyer has to serve six months supervised probation, community service and write a letter of apology to the woman who wore the Minnie Mouse costume.

Moyer refused to testify during the trial, but when WFTV caught up with him after the verdict was read, he insisted he never groped the Walt Disney World character.

"What happened?" WFTV reporter Daralene Jones asked.

"We were having a fun time at Disney and she took it the wrong way. That's it," Moyer replied.

"He thought it was all in fun, but for Mrs. McGoldrick, it was sexual," said the prosecutor.

The Pennsylvania grandfather was visiting Walt Disney World with his family on June 7. Brittney McGoldrick, a nine-year Disney employee was on the job, dressed in her Minnie Mouse costume. McGoldrick posed with Moyer for a picture and said that he touched her breasts and rear-end.

McGoldrick continues to work for Disney. She wasn't in court for Tuesday's verdict and sentencing, but on Monday she nearly broke down in tears explaining how the incident happened. She says its part of the Disney integrity policy to stay quiet.

"I was doing everything I could to get his hands off my breasts," she described in court.

Moyer and his son told the judge he's a Godly man, with not even a parking ticket on his record. John Moyer also said that and he lost his wife last year to multiple sclerosis and doesn't even go on dates with his girlfriend without a third party.

"My father never approaches women badly. I know the verdict is guilty, but I still don't see that in my father," said Moyer's son Emory Moyer.

During the sentencing, Orange County Judge Wayne Shoemaker said he didn't consider the incident as sexual, but instead a lot of joking and horsing around that went too far.
"I am not guilty and I pray to Jehovah God that he has mercy on Ms. McGoldrick," Moyer said.

Judge Shoemaker said there is no way Moyer could have known whether the person inside the costume was a man or woman.