Maine’s top court upholds bra escape conviction

PORTLAND, Maine – Maine’s highest court has upheld the escape conviction of a woman who tried to avoid arrest by telling police that she needed to put on a bra before going to jail.

A lower court judge had sentenced Tracy Dorweiler of Bangor to 14 days behind bars for using the bra excuse to climb out of a bedroom window, but she contended she never escaped because she was never physically placed into custody.

The state Supreme Judicial Court issued its decision on Tuesday.

The court concluded that the officer’s statement that he was there to arrest Dorweiler and her “show of submission” before her escape provided sufficient evidence that she knew she was under arrest. Her lawyer is filing a petition for reconsideration.