Police slap Web designer with public nudity ticket

Caught with her pants down at Mickey's Irish Pub

By Ashlee Vance in Chicago • Get more from this author

Posted in Bootnotes, 6th January 2004 21:31 GMT

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Melissa Harrington's part-time porn gig caught up with her on Monday, as Nebraska police ticketed the lass for posting nude photos of herself taken at a local bar up on the Internet.

Harrington - who goes by the name Melissa Lincoln on her Web site - apparently violated Lincoln, Nebraska's public nudity ordinance by placing a variety of nude shots taken around town on her site. The Gallery Magazine "Girl Next Door April 2003" winner works by day at a Lincoln bank as a Web designer but has a clear penchant for taking public shots when not on the clock.

"I like being naked in public," she writes on her site. "I like it even more when there's a lot of people there to watch."

"I'm one of those really cute Midwestern girls that just like to have fun! I'm kind of a drunk, I mean I'm not one of those "Bar Whores" but I do like to drink and have a good time, if you know what I mean."

Think we have an idea, dear.

Her Web site does in fact show Harrington a number of expressive positions at the Marz Intergalactic Shrimp and Martini Bar and Mickey's Irish Pub. A few too many Martinis are cited as the culprit for the public displays. The owner of the Marz bar reported Harrington's actions after discovering she had picked the venue for her coming out party.

Harrington, or is it Lincoln, quickly moved to capitalize on her new fame and legal predicament. She has vowed to fight the charges and is asking for donations to her legal defense fund. The Lancaster County Court has set an arraignment date of Jan. 29 for Harrington's case. If convicted, the Web vixen could be slapped with a $500 fine and six months in jail. ®