NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Governor Bill Lee has signed a new law providing more protection to victims recorded without consent. It originated from a case first reported late last year.
The "Voyeurism Victims Act" gives more time to press charges after a person is caught illegally recording someone where they have a reasonable expectation of privacy. Current law only allows a year from when crime occurs.
The act now changes the time to start from when the victim finds out about the crimes.
Last November, Matthew Vollmer was arrested after his girlfriend discovered hundreds of sexually explicit files on his computer. Vollmer was charged with multiple counts of unlawful photography using a hidden alarm clock camera to record at least twelve of his partners.
Ultimately, eight of the victims were unable to pursue any criminal charges due to the state’s statute of limitations. They didn't lose hope because of that and have helped to push legislation forward.
The law will now go into effect July 1.
As for the case, after a preliminary hearing it has since been bound over to a grand jury toward a possible trial.
My friend and colleague Carrie Sharp had a lot of fun last week, on an adventure to a country more than three thousand miles away! She’s back now – sharing her Adventures in Iceland through stories, and incredible images of this remarkably beautiful and unique island nation (kudos to Chief Photographer Catherine Steward)! But did you know Nashville has something very important in common with Iceland? Tourism! Here, Carrie explains how a volcanic eruption decades ago helped save the country’s economy from collapse!
-Rhori Johnston
