COURTLAND—A Franklin woman was placed on five years probation for twerkin’ her posterior at a Southampton County man in the Wal-Mart parking lot in December 2010.
Shelia K. Butts, 23, in March was found guilty of unlawful twerking. The incident unfolded in the Wal-Mart parking lot and was caught on several security cameras.
Facing away from the plaintiff, Carl Hardy, and leaning against her 1997 Dodge Neon, Butts’ rear end stuck out in Mr. Hardy’s direction. Butts had on a cutoff T-shirt and what appeared to resemble underoos that a child would wear. The undergarment appeared to feature Hello Kitty, but with the fabric being overmatched by Shelia’s massive donk, there was too little hiney coverage to ascertain the design.
 |
As Hardy continued walking down the parking lot towards Arby’s, the song Shawty Get Loose started to emanate from Butts’ vehicle, at which point an eruption of ass-shaking ensued that had never been seen in Western Tidewater. Said one key witness, “It was like her ass was clapping, giving that song a standing ovation or something. Golly Day!” As Butts continued the reported twerkin,’ Carl Hardy began what was later described as a miniature heart attack. “His jaw fell open, and he began to tremble. He had to sit down on a nearby tail gate to catch his breath from the awe inspiring sight,” said Detective Lake Lawford. “There’s a time and place for what Ms. Butts did, and it’s called the bedroom.” |
“You can’t just go shakin’ your hind parts for all the world to see,” said a disgruntled Hardy during his testimony. “You almost killed me. The shockwaves you sent out with that gyratin’ and booty quakin’ hurt people and near gave me a heart attack!”
The video continued on for a couple more minutes, with bystanders dropping money at Butts’ feet whenever the twerkin’ got heavy. “Shorty got mad skills,” said Twerkin’ aficionado Tony Franklin, in his testimony for the defense. “It’d be a crime for her not to show off that gift from God!”
Surveillance video from the occurrence is not appropriate for release, however, in other captured footage from an earlier incident, Ms. Butts was seen twerkin’ in a shopping cart inside the Wal-Mart.
During the trial, Judge Parr T. Pooper ruled that Butts, who was originally charged with malicious twerking, was guilty of the lesser offense because testimony exhibited ‘a heat of passion that would’ve occurred in a reasonable person.’ “Anyone would want to shake that ass to “Shawty Get Loose,”” ruled Pooper.
Butts will pay $792 in court costs and $964 restitution. However, after winning the recent Ass Tournament in Franklin, along with donations from appreciative twerkin’ enthusiasts, Butts should be able to make the payments in a timely manner.