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	Jury Selection Begins Priest Facing Charges for Jogging in Nude By Kacia Munshaw Longmont Times-Call June 12, 2008 http://www.timescall.com/News_Story.asp?id=9322 GREELEY — The defense attorney for a Frederick priest facing an indecent exposure charge on Wednesday questioned a witness's claim that seeing the priest naked caused alarm. The trial for the Rev. Robert Whipkey, 54 — who police said they discovered jogging in the nude at 4:30 a.m. June 22, 2007, near Frederick High School — started slowly at the Weld County Courthouse on Wednesday. Because police said a witness felt alarmed when they saw Whipkey nude, the priest faces the misdemeanor indecent exposure charge. Defense attorney Harvey Steinberg questioned that criteria at the start of the hearing. "If a beautiful woman was striding down a street in the nude, a group of young men, 18, 19, 20 years in age, may not find it alarming," Steinberg said. "They may find her attractive. If a male (who is) less attractive is seen by this same group, they may find it alarming." Weld County Judge Timothy Kerns rejected Steinberg's arguments and allowed jury selection to begin. Jurors who said they had been exposed to media coverage of Whipkey's case were individually interviewed by attorneys on both sides to determine how the coverage might have influenced them. Six jurors and one alternate will be chosen to hear the case today. If convicted of the misdemeanor, Whipkey could have to register as a sex offender. Whipkey served parishes in Frederick, Mead and Erie until news of his June arrest became public in August. Kacia Munshaw can be reached at 303-684-5334 or kmunshaw@ times-call.com
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