Saturday, May 27, 2006

Advocate of Freedom of Expression Dies


andrewmartinez
Originally uploaded by Randuwa.
His name was Andrew Martinez, but most people called him the "Nude Guy." Andrew Martinez, 33, died on Thursday, May 18 while incarcerated at the Santa Clara County jail. He had been held there since January 10 on charges of battery and assault with a deadly weapon. His death is being investigated, but appears to be a suicide.

In the early 1990's, Martinez pushed the limits of the University of California at Berkeley's reputation as a bastian of liberal and progressive ideas when he proposed to attend class 'au naturale' as a statement of freedom of expression. The university was not amused. The tug-of-war continued into the following year when the university revised its code of conduct to ban naked students from attending class, and Martinez was expelled. His initial action led to a semester of sporadic nudity on campus, as well as, the city of Berkeley passing a city ordinance against public nudity.

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