Erykah Badu Pleads Not Guilty To Nude “Window Seat” Disorderly Conduct Charge

Soulful singer Erykah Badu reportedly pleaded not guilty to a charge of disorderly conduct for filming a portion of her "Window Seat" music video nude in Texas this week.

According to reports, the singer’s plea was made earlier this week.

Erykah Badu entered a plea of not guilty Wednesday to the charge of disorderly conduct in relation to a video in which she strips in downtown Dallas’ Dealey Plaza. In March, the 39-year-old Dallas singer went nude in public for her video called “Window Seat.” Badu said she picked Dealey Plaza since it was one of the most popular places in the city. (Dallas News)

Badu recently addressed being fined $500 by Texas police over the video.

“I just wanted to bring dialogue to it. And I did. And they are still talking about it. And as long as they are talking about it, we know that they are being exposed to it. To tell you the truth, I haven’t received a letter in the mail or nothing. All I know is the Dallaschief of the police went to the record store last week and bought my album. (VIBE)

She also admitted to predicting how much dialogue the video would spark.

“I thought it was a move for women and men and children who feel they weren’t good enough. This is just me, I’m good enough.’ I felt it was important enough to do. More pros than cons. I know it was a shocking thing I did. I expected it to provoke dialogue, and it’s an important statement to make. It’s about freeing oneself of the layers and layers of things that we have learned as Americans in this country. At the point of becoming naked and individual and free, either you’re assassinated spiritually or mentally by the group or worse. The words coming out of my head after I was figuratively and literally assassinated was ‘groupthink.’ Groupthink is a term coined by Irving Janis, 1972. It pretty much states what happens when a character or person is ostracized for thinking out of what the consensus is. He or she is pretty much thinking [more] with a heart than with loyalty. It’s an important thing. It’s art. It’s performance art. Art is supposed to spark dialogue and ring an awakening of some sort.” (MTV)

Despite the message, Badu was charged with disorderly conduct by Dallas, Texas police.

Sgt. Warren Mitchell said Friday the decision to cite Badu for disorderly conduct — a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500 — came after witness Ida Espinosa, 32, of Vernon, offered a sworn statement to police Thursday. Espinosa declined to comment to The Associated Press on Friday. “Having a fact witness that was there is what let us file the charges,” Mitchell said. “After much discussion, we feel that these charges best fit her conduct. She disrobed in a public place without regard to individuals and small children who were close by.” Mitchell said the department has had “people calling from all across the country to express their concern.” (Associated Press)

Check out a spoof of the “Window Seat” video below: