NEWS

Kiss him goodbye: When Kiss Cam landed man in prison

Joel M. Beall
jbeall@enquirer.com
The video board can be a cruel mistress.

"Make me immortal with a kiss," wrote Christopher Marlowe. Twelve years ago on May 7, this phrase hit home for David Horton.

On May 7, 2003, Horton was taking in a Reds game at Great American Ball Park with his girlfriend. The two saw themselves on the video scoreboard, featured in the ever-popular "Kiss Cam" segment presented between innings. As do most couples, Horton leaned in for a smooch, his lady reciprocated to the delight of the crowd, and then the camera operator searched for the next kissing candidates.

One small problem: Horton had a warrant for his arrest.

And as fate would have it, his parole officer was in attendance.

Horton had served previous prison time for felony assault in 1999. After his release in October of 2002, Horton ran afoul of the law just five months later, picked up on drug trafficking charges. Following bail, Horton failed to show up for his scheduled court date in April.

After seeing Horton on the big screen, the parole officer immediately contacted authorities, and by the end of the game, Horton found himself back in jail.

Ultimately, Horton was sentenced to 4 1/2 years, giving further testament to the adage that, "a kiss can ruin a human life."