RACY pictures of her kissing other women cost beauty queen Miss Nevada her crown yesterday, losing her chance to compete for the Miss United States.
Pictures on the expose website showed Katie Rees, 22, who won the beauty crown for the western state in October, kissing other women and exposing her breasts at what appears to be a party.
Paula Shugart, president of the Miss Universe Organization, which runs the pageants, said in a statement that Ms Rees was no longer Nevada's beauty queen.
Katie Rees has been relieved of her duties as Miss Nevada USA 2007. First runner-up Helen Salas will assume the title and compete at the 2007 Miss USA Pageant on March 23 in Los Angeles, California.''
Ms Rees's attorney released a statement in her defence, saying she was only 17 at the time and had a lapse in judgement .
The actions on that evening in subject are in no way indicative of the person she is or the person she has become ...
This was an isolated incident that occurred more than five years ago when she was a minor.''
The episode came just days after the Miss Universe Organisation dealt with a similar crisis - though based on rumours rather than photographs - involving the current Miss USA, Tara Conner.
On Tuesday the organisation decided Ms Conner could keep her crown and compete in the Miss Universe contest despite media reports of her hard-partying New York lifestyle, with allegations of drug use, illegal drinking and even smooching with the Miss Teen USA in public.
In a televised press conference, her voice breaking with emotion, Ms Conner admitted some misbehaviour and pledged to clean up her act, thanking the organisation for a second chance.
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