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Eugene

(62,093 posts)
Sat Dec 3, 2022, 12:25 PM Dec 2022

Police arrest elderly Alabama woman over unpaid $77 trash bill

Source: BBC

Police arrest elderly Alabama woman over unpaid $77 trash bill

3 December 2022

Police in the US state of Alabama have arrested an 82-year-old woman over an outstanding rubbish bill.

Martha Louis Menefield said she was confused as officers handcuffed her and arrested her on Sunday.

The amount that led to her arrest was reportedly $77.80 (£63.28).

In a statement on Facebook, City of Valley police said they treated Ms Menefield respectfully and that they had notified her several times that she had not paid the bill for three months.

-snip-

People from Alabama and across the country denounced the police department in the comments section.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-63829128

48 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Police arrest elderly Alabama woman over unpaid $77 trash bill (Original Post) Eugene Dec 2022 OP
82-year-old black woman dalton99a Dec 2022 #1
Ahhhh. Of course. LakeArenal Dec 2022 #4
Knew it before you said it. Alabama. What else to say? BWdem4life Dec 2022 #32
Go fund me for this poor lady !!!!!!!!! ! ! ! ! ! ! Trueblue1968 Dec 2022 #44
ah uponit7771 Dec 2022 #48
I feel so much safer! PuraVidaDreamin Dec 2022 #2
because.....America. JuJuChen Dec 2022 #3
$77 for three months. $25.6 per month. LakeArenal Dec 2022 #5
It should be in the property taxes. That's how ours does and every state I've jimfields33 Dec 2022 #6
In my city it's included in the water bill along with recycling fees. Ocelot II Dec 2022 #13
Yeah, that's a bunch of BS. jimfields33 Dec 2022 #20
Here, they'll eventually cut off your water and stop picking up your trash, Ocelot II Dec 2022 #31
She didn't show up for the court hearing MichMan Dec 2022 #45
Same here in STLMO...and to be honest, I'm not sure what happens if someone is unable to pay SWBTATTReg Dec 2022 #38
You still have to pay it either way MichMan Dec 2022 #41
Good point PatSeg Dec 2022 #7
Did the SWAT Team surround her house at 4 AM? lpbk2713 Dec 2022 #8
Since when have police officers become bill collectors? msfiddlestix Dec 2022 #9
Real brave for them purr-rat beauty Dec 2022 #10
Equality under the law for all adults. If she's mentally competent, Hortensis Dec 2022 #11
What do you think of Affirmative Action Policies ? delisen Dec 2022 #27
:) Big leap here? No conflict, though. I'm for in principle, and Hortensis Dec 2022 #30
Sorry. Not much of a leap kcr Dec 2022 #33
That is the answer to a DIFFERENT question from the Hortensis Dec 2022 #37
I agree that aged should not presume object of pity. NT delisen Dec 2022 #40
:) So wonderfully succinctly stated. Hortensis Dec 2022 #43
How very Kafkaesque Picaro Dec 2022 #12
Trump has many DOCUMENTED UNPAID BILLS, for MUCH HIGHER SUMS. raging moderate Dec 2022 #14
He must pay the garbage bill. jimfields33 Dec 2022 #21
Because he is white and "rich" NameAlreadyTaken Dec 2022 #24
Because TFG does not own any property individually - they are all corporate owned csziggy Dec 2022 #39
Only Timewas Dec 2022 #23
Alabama has renewed its reputation as one of the..."Worst Places To Live In the U.S.A". Stuart G Dec 2022 #15
Could have anything to do with the woman Javaman Dec 2022 #16
How is this a criminal matter? NowISeetheLight Dec 2022 #17
Don't give the state of Alabama ideas now ck4829 Dec 2022 #19
She failed to appear for a court hearing MichMan Dec 2022 #26
Not a guy with an AR15 running into a school? They get to play big men! ck4829 Dec 2022 #18
Whoever gave the ARREST order should bluestarone Dec 2022 #22
The first word that came to mind was "unbelievable". chriscan64 Dec 2022 #25
So when did we start the "Debtor's Prison" system back up. mackdaddy Dec 2022 #28
Look, pigs; if there's no crime going on, don't invent crimes so you can throw Aristus Dec 2022 #29
Unreformable. Abolish it all. WhiskeyGrinder Dec 2022 #34
haven't read the article but onethatcares Dec 2022 #35
Greatest country in the world!!!! Mysterian Dec 2022 #36
she should have skipped paying a 77 million dollar bill instead Takket Dec 2022 #42
Seriously?? INSANE, what the hell is wrong with them. 🤬 a kennedy Dec 2022 #46
Debtors Prisons - Not far off. n/t Liberal In Texas Dec 2022 #47

JuJuChen

(2,223 posts)
3. because.....America.
Sat Dec 3, 2022, 12:31 PM
Dec 2022

"Once in handcuffs, one of the officers "kind of whispered it to me: 'Don't cry'", she said. She recalled telling an officer: "How would you feel if they came and arrested your grandmama?"

LakeArenal

(29,033 posts)
5. $77 for three months. $25.6 per month.
Sat Dec 3, 2022, 12:36 PM
Dec 2022

How many taxpayer dollars to arrest and process her?

Where can I pay it and the next three months too?

Ocelot II

(116,560 posts)
13. In my city it's included in the water bill along with recycling fees.
Sat Dec 3, 2022, 01:13 PM
Dec 2022

It's kind of an all-purpose city utility bill. Regardless, I've never heard of anybody ever being arrested for not paying it.

jimfields33

(16,672 posts)
20. Yeah, that's a bunch of BS.
Sat Dec 3, 2022, 01:48 PM
Dec 2022

At worse, should’ve gone to collections. I’ve never heard of anybody getting arrested for not paying garbage totally ridiculous and I actually hope she sues the dog on city.

Ocelot II

(116,560 posts)
31. Here, they'll eventually cut off your water and stop picking up your trash,
Sat Dec 3, 2022, 03:05 PM
Dec 2022

and if your house becomes unsafe as a result you'll be fined, but to get arrested you'd probably have to refuse to pay the fine and not show up in court, and maybe not even then.

SWBTATTReg

(22,533 posts)
38. Same here in STLMO...and to be honest, I'm not sure what happens if someone is unable to pay
Sat Dec 3, 2022, 04:43 PM
Dec 2022

these bills, I think that they are included eventually as a lien against the home so when it is resold (if ever), but in the meantime, the
water will be shut off. The liens thus accumulated (water, sewer, trash) will then have to be paid by the delinquent customer or a buyer if the home is sold later.

MichMan

(12,090 posts)
41. You still have to pay it either way
Sat Dec 3, 2022, 05:06 PM
Dec 2022

Last edited Sat Dec 3, 2022, 06:35 PM - Edit history (1)

Even if it is part of your property taxes. Where I live, it is a private garbage service.

PatSeg

(48,393 posts)
7. Good point
Sat Dec 3, 2022, 12:51 PM
Dec 2022

What a ridiculous waste of resources. Wouldn't it have been better to use social services to find out if the woman needed any help? Sounds like something out of a Dickens novel.

msfiddlestix

(7,302 posts)
9. Since when have police officers become bill collectors?
Sat Dec 3, 2022, 12:55 PM
Dec 2022

oh. wait, this is Alabama. Could have been Mississippi, but hey is there a difference anymore? I thought there used to be.

Hortensis

(58,785 posts)
11. Equality under the law for all adults. If she's mentally competent,
Sat Dec 3, 2022, 12:57 PM
Dec 2022

physically viable, and people of other ages are subject to arrest for not paying their $77 trash pickup bill, so be it. Same standard (and consequences for their voting behaviors) for all.

Exempting a person from equal rights and responsibilities because of age, race, gender, religion, etc, is anti-equality and reflects a dangerous weakness of principle allied with willingness to do just that to others.

kcr

(15,340 posts)
33. Sorry. Not much of a leap
Sat Dec 3, 2022, 03:16 PM
Dec 2022

The correct answer is no one should be arrested for not paying a bill.

Hortensis

(58,785 posts)
37. That is the answer to a DIFFERENT question from the
Sat Dec 3, 2022, 04:02 PM
Dec 2022

"poor old lady" theme introduced in the title.

But, yes, I also think it's a very valid issue when it comes to typical residential utility bills.

I'm not familiar with arguments for and against never arresting anyone for not paying any bill and don't have a firm opinion, though I can see that society has an interest in people paying their debts. I can at least say I'm firmly opposed to dickensian debtor prisons. An easy stance since incarcerating people for simple debt has been unconstitutional in this nation for a long while.

However, contrary to your principle (libertarian-derived?), nonpayment of child support and taxes, and no doubt some other special debts, are often treated very differently under the law.

raging moderate

(4,346 posts)
14. Trump has many DOCUMENTED UNPAID BILLS, for MUCH HIGHER SUMS.
Sat Dec 3, 2022, 01:14 PM
Dec 2022

So why hasn't Trump been surrounded by armed men, handcuffed behind his back, and hauled away to jail?

csziggy

(34,147 posts)
39. Because TFG does not own any property individually - they are all corporate owned
Sat Dec 3, 2022, 04:50 PM
Dec 2022

And in the USA even though corporations are "people" they are never arrested or get a death sentence.

Javaman

(62,599 posts)
16. Could have anything to do with the woman
Sat Dec 3, 2022, 01:26 PM
Dec 2022

Being African-American? Naaaaa, they would do the same thing to a white woman, right?

NowISeetheLight

(3,943 posts)
17. How is this a criminal matter?
Sat Dec 3, 2022, 01:31 PM
Dec 2022

Usually unpaid bills, including utilities, are a civil matter not criminal. I can see them stopping service and even putting a tax lein on the house. Arresting her? What are they going to do, bring back the old Debtors Prisons next?

chriscan64

(1,789 posts)
25. The first word that came to mind was "unbelievable".
Sat Dec 3, 2022, 01:56 PM
Dec 2022

But add this to the list of shocking while not surprising. I do not see why it would be burdensome to the city, financially or otherwise, to intervene in some way other than arrest. "Did you not see the notice?" or "Are you having trouble coming up with the money?" Have someone check on her to see if she's okay, for fucks sake. If she doesn't have $77.80, is adding bail and files going to resolve this?

Aristus

(66,819 posts)
29. Look, pigs; if there's no crime going on, don't invent crimes so you can throw
Sat Dec 3, 2022, 02:40 PM
Dec 2022

your doughy weight around.

Just follow The Bangles' advice and hang out in the doughnut shop. If you're not going to help, at least stop fucking causing harm...

onethatcares

(16,305 posts)
35. haven't read the article but
Sat Dec 3, 2022, 03:42 PM
Dec 2022

if her house went into collections due to an unpaid utility bill, who is waiting to purchase the house in a debtors sale?

Mysterian

(4,653 posts)
36. Greatest country in the world!!!!
Sat Dec 3, 2022, 03:42 PM
Dec 2022

Where the POLICE keep us safe from grandmas who can't pay their trash bill!!

USA!! USA!! USA!! USA!! USA!!

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