Police arrest elderly Alabama woman over unpaid $77 trash bill

[Eugene]

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

[dalton99a]

1. 82-year-old black woman

[LakeArenal]

4. Ahhhh. Of course.

So, about like putting her out on the ice flow.

[BWdem4life]

32. Knew it before you said it. Alabama. What else to say?

[Trueblue1968]

44. Go fund me for this poor lady !!!!!!!!! ! ! ! ! ! !

[uponit7771]

48. ah

[PuraVidaDreamin]

2. I feel so much safer!

If I were those cops, I would have refused.

[JuJuChen]

3. because.....America.

"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]

5. $77 for three months. $25.6 per month.

How many taxpayer dollars to arrest and process her?

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

[jimfields33]

6. It should be in the property taxes. That's how ours does and every state I've

Owed a home.

[Ocelot II]

13. In my city it's included in the water bill along with recycling fees.

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]

20. Yeah, that's a bunch of BS.

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]

31. Here, they'll eventually cut off your water and stop picking up your trash,

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.

[MichMan]

45. She didn't show up for the court hearing

She says she never got any notice of it.

[SWBTATTReg]

38. Same here in STLMO...and to be honest, I'm not sure what happens if someone is unable to pay

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]

41. You still have to pay it either way

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]

7. Good point

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.

[lpbk2713]

8. Did the SWAT Team surround her house at 4 AM?

Obviously an enemy of the state.

[msfiddlestix]

9. Since when have police officers become bill collectors?

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

[purr-rat beauty]

10. Real brave for them

such pigs

[Hortensis]

11. Equality under the law for all adults. If she's mentally competent,

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.

[delisen]

27. What do you think of Affirmative Action Policies ?

[Hortensis]

30. :) Big leap here? No conflict, though. I'm for in principle, and

usually in application.

[kcr]

33. Sorry. Not much of a leap

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

[Hortensis]

37. That is the answer to a DIFFERENT question from the

"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.

[delisen]

40. I agree that aged should not presume object of pity. NT

[Hortensis]

43. :) So wonderfully succinctly stated.

[Picaro]

12. How very Kafkaesque

When did not paying a bill become a criminal offense?

[raging moderate]

14. Trump has many DOCUMENTED UNPAID BILLS, for MUCH HIGHER SUMS.

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

[jimfields33]

21. He must pay the garbage bill.

[NameAlreadyTaken]

24. Because he is white and "rich"

[csziggy]

39. Because TFG does not own any property individually - they are all corporate owned

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

[Timewas]

23. Only

If you are black

[Stuart G]

15. Alabama has renewed its reputation as one of the..."Worst Places To Live In the U.S.A".

[Javaman]

16. Could have anything to do with the woman

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

[NowISeetheLight]

17. How is this a criminal matter?

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?

[ck4829]

19. Don't give the state of Alabama ideas now

[MichMan]

26. She failed to appear for a court hearing

[ck4829]

18. Not a guy with an AR15 running into a school? They get to play big men!

[bluestarone]

22. Whoever gave the ARREST order should

Be fucking arrested and FIRED!! (and SUED)

[chriscan64]

25. The first word that came to mind was "unbelievable".

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?

[mackdaddy]

28. So when did we start the "Debtor's Prison" system back up.

Thought we got rid of those...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debtors%27_prison

[Aristus]

29. Look, pigs; if there's no crime going on, don't invent crimes so you can throw

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...

[WhiskeyGrinder]

34. Unreformable. Abolish it all.

[onethatcares]

35. haven't read the article but

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

[Mysterian]

36. Greatest country in the world!!!!

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

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

[Takket]

42. she should have skipped paying a 77 million dollar bill instead

that doesn't get you arrested

[a kennedy]

46. Seriously?? INSANE, what the hell is wrong with them. 🤬

[Liberal In Texas]

47. Debtors Prisons - Not far off. n/t