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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsPolice 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.
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People from Alabama and across the country denounced the police department in the comments section.
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Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-63829128
dalton99a
(82,120 posts)LakeArenal
(29,034 posts)So, about like putting her out on the ice flow.
BWdem4life
(1,802 posts)Trueblue1968
(17,321 posts)PuraVidaDreamin
(4,114 posts)If I were those cops, I would have refused.
JuJuChen
(2,223 posts)"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
(29,034 posts)How many taxpayer dollars to arrest and process her?
Where can I pay it and the next three months too?
jimfields33
(16,673 posts)Owed a home.
Ocelot II
(116,570 posts)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
(16,673 posts)At worse, shouldve gone to collections. Ive never heard of anybody getting arrested for not paying garbage totally ridiculous and I actually hope she sues the dog on city.
Ocelot II
(116,570 posts)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
(12,091 posts)She says she never got any notice of it.
SWBTATTReg
(22,540 posts)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
(12,091 posts)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
(48,401 posts)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
(42,847 posts)Obviously an enemy of the state.
msfiddlestix
(7,302 posts)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
(543 posts)such pigs
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)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
(6,080 posts)Hortensis
(58,785 posts)usually in application.
kcr
(15,340 posts)The correct answer is no one should be arrested for not paying a bill.
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)"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
(6,080 posts)Hortensis
(58,785 posts)Picaro
(1,578 posts)When did not paying a bill become a criminal offense?
raging moderate
(4,346 posts)So why hasn't Trump been surrounded by armed men, handcuffed behind his back, and hauled away to jail?
jimfields33
(16,673 posts)NameAlreadyTaken
(994 posts)csziggy
(34,147 posts)And in the USA even though corporations are "people" they are never arrested or get a death sentence.
If you are black
Stuart G
(38,527 posts)Javaman
(62,599 posts)Being African-American? Naaaaa, they would do the same thing to a white woman, right?
NowISeetheLight
(3,943 posts)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
(35,129 posts)MichMan
(12,091 posts)ck4829
(35,129 posts)bluestarone
(17,360 posts)Be fucking arrested and FIRED!! (and SUED)
chriscan64
(1,789 posts)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
(1,544 posts)Thought we got rid of those...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debtors%27_prison
Aristus
(66,820 posts)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
(22,723 posts)onethatcares
(16,305 posts)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)Where the POLICE keep us safe from grandmas who can't pay their trash bill!!
USA!! USA!! USA!! USA!! USA!!
Takket
(21,892 posts)that doesn't get you arrested