Woman jailed for failing to return Jennifer Lopez film she rented nine years ago

[damnedifIknow]

The law has finally caught up with a woman who failed to return a Jennifer Lopez film she borrowed nine years ago.

Kayla Michelle Finley, from South Carolina in the United States, was shocked when she was arrested for not returning Monster-in-Law to Dalton Video.

Despite now being closed, the owner of the store had filed a warrant against Finley in 2005 – the film’s year of release."

Kayla Michelle Finley, from South Carolina in the United States, was shocked when she was arrested for not returning Monster-in-Law to Dalton Video.

But the 27-year-old was left angered after she had to stay in jail for a night – and said the whole incident was a waste of police time.

‘It’s obvious that Pickens County has nothing better to do,’ Ms Finley said. ‘I fully intend on fighting this, it’s ridiculous I had this happen to me.’

Ms Finley was charged with failure to return a video or cassette after going to report another matter to the police.

Romantic comedy Monster-in-Law starred Jennifer Lopez and Jane Fonda."

Shwew! I feel so much safer now.

http://metro.co.uk/2014/02/15/woman-jailed-for-failing-to-return-jennifer-lopez-film-she-rented-nine-years-ago-4305709/

[Ilsa]

1. I suppose the video store owner feels

like they got their revenge. I'm surprised they didn't have a credit card on file to charge her full replacement cost plus a fee. An arrest for theft of an item under $25 seems absurd.

[demwing]

2. "Ms Finley was charged...after going to report another matter to the police"

Do the police routinely run checks on people who report crimes?

Better question: "Now that I know that the police routinely run checks on people who report crimes, will I be more or less likely to report crimes in the future?"

[FSogol]

4. More likely that they typed her name into a report form and a flag popped up.

If you have outstanding warrants against you, maybe it would be better to report the crimes anonymously?

[Pretzel_Warrior]

5. How would she have known she had outstanding warrant

[FSogol]

8. Good point. I do think this story is being told from her viewpoint.

Did she deserve to spend a night in jail? No.
Do she owe for not returning a store's property? Yes.
I'll wait to pass judgement until I know the whole story.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

9. Statute of limitations? Small claims court?

This is bullshit unless she failed to report other crimes relating to her jailing. If that is the case, then this newspaper should have a warrant out on them for bad journalism/fact-checking.

[FSogol]

12. Maybe there was a warrant to appear in court over the matter and she skipped it. n/t

[Chemisse]

17. Ahhh, that might be it.

Whenever there is a story about a ridiculous wrong being enacted against someone, it's good to try and find a logical explanation.

Usually there is one. (Unless of course the victim is of color, and the story involves a gun).

[struggle4progress]

31. SC has no general statute of limitations

[villager]

26. Well, when you report a crime to criminals...

n/t

[Vattel]

3. Cases like this make a mockery of our criminal justice system.

Can police officers really be stupid enough to put someone in jail overnight for this sort of thing? Why yes, yes they can.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

6. Especially in fuckwit southern states like S. Carolina.

[pinboy3niner]

7. Ironically, she wasn't charged with a crime for renting Monster-in-Law in the first place. nt

[Warren DeMontague]

10. Someone should be charged for forgetting the quotes

around "comedy".

[Electric Monk]

21. Could've been worse. It could've been Gigli. nt

[alcibiades_mystery]

27. ROFL

I quite literally laughed out loud at this post!

[Fla Dem]

13. Warrants like this should have to be renewed after 3 years. What a waste. Plus, where have the

Last edited Sun Feb 16, 2014, 06:12 PM - Edit history (1)

police been for the past 9 years. Was Ms. Finley on the lam? Was she living under an assumed name? How did she avoid police capture for 9 years? Pickens County Sheriff Dept was clearly asleep at the switch for not running down this dangerous criminal a long time ago.

[Chemisse]

18. Unless there was a bench warrant out for her, for not showing up in court for the theft.

I'm pretty sure that means they don't go out looking for you, but if you are involved with the police for any other reason, they'll nab you on it.

[rbrnmw]

15. I called them on a woman who punched me in the stomach

In Richland County SC I was 7 mos pregnant They ran an NCIC on me and held me in a 2nd cruiser until they got her side of the story about (20 minutes) before offering to call Medics to check my baby.

[Shrike47]

16. I loathe thieves. I don't feel that sorry for her. However, a fine would be sufficient.

Stealing food when hungry - understandable. Stealing a video - self indulgence.

[justiceischeap]

19. Or, she just forgot to return it.

That happens too.

[wercal]

28. Maybe she didn't even rent it...

Turns out I might be a fugitive for some video game I allegedly rented at Blockbuster 15 years ago...although I don't even own those game systems. I've laughed off their collection attempts for years - and they quit pursuing me long ago...

....but maybe I'm a wanted man.

Never occurs to anybody that the 17 y/o clerk might steal games and movies by 'renting' them under customer names?

[jeff47]

30. Yeah, video stores never, ever make mistakes.

Nor do the massively-underpaid and bored teenagers working at them ever steal things from the returns box.

Nor do people ever lose or forget something as critically important as a video tape. Why, it's worth $5!!!!!

[stuffmatters]

20. Gross waste of taxpayer money, yet they can deny medicaid to thousands claiming frugality.

And store should have paid this woman to rent Monster in Law in the first place.

Another troubling, in this case egregiously reckless, example of using public resources for private debt collection and imprisoning people for debt.

[Marr]

22. How humiliating.

Imagine everyone knowing you rented a Jennifer Lopez movie...

[Orrex]

23. I can't be the only one surprised to learn that she's white.

[Octafish]

24. Meanwhile the banksters who ILLEGALLY kicked millions of American out of their homes...

...get to skate because of the statute of limitations.

http://money.cnn.com/2012/08/13/news/companies/financial-crisis-prosecution/

[rbrnmw]

25. WTF happened to my Country

This literally makes me sick

[SummerSnow]

29. They still have video stores?

What did she get for not rewinding it?