Customer jailed for failing to return movie 9 years ago


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A South Carolina scofflaw movie renter spent a night in jail this week after police busted her for failing to return a Jennifer Lopez movie she rented nine years ago.

WHNS reports the scenario unfolded after Kayla Michelle Finley went to the Pickens County Jail in the northwestern tip of the state Thursday to report an unspecified crime ? but instead got charged with one, herself.

The news station cites Finley?s arrest warrant in writing the 27-year-old woman had rented ?Monster-in-Law? ? a rom-com pairing Lopez with Jane Fonda that garnered a single star on Rotten Tomatoes ? in 2005.

She?d reportedly rented the movie from the now-defunct Dalton Video, and never returned the cassette.

WHNS reports the store?s former owner, P.J. Dalton, had taken the matter to court nine years ago and gotten a judge to issue a warrant.

The matter remained a cold case, of sorts, until Thursday, when a records check performed at the jail turned up the summons.

According to her warrant, Finley reportedly was mailed several warnings by Dalton, and then finally documentation of the court action, but she now claims she never received any of the correspondence.

?It?s obvious that Pickens County has nothing better to do,? Finley told WHNS. ?I fully intend on fighting this, it?s ridiculous I had this happen to me,? she said.

Finley is charged with petite larceny, and more specifically, the now seemingly archaic charge of, ?failure to return a video or cassette.?

The charge is a misdemeanor, and police told the news station they had no choice but to serve the warrant for her arrest, no matter how old or outmoded.

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?It?s obvious that Pickens County has nothing better to do,? Finley told WHNS. ?I fully intend on fighting this, it?s ridiculous I had this happen to me,? she said.

 

Well, don't steal stuff and it won't! Stupid woman.

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While it should have all been dealt with 9 years ago, a crime is still a crime.. no matter how minor. Even if it has no relevance anymore.. they have to pay. They can't get away with it. :p

 

Historical cases (as I guess this is considered) still get brought up 20, 30, 40 or more years after the fact.

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Ha! My grandmother lives in that area. I am about 90% sure I remember that video store, although it was SO long ago...

 

I can definitely confirm that, if it's anything like the way I remember it from visiting as a kid, Pickens County indeed has nothing better to do. It's a quiet little backwoods area with hardly any crime rate, or metropolitan areas, or things to do at all... yeah.

 

Still, while I think it's is a bit ridiculous at this point, these things don't just go away. She shouldn't have stolen the video :laugh:

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So in all these 9 years the perps name and address was on the books but the Police waited till she reported a crime.........doesn't that say more about the state or lack of, of the Police service in the area than anything else?

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So in all these 9 years the perps name and address was on the books but the Police waited till she reported a crime.........doesn't that say more about the state or lack of, of the Police service in the area than anything else?

 

It's a quiet little backwoods area with hardly any crime rate, or metropolitan areas, or things to do at all... yeah.

 

Probably too busy supporting the donut shop, or napping in their cars behind a billboard somewhere... :p

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If a crime has been committed it should be followed up in an appropriate timeframe. Justice should not be based upon chance. As for this particular case, if her address was inaccurate and she never received the correspondence it's perfectly plausible that she never received the warnings and was not at fault. It's easy to forget about something like that and anything could have happened to it (it could have been accidently throw away, etc). My point is I wouldn't be so quick to label the woman a thief, especially when we're talking about a low cost item and that she rented it from a place that had her personal details - it doesn't really make sense as a crime.

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If a crime has been committed it should be followed up in an appropriate timeframe. Justice should not be based upon chance. As for this particular case, if her address was inaccurate and she never received the correspondence it's perfectly plausible that she never received the warnings and was not at fault. It's easy to forget about something like that and anything could have happened to it (it could have been accidently throw away, etc). My point is I wouldn't be so quick to label the woman a thief, especially when we're talking about a low cost item and that she rented it from a place that had her personal details - it doesn't really make sense as a crime.

 

Yes it's a pretty minor offence as offences go, however. Ignorance is not, and never has been, a valid excuse in the eyes of the law.

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Ignorance is not, and never has been, a valid excuse in the eyes of the law.

I appreciate that but if they were trying to contact her via an incorrect address then her actions are completely excusable. It's hard to make a judgement without more information.

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It was only one night and its rather justified for theft. The amount really doesn't matter. The fact that they never returned it was the problem.

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If a crime has been committed it should be followed up in an appropriate timeframe. Justice should not be based upon chance. As for this particular case, if her address was inaccurate and she never received the correspondence it's perfectly plausible that she never received the warnings and was not at fault. It's easy to forget about something like that and anything could have happened to it (it could have been accidently throw away, etc). My point is I wouldn't be so quick to label the woman a thief, especially when we're talking about a low cost item and that she rented it from a place that had her personal details - it doesn't really make sense as a crime.

I have to disagree here solely on the premise that she must have had to receive warnings to be guilty, otherwise innocent as I'd assume the movie store made it clear before the rental took place what the return policy was and what would happen if she failed to comply.

 

Its basic responsibility: why should the store owner hold her hand and remind her to return a product she borrowed?

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She?d reportedly rented the movie from the now-defunct Dalton Video, and never returned the cassette.

 

Cassette? You mean she's going to jail over a VHS tape?

 

Wow, even 9 years ago you'd think DVD had replaced VHS.

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If a crime has been committed it should be followed up in an appropriate timeframe. Justice should not be based upon chance. As for this particular case, if her address was inaccurate and she never received the correspondence it's perfectly plausible that she never received the warnings and was not at fault. It's easy to forget about something like that and anything could have happened to it (it could have been accidently throw away, etc). My point is I wouldn't be so quick to label the woman a thief, especially when we're talking about a low cost item and that she rented it from a place that had her personal details - it doesn't really make sense as a crime.

I have to disagree here solely on the premise that she must have had to receive warnings to be guilty, otherwise innocent as I'd assume the movie store made it clear before the rental took place what the return policy was and what would happen if she failed to comply.

 

Its basic responsibility: why should the store owner hold her hand and remind her to return a product she borrowed?

 

Also, to anyone else making jokes about the police...you realize that they are doing their job...? The guy had a judge sign off on a warrant. I know a few of you have a real vendetta against the American justice system but for once realize you seem childish with the comments above ;).

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Unless she moved, I doubt she didn't see the 'several warnings'.

 

And how did she not notice the video laying around ... ?

You doubt it eh?

 

I moved twice in the time it took for a collection agency to alert me that I had an outstanding balance from 11 years prior.  I never once saw the initial notice because I had moved out.  It was an electric bill for one day of electricity.  As it turns out, the electric company did not turn off the electricity the day I left my apartment, despite me calling ahead of time and they had no forwarding address.

 

Also, I can't tell you how many times video rental places have claimed I have not returned movies.  I always have, but they tend to lose things.

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Unless she moved, I doubt she didn't see the 'several warnings'.

 

And how did she not notice the video laying around ... ?

Why would you doubt it?

 

 

 

I moved twice in the time it took for a collection agency to alert me that I had an outstanding balance from 11 years prior.  I never once saw the initial notice because I had moved out.  It was an electric bill for one day of electricity.  As it turns out, the electric company did not turn off the electricity the day I left my apartment, despite me calling ahead of time.  They even had my forwarding address but I guess they didn't bother.

 

Also, I can't tell you how many times video rental places have claimed I have not returned movies.  I always have, but they tend to lose things.

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It was only one night and its rather justified for theft. The amount really doesn't matter. The fact that they never returned it was the problem.

Did she admit that she didn't return it?

 

I've had video rental places tell me I haven't returned things before even though I did.

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