An 82-year-old Black woman was arrested in Alabama earlier this month for failure to pay a $77 trash bill, according to a local media report.
Martha Menefield said she was surprised when police officers arrived at her home informing her that she was being detained for not paying the bill. She initially thought they was joking before they proceeded to place her in handcuffs and advised her not to cry.
“How would you feel if they came and arrested your grandmama,” she questioned the arresting officers. “I’m just happy my grandkids weren’t here to see that,” Menefield told CBS 42 “That would have upset them. I was so ashamed. And it’s been bothering me.”
She further went on to state that she thought she paid the bill and denies that she received notices to appear in court. In the state of Alabama, officers can arrest citizens on failure to pay bills, but only at their discretion – meaning some officers let arrests like this one slide. But when the warrant is signed by a magistrate, officers must make the arrest, according to the chief of police in the district where Menefield was arrested.
“City of Valley Code Enforcement Officers issued Ms. Menefield a citation in August of 2022 for non-payment for trash services for the months of June, July, and August,” said Chief Mike Reynolds in a statement. “Prior to issuing the citation, Code Enforcement tried to call Ms. Menefield several times and attempted to contact her in person at her residence.”
The statement continues: “When contact could not be made, a door hanger was left at her residence. The hanger contained information on the reason for the visit and a name and contact phone number for her to call. The citation advised Ms. Menefield that she was to appear in court on September 7, 2022, in reference to this case. A warrant for Failure to Pay-Trash was issued when she did not appear in court.”
Menefield, who has been a resident in the town of Valley for over 30 years, says that her arrest was “unjust and unnecessary.”
Her daughter Neketti Tucker said that several people attempted to pay for the bill on her mother’s behalf but were told they were unable to. Both her and her mother believes the unpaid bill should have never led to an arrest.
While in jail, Menefield said she raised a ruckus.
“I was in a little cage-like thing at the police station,” she said. “And I said, ‘Y’all put me in this cage? You ought to be ashamed of yourself.”
She has since been released.
