82-Year-Old Arrested, Locked Up For Failing To Pay $77 Trash Bill

An 82-year-old woman in Valley, Alabama, was arrested because she failed to pay a trash bill, documents showed.

Martha Menefield was arrested on Nov. 27 after she was charged with a misdemeanor offense of "failure to pay solid waste fees," Law & Crime reported, citing court records.

The elderly woman failed to pay a $77.80 garbage service bill that covered the months of June, July and August.

"You ought to be ashamed of yourself, arresting an 82-year-old person," Menefield told an officer during her arrest, which was captured on camera and shared by the Valley Police Department.

"I'm so sorry. But the law is the law, Miss Menefield," the policeman replied as he put the elderly woman in handcuffs.

Menefield explained to authorities at the time that her daughter typically takes care of the trash bill.

An officer suggested Menefield get in contact with her daughter "because she done screwed you on this one."

Menefield was processed at the Valley Police Department before ultimately being released on bond.

The city's code enforcement officers issued Menefield a citation back in August over her failure to pay for trash services, Valley Police Chief Mike Reynolds said in a press release.

The citation advised Menefield that she was to appear in court on Sept. 7 with regard to her case.

Prior to the issuance of the citation, authorities tried to call Menefield several times and attempted to contact her in person at her home, according to Reynolds.

An arrest warrant for "failure to pay-trash" was issued when Menefield did not appear in court.

Menefield was arrested in 2006 for not paying a $206.54 trash bill, but the case was later dismissed "upon compliance," records showed.

Her trash services have been suspended three times over the past two years for non-payment, according to Reynolds. There have been more than 22 incidents of suspensions and revocation of services since 2006.

Menefield's arrest reportedly drew outrage on social media.

Reynolds insisted that the elderly woman "was treated respectfully by our officers in the performance of their duties and was released on a bond as prescribed by the violation."