Kayla Finley, a 27-year-old South Carolina woman, was arrested last week, charged with a misdemeanor, and held in jail overnight all because she forgot to return a VHS tape she rented nearly 10 years ago.
Finley was arrested Thursday after visiting the Pickens County Sheriff's Office to take care of another matter. When the clerk ran her name, an outstanding warrant for failing to return the videotape popped up.
According to CNN, Finley rented the Jennifer Lopez romantic comedy "Monster-In-Law" from Dalton Videos in 2005 but never brought it back.
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Chief Deputy Creed Hashe told CNN affiliate WYFF-TV that the video store owner alerted police years ago and asked that a warrant be issued. The sheriff's office reportedly then sent Finley multiple certified letters.
Finley was released on $2,000 bond Friday.
She claims she forgot about the tape after the store went out of business and she moved out of state.
"I'm no criminal, but Pickens County Sheriff's office sure made me feel like I was,"
she wrote on the Fox Carolina News Facebook page this week.
Finley also claims she never received any letters.
"If I had, it would have been taken care of immediately," she wrote. "Some of you need to quit [judging] like you are. This is a bogus charge and everyone knows it."
CNN commenters were shocked that Finley landed in jail over such a small infraction.
"Wow, surprised they are not seeking the death penalty........nice to know tax payers will be picking up the tab to prosecute this woman....what a joke," one person posted.
"She has now spent more time in jail than any of the people responsible for the 2008 Great Recession," someone else wrote. "Our country sure has its priorities straight."
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