N.C. man arrested for not returning VHS tape

[Betallsports]

A North Carolina man says he was arrested for not returning a VHS tape he had rented in 2002.


James Meyers says a police officer, who had pulled him over for a broken tail light with his daughter in tow Tuesday, ran his driver's license and said there was a warrant out for his arrest, according to The Associated Press.



Meyers had rented the movie "Freddy Got Fingered' and never took it back. For anyone that does not remember the movie, it starred Tom Green as Gord Brody, a struggling animator who wishes to become a professional cartoonist.


The single dad from Concord told ABC, ""Because I had my daughter in the car and we were on the way to school they said that I could take my daughter to school and go to work and then find a babysitter, and then come into the police and turn myself in."


Once he turned himself in to the Concord Police Department, he was processed on a charge of "failure to return hired property." Meyers was then transferred to Cabarrus County Jail and released "on a written promise," ABC reported.


Tom Green tweeted about the incident, "I just saw this and I am struggling to believe it is real."

Tom Green ✔ ‎@tomgreenlive
I just saw this and I am struggling to believe it is real. https://twitter.com/wsoctv/status/712810329928019969 …
<time class="dt-updated" datetime="2016-03-24T02:26:46+0000" pubdate="" title="Time posted: 24 Mar 2016, 02:26:46 (UTC)">10:26 PM - 23 Mar 2016

</time>Tom, it is real. Meyers is expected to appear in court next month, ABC reported.

 

[Redagger029]

Arrested for an old VHS "Freddy Got Fingered' tape.

Hate to think what they would of done to him if it was PORN.

 

[Greenbacks]

And the store closed down years ago...lol

 

[Sugarbear]

Can you say community service and a fine??

 

[MikeB]

I was wondering why we haven't seen Buster around....

 

[HacheMan]

I have mixed opinions on this.

Yes it seems extreme but then again the irresponsible punk should also be punished for thinking he didn't have to return it...

 

[Murphy8276]

Tom Green should pay the court costs. Most publicity he has had in years...

-murph

 

[TheFunkMonkey]

Most of these stories could have been avoided if the "victim" simply appeared in court, and dealt with the issue.

Instead, they skip/ignore court, a warrant is issued --- and five years later, they're screwed.

Nobody is arrested for a library book, VHS tape, parking ticket --- they're arrested for the associated warrant(s).

 

[mountain]

Statute of limitations? This one is hard to believe, especially after you read the statute.

http://law.onecle.com/north-carolina/14-criminal-law/14-167.html

 

[CHOPTALK]

Tom Green should pay the court costs. Most publicity he has had in years...

-murph

He already said he would

 

[MikeB]

He already said he would

I heard that too

 

[RenoChazz]

Freddy got Fingered, love that movie! lol.

 

[TheFunkMonkey]

Statute of limitations? This one is hard to believe, especially after you read the statute.

http://law.onecle.com/north-carolina/14-criminal-law/14-167.html

See my previous post.

He ignored (or possibly didn't know about) the initial charge. As a result, the court issued a warrant.

Most crimes have a statute of limitation, but most arrest warrants do not.

Moral of the story, make sure you appear in court, and deal with the charges.

 

[Vlad the Impaler]

See my previous post.

He ignored (or possibly didn't know about) the initial charge. As a result, the court issued a warrant.

Most crimes have a statute of limitation, but most arrest warrants do not.

Moral of the story, make sure you appear in court, and deal with the charges.

If I don't post in the evening of April 4th, you will know that is all bullshit

 

[RenoChazz]

I registered my car late one year when I was in my early twenties, got a ticket, went to court paid the fine, and showed that it was now registered. For some reason it got entered in the computer wrong. 10 years later I get pulled over and the cop says I have a warrant for my arrest. He didn't arrest me though, just told me to go to the court to clear it up when I could. Didn't even give me a ticket either. LOL I'd been walking around for ten years with a warrant. I went to the court and oops it was a clerical error.

 

[TheComputerGroup]

I remember being in a video store & overhearing the clerk say on the phone that they need to bring back Reservoir Dogs......I think the person renting it had lost it, & the clerk stated a charge of $99.99. This was back in.the early 90's, video tapes weren't even being bought by customers yet because they were too expensive.

Amazing how technology & the way people are entertained has changed.

As for this story about having an arrest warrant, it seems absurd, but I guess the owners of the video store were pissed.

Blockbuster use to be all over my town, they're all closed down.

 

[Greenbacks]

The actor later told the New York Daily News he had spoken to Meyers and plans to help him with his expenses.

"If it's 200 bucks of course I'll pay it for him, just for the principle of the thing," Green said.

 

[basesAREloaded]

I despise roaches who forget what they sign, or say.

For whatever reason, big or small.

Every small loose end contains potential for large repercussions. Occasionally, disproportionately. And rightly so.

 

[pocketrockets]

I can sleep better now, how can one feel safe when people go around not returning VHS tapes... I mean if it was Betamax I wouldn't be so strict but we are talking VHS here...

 

[RenoChazz]

Shouldn't this have been a civil matter? Video owner goes to court, other guy doesn't show, he gets a judgment, wages garnished, end of story. Seems like the state is the big winner here, and both of the other parties are losers.