# Man arrested for overdue videotape **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 25, 2016, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-arrested-for-overdue-videotape/750073 "2016-03-25T00:44:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2016, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-arrested-for-overdue-videotape/750073/21 "2016-03-25T13:34:08Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > This would never happen in Mayberry. Sheriff Taylor would not permit it. But what if he’s up in Mount Pilot and Deputy Fife throws you in the jail with Otis the drunk and Aunt Bee bakes you a rhubarb pie and she and her friends from the Anti-Non-Decency League of Women Helpers all come down to the station with picket signs and Barney takes his one bullet out of his pocket and proceeds to drop it and Floyd the barber tries to pick it up, hilariously, of course, while balancing the twenty hot muffin tins that Helen Crump tasked him with delivering to the protestors, her being a school mar’m and all, and just then Opie and his friends come darting through the legs of the old ladies trying to grab hot blueberry muffins but they’ve been fishing and the hooks swinging from their poles are catching the ladies’ petticoats and poor Barney is whining loudly “Everyone into the jail!” and you and Otis get thrown out of your cell to make room for every citizen of Mayberry and, what’s this, Sheriff Taylor pulls up and boy is Barney embarrassed now and you’re sitting behind that big oak desk in the Sheriff’s office and when Andy bellows “And just who in tarnation is this?” the deputy says “I don’t quite rightly 'member now…” so you wander off with your videotape as Aunt Bee gives Andy the last slice of pie. ---
**Author:** ![Mince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@Mince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mince)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2016, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-arrested-for-overdue-videotape/750073/22 "2016-03-25T13:34:43Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > The original offense was a class 3 misdemeanor. I am not a lawyer, but it is surprising to me that there is, apparently, no statute of limitations in effect for crimes this small. NC must have an enormous backlog of unserved warrants for petty crimes. I doubt they would impose a statute of limitations on rape, but not video theft. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2016, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-arrested-for-overdue-videotape/750073/23 "2016-03-25T14:59:42Z")
> [@Mince](#): > > I doubt they would impose a statute of limitations on rape, but not video theft. Yeah, but rape is often he said/she said and witnesses memories fade and evidence degrades. In THIS case we have an actual tape of the crime! ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2016, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-arrested-for-overdue-videotape/750073/24 "2016-03-25T15:04:46Z")
I don’t get OP’s outrage. if the officer sees there’s a warrant for this guy’s arrest, he _has to take him into custody._ Otherwise he’s going to have a lot of ‘splainin’ to do later. > [@Scumpup](#): > > The original offense was a class 3 misdemeanor. I am not a lawyer, but it is surprising to me that there is, apparently, no statute of limitations in effect for crimes this small. NC must have an enormous backlog of unserved warrants for petty crimes. probably. but that’s why they’re “bench” warrants. They’re low-priority “if you encounter this person, bring him/her in” and not “go get this person right now.” ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2016, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-arrested-for-overdue-videotape/750073/25 "2016-03-25T15:23:53Z")
> [@Mince](#): > > I doubt they would impose a statute of limitations on rape, but not video theft. The statute of limitations generally means that there is a certain amount of time in which a criminal action must be commenced. He couldn’t have been initially charged 14 years after the fact. And he wasn’t - the criminal action had already started when the warrant was issued in 2002. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2016, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-arrested-for-overdue-videotape/750073/26 "2016-03-25T15:40:27Z")
> [@doreen](#): > > The statute of limitations generally means that there is a certain amount of time in which a criminal action must be commenced. He couldn’t have been initially charged 14 years after the fact. And he wasn’t - the criminal action had already started when the warrant was issued in 2002. Quite true. However, many jurisdictions routinely flush warrants for minor violations after a certain amount of time. I have no idea if this jurisdiction doesn’t or if this one was missed. But ignoring a judge’s order is a quick way to lose your job if someone pushes it. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2016, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-arrested-for-overdue-videotape/750073/27 "2016-03-25T16:04:21Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > In THIS case we have an actual tape of the crime! Actually, if they had said tape, it wouldn’t be a crime as that would be proof he returned it & even if he does still have the tape does anyone still have a VCR to play it? ---
**Author:** ![edwards\_beard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@edwards\_beard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwards_beard)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2016, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-arrested-for-overdue-videotape/750073/28 "2016-03-25T16:09:20Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > I don’t get OP’s outrage. And miss the opportunity to take shots at not only the police but to pull in jabs at Trump and Cruz as well? How can you not get it? ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2016, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-arrested-for-overdue-videotape/750073/29 "2016-03-25T20:18:47Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > even if he does still have the tape does anyone still have a VCR to play it? I do. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2016, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-arrested-for-overdue-videotape/750073/30 "2016-03-25T21:10:24Z")
Somebody actually _paid_ to watch _Freddy Got Fingered_? That level of sadness is its own punishment, isn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2016, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-arrested-for-overdue-videotape/750073/31 "2016-03-25T21:51:42Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > I don’t get OP’s outrage. if the officer sees there’s a warrant for this guy’s arrest, he _has to take him into custody._ Otherwise he’s going to have a lot of ‘splainin’ to do later. I suspect he has taken quite a bit of good-natured ribbing from his fellow police officers. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2016, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-arrested-for-overdue-videotape/750073/32 "2016-03-25T22:08:31Z")
OP here. Excuse me for not including the requisite 53 :rolleyes: and 😉 's. I had hoped to be sufficiently over the top. Good story with lots of humor potential - and our contributors didn’t let me down. Jailed for failure to rewind!! ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2016, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-arrested-for-overdue-videotape/750073/33 "2016-03-25T22:49:42Z")
> [@Typo\_Negative](#): > > I suspect he has taken quite a bit of good-natured ribbing from his fellow police officers. undoubtedly. “Boy, those streets sure are safe now!” ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2016, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-arrested-for-overdue-videotape/750073/34 "2016-03-26T03:32:21Z")
> [@smithsb](#): > > Jailed for failure to rewind!! _There’s_ the problem! Ever since Society stopped admonishing our youth to “Be Kind, Rewind!”, the level of kindness has plummeted in the Western world. ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2016, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-arrested-for-overdue-videotape/750073/35 "2016-03-26T19:05:22Z")
I got arrested about 6 years ago for a dog at large ticket. I had a background check run on me for buying a handgun and apparently my warrant popped up so the gun deal called the cops and told them that I was at hunter’s safety that evening so they showed up at my class and pulled me out. Apparently it was a arrest and release warrant so after arresting me they then let me go and told me to talk to the judge the next day since we were after business hours. When I went to court the next day the judge tried telling me there was no warrant and apparently my check paying my fine had shown up shortly after they made the warrant so it had been canceled in the court system but somehow never erased from the police system. The really funny/sad part was in running the multiple background checks to insure that the warrant was clear in the police system the judge discovered I was on the terrorist watch list and since there way nothing I could do about that I went and picked up the handgun that had started the whole process and flew on an international flight two weeks later. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2016, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-arrested-for-overdue-videotape/750073/36 "2016-03-26T21:06:11Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > does anyone still have a VCR to play it? > [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > I do. I’m pretty sure he meant anyone other than you and PSXer. ---
**Author:** ![desertmonk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@desertmonk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/desertmonk)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2016, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-arrested-for-overdue-videotape/750073/37 "2016-03-26T23:02:08Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I’m pretty sure he meant anyone other than you and PSXer. I wish I had a VCR. Fun fact, they are so obsolete my phone auto corrects it. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2016, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-arrested-for-overdue-videotape/750073/38 "2016-03-26T23:37:26Z")
I _wish_ we at Blockbuster would have had the ability to have people arrested for not returning their movies. OK, I’m being facetious. ---
**Author:** ![purplehearingaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@purplehearingaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehearingaid)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2016, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-arrested-for-overdue-videotape/750073/39 "2016-03-26T23:40:38Z")
> **[Man Arrested for Overdue Tom Green Rental From 2002](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/weird-news/man-arrested-overdue-freddy-got-fingered-video-rental-2002-n545366)** > > Much like the rest of America, North Carolina man James Meyers Jr. had forgotten about the 2001 Tom Green flick "Freddy Got Fingered." Here is a link for the story . ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2016, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-arrested-for-overdue-videotape/750073/40 "2016-03-27T02:15:31Z")
> [@ekedolphin](#): > > I _wish_ we at Blockbuster … Blockbuster? Whazzat? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-arrested-for-overdue-videotape/750073.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/man-arrested-for-overdue-videotape/750073.md?page=3)