| Blogs > looklook > Views from the Balcony |
|
Woman went to jail for not mowing lawn The other day in October of the current year, I read a news story published in one of our newspaper, about a woman sent to jail for not mowing her lawn. The news item also reminded the residents of the Lenoir city, Tennessee in USA, not to forget mowing lawn to avoid spending the night in Jail! The name of the woman, who spent six hours in jail, is Karen Holloway. She had to spend the time in a jail cell for failing to maintain her yard in accordance with the standards set by the city. The bushes and the trees were overgrown. However, according to Karen, that was certainly not a criminal offense! However, she got five-day jail sentence for refusing to comply with the city ordinances regarding yard maintenance, specifically the lack thereof. Karen did not feel it right and wondered why she be kept with the real criminals such as molesters and others in jail? She also felt bullied during the process because she was never read her rights or told that she could have a lawyer present. In the past too, Karen was cited for similar reason by the city. Her sentence was reduced to six hours subsequently and the judge admitted that Karen was not a criminal and the case was not a criminal case! She did turn herself in and served her six hours. Karen Holloway was supposed to be back in court for a follow-up hearing in November to check on the progress. The judge reportedly made it clear that he could add more jail time if the city isn't satisfied with her cleanup. As I do not know what has transpired in November after she came back to the court for the follow up hearing, I could only hope that all is well for her as well as the city too. Does the picture number 9 look like a jail room? However, I shall feel obliged if my readers could make their views on the whole affair known to me if they like, especially why Karen had to serve time when she was neither a criminal nor the case was a criminal one!! Thanks in anticipation.           |
|||
12/13/2014 6:33 am |
Hi Look: It may sound weird to jail someone just for not mowing their lawn or for having a bunch of junk in their yard, but I'm pretty sure the person has been warned already and probably given fines, so what else can they do. If there's just one house like that in a neighbourhood it can really bring down the property values for all the other homeowners in the area. Often a short jail sentence can be served on weekends. If so the person arrives at the jail at ten minutes before midnight on Friday night which counts for one day of their sentence, then they get out of jail at ten minutes after midnight on Saturday morning which counts as another day.
| ||
|
hi bijou, wonderful comments! I agree with you. However, my points were different. I can not reconcile why a person should be treated as a criminal when the crime was not criminal in nature.And why the person has to serve time with hardened criminals? May be, I have understood the matters wrongly! By the by,Carolyn has left a comment on you on my blog titled 'Colorful Butterflies'. you may read it if you like. Have a nice weekend.
| ||
12/13/2014 8:50 am |
Interesting how stuff like that goes. Some cities here in CA will impose fines if you do not keep your property up to their standards. If fines go unpaid they can get to the point where they will put a lien on your property. The city my house is in had an ordinance that every home had to have grass planted and maintained in the front. Well, along came our current drought and people are being fined for watering their lawns and getting an "allowance" if they take their grass out and plant drought resistant native plants. Amusing how we humans continue to mess with Mother Nature. Spiritwoman ^i^
| ||
|
Interesting how stuff like that goes. Some cities here in CA will impose fines if you do not keep your property up to their standards. If fines go unpaid they can get to the point where they will put a lien on your property. The city my house is in had an ordinance that every home had to have grass planted and maintained in the front. Well, along came our current drought and people are being fined for watering their lawns and getting an "allowance" if they take their grass out and plant drought resistant native plants. Amusing how we humans continue to mess with Mother Nature.
| ||
|
Where I live in Ontario, Canada, a homeowner can be cited for an unusually unkempt/overgrown yard. At a certain point, the city goes in an cleans up the property billing the homeowner on their property tax bill. Makes sense to me.
| ||
|
Where I live in Ontario, Canada, a homeowner can be cited for an unusually unkempt/overgrown yard. At a certain point, the city goes in an cleans up the property billing the homeowner on their property tax bill. Makes sense to me. Delighted to welcome you here on this blog of mine once again. I fully support what the City does in you great city to keep the properties clean. It makes sense to me also. Hope to see you again here. Have a great weekend.
| ||
|
Goodness! We have city ordinances here, but I've never heard of a jail sentence for one of the messes!  I think it becomes a matter for the Health Department to handle because of pests and that sort of thing. No property owner should violate standards set by the City. Such violation ought to be punished by fining the violator.Such people may not be sent to the jail, SpunkyLady. Best wishes.
| ||
|
Hope,it works in your case,Lisztomania! Thanks for stopping by and leaving such a funny post.I appreciate. Hope, bijou likes it too!! 
| ||
|
Liszttomania, The offender should be fined but not to be sent to the jail. I agree with you. I also thank you so much for leaving such information on my blog that would enhance its readable potentialities, Thanks again. Have a great week.
| ||
|
Looklook, Thank you for this blog, I was surprised for such punishment but I hope the lady didn't have really to jailed as such. Anyhow, each country has its own law. Here in my country, if refuse is left scattered or thrown whether on the roadside or in any vacant land or so, we really have to pay a fine but never jail sentence as such. Moreover each owner here tends to keep the environment clean as it is a private residential area too. Wishing you a nice weekend. Lisa.
| ||
|
Looklook, Thank you for this blog, I was surprised for such punishment but I hope the lady didn't have really to jailed as such. Anyhow, each country has its own law. Here in my country, if refuse is left scattered or thrown whether on the roadside or in any vacant land or so, we really have to pay a fine but never jail sentence as such. Moreover each owner here tends to keep the environment clean as it is a private residential area too. Wishing you a nice weekend. Lisa. It surprised me a lot. As the crime is not criminal in nature, then why the woman should serve time with the real criminals? Anyway, she was let off with a reduced sentence of only six hours at the end. She has served the time out at the police station I guess!! You have been writing great blogs too now. I like them all as they are so much informative! Lisa, live long and prosper!
| ||
|
Rubi, many many thanks for passing by my blog and also for leaving there such an informative post. I do not understand why the property owner has to go to jail when the offense is not considered as criminal one. However , the lady deserves to pay heavy fine for her failure to keep the property clean as was required under Nashville city ordinance. Best wishes, Rubi and thanks again.
|
×
×