Scofflaw Spends Night in Jail For Failing to Return Overdue Copy of 'Twilight' to Library
Lori Teel of Portales, New Mexico, says she was handcuffed in front of her five young children and made to spend the night in jail because she neglected to pay $36 in library fines for an overdue Twilight book and a Twilight DVD.
According to the Portales Public Library, Teel checked out Stephenie Meyer's bestselling novel Twilight along with a two-DVD set of The Twilight Saga: New Moon two years ago and never brought them back.
Teel says she doesn't recall ever checking those items out, but library records show they were due back October 5, 2010.
Six months later, Teel was summoned to appear in Municipal Court to pay her fines, but didn't show up. A warrant was subsequently issued for her arrest.
Teel's lawyer says the summons and warrants were sent to an address where his client hadn't resided in years.
Nevertheless, while investigating a claim that her husband was involved in an assault, officers became aware of the warrant and arrested her. (Her husband, Jimmy Teel, was also arrested that same day on charges of aggravated battery.)
She spent the night at the Roosevelt County Detention Center, bailing out for $610 the following morning. "Honestly, it was awful," Teel said. "For me, it was very awful because I have never been in trouble for anything in my life."
All charges against her were dropped on Monday. Teel and her lawyer are now pursuing legal action against the city.