
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, October 7, 1995                   TAG: 9510090046
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: SPOTSYLVANIA                                LENGTH: Medium

MOM FACING A FELONY FOR UNRETURNED TAPES

The mother of four young children was arrested on a felony charge for failing to return three videos and a video game she rented, police said.

``Don't take my mommy to jail,'' 4-year-old Ashley Lawrence said as a Spotsylvania County sheriff's officer put her mother, Denise Lawrence, in the back seat of his car.

Denise Lawrence said she forgot about ``Dumb and Dumber,'' ``Black Beauty,'' ``Rescuers Down Under'' and the video game ``Dinosaurs For Hire.'' She rented them from the Video Club in Spotsylvania on July 12.

``I know I should have returned them, but I've got four children and the tapes just slipped my mind. They were down in the basement, and I don't go to the basement that often,'' Lawrence said. ``I've got no problem with paying for them.''

When Sgt. Allen Cheeks showed up at her home Thursday, Lawrence was with her children, ages 1, 2, 4 and 5. She asked Cheeks if she could call her husband, Clay, to come take care of the children. Cheeks agreed.

Denise Lawrence, 24, was taken to the magistrate's office, released on her own recognizance and told to appear in General District Court on Oct. 12. She faces a felony charge of failure to return rental property because the tapes' value and late fees total more than $200.

Lawrence and store officials disagree about whether she was reminded to bring the films back.

``I've never gotten a letter, a phone call - nothing,'' Lawrence said. ``It's not hard to get in touch with me.''

But First Sgt. Donald Doggett of the sheriff's office said store employees called Lawrence and sent her a certified letter. It was returned unclaimed, he said.

William Grinnan, who manages the video store, declined to discuss the case. He said the store's policy is to call a customer if tapes have not been returned within five days of the return date. If phone calls don't produce results after 30 days, a letter is sent to the customer. If the letter produces no response, the store files a complaint with the sheriff's office.

Clay Lawrence said he couldn't believe his wife when she called and told him of her pending arrest.

``They should have given her some consideration,'' he said. ``It's a little ridiculous.''

by CNB