Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, October 13, 1995 TAG: 9510130077
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: SPOTSYLVANIA LENGTH: Medium
Lawrence pleaded not guilty after the prosecutor reduced the charge to a misdemeanor and faces trial Nov. 6.
``I never intended to steal the tapes. It was a total accident, I admitted that,'' Lawrence said after her appearance in Spotsylvania County General District Court.
``I'm being made an example of, and I don't think it's fair,'' she said, after a judge refused to accept a plea bargain in the case.
Lawrence, 24, was arrested at her home a week ago as her four young children watched. She called reporters as a deputy waited to take her to be booked and has since been interviewed on television's ``Inside Edition'' and in newspapers from Florida to California.
High-profile Richmond attorney Joseph Morrissey took her case at no charge.
``She took it to the media instead of taking the tapes back,'' Commonwealth's Attorney William Neely said. ``She did it to herself.''
Lawrence rented the three movies and one video game from a Video Club store on July 12. Store employees said they tried to contact Lawrence by phone and sent her a registered letter asking for the tapes.
``I never got any call,''Lawrence said after the hearing.
The letter was returned to the store unopened because there was no one home.
Neely reduced the charge of failure to return rental property from a felony to a misdemeanor but wanted Lawrence to admit intentional wrongdoing. When she would not agree, the planned plea bargain fell apart.
``I had really hoped this would be over and done with today, '' she said. ``It's totally humiliating.''
Lawrence's father-in-law returned the tapes to the Video Club. Under a court agreement, he paid $200 of the $386 Lawrence owed in late charges.
``They're back, only three months overdue,'' Video Club employee Nathan Braden said.
Lawrence said she forgot about the tapes, and they were overlooked in the bustle of a busy household.
After the initial publicity about Lawrence's arrest, her husband's troubles with tapes came to light.
Clayton Lawrence, 28, was charged with a misdemeanor last month for failing to return four movies and a video game to a Stafford County store. Those tapes were due Aug. 2. Clayton Lawrence owes about $375 in late charges.
If convicted of the misdemeanor, Denise Lawrence faces a maximum of 12 months in jail and a $2,500 fine.
After the hearing, Denise Lawrence offered this advice: ``Buy your videos.''
by CNB