Woman spends 4 days in jail over lawn-mowing dispute

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

(6/06/07 - HOUSTON) -- A 50-year-old widow whose neighbors filed suit to force her clean up her overgrown lawn spent four nights in jail for ignoring the court's orders.

Linda A. Ballew was released from the Harris County Jail on Tuesday after she agreed to clean up her backyard within 30 days.

The Kirkmont Association took Ballew to court in 2004 and won a permanent injunction requiring her to mow her entire lawn twice a month and trim her trees and shrubs once a year.

Ballew cut her front lawn but left the backyard as it was -- a condition described by next-door neighbor David Carroll as a "jungle" of grass reaching heights of 9 feet.

"We've had nutria rats -- the ones that look like beavers -- caught in the trap in my backyard," said Carroll, who's also president of the homeowners association board. "I have had run-ins with large snakes. My dog has been sprayed by a skunk. ... My children are not allowed to walk the property unless I go out there first."

Ballew's failure to comply with the injunction resulted in her being found in contempt of court in April 2006, but a three-day jail sentence was suspended to give her time to do the required yard work.

State District Judge Mark Davidson issued a warrant for Ballew's arrest after she didn't show up for a compliance hearing in August.

Ballew, who was arrested Friday, said in court that she recently underwent major surgery and had been hospitalized.

Davidson told Ballew he sought her arrest "very reluctantly."

"I'm sorry it had to come to this in order to get y'all to talk to each other," Davidson said in court. "I don't want to have to issue any more warrants, any more writs, any more orders in this case."

Davidson suggested that a Scout troop might be willing to do the yard work for Ballew.

Get more News »