S.C. vet jailed for cluttered yard freed

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CLOVER, S.C., Oct. 8 (UPI) -- A 79-year-old disabled South Carolina veteran jailed for repeatedly failing to clean up his property is a free man again, at least for now, authorities say.

Johnny Ramsey, a Korean War veteran who lives in a mobile home in Clover, was released from the York County jail Sunday, 72 hours after being locked up for his contempt of court conviction for repeatedly failing to clear his property of junk, The (Rock Hill) Herald reported Monday.

Ramsey and his wife live on Social Security and veterans benefits, and income earned from selling junk, building supplies and old appliances kept on his lawn, but town officials informed him his inventory violated a law against unsightly property. After being found guilty in court in January, Town Judge Melvin Howell gave Ramsey six months to clean it up, as well as an extension in August, court documents said.

Howell sentenced Ramsey to jail Thursday, repeatedly saying in court he had done all he could to keep Ramsey from being incarcerated.

The case achieved national attention, the dispute coming down to Ramsey's claimed principle to do what he wants on his own property, versus a town and its rules, the newspaper said.

He now has until Friday to tidy up his yard to the judge's satisfaction.

"I'm gonna try to get it all up, but that lumber, those thousands of bricks, I want to use those to build rooms. I hope I don't have to come back [to jail0," Ramsey said.