Ravenwood 7 case concludes

On April 8, 2011, the Ravenwood 7 appeared before Judge Thomas R. Morse. Judge Morse convened with the defendants' lawyers and the district attorney and offered the 7 a deal: six-month adjournment in contemplation of dismissals (ACDs) and eight hours of community service attested to by any not-for-profit corporation. The Ravenwood 7 accepted the conditions. As long as they do their community service and the judge receives proof before July 1st, they will not have to come back to court.

The Ravenwood 7 are: Jake Allen, Emily Good, Crescenzo Scipione, Zora Gussow, Ryan Gromkoski, Jake Spezio, and Liz Rich The first five were arrested and charged with obstruction of government administration and trespass when they attempted to block the eviction of Catherine Lennon at 9 Ravenwood Ave.

The last two, Jake Spezio and Liz Rich, were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct: failure to move.

Catherine Lennon and her family of 11, including seven children lived at 9 Ravenwood Ave. in Rochester, NY before being evicted by City Marshal Sande Macaluso on Monday, March 28.

After Catherine’s husband died of cancer, their mortgage lender and government bailout recipient, Countrywide refused to renegotiate the mortgage, sending the family’s house into foreclosure.

On March 29, 2011, after almost a year of being stonewalled by Fannie Mae (the current owner of 9 Ravenwood), today and the day after the eviction of the family and 7 were arrested in protest, Fannie Mae came to the table to begin negotiations with the family. That afternoon Catherine Lennon of 9 Ravenwood Ave was on a five-way call with 3 officials from Fannie Mae and staff person from Congresswoman Louise Slaughter's office who arranged the call. According to Ms. Lennon the dialogue was very positive and that Fannie Mae vowed to work with her to get her home back.