Ravenwood 7 Court Report back

The Ravenwood 7 were back in Judge Johnson's court this morning with their individual attorneys. At 11am, Judge Johnson called up each of the seven, conferred with their attorney and then set another court date. All in all, a very quick visit to court. Judge Johnson recused herself and transferred the cases to Judge Morris to be heard on April 8, 2011, at 9:30am. Five community members—Jake Allen, Emily Good, Crescenzo Scipione, Zora Gussow, and Ryan Gromkoski—were arrested and charged with obstruction of government administration and trespass when attempting to block the eviction of Catherine Lennon at 9 Ravenwood Ave. Shortly after the first five people were arrested, 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. 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.

<p>The Ravenwood 7 were back in Judge Johnson's court this morning with their individual attorneys. </p> <p>At 11am, Judge Johnson called up each of the seven, conferred with their attorney and then set another court date. All in all, a very quick visit to court.</p> <p>Judge Johnson recused herself and transferred the cases to Judge Morris to be heard on April 8, 2011, at 9:30am. </p> <p>Five community members—Jake Allen, Emily Good, Crescenzo Scipione, Zora Gussow, and Ryan Gromkoski—were arrested and charged with obstruction of government administration and trespass when attempting to block the eviction of Catherine Lennon at 9 Ravenwood Ave.</p> <p>Shortly after the first five people were arrested, Jake Spezio and Liz Rich were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct: failure to move.</p> <p>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. </p> <p>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.</p> <p>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.</p>