Press Release: Judge Calls Off Controversial Eviction in Order to Reexamine Foreclosure

Judge Calls Off Controversial Eviction in Order to Reexamine Foreclosure

Catherine Lennon to Have Her Day in Court August 16, 2011

Rochester, NY - On Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 11:00am at 9 Ravenwood Avenue, Rochester, NY Cathy
Lennon, Take Back the Land Rochester, and community members will come together for a press conference to announce new developments in the
case. On Tuesday evening NY State Supreme Court Judge Anne Marie Taddeo called off the controversial eviction of Catherine Lennon
which was scheduled for Wednesday, August 17. Cathy and Take Back the Land Rochester were preparing for second eviction defense,
including a nonviolent eviction blockade which would have happened Wednesday.

Judge Taddeo has reopened the original foreclosure case and requested that Countrywide/Bank of America defend their original foreclosure which was riddled with irregularities. Countrywide/Bank of America and Catherine Lennon are schedule to appear in NY State Supreme Court on August 30, 2011.

Fannie Mae, who was sold the house from Countrywide/Bank of America for $500, aggressively moved to evict Cathy from her home a second time last week. On Friday August 12 at the eviction proceeding, City Court Judge Castro refused Ms. Lennon's request for an adjournment, which would have allowed the higher court the time hear the case. Instead Judge Castro sought to
evict her in the shortest amount of time possible, 72 hours. The judge didn't seem interested in that Ms. Lennon had filed an order in a higher court to overturn the original foreclosure or that there seemed to be many illegalities in the original foreclosure process or that this family will be homeless again or that Rochester has thousands of vacant houses. Judge Castro is just one of many judges pushing foreclosure-based evictions through the system as
quickly as possible without scrutinizing the criminal practices of the banks. Judge Castro's eviction ruling has temporarily been suspended until the State Supreme Court hears the case.

Catherine Lennon and Take Back the Land Rochester are calling on the City of Rochester to enact
a moratorium on bank evictions, as cases of foreclosure and mortgage fraud pile up throughout the city.

For more information:

Ryan Acuff
585-455-0961

Katherine Dennison
585-703-6211