A Georgia woman confronted an alleged squatter in her home — but it turns out that the homeowner was the one being led away in handcuffs and thrown in jail, according to multiple reports.
Loletha Hale told WSB-TV she has encountered a squatter since at least August. Hale said she contacted police about the individual living inside the house she owns. Livingston is about 80 miles northeast of Atlanta near the Alabama border.
Authorities claimed Hale could be heard stating ‘leave before I get my gun.’
The alleged squatter — Sakemeyia Johnson — reportedly had been living inside the home with a former tenant.
However, the former tenant had been evicted from the property, and Johnson initially received a squatting citation.
The New York Post reported that a court ordered Johnson to move out of the house in mid-November.
However, Clayton County Magistrate Court Judge Latrevia Kates-Johnson ruled that “Sakemeyia Johnson is not a squatter,” and Hale noted that Johnson never was a tenant of hers.
Hale on Dec. 9 went inside the house to paint in preparation for the next renter when she again confronted the alleged squatter.
Hale claimed Johnson had “broken the locks” on her property to gain access to the home.
“She just caught up out of nowhere. She had this guy with her, and I locked the door. I locked the screen door, and he forced himself in telling us to get out,” Hale told WSB.
Hale reportedly contacted police to resolve the situation.
However, it was Hale who ended up in jail — not the squatter.
Police body cam video shows an officer lecturing Hale about her privilege.
“Just think of it from this perspective, though. Everybody isn’t as fortunate as you to have a bed. All the little things, a bed in their house, food in the kitchen,” an officer is reportedly heard telling Hale on body cam video.
In the clip, Johnson reportedly stated, “I was written a citation saying I was a squatter. But a judge signed an order saying that I wasn’t a squatter.”
Hale purportedly insisted that the alleged squatter be charged for trespassing on her property.
However, police arrested Hale on a charge that she “executed an illegal eviction and forcibly removed Ms. Johnson’s belongings.” Authorities claimed Hale could be heard stating “leave before I get my gun.”
‘I spent the night on a mat on a concrete floor in deplorable conditions. While this woman, this squatter slept in my home.’
Hale reportedly was charged with a misdemeanor count of terroristic threats and criminal trespassing while Johnson received no charges, according to WSB.
Officials claimed Hale didn’t have a “signed writ of possession” to legally evict Johnson.
Hale said, “To see that woman walk into my mom’s house while I was in the police car, something is wrong with this picture. Something is inherently wrong with this picture.”
Hale added, “How can she not be squatting when I’ve never had any type of contract relationship with this person.”
Hale said of her arrest, “I spent the night on a mat on a concrete floor in deplorable conditions. While this woman, this squatter slept in my home.”
Hale said she has “no clue” when she’ll be able to go back to her own home.
“I did speak with the court last week, and I was informed that a hearing would be scheduled for some type of evidentiary hearing on her appeal, although she has not met any of the statutory requirements for her to have an appeal,” Hale told NewsNation. “So I don’t know why we’re having a hearing, but I’ve not received notice of a date.”
You can view a video report here about the controversy.
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Squatters, Georgia, Georgia squatter, Georgia crime, Terroristic threats, Crime, Arrest
