Posted on 08/15/2010 5:47:26 AM PDT by Chunga85
DULUTH, Ga. - A couple who lost their home to foreclosure and spent hours locked in a SWAT standoff with police when they refused to leave, talked about the situation Thursday.
The Grabers said they were living their version of the American dream. The Grabers said they owned their home for more than a decade when Howard Graber suffered a massive stroke. The Grabers said that's when everything changed.
On Wednesday, Gwinnett County deputies went to the Graber's Davenport Park Lane home to serve an eviction notice after the bank had foreclosed on the property. It turned into a four hour standoff and SWAT teams were called in.
"I was afraid for my life. I was afraid for my disabled husband's life. There's no way I was going to go to the front door," said Noya Lee Graber.
Police eventually stormed the house. Howard Graber spent the night in jail.
"They said, 'Taser her! Taser her now!' and I got tasered right on my stomach," said Noya Lee Graber.
(Excerpt) Read more at myfoxatlanta.com ...
If ONE single weapon was in that house it would have been in the headline.
So these well armed, big burly men felt the need to “taser” this little old lady? JEEZ
Tasers should be banned.
that was a difficult read. Written by a 3rd grader?
I’m sorry for these people and they were treated very badly by authorities who used no common sense but a lot of unnecessary force. However, if they can’t pay for the house, they can’t keep it. Tragedy, no matter how heartbreaking, doesn’t give people a free pass on responsibility.
Personally I don’t think police should be involved in enforcing foreclosures between the bank and citizens. That isn’t to say that the bank is or isn’t in the right, just that police should not be used.
I further think tax foreclosures should be illegal.
It used to be in my area that a single Sheriff served notice and people willingly left when they couldn’t pay. Now people believe they are entitled to keep their homes and police have an over-the-top response to the mistaken belief. Swat for homeowners? Unbelievable!
I had some deadbeats that refused to leave my rental property three months later the judge finally made them leave. They had done 10,000 dollars damage to the house in the meantime and then filed for bankruptcy.
I agree with you. Life does not come with any guarantees. What did these people think was going to happen when they said they were not leaving? Everyone would just say OK?
I have been a landlord since I was 26 (30 years). There are lots of people who think that when they can not pay the rent, it is my problem not theirs. Just because someone is "going down" because of bad decisions, doesn't mean I'm going with them. Fortunately, I have gotten pretty good at avoiding renting to them, in the first place.
So how should it be done? Bank hires thier own goons to evict the people? This would be a mess.
If tax foreclosures are illegal, why would I pay my taxes?
The farm house that we now rent had the same thing happen. My landlord is a sweet man and we have made some improvements. We just bought some Anderson storm doors for the front and back doors. They’ll help with heating costs this winter. When he’s surprised at the things we do we tell him “We LIVE here, it’s for our comfort.” I don’t understand people that destroy.
We rent and I always remember our experience as landlords.
With all the gov. ‘assistance’ other undeserving people get , it frosts me that these folks get kicked down.
And sending a SWAT team....
“...doesnt give people a free pass on responsibility.”
I hope you have to eat those words one of these days. If you understood banking, the mortgage system and the courts you might see some of this differently. And is seems obvious that you lack any compassion for those less fortunate.
You’re looking at results, not causes.
The bank should not have sold the home to these people in the first place.
I should not be taxed because I own.
You think that people should be allowed to keep what they can't pay for? You sound like a liberal!
I HAVE had to scramble to find a place to live. We HAVE lost everything. I didn't expect freebies. From anyone.
That's like banning guns. It's the idiots irresponsibly using the taser that should be banned(fired).
Article said that they had owned it for more then a decade.
I should not be taxed because I own.
That is a different argument than not being forclosed on. And I agree with you on that one.
There are some tenants that you can just can not feel sorry for.
We were young and felt sorry for the people we rented to. We learned.
Where we live now was trashed by the last tenants. It's a farm house on 80 acres. They burned their trash. Well not all of it. We're STILL finding beer bottles and trash in unimaginable places. Clothes too. They broke windows and toilets because they were evicted. And the range had to be replaced along with the hood over it. We couldn't get the grease off. Window cranks don't work in the newer part and the screens were destroyed. The landlord is still fixing things. We do too. We bought the screens and the new kitchen faucet.
They trashed it because they didn't own it and then did more damage when they were evicted. I don't understand people.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.