Posted on 02/05/2009 4:10:33 AM PST by blueplum
The nation's foreclosure crisis has sparked scams nationwide, emboldened squatters and homeless advocates and led to numerous federal indictments.
But this?
Sacramento police were in one of the city's most affluent neighborhoods Tuesday investigating a scheme with a twist: claims that the house involved is under the protection of a sovereign republic and that trespass could be met with "self defense" and "justifiable homicide."
The bizarre case unfolded Tuesday in a gated West Natomas neighborhood that boasts million-dollar homes and some of the city's most prominent residents – think members of the Maloof family.
At issue is a 3,361-square-foot home on Clubside Lane that sold in 2006 for $865,000, assessor's records show. Neighbors say the home has been on the market seven times since then and that the last owner moved out more than a year ago.
It's been vacant ever since.
That all changed over the weekend, when lights suddenly came on and a middle-aged couple started moving stuff in.
About the same time, two printed signs appeared on the front window, one of them warning against trespassing and claiming the home was the "Private Property of sovereign Woman of republic of California" and that federal and state employees could not access the property.
The sign mentioned "freeman," an apparent reference to the radical anti-government group that gained fame in 1996 during an 81-day standoff with federal authorities in Montana.
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
Affluent neighborhood? It looks like a west Houston tract house, it must be a close in neighborhood.
Exactly. At the OUTER limits, that house is about $160K in Houston.
Not sure but here in Texas you register / post your No Trespassing with the Sheriff’s Dept you only have to call them once on a trespasser. The Sheriff’s Dept will “remove” them and book the individual. After that if they catch them on your property it is straight to jail for them, no questions no options. You don’t even need to call or be there. Other State are probably similar. Kind handy when one is busy “wiping their nose.”
I don’t know about registering a sign with the sherriff, but the article below says that signs may have to comply with homeowners’ association rules and regs for type/size, etc. since the house in question is in a gated community, the association can possibly press the issue.
Simple sign, messy matter - couple sued to remove no tresspassing sign:
http://www.jsonline.com/news/waukesha/29588289.html
It's an urban myth in many incidences.
Homeowners Associations, OTOH, are breeding grounds for Socialists.....
Freeman for President!!! Whoooohooooooo!!!!! lol.
In Tennessee, the TCA says the property needs to be reasonably posted at points of ingress and egress. If a person ignores the no trespassing sign and is caught it becomes criminal trespass. No registration with the Sheriff is necessary. Had to prove that one about a year ago to a couple of guys who thought it would be okay to fly powered paragliders from my private grass strip without my permission. Big mistake on their part....
I thought in Texas all private land was posted even without a sign.
The last time I read about “freemen”, it was about Steven Bixby in Abbeville, SC.
He didn’t like that a previous owner of the property sold some Right-of-Way to the highway department. When they started to construct on it and he threatened the workers. A policeman knocked on the door, Bixby shot through the door and killed him. Then another one came and Bixby killed him also (with a rifle as he was getting out of the car). After every policeman within 50 miles showed up and started shooting into the house, the coward surrendered. He is now on death row.
The police had better be VERY careful about approaching these people. However, what was most unfortunate is that there were plenty of people here who defended Bixby. I have no doubt that some of the people here will defend these people if the shooting starts.
“The real story here is that this house sold for $865,000 and that anyone would call this an upscale neighborhood.”
I agree!
Kinda yes, kinda no.
§ 30.05. CRIMINAL TRESPASS. (a) A person commits an offense if he enters or remains on or in property, including an aircraft or other vehicle, of another without effective consent or he enters or remains in a building of another without effective consent and he:
(1) had notice that the entry was forbidden; or
(2) received notice to depart but failed to do so.
(b) For purposes of this section:
(1) "Entry" means the intrusion of the entire body.
(2) "Notice" means:
(A) oral or written communication by the owner or someone with apparent authority to act for the owner;
(B) fencing or other enclosure obviously designed to exclude intruders or to contain livestock;
(C) a sign or signs posted on the property or at the entrance to the building, reasonably likely to come to the attention of intruders, indicating that entry is forbidden;
(D) the placement of identifying purple paint marks on trees or posts on the property, provided that the marks are:
(i) vertical lines of not less than eight inches in length and not less than one inch in width;
(ii) placed so that the bottom of the mark is not less than three feet from the ground or more than five feet from the ground; and
(iii) placed at locations that are readily visible to any person approaching the property and no more than:
(a) 100 feet apart on forest land; or
(b) 1,000 feet apart on land other than forest land; or
(E) the visible presence on the property of a crop grown for human consumption that is under cultivation, in the process of being harvested, or marketable if harvested at the time of entry.
(3) "Shelter center" has the meaning assigned by Section 51.002, Human Resources Code.
(4) "Forest land" means land on which the trees are potentially valuable for timber products.
(5) "Agricultural land" has the meaning assigned by Section 75.001, Civil Practice and Remedies Code.
I emphasized two scenarios which have no mention of signage or fence requirements. I would dang sure let the county Sheriff's office know who the owner of the property is.
BTW, the three vertical lines thing was news to me. I do not recall ever seeing that and I have a LOT of bush time here in Tejas.
Really!
Upscale?
That's barely middle-class around here and sells for about $179,000.(Maybe less these days)
bttt
If that is “one of the city’s most affluent neighborhoods”, wouldn’t you like to see one of the POOR ones? No wonder folks are fleeing California!
well, I won’t be one of the ones defending them. Because signs went up immediately, I have a feeling the squatters knew they were doing something wrong, other wise, why have any signs at all? I’ve never seen signs like the ones described anywhere up in the foothills, much less in the flatlands. I’m always worried that someone will squatt on my retirement properties and I’ll pay more than the land is worth trying to get them evicted off. Got no sympathies for squatters.
best regards, blu
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