Homeowner arrested after trying to move back into property inhabited by squatter
The homeowner has been in a months-long battle with the alleged squatter
A Georgia homeowner has been arrested after trying to move back into her house that's been inhabited by a squatter.
Loletha Hale had arrived at her mother's old house on December 9 to give the place a spring clean after a long battle with an alleged squatter, Sakemeyia Johnson.
A court had ordered the squatter to move out in mid-November, but Johnson was still inside when Hale arrived at the property in early December.
Speaking to WSB-TV, Hale said: "I returned on Monday to start painting and she had broken the locks at my property.
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"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."
Police arrived at the scene after Hale refused to back down, with subsequent body cam footage seeing an officer trying to reason with Hale and see Johnson's side of things.
"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," the police officer said.
But that didn't go to plan...
Things seemingly escalated very quickly, and Hale was ultimately arrested, as she could clearly be heard shouting ‘leave before I get my gun' to Johnson, according to the arrest report.
Police also said that Hale 'executed an illegal eviction and forcibly removed Ms. Johnson’s belongings' prior to being detained.
"I spent the night on a mat on a concrete floor in deplorable conditions. While this woman, this squatter, slept in my home," Hale told WSB-TV.
Police later confirmed with the judge that Hale wasn't permitted to legally oust Johnson as she hasn't received a 'signed writ of possession'.
Recalling her version of events, Johnson told police: "She just caught up out of nowhere. She had this guy with him, and I locked the door. I locked the screen door, and he forced himself in telling us to get out.
"I was written a citation saying I was a squatter. But a judge signed an order saying that I wasn’t a squatter."
“How can she not be squatting when I’ve never had any type of contract relationship with this person?”, Hale subsequently asked.
WSB-TV reports that Johnson has not been charged with any crimes.
UNILAD has reached out to the Clayton County Police Department for comment.
Callum Jones