Wells Fargo Evicts Terminally-Ill Woman Despite Federal Court Order

(Pictured above: Niko Black (left) and Corine Fairbanks of American Indian Movement Southern Cal (right) in front of Black's home. Photo courtesy of Naui Huitzilopochtli.)

On the morning of October 10, Niko Black was in bed when her front door was kicked open by the Orange County Sheriff's Department. Black, who has terminal cancer, crawled to her wheelchair as four-to-six deputies entered and proceeded to hold a gun to her face. She was then taken outside sans any of her medication. When she called the Garden Grove Police, they did nothing. Since all of her medication and other means of treatment were in her home, Black got sick very quickly and had to be taken to the hospital.

Black told the OC Weekly that fraudulent paper work was used to justify the eviction.

Since the eviction, Federal Judge Theodore C. Albert (who signed the court order favoring Black) has ordered Wells Fargo and county representatives to appear in court on November 13 to explain the eviction.

Meanwhile, family, friends, and other supporters of Black are drawing attention to the actions of Wells Fargo and Orange County authorities. Updates are posted on a Facebook page, and a petition is being circulated.

At the time of this writing, Attorney Stephen R. Golden had just agreed to represent Black pro bono.