A 93-year-old South Carolina woman battling a developer over property owned by her family since the Civil War, now has celebrities including Snoop Dogg joining her efforts.
Hilton Head Island resident Josephine Wright is being sued by Bailey Point Investment Group for property they want to develop on land the senior’s home sits on. Court documents obtained by USA TODAY show the Georgia-based company is suing for encroachment and wants to build on and around property the family said they’ve owned for more than 30 years.
“I’ve just never seen a multi-million dollar company handle themselves like this,” said Charise Graves, one of Wright’s 40 grandchildren to her seven children.
‘Messing with the wrong lady’:93-year-old South Carolina woman fights off developers
‘David verses Goliath’
The 8-page lawsuit, filed Feb. 16 in Beaufort County Fourteenth Judicial Circuit, seeks monetary and equitable relief “in connection with certain encroachments placed and maintained by” Bailey Point on Wright’s property.
Bailey Point claims the Wrights have “various personal property and improvements” which encroach on their property including a satellite east of the defendant’s’ property; a shed south of defendant’s property; and a screened porch on the existing residence that encroaches onto Bailey Point’s property.
In a late June filing by Wright’s attorneys, lawyers wrote Bailey Point used “a consistent and constant barrage of tactics of intimidation, harassment, [and] trespass” to try to force the senior to sell her property.
“The harassment (is) very stressful,” Wright said.
Civil right Attorney Bakari Sellers called the case “the true epitome of David verse Goliath.”
“But it’s very different because she is a prayerful woman and this is not a new tactic by people along the coast,” Sellers said. “People come in and use whatever tactics they can to take property which you’ve had for 100 years.”
‘We stand with U!’
As of Thursday a fundraising page created to help Wright with her legal fees had reached nearly $270,000 in donations including $10,000 from Snoop Dogg (via Death Row Records).
“Josephine Wright we stand with u !!”Snoop Dogg posted on his Instagram page with an emoji of a flexing arm.
Other donations include $40,000 from NBA player Kyrie Irving.
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‘Heartbroken but resiliant’
Graves, who created the fundraising page, said her grandmother’s land is situated in the middle of the company’s new residential subdivision, currently under construction.
“This land has been in our family since the end of the Civil War and she has poured her heart and soul into maintaining the property for herself and her family to enjoy for generations to come,” Graves said.
“They are also making claims that she is not the legal heir to her property which she has lived and paid taxes on for over 30 years,” Graves said. “My grandmother is heartbroken but resilient and not ready to give up without a fight.”
Wright concurred.
“I’m hoping that the outcome is this: That these people will leave us alone and let me keep my property for the sanctuary of my family… to have a peace of mind and piece of my property.”
Natalie Neysa Alund covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on Twitter @nataliealund.
