Brooklyn great-grandmother, predatory loan victim fights to stay in home

Dozens of Mary Lee Ward's supporters gathered Friday outside her home, chanting and spurring passersby with signs like "Honk if you're with us" and "We stand with Ms. Ward." They rejoiced when state Assemblywoman Annette Robinson took the bullhorn, following a meeting involving Ward, her lawyers and the building's owner.

"We spoke to the Marshal. The Marshal will not be taking any action today," Robinson said to cheers.

Ward, 82, said she ran into trouble in the mid-1990s when she refinanced the mortgage on her residence in order to raise cash to fight for custody of her great-granddaughter. She was hoping to pocket $10,000 -- but told CNN that she "almost passed out" when she got a check instead for $1,467.51

Uncertain what to do, the granddaughter of slaves said she went to the local district attorney's office. But she wasn't able to get the loan -- from a company that folded, though some of its key officers later regrouped and are now back in business -- rescinded, and her home eventually fell into foreclosure.

After an extensive legal battle, Ward's residence was sold in a foreclosure auction three years ago. That and the fact the new owner wanted her out led to Friday's planned eviction.

But Ward doesn't want to leave.