Council Member Chi Ossé released from police custody following his arrest during deed theft dispute
A video shared with News 12 showed the council member being arrested by police during an attempted eviction of a deed theft advocate.
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Brooklyn Council Member Chi Ossé was released from NYPD custody after a viral video showed his arrest during an attempted eviction of a deed theft advocate on Wednesday morning.
“I did not attack an officer. I was manhandled… my face is sore, and I do feel a little loopy,” Ossé said after his release.
He said that he sustained injuries when he was thrown to the ground and that he plans to file a complaint against the arresting officers involved.
Authorities said city marshals and sheriff’s deputies arrived on Jefferson Avenue around 7:30 a.m. to carry out an eviction and locate the father of homeowner Carmella Charrington. The situation escalated, leading to multiple arrests, including Ossé’s, who was later released.
The incident is the latest development in a yearslong legal battle over the brownstone, which advocates say is part of a broader pattern of deed theft cases impacting homeowners across New York City.
Charrington, who was released Tuesday after spending five days on Rikers Island in connection with a conservatorship case in Georgia involving her father, said the repeated eviction attempts have taken a toll.
“The community is here helping, but this is so traumatizing for everybody,” she said.
Elected officials and housing advocates gathered outside the home following the arrests, condemning both the enforcement action and what they described as a growing crisis.
“They are literally stealing people’s homes and selling them for millions of dollars,” said Councilmember Sandy Nurse.
Advocates say deed theft disproportionately affects Black homeowners and often involves fraudulent transfers of property ownership.
“Deed theft complaints are up nearly 300%, largely affecting Black homeowners,” said Councilmember Julie Menin.
The owner of the home in question released a statement to News 12 through a spokesperson stating the allegation of deed theft is false, adding that the property on Jefferson Avenue was purchased back in January 2024 by 227 Group LLC as an all-cash transaction.
The spokesperson said Mr. Charrington owned the property with a partner, and his share was "legally authorized by the Fulton County Probate Court in Georgia since he is the subject of a court-appointed conservatorship. "
The conservatorship is something that Carmella Charrington is challenging, alleging it was abusive and that her father was trapped in the legal arrangement that led to the theft of his home.
The spokesperson said, "The eviction of the current occupant, who has been living at the property illegally for over two years, has been deemed a lawful eviction by Kings County Housing Court and Supreme Court. The Housing Court denied the occupant’s claim to stay eviction numerous times, and two Supreme Court Justices in three separate hearings ruled in favor of 227 Group LLC’s assertion of being the rightful owner of the property."
Meanwhile, Ossé called on state leaders to intervene in cases like this one, urging stronger protections for homeowners.
“We must end the scourge of deed theft and implement a moratorium so families can stay in their homes,” he said.
Ossé and the others arrested are facing multiple charges, including obstructing governmental administration. Ossé is also charged with disorderly conduct.
As of Wednesday night, Charrington remained inside the home as supporters continued to gather outside.
Video Credit: Cynthia Rosa
