Please be seated. Hello, Your Honor. Hello. This is the case
of<i> Sanchez-Brown v. Brown.</i> Thank you, Jerome.
Good day, everyone. AUDIENCE: Good day. Ms. Sanchez-Brown, you say that after four years
and multiple children together your marriage is now in crisis. You claim your husband
is denying paternity of your one-month
old daughter Journey, and it is tearing you apart. Is that correct? Yes, Your Honor. Mr. Brown, you say your wife
kicked you out
of the house in order to realize
her fantasy of being a middle-aged
single sorority girl. Yes, Your Honor. You claim your wife spent that
three-month separation
with multiple men, and you say it is
physically impossible for you to have fathered her daughter. Is that correct? Yes, Your Honor. This case was referred to me
by Judges Dana and Keith Cutler after cheating allegations landed you in their court. Ms. Sanchez-Brown, how have his accusations put your marriage
in crisis? Shawn knows
that he's the father
of our daughter. I did not make this child
by myself. And for him to deny her,
it hurts my feelings. It really breaks me down
as a mother. Um... (SNIFFLES) I'm a mother of seven... I mean, a mother
of seven kids,
with me and him. He, um... You're a mother
of seven children? CRYSTAL SANCHEZ-BROWN:
Of seven children. At 25 years old. AUDIENCE: Wow! Yes. And for him to just
deny her like that,
after... We have four together
so why, all of a sudden,
would he accuse me of cheating, of anything,
when he knows that this is his. SHAWN BROWN: Your Honor,
the baby is not mine
simply because we had been
going through a lot, she ended up kicking me
out of the house
during this time. And so,
respectful as I am,
I left the house. Kicking you out of the house
doesn't mean she made a baby
with somebody else. It do because during the time
she kicked me out of the house, this was her time to,
you know, have her fun. She wanted to go out,
I was going to pick up
our other kids, babysitting. She's dressing nice.
She's going out to
all different clubs. I have people calling me
saying they're seeing her
with other men. And during the time that
she conceives the baby, I'm not even at the house. So, were you living
the single life,
Ms. Sanchez-Brown? No. JUDGE LAKE:
You were not? There was no time to play
because I have seven kids. If I'm gonna play,
it's with my kids. And on top of that,
he was never kicked out. He was back and forth. So, it's like he'll leave
and then he'll come back. And we were still
sexually active. During that time,
Your Honor, a man even
approached me saying, "I slept with your wife." JUDGE LAKE: Oh, really? And so a man, just
up out of his mouth says that to me,
how am I supposed to feel? Who is this man? From what I know,
just a person
from the neighborhood that knows her. And he just walks up
to you and says, "Excuse me, Mr. Brown"? SHAWN: Because... CRYSTAL: He was
a family friend. SHAWN: A family friend. JUDGE LAKE: You know
who this man is? Yes, I do. JUDGE LAKE: You say
he's a family friend? He's a family friend, and he's been around me
since forever. But were you having
sex with him? CRYSTAL: No. He probably
got mad at him for yelling at him
or something. I don't know. So why would a man tell your husband,
"I am having sex
with your wife"? Even if he was mad
at the way he was yelling, he didn't like the way
he was treated. I don't... There are a whole bunch
of more things he could say to your husband,
besides... Your Honor... "I'm sleeping with your wife." That's not going
to defuse the situation. CRYSTAL: Mmm-hmm. That's gonna make it
pop off even worse. Your Honor... I don't know
if the man even... Even liked me
or anything, so... Your Honor, I got
family members,
her family members calling me up. One night, Crystal dropped
the kids off at 4:00 or 5:00
in the morning. "Hey, Crystal ain't been
over here to pick up the kids." I gotta stop what I'm doing
at 5:00 in the morning to go
and pick these kids up. So, where are you at? My friend's car had broke down
and overheated, and that's where
all this is coming from. 'Cause I literally
just got stranded. At 5:00 a.m.? CRYSTAL: Mmm-hmm. How do you get stranded out
at 5:00 a.m.? I was out
the night before. He's telling the truth.
I was out the night before hanging out
with some friends. And we left around 2:00,
and we were driving. But you just said
you don't have... You said the only plan
and the only stuff you do
is with your kids because you've
got seven kids. And you're not out here
running around, going out.
Now, you're out. I go out. It's just I don't go out
like how he's claiming to be, as if I'm like a party girl
or anything like that. It's just to get away... Your Honor... Well, if you go out somewhere,
and you're stranded out
until 5:00 a.m., where else are you
except a party? Where are you? I was out partying. 'Cause nothing lasts
till 2:00 a.m., but a party. Mmm-hmm. And she was telling me
during this time,
Your Honor, you know, about us
arguing so much and that we got the kids
that she needs time
to herself. She want to go,
you know, drink. And I've been with her
for years and she never,
you know, wanted to drink and do these things,
so what was I supposed to do if I'm seeing a difference
in my wife? All of a sudden,
now, you want to go out. All of a sudden,
now, you want to have
your space, and... Oh, so you're believing
that this whole kick you
out of the house thing, you all live separately,
she needs some space, was to give her room... Yes, Your Honor. ...to live out her
sorority girl fantasy,
you say? Yes, Your Honor. No. But how can I not
believe that, Your Honor? I got friends
that own night clubs
and bars, and one of my friends called me
because he's simply seen her at a club with another man. Oh, really? Simply called me. Yeah. They both were
getting drunk, wasted, then she leaves
with the man. My homie called me up,
I'm trying to call
her phone, but she's not answering,
while I got the kids at home. So your friend sees
your wife with another man
at the club? Yes. I want to hear
from that friend. Jerome, will you please escort
Mr. Booth into the courtroom? Go right up here on the left.
Stand on the left side of him. If you want more episodes
of Paternity Court Make sure to subscribe
and click on
the notification bell. Mr. Booth, thank you
for joining us today. What is your relationship
to Mr. Brown? Mr. Brown is like
a big brother to me. JUDGE LAKE: All right. I've known him
for about ten years. I am also a DJ at the club
I had seen Crystal at. You know what I'm saying? All right. So Mr. Brown
has testified that you saw with
your own eyes his wife out with another man
at this club. Yes, Your Honor. What did you see? Around Saturday,
September 16, last year, I had seen Crystal
in a club with, you know, a guy
a little taller than me
with dreads. She had a little freaky
dress on, a sexy dress on,
you know what I mean. She was pop-locking,
dropping it, you know
what I'm saying? She was pop-locking it,
and dropping it? SHAWN: Your Honor,
how am I supposed
to feel as a man when my homie...
This is my homie, man. He works at the club.
He's calling me, man,
he's seen my girl at the club. How you think
I feel about that, man? And you know it... ARAY BOOTH:
Not just one time. I've seen them
several times. JUDGE LAKE: You've seen her
several times
with that man? Not just him.
Different guys, you know
what I'm saying. No. Like, the first time
I've seen them... Like, the first time
I seen them, I ain't...
You know what I mean. I ain't called him.
I was like, "Man, that's
probably just somebody "she waits with
while the band comes
and kicks it." But the second,
third time, I'm like,
"Whoa!" So I got to holler
at my man. This is my blood right here,
you know what I'm saying? This was during the time
the baby was conceived,
Your Honor. JUDGE LAKE: So you say it was
Saturday, September 16th, and you remember it
'cause you were DJ'ing
that night. Yeah, that was
the first time. I remember that
like it were yesterday. And, Mr. Brown, you say
that was during the time when you were separated. That was during the time
when we were separated, and that's during the time
the baby was conceived. And you've submitted
a calendar to the court, Yes. Can I step up
and show you the calendar,
Your Honor? JUDGE LAKE: Please step up
and show us, sir. During the time,
at the end of August, me and my wife
was getting into it,
Your Honor, this is when
I was kicked out. Journey was born on,
as you can see,
June 15th. JUDGE LAKE: Okay. SHAWN: Basically,
during the time she was conceived
was in September, and I was kicked out
of the house. JUDGE LAKE: So one, two,
three, four, five, six, seven,
eight, nine. Right in September. SHAWN: Right in September. The conception window
would be right
in September, during the time
you said you were kicked out
of the house and you were not
sexually active
with your wife. SHAWN: And I wasn't
sexually active with my wife. And I didn't get back
into the house until the
beginning of November, and that's when
she told me everything. So, of course
I denied it. And Mr. Booth has testified
that September 16th, Saturday, was the day
he saw her at the club pop-locking, and dropping it. SHAWN: Yes, Your Honor. With the other guys. Yes, Your Honor. JUDGE LAKE: Which falls
right next to the window
of conception... Yes, Your Honor. ...which is outlined. You may step back
to the podium, sir. So, Mr. Brown,
is it your testimony that you were not
sexually active
with your wife during these months
when you were outside
of the house? That means the end of August,
September and October. Yes, Your Honor,
we were not sexual. Untrue. So untrue. We didn't do nothing. So untrue. And then, Your Honor,
I want to bring up, when the baby was born,
I was at the hospital. We got back on good terms,
I signed the footprints. Next thing I know,
her family members
are coming with the same man
that said he slept
with my wife. Security had to exit me
out of the hospital, and that's why I didn't
sign the birth certificate. I got all crazy. He did sign
the birth certificate. He signed
the birth certificate? CRYSTAL: He did. SHAWN: I got all crazy. I have the evidence
right here. He has signed
the birth certificate JUDGE LAKE: I'd like
to see that evidence. Jerome, can you
pass that to me,
please? Here you go. Thank you. You're welcome. You've presented
to the court
certificate of birth, father's full name,
Shawn Brown, child's full name,
Journey Marie Brown. This is the certificate
of birth. SHAWN: From my
understanding, Your Honor, I signed the footprints.
And, like I said, there at the hospital,
I was escorted out
by security. Because the same man
that said he slept
with my wife was there, present,
bringing gifts. But you did sign. How am I supposed
to feel as a man... Then why'd you sign it? Why are they
letting this man
up in the hospital to come see my baby
if that's my baby? Was he up there
bringing gifts, Mrs. Brown? Yes, he was, and... But, like, other people
were giving me gifts. But if he had already
gotten to it with your
husband, saying that he was sleeping... CRYSTAL: I stopped talking
to him after that, so I don't even
know why... JUDGE LAKE: Further, what I
want to understand is... I guess... If he was up there...
Stop talking when I'm talking. 'Cause this don't
make any sense. A man comes up to your husband,
outside of your house, tells him, "I'm sleeping
with your wife." You go have a baby.
You said you had
reconciled with your husband. Y'all were trying to figure
this thing out. He's up at the hospital
signing a certificate of birth. And this man come up
with a gift. CRYSTAL: Mmm-hmm. That don't make no sense. I don't know if he likes me
or he's obsessed with me, but he has brought
a lot of drama between me and my husband. JUDGE LAKE:
Oh, that's some drama. CRYSTAL: That's the thing. But what we want to know is,
did he bring more than drama? Did he help bring
a baby into the world is what we're here
to figure out. No. Never. And the problem is, your husband has stated
that he's signed
a certificate of birth, that's the little page
where they put the baby's
feet on it. CRYSTAL: Yes, that's, um... JUDGE LAKE: He says
he dd not sign the birth certificate,
but you say that's false. That's the truth. This court, actually, located and uncovered
a copy of Journey's
birth certificate. And, in fact, under her legal
certificate of live birth, there is no
father's name listed. Thank you. If that's
my daughter, then why am I
getting escorted out? So, of course, I'm not gonna
sign the birth certificate. The reason why he got escorted out
was because he was
being loud. And I was like,
"I'm not gonna have you
yelling around this baby." If that's my baby,
you should want me there
before anybody. Why would I want to leave? CRYSTAL: But you denied her. Okay, but I'm still
showing up, though. You were like,
"She's too white.
She too whatever." You were in denial. So you're saying, Ms. Brown, when the baby was born
your husband immediately said, "That's not my baby"? He was like, "She's too light.
She don't look like me." SHAWN: Because I'm thinking
maybe the other man
is the father. JUDGE LAKE: All right.
What's it like at home now? It's miserable, because you don't know where
your marriage stands, and... Everything with the kids,
and him denying,
and everything, it's just all up
in one where... I don't even know
where our marriage stands
as of today. JUDGE LAKE: So you just
had a baby one month ago. That's stressful enough. But I'm still here
as her man, she'll tell you. Sometimes when
she's going out, I'm showing up
babysitting, right? I'm picking up my kids.
I'm there. I'm letting you do you. I just believe that
he's trying to get out
of the marriage. He's just accusing
or poking, and poking at me, so, of course, I'm gonna
get up and leave. I'm like, "I can't
take it no more." And so, when we're arguing,
and she says I'm accusing her, and I'm poking her,
then I feel like that's her revenge
to get back at me. No. All right. So I can
see right now, we're on the path
to destruction, in a hurry,
going nowhere fast. All these kids
having to sit through this, all day. All day. Nobody want
to hear that. I don't want to hear it,
so I know the kids
don't want to hear it. All day arguing,
me getting kicked out
of the crib, and then, I'm still
supposed to... And I do. I still
come back and be there
for her and the kids. JUDGE LAKE: Well, that's why
we need the answer. Because then you all have
some decisions to make based upon the truth
I'm about to give you. Jerome. Thank you. You're welcome. These results were prepared
by DNA Diagnostics and
they read as follows. In the case of<i>
Sanchez-Brown v. Brown,</i> when it comes
to one-month old
Journey Brown... It has been determined
by this court... Mr. Brown, you are the father. I just wanted to know
the baby was mine, okay? Okay? All right. Can I get a kiss? No. Your Honor,
I just wanted to know
was the baby mine. And, hopefully, um... I'm still gonna
continue to do, um, what I can,
but at the end
of the day, we still got a lot
to work on because I'm always getting
kicked out of the crib. You're doing
something right now that I usually see
the woman do, Mr. Brown. You continue to harp
on the past behavior. That's not going to
get us anywhere. If you want to be
with your wife, you all have got to find out
how to trust one another, and how to build trust. And I think
you understand now that, look, sometimes,
separations work, but it's what you do
on those separations
that matter. You can't just
all of a sudden
be out at the club. Whoop, whoop, whoop. Listen, sometimes it works
when you discover the grass
is not greener. But sometimes it works
so that your husband's
friend sees you pop-locking and dropping it
up on the floor, and the next thing you know,
he's calling his boy and saying, "Hey, man.
Your wife out here getting it." And then, you end up
in<i> Paternity Court.</i> That's what I'm saying. Go out and talk
to Dr. Jeff. And he's going to give you
the kind of words
you need to start saying to get this thing
on the right track. You're a beautiful couple
with a beautiful family. And too many darn kids
to be out here cutting up
and breaking up, all right? I wish you
all the very best.
Court is adjourned.
