You may be seated. Hello, Your Honor. Hello. This is the case of<i>
Richardson v. Smith.</i> Thank you, Jerome. You're welcome. Good day, everyone. AUDIENCE: Good day. Ms. Richardson,
you say you were in an
exclusive relationship with Mr. Smith
and even tried to have
a baby together. <i> But, after you conceived
your daughter, Kalani,</i> <i> Mr. Smith started denying
your baby, is that correct?</i> Yes, Your Honor. You intend to prove
he is the father today. Mr. Smith, while you admit
to having a relationship
with Ms. Richardson, you say you were not
in town during the window
of conception and claim
to know who the father is,
is that correct? BOBBY SMITH:<i> Yes, Your Honor.</i> JUDGE LAKE:<i> So,
Ms. Richardson,</i> you say Mr. Smith
begged you to have
a baby with him? Yes, Your Honor. Around the time
we were together,
for about 8 months. He had told me he was
in a situation where he didn't know if he were
going to live a long time so he had said
he wanted a child with me. Me, being young and dumb,
and I was actually in love
with him, I agreed on it.
Around October 31st, we were together,
I had left Job Corps, which he was still in. I left on the 28th. On the 31st, I had sent
for him to come in town
for the weekend, so, you know, we can
go home on weekends. That day we did have sex
and that's whenever
my daughter was conceived. <i> I called him immediately
and let him know that
I was pregnant.</i> From then on, we started going
to appointments together... JUDGE LAKE: So, wait a minute. You say he begged you
to have the baby? RICHARDSON:
Yes, he wanted to leave a piece of himself
behind, he said. JUDGE LAKE: And, Mr. Smith,
you wanted to leave a piece
of yourself behind, where did you think
you were going? What was happening
in your mind? I wasn't
really thinking. When she was like,
she had baby fever. RICHARDSON: No. No, no, no. I didn't have baby fever. And I was like, "Wow." I was only 19 years old. She was talking to me the whole time
on the bus, saying she got baby fever. That was actually him. And I basically
was like, "Well, "if we both agree
we wanna have a baby, "we can have a baby,
you know?" Like, we could start
trying to have one. For what? I don't know. Just the thought of it,
I guess, I don't know. RICHARDSON: He actually
wanted to have a child. Once we didn't conceive
in June and July, I told him that
we weren't
financially stable and I wanted to wait,
until we're further
in our relationship... How long were you all
together at this point? We were together
for eight months when we first started,
but I've known him
for a good bit of a year. Ms. Richardson, I can't
let you go any further unless I just have
a moment with you. RICHARDSON: Okay. Baby... You cannot have babies by
everybody you feel like
you fall in love with. We're about three minutes in, and I can see that you
decided you had fallen
in love with him, and from there on,
everything you heard
come out his mouth, everything you saw was through the lens of love
that you had created. 'Cause he stood right here
and the second thing
out of his mouth was, "I really wasn't trying
to be with her that long, "if we wanted to have a baby,
if she wanted to do it, okay." Everything is so nonchalant. RICHARDSON: Which was a lie. Which is a lie. He definitely
wanted to be with me. There's been times we've
broken up and he has
came back to me saying, he wanted to be with me.
He stayed with me
for a year... JUDGE LAKE: Did he marry you? RICHARDSON: No. Okay. So, let me explain what
"being with you" means, and what "being
with you" means. Now, this is just
woman-to-woman. You got to be able
to decide and be able to know
the difference between being his comfort
and his convenience, and being the commitment. What I'm hearing now is, yeah, he might come
back and forth
and back and forth. That's 'cause you let him.
Yes, he wants to be with you,
in the bed. (AUDIENCE CHUCKLES) You understand? That does not mean
he's going to stick around
for a relationship, <i> or for the child.</i> <i> Let's fast-forward</i> to the point where you
tell him you're pregnant. What is his reaction? Now, you say
he wanted this baby. What was his reaction? He was quiet on the phone,
and he had asked to see the... The pregnancy test. And so, Mr. Smith,
when you got this news... That she was pregnant, was it the news
you wanted to hear? Were you excited about
having a baby? Or, what were you feeling? I actually was excited. JUDGE LAKE: You were excited? Yes, ma'am. At what point do you
feel doubtful, then? Um... Well, I was
doubtful at the first. JUDGE LAKE: You were? Yes, ma'am, I was. Well, why? You all
have been planning for this. I thought she probably
found somebody else outside of Job Corps. Or, you know, probably
got old flings. I called him every day. He called me every day. I worked from 2:00 in the p.m.
to 11:00 at night. There was no time
I could cheat at all. I called him each time. Mr. Smith disagrees,
he's shaking his head
when you testify. We were with each other
almost every weekend. Every time I went home,
he went home. What part of that story do you
disagree with, Mr. Smith? BOBBY: The date. I don't remember
coming home that day. Whenever he'd be mad
at me, he'd be like, "That's not my baby." So by that time,
I was like, "You know,
I just don't want
nothing to do with you." "It's not your child.
It's mine." That's a lie. RICHARDSON: It is... All right, so,
I want to hear from
your witness, Mr. Smith, because I wanna
understand... Where this doubt
stems from, and I wanna see
if they can
provide the court with some answers.
Please stand, ma'am. Step up to the podium. State your name
for the court. Brianna Smith. Ms. Smith,
you are Mr. Smith's... Twin sister. JUDGE LAKE: Twin sister. Yes, ma'am. Tell me what
you know. She, you know,
when we were cool
with each other, um... You know, she
would confide in me
about my brother. And I do know
that they were planning
to have a baby or whatever
and when she
did tell him about it, he was excited about
it to a certain extent. Um, at first he... So, he was excited. Yes. And you remember this. Yeah, I remember. Okay, go ahead. At first he didn't...
He didn't tell me that
he had any doubt about anything.
It just, you know, progressed, I guess,
with him even more when the pregnancy
got further along and she, you know,
her attitude is very,
very vicious. She would say stuff that would,
you know, make him even, make him
feel even more like Kalani is not his daughter. I would hear voice mails,
I would see messages. And what do these
voice mails say, what
do these messages say? She was upset at him. She just was saying how
Kalani was sitting. She was with another dude and she was smiling
and she was happy
about the person. <i> Basically...</i> BOBBY:<i> Sitting in his lap.</i> <i> Yeah.</i> BOBBY:<i> He looks just like her.</i> BRIANA:<i> They do not look
nothing alike except
the skin color.</i> JUDGE LAKE:<i> I actually...</i> <i> Looks just like him.</i> When I see them, when
I see the video... I have evidence I would
like to show. I would like to see that. Okay. What is this evidence?
What is it? It's a picture of Kalani and it's a picture of me
when I was four months old. Um... BRIANNA:<i> With Bobby,
me and him being twins</i> <i> I feel like she should
look like me
to a certain extent.</i> <i> And you know,
she has her big eyes,</i> I'll give her that. JUDGE LAKE: Just like
her mother. But as far
as the lips and the things
of that nature,
I just don't see it. And honestly, I'm gonna
be truthful here, at first, I did think
that Kalani was Bobby's but after seeing
all of these messages and seeing
how she acts and all the things
that she said, it is hard to believe. And then with the video,
I have never seen
the dude in person. <i> This is the same dude</i> <i> that she posted
on her Facebook</i> <i> as her man crush Monday.</i> I would never
allow no dude to do that, period. You doing stuff
out of spite to make
him upset. JUDGE LAKE:<i>
This is a still of
the video you submitted.</i> BOBBY:<i> Yes, ma'am.</i> BRIANNA:<i> Yes.</i> BRIANA:<i> That is
her godfather.</i> And if he choose
to kiss her on the forehead. That's not the lips,
on the forehead. If you can... If you can see
the video now. If you can see
the video, honestly, your opinion
of a godfather,
that's not it. You know, I mean,
I have never someone... JUDGE LAKE: Well, look, look, look, I get it
and Ms. Richardson this is what's difficult
because as a woman, I do
want you to understand and I have to say this
a lot in this courtroom because it is true
and it never changes
and it will never change. Once you ring that bell, and say this isn't your baby you ain't never getting
that bell back. That bell has rung. Rung... (STAMMERS) It is vibrating. You hearing the echo of it. It will not stop. JUDGE LAKE:<i> So this gentleman,</i> <i> I wanna stop right here,</i> <i> because I want
to hear from him
cause he's in court today.</i> Jerome, will you please escort
Mr. Brock into the courtroom? You can step this way. JEROME: Sir, come with me. You'll be right up next
before the judge on
the witness stand. Mr. Brock... Yes, ma'am. Thank you for joining
us today. Yes, Your Honor. I'd like to know what is your
relationship exactly
with Ms. Richardson? I'm gonna keep it real
with you, I would die
for Briana. I would take my last breath
for that little girl up on
the screen right there. And that's my goddaughter. And it is because
I have built that relationship
with them that quick. We've told each other things
that I have told nobody else. We've been through things
that have told nobody else. We've been through
some bad times even in just, eight, like
people are focusing
on eight months that we've known each other. Oh, God,
this is so exhausting. You all are all
just kids! And everything is so intense. It's like, I'm thinking
about a baby... You know, have you ever seen
a baby, the first time
they taste the food and it's just so...
And you can just get
inside of 'em and see how good the flavor is
to 'em, cause it's new and it's like everything
you all feel is so intense in 30 years from now you all
going to be talking about, "You remember, Briana,
where is she?" I mean... And it troubles me because
what I see is a pattern. With each of you, where
you are establishing these intense emotions feelings and connections and yet you don't have
the maturity to recognize the complicated
familial connections that are now formed,
un-formed and affected because of the way you
all are conducting yourselves
in these relationships. Do you follow me? Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am. And the last I heard
the parents choose
the godparents together and that's
another fact we don't
have on track 'cause you all ain't
on track, 'cause you're kids. (AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) JUDGE LAKE: So messy. You not ready
for all of this. You not ready
for it emotionally, you not ready
for it at all. This is hard enough
on adults. Okay, I want to hear
from your next witness. Ma'am, will you please stand? I'd like to hear from you. My name is Darlene Bagley. And I'm the twins' mother. Oh, thank you for joining us,
Ms. Bagley so... I've been trying to talk
to these young people,
Ms. Bagley. Yes... They've gotten
themselves in... A situation. BAGLEY: Yes. JUDGE LAKE: What do
you know about this? Do you believe Kalani
is your granddaughter? BAGLEY: Yes, I do. JUDGE LAKE: You do? They always did have problems. They always did,
I just stayed neutral. You know, because I didn't want to
get in between. You know, not seeing
her because I'm on my son's side but once this video came out that's when
everything in me changed. <i> He was holding the baby
and kissing on her</i> <i> I'm like, I don't even
know this guy.</i> Do my son know this guy? If you're her godfather, why we don't know you? Where did you come from? BRIANA: Every time
he gets mad, he says, "Oh, that's not my daughter.
Oh, that's not my daughter. "I'm not going to put
my all into her, "'cause I don't know
if that's my daughter." He has plenty of time
to get a DNA test. He's on child support.
He had a point, a time to get a DNA test
but he didn't want to because at first he doesn't
want Kalani to grow up that he got a DNA test on her. Then it's, "Oh, I don't want
to spend my shopping money." Well, see that's
another problem. That you too young
to understand. Because if you have a doubt. You get the DNA test. It's not about when the child grows up. You don't want her to know that you got a DNA test on her that's the problem today,
everybody tells all their business
all the time. JUDGE LAKE:
So, where do we go from here? You now believe,
you have doubts, Ms. Bagley, even though you say
you believe she is yours. Or do you hope
she is your grandchild? I hope and pray,
I really do. (SNIFFLES) I really do. JUDGE LAKE:<i> And why
does it make you
so emotional?</i> <i> You've grown
attached to her?</i> (SOBBING)
I lost a son. Five years ago
and he didn't leave
any kids behind. So I think, Bobby
probably thought that he
was going to die young and... Maybe that's why
he had the baby... I don't know,
but I'm hoping she is. <i> She's a beautiful baby.</i> <i> She's a good baby.
And if she is...
I'm looking forward</i> to spending time
with her. JUDGE LAKE: Listen,
you all have all been
through a lot. And because of that you all are taking
actions like I said that really don't... They don't support Kalani. And in this moment
let us all just refocus as we go forward
to these results. On who and what
is most important and that's her. Jerome, I'm ready
for the results. JEROME: Okay. These results were prepared
by DNA Diagnostics and they read as follows. In the case of<i>
Richardson v. Smith</i> pertaining to whether
Mr. Brock or Mr. Smith is the father
of eight-month-old
Kalani Smith. JUDGE LAKE: In the case
of<i> Richardson v. Smith</i> pertaining to whether
Mr. Brock or Mr. Smith is the father
of eight-month-old
Kalani Smith. JUDGE LAKE: It has been
determined by this court. The biological father is... Mr. Smith. (AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) Now, we have the results,
we know the truth. Where do we go from here,
family? People will know
I'm her father now. So... You know. JUDGE LAKE: And listen, how will people know? Let's grow up
in this moment right before we go.
How will they know? We're not talking about
no Facebook post. We're talking about
some face to face
child rearing, right? Oh, yes, ma'am,
definitely. JUDGE LAKE: Right. Loving a child, is oftentimes about
sacrificing yourself. Your own feelings. Right? And maybe
you all need
to take advantage of this counseling
and these resources
we have for you all and sit down
and hammer this out. Because one thing
I will say. You don't want to
get into a position where your actions
and the drama and everything
you bring to pass push her father away.
Right? 'Cause we've seen that.
Don't we see that, Jerome? You all take advantage of
this counseling, you need it. I wish you
the very best of luck and I'mma check
on this baby. Court is adjourned. NARRATOR:<i> Closed captioning
provided by...</i>
