Ms. Dandridge, you have asked for a few minutes
alone with me, before the defendant joins us. Yes, ma'am. You say you are here
to determine
if you finally found your biological father. Yes, ma'am. You claim you were recently
given the name of someone you believe is that man, though you've never laid eyes
on him before. Yes, ma'am. <i> He's waiting
outside the courtroom</i> <i> and you will meet him
for the first time</i> <i> -in just a few moments.</i>
-[Cassandra breathing heavily] You have petitioned the court
to administer a DNA test to determine, if he is in fact,
your long-lost father. [whimpering]
Yes, ma'am. Ms. Dandridge, I know this is
emotional for you. [sobbing] -So, take me back.
You've never known...
-No, ma'am. ...who your biological father
was, growing up? No, ma'am, I didn't. I was raised to believe
that my sister's dad was my dad. I was like around nine or 12. I was old enough to
know how to read when I found adoption papers stating that my dad
wasn't my dad that I believed was my dad. -I didn't...
-You've found adoption papers indicating that
the man you thought
was your father had, in fact, adopted you? Yes, ma'am, because I tried,
as a youth, to ask my mom
and she was never forthcoming. She was always, <i> "I don't know
who your dad is",</i> <i> or, "He didn't want you."
You know, she was
just mean to me.</i> [Judge Lake] So, let's
fast forward a bit. Take me to the point where you started
the search for your father. At some point you got a name.
How did you get that name? Roughly three months ago,
I posted on Facebook, um, "This status may hurt some
people's feelings, but I really wanna
know who my dad is." And my mom, she got on there
and she, uh, told me that I was a liar
and that I never asked
who my dad was and just threw his name at me. And then after she gave me
that name, she told me
to never contact her again. [audience] Oh... Jerome, would you please
escort Mr. Sigmon -into the courtroom?
-[Jerome] Certainly. Mr. Sigmon, come on in. [Cassandra] Oh. [audience murmuring] Oh. [audience applauding] [sobbing] [Judge Lake]
Mr. Sigmon, thank you
so much for being here. Thank you. Oh, that's beautiful. [Cassandra sniffles] I cannot believe
you're standing
in front of my face. -[sniffles] -[Judge Lake] Mr. Sigmon, can you describe
for the court,
your initial reaction? I was in shock, because I was told
when I was younger,
I was sterile, that I couldn't have kids, but I was at this right place
at the right time with her mother
down in Florida. -So, you did know her mother? -Yes, ma'am. And you did have
a relationship with her mother. Back in 1987,
I was a drifter. I was probably,
then 28 years old. I drifted down in the Florida,
down the boardwalk. I met this lady.
She tapped me on the shoulder,
which was her mother. We spent a lot together,
the beach life. We traveled. We run the beaches,
we jumped fences. We had sex on the beach,
sex in the pools and... [audience laughing] Well, I don't know
if her daughter needed
to hear all that but... [audience laughing] It sounds like you all
had a wonderful time together. How did this relationship end? We had actually talked
about marriage, one time. Then, things got blowed up. She was gone when we,
you know, I got in trouble
with the law, down there. I made some bad choices. [sobbing] I get kicked out
of the State of Florida
for a year, and knowing that I was sterile, I knew there wasn't any reason
to go back. You know, I've done started
another relationship here. So, did you ever know
that her mother was pregnant? No, I did not have a clue
until she called me and told me that she was
my long-lost child. I know this will be
very emotional
for you both, either way. If you'd like to sit down,
Ms. Dandridge. All right. DNA Diagnostics
has prepared these results, and they are as follows. In the case of<i>
Dandridge v. Sigmon,</i> when it comes to
Miss Cassandra Dandridge, Mr. Sigmon, you -are not...
-Oh, my God!
Oh, my God! -...her father. -That's not so! I can't breathe.
I can't breathe. Sit her down, Mr. Sigmon. Just put her down. I can't breathe. -Come on, sit down. -[shuddering] [hyperventilating] That's no... There's no way.
I've gone through too much. You were supposed
to be my dad. [sobbing] I'm never going to know! -[sobbing] -Oh, goodness gracious. -[sobbing]
-Honey, oh, my goodness. I can't breathe. I know.
You, just take deep breaths. -Okay. Take your jacket off.
-[breathing deeply] Take your jacket off.
Just take deep breaths. Jerome, can you get her
some water, please? -I know you did.
-My heart is so broke. [sobs] [sobbing] Miss Dandridge,
you can look at it as thinking it
was the end or you can look at it
as the beginning, because as long
as you're still alive, as long as your mother's
still alive, there is that opportunity
for you to reach out to her, to ask her, "Mom, is there anyone else?" And this may just be the thing
that opens the door up, just a hair,
for you and your mother to begin to work
on your relationship. I think you're strong enough
to try it. Matter of fact,
I know you are. Yeah, I've been through this. -[audience applauding]
-[Judge Lake] All right. -Don't give up.
-Thank you. Okay. With that said,
court is adjourned, everyone. Ms. St. James, you claim
for the first 33 years
of your life you were a daddy's girl <i> from early childhood,
all the way through</i> <i> your dad walking
you down the aisle.</i> But just six months ago,
after an argument, your father dropped a bomb
on you and said, "You are not my daughter." You and your brother
have opened a case to prove paternity today.
Is that correct? Yes... Yes, Your Honor. Mr. Esaw, you state
you have always believed Ms. St. James was not
your biological daughter, but could never find
the right time
to tell her the truth. You state this
33-year-old secret
has been haunting you for way too long. And you are ready
for the truth
to set you free. Is that correct? Yes, Your Honor. Ms. St. James. Yes, Your Honor. Tell the court
what happened
six months ago. I wrote my dad a letter. Um, right before Christmas,
couple weeks before Christmas. I just told him how I felt
about him not being
in his grandchildren's lives, and how he's not been
the father that we need since we lost our mother
at a young age. <i> And that was his response.
"The reason why I haven't
been in your life</i> "is because...
The reason why..." He didn't answer
any of my questions. That is not true. JAZMINE: He didn't
answer my questions. He basically responded
three days later with "The reasons why you
went through the things
you did as a child "is because you're
not my daughter." That was his response. That is not what I... So that was the first time
you had ever heard of a paternity question,
anything. JAZMINE: Ever. You just wrote
your dad a letter. And this is the father
you've known your whole life. JAZMINE:<i> My whole life.</i> JUDGE LAKE:<i>
What happened, Mr. Esaw?
How did this all start?</i> It's something that
I've always wanted
to talk to her about and tell her, you know. And it just never
was the right time. Is it your testimony
that for 33 years you have known
that Ms. St. James was not your
biological daughter? Correct. Yes, Your Honor. JUDGE LAKE: What did
her mother tell you? She just, basically,
told me she was pregnant. This was not something
you knew for certain? No, it wasn't 100%. And that's why
he should have never
said anything. That's why he shouldn't
have did this to me. Timelines... I've been through so much
stress and anxiety because of what
has happened. KENNETH: Based on the doctor... JAZMINE: You don't do that. I went to his house
every summer, Christmas. You couldn't have me swabbed?
You couldn't do anything? All these years?
I'm 33 years old. When her mom found out
she was pregnant,
were you told? KENNETH: She told me, yes. So, take me back to that time. Basically, she told me
she was pregnant
and I was like, "Okay." Um, you know, you're 18.
You're like, "Okay." I was like, "Wow!"
You don't know how
to really react, but I was like,
"Okay, wow.
She's pregnant." And it wasn't until the doctor
told her how far along she was, and doing the math,
it was, you know, before me. (AUDIENCE EXCLAIMS) And... You know, so it wasn't
like she was cheating on me, 'cause we had just started.
She was already pregnant
prior to us meeting. So he said. That's what you believe
at the outset. As soon as she told you
she was pregnant, you did the math
in your mind and said, "She must have been pregnant
before she met me." Not right away, I mean,
that's not something
you think of right away. She's telling you
she's pregnant, so there's other
emotions going on. But at some point, Mr. Esaw, you continue a relationship
with her mother because you all end up
having her brother KJ. Right. Later on, yes. They got married
after I was born. He... He named me. How huge could
the doubt have been if you ended up
continuing a relationship, getting married,
having another child? What's happening here? One of the things is,
I was also talking
to my mom. And she explained
the time frames, okay? She sat down and talked to me
and was like, "Okay. "When did this happen?
When did that happen?
When did this happen?" And he probably told her
whatever she needed to hear. KENNETH: And what
the doctor said. So, Ms. St. James,
what are your hopes
for today? Your father,
he's walked you
down the aisle. He's... You said
you're a daddy's girl. This has been... He better not
be my daddy. (AUDIENCE EXCLAIMING) The last six months
have been hell. Hell on earth for me. Since December 8th
or whatever date it was that you decided to say
you're not my daddy no more. If you don't want
to be my daddy,
you don't have to be. Jazmine, tell the truth
about how I told you. You make it sound
like I just came and said,
"I'm not your daddy." You said,
"I'm not your father,"
just like that. On the phone. I picked up the phone and said
"You're not my father"? You said, "I have
something to tell you. "I'm not your daddy." And I said,
"You're lying. "We look just alike.
We both have booty chins." You said, "I'm not the only person
with a booty chin. <i> "The other guys have got
booty chins, too."</i> <i> I went looking
for both of the men.</i> <i> That is not
how I told you.</i> <i> I found one of them</i> and he said that
my mom and dad, uh, told him that he didn't need
to worry about it because I was his child. So you actually went
to find one of the other
potential fathers? I found one of them. And that man told you... No, his son told me, 'cause I didn't talk to him,
I talked to his son. Okay. So you talked
to the son, and the son
of this man said "My father was told
years ago "that he didn't have
anything to worry about. "Mr. Esaw was your
biological father." Yeah. That's what
that man told his son. Which then reaffirmed what you had been told. Yep. So, the truth is
nobody really knows. There has been
a paternity secret brewing for over three decades, When it comes
to 33-year-old
Jazmine St. James, it has been determined
by this court, Mr. Esaw... Yes, Your Honor. You... Are not the father. Can I give her a hug? That's better. I can accept it. I'm sorry I waited
so long. It's my... I'll always
take responsibility
of not telling her. It was her right to know. And she should have been told
a long time ago, and not when
she's 33 years old. Plus, you never understand
how hard that is. It truly is why we do this, because we want people
to have the truth. Can you tell the court
in this moment, just, what are you feeling?
What are you thinking?
What do you need? I need my mama. I need my mama.
I need my mama. That's all I need. I can't get no answers without her. Only she knows
who she slept with. Only she knows
who she was with. I appreciate him
for raising me
and being my daddy, but I'm still hurt. Somebody should have
told me the truth. Mr. Jones, you and your mother
are co-plaintiffs who have bought the defended
to Ms. Milan to court to prove her
three-month-old son, Quinnill Jr. is not your
biological child. Yes, Your Honor. You claim you took Ms. Milan
and her other six kids into your home, and now she's trying to take
you for a ride by claiming this baby is yours. Yes, Your Honor. Additionally, you say,
when today's DNA results
prove you are not the father you are
seeking $1,500 for housing
and child care expenses. Yes, Your Honor. Ms. Milan, though you do admit to
cheating on Mr. Jones with
another man, you say you're unsure, if you
were already pregnant
when you cheated. Yes, Your Honor. You say, you're here
today to prove to Mr. Jones and his
meddling mother, once and for all that,
Mr. Jones is without a doubt the biological father
of baby Quinnill Jr. Yes, Your Honor. So, Ms. Jones, why do you feel Quinnill Jr.
is not your son's child? Well, Your Honor,
I contacted the court, three
days after the baby was born because I watched my son
break down at the hospital. You know, he was
gonna be devastated
if this child wasn't his. It doesn't make sense
to not know. And so, how did you two meet? Her mother and my mother
is neighbors. When she moved back
home with her mom... Her mom used to
talk to her about me
or whatever like that. And then, how did this
relationship begin? When I first, you know,
moved home with my mom, I noticed him, she was like,
"You know, this is Mr. Jones,
he lives next door." We started you know just on a friendly note, you know,
"Hey, how you doing?" We'd sit down, we'd talk,
laugh, joke. I'd go back in,
tend to my kids. Um, eventually
he started like, I could tell it was a little more flirting
going on, like, he'd be like "Why don't you
come and watch a movie
sometime?" Or you know. I wasn't takin' him very
seriously, because, it is
an age difference that... Between me and Mr. Jones. So, Mr. Jones, you thought
this was just, uh, what? I felt like once
I approached her, you know what I'm saying,
I tried to make her my lady. She chose her ex over me. You felt like you were, um,
a runner up. Yeah. See what I'm saying?
'Cause I came to her, I came
to her like a mouse. Like, "I like you and I'm
feeling you," or whatever
like this so, we can make something happen. Once I started sleeping with Mr. Jones, I was no
longer sleeping with my ex. You knew that
a likely consequence of having
unprotected sex would be that you would
become pregnant. Yes, Your Honor. Did you discuss that
with Mr. Jones? He always said
he couldn't have children,
said the doctor told him... Why'd you, why'd you say
you couldn't have children,
Mr. Jones? Because I used to
play sports in school
or whatever, so I had to, you know, have a
full body physical. And they told me that
I wasn't able to have kids. So during a physical they
told you, you would be unable to have children. Yes, ma'am. Judge, it was at a point,
where his... They had got
us to the point where they were serious to
the point enough for her
and her kids didn't have nowhere to go. So, I offered for her and
her kids to come to my house. This how I thought that
they were in a relationship
with each other. So, you thought they
were in a relationship? Yeah. Because when her... She and her children
didn't have anywhere to go, you said they could come
and stay with you. Yes, ma'am. And they did? Yes. When they came,
when they came and stayed
with me and mom we was then in a relationship,
when they came and stayed. In a relationship, yeah. And so, how did you find out
she was pregnant? She called, she called and
told me, I was with my ex, she called and told me... Is it still your ex
when you're back with her? (INDISTINCT) Well, she's still my ex.
We weren't together. LASHUNDRA: Your Honor. When I was, when I was with
my ex, we weren't together,
it's just we had... ANNESHA: We separated.
We separated. We had a long
relationship. All right. So get to the
pregnancy part. BOTH: Okay. She calls, she says
she was three and a half weeks
pregnant, I was like, by who? You know what
I'm saying? She... She says there's
a possibility it's yours.
I didn't know that. And she was like,
"I had sex with my ex,"
or whatever like that, so... She was like, it was a
possibility, it could
have been him too. So, she tells you... She tells me... Right off the bat. Right off the bat. It could be yours... She was straightforward. It could be his. ANNESHA: Mmm-hmm. When I found out
she stopped taking
her birth control, the first thing I done was
I gave my son some condoms because she has
six kids already
and I know she's fertile. Use them. (APPLAUDING) Did you use them, Mr. Jones? QUINNILL: No. ANNESHA: No. When you found out
she was pregnant, even though she said, it could be yours
or it could be my ex's,
did you step up? Yes, ma'am. You did. Yes, ma'am, I wanted
to make sure.
I wanted to make sure if it was a possibility
of it being my child, I wanted to be there.
I don't want to miss nothing. I want to be able to go back
and tell these stories and say I was there
doing this, doing that.
You know what I'm saying? Yeah. When he was being born,
I'm right there
holding her hand, watching everything. And you were there
as well, Ms. Jones? I was there at the hospital.
You know, like I told my son, just be there until
we find out otherwise. Because he... I raised him
without a father. And every child
needs their parents. And I don't want him to be
like the man that... His father. I want him to be
a better man so... (APPLAUDING) I understand. QUINNILL: While she
was pregnant... And that's good. She didn't have to
lift a finger. Your Honor, she
didn't have to lift
a finger for nothing. You know what I'm saying?
I did everything, you know. Take care of the boys,
make sure they
going to school. I was, you know, feeding her,
doing the cleaning. So did you ever tell the
ex that he potentially
could be the father too? I told him first. You know,
I was around him at the time. I was feeling sick
and I was like... I knew I hadn't been out there
that long also. But I did go to the store
and get a pregnancy test and it came out positive. I ended up telling
Mr. Jones also. And, you know, he did his
talking or whatever but he
ended up texting. And was like, okay,
regardless of what. You know if this is my child,
I do want to be around. Let me know
when you go to the doctor. So you were there
participating like the father. Did you sign
the birth certificate? No, I didn't. LASHUNDRA:
No, I told him not to. I didn't sign anything
because I wanted
a DNA test first. (APPLAUDING) Well, that was smart. In the case of <i> Jones v. Milan,</i> when it comes to
three-month-old
Quinnill Milan. It has been determined
by this court, Mr. Jones, you... Are not the father. (SOBBING) JUDGE LAKE: I'm so sorry. I'm sorry. I didn't know. You okay, Mr. Jones? I'm ready to go. JUDGE LAKE: I'm sorry. I hope you
will find comfort in knowing that you did
the right thing. No matter what you may
have gotten wrong or right in the relationship
with Ms. Milan,
you did right by this beautiful baby. As for your suit, Ms. Jones, for $1,500 for the room and board, and for all of the expenses
related to the child... You know something, Judge?
I don't need any money. She's gonna need everything that she has
to take care of those kids. (APPLAUDING) This is why it's an honor
for me to sit here. Because I get to witness
the power of forgiveness, humanity, compassion, on a daily basis. (APPLAUDING)
