You may be seated. Hello, Your Honor. Hello. The is the case of<i>
Webb v. Forrest-Forrest.</i> Thank you Jerome.
Good day everyone. AUDIENCE: Good day. JUDGE LAKE: Mr. Webb, you have
been waiting two years for this day. You claim
the defendant, Ms. Forrest, left you for dead <i> only to find out
once you got out of a coma,</i> that she was pregnant and that
the baby could be yours or her husband's. Yes, Your Honor. Ms. Forrest, you and
your husband are here today desperate to
put an end to this drama. You say you have no doubt your daughter's
biological father is indeed your husband. Yes, Your Honor. Mr. Webb, what are
your intentions today if the DNA determines that
you are the biological father? My intentions are to fight for full custody rights
if she is my daughter. Well, it's my daughter
and you ain't getting her. Ms. Forrest, how did you
get yourself in this triangle? My husband got in some trouble and I end up, uh,
meeting Mr. Webb through one of my friends. We hit it off
and then I ended up leaving Mr. Forrest
for Mr. Webb. So you began
a sexual relationship. Yes, yes, Your Honor. All right. And were you
using protection at the time? No, Your Honor. (AUDIENCE MURMURS) All right. Mr. Webb,
what is your take on this? It didn't happen like that. At first, yes,
we was in love, but towards the end WEBB: I was on life support. No. That's not
how it happened. (STAMMERING) WEBB: <i> As soon as
I got out of the hospital,</i> I had got a phone call
saying that she was pregnant. I heard it from my aunt first. But on my way to Illinois
with my dad... AMANDA: No. ...she had called me and told me that
it was a possibility that Alayna
was my child. She told you, "a possibility"? Yes, ma'am. So that means
she was admitting that she also
had slept with other people. Yes, ma'am. Did you think the other person
was just her husband? At the time, no, Your Honor. You thought there
were other possible... Yes, Your Honor. AMANDA: No. He was just... And why would you think that? Why would you
have reason to think that? Because she was
working at the time and some of her checks
would be coming up missing every time she would get paid. AMANDA: No. And so what did you suspect because something
was missing out if her check? She would
get off at 10:00. It would take at least
15 minutes to get home. But she would come in
at 11:00 to 11:30. It took about 45 minutes to
get from where I was working. So it was missing time
and missing money. Yes, Your Honor. Where she was MIA. Yes, Your Honor. JUDGE LAKE:
All right. FORREST: No. From where
she worked at, and I know for a fact,
it took 45 minutes
to get from her work to the house. WEBB: No, Your Honor.
That's a lie. AMANDA: And at the time... No, Your Honor. FORREST: 'Cause
when I moved... So, Ms. Forrest, let me just
ask you point blank. Were you
sleeping with anyone else besides Mr. Webb
and your husband? No, Your Honor. Not during that time? WEBB: That's a lie,
Your Honor. But when you called Mr. Webb, and said, "I'm pregnant" you did say,
"And there is a possibility"? Which I didn't get back to
with Mr. Forrest until after
Travis had done left... Or Mr. Webb has done left. Your Honor, I have
a letter from my mom, where I was on life support. When she came
to drop off my stuff... Which we were
already broken up by then. ...she had moved into a motel with Mr. Forrest. This is evidence
you'd like me to see? WEBB: This is
her mom's statement. Jerome, will you hand
that to me, please? They broke up like three days,
from my knowledge were like, three days before
he ever went into a coma. No, Your Honor, I did not have any idea... We were fighting, ...that we were split up. We were over and that was it. They were having problems. I had called my dad for a bus ticket
to Alabama. Two hours after I got off
the phone with them. I had ended up
on life support. So this is a statement
from your mom? WEBB: That is
a statement from my mom. And he was there
the very next morning in a motel with her. (AUDIENCE MURMURING) JUDGE LAKE: Is that true? AMANDA: We were
already broke up. AMANDA: We've done called it
quits called everything off. Me and my wife had already
been started talking... That's a lie, Your Honor. ...about getting
back together. Well, after they
had done broke up like three days before
he ever went to the hospital. No, Your Honor. Bottom line is, he's in the bed
on life support and now you have
reconciled with your husband. AMANDA: Yes, Your Honor.
But I tried to see him. His mother
would not let me see him. I'm sure
there were some feelings because you had gotten back
with your husband while he's
fighting for his life! Which I love... I've loved
Mr. Webb at the time but we were... You loved him? Well, I mean... (AUDIENCE LAUGHS) When you realized
you were pregnant... AMANDA: My feelings... When exactly did
you realize you were pregnant? The middle of September. WEBB: That is a lie,
Your Honor. 'Cause I didn't know
at the time, I was pregnant. So, Mr. Webb, how did you
find out she was pregnant? She had called me the day that
I got out of the hospital. I was on my way to Illinois with my dad. I got a phone call,
we had a discussion. She said that
I may be the father but then again
I may not be because she was
back with Mr. Forrest. I was there with her
at the doctor's office. So, it was the middle of
September when she found out. WEBB: It was in August whenever she found out
that she was pregnant. AMANDA: No. FORREST: No, it was not. So, there's
a month discrepancy. WEBB: That's not true. You say September,
you say August. Yes, Your Honor. So, when you got the news did you immediately think
you're the father? Well, she had told me, ahead of time, that
I may not be the father FORREST: <i> But there was a
chance that I was the father.</i> So now, what makes you stand in Court today,
Ms. Forrest and say that your husband
is definitely the father? I have counted back the time from when she was born,
nine months back, and it takes it to the week that I was
only sleeping with him. Me and Mr. Webb
were already over with. All right, let me grab
my calendar. See this... My daughter was born
on May 9th of 2013. JUDGE LAKE: Okay. And then if you take it back
none months later that takes it to the week of August 26th
through August 31st. JUDGE LAKE: August 26th
through August 31st you were sleeping with your... Just my husband. WEBB: The thing about it,
Your Honor, is the day they... Before
I went on to life support we did have sex. JUDGE LAKE: Well, that was the
question I was about to ask. What day did you
go into the hospital? I went into the hospital
on August 26, 2012. So, you say on August 25th
you all were intimate. WEBB: Yes, Your Honor. Is that correct, Ms. Forrest? AMANDA: Yes, Your Honor. JUDGE LAKE:
Without protection? WEBB: Yes, Your Honor. AMANDA: Yes, Your Honor. JUDGE LAKES: Oh... Okay. So that's
intimate with Mr. Webb. Now you're here to tell me
you know for sure that your child
is fathered by Mr. Forrest and you've got
this close proximity? She looks...
Yes, Your Honor. She looks just like my
husband, she takes after him. But you do realize this difference in time... This is all a part of the
same window of conception. You do understand that.
Right, Ms. Forrest? Yes, Your Honor. FORREST: He wasn't
there for the birth. Why wasn't
he there for her? The reason I have
not been there, Your Honor, I had got an email on Facebook from my aunt that
Ms. Forrest had had Alayna. So you got news
that the baby was born. You didn't hear
from Ms. Forrest herself? No, Your Honor.
Not at first. AMANDA: No, I... JUDGE LAKE: You heard
through your family? Yes, Your Honor. I... I messaged
his mother on Facebook and told her what hospital
I was gonna be at where I was gonna be when I was going to
the hospital and everything. Him or his family,
nobody showed up FORREST: Nobody showed up. Now question,
you messaged him... I messaged his mother... ...on Facebook, his family to let them know. But why do that
if you know for certain that Mr. Forrest, your husband
is the child's father? Just in case that he did
come by being the father, he could say that... He wasn't there
for the birth. Okay. So the truth is... AMANDA: He doesn't care.
I had difficult labor... ...even you had doubt. At first in my pregnancy,
yes, Your Honor. AMANDA: But he wasn't... Who's on the
birth certificate? My husband. I am. WEBB: Of course. JUDGE LAKE: You are. yes. And you would be presumed
to be the father anyway. A child born to a marriage,
into a marriage, the husband
is presumed to be the father. FORREST: I've took care of her
since the day she was born. Well, a month after
she was born. He ain't took care of her. (AUDIENCE LAUGHING) And I've took care of her
since the day she was born. Mr. Webb, were you given
an opportunity to see... WEBB: No, Your Honor. JUDGE LAKE: ...baby Alayna
after she was born? I have not met Alayna. We have set up dates
plenty of times... They have all been
under his terms, where he wanted to go.
I have... I had drove from Illinois whenever she told me
that I can meet Alayna. I spent the last $80
I had putting in gas. JUDGE LAKE: So... She had backed out,
changed her phone number and blocked me on Facebook. Three weeks later,
I'm going back to Tennessee... Every number
I get from you
it's always changed. And tried to contact her
to meet Alayna and she would
not contact me back. That... That is why
we are here today. And so... Alayna is two years old. WEBB: Yes, Your Honor. And you have still not... No, Your Honor. ...held this baby? No, Your Honor. JUDGE LAKE: Never one time? No, Your Honor. FORREST: No, Your Honor. I'm afraid that if he does
get to see my daughter that he can
run off with her and there's nothing I can do
to get her back. So you admit,
Ms. Forrest, that you've been
blocking Mr. Webb
from seeing Alayna... Yes. Yes, Your Honor. ...after you initially
informed his family
that she would... Where she's gonna be born. He wasn't there.
I had, uh,
difficulty of labor. I had a seizure
and I had to get... But I'm saying,
if you informed his family because you believed
it was a possibility he could be the father, AMANDA: He proved... Why wouldn't you
give him an opportunity
to see the baby? AMANDA: He proved
he didn't care about us. If he wants it? When she told him,
he told her
he did not care. No, I have never
said that, Your Honor. So therefore, he ain't there
for two years. I have been in tears
for the last two years, trying to meet my daughter. And she has never let me once talk to her or see her. When I called... When I talked to him
and told him I was pregnant I have had to create a fake Facebook account
just to see
pictures of Alayna. I can't get past why you would not
just allow him to see her if you thought
it was a possibility that he could be her dad,
for two years. AMANDA: They have all
been under his terms. He's never wanted
to meet any... He wants me to come
45 minutes from
where I live to his mother's house. I'm not comfortable going
alone with my daughter to his house? For 45 minutes? You're not comfortable
going to see... Not alone. And he's always wanted me to
come to his mother's house. No, Your Honor.
I had planned to meet her in
Dyersburg, Tennessee, which is a big town just so I could meet Alayna
out in public. And what's wrong with that? I'm afraid that he's gonna
take my daughter and there's nothing I can do
to get her back. FORREST: He's done... He's threatened
to take our child. Ms. Forrest, are you afraid
he's gonna take your daughter or are you afraid
he's her biological father? I'm afraid that
he's gonna take my daughter. He's done threatened
to take our child! I have avoid... He called me about
two weekends ago. I was on my way
to Arkansas. And he told me that if
I don't let him see her he's gonna take her to court
or take me to court and he's gonna
take her away from me. There's no way that
he is getting my daughter. I have cared for her
for two years. He hasn't. So... He wanted to see her,
but he hasn't wanted
to do nothing... If this DNA test proves
that I am Alayna's father, I will fight for my
full custody rights. FORREST: This is my child and
I will fight for custody. There's no way that
he is getting my daughter. Now, this is our child
not yours. And I will fight you
for full custody. There's no way
that he's getting full custody of my child. No. I will fight. So, Mr. Forrest,
you're convinced you are Alayna's father. Well, either I am or he is! JUDGE LAKE: Oh, wait! AUDIENCE: No! Are you... No, no, no. I'm saying, are you convinced
you're her biological father? There's a
possibility. Yes. But I don't know
for 100%. You're raising her as? My own. So she thinks
you're her daddy. Correct. She calls him daddy. JUDGE LAKE: Calls you daddy. Calls me daddy. She doesn't have a choice,
Your Honor, because Ms. Forrest would not
let me be with my daughter. He doesn't want to meet
under my terms. I sit in the same seat
countless times and I see men that say, "Well, I don't know
if it's my child, Your Honor, "so I'm not showing up
in the hospital, "I'm not coming by
to see this baby, "I don't even want to
hold the baby, "I don't even want
to buy the baby a bottle "'cause I don't know
if it's mine!" And quite frankly,
I have to say that a part of me has to
honor what they're thinking, and their opinion and their... The way they feel
because they have... They don't have certainty. In this case, I see a man that
wants to do just the opposite. "I know it's just
a possibility but I still
want to see her, "know her, until I can
figure out if she's mine "because I don't want to
miss the time. "And ultimately,
I don't want her to miss out." And I'm afraid I'm gonna lose my husband
and my family over this. See, we got...
We bond together.
Do you do that? JUDGE LAKE: <i> Well, how can
he do that</i> <i> if she won't
let her see him?</i> FORREST: <i> Well, because...</i> <i> We tried.</i> <i> He said he did not care.</i> (AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) But I'm saying, how can he
bond with her like that when you admit that your wife
will not allow him to see her? I mean, look at her.
Look at me and my daughter. She is happy. FORREST:<i>
She looks just like me.</i> <i> She takes after me
and everything.</i> Mr. Webb, I see
you are in a lot of pain. It hurts you to see her. Yes, Your Honor. And why does it hurt you?
What do you feel? You just feel like
you've missed on two years. Yes, Your Honor. Until the DNA comes back
showing that he is the father he will not see her. (WEBB SOBBING) (AUDIENCE
MURMURING DISCONTENT) I'm sorry,
it's just the way I feel. So is this
Ms. Forrest's idea or yours? It's mine. JUDGE LAKE:
That's what I thought. (WEBB SOBBING) JUDGE LAKE:
That's what I thought. I think it's time we go
to the results. It's time. Jerome. (APPLAUDING) These results were prepared
by DNA Diagnostics and they read as follows. JUDGE LAKE: In the case of<i>
Webb v. Forrest,</i> when it comes to 2-year old
Alayna Forrest... he will not see her. JUDGE LAKE: As to whether
her biological father is Mr. Webb or Mr. Forrest, it has been
determined by this Court that her
biological father is... Mr. Webb. (AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) Be clear.
You did not just cheat him you cheated her. AUDIENCE: Yeah. (APPLAUDING) You cheated her. (WEBB SOBBING) You knew it
could be a possibility. And I'm afraid I'm gonna lose my husband
and my family over this. Well, this is my point.
You think about yourself! (AUDIENCE AGREEING
AND APPLAUDING) That's all he thought about
when we were together. You're thinking
about yourself. He won't see my daughter. (AUDIENCE
MURMURING DISCONTENT) I think you need to
step outside of yourself and your own selfishness... AUDIENCE: Yeah ...and allow him
to see his daughter in my chambers
for the first time. AUDIENCE: Yeah. So that
maybe for the first time her mother can stop thinking
about herself. (AUDIENCE
APPLAUDING AND CHEERING) Can we do that? Your baby's
not leaving this court. Uh, yes. Yes, Your Honor. JUDGE LAKE:
Thank you! I will see you
in my chambers, sir. Court is adjourned. JEROME: Won't you guys
take a seat?
