Please be seated. -Hello, Your Honor.
-Hello. This is the case of<i>
Sales V. Jackson.</i> Thank you, Jerome.
Good day, everyone. [audience] Good day. Ms. Sales, you claim that you and the defendant
Mr. Jackson were in a serious relationship and it was his idea
to have a baby. But now that
your three year-old daughter
Mekiya is here, he denies being her father. You want him to step up
and take care
of his daughter. -Is that correct?
-Yes, Your Honor. Mr. Jackson,
you claim that Ms. Sales -is a former side chick...
-[audience] Oh... ...who is trying to
pin a baby on you only because
she wants you
back in her life. You are certain
you are not
her daughter's father. -Is that correct?
-Yes, Your Honor. So, Ms. Sales, explain why
you opened your case today. I opened my case today because I was with Demeko
for five years. We were in a relationship, we had our baby, and now, because
he sits up
and talks to his family, now he feels like
that is not his child. Since the day
my daughter was born, because she was
light-skinned
with grey eyes, that was not his child, "because I'm too dark
to have a light-skinned baby." [audience exclaiming] Mr. Jackson, she said
you were in
a five-year relationship. -Is that true?
-No, ma'am. So, how-- What were we doing, Meko? -What were you doing?
-[Sales] Huh? You know, she was
like my side woman. -[Sales] Your side woman?
-She was your side woman. [Sales] Meko, you gonna
stand there and lie? So, it's your testimony
you weren't in
a relationship at all. I mean, we had a relationship, but it wasn't serious,
you know, we was just,
you know... [Sales] You left your ex to come be with me. -How was we
not in a relationship?
-It was... It was more of, you know,
she had great sex. [audience] Oh! Oh, I put it on him
and he could never leave. -[Jackson] I mean...
-[audience laughing] It happens
like that, you know. Your Honor, it happens
like that, you know. -It was just--
-So, you're saying, you were only with her
for a sexual relationship. She was my side woman. So, did you make that clear, or were you making her
feel like she was
your real woman, but really, you were
just having a side woman. She was just
my side woman. I made it clear
to her before.
She understood. Stop lying. He came to my house
every single day. -He was at my house...
-Yeah, I did, Your Honor, ...every single day. But, you know, regardless, you can still make a baby even though she might
have been your side woman. I mean, that--
None of that... prevents you from
becoming a father. Yes, but I wasn't
the only man
that was smashing her. -[audience exclaiming]
-[Sales] He's lying. He was the only person
that I was messing with, the only person that
I had been with for a year before I even got pregnant. So, again, he's lying. [audience murmuring] How long did this last?
How long did it go on for? When I first met him,
I had moved out of town, so we had, you know,
lost contact. That's when he met his ex
and they had
got in a relationship. When I moved back in town, he never let me know
about this
relationship he had. I found out because
a friend of mine told me that he had a girl. He never said
anything to me about it. By the time he actually
started trying to confess that
he had a girlfriend, we had already
been together for
six to eight months. Already having sex
with each other,
unprotected, on the regular. Like, he's a sorry liar.
Period. [Judge Lake] So, Mr. Jackson, take me to the point
when you find out this woman who you say
is your side woman,
is pregnant. When did you find that out? Like, what you mean,
like, what-- Just what I asked. -When did you find out
Ms. Sales was pregnant?
-[audience laughing] I found out
Ms. Sales was pregnant, what was that, uh,
August... a month... A month later
or something like that. [Judge Lake] And so
take me to that day. How did she tell you? [Jackson] Uh,
first we went in, uh, she had a situation
with her urine and stuff like that.
A problem. -So, you went to the hospital
for something else.
-[Jackson] Yes, ma'am. -I went to the doctor...
-[Jackson] Two months later. because I had a cyst
ruptured in my stomach. So, I had to go
to the hospital
'cause I was very sick. He went with me, but he was my "side piece,"
right? But he took me
and went with me
to the hospital. So, I was getting
a lot of tests ran and things done to me. They was telling me,
no, I wasn't pregnant
at the time because I had polyps. So, the nurse explained that it was really hard
for me to get pregnant and my chances
was very slim. But, at that time,
I had already
got off of birth control, and was trying to
have a baby with him. So... we had sex -at the hospital
that same night.
-[audience exclaiming] -And then--
-At the hospital? -[Sales] And then--
-While you were there
for the polyps? Yeah, so after that,
you know, got me together and got my body
together. Yeah. -Believe me,
it wasn't that serious.
-[Jackson] Negative. -Oh, you say that's not true?
-[Jackson] Right. Okay, I'mma come
to you in a minute. -What happened next, Ms. Sales?
-[Sales] So... after that,
I end up going home. I, again, knew
I was not pregnant. In October, I went to the doctor, and that's when
I found out that
I was six weeks pregnant. So, at the time
of the doctor's visit, at the end of August,
no, I was not pregnant. But, again, we had sex
at the hospital
that same night, and would have sex every day, on the regular.
So, of course, I wasn't that hard
for me to conceive within the next week
or two by him. So, yeah, Mr. Jackson,
it sounds like
you all were... Side woman, main woman,
whatever it was to you. -It sounds like you all
were having a lot of sex.
-[Sales] Yeah. [Judge Lake] And so,
if you were having
that much sex-- -Your Honor, I mean,
it was good.
-Listen, that's not-- I'm not asking
about the quality. -[audience laughs]
-[Jackson] Yes, ma'am. I made a comment
on the quantity. Even though we know
it only takes once anyway. If you want more episodes
of Paternity Court Make sure to subscribe
and click on
the notification bell. It seems like
you were in a steady
sexual relationship with Ms. Sales. So, why is it you... think you can't be
Mekiya's biological father? It's seems like you
at least a possibility. Your Honor, one day
I was over my
family member house, doing some work
with them, and a friend of us
called and said that they'd seen her in a car
with some light-skinned
guy with dreads, and said that's who
she's been seeing, and it's a possibility that
it could be her baby daddy
and everything like that. <i> This was told to me.</i> [Sales]<i> That's a lie.</i> Yes, and a lot
of people had called and told me that
she was riding around
with this cat. Oh, people have
seen her in the car -riding around with this guy.
-[Jackson] Yes, Your Honor. -True story.
-[Judge Lake] So... -Ms. Sales?
-[Sales] His ex was the one
who's supposed to saw me -riding in the car...
-Oh! -She's jealous and want him
back at all times.
-I also seen messages. So she'll tell him
any lie that she can find. "I saw Ashley with this guy."
"Ashley was riding around
with him." -Your Honor, I also--
-"Ashley be outside." Just so he can simmer
and say, "Oh, okay." [Jackson] Your Honor,
I also seen messages of her going back and forth
with the guy, but... [Judge Lake] What did
the messages say? It was more like,
you know, I guess-- You know, he already
had a baby
or something like that. I guess she was trying to
come clean about
she 'posed to be pregnant. It could be a possibility,
mines or his. Oh, so you saw
an exchange of messages... -[Jackson] Yes, ma'am.
-...talking about
the pregnancy. -[Jackson] All that.
-And the paternity. -Yes, Your Honor.
-[Judge Lake]
And when you saw that did you confront her? I confronted her,
but you know, just like... -He's lyin'.
-...any other woman,
they gonna lie, deny. [Sales] Why you gonna
stand here and lie?
[Jackson] It was so long ago, -I don't remember about...
-It's a bold-faced lie. I've never had
a conversation with nobody about my daughter
besides this man. He is lying. So, what the guy
with the locks? A random person
he found on my Messenger that I guess had said,
"What's up, sexy?"
"Hey, baby." One of the extra
hundred guys
that do that, too. And he picked
that one out 'cause
he was light-skinned. Oh, so you're saying
he concocted
the cheating story after Mekiya was born... -[Sales] Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
-...based upon her skin color. Yes. Yes. Yes. -Timeline doesn't add up.
-[Sales] He's lying.
But, all right. So, the timeline
doesn't add up? So, you actually submitted
a calendar to the court to outline your doubts... -Yes, ma'am.
-...as it relates
to the timeline. Can you step up
to the monitor, please? [snickers] I broke up
with Ms. Sales, June. <i> I got back with my ex, July.</i> We went to the hospital
in August to check about her uterus
'cause she had problems. I did not know
she was pregnant until, like,
a month or two later. That's when she told me
she was pregnant. So when did you finally
find out Ms. Sales
is pregnant? [Jackson]
Ii was around, like... -There it is, September.
-Yes, ma'am. -The last week.
-Yes, ma'am. Outlined in hot pink. -Yes, ma'am.
-[audience laughs] Mekiya was born in May. -On May 9th.
-Yes, ma'am. So, is it your testimony that you didn't have sex from June, <i> when you broke up
with Ms. Sales,</i> <i> all the way in July,</i> <i> -nor in August?</i>
-[Jackson]<i> Yes, Your Honor.</i> [Judge Lake]<i> Nor in September?</i> -No sex with her at all.
-[Sales] He's lying.
He just said he loved it, why would he stop? -He's lying.
-[audience laughing] He's lying. I mean, he look like he lying. I don't even have to say it. Your Honor, don't judge a book
by its cover.
I'm telling the truth. I'm not judging a book
by its cover. I'm judging a book
by its body language, its crooked smile and the fact that
you sitting up here lying. -No. No, Your Honor,
I ain't lying about that--
-[audience applauding] Mmm-hmm. [Judge Lake] Yeah, Jerome, can you change
this calendar and just put... -Highlight the whole year...
-[audience laughing] ...of when Mr. Jackson
was having sex
with Ms. Sales. -[Jerome] Yep.
-No... Go on back
to the podium, boy, you get on my nerves now. -That was a waste of time.
-[audience laughing] You've brought a witness,
Mr. Jackson.
Please stand, ma'am. -State your name
for the court, please.
-Durnisha Jackson. Ms. Jackson, you are
what relation to Mr. Jackson? I am Demeko's older sister. [Judge Lake] You are
his older sister, all right. I'd like to know
what you know
about this situation. Demeko called me
crying one night
because he said Ashley admitted to him that she had slept with
a light-skinned dude
with dreads and there's a possibility
that Mekiya might not be his. [audience exclaiming] And what did you tell
your brother, Ms. Jackson? I just told him
to take a DNA test, which he said
he tried to take one. [Jackson] Ashley had, you know,
faked a fallout story, crying, things like that.
So, we had to leave-- I drove up there.
It was my car. -How did I not want to
take the DNA test?
-[Jackson] We had to leave... How do you fake a fallout? -She started crying
outside the building...
-She broke down crying. ...'cause she didn't want to
take the DNA test. -[Sales] Was you
standing there?
-No, he told me. I don't ever cry, for one. I'm not an
emotional person at all. -Girl, please, you ain't--
-Yes, you do. I barely cry in his face.
So, again, -like I said, I don't
got no reason to...
-All right, Ashley. -He got his feelings--
-[Judge Lake] Hold on! Hold on! Before we go into
all this nonsense of what you did
and what he did.
I wanna know what happened. I want you to be
specific and tell me, -what did she do?
-[Jackson] We was on our way going there, you know,
we was a few blocks
away whatsoever. She started crying. I guess she's seeing me
more serious about it 'cause I've been saying
I'm supposed to be getting
a DNA test for a while. And did you all ever park and get out the car
and go towards the courthouse? -We did.
-[Judge Lake] And then
what happened? -We left.
-[Judge Lake] Why? It was just
too much at the time. [Judge Lake] What do you mean,
too much? This lie is too much. -We got to he building...
-[Jackson] Listen,
Your Honor. -This lie is what's too much.
-[Jackson] Your Honor,
I wanted to-- First of all,
I'm sensitive myself. So, I wanted to...
You know, I wanted to take it,
but I also wanted to listen to what
she had to say at the
end of the day, 'cause... So what is she saying to you
while she cryin'? [Jackson] She was
just sayin' that, you know,
I'm wrong for doing this. You know, I'm not right
for doing this. Like, I should believe her. And because you're
such a nice, sweet,
humble young man... -[audience laughing]
-Yes, Your Honor. ...you just decided,
"I don't want to hurt
this young woman's feelings, and I'd rather just...
not take the DNA test today, not get the answer as it relates to
the paternity of Mekiya, and go back home
to Ms. Sales to only have sex with her and continue to devalue her -for another two years."
-[Jackson] No, Your Honor. Like I said, uh, on certain ends
it was about the sex,
but, you know, later on in life,
you know, I got closer to
her daughter, so, I didn't wanna
find it out if-- At the time, I just
didn't wanna find it out. And I seen her break down, so it really made me, like,
"Ah, I could be trippin'." Sounds like
you did care about Ms. Sales. I care about her
a little bit,
but not too much. -[audience exclaiming]
-[Sales] Oh, I'm confused. You ain't finna keep
standing there
talking about some... -[overlapping argument]
-[Judge Lake] Hold on! ...in love since the day
you met me,
what are you saying? That's why you left your ex
to come be with me 'cause you couldn't
get enough of
being around me. What is you talking about?
Okay. -I'm ready.
I'm ready for the results now.
-[audience laughing] [laughing] -[Jackson] What she's doing--
-Jerome! -You got it--
-You do too much stunting. -Don't come here stunting...
[overlapping arguments]
-[Judge Lake] Ms. Sales! -You didn't feel like
it was your baby...
-[Judge Lake] Okay! -[gavel banging]
-Let's get some order. Ms. Sales! I do believe Mr. Jackson was playing
both sides of the fence. -[Sales] Yeah.
-But I don't think that's because he didn't
enjoy being with you. I think he did and I think
he cared about you. You don't go
sit at hospitals with your side chick. You were not committed and yet you all were
very connected, <i> in the sense you spent
a lot of time together.</i> [Sales]<i> Yeah,
we played house, I guess.</i> [Judge Lake]<i> Right.</i>
[Sales]<i> Oh, she look just
like you in all the pictures.</i> I feel like there's
a possibility that-- -Do you know who
your baby daddy is?
-[Durnisha] Yes. No you don't, but okay. -[Sales] No, you don't.
-Yes, I do. [Jackson] I feel like
there's a possibility
that it's not my baby. [Durnisha] You just
a side chick. You just mad
your baby daddy
never claimed you. -[Judge Lake] Hold on! Hold on!
-[overlapping arguments] Hold on, hold on!
Hold on, hold on! Ms. Sales, you got
a lot of mouth for everybody but you ain't gonna have
a lot of mouth for me. And if what
you're saying is true, that envelope is
gonna validate it. You don't have
to act a fool for it. -[Sales] Again--
-Because you don't have to
act a fool for the truth. -Yeah, you right.
-You act a fool for a lie. I'm ready for the results. [Jackson] Yeah. These results were
prepared by DNA Diagnostics and they read as follows. In the case of <i> Sales v. Jackson...</i> when it comes to... three year-old
Mekiya Jackson... it has been
determined by this Court... Mr. Jackson... you... are the father. [Sales] Now I know
who my baby daddy is. Ms. Sales... Ms. Sales... -you don't have to do that.
-Right. I don't run no circus, and I don't need no clowns. -[Jackson] I understand.
-We're talking about a baby. -She should know who you are.
-She know who I am. She don't need no side daddy. [audience] Right. She needs the daddy
that is going to be
protecting her. She needs the daddy that's gonna carry
the world on
his shoulders for her. And Ms. Sales,
I'mma be honest, I get it, I see your tears. [snickers] I know you say
you're not emotional,
I get all that. You're a woman first. You are not the only person that loved the wrong man
too long. And you don't wanna
raise Mekiya thinking -that's acceptable as well.
-I really don't. Mr. Jackson is
a handsome young man, but you are
a beautiful young woman. Thank you.
Thank you so much. And someone
will appreciate that. But they won't see it if the entire sum total
of your life is running behind
Mr. Jackson. And it won't be. I'mma tell you something,
it ain't that much fine
in the world. [woman in audience] Come on. Now, Mr. Jackson,
you can miss the boat
if you want to. And in 20-something
years from now, Mekiya will be
standing right here
talking about, "Well, my daddy
wasn't in my life,
Your Honor, and I was looking for love
in all the wrong places, because my daddy told me
my momma was his side chick." Oh, you don't like to
hear that now when your words
come back to you? -It don't sound good,
does it?
-I mean-- You in your little
red sweater. -You better get it together.
-[audience laughing] -You understand?
-Yes, Your Honor. [Judge Lake] You better
get it together. We have counseling
and resources for you,
take advantage of it. That's all I got to say. Court is adjourned.
