Please be seated. Good morning, Your Honor. Good morning. This is the case of <i>
Mayo v. Brown.</i> Thank you, Ron.
Good day, everyone. AUDIENCE: Good day. Miss Mayo, you are here today because you filed
a paternity suit against Mr. Brown, who you claim is your 2-month-old
fraternal twins, Chloe and Carter's
biological father. Is that correct? MAYO: Yes, Your Honor. JUDGE LAKE: You say, when
today's results prove your case, you want him
to pay you $1,000 for half of the
child-rearing expenses? Yes, Your Honor. Mr. Brown, you say,
the only reason Miss Mayo is claiming you're the father is because she is trying
to trap you. And she is desperate
to be with you. Is that correct? Yes, Your Honor. All right, so Miss Mayo,
you're suing for
child-rearing expenses. What has Mr. Brown done for
your twins thus far? Nothing at all. Everything
they got, from before I even
had them, I have bought. Mr. Brown have bought not one
thing that you can think of. Everything came out of my
pocket. Or my mom or my dad. JUDGE LAKE: Not one thing? Not one thing.
Nothing at all. JUDGE LAKE: Mr. Brown,
is that true? Yes, Your Honor. JUDGE LAKE: Why is that? 'Cause I don't believe
they are my children. I don't know
why you feel like that.
You know they are yours, bro. I don't know why you feel like
that. And you are, you know... For one, I feel like
she trapped me. MAYO: No. I never trapped you. How did I trap you?
I didn't want to have no child
with you. I wish I would have never
got pregnant by you. Why would you mess with
me from the begin? 'Cause at first we
was friends. Why you putting on a show?
Before any of this happened, we was like, we was friends,
we was cordial, like, I was doing stuff for you,
you was doing stuff for me
and my kids. Wrong or right? Right. Say it was Monday. If I didn't
to see him Monday, I knew for a fact I was gonna
see him Tuesday. From the first night when we
had sex we didn't use
a condom. Every day we had sex
we never used a condom. So, if she see me Monday,
and she see me Tuesday, that's is a whole gap. You're right. But at the
same time... That's a 24-hour gap
for her? Talking to no one but you. So, you feel like you...
Were you having protected sex
or unprotected? BROWN: We had unprotected sex. All right. MAYO: If I remember,
not one time did we
use a condom. JUDGE LAKE: <i> And so what you
are saying is you are having
a sexual relationship.</i> <i> You weren't wearing
protection. But you believe</i> she was also sleeping
with other people? Yeah, that could be the case. JUDGE LAKE: Were you having
sex with anybody else,
Miss Mayo? MAYO: No. That what they all say. JUDGE LAKE: Take me back.
I wanna understand the
nature of this relationship. What was this about?
You all were just having
sex for sport or what? BROWN: Yeah, that what it was. Yeah. Basically. JUDGE LAKE: So, so... No... We been best of friends
until... BROWN: Best of friends? Yes. We have been, before all
this happened we was friends. So you wasn't helping me take
care of my kids? The kids that you... Yeah. We weren't friends?
Making sure I got to work,
making sure... Wait a minute. He was helping
you take care of
your other kids? Yes. Making sure that
I got to work. Make sure I had gas in my
truck, making sure I had... That sounds like you
were a couple to me. That's the type of person
I am. I mean... JUDGE LAKE: Oh, you're just
kind-hearted. Yeah,
I'm a kind-hearted person. That's the type
of person I am. Okay. So you all admit
you weren't in a committed
relationship? MAYO: No, weren't. JUDGE LAKE: Not even dating. You just having sex.
And he is helping you
to take care of your kids? MAYO: Yes, basically. That's new, Ron. That's new.
That's new. It's a situationship. It's a situationship? Situationship. Yeah. That's a new word. Now that's a new word. Okay.
Tell me... (LAUGHS) What was the situationship
when she told you she
was pregnant? He left.
He blocked me on everything. He blocked me on Facebook. Okay, look.
Can we take a bet. Block me on Instagram. Blocked my mama.
I wrote his mama. You blogged her mama
too, Mr. Brown? BROWN: Yeah. I did. I wrote his mama on Facebook.
He wrote back, said don't
inbox my mama. I feel like your mama should
have stepped up and
said something. JUDGE LAKE: I want to go back
to the moment you told him. What was your response
from that point on? Prior to her being pregnant
and all that, I stated from the begin, I don't want no children
I don't want no child.
Hold on. Hold on. You could have used a condom,
correct? We had a talk. I told her,
we got to get
on birth control. Lies. Okay. You never told me that. Okay, for the birth control, one day, I'm at her house
we just kicking it. You know what I mean?
She tell me to come in
her room, I come in her room. She present me with all
type of documents. Medical documents
stating that she can't
have no children. That she can't have children,
and how her last child
was never supposed to be here. How the doctor told her
that she will never have
children again. So, when she presented me
with all this, I feel like
I'm in a safety net. I got a safety zone. Like,
okay, she can't have children. Oh. BROWN: Right. So, she comes in
with all this paperwork. BROWN: Paperwork. JUDGE LAKE: Telling you,
I can't have any children. How she almost
died having her last child. He was never supposed
to be here. That's a lie. Come on, man.
You know that's the truth. JUDGE LAKE: So did you show
him this paperwork, Miss Mayo? MAYO: No. No. No.
I am keeping it real,
you keep it real. Lies. No, no. That is a lie. That is a lie.
That's a straight-up lie. JUDGE LAKE: So you never
told him that you
couldn't have children? No. No. JUDGE LAKE: You never showed
him any paperwork. No. No. You would do
a lie detector test, too? No, that's a lie. Oh, so that's why you say,
I think she trapped me. You think that she gave you
this paperwork to show you she couldn't have
children is like, a "Get out of
protected sex free" card. On many occasions we done had
this conversation. I don't want no children.
She told me,
she had told me... Did he communicate to you
Miss Mayo that he didn't
want any children? Yes. My point. Why didn't you
use a condom, if you didn't
want no children? Man, because you showed me
them papers. Why would I lie? Why would I lie
about papers? JUDGE LAKE:
So, clearly... Listen. Come on, you lie about
stupid stuff. Come on. Mr. Brown, you all understand
that having safe sex is not just about pregnancy. That's not the only issue.
I mean, you could die
from contracting diseases. And yet, you all still decided
you were gonna have sex
without protection. MAYO: Yes. Worst mistake of my life. Mine too, 'cause I hate him. JUDGE LAKE: Tell me why you're
standing in court today? Saying that you're positive
you're not the father, and that's why I haven't done
anything for these twins. 'Cause Miss Mayo is right,
I mean, taking care
of one child is expensive. Twins... Because... JUDGE LAKE: What happened
to a kind-hearted Mr. Brown? Because I didn't want this.
I stated this from the begin. I didn't want no children. They're here now... This was her whole plan
from the begin. Was to have kids by me. It was not.
Who are you? Stop playing.
Stop playing. You can front in front of
these folks, but... But you know what going
on for real. Okay. All right. Do you have any other proof,
that she was having sex
with anyone else? When I first met her,
she had sex with me on
the first night. So, how am I supposed
to view that. Come on. JUDGE LAKE: So what is
your doubt, exactly? BROWN: They don't look
like me, for one.
I get very distinct features. MAYO: Come on. Everybody
in America knows that when
newborns are born they don't look like no one. They don't look like me. Can I go to the easel? JUDGE LAKE: Oh,
you have an exhibit? Please step over. Yes,
I would like to see it. Wonder what this is? BROWN: Okay. This is me. As you can see I got
very thick eyebrows. This is a distinct
feature of me. MAYO: They was just born.
Look at Chloe's eyebrows. Look at Chloe right now. This is me. This is me. These eyebrows. This is them. That's them. JUDGE LAKE: Well, they're two
months old. They don't even
have time to grow... That many eyebrows yet. This son. He got a "M"
hairline. Which is hereditary. I got a straight hairline. <i> My father got
a straight hairline.</i> <i> My father got
a straight hairline.</i> So, how do he have
a "M" hairline? That's hereditary. That come
from whoever the father is. Which is you. You act like
they got to have everything
you have. They just two months. They don't look like no one. BROWN: And twins don't run in
my family. But they run in mine. Excuse
me, gonna stop you. Twins is
a generation in my family. My brother got a set of twins,
my aunt... It started from
my great-grandmother. Twins run in my family. Mr. Brown, I've given you
an opportunity to really
explain your doubt here. I got eyebrows and hairline. BROWN: Right. And my name... Why,
if I'm the alleged father, why she didn't name me
as the father on
the birth certificate? MAYO: Because you...
Let's answer this question. What have you done?
Was you at the hospital? JUDGE LAKE:
Well, Miss Mayo. Hold on. I think that now Mr. Brown has
come back to the courtroom. And he is asking
a valid question. If I am the father, why
wasn't I named as father. MAYO: 'Cause he wasn't there.
I mean you... For which,
you already blocked me. Did I have your number?
Whose else number you blocked? You blocked my sister's
number. I could not call him. He blocked my mama's number. You are aggravating. You right. 'Cause you need to
help take care of these twins.
You right. I'm gonna be aggravating.
I'm gonna blow your
phone apart. You right. For all while you're pregnant,
with the twins. You can't get in touch
with him. No because he blocked
my whole family. And I tried to write
his mama to let her know
what was going on. She could have been a woman, and told her son to
do something. But she didn't even
do that much. I blocked you. I blocked you. It don't matter. She handed me her phone
and asked me who was that, that's nobody. Block her. So he blocked me. That shows you what type
of guy he is. I can't get over the irony,
I mean really. Brown, before you
get pregnant, you all are friends,
and you're helping
one another out. And you're communicating,
he's helping you
with your children. You're helping him out, and
then you get pregnant. And now he is doing nothing. Nothing at all. And now you have
no communication. He doesn't even know what's
going on with Chloe. Chloe was
born deaf. Can't hear. <i> He don't know that.
He don't know nothing.
My child can't hear, at all.</i> BROWN: <i> And that's my fault?</i> Man, you can at least
be there.
I'm here with them 24/7. By myself. My child is deaf. Can't hear, nothing at all.
And you ain't doing nothing. BROWN: Man, listen... MAYO: <i> When you find out today,
are you gonna help do this,
are you gonna help do that?</i> <i> I gotta take
sign language classes,</i> do you know, like, man. You don't understand what
I go through. 6:00 in the morning
I gotta wait till it's time
for them to lay down. I got them by myself.
At the house, by myself.
No help. Well, my sister, she got
to go to work. So she leaves. So, when she there
I still have them by myself. You know how hard it is,
changing diapers,
back to back to back, feeding them, back to back
to back... BROWN: <i> But we still
are not together.
We still not together.</i> MAYO: <i> I'm glad you don't hav
to be there.</i> You gotta take care of them.
You gonna do what you
are supposed to do. I'm gonna get it one way
or another. That's her whole thing, man.
That's her whole thing. JUDGE LAKE:
What's her whole thing? That's her whole thing.
I got text messages saying
she gonna ruin my... She gonna make
my life a living hell. And I have receipts from
everything I have
bought from... JUDGE LAKE:
Let me see the evidence, now. What is this evidence,
Miss Mayo? MAYO: My expenses,
from what I have bought. JUDGE LAKE: It's upsetting you
that he is denying? Yeah. It's upsetting that
I gotta sit there and
raise two babies by myself. I'm 23 years old.
You know how hard it is,
having two babies? I wish this on no one. This is why in this courtroom
we try to talk to young women,
just like yourself. When you laying down
with any old body, they've made
no commitment to you. You not married,
you not in a relationship.
Nothing. And this is the hard thing
that I have to tell
young girls. If he hasn't said
he wants you, why would you expect for him
to say he wants children
with you? You're right. It is a lot.
I had my child when I was almost 40 years old,
and I'm telling you, some days I didn't know whether I was
coming or going. And I look at you at
20-something years old, <i> with two babies,
one with the special needs,
I can only imagine</i> <i> but I don't want to speak
negatively over your children.</i> I never want you to do
that as a mother.
You understand? Yes, Your Honor. Now, I want to understand
what you presented
to court today. MAYO: Okay,
that's my expenses.
Like, from their car seats their strollers, clothes,
bibs. Everything. JUDGE LAKE: And you've been
doing this by yourself? Yes, ma'am. They has formula.
They both on different milk. So, Carter's formula is more
expensive than Chloe's. 'Cause Carter was in an ICU
for four weeks. So they put him on another
type of formula which is like
$32 a can. JUDGE LAKE: Understood.
So, we've got clothes, <i> baby needs, milk, toiletries.</i> Totaling $2,000, which is why
you're suing Mr. Brown
for $1,000, because he would be
responsible for half if he's
in fact the biological father. MAYO: Yes, Your Honor. On top of that,
Miss Mayo, you've also
submitted to the court projected medical expenses
for Chloe will be... Because you said
she was born deaf. MAYO: Yes. And so she's going
to need support <i> in the form of education,
you gonna need
special education classes.</i> Learn how to sign.
You spoke about that. Hearing aid, and also an
implant surgery. MAYO: <i> Yes, Your Honor.</i> JUDGE LAKE:<i>
This expenses total $216,550.</i> Almost a quarter
of a million dollars. To support
this beautiful little girl.
And this is just a piece. And I can see that it hurts
you and it concerns you. Mmm-hmm. And look, let's be honest,
this is scary. Very scary. He don't even know that. He
just finding this out today. You think he care? No. I care when
I hear the results. Look, you the one set
up in here... When you came in
here talking about, "I'm just a kind person.
Your Honor." "Her other children,
I just helped her out." So, you are trying
to tell me now, that you have
no empathy, or compassion. I got compassion... For a young child that's
born and can't hear? Yeah. I got compassion. JUDGE LAKE: And this mother
that used to be your friend
and help you out, is up against these type
of expenses and challenges? Raising the children? MAYO: That show you
the type of man he is.
'Cause he don't care. He don't care. JUDGE LAKE: Miss Mayo, I have
to ask you this before
I go to the results. Mr. Brown's been honest
about the fact that he
just feels like he's unsure, because you all had sex
so quickly. Unprotected. Well, she might have done it
with somebody else. Is there anybody else? MAYO: No. No. JUDGE LAKE: All right.
Let's go to the results. Ron, I'm ready. RON: Your Honor. Because the twins are
fraternal that basically means that they are like siblings
born at the same time. So, we had to perform
two separate DNA tests. Do you understand? These results were prepared
by DNA Diagnostics
and they read as follows. Her whole plan from the begin
was to have kids by me. In the case of <i> Mayo v. Brown,</i> when it comes to
2-month-old Carter Mayo and 2-month-old Chloe Mayo it has been determined
by this court Mr. Brown, you are the father. (AUDIENCE APPLAUDS) What you gonna do now? I'm gonna take care
of my children, man.
Come on, man. MAYO: We'll see. MAYO: Well, let me say
this before we adjourn. Mr. Brown, these are your
biological children. BROWN: Yeah. I know that now. JUDGE LAKE: All right.
So you know that now
for certain. Yeah. JUDGE LAKE: Because of that, you are required
by law to take care of them. I'm gonna take care,
she's gonna take care
of our children. Financially, and you also have
the legal right to see them. And be involved
in their lives. Miss Mayo came to court suing
for $1,000. That's half of the
child-rearing expenses, she presented evidence,
and you in fact owe her that. For that reason, judgment is
for the plaintiff for $1,000. You understand? BROWN: Yes, Your Honor. JUDGE LAKE: I want to talk
to you both in my chambers, because this situation
is serious. And I wanna make sure
you understand, that she's going to need your
help with these babies. And you gonna need to step up. I'll meet you
in my chambers.
Court is adjourned. Well, this is
a beautiful sight. Yes. It is. JUDGE LAKE: How does it feel,
Mr. Brown? They my children. JUDGE LAKE: They are. During... In our court session
you expressed, Miss Mayo, that your little girl
is experiencing some issues
with her hearing. And because of that
I wanted you to know that
we wanted to support you. And we wanted to get you
10 classes, two hours a day to learn sign language. Thank you. We wish you
the very best of luck. MAYO: Thank you.
