You may be seated. Hello, Your Honor. Hello. This is the case of <i>
Sousis v. Payne.</i> Thank you Jerome.
Good day, everyone. AUDIENCE: Good day. Ms. Sousis, you have
dragged the defendant into court today
because you say, it's his mother's fault
he's denying your
ten-month-old daughter A'laylianna, you claim
when the DNA results
prove he is the father, you want
the defendant's name added
to her birth certificate. Is that correct? Yes, Your Honor. JUDGE LAKE: Mr. Payne,
you and your mother say, the plaintiff's
sneaky behavior during your on-and-off
three year relationship
has led you both to believe she is a liar. You say you need
the DNA results, or you're not
signing anything. Yes, Your Honor. All right, so Ms. Sousis,
why has this relationship been
on-and-off for three years? Cause he's just so jealous
and insecure about himself, like, everywhere I go
he think I'm doing something. If I go to the store, I got to
be back in a certain time,
like, he just crazy. Your Honor, she...
Your Honor, she's lying. She been out there,
Facebook messages. KENYETTA ZACKERY: You guys,
they're both jealous.
They both jealous. Of course I'm jealous,
you were my boyfriend
for almost three years. And why wouldn't
I be jealous? You was my girl. How old are you guys? SOUSIS: I'm 19. PAYNE: I'm 20. All right.
There we go. (ALL CHUCKLING) You all engage in
adult activities, but you're still
acting like kids. Right? (AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) So you say, Mr. Payne,
she's sneaky. PAYNE: Yeah. And that's what leads
you to doubt paternity. The first day after
we started talking, she went to the movies
with some other guy. Facebook messages,
telling her ex, she love him
this, this and that. Yeah, but the next day you did
something with another girl, and you was just telling,
your ex, you loved her.
So, what's the difference? No, she's lying.
You lying in court. SOUSIS: I don't
need to lie. So, Ms. Sousis,
you did contact your ex? Yeah, I said I care for him.
I never said I loved him. He told his ex
he loved her. And I did go to the movies
with a boy, okay? What is that
supposed to mean? For nine hours? What movie is
nine hours? And you all were in
a relationship on and off
for three years? Yes. What happened
when you told him
you were pregnant? SOUSIS: He was happy. For a minute.
And then... I don't know, there we go
with the DNA test stuff, so... What was your response,
Mr. Payne? I was happy and shocked
at the same time. Cause I felt like
it happened fast. Cause we had just
got back together. SOUSIS: Yes. JUDGE LAKE: <i> How soon after y</i>■<i>
got back together did...</i> PAYNE: <i> Two weeks.</i> KENYETTA: <i> It seemed
like right away.</i> <i> That's the only reason
why I questioned her.</i> Because the first time
she was pregnant twice, the first time she got
pregnant, I knew without
a doubt it was his. Because she didn't go
anywhere. I couldn't
get rid of her. This time they kept
breaking up.
They break so much, and they were broken up,
I think they were
broken up for a month or something like that. SOUSIS: Yes. They got back together
and she got pregnant. Yes, we had sex. And in like a month of it...
Yes, I was pregnant... But instantly, when she said
she was pregnant, I told her from the beginning,
just because you all broke up, that I wanted
a DNA test. I did tell you
from the beginning. Yes. I'm not gonna put no baby on
somebody I don't know that... I understand that,
but it's just that,
you know, they broke up. And then it just,
it really did seem, like,
it just happened right away, you know, I'm like,
"It hasn't even been
a month." We did have sex without
a condom, so it probably
did happen right away. So you're saying two weeks
after getting back together, you take this test. Yes. And it's positive? Yes. And so you said,
"We're not doing anything
till we get a DNA test." I said, me personally,
I wanted a DNA test to
make sure that it was his. And I told him that
he should get a DNA test because they both
do things to each other. It seems like
they go tit-for-tat. "Oh, you're talking to a guy?
Imma go talk to this girl." "You're talking to a girl?
Imma go talk to this guy." They do this.
This is what they do. Yes, I did it. Yeah. I'm not innocent. This is what they do. But I'm not gonna put
no baby that's not yours. I'm not innocent either. SOUSIS: And I wouldn't
ask you to be there, through the pregnancy,
if it's not your child. But I was there through
the pregnancy. But you really weren't. But I wasn't though? How? Because you wanted
to stay away. How? Yes, I did... JUDGE LAKE: So,
what happened during
the pregnancy? There was a time when
someone came up to me, in a supermarket
and Ms. Sousis and
my son knows about this. A lady comes up to me,
and she goes, um, "Yeah, well, you're right
to want a DNA test because "she moves around."
This lady, she knows. I came home and told him
and he told her. Everybody got something
to say about me. Right. But I don't know
this lady, you understand? So it's weird for someone
to just come up to me out
of the blue first of all, I'm like, "How does she know
about me wanting a DNA test?" You understand
what I'm saying? Second of all, like,
"Who are you?" I don't know the lady. And so someone
out the blue just says, Yeah. they make a comment
about Ms. Sousis. SOUSIS: Somebody always got
something to say about me. All right, and so
when the baby was born,
what happened? Um, he was there. He didn't sign
the birth certificate. Obviously,
we're here now. And, um, he was there
for, like, two months and
then he just disappeared. PAYNE: <i> No, I did not.
She didn't want
to be around me.</i> KENYETTA: <i> We live in
the same complex. So it's,
kind of, hard to disappear.</i> Ms. Sousis, what are you
feeling right now? You're so angry,
I can see it. What's upsetting you
the most? (BREATHING DEEPLY) JUDGE LAKE:
Take your time. I've been doing this for
so long by myself, it's, like,
I'm just fed up. She ain't had to be alone.
She chose to. That that was on her. Yeah, 'cause who was
there for me? She chose to... JUDGE LAKE:
Wait, wait, wait. Mr. Payne says you didn't
have to be alone. Why did you choose to
do this by yourself? 'Cause I've been independent
for so long,
for so many years by myself. I was used to it.
So it was, like... Did you want him to be
there and help you? Yes, I did. I'm confused as to why you
didn't allow him to help you. I did. He just...
We just argued too much. Which was too much
around my daughter. And I want that all
around her, so... JUDGE LAKE: Okay. Okay. There was a time when
Ms. Sousis was, like, she's... We were really close.
We used to be really close. But she was always around me,
if she needed me I was there. It's the back and forth
between them. They're breaking up.
They're doing things
to hurt each other. I just don't want to be
bothered, you know what
I'm saying? I feel bad that
she's alone. I let her know that if
the paternity test come up,
that this is ours, I'm going to be there.
She won't be by herself. But I told her
when she got pregnant and you told me,
I told you. I said, "This is
something you're going
to do by yourself." You've realized that. Yeah. And you know why? I told you,
I was a teenage mother, too. And they don't stick around. Yes. I'm just mad at... Even if, if it says like... It took you guys ten months
just to do this, like. PAYNE: <i> You kept her with you.</i> <i> No, I did not.</i> <i> You're not telling
the whole story.
Don't do that.</i> (OVERLAPPING CONVERSATIONS) SOUSIS:<i>
How did I keep her away?</i> PAYNE: You told them that
I didn't do nothing at all. You disappeared.
You come in and out
of our life. How did I disappear if you
just told her you did not me
around you? I did. I did. You're not making
no sense. JUDGE LAKE:
Let's get some order.
Let's get some order. Why so much anger? What is going on
between the two of you? 'Cause they love each other. What type of relationship
does A'laylianna with
Mr. Payne and his mom? She just cries, like,
she just cries. She don't even know them. That's what type of
relationship she has
with them. JUDGE LAKE: And so for
the past ten months you've been raising her
on your own. Not on my own, like,
yeah, he comes in. Like I say,
he comes in and out.
I don't like that. If you're going to
stay out, stay out. If you're going to
come in, come in. Like if she knows
you're her dad, stay in. If I asked you
if you need help, and you want me to be there
and you tell me, "No." What more can I do?
Am I supposed to stalk
you every day, to help you out? (ARGUING) How is it a problem?
How is it a problem? Well, get her formula.
It's a problem. And what did I do? And what did I do? Well, you know her diapers,
it was a Pampers, all right? All right, then. Okay. When you just asked,
what did I do? What did you do? What did I do? You said you needed
a stroller, you ain't even put
the stroller up. Because it's blue.
Because the color's blue. I'm not going to put her
in no blue stroller. So now we're fighting over
the color of the stroller? PAYNE: Yeah. This is problematic. This really is, um, sad. KENYETTA: Yes, it's heated.
Because we all... No, 'cause really I, kind of,
let the argument go
for a minute, because I want
to try to understand
what you're arguing about. I mean, what is it? But it's very superficial. It's just, I don't know,
it's just madness. Really, it is. "I'm doing this by myself." "I'm angry because
I'm doing this by myself." "Well, okay,
I'll try to be here." "Well, no. I don't
want you to be here." "Well, what did I do?"
Uh, it just... Why haven't you been able
to have a conversation? This child is
ten months old. I wouldn't keep her away,
but it takes you this long just to step up as a father.
That's crazy. JUDGE LAKE: So,
what you're feeling, and that's why I asked you
what you were feeling. Because sometimes we have
to be honest about where we
are and what we feel. So we can figure out
how to or where to go. Are you hurt because
the relationship did
not work out? No, I don't care about that. You don't care
about the relationship. I just want him
to be her father. I'm more hurt about her
and him. They don't have
a relationship. Mr. Payne, you say
you stepped up somewhat. But you say
she also pushes you away. Look, she a good mom.
I can't take that away
from her, but... But at the end of the day
she did sometimes... All right, sometimes
I do stay away from
her a little bit, because what could I do?
She don't want... JUDGE LAKE: Is it because
she doesn't want you around, or is it because
you have doubt? SOUSIS: Yes, yes! No, it's both. Either of the other week
or every other month, "It's his and it's not his." "Oh, come get your baby." It's the same.
It's reapeating. JUDGE LAKE: The cycle
keeps continuing. I want to understand,
specifically,
what are your doubts? It's just cause of
the beginning, like, we was both doing us before
we got back together, I know how she moves,
she know how I move. JUDGE LAKE:
So you were broken
up or on a break? Yeah. Or broken up. And then we got back together. And she was
dating other people, you were dating
other people. I wasn't dating nobody. I can't say she was dating
anybody but I know we was
both fooling around. Do you know or have proof
that she actually had sex
with someone else? I seen her at a party
with a dude, and that was...
That was a couple weeks
before we got back together. That's the last thing
I could say. During the break up,
were you having sex
during the break-up? No, we don't talk to each
other until we decided we
miss each other. Then that's it.
Then that's when
we have sex. And that's round the time
we missed each other,
and we had sex. And I got pregnant. JUDGE LAKE: Ms. Sousis,
when you were broken up, did you date
anybody else at all? No. You didn't? No. Yeah, I've talked to
boys, of course. What female doesn't? JUDGE LAKE: You talk to them,
but you weren't sleeping with
them? No, I wasn't sleeping
with nobody. KENYETTA: Excuse me,
Your Honor, there was
another situation, I think I told you too, Lacee. A lady, her daughter
goes to the school pretty much with Lacee
and she was saying, "Oh, she talks to this guy,
and this girl and this guy." Like just everybody. Everyone, no one... Everybody gonna say
anything they want. Right, but no one has
anything good to say,
you know what I'm saying? I know how that goes,
but you understand? That's my doubt. So wait, someone approaches
you at the Rex Center? KENYETTA: (CHUCKLES) Yes. They always saying
bad at me, "I'm a ho." "I'm this. I'm that."
But does anybody really
know me? No. But when I confront people,
nobody got nothing to say. So I was, like... Is there anything in your past
that would warrant them spreading these rumors
about you? SOUSIS: Yeah. Yes. Yeah. There is. Okay. So that's what we're here
to do, is tell the truth. Yeah. But then when you
met Mr. Payne,
those things changed? Yes. And so when people speak
negatively about you, that's what they're
probably referring to. Is my past. And you're saying that,
"That is not who I am now." Yes. JUDGE LAKE: Okay. In your court papers
you say, that he's not on
A'laylianna's birth
certificate. Yes, that's another reason
why I didn't let him take
her as much. KENYETTA: <i> I told him,
"If you have any doubts...</i> <i> "Don't sign it
if you have any doubts.</i> <i> "Get the DNA test first,"
Like y'all doing now.</i> I had a doubt and it is sad
that it took ten months... SOUSIS: It's sad,
yes, it is sad. ...for it to happen. But at least
it can happen today. And if it is my child...
Imma step up all the way. SOUSIS: Good. A hundred percent.
You don't got to say good. 'Cause I know
what Imma do. (AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) JUDGE LAKE: So he's not
on the birth certificate? No. And that upset you as well? Yeah. And explain. If he would've signed
the birth certificate, he could've been at
his daughter's every day. He could've took her
anywhere he want, so... But because he didn't sign it, you felt like
he rejected her. I felt like, I have
to hit them up first. Um, or like all the time. (STUTTERING) I've hit her up
and she don't respond. Every time you saw
my daughter was... I have to wait for you. ...I have a job! I have to wait for you. If you're not going to
respond to me, why am I
gonna hit you up, Lacee? When do you hit me up? Are you crazy? Come on. So... Now, you're playing
around when you know, if you're mad at him,
you're mad at me. No, I'm not. Yes, you are, you've
always been that way. He does that. No, I don't. You've always
been that way. No, I have not.
You'll be like, "Oh." Him too know. Do you hear yourself?
You can't see the baby, dada. The last time
we had her at your house, I told you,
specifically myself. You come see
your granddaughter
whenever you want. Then after her I never
heard from you again. Because I felt alone,
like, neither of y'all care. Okay. She doesn't make sense
if I hit her up,
she don't response. There was times
when I was arguing with her, And I had to show him. and she won't talk to me,
I tell her to call to
get the baby. No answer. No response. No, and
I don't like... Don't come out!
In and out of her life! Do you think you can
just leave for two months and then come back
and get your daughter? What mother is going to give How am I coming in... their daughter? I just need the results. JUDGE LAKE:
Let's talk one at a time. Young people. Young people.
Young people. Young people.
Ah... (SIGHS) You all just...
You know so little
about life. And you have
so much responsibility. It's obvious that you all
have a lot of unfinished
business, and a lot of love
between the two of you. And it's puppy love. So it's new,
'cause you all are young. You know
when I look at them,
I think about like... Remember when you're like
in third grade, Jerome, and the boy that always is
the meanest to you,
that's the one that likes you. JEROME: Absolutely. You know and they just... Ooh, boy! They just worry
your nerves all day. You all have that dynamic. And it's not that
you're mean to her,
Mr. Payne, it's not that. It's just you all
have that puppy love. You can't describe it. You don't understand it. You don't know
how to process this. But the problem is
you are having
sex unprotected, and making children. And now she's in
the center of this, <i> this immature love
you're experiencing.</i> And it's a problem because
you gotta grow up. Now I have the results
for you. Jerome. These results were prepared
by DNA Diagnostics and
they read as follows. In the case of<i>
Sousis v. Payne,</i> when it comes to ten month old
A'laylianna Sousis-Payne, it has been determined
by this court... JUDGE LAKE: Mr. Payne, you... Are the father. Thank you. All right. I'm happy. Now I'm happy.
Now I could be happy. PAYNE: All right. I'm happy to see that smile, I think this is the first time
both of you have smiled today. Right? Right? So good.
We've gotten to happy. Now we have
to get to healthy. (AUDIENCE CHUCKLING) Right? Right? (AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) And you even look
emotional, Mr. Payne. KENYETTA: He is.
He's gonna cry. (SOUSIS GIGGLING) JUDGE LAKE: And you know
what? That's okay. I always say, "There's
nothing wrong with shedding
a tear over a child." KENYETTA: That's right. She's a beautiful
little girl. How do you feel in
this moment as a new... I just want
to say sorry to her... Go ahead. ...for denying it. And with what,
with the stuff that
I put her through. (AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) JUDGE LAKE: Let me give you...
I think that was well said. SOUSIS: (CRIES)
Your apology is accepted. JUDGE LAKE: Aw... JUDGE LAKE: Now
that's a start, right? But if you guys
leave here today, and go back in to that zone
of that fightin', then that's going
to affect her. So we have to really work
on how we talk to one another. You know we have
counseling for you all. And I want you all
to sit down and talk, and start working on
how to communicate. You're still very young.
Even old folks don't do
it well. That's right. So I want you
to understand, but you're young and so
you have less life experience, and so you really don't
have a lot to draw on. So you have to be open
to learning, right? Yes. But you have even
more incentive because you all have
this beautiful little girl. And the atmosphere
in which she's raised has a direct effect
on how she grows. What she thinks
about herself. Her future.
The possibilities
for her life. Whether she feels
loved and safe, right? So we have to do
the right thing,
all right? I see you can't stop
staring at your little
girl, Mr. Payne. And I love that. So now we've got
to do the work, okay? Okay. Yes. All right. I wish you
the very best of luck. Court is adjourned.
