Please be seated. Hello, Your Honor. Hello. This is the case
of<i> Rayford v. Freeman.</i> Thank you, Jerome.
Good day everyone. ALL: Good day. Ms. Rayford, you say Mr. Freeman's inability
to be honest has landed you smack
in the middle
of a love triangle that produced your
8-month-old son, Terry, whom he now denies. JUDGE LAKE: You say
that after begging you
to have his child, Mr. Freeman abruptly left
your relationship, returned to his fiance, and started denying your baby.
Is that correct? Yes, it is. JUDGE LAKE:
Mr. Freeman. You say, Ms. Rayford
was nothing more than a fling who is now obsessed with you and
your fiance, Ms. Triplett. You claim that during your
brief time with Ms. Rayford, she was sleeping with
multiple men and there is no way you are her son's father.
Is that correct? Correct, Your Honor. All right, so, Ms. Rayford, Terry is eight months old. JUDGE LAKE: What has
Mr. Freeman
done for him? Mr. Freeman hasn't
done nothing. He has been a deadbeat. He refuses to step
up to the plate ever since he got
with this trip. I mean, Ms. Triplett. Hello, first of all. (AUDIENCE EXCLAIMING) Hello, first of all. Ladies, ladies, ladies. Ladies, ladies, ladies. All right. I'm awake now. (AUDIENCE LAUGHING) That erupted from
zero to 100 in a less than
one second. Wow! Let's bring it down a notch. I just want the world
to know today that this is his son. So he could step up and be the man
he needs to be for his first child, his son,
Terry Michel Rayford and the name needs to be
changed to Freeman. You need to grow up
and be a man. Hello, first of all... Don't let this woman
dictate to you about you being a father. JUDGE LAKE: Hold on! Hold on! Just be there for your son. You like to clown. Your son will love it. <i> He loves to laugh and play.</i> <i> Play with him and not me.</i> (AUDIENCE LAUGHING) <i> He knows he's the father.</i> It's not an issue of paternity. It's the issue of him
being responsible. JUDGE LAKE: Ms. Triplett,
give me a minute. Ms. Rayford, just look at me. Please be an offence. JUDGE LAKE: Listen, listen. (AUDIENCE CHUCKLING) (EXHALES SHARPLY) JUDGE LAKE: I know why you're upset. Lord, have mercy. And I'm letting you
kind of scream it out. 'Cause I can see
how frustrated you are. RAYFORD: I am. I really am. JUDGE LAKE: So, now listen. I'm sorry, Your Honor. I'll bring it all down. JUDGE LAKE: Eh, listen. JUDGE LAKE: I wanna hear
from Mr. Freeman.
(SIGHS) Because Ms. Rayford has made
some very strong accusations about your being irresponsible
to this child. Is this because
you do not believe Terry is your biological son? I don't believe
he is my son. I tried multiple times
to come to Trina house and, uh,
deliver stuff... I brought things
for the child,
you know... She's neglecting me. Told me I don't need... I don't need your stuff, uh... Okay. JUDGE LAKE: Ms. Rayford, has Mr. Freeman taken
things over to Terry and you told him
you don't need his stuff? Are you referring to
when you brought that dresser thing? Nah, he's referring to
the stuff that he bought with Pampers, clothes
and stuff like that.
Girl, stop playing. RAYFORD: So you know every move
that man make, huh? TRIPLETT: No. Hold on! He made a wrong move
when he went out with you. JUDGE LAKE: Hold on! Oh, you're jealous.
You wish that was
your son, huh? Jealous? How can
I be jealous? You wish that
was your son, huh? JUDGE LAKE:
Ms. Rayford, Ms. Rayford! How can I be jealous? (AUDIENCE EXCLAIMING) JUDGE LAKE: Ms. Rayford
focus on me. The only thing I refused
was on this particular day, he was saying it,
he had came by once. And he had brought
a few items for the baby. JUDGE LAKE: So in your mind,
when he brought
those things, he was accepting Terry. He was saying
this is for the baby. RAYFORD: Yeah! Yeah, he had been
accepting Terry. He was there at the hospital. He said, "Yeah, he looks
just like me." He said, "I acknowledge
he's our son." TRIPLETT: No, Your Honor. RAYFORD: You don't know
what he said. JUDGE LAKE: Hey, hey!
Ms. Triplett,
Ms. Triplett! Ms. Triplett! I'm give y'all a chance. RAYFORD: Like she was there
in the room with him. So, Ms. Rayford, I know you wish
he was, huh? No way I was,
you nasty tramp. (AUDIENCE LAUGHING) JUDGE LAKE: Ms. Ray...
Hold... Your mom is not here. JUDGE LAKE: Listen! Listen! Ladies! Ladies! Ladies! You all are making
fools of yourselves. JUDGE LAKE: This is
absolutely ridiculous. Mr. Freeman why are you here? I'm here today
to prove that I'm not
Trina's baby daddy. Me and Trina was together.
It was only just a fling. Trina was still having sex
with multiple guys. Ah, she's obsessed with me. He believes you were still
having sex with other people. Is that true? No, it's not true.
We met in December. Um, we met on a dating site. Hmm, a dating site. And Ms. Triplett I'm gonna
ask you while she's testifying, just keep your lips quiet. TRIPLETT: Yes, Your Honor. Talking, just stop, just stop. Yes, ma'am. Y'all both too old for this. RAYFORD: Amen! JUDGE LAKE: Now,
answer the question. We met in December
on a dating site. <i> It was New Year's
and it wasn't...</i> <i> I wasn't
expecting a baby
and all these shenanigans</i> out of the situation. So, I picked him up
and we hung out. Brought in New Year's,
we had a good time. Now, I came from
California to Memphis and when I came to Memphis,
I met two men. And I probably should've
went with the first but he was the second one. The first and the... And the relationship
kind of overlapped. Okay. RAYFORD: I'm mature enough
to know... (TRIPLETT COUGHS) I'm good enough to know that you know
when you have sex you wear a condom. (TRIPLETT COUGHS) And, so I did do that
with the other guy in January. So, fast-forward. He decided
'cause he have... He had knew about
the other guy
'cause I told him. And so he said,
"Well, I want to
be with you exclusively." And we're planning on
moving in together. (COUGHS) By the end of February we did. JUDGE LAKE:
Ms. Triplett, if you got a cough
you can't control,
we can send you home and you can deal with it and
get you some medicine. Yes, ma'am. TRIPLETT: I'm okay. (AUDIENCE LAUGHING) I might need that after this. JUDGE LAKE: Okay, it... We can. Yes, ma'am. I've asked you
at least two times now. Just stop being ignorant. (COUGHING) Just stop! If you want more episodes
of Paternity Court Make sure to subscribe
and click on
the notification bell. JUDGE LAKE: Ms. Rayford,
so you all decided
in February, y'all said, "Now we're gonna be
in a committed relationship." Yes. How do we end up here? Okay, I had to go to California
to take care of some business. And so we were
living together
at that time. So, he didn't have money
for a plane ticket, and because we were
expecting a child. It was...
It was not responsible to buy him a plane ticket
where he didn't need to go
where he had a job. JUDGE LAKE:
So, you're pregnant? Yes, I'm pregnant.
By this time, end of February
I'm pregnant. Your Honor, she was
not pregnant before she went
to California. JUDGE LAKE: Okay, stop!
Now this is where
it gets interesting. Now Ms. Triplett,
I want to know from you. Yes, ma'am. Were you with Mr. Freeman
during the time? Yeah! That in February... You both had started dating? Yes, ma'am, I was. Yes! And having sex? Yes. (AUDIENCE EXCLAIMING) So, now Ms. Rayford,
when you went to California
you were already pregnant? I never... I never
saw proof that
she was pregnant. She never told you
she was pregnant? Never told me. JUDGE LAKE: Now,
Ms. Triplett
do you remember hearing anything about
Ms. Rayford being pregnant
at the end of February? I have heard of it,
but he never
pretend to me that... That she'll show any proof... JUDGE LAKE: How did you
hear it? From Terry and her telling Terry. (AUDIENCE EXCLAIMING) But Mr. Freeman you said
you didn't know anything
about a pregnancy? So, how could you
tell Ms. Triplett? We... 'Cause he was tryin'
to keep it real with me because we was trying to get
our stuff back together. So, now we see what's going on. So, Mr. Freeman... Hold on! TRIPLETT: So the man
is not lying. Mr. Freeman, you going back
and forth between
these two women. (AUDIENCE COOS) JUDGE LAKE:
All this time? No wonder you're so quiet. Hmm. (AUDIENCE LAUGHING) But now we know. You all both got everything
to do with it. While I was gone to California, he was back
fraternizing with her. Gambling, hoarding,
being irresponsible. Did you go with anybody?
Date anybody?
Sleep with anybody? RAYFORD: I was pregnant!
I wasn't thinking about
no other man. My man was supposed
to be in Memphis 'cause we were living together. All right, hold on!
You submitted a calendar
to the court... RAYFORD: Yes, I did. ...and I wanna understand
what this calendar shows. This calendar says...
Can you explain? Yes, okay. What it says? RAYFORD: February 15th. <i> I'm gonna use that date,
my birthday.</i> <i> That we had sex
although it was busy month.</i> (AUDIENCE COOING) Wait a minute! A busy month? How busy was it? Oh, it was too busy. It was too busy. (AUDIENCE LAUGHING) Because by the end of it... By the end of it,
I was pregnant. I found out I was pregnant. When you say busy,
you were sleeping
with other guys. RAYFORD: It was good.
I ain't gonna lie. It's good. Two minutes
at a time is good. That's why I'm here. (AUDIENCE LAUGHING) RAYFORD: I messed up.
God, forgive me. This is my punishment
and I take that. But I learned my lesson.
I'm on birth control and I'm gonna get baptized
'cause this is just too
far gone. (ALL LAUGHING) Lord, I'm sorry.
I don't deserve this. All of this! Okay, Jerome, look.
Whatever leads him
to the Lord. Right? You know what, lean on the Lord.
That's all I can say. Amen! Yes, Lord.
So, let's go to the... (AUDIENCE LAUGHS) So, what is the next page
of your calendar? Okay, so the conception
window... Okay, the baby was born
November seventh. <i> And I have some more proof
of the conception window</i> <i> which is between
the ninth and the fifteenth.</i> <i> That covered his birthday,
Valentine's Day,</i> <i> and my birthday.</i> So the bottom line is that your testimony
and your evidence shows that Terry's birthday
of November seventh puts the window of conception
at the very week that you said you all were
extremely sexually active because it was your birthday,
his birthday
and Valentine's Day, fell all in the same. Yeah, that's what I said.
It's not an issue of paternity because he may lie, she... Well, he lie, she lie
but that ain't lying. TRIPLETT: You lying, too. But that ain't lying. The DNA test ain't lying. Everything matches up
to what I'm saying. I don't have no reason
to lie on this man. Listen, listen. Mr. Freeman, as you look
at this timeline, is it your testimony, you were not intimate
with Ms. Rayford at all between February ninth through the fourteenth? It probably was
a couple of day
but I was... JUDGE LAKE: Wait! Hold on!
Don't start mumbling. JUDGE LAKE: Don't start
mumbling. I was wrapped up. JUDGE LAKE: Hold on!
Hold on, Mr. Freeman.
You said what? We probably had sex
a couple of times but I always used a condom. You couldn't afford no condom. JUDGE LAKE: Okay. So wait a minute. Were you also still with
Ms. Triplett at this time? Yes. Wow! JUDGE LAKE: All right! (AUDIENCE EXCLAIMS) JUDGE LAKE: So, now
you are admitting, you were basically
having sex with Ms. Triplett and with Ms. Rayford
at the same time. It was only
just a fling. JUDGE LAKE: Wha...
Look listen, listen. He's saying that now. Flings produce babies. WOMAN: Yup! If you don't know that, now you know. You said you had
additional doubt based upon a phone call. FREEMAN: Yes. Which phone call is this? She called me... "It's a possibility
baby's not be... "Might not be yours. "I had sex with another guy..." and all this. Were you alone
when you got this call? FREEMAN: No, I was laying
with her, Your Honor. What happened, Ms. Triplett? Yes, Your Honor. I was laying
right beside my Terry-terry. That's my Terry-terry.
You cannot have him. Yes, it is. TRIPLETT: Your Honor,
she was drunk at confession. "Ah, it might be
another man's baby, Terry. "Uh, you're not the daddy. "Somebody else
might be the daddy." You know what... That's what all
at the beginning what it was. He was never the daddy
from the beginning. So, why don't you
just wake up and stop being obsessed
with my Terry-terry, and leave us
the heck alone, and go along
with your life. (AUDIENCE EXCLAIMS) JUDGE LAKE: Ms. Rayford,
is that true? No, she has came around. His family has been
supportive of me. So what are you talking about is just they pulling up stuff
from everywhere. From the chair there, and his pocket, their pockets and purses. (AUDIENCE LAUGHING) Just any excuse. Anything but
the right thing
would do. JUDGE LAKE: Because you feel
like they don't want him
to be the father? They don't want
to be responsible. JUDGE LAKE: So, listen... I don't wanna be the period... You don't want
to be the father. JUDGE LAKE: Okay.
So, wait, wait, wait! You don't wanna be. JUDGE LAKE: Listen! Just be honest. Just say what it really is. Calm down, calm down. I will say that a part of... There was authenticity
in a part of what I just saw from Mr. Freeman's testimony. And you looked over at her and you were just like,
you don't wanna be the father. You don't wanna be
bothered with her. Not at all. JUDGE LAKE:
And I can tell that. But what I have not
in this courtroom seen is definitive testimony. Besides maybe this phone call that it's still in question
whether it happened. But you keep saying
what you don't wanna be. RAYFORD: Mmm-hmm. And that has no bearing
on the DNA. So, your hope today is that
you are not Terry's father. Even though this child
has your name, you don't wanna be
this child's father. I can't deal with Trina. RAYFORD: Why you can't
deal with me? Trina is too much. JUDGE LAKE: All right.
So, so, hold on. How am I too much? That is actually
being responsible.
She lied to me... JUDGE LAKE: Hold on! So, it's not that you
don't wanna be Terry's father. It's just that
you have reservations, and you are concerned, and you really don't want
to deal with Ms. Rayford. Because of the relationship. Right. JUDGE LAKE: Okay. Finally, some honesty. JUDGE LAKE:
All right! Oh! That's what we've got for you. Some honesty. Some truth. RAYFORD: Happens... Absolute truth. Jerome, the envelope please. RAYFORD: Yeah. (AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) These results were prepared
by DNA Diagnostics and they read as follows... In the case of<i>
Rayford v. Freeman</i> when it comes to
8-month-old
Terry Rayford... JUDGE LAKE: It has been
determined by this court Mr. Freeman... Yes. JUDGE LAKE: You... Are... Not... RAYFORD: Keep hope alive but you're wrong today. (AUDIENCE LAUGHS) JUDGE LAKE:
You are the father. (SCREAMS) No! No! No! (AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) We can not go through
17 more years of
this vicious woman. See, something wrong. TRIPLETT: No, it can't. RAYFORD: Something
wrong with you. Something wrong with that girl. TRIPLETT: Yeah, something
wrong with me? Hold on! Hold on! Listen. Problem's for me because something
wrong with her. And I'm not subjecting
my child to that. JUDGE LAKE:
Listen! You're his father. Just like Ms. Rayford said
you were. And you just lie. You can't... You do this to me for what?
For what? TRIPLETT: Well, it
doesn't matter anyway
no more, Judge. We got what we came for. RAYFORD: It does matter! It does matter! So let's move forward. TRIPLETT: You and I
are not done. Ladies! Ladies! Ladies! When I read that result, and Ms. Triplett, you went
to screaming "No, no, no, no!" TRIPLETT: Mmm-hmm. I thought to myself,
"Oh, Mr. Freeman
got decisions to make." It ain't with me. Hold on!
Now it's my time to talk. TRIPLETT: Yes, Your Honor. I'm concerned... RAYFORD: Me too. That this child is going
to be subjected to this level of
toxic behavior. JUDGE LAKE: At this point,
Mr. Freeman and Terry Junior... RAYFORD: The Third. The third. They're a package. So, he your Terry-terry, and this your
Terry-terry-terry. He the third. (AUDIENCE LAUGHS) Yes Your Honor. JUDGE LAKE: No, I'm serious.
I'm not being funny here. So, you gotta change
your attitude. Or like I said Mr. Freeman,
you got a decision to make. As soon as I read that result,
that became your son. Mmm-hmm! And you better stand up
and make sure people know how to
respect your son and respect his space. And treat him
with honor and dignity. (AUDIENCE APPLAUDING) Now Ms. Rayford,
you ain't off the hook. 'Cause I know
you're over that crying 'cause you've
been through a lot. But you gotta
get yourself together. I know. 'Cause there are men who don't see their sons
and their kids because their women
are over there acting like you. And guess who loses out? The child. JUDGE LAKE: The child. Just be the mother
of this innocent child and let all the nonsense
flow under the bridge. RAYFORD: Okay. And you gotta
keep your mouth shut. All right. Because you're gonna
ruin it for your son and he deserves
to know his dad. I'm sending you all
off to Dr. Jeff. Dr. Jeff got
his hands full today. (RAYFORD SOBBING) Start talking to him. Figure out how to raise
this beautiful little boy and do better by him. I'm done with it.
Court is adjourned.
