JUDGE LAKE: You may be seated. JEROME: Hello, Your Honor. JUDGE LAKE: Hello. JEROME: This is the case of<i>
Robinson v. Long.</i> JUDGE LAKE: Thank you Jerome.
Good day everyone. AUDIENCE: Good day. Miss Robinson, you're back
in court today because you say
your mother Ms. Harms has continued to commit
paternity fraud. She's now claiming her
ex-boyfriend, Mr. Long, is your biological father. But you believe
she's lying. Yes. Ms. Harms, you say
your daughter's suit
has no merit. And today you will prove
Mr. Long is her father. Yes, Your Honor. Mr. Long is here.
But like you Miss Robinson has strong doubts about
your paternity. We'll meet in a few moments.
But first let's take a look at your previous
court appearance. <i> I hope he is my daddy,</i> <i> I really do.</i> <i> Because I really need a dad.
I really, really do.</i> <i> I've always told her
who her dad was</i> <i> it's not Mr. Moore.</i> <i> Mr. Moore, you...
Are not her father.</i> VERNON:<i> Mmm.</i> <i> Oh, my God.</i> <i> Then who is my daddy?</i> <i> I tried to tell you,
he ain't your dad.</i> <i> But, no, I'm the one lying.</i> <i> Oh.</i> (SOBBING) <i> So, let's go get done with it</i> <i> and come right back here,
and do this again.</i> (APPLAUSE) <i> I dare you.</i> Jerome, will you please escort
Mr. Long into the court room. Sure. Mr. Long. Watch your step. Thank you for joining
us, Mr. Long. Miss Robinson, I want
to start with you. Why do you believe
your mother has
committed paternity fraud? Um, Your Honor, I feel
that my mother has
been committing paternity fraud
my whole life. Um, I've never got
a straight answer
on who my father is. It was, uh, one
or two guys. Two or three guys. You know,
no certain name. I'm too old for this. HARMS: Excuse me
Your Honor, that's a lie,
I've always... Have always told her
who her father was. No, you haven't. I've always, I never
kept any secrets from you. Mom, you never told me
who my father was. My mom kept secrets... You gave me names of... I've always told you
from birth sweetheart that who your Dad was. You did not, Mom. Your Honor, she refuses
to believe me. As like she did with
Mr. Moore, previously. And so, Ms. Harms,
you said, you told her
from the beginning? Yes, yes... Who her father is. Yes Your Honor. And who is that person? Mr. Long, Your Honor. Why would she not want
to believe you if she is
looking for her father? I don't know why
she won't believe me. Because she lies a lot. I know I have not lied. Because I'm 36 years old. Like she said... Excuse me. She wouldn't give me
a name of who my father is. Your Honor, she said
I lied last time. And I was proven
to be right. That was just luck... No, it wasn't luck. ...That he wasn't my father. It wasn't luck. That was luck. It wasn't luck. It was luck. It wasn't luck. Yes, it was. You can't just look
at a person who's
got gray hair and assume that's your father. It doesn't have to do
with good guys in gray hair. He always told me
he was my father.
He was your boyfriend. Well, I'm gonna make
you happy today. Because you know
why I'm here today. Good. Because guess what? To prove... If you don't make me
happy today. That Mr. Long is your father. I have nothing else
to say to you. Miss Robinson, I would
like you to take a moment and just walk your
mother through. And talk to her about how difficult it's been, not knowing who your
father is and... (SIGHS) More importantly, having
to go through various men and find out that
they're not... Yeah, the journey
has been very hard. HARMS: Excuse me... JUDGE LAKE: Let her speak
Ms. Harms and then
I will let you speak. Um...me in school. Doing sports,
basketball, softball uh...volleyball. Never had anybody
showing up to my games. Sitting there, all my friends
got parents, I have nobody. I had a baby at 18.
And when I hit 20,
there has not been a day. That I have not
been there for
my children a 1000% not a 100. And I know who their
father is, 'cause I
wasn't promiscuous. And nobody could talk
me out of my panties. Excuse me... I'm not going to sit here
and let her say that about me. I'm not easy like that. Wouldn't talk me
out of my panties. But you let people... Like you weren't out there
doing wrong yourself. I've never did wrong. Okay. I've needed a father. When you were... Can I speak? JUDGE LAKE:
No, you're listening, ma'am. You're on listening station. If me and you can have
a good relationship. There wouldn't have been
times where I went to my room
and said, "I hate my mom. "I wish she wasn't here.
I can't stand her." If I had a father
to run too. I could have got over that. But instead I've
always held hate and
resentment against you. I mean... I'm a student
with straight A's. The best athlete. Everybody knows me
where I'm from. I mean, I was that deal. But I have this bad secret
and I gotta be that deal
out in the streets but going to the house and
sit in the bathroom to cry. You know... JUDGE LAKE: So, you're the
celebrated athlete. Everybody knows
who you are. Yes. And you're holding
this secret in. Uh-huh. That you don't know
who your father is. Uh-huh. Now, Ms. Harms, I want you
to respond to your daughter. I'm not sure
how well you listened. She's always had a dad... I'm not sure how well
you listened. Maybe not
her dad at that time. Ms. Harms. Yes, Your Honor. I'm not sure how well
you listened. I... Did you hear,
did you hear... Yes, but I'm... Now, respond to
what she said. It's difficult talking to her
because everything's... She act like she's
my mom have the time... I'm giving you... ...the way she talk to me. ...your moment. Maybe she choose
a better choice of words. Talking to me... What? Because every time... Hold on, let her respond.
Let her respond. I would just ask you... Let her respond. I would just ask you
who my dad is. She's been saying,
I can never get a word in. Who my dad is. Will neither one of you
let the other one
get a word in? And that's why we're not
getting anywhere. Ladies, I know there is
a lot at stake here. And I know this is emotional.
I know it is. It's hard. Yeah. And you know, Ms. Harms,
you stand here and say, "You know, I've told my
daughter from the beginning
who her father is. "She just didn't want
to believe me." What's upsetting you right now
at this moment, Ms. Harms? The fact that she sits
there and lies. What lie is she telling? If I didn't raise her
she wouldn't have or
be who she is today. You didn't get me
to... Exactly. Pretty much everything
you have, I've given you. Because they took care
of themselves. Pretty much everything
she has, I've given her. Every time, any new furniture
anything, I give... That's right, you've
given me stuff, I
didn't ask for it though. I did never ask you. Miss Robinson. I've always had her back. So, she can sit there
and lie as long as she want. But today, Your Honor. The truth will be revealed. Ladies, what I see here
is there's so much at stake, not just finding out
who your father is. That's important. But your
relationship with your mother. Yes. And like you said,
you have children. That's their grandmother. We don't really have one. That's your fault though. No, she get mad at me.
She won't let me see my granddaughters or
my great-grandson. You never let me see
my daddy though. I never saw
my grandparents. You always knew who he was. You're 36 years old. Who? It's Mr. Long. I didn't hear about him
until I was ten. What, you act like you
couldn't have went? You always
knew where your dad was. Where was I gonna go at
ten years old? You knew he live next door... You see how she
pulls a dog strap Ms. Harms, are you
suggesting that a
ten year old child was supposed to go
around the corner
ring the doorbell? When she was a baby,
I would go and visit. I would knock
on Mr. Long's door. He would have saw me there. And take her over
every time we went. Every summer. JUDGE LAKE: Miss Robinson. Do you remember going
to visit Mr. Long? Never. Mr. Long, do you remember Ms. Harms bringing
Miss Robinson to see you and saying, "This is
your father." No ma'am. Have you ever seen
Miss Robinson? No, ma'am.
She says that she came to see me
but I don't recall it. Did you think you were
her biological father? It was possible because
you know, because it was said. And then she sent
a picture of her mom, or... Like... You know... Your Honor, I've send gave him, Mr. Long
nine photos of her. Ever since she was
growing up, Your Honor. That's why Ms. Harms,
I want you to allow
someone to testify because his testimony was corroborating with
your statement that
you reached out. So see that's why
we don't listen in station. Thank you ma'am.
I'm listening. Mr. Long, you said,
she sent you pictures? She send me a picture. Uh... When she was first born. A year after she was born. <i> So, when she was first born,
she send you a picture?</i> <i> Right.</i> So, why does a woman send you
a picture of the baby if she's
not saying you're the father? Right, I didn't say
she didn't say
I wasn't the father. She said, I was the father.
But I had doubt because
you know, she was supposedly sleeping
with someone else in my family
which was a cousin. In the family. Supposedly... Supposedly, now. And then some more guys
in the neighborhood. So, that's where the
doubt came in. So, Mr. Long does state
that what you said was true. He did receive a picture. Yes mam, but... <i> You did reach out to him.
He left
a whole lot of details</i> JUDGE LAKE:<i>
What are the parts of the
detail did he leave out?</i> I sent eight pictures
and you're sitting
and acting like I never brought that baby
over to your house
every day. I don't recall... Yeah, you're nothing but
a bold-face liar. You said you brought the
baby over to the house. Yes, ma'am. Every time we went down,
every summer. To visit my
grandma and papa. I don't recall it. I know because
that brain is old. JUDGE LAKE: And you would
bring the baby... Hold on, hold on.
One at a time. So, you would come see him? Yes, Your Honor. And his family? Yes, Your Honor. Walked right into the kitchen,
they're cooking up greens
and everything. Does your family know about
Jennifer, Miss Robinson? They've heard of Jennifer. They've seen a
picture of Jennifer. But as far as knowing Jennifer
and conversing with Jennifer,
no they never have. So, you knew she was pregnant? I knew she was pregnant. And then after
she had the baby? After... Did she say you're the father? Right, she did say that. So then why was
there no follow up? That's what she's been saying this entire day is that I said
Mr. Long was the father. The fault was I can't
contact her. I didn't know
her last name anymore. You knew... You never tried
to help me. Hold on. So, Miss Harms,
I want to understand
this from you. Why did you disappear? When you were taking the baby,
you say you were taking the
baby over there and he acknowledges that
you at least sent pictures. And Your Honor... Did you feel rejected? What...
why did you just disappear? I kept it like that because
my dad was like me being young "Oh, who's the dad?
I'm gonna kill him." And I kept it to myself. You as a young girl,
you were taking the
baby over to his house or you were sending these
pictures, but this was
all in secret? <i> Yes, ma'am.</i> <i> Because you didn't
wanna tell your...</i> Oh, my God. You didn't wanna
tell your parents... I told my mother.
I kept it from my dad. You didn't tell your dad
but you told your mother? Yes, Your Honor. Miss Robinson,
you say you've been
told various names. You've been given
various names but never... Never... Mr. Long? I've never heard
of Mr. Long. Until I was ten years old. I walked past her
in the kitchen, <i> she looked at my body
and she stopped me.</i> She said "Jennifer, I got
to tell you something." She said, "The way you're
looking, the way your
body's looking, "I gotta tell you that when
I was younger, I went
to Marietta, Georgia, "and I slept with a boy
name Anthony Long." She says, "Your body
look like his. You
look like his sister." Of course I blew it off
'cause I look like him,
him, him and him. So from ten years old,
Miss Robinson once you
hear this, you said you had been told so many
things that that point you
just blew it off and kept moving. I blew it off 'cause I didn't
have a dad anyway. Nobody, all...
Everybody claimed me. Did you think about Mr. Long? Did I think about him? Yeah, I always wondered.
I wondered if he does look
like me. But of course, I couldn't
get any contact... But you said you were caught
up in a web because every
other man in your life was claiming you as something. Yeah. Your Honor, she had a father. It may have not been her
biological father, but my
mom and dad raised her until. ROBINSON: For what, for what? I get on my feet
out of the army and I came to get you
when I was able
to take care of you... And nobody really
took care of me. Your Honor, may I present my
evidence, ma'am, please? Yes. Take a breadth, Miss Harms. This evidence that
you are presenting,
Miss Harms is <i> a picture...</i> <i> Yes ma'am.</i> <i> Of your daughter...</i> <i> Yes ma'am.</i> <i> Miss Robinson and Mr. Long.</i> ROBINSON:<i> Looking like
everybody. I look like
all the men.</i> Yeah, do you? Everybody's
got big eyes. No, ain't that funny? Yeah tha's it. Miss Harms,
at the end of the day,
when she doesn't know she's just looking for
herself in every man. She's just looking
for herself. But, Your Honor she consulted... The man said, the man said
"I'm your father." She's gonna stop looking
today, Your Honor. Because you are confident? Yes. Beyond a shadow of a
doubt that Mr. Long is your daughter's
biological father. Mr. Long, after today's
testimony seeing the evidence
presented here today, do you believe
you are Miss Robinson's
biological father? It's possible. It's possible? <i> When I got the first picture
of her, she looked like
my daddy to me, so</i> naturally I said, "Well it
could be my daughter." But then I lost contact
with her, with the mother... And he looks
like my grandson. Until today... That's what's blowing me away. The ears, the cleft chin,
the nose, the lips, the head, I mean... It's all there. I'm standing in here like... HARMS: Can I do this? But of course I can't believe
it, you know because
I don't deserve anything, so I can't believe
that he looks like me. I'm here today, Your Honor
to try to fill that void
and that hole in her heart. So that she can be at peace. 'Cause I ain't and I got
a lot of hate for you. Well if you didn't have
so much mouth... What the hell does it got
to do with you letting
me know who my daddy is? Let's just stop right there,
'cause you all are just alike. You're mother and daughter
all right because both
of you are. (APPLAUSE) You all... You are both got
mouths on you. You both gotta have
the last word. So that, you all are just
alike. But the only way we're really going
to move forward today is to get these results. Mm-hmm. And I have them for you.
Jerome? I hope they come out right. I hope so too, for you. We know that there's
a lot at stake. HARMS: After that,
I'm gonna keep going... I shouldn't have to
keep going after Mr. Long. I hope. But I'm just gonna do whatever
just to make you happy. Because I love you. (APPLAUSE) Miss Harms, you just said to
your daughter if not
you're gonna keep going. Do you have a question
in your mind as to whether...
Because you seem sure. Yes ma'am, I am. Let's get the truth. These results were prepared by
DNA Diagnostics and they read as follows. In the case of<i> Robinson v Long</i> when it comes to 36 year-old Jennifer Robinson, it has been determined
by this court, Mr. Long, you are her father. (APPLAUSE AND CHEERING) I am so sorry. I told you,
I love you so much. And okay, go hug your dad. Okay now you're...
Be at home. You don't have a hole
in your heart anymore. Your Honor, may I
speak please? This is the second... Can your daughter talk
to her daddy please? Okay wait. We already
know you was right. Now Miss Robinson,
Miss Robinson, there's your daddy.
You been looking for him. I don't know how in the world
you all still got your places
across the aisle, don't you wanna
hug your daughter? I got you now. Right. I can't believe it. You can go stand with her. Miss Robinson? Yes, Your Honor. This is a beautiful
day for you. It is. I'm so happy. My kids are gonna
be so happy. Do you have daughters? Yes. Then that means you wanna
make sure that your daughters and their daughters
don't repeat this. Yes. I know your mother
is over the top 'cause she loves you
very much. I've always been over the top. I... Oh, I can tell. She loves you very much.
You're very blessed
to have your mother and you father here on
this earth to love you. Take full advantage of it.
Experience them both. And I'm so happy for you. Thank you. We wish you all the very best
of luck. Court is adjourned. Thank you so much.
