YOU WERE GOING TO SPLIT THE PROCEEDS? >> YES, AND HE TOOK IT UPON HIMSELF TO KEEP ALL OF THE MONEY AT CHRISTMASTIME, KNOWING THAT I NEEDED THAT MONEY TO BUY CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR MY CHILDREN. >> Estrella: AND EXPLAIN TO THE JUDGE THE WORKING CONDITIONS. WHAT WORKING CONDITIONS WERE YOU UNDER? >> WE WORKED DURING THE DEAD OF WINTER -- 14, 15, 16 DEGREES. I WORKED OUT THERE WEARING 3 AND 4 PAIRS OF PANTS. >> Toler: HOW MANY DAYS DID IT TAKE YOU TWO TO DO THIS ADDITION? >> IT TOOK ABOUT A MONTH. >> Toler: ONE MONTH? AND Y'ALL GOT ONLY $600? >> YES, MA'AM. >> Toler: OKAY, I'M STILL TRYING TO WORK WITH THAT. >> ME TOO. >> Toler: UH, WHEN YOU -- [ WHISPERING ] >> Bailiff: YOU'LL HAVE YOUR TIME UP THERE, OKAY? YOU'RE NOT HELPING YOURSELF. >> Toler: MR. SIMPSON, DO YOU WANT TO HAVE ANY ABILITY TO BE BELIEVED HERE TODAY? DO YOU? >> IF SHE KEEPS LKING -- >> Toler: NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, I'M NOT ASKING YOU IF SHE KEEPS TALKING! YOU WALK INTO THIS ROOM UNDERSTANDING THAT SHE'S GOT A D! IF YOU GUYS AGREED, YOU WOULDN'■ BE HEREa A GROWN PERSON CAN SIT THERE AND LISTEN AND LET ME MAKE THE WHLLINE TRUTH.■■■O'S CREDIBLE, FAR, YORE YOURSELF HERE. YOU WITH ME? >> YES, MA'AM. >> TolerASSUME Y M FOR THE MOUPNCTLY? >> YES. I ASKED HIM SEVERALofy!N EXCUSE. "I HAD AN UNFORTUNATE CIRCUMAN. LFRIE INr■ SHE WROTE CHECKS ON IT. I HAVE TO WAIT UNTILHE GETSID CHRISTMAS THKS TO WYAMAN. >> Toler: ARE YOU STILL IN CONSTRUCTION WORK? >> YES, I AM. >> Toler: THAT'S A RATHER UNUSUAL PROFESSION FOR A WOMAN. >> YES, IT IS, AND I CHOSE TO DO IT. I LOVE IT. >> Toler: OKAY, MS. GONZALEZ, LET'S WRAP THIS UP. >> Estrella: DURING THE TIME THAT YOU WERE BUILDING THIS SHED WITH WYAMAN, DID HIS GIRLFRIEND EVER GO OUT THERE AND HELP YOU? >> NO, SHE DIDN'T. I SAW HER ONE TIME, AND THAT WAS BEFORE CONSTRUCTION EVEN STARTED. >> Estrella: AND WERE YOU EVER LATE FOR THE JOB? >> I WAS LATE TWICE -- ONCE FOR A MEDICAL REASON, AND ONCE BECAUSE OF A PREVIOUS APPOINTMENT, WHICH HE KNEW BEFOREHAND. I WAS NEVER HALF A DAY LATE. IT WAS ONLY TWO HOURS. >> Estrella: THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. >> Toler: MR. WILLIAMS? >> Ted: GOOD MORNING, MS. ALSTON. MAY I CALL YOU SHARON, PLEASE? >> SURE. >> Ted: SHARON, YOU MET MY CLI■NT DURING CONSTRUCTION SCHOOL, AM I CORRECT? >> THAT■S CORRECT. >> Ted: AND AT THE TIME THAT YOU WERE IN CONSTRUCTION SCHOOL, WOULD I ALSO BE CORRECT THAT YOU HAD NEVER PERFORMED CONSTRUCTION WORK? >> THAT'S CORRECT. >> Ted: AND ONCE MY CLIENT -- IT WAS MY CLIENT WHO KNEW HOW TO PUT UP A SHED. YOU DID NOT KNOW, DID YOU? >> YOUR CLIENT DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO PUT UP A SHED, EITHER. >> Toler: NEITHER ONE OF YOU KNEW?! >> NEITHER ONE OF US KNEW. BUT KNEW MORE THANE DID. >> Toler: HOW DID YOU GET IT UP? >> OH, MY GOD. >> IT WAS A LEARNING EXPERIENCE. >> Ted: SO, LET ME, UM -- JUST ONE SECOND. SIR, I REPRESENT YOU. PLEASE BE QUIET. >> Toler: I APPRECIATE THAT, MR. WILLIAMS. >> Ted: THANK YOU, YOUR HONOR. NOW,OU'VE T RE OTHEAN--■P INCORRIGIBLE. >> Ted: AND WHEN YOU WERE ASKED WHAT THIS WAS ALL ABOUT, YOU SAID IT WAS ABOUT "A PUNK WITH NO CONSCIENCE." THAT WAS YOUR WORDS, CORRECT? >> THAT'S CORRECT. >> Ted: WOULD I BE CORRECT TO SAY "PUNK WITH NO CONSCIENCE" -- THAT'S INAPPROPRIATE, DON'T YOU THINK SO? >> NO, I DON'T. IT FITS HIM PERFECTLY. >> Ted: OKAY, NOW, ISN'T IT A FACT, MA'AM, THAT THERE CAME A TIME THAT ONCE WYAMAN TOLD YOU HE WAS NOT GONNA PAY YOU, THAT YOU CALLED AND YOU CURSED WYAMAN OUT? >> I SURE DID. AND HE DESERVED EVERY BIT OF IT. >> Ted: OKAY, AND DID YOU ALSO THREATEN TO KILL WYAMAN'S MOTHER? >> I THREATENED TO BEAT HIM WITH MY ORANGE HAMMER THAT HE TEASED ME ABOUT. >> Toler: WITH YOUR<i> WHAT?</i> >> ALL MY TOOLS MATCH, YOUR HONOR. I HAVE A BRIGHT-ORANGE TOOL SET, AND I AM PROUD OF IT, AND HE TEASED ME ABOUT IT. >> Ted: LET ME ASK YOU THIS IN FINAL QUESTIONS HERE. YOU SAY THAT YOUR KIDS HAD A HORRIBLE CHRISTMAS. AM I CORRECT? >> YES. >> Ted: AND IT WAS BECAUSE OF WYAMAN AND $200, CORRECT? >> IT WAS BECAUSE OF WYAMAN AND $300 THAT HE CHOSE NOT TO PAY ME DURING THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS. >> Ted: ISN'T IT A FACT THAT YOU ALSO HAD A PART-TIME JOB? >> YES, I DID. >> Ted: OKAY, NOW, DID THAT JOB BRING IN AN INCOME TO YOU? >> IT SURE DID, AND IT ALSO BOUGHT HIM AND HIS GIRLFRIEND CHRISTMAS GIFTS. I BOUGHT HIM A BEARD AND MUSTACHE TRIMMER, AND I BOUGHT HIS GIRLFRIEND A MIRROR. >> Ted: AND THAT WAS -- >> STOLEN. >> Ted: YOU BOUGHT THIS FOR WYAMAN... >> SHE STOLE IT. >> Toler: MR. SIMPSON, WHAT EXACTLY IS YOUR PROBLEM? >> I DON'T HAVE ONE. >> Toler: OH, YES, YOU DO. YOU'VE GOT A BIG ONE. JOE, TAKE HIM OUT OF HERE. I DON'T PUT UP WITH THAT. >> Bailiff: LET'S GO,■ MR. SIMPSON, THIS WAY. OVER HERE. >> Announcer: WHEN "POWER OF ATTORNEY" CONT OR A CONSTRUCTION JOB. >> Toler: MR. WILLIAMS, WHY DON'T WE WRAP THIS UP? >> Ted: SURE. MY FINAL QUESTION TO YOU IS SIMPLY THIS -- THAT IT IS YOUR TESTIMONY THAT YOU HAD A PART-TIME JOB AND YOU BOUGHT GIFTS FOR HIM. NOW, DID YOU BUY THESE GIFTS FOR HIM AFTER HE REFUSED TO PAY YOU? >> NO, I BOUGHT THEM DURING THE TIME WE WERE STILL BUILDING. I TRY TO BUY A LOT OF THINGS AHEAD OF TIME. >> Ted: FINAL QUESTION -- YOU'RE SAYING THAT YOU BOUGHT GIFTS FOR HIM, HIS GIRLFRIEND, AND EVERYTHING, BUT YET YOU GET ON THE STAND HERE AND YOU TELL THIS JUDGE THAT YOUR KIDS WENT WITHOUT GIFTS? AND YOU HAD BOUGHT GIFTS FOR WYAMAN AND HIS GIRLFRIEND? >> MY CHILDRENRE 7 YEARS OLD, AND OLDESIS 17. THEY HAVE NO NEED FOR BEAUTY-SUPPLY PRODUCTS. WORKING IN THAT STORE, IxGOT A >> Toler: WHOA, WHOAWAIT! THAT DOES CONFUSE ME A LITTLE BIT. YO■ DIDN'T HAV M FOR YOUR KIDS' PRESENTS. WHY DID YOU BUY HIM A PRESENT? >> I DIDN'T JUST BUY HIM A GIFT. I WORKED IN A BEAUTY-SUPPLY STORE WHERE I GOT A HUGE DISCOUNT ON DISCONTINUED MERCHANDISE. THE TRIMMER MIGHT HAVE COST ME $ BUT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT I BOUGHT MAYBE A MONTH OR TWO -- >> Toler: I'M WITH YOU. >> HE MENTIONED THAT HE WANTED A TRIMMER FOR CHRISTMAS. >> Toler: ONE FINAL QUESTION. >> Ted: THANK YOU, I HAVE NO FURTR QUESTIONS. >> Toler: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU MAY STEP DOWN. UM, JOE, WHY DON'T WE SEE IF MR. SIMPSON CAN BEHAVE A LITTLE BETTER? BRING HIM BACK IN HERE, LET HIM HAVE A QUICK SECOND TO TALK TO HIS ATTORNEY, AND, UH, MAYBE WE CAN PROCEED. >> Bailiff: YOU HURT YOURSELF BIG TIME OUT THEREOKAY? >> KNOW. >> BailiffJUSTNSWER THE QUESTION AND YOU'LL BE ALL RIGHT. THIS WILL BE YOUR TURN TO TELL YOUR SIDE, OKAY? >> YES. BACK.ler: MR. SIMPSON, WELME I'LL ASK YOU TO STEP■FORWARD TO■ THE WIESSTAND. <u>>> .</u> >>olerLLEMINYOU THAT YOU HAVE BEEN SWORN IN AND ARE ENEVER YOU'RE READY.■■PROCEED >> Ted: MR. SIMPSON, DYOU HAVE■? ANY OBJECTION TOE LLG U >> NO. >> Ted: WYAMAN, CAN YOU TELL THE COURT WHAT IS THIS ALL ABOUT? >> YES, SIR, I CAN TELL YOU WHAT IT'S ABOUT. IT'S ABOUT A WOMAN THA■■WANTS SOMETHING FOR NOTHING,KA THIS IS A FEMALE THAT, SHE WOULD ME TO WORK -- SHE WOULD COME, MAKE AN EXCUSE, LEAVE, OKAY? >> Toler: DID SHE EVER DO ANY WORK AT ALL? >> OKAY, THIIS WHAT SHE WOULD DO, OKAY? SHE WOULD HOLD IT WHILE I HAMMER IT. SHE WOULD STAND THERE AND TELL SHE WOULD STAND THERE AND -- 'CAUSE IT WAS FREEZING!■■ ■■ WGk■ SHE WAS RIGHT. IT WAS ABOUT 16 DEGREES OUTSIDE, AND IT WAS FREEZING. AND WAS UP THERE HAMMERING, NAILG, AND SHE WOULD STAND THERE BECAUSE SHE CODN'T EVEN HOLD A HAMMER. <u>>> S</u> <u>.</u> DID SOMEONE OTHER THAN SHARON ASSIST YOU IN THE COMPLETION OF THIS BUILDING? >> YES, SIR.■ MY GIRLFRIEND. MY GIRLFRIEND WOULD COME WHEN SHARON WASN'T THERE, OKAY? MY GIRLFRIEND WOULD COME IN, AND SHE WOULD COME, AND SHE WOULD HELP ME. ACTUALLY, SHE DID MORE WORK THAN SHARON DID. >> Toler: OKAY, T'S WIND THIS UP, MRWILLIAMS. >> Ted: DID SHE EVER THREATEN AND CURSE AT YOUR FAMILY? CAN YOU TELL THE OURT ABOUT THAT? >> YES, SIR, IAN BECAUSEHE CALLED ME ON MY CELLPHONE ONE DAY I WAS AT WORK. AND SHE TOLD ME THAT SHE WAS GONNA LL MY FAT, LIGHT-SKINNED MAMA IF I DON'T GIVE HER HER MONEY, IS WHAT SHE SAID. AND, YES, I DO HAVE A TAPE OF IT. IT'S ON MY MACHINE. >> Ted: I HAVE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS. >> Announcer: WHEN "POWER OF CONSTRUCTION JOB.■ Toler: ■■■ú■■■■■ >> Estrella: IF I■ UNDERSTAND YR TEIMONY CORRECTLY, SHARON WAS OUT THERE IN THIS BITTER COLD ACTING LIKE A POPSICLE, JUST SHAKING, BUT SHE WASN'T DOING ANYTHING? >> NO. >> Estlla:H■AS JUST OUT THERE<u>■■ G</u> OTHER THAN WHAT I JUST TOLD YOUR HONOR. >> Estrella: OKAY, SO SHE WOULD HOLD THIS PIECE OF WOOD FOR YOU AND SHAKE? THAT'S ALL BECAUSE IT WAS BITTE■ COLD? >> PRETTY MUCH. >> Estrella: YOU DID OFFER TO PAY HER $200, DID YOU NOT? >> I'M NOT DENYING THAT. >> Toler: WHEN DID YOU OFFER TO DO THAT? >> AT THE COMPLETION F THIS Estrela: AND WHY, IF HER WORK WAS SO UNSATISFACTORY, YOU DIDN'T SAY MIDSTREAM, "HEY, SHARON, I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU. GET OUT. I'M GONNMY GIRLFREND IN TO■■ME■■ ■■FELE ■iOU REFER TO HER ASú■- >> THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER, LIKE SHE SAID, WE WERE FRIENDS. AND THE TRUTH, I DID KNOW WHAT HER FINANCIAL SITUATION WAS, OKAY? BUT AFTER I HAD BEEN OUT THERE IN THE FREEZING COLD, YOU CAN CALL THE GUY AND ASK HIM, THE GUY THAT I BUILT IT FOR -- YOU CAN CALL HIM AND ASK HIM -- >> Estrella: SIR, SIR, SIR -- >> Toler: MR. SIMPSON, YOU'RE NOT ANSWERING HER QUESTION. >> WHAT IS YOUR QUESTION? >> Toler: NO, NOW, MR. SIMPSON, COME HERE. TURN AROUND, TURN AROUND! NOW, SEE? WHEN YOU'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF ANSWERING A QUESTION AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THE QUESTION IS, THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES. TH PEAKS VOLUMES ABOUT YOUR LISTENING ABILITY AND YOUR WILLINGNESS TO COOPERATE WITH WHAT'S GOING ON HERE. >> WELL, ACTUALLY, YOUR HONOR -- >> Toler: "WELL, ACTUALLY" NOTHIN'. BE QUIET AND LISTEN TO THAT WOMAN'S QUESTION AND ANSWER THE QUESTION. >> OKAY. >> Estrella: THE QUESTION WAS, SO WE'RE STRAIGHT, WHY IF SHE WAS GIVING YOU SUCH UNSATISFACTORY PERFORMANCE DURING THESE 10 DAYS -- WOULDN'T SHOW UP SOMETIMES, WOULD SHOW UP LATE OTHER TIMES, AND JUST SAT THERE OR HELD THINGS FOR YOU -- YOU DIDN'T SAY, "SHARON, I'M SORRY, I NEED HELP. GET OUT OF HERE. I'M SORRY, WE'RE NOT GONNA PAY YOU." >> WHY DIDN'T I DO THAT? 'CAUSE SHE'S A FRIEND OF MINE. >> Estrella: OH, BUT THIS IS THE SAME FRIEND NOW THAT YOU'RE CHEATING OUT OF $300? IS THAT WHAT FRIENDSHIP IS ALL ABOUT? >> UM, ACTUALLY, MA'AM, UM -- >> Estrella: YES? WHEN DID THE FRIENDSHIP END? >> AFTER SHE THRTENED MY MOTHER. I STILL CAME OVER HER HOUSE, LIKE, NUMEROUS TIMES. >> Estrella: SO WHY DIDN'T YOU PAY HER THEN? >> BECAUSE SHE DON'T DESERVE IT! SHE DOESN'T DESERVE A DIME! >> Toler: DID SHE GIVE YOU THAT CHRISTMAS PRESENT? DID SHE GIVE YOU A MUSTACHE TRIMMER? >> AIN'T THAT SOME JUNK? HOW YOU GONNA BUY ME A GIFT, AND YOU AIN'T BOUGHT YOUR KIDS NONE? >> Toler: HAVE A SEAT. >> Estrella: ONE LAST QUESTION. >> Toler: NO. HAVE A SEAT. HE'S ALL DONE. I'M NOT GONNA HAVE YOU DISRESPECT THIS COURT LIKE THAT. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I'LL TAKE A MOMENT TO DELIBERATE, AND I'LL BE BACK WITH A VERDICT. >> Bailiff: ALL RISE. >> Announcer: WHEN "POWER OF HOW CAN HE WORK? >> Ted: BUT U DID WELL. I'M VERY HAPPY TO REPRESENT YOU, AND I THINK THAT YOU DID ARTICULATE. AND I THINK THE JUDGE CAN UNDERSTAND THE EMOTIONAL ASPECTS OF THIS. >> WELL, THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS, THE JUDGE -- I FEEL THE JUDGE REALLY DIDN'T LET ME SAY WHAT I HAD TO SAY. >> Estrella: THE<i> FEMALE.</i> "THAT FEMALE" -- IT'S LIKE A SPECIES ALL ITS OWN. "THAT<i> FEMALE."</i> WE'RE A<i> SPECIES.</i> >> I THOUGHT IT WAS GONNA BE LONGER. >> Estrella: THE JUDGE HAD ENOUGH OF HIM. >> YEAH, WELL. >> Bailiff: ALL RISE. COURT IS BACK IN SESSION. >> Toler: WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE LITIGANTS, EVERYONE MAY BE SEATED. NORMALLY, WHEN I STEP OFF THE BENCH AND GO INTO MY CHAMBERS, I'M FIGHTING WITH A CALCULATOR OR I'M ADDING THINGS UP OR LOOKING THROUGH DOCUMENTS. ALL I DID WHEN I SAT BACK THERE THIS TIME...WAS TO GET IN TOUCH WITH MY INNER BEING. [ LAUGHTER ] I DID THAT SO THAT I WOULD NOT ALLOW MY IRRITATION AND AGGRAVATION WITH THE CHILDISH, NONSENSIBLE, NONSEICAL BEHAVIOR OF MR. SIMPSON TO INFLUENCE THE RATIONAL, REASONABLE, FAIR, AND JUST RESULT THAT THIS MAN IS ALLOWED TO HAVE DESPITE THE FACT THAT HE BEHAVED SO BADLY IN HERE. I'M GONNA GIVE YOU SOME ADVICE, MR. SIMPSON. ONE IS TO LOOK AT PEOPLE WHORE TALKING TO YOU, OKAY? THE OTHER ONE IS, IF YOU EVER FIND YOURSELF IN COURT AGAIN, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT HAPPEN, I DON'T KNOW. >> MNH-MNH. >> Toler: NOW, HOW DO YOU KNOW? [ LAUGHTER ] OR IN LIFE IN GENERAL -- WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO CONDUCT BUSINESS AND HAVE YOURSELF BE BELIEVED AND HAVE PEOPLE THINK THAT YOU'RE RIGHT ABOUT SOMETHING, WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IS TO BEHAVE IN A BUSINESSLIKE FASHION AND NOT LIKE A PERSON WHO IS NOT IN CONTROL OF HIS FACULTIES. DO YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? >> YES, MA'AM. >> Toler: IT IS DIFFICULT. JUDGES ARE SUPPOSED TO BE FAIR AND MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON UPON EVIDENCE AND FACT, BUT WE'RE HUMAN BEINGS. >> THAT'S TRUE. >> Toler: AND PEOPLE OUT IN THE WORLD DON'T EVEN WORK THAT WAY. THEY JUST GET MAD AND DO WHATEVER TY WANT TO DO TO YOU. >> THAT'S TRUE. >> Toler: I WORKED REAL HARD. >> OR TO YOUR MOTHER. >> Toler: SEE THERE, YOU DON'T GET IT. >> YEAH, I GET IT. >> Toler: NO, YOU DON'T GET IT. IF YOU GET IT, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE SAID A WORD TO ME JUST THEN. >> NO, MA'AM -- >> Ted: MR. SIMPSON, BE QUIET! >> Toler: NO, NO! SIT DOWN! YOU CAN'T TALK -- WH! I TRIED HARD! I TRIED HARD BECAUSE I ALWAYS BELIEVED THAT WHEN YOU IL MONEY THAT I GIVE YOU DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING -- THAT YOU OUGHT TO COME OUT A LITTLE WISER THAN YOU WALKED IN, BUT SOME PEOPLE YOU CAN'T HELP. MY MOTHER TOLD ME THAT, SO HERE WE GO. THIS IS WHAT I CAME UP WITH. I GOT TWO PEOPLE TELLING ME OPPOSITE REFLECTIVE OR, YOU KNOW, BASED UPON HIS BEHAVIOR HERE TODAY. CONSEQUENTLY, I BELIEVE YOU AS OPPOSED TO HIM THAT YOU DID THE WORK, THAT YOU'RE OWED $300, AND THAT INDEED IS THE JUDGMENT IN YOUR FAVOR. IT IS SO ORDERED. >> Bailiff: ALL RISE! >> Estrella: ALL RIGHTY. THIS IS WHAT YOU CAME HERE FOR. JUSTICE. >> Ted: THE JUDGE HAS TO LOOK AT ALL OF THE EVIDENCE. >> SHE DIDN'T LOOK AT NOTHIN'. SHE LOOKED AT ABSOLUTELY NOTHIN'. >> Ted: BUT SHE HAD TO GET PAST THE EMOTIONAL ASPECT. >> SHE HAD TO LET ME TALK. IF SHE'D HAVE LET ME TALK, SHE WOULD HAVE FOUND OUT THAT, FIRS■
