You may be seated. Hello, Your Honor. Hello.
This is the case of Rogers v. Stone. Thank you, Jerome.
Good day, everyone. AUDIENCE: Good day. Ms.
Rogers, you say after an encounter with your elementary school sweetheart, you ended up pregnant. You say the defendant has gone through great lengths to deny he is the father of your son, Kristian. Mr Stone.
STONE: Yes, Your Honor. You say Ms. Rogers is promiscuous and it was only a casual fling.
You say she has even slept with some of your friends and therefore it is impossible you are the father of her baby. Is that correct? Yes, Your Honor.
Ms. Rogers, you say there's no doubt Mr Stone is Kristian's father. ROGERS: Yes, Your Honor.
Explain. I met him in elementary school. We was friends.
I kind of moved away after a while. We was close friends but we never kept in touch because we were so young. And one day after some years of being apart, I was at my friend's house, or I was at her boyfriend's house and we were chilling and he walked through the door, and I'm like, "Really?
" Of all places, he had to walk into where I'm at. So we end up, we was talking, laughing, joking about old times, "How you been? " Catching up and stuff.
And we went back to my friend's house with her boyfriend and we had sex that day. And we left her house and went back to his house and had sex again. A couple of times.
AUDIENCE: Mmm. And after that it's just like, we repeatedly, we would hang out, have sex. And it went on for like a month.
Once I found out that he had a girlfriend, we stopped talking. You had no idea. I did not have no idea that he had a girlfriend.
He told me about a girl that he had talked to but he stopped talking to her. STONE: Objection, Your Honor. When I walked into that house, she was at one of my friend's house.
And when I walked in, she was already hooked up with one of my friends. ROGERS: I was not hooked up with nobody. When he walked in the door, I was sitting at the table.
When I. . .
On his lap. I was not on nobody's lap. When I walked in.
. . When he came in I was sitting at the table.
We caught eyes. The friend that he's talking about was in the kitchen. I was not sitting on nobody lap.
STONE: Your Honor, when I walked in, we caught eyes. She was on his lap. I was not on his lap.
And like I said, we end up talking. He could make you believe. .
. We separated from each other, I mean. .
. I was not on his lap. JUDGE LAKE: One at a time.
We separated from everybody, we started talking. Yes, we end up leaving from one of my friend's house, went to her friend's house. We did have sex.
But we had a condom on. ROGERS: No. .
. When we left that house, we went home, went to my house. We had a condom on.
Then. . .
We had a condom on, yes. In the bathroom in my friend's house, yes, we had a condom on. Yes.
The first time we went to his house, yes, we did have a condom on. Not every time I had sex with him, we wore a condom. Not every time.
Did you have unprotected sex with Ms. Stone? STONE: One time, Your Honor.
ROGERS: It was not one time. One time. And that was in the threesome.
ROGERS: It was not one time. In the where? STONE: In the threesome.
Between me and her and. . .
(AUDIENCE LAUGHING) ROGERS: We had a threesome. The night I found out that he had a girlfriend, we had a threesome. Jerome, at first I thought he said, "In the freezer.
" (ALL LAUGHING) Then I realized, he said, "In a threesome. " I don't know which one caught me by surprise more. (ROGERS LAUGHS) So, you didn't use protection in a threesome with Ms.
Rogers and another. . .
The other girl was my girlfriend. What? That he did not tell me about until that night.
He did not tell me that this girl was his girlfriend. Yes, he said that he was talking to a girl before, but he told me that at right then, he was single. I would have not kept sleeping with him if I knew he was in a relationship.
That's a lie, Your Honor. I'm not that type of person to sleep with somebody in a relationship that I know was in a relationship. STONE: But you were still talking to one of my friends.
ROGERS: I was not talking to nobody. When I was talking to him. .
. Before and after. When I was talking to him, it was just me and him.
And we was never together. We was never in a relationship. It was just friends having sex.
That's it. His other friend, I knew him about the same time as I known him, he just don't know that. He does not know how I know these people but he's trying to make assumptions.
I know him as a friend. I did not sleep with him. So after me and him had stopped talking, I did not sleep with that boy during then.
That's a lie, Your Honor. Me and him having sex. .
. I heard that they actually the day before. .
. We did not. We did not have sex until after I had stopped talking to him.
I heard it happened the day before. (ROGERS SIGHS) Three days after and then. .
. ROGERS: No. Uh.
. . ROGERS: I never slept with the boy.
STONE: She told me. . .
ROGERS: I never sat on no boy's lap. ROGERS: He's a liar. STONE: A couple of months later when she told me she was pregnant.
He's a liar. One at a time. So your friends were talking, Mr Stone.
Yes. And you all basically compared notes? STONE: No.
It. . .
(AUDIENCE LAUGHING) No, what happened was. . .
ROGERS: Probably so. ROGERS: All lying together. That I told him, like, I knew Destiny for a while, so.
. . I was like, "You talking to her?
" He like, "Yeah, I talk to her. "We did this, we did that. " No, no, no.
So, I'm like, "Oh, really? " No. So, I'm like, "When was this?
" He broke it down to me like "Yeah, we did it the day before. " ROGERS: No. No.
Then, I would have said three days after, and then when she, uh, told me she was pregnant, he went to say, "They did it "around twice. " ROGERS: No. You're saying that isn't true.
ROGERS: It's not true. At the time you were sleeping with Mr Stone, were you sleeping with anyone else? No.
The whole time that we was having sex, I did not sleep with nobody else. All these boys in his little friend group that he has, I've known a lot of them for a very long time. STONE: She told me she was in a relationship already.
I was in a relationship. I had just got out of a relationship. I was not with nobody when I was with him.
But were there any benefits with the other friends? No. (AUDIENCE TITTERING) There was no benefits with no other friends until after I stopped talking to him.
That's not what I heard. He can hear whatever he want to. All them boys was liars.
I've known. . .
You told me yourself that you would have an encounter before we even had the first encounter. First of all, when he walked in the door, the day he came over, me and his friend was talking, we was catching up, too. I was not sitting on his lap or nothing.
When he came, we all went in the basement 'cause the boys was playing the games. And we were talking. We was catching up.
I went and told my friend, I'm like. . .
'Cause she didn't know I know him. Nobody in the house knew I knew him before he walked in that house. And we was always telling people, "Oh, we went to school together.
" I was not sitting on nobody's lap. JUDGE LAKE: Listen, listen, Ms. Rogers.
It really doesn't matter. At the end of the day, even if you was sitting on the friend's lap, or you weren't, at the end of the night, you was sitting on Mr Stone's. (AUDIENCE LAUGHING) That's the problem.
I want to understand the facts surrounding this situation. How did you find out you were pregnant? I went to the doctor to get my birth control shot.
Because I know I'm having sex, so I'm like, "I need to go "because I don't want to have no more kids. " JUDGE LAKE: Any more? I have twins.
Eighteen-years-old with three children? Yes. Okay.
I didn't want no more kids because I had just got accepted to college. Everything was looking up. So, I was like, "I wanna put "the cap on before anything happens.
" Not knowing that I was already pregnant. So, it was like, I was scared. I was scared.
I was scared. I really was because it was like, another baby? So, I called him and told him I was pregnant.
STONE: We never had that conversation, not once. ROGERS: No. STONE: What happened was, this particular day, I was in the car with one of my friends.
They pulled up on me. And he said he had to go pick his girl up and her, which is her best friend. We get to them, we drop 'em off at the hospital.
Imagine, I don't know what we're doing. She hadn't said nothing about the matter. We did drop her off at the hospital.
ROGERS: Oh! I did not know not one thing. We dropped them off and left.
When we came back, she still haven't tell me she was pregnant. I did know nothing yet. No!
And that was early, I wanna say three, four months in. I didn't know nothing. When she walked up and said she had to tell me something, but didn't tell me right then and there.
That's not what happened. And then waited. .
. It's not. .
. . .
. a month or two later to finally come out. .
. So, you're dropping her off at the hospital, and you don't know why. Yeah, I wasn't driving.
I was in the passenger seat. My friend came to me. This boy.
. . We were chilling, talking, and then he said he had to pick them up and drop them off.
He knew we was going to ultrasound. So, I roll with him. He saw the ultrasound pictures when I came out the hospital.
He looked at 'em. No, I did not. He held them in his hand and looked at the picture No, I did not.
of my ultrasound. It said, "You're having a boy. " I didn't find out I was pregnant till I was four months pregnant.
(STAMMERS) I give. . .
No. My friend sent me a picture of it. ROGERS: I give him that.
Okay? I'm in the car with my friend. She had.
. . They had been over my house.
They was like, I said, "Can you take me to my ultrasound? " She said, "Okay. " I was already in the car when we picked him up.
We picked him up. From his school, 'cause he was walking his sister to school. And then we went and.
. . STONE: That's not the same day, Your Honor.
And then we went to the ultrasound. Not the same day. ROGERS: And he stayed in the car with his two friends.
And we and my best friend went up there to the ultrasound to get it did. When I got back in the car, I sat next to him. That's a lie.
There was only two of us in the car. I sat next to him. And he looked at the ultrasound pictures.
And he said, "Damn, he got a big-ass head. " That's what he said. JUDGE LAKE: Wait a minute.
So. . .
I don't remember you showing me no ultrasound pictures. ROGERS: He said it. He said it.
And so you don't remember any of this, Mr Stone. STONE: No. STONE: I remember that day exactly.
He got amnesia now. He got amnesia since we here. He don't remember none of this now.
JUDGE LAKE: Do you remember ever seeing ultrasound pictures of the baby? Yeah, through a text message that I got through a friend. So, at what point did you determine the baby was Mr Stone's?
When that day I went to that ultrasound and I found out I was having a boy. And that lady told me when my baby was conceived. Okay.
So, at your ultrasound, you got the date. The conception date. The days don't even add up, Your Honor.
What did they say? The lady said that I got pregnant during the beginning of November. Okay.
Is that when you were intimate with Mr Stone? Yes, that was part of the time I was. .
. No, Your Honor. We was intimate.
. . We were intimate between the 17th and the 22.
We have. . .
22nd, 'cause it was. . .
My birthday was the 24th, it was the week before my birthday. We had been having sex for almost a month. Okay?
We started having sex at the end of October towards the end of November. So, you say for an entire month. STONE: No.
ROGERS: Mmm-hmm. It was like the beginning, like, the mid-November. ROGERS: Your Honor.
And then, like I said, from the 17th to 22nd. And then the baby was born August 25th. ROGERS: I can show you.
. . He can even say that.
Even if he want to say that, my baby was still conceived in November. What is that you have Ms. Rogers?
ROGERS: I have a calendar. Let me see that, please. Jerome, will you hand me that evidence?
It shows you when my baby was conceived. No matter where you want to put it at. And when he was born.
This is a calendar that states that baby Kristian was born on August 25th. ROGERS: I went over my due date because Kristian was a very big baby. And my body wasn't trying to get him to come out.
STONE: Definitely didn't hear about that one either. JUDGE LAKE: You say you were intimate with Mr Stone in November. ROGERS: Mmm-hmm.
JUDGE LAKE: And that's when the doctors told you you conceived. And so, Mr Stone, you admit that you were intimate with Ms. Rogers in November.
You say it's between the 17th and the 22nd. Yes, and the last encounter was I want to say about the 22nd. ROGERS: No.
JUDGE LAKE: Okay. Why are you so convinced you aren't or can't be the father when that falls right within the window of conception identified by the doctors? STONE: Because of the fact of her exact words.
You can't tell nobody it's a possibility. You can't do that. That has your mind wondering.
And then other information that I can see that I know was true. So, you do know that it's a possibility, you just don't believe it for certain. Deep down inside, I don't think it's my child at all.
This is the first time he's saying this. Let me tell you something. When me and him talk, this is his baby.
Okay? This is his baby. JUDGE LAKE: Really?
He says, "my baby. " He does not say, "the baby," he says, "my baby. " I have text messages of him saying, "When can I see my baby?
" The baby got forced on me, Your Honor. JUDGE LAKE: I'd like to see those. Jerome, will you hand me these Sure.
text messages? The messages say, from Mr Stone, "What are you doing? " And you say, "Sitting here.
" And Mr Stone says, "Oh, okay. I miss nugget. " You write, "Okay.
" And then you write back Mr Stone, "When can I have my baby? " ROGERS: So if you didn't think the baby is yours, why you calling him "my baby" now? Because at this time, I was already attached to the baby.
And I told her that. Why? Because I grew up without a father and I know that the predicament that he in, he might grow up without one, too.
And I wouldn't like that. ROGERS: (STAMMERS) Listen, I. .
. So I try to step up and be a man about the situation. ROGERS: I've never tried.
. . ROGERS: My thing is, I always.
. . And still get pushed down.
ROGERS: Never thought. . .
Understand I've been wrong but I'm doing everything right. I told him that. I don't fault you because I did say it might be a possibility.
I'd never faulted him for that. So, it's like, I did tell him. .
. STONE: Like she hid everything on me. I did.
I did tell him Until the baby was born. that I don't fault him for how he feels. But he has not came to me since my baby had been born really saying that he really feel like this wasn't his baby.
His family came over and said my baby looked just like him. Well, Ms. Rogers, you are saying now that you told him there's a possibility there could be someone else, but you came to court today saying you know for sure.
. . ROGERS: I do know for sure.
I said then in that conversation that it might be a possibility. Because this was around when I found out I was pregnant because I didn't know exactly how far along I was. When I went, when I first found out I was pregnant, I didn't, they couldn't tell me.
I did not get an actual ultrasound until probably a month and a half later. Because after I left there, I had other stuff that I had to get ready for the baby. So why didn't you come straight to me and tell me that you thought you was pregnant with my baby?
Instead of having it come out. You should have come to me. ROGERS: I told you.
I told you myself! STONE: My friend came to me. I called him.
No. My friend came to me first. I called him.
My mom had to go to the Children's Center with my sisters and I sat there while they was in the back and called him. And I told him, I said, "I'm pregnant. " That's a lie, Your Honor.
I said, "I'm pregnant. " So, you're saying you did tell him to his face. ROGERS: No, I was on the phone with him.
STONE: Never. On the phone, and you say, Mr Stone, you heard it from somebody else. My friends called me first.
JUDGE LAKE: All right. So, I don't think they've agreed on one point today, Jerome. I mean, not one thing.
(ROGERS SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY) It's as if you all were in two different galaxies. And somehow, ended up with a potential child. JEROME: I agree with you.
Everything you said. . .
I don't think they agreed on anything but the threesome. Yeah. That's true.
(AUDIENCE LAUGHS) And that's not a good thing. JEROME: No. And that's why we're here today.
Yes, ma'am. Jerome, I'm ready for the results. (AUDIENCE CHEERING AND APPLAUDING) These results were prepared by DNA Diagnostics and they read as follows.
In the case of Rogers v. Stone, when it comes to 7-month-old Kristian Rogers, it has been determined by this court, Mr Stone, you. .
. Are not the father. (SIGHS) Told you I wasn't going to lie about nothing.
I know what I did. I paid for extra. It's cool.
STONE: Not cool. It is cool. You proved what you wanted to.
You proved that I'm such the whore that you think I am. You proved it. Thank you.
It's not that. I wanted to know for a fact. (REPEATEDLY) You proved it.
I wanted to know for a fact if that was my child or not. You proved I was such a whore. I don't know who my baby daddy.
. . Just like I told you, no man will grow up without a father.
You proved your point. You're good. Do you know who Kristian's biological father is since it is not Mr Stone?
Yeah. But he doesn't want nothing to do with me or nugget, so. .
. So, what we have to do now is very important. I want you to understand that just because you have the children, and I know they're young now, I don't want you to feel like you cannot become something.
Your children are blessings. And you're still worth every opportunity that comes before you. Getting yourself an education is going to be key.
You gonna need that. Mr Stone, I know. And I tell you what.
You all used to be very close friends. Ms. Rogers probably can use a friend but a real friend.
Not one that's getting her into situations that's gonna negatively affect her future, but one that will build her up and remind her what's possible. I always have been there for her. Always.
I just wanted to know the truth. JUDGE LAKE: Good. I want you all to get back to just being friends, real friends.
Platonic friends. And Ms. Rogers, use your village.
Mr Stone loves your baby, and you never know how he can be of help to you. Whatever you need. Make sure you check on her, okay?
I wish you all the very, very best of luck. Court is adjourned.