Please be seated. Hello, Your Honor. Hello.
This is the case of Laws v. Bailey. Thank you, Jerome.
Good day, everyone. AUDIENCE: Good day. Miss Laws, you have dragged your ex-boyfriend Mr Bailey into court to prove to him that he is the father of your 19-month-old son, Jah'siyah.
You believe he is denying paternity because of his mother's doubts. You also claim that there is a chance that Mr Bailey is the father of your four-year-old son, Jah'mari, who has another man's name, on his birth certificate. Mr Bailey, you say, that you did not father either of Miss Laws' two sons and believe that their biological father is Miss Laws' boyfriend who passed away two years ago, is that correct?
BAILEY:Yes, Your Honor. JUDGE LAKE: Miss Laws, how did we get here today? Tell me about your relationship.
Okay, so, um, me and Mr Bailey actually met in middle school, and we kind of been, like, on and off. My mother stays in Arizona, so, I left middle school and went to Arizona, and that's when me and Mr Bailey broke up. And, before coming back, I actually met Mr Davis, and we were in a relationship for about two years.
So, when I came back, Mr Bailey used to come up to my high school, you know, he never gave up on trying to get back with me, 'cause, you know, we left off in middle school. And me and Mr Davis were actually intimate for a year and a half, I never got pregnant. So, that night, the first night that I actually cheated and slept with Mr Bailey, two months later, I find out I'm pregnant.
So, when you said, "I'm pregnant," did you say immediately "I'm confused "as to which man is the father," or did you tell one man he was the father? Actually, I told the both of them when I found out. You did?
Yes, I did. So, you told both men? LAWS:Mmm-hmm.
Yes, Your Honor. JUDGE LAKE:Who, who was at the birth with you? LAWS:Uh, Mr Davis.
Mr Davis was at the birth of your first child? Yes, Your Honor. Mmm-hmm.
Who is on the birth certificate for the first child? Mr Davis. So, Mr Davis was on the birth certificate.
So. . .
Even though you say you were confused about the paternity, you led Mr Davis to believe that he was the father? LAWS:Yes, Your Honor. You did?
Mmm-hmm. LAWS:Okay, so, when I slept with Mr Bailey, I was still in a relationship with Mr Davis. JUDGE LAKE: Okay.
It was a one night thing. How is that even possible, though? We're gonna.
. . JUDGE LAKE: Uh.
. . We have a lot of people here on this earth, Mr Bailey.
Let me give you a news flash. They're products of one night stands. It only takes once.
Did you use protection on that one night? No. That's the recipe for making a baby.
(AUDIENCE CHUCKLING) So, how old was Jah'mari when Mr Davis passed away? LAWS: He was two years old. JUDGE LAKE:He was two?
Mmm-hmm. JUDGE LAKE:Up until that time Mr Davis thought he was Jah'mari's biological father? Yes.
Did his family accept the child? LAWS: Yes. JUDGE LAKE: But you knew, all the while, deep inside, that you had cheated on Mr Davis with Mr Bailey?
Yes. And so, Mr Davis passes away, at that point, did you tell someone about this secret? The only people who really knew were Mr Bailey's, um, some of his family members.
No. JUDGE LAKE: So. .
. Mr Bailey, you and your mom are here in court today. Yes, Your Honor.
Do you remember hearing that she was pregnant with Jah'mari, an older child. . .
BAILEY: No, I knew she was pregnant with Jah'mari. She was big, like, her stomach was already big and everything. And I was already like just seeing her and stuff.
So that was already his baby. How is. .
. I just don't understand. JUDGE LAKE: Also, you knew when she was pregnant!
You saw her when she was pregnant with Jah'mari. You didn't think this was your child? No.
Did she ever tell you this could be your child? No. No.
So, who did she tell you Jah'mari's father was? BAILEY: Corey. LAWS: Okay, can I say something?
JUDGE LAKE: Mr Davis? Davis. LAWS: Can I say something?
Okay, so, let me tell you. When I first found out I was pregnant, I didn't have the guts to even tell Corey that I cheated, because, I was, like, you know, I was in love with that man. So, when I told Mr Bailey, I told him second after I told Mr Davis, and what Mr Bailey said was, "That's my baby.
" Did you say that, Mr Bailey? Did you say, "That's my baby"? No, how am I gonna say that.
. . Excuse me.
. . LAWS: Him and his cousin were saying that.
(ALL ARGUING) 'Cause you know you slept with me. 'Cause you know you slept with me. But that's not my baby.
Can I say something? NELSON: Hold on, Miss Laws. You told me yourself when I asked you, "Is that Mr Bailey's son?
" You said, "No, it's not. " I don't know, that's why I'm here. I don't know.
I'm confused 'cause I slept with the both of them, obviously. Right, but when I asked you, you told me no. I don't, I don't, I do not remember that.
He know what's good. He knows it's good. Okay.
JUDGE LAKE: Well, Miss Laws, you did testify to the fact that you were fearful, and could it be possible that you did tell Miss Nelson this is not your grandchild because you didn't want to open up that Pandora's Box? I really don't even remember that. Did you ever tell Mr Davis's family that it was a possibility that he was not Jah'mari's biological father?
Nobody knows that. Nobody. BAILEY: Oh.
I never had the guts enough to even. . .
You know what I mean? That's why I'm here today, honestly. 'Cause I kept that secret for so long, I was young, I didn't know how to say it, it would hurt, you know what I mean?
He's dead now. (AUDIENCE GROANS) So, he said, "He don't know if he could be the dad. " What he told me Friday was, "If both of these kids come out mine, "I'm going to marry you.
" You know what I mean? So, why even stand here and lie like you don't even know it's a possibility? That junk's getting on my nerves.
JUDGE LAKE: Well, listen. . .
I know you are upset and I know this is hard, and I know this has been a lot of stress. You're a young woman, and you've been keeping secrets and this is what secrets do to us. They tear us apart.
They eat away at us. And this is an opportunity for you to not just tell your side, but also for Mr Bailey and Miss Nelson to tell what they understand, it's also time to tell the truth. LAWS: And he needs to be.
. . And I'm gonna give you that opportunity because Mr Davis's sister is here in court.
BAILEY:Hmm. NELSON:Uh-oh. And I'd like to have her be escorted in.
Jerome? Did she ever tell you this could be your child? No.
Miss Collier, thank you so much for being here today. And please accept my sincerest condolences on the loss of your brother. Mmm-hmm.
I know that it's very difficult. I have a few questions. (SNIFFLES) Just take a deep breath.
Do you believe that your brother is Jah'mari's biological father? Yes. Your Honor.
You do believe that? Yes. Can you tell the court why?
Well, first, when my brother heard first, he was so happy, and then, he told my mom that he has a baby on the way. And, my family always thought Jah'mari was ours, regardless. Nichole never told us about Mr Bailey.
And, I just. . .
(MUMBLES) So, what you're saying is that you have never received information to the contrary that your brother was this child's biological father? You grew up. .
. This is your nephew. .
. Yeah. This is what your family feels, this is their grandchild, this is their nephew.
Yeah. Did your brother ever express any doubts to you? No.
He was so happy that he had his first child on the way. When did you find out there was a possibility that Jah'mari may not be your brother's biological child? I never had that feeling 'cause I was, like, happy with my brother, so, I always thought that was my brother's son.
JUDGE LAKE: So, you didn't receive any information about that until you were asked to come to court? Mmm-hmm. JUDGE LAKE: Really?
NELSON: Mmm. . .
JUDGE LAKE: Did your brother have any other children? Well, hopefully, it'll be Jah'siyah, 'cause even when my brother passed away, he said he had another baby on the way. BAILEY:Oh.
Mmm-mmm. So, that would be Miss Laws' younger son. Jah'siyah, am I correct?
COLLIER: Mmm-hmm. And for Jah'siyah and Jah'mari to look alike, they have the. .
. Yeah, you could tell they had the same dad. JUDGE LAKE:And you believe they look like your brother?
COLLIER:Mmm-hmm. He passed away believing he was both of the children's biological father. Mmm-hmm.
We know that on his headstone, you even have listed, in addition to being a loving son, grandson, you also put father. So, until having to come to court, this is what your family believed. Yeah.
No other thing? No other thing. That's my first time ever hearing that he thought he had another baby on the way.
Miss Collier just testified that the reason why they believe that Jah'siyah, the younger baby, was also their nephew, their grandson, is because Mr Davis told them that. That's my first time ever hearing that Mr Davis thought that. I mean, Your Honor, he never told me that he thought that, he's never said that he thought that.
When he used to come pick up Jah'mari when he was sick, and he seen me pregnant, he's like, you know, "This hurt my feelings. "That's supposed to be my baby, "or you're only supposed to have one baby by me. " Being that he's passive, he never could accept the fact that I've moved on.
You know what I mean? So, then, seeing me pregnant, he was hurt, but he never said, "That's my baby. I feel like that's my baby.
" And he couldn't have said it 'cause he knows and I know that we never slept around. So, what was the nature of your relationship with Mr Bailey when you got pregnant with Jah'siyah? We were dating.
He was staying at my house, like, the only time he leaves is if we're arguing, and I put him out, and he'd come right back. You know what I mean? (LIGHT LAUGHTER) She's real sneaky.
Every time I leave, ain't no telling what's up. Like, you're confused about the first one, what's up with the second one? It makes me wonder, like.
. . JUDGE LAKE: So, you're saying because there's a.
. . Because she's honest about the paternity question regarding Jah'mari, you feel like there potentially could be a paternity question relating to Jah'siyah.
BAILEY:No, because like I was saying, she would still, like, see him, like she said, he would still come to her house, she would go see him, anything's possible. Jah'mari was his baby. He's done more for.
. . He's done more for Jah'mari.
Like, he would want to be around Jah'mari. Do you ever want to be around Jah'siyah? (BOTH ARGUING) Boy, you know that boy is yours!
Until you said your mom. . .
Until you said your mom was like, "He doesn't look like your daughter, "then that's not your baby. " (BOTH ARGUING) Okay, hold on. Hold on.
Hold on! Let's get some order. Let's get some order.
What evidence do you have to prove that she potentially was sneaking around? Her phone, her phone always locked up. And if she ends up do giving me the password, she ends up switching it, like, right away.
JUDGE LAKE: Do you have any other proof that she was out sleeping with somebody else? If she's sneaky, I already got my doubts about her being sneaky, then I'm. .
. I just don't trust her. (LAWS SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY) JUDGE LAKE: So, you don't trust her?
I. . .
Not at all. I don't. LAWS: .
. . you always got to be outside doing something.
So, we don't know for sure if Jah'mari is yours or Corey's 'cause I made that one mistake with you. So we got that out of the way but what we don't got out of the way is Jah'siyah being your son, and he's definitely your son and like I said, you're gonna see today. You're gonna see today.
JUDGE LAKE: So, Miss Laws, just to be clear, you told him unequivocally that Jah'siyah is his biological child? Yes, Your Honor. JUDGE LAKE: The question was about Jah'mari.
Yes, Your Honor. But Mr Bailey, you believe if it's a question about Jah'mari, then in my mind there's a question about Jah'siyah. Yeah.
JUDGE LAKE: And that doubt is probably fueled by the fact that Miss Collier has testified to the fact that her brother said before his passing that, "I have another baby on the way. " Right. LAWS: I'm confused, too.
Seriously, 'cause I was wondering why he wouldn't tell me that. I mean. .
. JUDGE LAKE: Hold on. Hold on.
. . .
had to be having sex or something. . .
JUDGE LAKE: Quiet! Let's get some order. Let's get some order.
Just calm down, Miss Laws. JEROME: Take a deep breath. I'm ready to walk out.
Take a deep breath. You go read the results to him 'cause I already know the freaking result. JUDGE LAKE: Listen, you walk out of here, you're walking out on your children's opportunity to know who their father is.
Listen, listen, listen. You do need to hear it because you've already testified that you had a question and a secret that you held on to by yourself for all of these years so much so that the man you say you love so much, his sister's sitting here and she had no idea Mr Bailey could potentially be her nephew's. .
. (LAWS SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY) JUDGE LAKE: So, well, we heard that. We heard that already.
LAWS: What you want me to do. . .
But. . .
Listen, listen. What I want you to do is just be quiet for a minute. Because the truth is you're too young to have all these babies anyway.
And that's why you're in here popping off and you're crying. (APPLAUSE) And you're breaking down because you feel attacked. Oh, I, I don't feel.
. . JUDGE LAKE: No, you feel attacked.
. . That's my point.
You feel attacked because you feel like he's not telling the truth about you. But what I'm saying is the only way you get down to understanding why people believe what they believe about you is hearing what they have to say. (MUMBLES) JUDGE LAKE: Walking out, walking out and running and yelling.
That doesn't serve you and that doesn't serve your children. I think we are ready for the results. Jerome.
We have two sets of results here today. The first is for Jah'siyah. Because there wasn't a blood card available to test the DNA of the deceased, Mr Corey Davis, we performed a DNA test with his surviving parent, Shaunte Barnwell and the child, Jah'siyah Laws.
We also performed a DNA test between Mr Jahlique Bailey and the child, Jah'siyah Laws. These results were prepared by DNA Diagnostics and they read as follows. In the case of Laws v.
Bailey, pertaining to whether Mr Bailey or Mr Davis is the father of 19-month-old Jah'siyah Laws, it has been determined by this court the biological father is. . .
. . .
Mr Bailey. (AUDIENCE MURMURING) So after all of the doubt we now know Jah'siyah is your son. Okay.
How do you feel? Cool. I feel a lot better now.
Ain't nothing gonna change. JUDGE LAKE: That you know? Yeah, I feel a lot better I know now.
Yes, Your Honor. Let's get the next result. JUDGE LAKE: In the case ofLaws v.
Bailey, pertaining to whether Mr Bailey or Mr Davis is the father of four-year-old Jah'mari Laws it has been determined by this court the biological father is. . .
Mr Bailey. AUDIENCE: Oh. Oh.
I'm very sorry, Miss Collier. (SNIFFLING) He's still gonna be my nephew 'cause I had that bond with Jah'mari. JUDGE LAKE: Mr Bailey, how do you feel to know that Jah'mari is also your biological child.
It just blew me away honestly. I'm gone like. .
. Oh, my God. JUDGE LAKE: You're, like, in shock?
Yes. JUDGE LAKE: You have an opportunity now to change the course of these two beautiful boys' lives by letting them know their father, have love from their father, support from their father and have the presence of their father in their life. You can change the course of their life.
I want you to start working on, in your mind, how you can be a. . .
So you're gonna step up and you're gonna do the right thing? BAILEY: Yeah. I love that.
And look. . .
(APPLAUSE) That's why we have counseling and resources for you all here in this court room because we want you to take advantage of it and figure out how to make the first steps. All right, I wish you all the very best. Court is adjourned.
