This is Couples Court with the Cutlers.
JUDGE KEITH: We're here on the case of Elijah v. Neil.
Y'all have been together for four years and met on Facebook.
Is that correct?
BOTH: Yes, Your Honor.
All right Mr. Elijah,
you brought your girlfriend here to court today.
ELIJAH: Yes, Your Honor.
Why have you brought her here?
Because I wanna marry her, but I wanna find out whether she's cheating or not.
JUDGE DANA: All right, and you're here, Miss Neil, because?
I'm here to prove that I'm not a cheater, Your Honor.
And to basically save my family.
And my relationship.
All right, let's look back on how you got here.
Y'all met on Facebook.
ELIJAH: Yes.
How did that happen?
Actually, I posted a picture and she liked it, so I inboxed her.
I asked her why she liked it and she was like, "I think you're cute".
So...
JUDGE DANA: Ah!
All right. Mr. Cutler, we didn't have Facebook then, I couldn't inbox you then,
but I would've inboxed you.
But you would have?
I would have.
You would have.
I would. Absolutely.
Okay.
You know, I was watching her during this whole thing.
She was just smiling.
(CHUCKLES)
Okay, tell me about that, when you his picture go blink.
He didn't know but... We went to high school together.
He was more like in his final years of high school, I was just starting.
JUDGE DANA: Ah, so you've been eyeballing him.
Yeah, I had a crush on him, but he was in a relationship
so when I saw him post a picture I was just like,
"Oh, let me like a picture, and see if you still in a relationship".
I ain't mad at you.
All right. There you go.
I like it. I like it.
JUDGE KEITH: And so what did y'all do in your early days?
ELIJAH: We stayed in two different spots.
So when we met up, it was like we would walk on dirt roads,
kinda like from the country.
JUDGE KEITH: It's all good.
I had a butterfly feeling every time I saw her.
Because she's so far away.
JUDGE DANA: Aw!
Like I had when I met you, butterflies in my stomach.
You had butterflies when you met me?
Little bit, little bit of butterflies.
I still get butterflies, how does that make you feel, Mr. Cutler?
I really do.
It's okay.
Butterflies are good.
Butterflies are what keep it hot.
(AUDIENCE LAUGHING)
All right, what did y'all like to do for entertainment?
Did you go to movies, did you go to restaurants,
what kind of things did you like to do?
Honestly, he might decide to cook.
Basically, we always ate like, pork chops, rice, garden peas, cornbread.
That was his thing, to cook for me.
Okay, you're making me hungry now, okay?
Did he cook that for you?
Yes!
That's what I'm talking about.
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
(CHUCKLING)
I wish I could come off this bench and give you a hug.
A man who can cook a right pork chop
is not to be underrated.
(ALL LAUGHING)
You tell me why we're here.
Every time she's texting somebody,
it's a dude she's texting actually.
Tell me specifically,
what is bothering you about her texting.
Like it might be a text saying, "I'm gonna come and see you".
Okay, you've actually seen texts that said, "I'm coming to see you"?
ELIJAH: Yes.
What do you say to that?
I mean, if I didn't respond to the text message, I don't...
I really don't know what to say because...
I didn't respond back to it.
So you asking me, "Well, why is he telling you he's gonna come see you?"
I can't control what they told me they're gonna come do.
JUDGE KEITH: Well, here's the thing.
A guy is not going to write you and say, "When can I come see you?"
Unless he has an expectation that he's gonna come see you.
See that's the thing. That don't worry her neither 'cause she still texts him.
Where is your number posted that all these fellas are getting your number?
NEIL: My phone number isn't posted anywhere.
And it's not always guys. I don't just randomly give my number out
to a guy that I meet.
It's people that I've already known before him...
They might invite me...
Or they might comment on a picture that I post and tell me to inbox them,
and that's my decision.
And yes, I do inbox them,
and eventually after a conversation, I give them my number.
It's not like I meet random guys.
So, do these guys know that you're involved in a relation ship with Mr. Elijah?
I tell all of them I'm in a relationship
and some of them say they don't care
and some of them do back away, and they don't text me again.
But some of them say they don't care.
JUDGE DANA: So let me ask you something, woman to woman.
I don't have the need for other men to say anything to me.
This one's got that covered.
Is there an unmet need
in terms of your relationship with Mr. Elijah,
that you were trying to get from these other men?
It actually is, but when I tell him that it's,
"No, you just trying to make up an excuse."
He throws it off to the side and tries to flip it back on me,
and he just ignores the fact of what I just told him,
the reason why I do it.
Okay, you talk to him about why that's not good.
Did this ever cause you to break up with Miss Neil?
Um, yeah. On occasion, yeah.
Why?
There'd even been a time we had to move and separate from each other,
and she would stay with my dad and his girlfriend and they had a party.
And they told me that she left, but when I call her, she would never answer the phone.
No no no, don't turn this...
But when she finally answered her phone, she still wouldn't tell me where she was.
But you'd already broken up.
Yes. Yes, we were.
No, we were just in two separate spots.
JUDGE KEITH: In your eyes, were y'all broken up?
No.
Okay.
JUDGE DANA: I thought you just said y'all was at a break.
We were broken up.
No, no no.
NEIL: You are so lying.
JUDGE KEITH: All right, so he finally got in touch with you
and you eventually went back to his dad's house, is that right?
Okay, so what happened when you got back?
ELIJAH: Before all of that, she asked me to pick her up.
If you were broken up,
why did you call him to come pick you up?
Because he had called my phone before I left Savannah and he asked me
would I come back and could we work on it?
And that's why I was like, "Okay, well, you pick me up in Statesburg
"and we'll go from there. We can work on whatever you want to work on."
Is that how you remember it, Mr. Elijah?
I mean, yeah, some what. But when I got there...
Somewhat, like! It's always somewhat.
When I got there, I wasn't expecting to see two guys and her and another girl.
The other one was the person that I was with while I was in Savannah.
It was his car.
But at some point, y'all got back together, right?
Y'all got in a car together, what did that look like?
A mess.
On the way back, she didn't say nothing the whole time,
but the whole time I was asking her...
Oh, you lie.
About why were there two dudes and two girls in the car.
Okay, when she get in the car, that's what you fire off.
"Who were you in the car with?"
Yeah.
And what did you say?
When we got home...
Maybe I can refresh his memory.
Because he never stopped talking about it.
It was even two days later, we have an honest hour about it.
What did you tell him?
I told him that me and the dude had actually slept together.
And we had been... I had been down there with him
since I left from his dad's and his girlfriend's house.
JUDGE DANA: And how long were you in Savannah?
I was only in Savannah for two days.
No.
Yes, I was.
I know what day I was in Savannah. I know what...
So you found a guy in Savannah in two days?
NEIL: No no no.
Yeah, she find a guy in like two days.
Oh, my God, no.
We was just in two separate spots.
JUDGE DANA: Specifically, why do you believe she's cheating?
There was this time I went into the house
and it actually smelled like sex in the room.
And the ceiling fan wasn't on before I left.
I probably left like 45 minutes.
JUDGE KEITH: Okay, and when was this?
It was actually June, the 7th.
Okay. June 7th, tell me what happened.
Why is the ceiling fan on and why smell like sex there?
First of all, he's lying.
Because he had been there.
ELIJAH: I'm not.
My son's birthday was June 4th,
we had a birthday party for my son.
He was there the 4th, the 5th, the 6th.
But we talking about June the 7th.
I don't care you were there before, and you were there that day early
and we actually did have sex that night before that.
But we're talking about June the 7th.
Okay so what happened on June 7th specifically?
I left probably like 45 minutes.
Uh-huh.
Right? So I come back.
The door locked, the door ain't never locked
Which door? The front door?
The front door ain't never locked.
So I'm banging on the door,
I'm probably there for like 20 minutes maybe.
JUDGE DANA: Banging on the door, you don't have a key to the house?
No.
Okay.
So the door's locked, and you beating on it.
So you get into the house and what happens?
She even smelt like soap, like she had just washed off or something.
I always do that. I can take a... I can...
And the ceiling fan was on when you go in there?
And the ceiling fan hadn't been on.
And you can't think of a reason for the ceiling fan to be on?
She don't run the ceiling fan, it's always cold.
JUDGE KEITH: Was there another instance after that?
Actually, June the 9th.
JUDGE DANA: So two days later.
On our anniversary, really?
June the 9th, the day I left
probably for like two hours.
By the time I come back, she smelled like soap in her changed clothes.
We had been out in the heat all day, what you expect?
JUDGE DANA: Can't a woman take a bath?
Because she's taken her phone in the bathroom.
What do you need a phone in the bathroom for?
You take your phone in the bathroom. You do it, too.
How do you know she smelt like soap?
Because I could smell it on her.
JUDGE KEITH: How close did you get to her?
Close, but she was trying to push me away.
Were you inspecting her?
Yes.
Yeah. Basically. To be honest.
I gotta tell you. This is a whole another level.
And I... Don't sniff me. Just don't do that.
Okay. All right.
Don't inspect me even.
I don't even want to be inspected
You cannot have those levels of suspicion and paranoia.
'Cause, look, so far what you telling me,
it does not equate to cheating.
It is as if you have gone off the rock.
Now she's admitted.
She told you, she admitted that she had cheated.
And I understand why you would have an issue with that.
If you're gonna stay in this relationship you gonna have to let that go.
and we actually did have sex that night before then.
JUDGE KEITH: In addition to this matter that you have your lawsuit,
you also have a lawsuit.
ELIJAH: Yeah.
What's your claim in your lawsuit?
About a ring that I bought because I wanted to marry her,
but it's late for me to take it back now.
So I want my money back and the ring.
What ring?
JUDGE KEITH: Okay.
Did you give her the ring?
Did you propose to her?
ELIJAH: Yes.
It ain't on my finger.
Have you given her the ring?
Yes.
NEIL: Well...
It ain't on my finger, so where the ring at?
I have no idea what she did with it, but she have it.
Oh, wow. So now I'm a magician, too, I'm Houdini. I disappear rings, too, huh?
Oh, my God.
JUDGE DANA: Do you have no recollection...
He never gave me a ring. I've never got a ring.
Have you seen the ring?
Never seen a ring.
Didn't even know nothing about a ring till today.
When did you propose to her?
When?
ELIJAH: Uh... I forgot that.
(AUDIENCE EXCLAIMING)
JUDGE DANA: Okay, wait a minute. Hold on.
Ho, ho, hold on.
Wow.
Now, I don't remember the date.
(CHUCKLES)
But I can tell you it was August of 1981.
It was a hot August day in Atlanta,
I had worked all day,
I was all dusty from doing... What was that?
Inventory.
Inventory at the store I worked at.
Mr. Cutler was like, "Come on over, I cooked dinner."
We had t-bone steaks,
baked potato, salad, cheesecake and sweet tea.
And I looked like a hot mess 'cause I had been in a hot room all day
and he got down on one knee... Hallelujah.
And he said... And I was like, "No!"
'Cause I wanted to look beautiful on that day
and I did not look beautiful on that day
and he proposed to me.
I remember everything about that day.
(AUDIENCE CHEERING)
So how you not gonna remember proposing to her?
How do you not...
I don't remember it.
Well...
You got a receipt or something for this already?
I got a receipt for it.
You got a receipt, but where do I got my ring at?
I'd go this far.
Ron, would you grab that please?
Thanks, sir.
You never got a ring?
NEIL: I never got a ring.
Have you had a proposal?
No, if I did, I would remember it just like you remember yours.
That's what I'm talking about.
So you're suing her for a ring she says you never even gave her?
She got it.
Do you not remember when you gave it to her or how you gave it to her?
Was it at a restaurant or was it at home?
He don't take me to restaurants, so I know it was not a restaurant.
ELIJAH: Home.
It was at home?
Yes.
Um, y'all have kids, did any of the kids see this?
(ELIJAH AND NEIL LAUGH)
No.
JUDGE DANA: All right, now, but we do have a receipt here for $2000.
That's a nice ring.
That's a nice ring.
Well it's a nice ring and I ain't never seen it so I hope you can see a picture of it.
JUDGE DANA: Well, let me just say this.
I know you got your receipt.
But she doesn't seem to have the ring.
And your testimony is not consistent with somebody
who's proposed and gave a ring.
So I'm gonna just tear this up,
dismiss your lawsuit...
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
...and we gonna keep it moving.
Your claim is denied.
(AUDIENCE CHEERING)
JUDGE KEITH: Now, we still have to go back to the cheating allegation,
and in order to get to the bottom of that,
Miss Neil, you have submitted your phone to the court
for examination. Is that correct?
Yes, Your Honor.
All right, at this point the court would like to call
cyber security expert Mr. Greg Evans.
Ron, would please bring in Mr. Evans?
Yes, sir.
RON: Mr. Evans.
GREGORY: Yes.
Hello, Your Honors.
How are you?
Great.
Good to see you.
Mr. Evans how have you used technology to catch cheaters?
GREGORY: I do cyber crime investigation including
forensics and social media investigations.
In this case you were able to examine Miss Neil's phone. Is that correct?
Yes, I did. And when I did, um, I noticed...
The first thing I noticed when I got the phone
that Miss Neil had went to the phone and started deleting information
on the phone,
Like videos, text messages, and um, photos.
Are you able to recover deleted information?
Yes, I am.
(AUDIENCE EXCLAIMING)
JUDGE DANA: What did you find?
I was able to recover 166 photos,
and found eight deleted videos on her phone.
You take your phone in the bathroom. You do it, too.
What did you find with the photos and videos?
(GREGORY SCOFFS)
(AUDIENCE LAUGHING)
GREGORY: Out of 166 deleted photos,
and the eight deleted videos,
they were all innocent.
There were so many of her kids, her with the kids,
she's taking selfies in the mirror with the kids,
and they have pictures of you.
Same thing with the videos.
JUDGE DANA: So nothing incriminating?
I'm gonna be honest with you. This is the first case
myself or anyone on my team has
where we received a phone
where a person deleted information before handing it over,
where everything on there was innocent.
(SOBBING)
JUDGE DANA: It's okay, it's okay.
AUDIENCE: Aw.
I'm so tired of this, I'm so tired of it,
because I know I'm not doing anything
and it's like he's pushing me to feel like...
Well, if you're gonna keep badgering me and accusing me,
why not go do it?
Because I have two kids, I'm a stay-at-home mom,
I can't get a job right now because I don't trust everybody with my kids.
I get that.
I don't like everybody being around my kids, so I'm with my kids every single day.
And if I'm bathing my kids or cooking for my kids,
and you're telling me because I didn't text you back in a timely fashion,
that I'm doing something, then you need to leave me alone.
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
JUDGE KEITH: All right. She's admitted that she has done something in the past
while you were on a break.
Y'all dispute whether that was a break, but it her mind it was a break.
But that's the past.
You've got to deal with her right now.
Now, you've loved her enough to propose to her.
You loved her enough to buy her a ring.
That I didn't get.
You need to love her enough to give her that ring,
and move forward with that.
Are you prepared to do that?
Yes.
Are you prepared to accept him?
I am, but if he can't get it together I'm just gonna be on the foot with you.
I'm taking my kids and you can have a co-parent relationship with me,
but it's nothing else if he can't.
JUDGE KEITH: Okay.
Luckily for you this court will provide resources
to help you do exactly what you're talking about,
to move forward.
As we say in this court room, do not cheat yourself
out of your chance for a happy relationship and family.
This court is dismissed.
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét