03x37 - Teen Victim's Strategic Surveillance

[bunniefuu]

She out of nowhere clocked her. Why?

She always used to hit people in school.

When was the last time she hit you?

It was that day at school.

[narrator] This is Judy Justice.

[narrator] Brittnee Gonzalez
is suing Shareena Charlton

after Shareena's daughter assaulted
her daughter

and then damaged their property.

[Kevin] Court come to order. All rise.

Have a seat everyone.

[Kevin] Case 3051.
Gonzalez v. Charlton.

-Thank you.
-You're welcome.

Would you young ladies stand up
next to your parents, please?

Ms. Gonzalez, it is your claim that
the defendant's daughter did two things.

That she assaulted your daughter

-and that she damaged your front door.
-That is correct.

The defendant says that neither is true.

Neither one of you were present
when the alleged as*ault occurred.

You were allegedly present
when the door was damaged.

-Correct.
-Okay, so, tell me your first name.

Adriana.

Adriana, do you remember
the date of this incident?

-No.
-Do you?

-No.
-Tell me your name?

Gulianna.

Well, let's say April 18th of this year.

Which is when it occurred.

Do you remember what time, Gulianna?

Um, no.

[Judge] Morning or afternoon?

Oh, afternoon.

Were you playing outside your house?

-Yes.
-Were you playing with anyone?

-No.
-You were alone?

-Yes.
-Adriana, who were you with

on April 18th?

I was with a couple of friends.

What's a couple of friends?
How many friends?

Like, four or five.

Four or five is not a couple,
four or five is a group.

A couple means two.

-Probably like three.
-[Judge] Three what?

-Three boys.
-And two girls?

Yeah, I think.

Adriana, did you know Gulianna
before April 18th?

Yes.

-Do you go to school together?
-Yes.

How long have you gone to school together?

For, like, two years.

-Were you friends, or... No.
-[Adriana] No.

Did you ever have any contact
with her before?

-Mm-hm.
-What? Uh-huh, is a yes.

What kind of contact?

Like, we was inside a group chat together.

She was in a group chat...
A text group chat.

With other people in it.

Other than being in a group chat with her,

did you ever have any
conversations with her?

Mm, I don't think so. I don't remember
because this is a long time ago.

[Judge] So now I'm gonna go to Gulianna.

Did you ever have any conversations
with Adriana before the 18th

other than in a group chat?

Yes.

Can you keep your voice up
so I can hear, I'm old?

-Yes.
-Tell me about it.

We used to be friends,
but we stopped being friends.

-When?
-Um, I don't remember.

-I think...
-Do you know why?

No.

Okay, so now I'd like you to tell me
what happened. Gulianna,

on the 18th in the afternoon.
What were you doing outside?

I was playing around on my Hoverboard.

Hoverboard is that thing
that you sort of balance yourself on?

-[Gulianna] Yes.
-You were playing on the Hoverboard, and?

And I saw Adriana coming up to me

and I thought something would happen

so I moved to the Ring camera
so my mom would catch it.

Is that because you were concerned
about something from your past with her?

You used to be friends, but then you said
you just weren't friends anymore.

Yes, she doesn't really like me
and we were only friends for a little bit,

-then she stopped being friends with me.
-Okay.

Well, she was with a group of people.

Did she come up to you alone
or with the group?

With the group.

[Judge] And what happened
when she came up to you?

She was saying something about
let me get two minutes,

so I assumed it was about my Hoverboard

and I was just shaking my head
and then she slapped me,

and, um, I... I went inside
and told my mom about it.

Okay. Adriana, before you tell me
your version of what happened,

and I haven't seen this,
but I want to tell you

that there is a video
of what happened that day.

-I don't know what's on it.
-Mm-hm.

I've never seen it, but they don't put up
this screen unless there's a video.

And Gulianna tells me that she moved
in front of the Ring camera

'cause she was a little afraid,

and she wanted her mom to be able
to see what was happening.

So before you tell me your version
of the events,

I want to tell you that there is
a very strong probability

that the Ring camera picked up
what happened...

-Yes. Yes, it did.
-...that day. Got it?

So now I want you to keep your voice up
and tell me your version

of what happened that day.

Okay, so me and my friends, we're walking

because there is a man
who gives out drinks and snacks

and we did not want to go back
to my mom's house

-because it was a long walk.
-[Judge] Just a sec.

Get to what happened when you saw her.

Okay, so we have saw her
and then I have run into her,

and then I have said...
She has said yes.

-[Judge] Give me two minutes.
-Yes, give me two minutes.

I think that...
Yeah she was ... She said,

that she thought
that it was about the Hoverboard.

And I don't know about the shaking
of the head or anything.

What... Just a second.
What did, "Give me two minutes" mean?

It means, like, let me hit you.
Because she had hit me in school.

She always used to hit me in school.

Just a second.
You came up to her and said,

"Give me two minutes."
-Mm-hm.

-And then you hit her?
-Yes.

-Now, Ms. Charlton.
-Yes, ma'am.

-I've read your answer.
-Yes.

Is this the first time your daughter
told that story to you?

Just listen to me very carefully.

No, it's not the first time, no.

You mean your daughter told you
that she assaulted the plaintiff that day

when she came in
and told you what happened?

She never came in and told me...

-Okay, well, when you asked her...
-When I asked her.

-Yeah.
-...Ms. Charlton.

-I want you to be very clear.
-Mm-hm.

Did your daughter tell you the same story
that she just told me?

Yes.

I want you to tell me verbatim
what she told you.

-Adriana said...
-'Cause I've read your answer.

-Yes.
-Your answer comes to me

from evidently what she told you.

Yes.

And I'm going to look at it again,
so that I'm sure.

In your answer you wrote,

"Gulianna got aggressive
and threatened Adriana,

so Adriana was forced to defend herself."

That's what you wrote

because that's what
she originally told you,

but that's not what she just told me.

-No that's not right.
-That's not what she just told me,

what she just told me was,

she walked up to her,
said, "Give me two minutes..."

I don't know what that means.

...and then she hit her.

Yes, that's what she told me.

So where did you get the fact
that this young lady became aggressive?

There was nothing aggressive about that.

Yeah, there was
nothing aggressive about it.

-So that, your answer is mistaken?
-Yes.

So either you made up that statement
'cause you signed your answer,

or that's what your daughter told you
when she came home.

-No.
-So you were mistaken

-when you made that up in your answer...
-Yeah.

-...the part about her defending herself.
-Yes.

So you acknowledge
that your daughter just hit her?

-Yes.
-Then that's so easy.

Now I want to see the video.

[indistinct chatter]

[screams]

[screams]

[Adriana] Let's go, y'all.

[yelling]

Let's play it again.

[screams]

[screams]

Can you explain your actions, Adriana?

-She had come back to kick the door in.
-Is that on the Ring?

-[Brittnee] It is.
-I'd like to see it.

[indistinct]

[rumbling]

What was that?

[narrator] Brittnee Gonzalez claims
Shareena Charlton's daughter, Adriana,

assaulted her daughter
and damaged their door.

Shareena is countersuing
for online defamation.

What I just saw is you
with a group of people.

You surrounded her
and you just walked up and slugged her.

Explain that to me.

Okay, so Gulianna,
she always used to hit people in school.

She used to be inappropriate in school.
She used to hit people in school.

What does that have to do
with what I just saw?

-Yeah, so...
-What does that have to do with that?

I mean, if I believed you, which I don't,

what does that have to do
with this behavior of yours?

Okay, so I was just really mad as soon
as I saw Juliana on her Hoverboard

because she, as I said,
she always used to hit people

and be inappropriate in school
to all of us.

-So...
-[Judge] Just a second,

when was the last time she hit you?

And be very careful.

When was the last time she hit you?

It was that day at school.

Did you tell anybody about it?

I told a teacher, and I don't think
that she talked to Gulianna.

All I know is just that I told a teacher.

Okay, when this whole incident started,

did you tell your mother that Gulianna
had hit you in school

and that you told the teacher...?

-Careful.
-Mm-hm.

When this incident happened,
did you tell your mother

that Gulianna had hit you in school
and you told the teacher?

Yes. Well, not really,

I just told my mom that I was
about to fight this girl in school

because she had hit me

because my mom had picked me up
from this after-school program

that's called Latchkey,

and then we was, like, near something,

and that I had told her that I was
about to fight somebody in school.

And I had told her that
and I just forgot what she said.

What she told me after.

-[Judge] Did you understand that?
-[Rose] Yeah.

Repeat that to me, would you?
That whole last soliloquy?

Let's see, "Yes, but not really,
I just told my mom

I was about to fight this girl
because she had hit me

because my mom picked me up after school,

program called Latchkey
and we was near something and that

I had told her I was about
to fight somebody in school,

and I told her that,
and I just forgot what she said.

She told me after."

Well, that's what I heard,
I don't understand it, but I...

I don't understand it,
it's a lot of gibberish.

Okay, now I want you to tell me
what happened with the door.

Me? So she had come back afterwards.

So you see Gilianna come inside
and she was telling me

to look at the camera
because I was inside with my son,

who was special needs at the time.

We were getting ready to come out also.
To be with her while she was outside.

She had come in and told me,

I went outside to see
if the Hoverboard was still there.

It was, so I retrieved it,
brought it back in,

and by that time,
she had come back to kick the door in.

-Is that on the Ring?
-It is.

I'd like to see it.

[indistinct chatter]

[thud]

[rumbling]

What was that?

-Me kicking the door.
-Why?

Because I was still mad.

I was still mad at Gulianna.

You understand
that she needs a talking to?

Yes. She had a good talking to.

-Did she? Good for you.
-Yes.

Can I see photographs
of the damage to the door, please?

Just a second.

[Judge] So it's the wood part of the door?

[Gonzalez] It's the frame, yeah.

Did you get an estimate to fix it?

-I did, I have several.
-I'd like to have it.

-[Charlton] If I may speak, Your Honor.
-Mm-hm.

So when it comes to the door situation,

I did try to reach out to the defendant

as towards paying and helping, you know,
rectify the situation,

-but...
-[Judge] Good. That's good to hear.

Actually, that's really good to hear.

Yes, ma'am.

But from the pictures that she sent to me
in her own personal text,

I was definitely questionable about this.

So, from the pictures
that she sent to you,

you can see that she said
that this was a stainless steel door.

No, the wood... The damage
she's showing me is really wood.

Yes, but from the text messages that
she sent when I asked about the door,

she said it was a stainless steel door.

Then she sent me the pictures
and if you see some of the pictures

you'll see this one picture at the bottom.

Right here.

Let me see which one you're looking at.

This one right here.

Can I see which one
she's referencing, please?

-Kevin...
-[Charlton] This one right here.

-These are the estimates...
-[Charlton] So if you...

Bottom of the frame.

-Mm-hm.
-[Charlton] So looking at that one picture

right there, you'll see that
that was broken from a nail.

Then, you see that the wooden part
that she's saying that Adriana broke,

was already from a broke prior

because it's added wood to the door.

You see the...

I'm just talking about this wood.

-Yes, ma'am. That's what I'm saying.
-[Judge] Yeah.

That wood was added.

What difference does it make?

How can she break a stainless steel door?

-This is wood.
-[Charlton] Yes.

Is that what you claim she broke?

If I may, what she's trying to explain
is that it is a steel door,

and it's a custom-made door,

so I can't just go to a store and say,
"Hey, I'd like that door,

can you please install it,"

it has to be built and manufactured
to fit the space in my house.

So for that to happen,
everything has to come off.

A whole new entryway has to be put in.

Are you telling me
that her kicking the door

-caused this damage to the wood?
-[Gonzalez] Correct.

And the door does not shut properly,
we cannot dead bolt it.

That's what I'm saying, You Honor,
how can she be able to do that

to a stainless steel...
-[Judge] I don't know.

-I have... I have...
-In Crocs!

Listen to me, I have no idea.

I have no idea how she did it.

-Right, that's what I was...
-But it's clear she went up to the door...

-Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am.
-...and kicked the door

-because she was mad.
-Yes.

And if she's mad,
that means she is not in control.

She may be young in years,
but she's almost as big as you are.

[Charlton] Yes.

Do you understand?
She has to control that temper.

-Oh, yes. yes.
-[Judge] Yeah.

-And I know you... And I know you get that.
-Yes.

-How many kids do you have?
-Three.

-Three. Is she the youngest, oldest?

She's the oldest.

Okay, well, she's gotta set an example
for the younger ones.

Does she do her chores?

-Yes.
-Great.

She's got to be somehow responsible

for what I'm gonna do today.

-Yes, I'm...
-So if you're very...

If you're very smart,
you'll add to those chores list

and make her pay you back

for some of what
I'm going to award her today.

Yes, ma'am, but she already
got the money back for the door.

-[Judge] How did she do that?
-She did a GoFundMe.

-[Judge] Did you?
-I did.

Oh, okay. You did a GoFundMe page
for the door?

-[Gonzalez] Correct.
-Could I see a photograph of that?

And that was because of the lack of her

trying to rectify
the situation through text.

[Judge] Just a second.

Okay, so, so far from the GoFundMe page,
according to this,

-you've covered the cost of the door.
-[Gonzalez] Correct.

-Okay, so...
-It's not everybody else's responsibility,

-it's her responsibility.
-Well, that's true.

Well, that may be true.

And if you had not decided to do that,

then I would have awarded you the $1800

it was going to be to fix the door.

However, you're not
out of pocket for the door.

-So if... If...
-It's still her responsibility.

It's her mother's responsibility,
only technically because she's a minor.

-Do you understand?
-[Gonzalez] Sure.

Yeah, but you got paid for the door,
so we're not going to get paid twice.

She said about me,

saying that I was sitting at home
smoking crack

instead of paying attention
to my daughter.

I did.

Well, you can't accuse her of
committing a crime unless you have proof,

-Where's you proof that she was sitting...
-I don't have any.

[laughs]

[narrator] Brittnee Gonzalez has accused
Shareena Charlton's daughter

of assaulting her daughter
and kicking their door.

Shareena is countersuing
claiming Brittnee defamed her online.

Your daughter really
still has to understand

that what she did...

Forget about the door,
the door was just an extra piece of anger.

She walked over and out of nowhere,
clocked her.

-Yes.
-That's outrageous.

So you better give her a whole bunch
of lessons in being good

because I'm not buying her story.

Yes, ma'am, and I definitely, you know...

So I say she should walk off the $500

that I'm awarding her
for that sucker punch.

Now, we have a counterclaim,
and your counterclaim is

-that the plaintiff...
-Yes.

-published this video on the Internet...
-Yes.

...which you say defames your daughter.

Yes, it got over 12 million, uh, views

without them, you know,
hiding her face or anything.

-And then people...
-She doesn't have to hide her face.

Well, Adriana being a minor...

She doesn't have to hide her face.

[Charlton] Oh...

She has no duty to hide her face
in the law.

So, she can just post Adriana
whenever she feels like it?

She can post whatever she wants
that's accurate.

Okay, what about the comments?

-Her comments?
-Her comments towards... Yes.

It depends upon what she said.

Does she talk about kicking the door,
does she talk about as*ault?

Yes, she said about me,

saying that I was sitting at home
smoking crack

instead of paying attention
to my daughter.

-Oh, just a second, just a second.
-She... Uh, yeah.

-That I want to see.
-Yes, ma'am.

[Kumar] I have those also.

So it's not your daughter's defamation,

-it's yours?
-It's mine yes.

-It's yours.
-She also says that...

-[Judge] Shh, just a second.
-Yes.

Did you write,
"She's sitting back smoking crack"?

I did.

Well, you can't accuse her of committing
a crime unless you have proof.

Where's your proof
that she was sitting back...

-I don't have any.
-Well, that's defamation.

[laughs]

That's defamation.

I never used her likeness or anything.

She inserted herself into the comments
with her name as the username

so everybody would know it was her,

so when she started talking, everybody
who saw the video can know it's her.

I don't care, I'm telling you,

you can't accuse somebody
of committing a crime.

She also put saying that she has a g*n,

and if Adriana kept it up,
then she was going to use it.

May I see that text?

So far,
you're absolutely right about this.

No, she can tell you she has a g*n.

[Charlton] Okay.

I also have other communications
between us from the Internet.

Wait... Just a second,
I don't want to see... Just tell me

if there's something actionable there,
you tell me.

I mean I don't care
if the two of you are fighting...

She's claiming I keep posting
on the Internet,

but I never come out of my house.

So that right there proves that she knows
that I never come outside.

-That I keep to myself.
-[Judge] Who cares?

-Who cares?
-She just wants to harass me

because I'm posting her child who did
something uninvited on my property.

[Judge] Yeah, that's... Okay.

Also, that she watches me
from my porch every day.

-[Judge] Get over it.
-Okay.

Your reward was going to be $500
for your daughter,

which I would have hoped
that you would have put away for her

because she endured being assaulted.

You weren't injured,
you didn't go to the doctor, correct?

Right. It was nasty.

It was just nasty,
and I've dressed her down.

I'm awarding her $500
on the defamation case,

which means neither of you get anything.

You got paid for the door, plus some,

but you can't accuse somebody
without any proof whatsoever

that they're drug users.

You're correct.

-Well, now you paid for it.
-Okay.

Judgment for the plaintiff, $500,

judgment on the counterclaim, $500.

They cross each other out.

You leave here with nothing
except hopefully some good lessons.

-We're done.
-[Kevin] This court is adjourned.

I think it was a fair decision.

Um, totally fine with it, as long as
it's all said and done and over with.

I know that they were having
issues at school,

you know, regarding her appearance
or what have you,

but it shouldn't be like that.
Everybody should get along.

I don't want nothing to happen to her.

I was just out enjoying my Hoverboard,
I just wanted to have some fun.

I'm just glad that this is done
and over with.

Yeah, I think it's time to stay separate,

um, and I hope the mother
you know, disciplines her

and makes it known that she shouldn't be
doing those kinds of things in the future.

Kids are kids, they should move on.
Kids going to fight every day, so...

I really hope that defendant, the mother

takes this as seriously as you
insinuated to her that she should

because I feel like if I came home
to my parents, especially my father,

and said, "Hey, some girl and I had
a problem at school today,

I'm going to go fight her, okay?"

I would not even get two steps
out of the room in which I was in

before he would say, "Are you crazy?"

And teach me a good lesson
before I even got out of the house.

-Yup.
-So I can't imagine...

And the mother was just standing there
as the daughter was saying,

"Yeah, I went home and I told my mom
that I had a problem with a girl at school

and that I was gonna go fight her."

And the mother didn't have anything
to say about that, nothing to say,

and even in the end, you know,
I could hear her say kids are kids.

You know, kids are kids.
No, kids are not kids

that go to other children's homes

and slap them in their own driveway
for no reason.

So parents really need to get it together.

That's where it all starts.

-That's where you teach behavior.
-Oh, yeah.

-You teach behavior at home.
-Mm-hm.

If you're waiting for school to teach

anything other than reading,
writing, and arithmetic,

and want schools to teach morality
and right from wrong,

and then what you're doing
is you're giving up your responsibility

as a parent to other people.

I mean children learn from example,

but they also look
to their parents for guidance

-And to see what's acceptable.
-Yeah.

And an 11-year-old,
even if she's a big 11-year-old

should not think
that it's acceptable behavior.

And it's not kids being kids.
That doesn't look like kids being kids.

-That was aggressive...
-Aggressive.

...and a group of people coming up...
-A pack mentality.

-Coming up to one youngster...
-Mm-hm.

...that is bullying
and it really has to stop.

But the plaintiff, if I hadn't heard

that she started a GoFundMe page

and actually the door was $1800

-and she got...
-Double almost.

-Much more than that.
-She was honest

when she was asked about it
and she presented her own proof

to say that she did.

But she didn't tell me up-front.

-She gave me the bill first.
-She was still suing for it.

She... Right. But you can't post
anything on the Internet.

-You can't accuse someone...
-It was the clearest case of defamation.

-Absolutely.
-Yeah.

[narrator] Have you been cheated?