03x09 - Music Partnership Fiasco Part 1

[bunniefuu]

Did he pay any rent?

-Never.
-[scoffs]

Show me.

I can't. I no longer have
that bank account.

Well, and I no longer believe you.

All I have is what I have.

[laughs] That doesn't help me at all.

[announcer]
This is Judy Justice.

[theme music playing]

Amina Thornton is suing her former client,
Donnie Alford,

for dog registration papers,
personal property and an as*ault.

[bailiff]
Court, come to order. All rise.

Have a seat, please.

Hello, Judge.

Case #3032, Thornton vs. Alford.

-Thank you.
-You're welcome.

Oh, this case has so many tentacles to it.
Let's deal with the simple ones first.

Miss Thornton, you have a music company.

Somewhat.

Tell me what exactly you do.

I'm a disabled veteran. With my husband,
we have a trucking company.

And, um, I also breed dogs.

What do you have to do with music?

I had something to do with music.

[Judy] Because that's how you connected
with the Defendant.

No. I initially connected with him,
he was dancing.

He does exotic dancing and
I went to a show.

[Judy]
So, you were a spectator.

-[Amina] Yes.
-[Judy] And?

He led me onto he did massages
and he did different things.

And he also made it known
that he was trying to do music.

[Judy] Was the show at a club
or somebody's house?

[Amina]
It was a rented space.

And that's the first time you saw
the Defendant.

-Correct.
-[Judy] Have you seen him again

in that same kind of setting
as an exotic dancer?

Once after the following year, in 2022,

he invited me, or asked me to come out,
and basically help him

if he needed something.
And he did need help that evening.

In between November of 2021
and what month in 2022?

That was March.

And March of 2022 had you
built up a relationship with him?

[Amina]
Yes, ma'am.

[Judy]
Did there come a time between '21 and '22

that you had some sort of a music studio?

Yes.

[Judy] That's what I read in the papers.
And what was the music studio for?

Artists to record.

-Your Honor... Okay.
-Did you... Just...

Did you rent it?

No, it was in my establishment.

[Judy]
What establishment?

It was an apartment that I rented out.
It had two bedrooms

One of the rooms was a music studio.
And it was for the...

[Judy] Okay.
It was an apartment you rented.

-Yes.
-[Judy] Where?

In Buckhead, Georgia.

When had you rented the apartment?

I rented the apartment
in February of 2022.

-[Judy] In whose name?
-My name.

-Personal.
-[Amina] Yes, ma'am.

-Not in a company.
-No.

Okay. I'm trying to figure out what you
rented a two-bedroom apartment for.

You're married, you have kids.
Were you living with your husband?

Yes, we were estranged, we were separated.

[Judy]
Okay. So, you were separated.

And what month and year
did you and your husband separate?

In... I guess, January?

-January of 2022.
-Yes, ma'am.

[sighs] It's like pulling teeth.

And then, you rented
the two-bedroom apartment.

Did you ever live in
the two-bedroom apartment yourself?

Yes, ma'am.

-[Judy] You lived in one of the bedrooms.
-Yes, ma'am.

From when to when did you
live in one of the bedrooms?

[Amina]
Up until June.

-[Judy] Then, where did you go?
-Back home.

-[Judy] You went back to your husband.
-Yes.

Mr. Alford, did he live in that apartment?

He moved in in February.
He was homeless.

Just a second. So, he moved in
in February. That's the answer.

-Yes.
-[Judy] To a two-bedroom apartment.

One of the rooms, you said,
was a music studio.

-Yeah.
-[Judy] Was that one of the bedrooms?

-[Amina] Yeah.
-[Judy] Did you and Mr. Alford

-stay in the same bedroom?
-No.

[Judy] That's a yes or a no.
Let's just move on with it.

Did you and Mr. Alford,
when he moved in in February,

-live in the same bedroom?
-No.

[Judy] Did he stay occasionally
in the same bedroom?

-[Amina] Occasionally.
-[Judy] All right.

-Did he pay any rent?
-[Amina] Never.

[Judy] There was never an agreement
for him to pay rent?

-Yes, there was.
-[Judy] When?

You're not suing for any rent.

-That's because that...
-[Judy] That's because that.

Okay. Well, you're suing
for a lot of other things,

-but you're not suing him for rent.
-No.

[Judy] Okay.
And he stayed there until when?

He stayed there under my lease...

Shh. I don't care what he stayed.
You moved out of your home

into this apartment in January of 2022.

He moved into the apartment
in February, 2022.

You moved out in June of 2022.
I want to know when he moved out.

He moved out, I guess, in November
when I gave him the eviction notice.

But the lease was transferred
into his name.

He didn't have good enough credit, so,
I transferred the lease into his name.

So, you moved out in June
and he stayed in the apartment.

-Correct.
-[Judy] Okay.

So far, is what she generally tells me
through my questioning correct?

-No. No, ma'am.
-[Judy] With regard to the apartment.

Well, tell me your version. 'Cause
this has nothing to do with the case

but it has something to do
with who I'm dealing with.

Did you move into a two-bedroom apartment,

the lease of which
was in the Plaintiff's name?

No. She did help me, however,
get the apartment.

Her friend was a manager
for the apartment complex.

So, it... bypassed all,
like, credit checks, all that.

That got me directly...

Mr. Alford, I want you to
pay careful attention to what I'm saying.

In February of 2022, was Miss Thornton
also staying in the apartment?

-No.
-[Judy] March 2022?

-Was she staying in the apartment?
-[Donnie] No.

-[Judy]Did she ever stay in the apartment?
-Never stayed in my apartment.

Until what month and year
did you live in the apartment?

I lived in the apartment when she
first helped me get it, which was in 2022.

And I just moved out. I currently...

Just a second. Just moved out
on what date?

Probably... I think it was
like the end of... this year.

I'm currently still, like,
a leaseholder there.

She just text me and asked me if I wanted
to get my stuff out of the apartment.

-[Judy] Who did?
-The leasing office.

Are you still there?

That's either a yes or a no.
Are you still there?

-No.
-Do you still have property there?

-Yes. Yes.
-[Judy] So then, you're still there.

You're still there. If you have property
there, you know you're still there.

What happened at the eviction hearing?

Is what you're saying,

the lease was in her name
and she agreed to pay the rent.

It's in my name, but that's how
I was paying the rent.

Just a second. Did you file
tax returns in 2022?

No, ma'am.

I'm not asking you a question!

[theme music playing]

[announcer] Amina Thornton
claims her former client,

Donnie Alford assaulted her and refuses
to return her dog's registration papers.

Donnie is countersuing for the cost
of French Bulldogs and defamation.

Now, what happened
at the eviction hearing?

They're aware of the situation...

Don't tell me what they're aware of.
What happened?

Nothing happened. I'm letting them
take ownership of the property.

-I'm giving it back to 'em.
-[Judy] When?

Um, as soon as this case is over.

Ha! Why didn't you give it back to them
when they evicted you?

-Have you been paying rent?
-[Donnie] No.

-[Amina] Never.
-She stated she pays the rent

and I provide the artistry.
Like, I do the art.

I'm a performer, she pays the rent.
That was our agreement.

It's in my phone. I got a text message
from her phone

stating that during 2021 to 2022.

Is what you're saying the lease was in
her name and she agreed to pay the rent.

Then what do you want to show me?

It's in my name, but that's
how I was paying the rent.

-She's giving...
-[Judy] She gave you the money.

Yes, she's giving... from working.
I'm the artist.

-Never. Can I show you...
-Just a...

-Did you file tax returns in 2022?
-[Amina] No, ma'am.

I'm not asking you a question!
Did you file tax returns...

-[Donnie] Yes.
-[Judy] Yes.

How much did you earn in 2022?

I never got anything back.

[Judy]
How much did you earn?

-My kids get...
-A ballpark figure.

-[Donnie] Ballpark, $80,000.
-[Judy] Doing what?

Male entertainment, and then,
also you know, the singing and stuff.

And now, I'm going to move on because
I'm getting really bored with this.

I'm gonna get first to the dogs.

While you were in
some sort of a relationship.

And I know that you had to be
in some sort of a relationship

-because you say so. Right?
-Yes.

[Judy] Some sort of a relationship.
And I don't know

whether he was the cause of
you leaving and moving into this or not.

It's not particularly relevant.
But one of the things,

according to both of you,
that you decide to do as a side-hustle

is breed little Frenchie bulldogs.
Is that correct?

-Correct.
-[Judy] In what month and year

did you decide to do this?

He wanted a dog as a pet.

[Judy] Just a second.
Why don't you give me the answer.

[Amina]
Yes, ma'am. June of 2022.

At about the time you were going back
to your family, to your husband.

Actually, it was April of 2022. I'm sorry.

Okay. And according to you,
you purchased three French bulldogs.

Yes. And he agreed to care for them.

If you're gonna answer my question
with some more stuff,

-that's not gonna be helpful to me.
-Yes, ma'am.

[Judy] Where did you purchase them
and how much were they?

They were all purchased
from individual breeders.

The first one was $4,500.
The second one was $3,500.

And the remaining one was $3,000.

Did you get them within
a particular time period, a week a month?

We got Crown, and then, like,
two weeks later, we got Royalty.

[Judy]
And this was starting in April.

I gave the deposit in April. That's
why I said it actually started in April.

We picked up the dog in June.

-[Judy] You have the name of that person?
-Yes, I do.

-[Judy] Do you know that person?
-I do.

[Judy] Mr. Alford, do you
know this person? Look at me.

-No.
-[Judy] You do not.

Are you acknowledging that the first puppy
that was bought

-was bought with a deposit in April?
-Yes.

And the deposit was how much?

Five hundred.

[Judy] That was to hold the puppy
from that litter.

-[Amina] Yes.
-[Judy] When you picked up the puppy,

the remainder of the $4,000 was paid.

Yes.

Let me see proof that it was paid by you.

I gotta go on my phone for Crown
'cause he's not suing for Crown,

so I didn't bring Crown's paper.

Is it a fact that you are not requesting
the return of this dog, Crown?

-No. She paid for him.
-[Judy] Fine. So, that's easy.

Do you have the paperwork for Crown?

Yes, I do.

So, if you have the paperwork for Crown,

that paperwork should be signed over
to Miss Thornton. Correct?

Since you're not suing for the dog,
you acknowledge that she paid for the dog.

Okay. So, can I see
the paperwork for Crown?

Your Honor, I have Crown registered.
I don't need that paperwork.

Great! All right. Take that out.
Now, the next dog you purchased was...

-Royalty.
-Royalty?

-[Amina] Yes, ma'am.
-When?

In June 11th of 2022.

Right before you moved home.

I moved home right after
having a miscarriage.

He had sent me a derogatory text saying,
thanks for paying the rent.

And he had me distraught
and I got outta there.

And that's when I wanted to
turn the lease over to him and everything.

Getting it. Slowly. I want to know
why you got the second dog

at this period of time.
You were still together.

'Cause he said, let's breed,
that way I can pay you...

You had Crown already.
And how much was Royalty?

Royalty was $3,500.

-[Judy] Who paid for that dog?
-I did.

[Judy]
May I see proof of that?

[Amina]
Yes, right here.

Do you acknowledge, Mr. Alford, that
the Plaintiff paid for the second dog?

And if you do not acknowledge that,
show me where you took the money from

to pay for the second dog.

It's not... It's not a fact.

I have a letter from the breeder
and I have a receipt.

[Judy] I don't want to see a letter
from the breeder or a receipt.

And I have the contract.

I don't want to see a letter
from the breeder.

I don't want to see a contract.
I want to see

where you took out the $3,500 from.

I don't have where I took it out.
It was a cash deal.

[Judy]
I don't care if it was cash.

You don't have that much cash. You have
somebody else paying your rent, sir.

[scoffs] That's not true.

Just a second. You have somebody else
paying your rent.

You do not take $3,500 out if you
can't pay your own rent to buy a dog.

If you did, you have a bank account and
you'll show me where you took $3,500 out.

I no longer have that bank account.

Well, and I no longer believe you.
Okay, good. So...

-[Amina] Can I show you my bank account?
-[Judy] Shh!

All this shows me, by the way,
is a $500 deposit on June 11.

And I have the bank account...
'cause they only accept cash.

Just a second. Let me see
where you took the money from.

-You picked the dog up also in June.
-Yes, ma'am.

Okay. I'd like to see it.

She's going to give you
where she took the money from in June.

And that would be $3,000.
When she picked up the dog.

Or when she gave the money
to the Defendant to pick up the dog.

[Amina]
Thank you.

Your Honor, where $7,000 is circled,
because I was supposed to get two.

I was supposed to get her and her sister.
They were both $3,500.

But he said that the same dogs
had the same bloodline

-and that that wouldn't...
-Did you get two from the same...

[Amina]
No, I got one.

And you can see where I gave him
on the 15th $1,000.

Okay. Now, he says he has a contract.

I don't want to see a letter.
All I want to see is a contract.

-that you said you had.
-With the receipt?

Can I send up the receipt as well?

You can submit it,
but a receipt says nothing.

A receipt says you picked up the dog.

Take your legs and go over
to the bank

and say, "Can I have
my withdrawals, please?"

They will pull it up and say

$2,500 in August,
this is what you paid.

You understand that, sir,
you're a smart man.

Not necessarily an honest man,
but a smart man.

[theme music playing]

[announcer] Amina Thornton
has accused her former client,

Donnie Alford of assaulting her and
keeping her dogs' registration papers.

Donnie claims Amina owes him the value
of the French bulldogs.

I'd like to see what he has.
He says he has a contract.

I don't want to see a letter.
All I want to see is a contract

-that you said you had.
-With a receipt?

Can I send up a receipt as well?

You can submit it,
but a receipt says nothing.

-A receipt says you picked up the dog.
-Okay.

She has a contract
for the sale of the dog.

Canine Contract. Now, she has
seller's initials and buyer's initials.

And I also have a letter from the person
that breeds stating that I was the one...

I don't read letters from your friends.
And that's who you said it was, correct?

Just a second. That's who you said it was.

Would you read that back to me,
from a friend of mine.

Is that what you said, sir?

There's two people that's listed
on the dog agreement.

-[Judy] Never mind.
-[Donnie] The woman is not my friend.

He said, "One of my dance friends."

One of your dance friends.
Yeah, thank you.

I knew it was friend, but... Okay.
This dog's finished. This is Royalty.

What do you want to show me?
About Royalty?

This is an email asking the breeder

if she would give me the papers
being that he stole them.

-[Judy] I don't care about that.
-Okay.

That's not only hearsay,
it's not particularly relevant.

-What's the third dog's name?
-Prince.

[Judy[
Who did you buy Prince from and when?

I bought him from Mr... in my town,
in my county,

on August the 16th, I believe.

-You had already moved back home.
-Yes, ma'am.

-To your family.
-Yes, ma'am.

And he was, at that time,
living in this two-bedroom apartment.

Yes, ma'am.

-May I see proof that you paid for Prince?
-Yes, ma'am.

While she's looking for that, Mr. Alford,

do you have any proof
that you paid for Prince?

-No, I do not.
-[Judy] Okay.

Did Miss Thornton pay for Prince?

She paid a partial of the money.

-Did you pay any of the money?
-[Donnie] Yes.

How much did you pay?

I think I sent over $2,500 for him.

-[Judy] Show me.
-I can't.

I only have the registration papers.

I don't care about
the registration papers...

She knows I don't have my old phone
to pull up the receipts.

All I have is what I have.

[chuckles] That doesn't help me,
Mr. Alford, at all.

The fact, I got what I got,
this is what I got. I don't have that.

We're not talking about ten years ago.
We're talking about bank records

where you can pull up bank records.
You don't need a phone,

all you need to do is take your legs
and go over to the bank

and say, "Can I have my withdrawals,
please, for August of 2022?"

We're not even in August of 2023.
They will pull it up and say,

$2,500 in August, this is what you paid.
You understand that, sir.

-You're a smart man.
-Your Honor...

Not necessarily an honest man
but a smart man.

I'm honest.

[Judy]
May I see the proof, please?

-This is the...
-[Judy] Shh! Just show him.

-That's the $2,500.
-Okay.

Okay. Now, what you are suing for
are the papers for those two dogs.

-Yes, ma'am.
-[Judy] Okay.

You have any other proof that you want to
show me with regard to the ownership

of these two dogs that's not hearsay,
Mr. Alford?

Plaintiff has the physical custody
of the two dogs. Is that right?

Since September of 2022, yes, ma'am.

You have physical custody.
You have any other proof

that you contributed to the payment
of the dogs?

No.

-[Judy] Okay, good. So...
-Unless you want the letter.

-Yeah, forget it.
-[Donnie] You can verify the letter.

-She's not my friend.
-I don't care whether you paid the money.

Whether you turned over the money.
The question is, what is your money?

Yes. I was my money.

[Judy]
You have no proof it was your money.

-And also...
-In any... Go ahead.

She doesn't even care about the dogs.
I have proof that she said

as soon as the dog has its last litter,
I'm gonna throw it in the trash

and you can get her back.
She doesn't care about the dogs.

[Judy] It's too bad then that
you went into business with her.

But she has physical custody of the dogs.

There's nothing that I'm gonna do
about that.

Sir, you haven't had the dogs
in your possession for almost a year.

I can't get 'em from her.

-[Judy] Well, that's...
-Your Honor...

There's no way for me
to get the dogs from her.

I'm issuing an order to the AKC
that this court makes the determination

that the Plaintiff is the owner
of these three dogs.

The two of which are in dispute right now.
And that new registration papers

should be reissued in her name.

-Your Honor.
-[Judy] Don't speak.

-Yes, ma'am.
-[Judy] I'm finishing up with this

'cause I'm almost done with it. Okay.
I don't want to much hear about

personal property. You now have the dogs
in your possession.

Did one of the dogs have a litter?

Yes, she did.

-[Judy] How many puppies?
-Uh, five.

-[Judy] When were they born?
-[Amina] April 6.

-Any of them sold yet?
-No.

-[Judy] Who's taking care of them.
-Me.

[Judy]
While you're here, who's taking care...

Oh, my husband. I'm sorry.

All three dogs are still with you?

I have five dogs, yes, ma'am.

[Judy] You have five altogether.
What kind?

All French bulldogs.

Okay. Now, let's deal with this as*ault.

You want to tell me
what the as*ault was about?

He was angry because I would not
pay the rent anymore.

Once the dogs became in my custody,
uh, which was September 2022,

I stopped paying rent,
I stopped paying everything.

And he began to request loans,
at that point.

[Judy] You mean in person
or on the phone, or how?

Loans?

No. Were these demands made in person
or over the phone?

You moved out. You're now home
with your husband and children.

I still was in contact with him
because of the music. So, yes.

[Judy] Well, what did you have to do
with the music?

I basically financed everything.
I paid for everything. He had no money.

He had this dream,
he was homeless at the time, and I...

[Judy] Okay. So, you had an argument
after you refused to pay the rent.

I have pictures of his stuff
in trash bags.

Just a second. You have
a disagreement about the rent

in September of 2022.

[Amina]
It was more than the rent, ma'am.

Whatever you had a disagreement about,
you say he assaulted you.

Tell me where you were
when this took place.

The actual as*ault took place in December.
I was staying away from him...

-[Judy] December of 2022?
-Yes, ma'am.

[Judy]
Okay, where did it take place?

-...as*ault on her or nothing.
-[Judy] What?

I never been charged with an as*ault
on her or nothing.

Where did it take place?

[Amina]
The as*ault took place in the apartment.

-[Judy] You were there in the apartment.
-Yes, ma'am.

[Judy]
Tell me the circumstances.

[announcer]
Are you a victim of an as*ault?



[theme music playing]