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He paid you to put together a video.

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00:00:02,233 --> 00:00:04,200
There's no video.

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00:00:04,266 --> 00:00:06,300
He's been harassing me,
defaming my character.

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00:00:06,367 --> 00:00:08,567
-That is incorrect.
-What did you do with his money?

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00:00:08,633 --> 00:00:10,700
-I told him, I spent--
-[Tanya] "I spent it."

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00:00:10,767 --> 00:00:12,800
-Where's the deal, then? Where's the deal?
-The contract!

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00:00:12,867 --> 00:00:15,200
I could present
a piece of paper that says

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00:00:15,266 --> 00:00:16,700
"Beyoncé said she's coming over,

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00:00:16,767 --> 00:00:18,633
and she's gonna sing
at my house, see?"

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00:00:18,700 --> 00:00:20,967
[announcer]
Today on Tribunal Justice.

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00:00:21,033 --> 00:00:22,600
[theme music playing]

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[announcer] This case was filed
in New Britain, Connecticut.

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Your Honor, this is case
number 1147 on the calendar

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00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:50,033
in the matter
of Wilcox versus Flores.

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All parties have been sworn in.
You may be seated.

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[Adam] Mr. Wilcox,
you're a music artist.

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00:00:55,033 --> 00:00:58,000
And the defendant runs
a record label.

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The defendant approached you,
according to your complaint,

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about doing a joint project
with a musician from the U.K.

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The project included you
singing a song

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with this U.K. artist

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00:01:08,834 --> 00:01:10,367
and shooting a video,
is that right?

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00:01:10,433 --> 00:01:11,967
-Yes.
-[Adam] You gave the defendant

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00:01:12,033 --> 00:01:15,333
$5,000 to put
the project together.

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00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:16,400
He took your money,

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00:01:16,467 --> 00:01:18,867
but the song
and the video was never made.

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00:01:18,934 --> 00:01:20,900
-Yes.
-[Adam] Now, according to you,

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00:01:20,967 --> 00:01:24,066
the defendant admitted
that he spent the money

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00:01:24,133 --> 00:01:26,433
on living expenses
and other things

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00:01:26,500 --> 00:01:28,433
besides the project,
is that right?

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00:01:28,500 --> 00:01:30,233
-Yes.
-[Adam] And you are suing him

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00:01:30,300 --> 00:01:32,333
for the return of your $5,000.

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00:01:32,400 --> 00:01:34,300
-That's correct.
-[Adam] Mr. Flores,

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00:01:34,366 --> 00:01:36,300
in your answer, you say
that the plaintiff

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00:01:36,366 --> 00:01:39,400
only invested $2,250.

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00:01:39,467 --> 00:01:41,000
-Not 5,000.
-Correct.

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00:01:41,066 --> 00:01:42,700
And that you scheduled a project,

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00:01:42,767 --> 00:01:44,767
but it got canceled
because of the pandemic.

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00:01:44,834 --> 00:01:46,166
-Yes, sir.
-[Adam] And you cannot return

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00:01:46,233 --> 00:01:48,100
the plaintiff's money,
because you did acknowledge

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00:01:48,166 --> 00:01:51,300
that you spent it on things
other than his project.

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00:01:51,366 --> 00:01:52,600
-Correct.
-[Adam] And instead

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00:01:52,667 --> 00:01:53,934
of giving him back his money,

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00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:56,200
over the last several years,

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00:01:56,265 --> 00:01:58,467
you gave him other things
in its stead,

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such as merchandise
and other items.

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00:02:01,367 --> 00:02:02,300
-Yes.
-[Adam] And therefore,

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00:02:02,367 --> 00:02:03,433
you owe him nothing.

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00:02:03,500 --> 00:02:04,834
-Correct.
-[Adam] In addition,

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00:02:04,900 --> 00:02:07,133
you filed a countersuit
in this matter,

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00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:10,032
-also for $5,000, is that right?
-[Jason] Yes.

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00:02:10,100 --> 00:02:12,367
[Adam]
The basis of your counterclaim

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00:02:12,433 --> 00:02:16,100
is that the plaintiff here
defamed you and your business

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00:02:16,166 --> 00:02:19,834
on social media, and to others
within the music industry.

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00:02:19,900 --> 00:02:21,934
-Yes.
-[Adam] And that he released

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00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:24,266
the music video.

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00:02:24,333 --> 00:02:25,934
-Yes.
-[Adam] Which had been created...

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00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:27,433
-It's a separate--
-...in a separate issue from the first,

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00:02:27,500 --> 00:02:28,800
from his case against you.

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00:02:28,867 --> 00:02:32,700
So he released this other
music video without authority.

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00:02:32,767 --> 00:02:34,600
And as a result of that,

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he devalued the return
on your investment,

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00:02:38,633 --> 00:02:41,966
because it was put out there
without authority.

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It was put out there free.

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00:02:44,367 --> 00:02:46,133
And no one's gonna pay you
for something

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that they can get for free
on the Internet.

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00:02:48,300 --> 00:02:49,166
Absolutely correct.

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Mr. Flores, you put this deal
together with the plaintiff

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and this U.K. artist, right?

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00:02:54,233 --> 00:02:55,567
-[Jason] Yes.
-Where's the contract?

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00:02:55,633 --> 00:02:56,900
Right, there was never
a contract.

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00:02:56,966 --> 00:02:59,633
There was never a formal
agreement of time frame.

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00:02:59,700 --> 00:03:01,367
This guy was my best friend,

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00:03:01,433 --> 00:03:03,600
and we did a lot of,
you know, stuff together,

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00:03:03,667 --> 00:03:06,867
projects together,
where there was no paperwork

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00:03:06,934 --> 00:03:09,867
because it was just something
that we would throw together,

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00:03:09,934 --> 00:03:12,500
and then I could make it work
and make it happen through

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00:03:12,567 --> 00:03:14,934
my dealings with the other stuff
I do in the music business.

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00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:18,233
There was nothing in writing
regarding a venue location,

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00:03:18,300 --> 00:03:21,400
the date of the engagement,
the agreed-upon price,

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00:03:21,466 --> 00:03:24,333
-payment schedule, advertising.
-Oh, I had all that.

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00:03:24,400 --> 00:03:25,266
[Adam] No, hold on.

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00:03:25,333 --> 00:03:27,000
Was there
a written agreement or--

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00:03:27,066 --> 00:03:28,100
When I say written agreement,
by the way...

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00:03:28,166 --> 00:03:29,033
[Jason] Yeah.

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00:03:29,100 --> 00:03:30,700
...it doesn't have to be
a formal signed contract.

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00:03:30,767 --> 00:03:32,867
-It should be, as you well know.
-[Jason] Right.

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00:03:32,934 --> 00:03:35,166
But I'll take an email
that includes

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00:03:35,233 --> 00:03:37,100
the terms and conditions
that I just mentioned,

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00:03:37,166 --> 00:03:38,367
or a text message.

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00:03:38,433 --> 00:03:41,200
So you didn't provide him
with a contract,

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00:03:41,266 --> 00:03:42,767
there are no emails.

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00:03:42,834 --> 00:03:44,834
There's emails talking
back and forth.

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00:03:44,900 --> 00:03:45,767
[Adam]
Show me them.

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00:03:45,834 --> 00:03:47,166
Show me the emails that outline

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00:03:47,233 --> 00:03:48,333
the terms and conditions

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00:03:48,400 --> 00:03:50,400
regarding those items
I just listed.

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00:03:50,466 --> 00:03:52,734
-There's a lot of stuff here.
-[Adam] So just so you know,

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00:03:52,800 --> 00:03:54,333
look, I got it.

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00:03:54,400 --> 00:03:55,600
-[Jason] Okay.
-It's not there.

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00:03:55,667 --> 00:03:58,667
There's no email from you,
no text message

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00:03:58,734 --> 00:04:01,166
that outlines the terms
and conditions of the contract.

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00:04:01,233 --> 00:04:03,700
There is an email
in what I submitted,

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00:04:03,767 --> 00:04:08,100
where we're talking about
the project costing $4,500,

105
00:04:08,166 --> 00:04:11,367
that it would take place
at my festival.

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00:04:11,433 --> 00:04:15,233
But if it was $4,500,
he says that he gave you 5,000.

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00:04:15,300 --> 00:04:16,700
But you're saying
it couldn't have been 5,000--

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00:04:16,767 --> 00:04:17,632
[Jason] No, it--

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00:04:17,700 --> 00:04:18,767
[Adam]
Hold on, because, one,

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00:04:18,834 --> 00:04:21,033
the whole project
didn't cost 5,000,

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00:04:21,100 --> 00:04:22,567
and two, you have
records indicating

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00:04:22,633 --> 00:04:24,633
that it was only 2,250
you took from him.

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00:04:24,700 --> 00:04:25,567
[Jason] Yeah.

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00:04:25,633 --> 00:04:26,900
[Adam] Let me turn now
to the plaintiff.

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00:04:26,967 --> 00:04:32,033
Mr. Wilcox, you show me proof
of $5,000 worth of payments

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00:04:32,100 --> 00:04:34,033
that you made to the defendant

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00:04:34,100 --> 00:04:37,900
specifically for
the U.K. artist collaboration.

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00:04:37,967 --> 00:04:40,667
-Is this one $2,000?
-Yes.

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00:04:40,734 --> 00:04:42,900
-[Adam] Okay, 2020.
-Yeah, I have that one,

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00:04:42,967 --> 00:04:44,166
and another one that says 250,

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00:04:44,233 --> 00:04:47,066
and that's the only
two payments.

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00:04:47,133 --> 00:04:50,200
Hold on.
We have $2, 400 for salad.

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00:04:50,266 --> 00:04:52,033
Now, just so you know,

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00:04:52,100 --> 00:04:54,767
salad is often another term
used for marijuana.

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00:04:54,834 --> 00:04:56,667
And I know that there are
prior emails

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00:04:56,734 --> 00:04:58,200
that you had with the defendant

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00:04:58,266 --> 00:05:01,633
in which you refer to marijuana
being consumed.

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00:05:01,700 --> 00:05:03,166
I'm not disparaging
either one of you,

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00:05:03,233 --> 00:05:05,867
but you know that there has been
past dealings with you

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00:05:05,934 --> 00:05:08,967
where marijuana,
that's legal now, right, was provided.

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00:05:09,033 --> 00:05:11,066
And that is consumed
at shows, right?

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00:05:11,133 --> 00:05:12,000
Mm-hmm.

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00:05:12,066 --> 00:05:16,066
So on this $2,400 receipt
that says "for salad,"

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00:05:16,133 --> 00:05:19,332
you want me to take this to mean
it was money given by you

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00:05:19,400 --> 00:05:22,967
to the defendant
for this U.K. artist collaboration.

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00:05:23,033 --> 00:05:25,233
I'm not asking anyone to believe
that's exactly what it's for.

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00:05:25,300 --> 00:05:28,000
Hold on. The next one I have,
this one for $500.

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00:05:28,066 --> 00:05:29,767
But this says
for something else.

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00:05:29,834 --> 00:05:31,133
"Feechure."

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00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:33,100
[Travis] It says "feature,"
spelled comically

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00:05:33,166 --> 00:05:36,433
because after a while we just,
as friends with an agreement,

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00:05:36,500 --> 00:05:38,834
we would put funny labels
on the transactions.

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00:05:38,900 --> 00:05:41,300
[Adam]
This $500 receipt, then,

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00:05:41,367 --> 00:05:43,600
that you sent to the defendant,

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00:05:43,667 --> 00:05:46,467
that does not indicate
it was specifically earmarked

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00:05:46,533 --> 00:05:48,533
for the U.K. artist
collaboration,

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00:05:48,600 --> 00:05:49,700
is problematic for you.

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00:05:49,767 --> 00:05:51,767
There's no contracts.
This was based on trust.

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00:05:51,834 --> 00:05:54,100
So I have to do everything I can
to prove my side.

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00:05:54,166 --> 00:05:55,533
[Adam]
I get that, and you provided us,

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00:05:55,600 --> 00:05:59,000
though, unfortunately,
with a receipt that does not allow us--

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00:05:59,066 --> 00:06:00,533
Because we don't know
who you are, right?

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00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:01,900
You could be the greatest guy
in the world.

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00:06:01,967 --> 00:06:03,667
You could be the kind of guy
who's never once

155
00:06:03,734 --> 00:06:05,967
in your entire life
ever told a lie,

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00:06:06,033 --> 00:06:09,166
never mind in a courtroom
where you swore to tell the truth.

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00:06:09,233 --> 00:06:10,867
But it's still a matter of proof.

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00:06:10,934 --> 00:06:13,967
You know, by the way,
that the defendant's position all along,

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00:06:14,033 --> 00:06:15,033
all along, not just today,

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00:06:15,100 --> 00:06:17,300
but you know because you have
a relationship with him,

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00:06:17,367 --> 00:06:19,000
was that you never
gave me 5,000.

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00:06:19,066 --> 00:06:21,767
That you only gave me $2,250, right?

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00:06:21,834 --> 00:06:23,300
-That is incorrect.
-[Adam] So you're saying

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00:06:23,367 --> 00:06:25,533
that you never knew
that it was his position

165
00:06:25,600 --> 00:06:27,100
that the amount of money
that you gave to him

166
00:06:27,166 --> 00:06:30,166
for this collaborative effort
was $2,250?

167
00:06:30,233 --> 00:06:32,266
No, I'm positive I gave him
the full amount.

168
00:06:32,332 --> 00:06:36,000
So let's then go to defendant's
exhibit number 6.

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00:06:36,066 --> 00:06:37,467
Is that what you wanted
to show me, sir?

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00:06:37,533 --> 00:06:38,834
Yeah. Oh, yeah.

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Let's get this one going.

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[announcer]
Coming up on Tribunal Justice.

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♪ If you ask anybody
who knows me ♪

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♪ They'll say
I'm a little bit inhumane ♪

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♪ Life giving
everyone lemons ♪

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♪ I'm the only one
making lemonade ♪

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♪ Get to switchin'...
for brains ♪

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♪ You'll be lucky
If you limp away ♪

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♪ With your crippled frame
and witness my dang... ♪

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You put this up
on your Facebook?

181
00:06:58,233 --> 00:06:59,500
-Yes.
-Why'd you do that?

182
00:07:04,200 --> 00:07:05,934
[theme music playing]

183
00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:09,467
[announcer]Travis Wilcox claims
his former business partner

184
00:07:09,533 --> 00:07:13,500
and friend, Jason Flores,
lied to him about the chance

185
00:07:13,567 --> 00:07:16,533
to record music
with a popular artist.

186
00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:20,066
Jason is countersuing Travis
for releasing a music video

187
00:07:20,133 --> 00:07:22,033
without his permission.

188
00:07:22,100 --> 00:07:25,867
All right, so the plaintiff tells you,
"I owe a thousand dollars still"?

189
00:07:25,934 --> 00:07:29,033
-Yes, for the U.K. artist.
-[Adam] For the U.K. artist.

190
00:07:29,100 --> 00:07:30,332
-Yeah. Yeah.
-[Adam] Right?

191
00:07:30,400 --> 00:07:33,667
"I owe 1,000 still
for the U.K. artist."

192
00:07:33,734 --> 00:07:37,300
You say, "1,275, I believe."

193
00:07:37,367 --> 00:07:38,533
The plaintiff then responds,

194
00:07:38,600 --> 00:07:41,667
"I was scrolling through Cash App
trying to find it.

195
00:07:41,734 --> 00:07:45,533
Found $2,250."

196
00:07:45,600 --> 00:07:48,233
The 2,250 is what he's saying
is what he found.

197
00:07:48,300 --> 00:07:49,400
[Adam] Is that right?

198
00:07:49,467 --> 00:07:50,467
-[Jason] Yeah, that's--
-[Adam] Hold on.

199
00:07:50,533 --> 00:07:52,100
-That is right.
-[Travis] Yes, and then

200
00:07:52,166 --> 00:07:54,633
the additional was probably
paid in cash or in person

201
00:07:54,700 --> 00:07:56,467
with no dialogue to...

202
00:07:56,533 --> 00:07:58,800
Well, you never provided that
to us, did you,

203
00:07:58,867 --> 00:08:00,633
in the proof that I just read
to you a moment ago,

204
00:08:00,700 --> 00:08:02,266
which was your opportunity

205
00:08:02,333 --> 00:08:03,867
to provide us
with all the evidence

206
00:08:03,934 --> 00:08:06,967
that you claim existed,
establishing the $5,000.

207
00:08:07,033 --> 00:08:09,200
You didn't provide anything
about that cash.

208
00:08:09,266 --> 00:08:10,867
I provided everything
I could find.

209
00:08:10,934 --> 00:08:13,200
Okay. I'm gonna let Judge Acker
continue, thank you.

210
00:08:13,266 --> 00:08:14,667
-Okay.
-[Tanya] Thank you, Judge Levy.

211
00:08:14,734 --> 00:08:17,633
Mr. Wilcox, you reached out
to the U.K. artist.

212
00:08:17,700 --> 00:08:18,800
-Yes.
-[Tanya] When did you reach out?

213
00:08:18,867 --> 00:08:20,567
-About a year ago.
-[Tanya] How did you find him?

214
00:08:20,633 --> 00:08:22,133
I found him on Instagram.

215
00:08:22,200 --> 00:08:25,200
And so you went on Instagram,
and according to your complaint,

216
00:08:25,266 --> 00:08:28,834
you blew up his social media
until he paid attention to you.

217
00:08:28,900 --> 00:08:30,133
Yeah, he wouldn't respond
to messages,

218
00:08:30,200 --> 00:08:31,867
so I went onto his comments
and I--

219
00:08:31,934 --> 00:08:33,467
You know, I'm pretty emotional
about what's happening,

220
00:08:33,533 --> 00:08:35,933
-so I let him know that.
-And what did you say to him?

221
00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:39,066
I told him that a company
had took $5,000 of my money

222
00:08:39,133 --> 00:08:40,799
to put me
in a music video with him,

223
00:08:40,866 --> 00:08:43,200
and I have not heard from him
in two years.

224
00:08:43,265 --> 00:08:44,834
The U.K. artist replied

225
00:08:44,900 --> 00:08:47,367
he's never heard of him
or his festival.

226
00:08:47,433 --> 00:08:49,033
[Tanya] So you've submitted
into evidence

227
00:08:49,100 --> 00:08:52,133
emails that you contend
are communications

228
00:08:52,200 --> 00:08:54,834
between you
and this U.K. artist.

229
00:08:54,900 --> 00:08:56,900
And in these messages,

230
00:08:56,967 --> 00:08:58,867
this person tells you
that they never heard of him.

231
00:08:58,934 --> 00:09:01,667
Exactly. He told me
he's never heard of Jason,

232
00:09:01,734 --> 00:09:06,333
and that he has no idea
what's happened with my money.

233
00:09:06,400 --> 00:09:08,033
He doesn't have it.
And then, you know,

234
00:09:08,100 --> 00:09:11,600
I had responded to him,
saying he said he never heard of you.

235
00:09:11,667 --> 00:09:15,100
Mr. Flores, when the plaintiff
advises you

236
00:09:15,166 --> 00:09:17,800
that he's been in touch
with the U.K. artist,

237
00:09:17,867 --> 00:09:20,467
the U.K. artist
that he paid you money

238
00:09:20,533 --> 00:09:22,767
-to put the show together with.
-[Jason] Yeah.

239
00:09:22,834 --> 00:09:25,266
And he says that this artist
is advising him

240
00:09:25,333 --> 00:09:26,467
that he never met you.

241
00:09:26,533 --> 00:09:28,834
One of these messages
from the artist is,

242
00:09:28,900 --> 00:09:30,667
"I don't know what happened
between you two.

243
00:09:30,734 --> 00:09:33,233
I ain't booked for no show.
I ain't doing no show.

244
00:09:33,300 --> 00:09:35,533
I don't have whatever money
you've sent to someone.

245
00:09:35,600 --> 00:09:37,400
That is not my booking agent.

246
00:09:37,467 --> 00:09:38,500
Not my manager.

247
00:09:38,567 --> 00:09:42,033
Someone I have never
in my life met."

248
00:09:42,100 --> 00:09:44,834
So the plaintiff is saying,
"I reached out to the artist.

249
00:09:44,900 --> 00:09:46,033
He never heard of you.

250
00:09:46,100 --> 00:09:47,834
The person who signed
the contract

251
00:09:47,900 --> 00:09:51,165
may not even be
this artist's manager."

252
00:09:51,233 --> 00:09:53,467
-What's your response?
-[Jason] My response is that

253
00:09:53,533 --> 00:09:55,200
the artist is giving him
bad information.

254
00:09:55,266 --> 00:09:57,033
[Tanya] Let's just look
at the facts on the ground.

255
00:09:57,100 --> 00:10:00,533
He's paid you some amount
of money that's in dispute

256
00:10:00,600 --> 00:10:02,567
in order to put together
a project

257
00:10:02,633 --> 00:10:03,834
-with him and this artist.
-[Jason] Yeah.

258
00:10:03,900 --> 00:10:06,266
And this artist says,
"I don't know who this guy is.

259
00:10:06,333 --> 00:10:07,800
I've never heard of you."

260
00:10:07,867 --> 00:10:11,533
What do you do to put
the plaintiff at ease?

261
00:10:11,600 --> 00:10:13,300
Because if it's me

262
00:10:13,367 --> 00:10:14,834
and someone's like,
"You made it all up,"

263
00:10:14,900 --> 00:10:16,266
I'm gonna say, "No, no, no.

264
00:10:16,333 --> 00:10:18,567
Here are my communications
with the artist.

265
00:10:18,633 --> 00:10:19,767
-Here's the background."
-[Jason] For sure.

266
00:10:19,834 --> 00:10:21,533
-So, what do you do?
-The reason why--

267
00:10:21,600 --> 00:10:24,600
And he just said that we haven't
talked for two years.

268
00:10:24,667 --> 00:10:26,300
Right now,
you just seem like you lied.

269
00:10:26,367 --> 00:10:28,500
You took his money,
you didn't give him anything for it.

270
00:10:28,567 --> 00:10:30,667
And there's an artist
who you're supposed to be

271
00:10:30,734 --> 00:10:33,233
putting a deal together with
who says he never heard you.

272
00:10:33,300 --> 00:10:35,433
So instead of getting
your back up here,

273
00:10:35,500 --> 00:10:38,165
why don't you explain
what you told the plaintiff

274
00:10:38,233 --> 00:10:40,100
to put his concerns at ease?

275
00:10:40,165 --> 00:10:43,367
Well, I tried to. I tried to tell him
that I did have dealings with them.

276
00:10:43,433 --> 00:10:44,667
When did you tell him that?

277
00:10:44,734 --> 00:10:46,500
[Jason] He didn't hear
from the U.K. artist

278
00:10:46,567 --> 00:10:50,600
until a year after he spent,
like, stalking and harassing me.

279
00:10:50,667 --> 00:10:52,467
-What did you do with his money?
-[Jason] I told him.

280
00:10:52,533 --> 00:10:53,867
-I spent--
-[Tanya] "I spent it."

281
00:10:53,934 --> 00:10:55,000
-I spent it.
-[Tanya] You spent it.

282
00:10:55,066 --> 00:10:56,633
You spent it on things

283
00:10:56,700 --> 00:10:57,934
having nothing to do
with the purposes

284
00:10:58,000 --> 00:10:59,633
for which he gave it to you.

285
00:10:59,700 --> 00:11:02,000
And then now,
when he says to you--

286
00:11:02,066 --> 00:11:03,533
-Yes, I did.
-[Tanya] Where? Where?

287
00:11:03,600 --> 00:11:05,066
Where's the deal, then?
Where's the deal?

288
00:11:05,133 --> 00:11:08,033
-The contract!
-[Tanya] So you suggest--

289
00:11:08,100 --> 00:11:10,166
You better stop raising
your voice at me, seriously,

290
00:11:10,233 --> 00:11:11,600
-and take it down a notch.
-Okay.

291
00:11:11,667 --> 00:11:13,800
Because I will throw you
out of here easily.

292
00:11:13,867 --> 00:11:14,734
[Jason] Okay.

293
00:11:14,800 --> 00:11:18,533
If your only evidence
of communications

294
00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:21,133
between you and this artist

295
00:11:21,200 --> 00:11:25,066
is the contract signed
by someone who's not the artist,

296
00:11:25,133 --> 00:11:28,100
why should the plaintiff believe
that anything has happened?

297
00:11:28,166 --> 00:11:30,000
He paid you to put together a video.

298
00:11:30,066 --> 00:11:31,600
There's no video.

299
00:11:31,667 --> 00:11:33,600
There's no communications with
the artist. There's nothing.

300
00:11:33,667 --> 00:11:35,033
There is communications
with the artist.

301
00:11:35,100 --> 00:11:36,567
This is how you deal
with an artist.

302
00:11:36,633 --> 00:11:38,165
You don't just call the artist.

303
00:11:38,233 --> 00:11:39,600
If I want to talk
to someone famous,

304
00:11:39,667 --> 00:11:41,165
you don't just pick up the phone
and call them.

305
00:11:41,233 --> 00:11:43,467
You talk to their agents,
you talk to a booking agency, a manager.

306
00:11:43,533 --> 00:11:46,767
That's exactly right,
and this artist says

307
00:11:46,834 --> 00:11:49,033
that the person with whom
you were in contact

308
00:11:49,100 --> 00:11:50,734
was never his booking agent.

309
00:11:50,800 --> 00:11:53,200
So let's see if you do better
with your countersuit.

310
00:11:53,266 --> 00:11:55,200
Why are you suing him
for $5,000?

311
00:11:55,266 --> 00:11:58,333
Because he released a video
he had no authority to release.

312
00:11:58,400 --> 00:12:00,133
-Correct.
-[Tanya] When did he make the release?

313
00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:02,767
-October 28th.
-And where'd he release it?

314
00:12:02,834 --> 00:12:04,166
[Jason]
On his Facebook and YouTube.

315
00:12:04,233 --> 00:12:07,333
And I understand
your witness here, who--

316
00:12:07,400 --> 00:12:10,066
You participated
in this music video?

317
00:12:10,133 --> 00:12:12,367
Yes, I'm the director
of the music video.

318
00:12:12,433 --> 00:12:15,300
And our witness on Chime,
Mr. Carey.

319
00:12:15,367 --> 00:12:17,734
Were you involved
with this video

320
00:12:17,800 --> 00:12:19,233
that the defendant says

321
00:12:19,300 --> 00:12:20,767
that the plaintiff
released improperly?

322
00:12:20,834 --> 00:12:22,333
I produced the instrumental,

323
00:12:22,400 --> 00:12:24,834
and I was on the music side.

324
00:12:24,900 --> 00:12:26,500
So I wasn't involved
with the video,

325
00:12:26,567 --> 00:12:29,266
but it's my intellectual property
on the music side,

326
00:12:29,333 --> 00:12:30,333
as that hadn't been
released either.

327
00:12:30,400 --> 00:12:32,533
[Tanya]
And so, Mr. Flores,

328
00:12:32,600 --> 00:12:35,633
how did the plaintiff
come to acquire this video?

329
00:12:35,700 --> 00:12:36,734
When you work on a project,

330
00:12:36,800 --> 00:12:39,233
you get, like, a test version
to take notes.

331
00:12:39,300 --> 00:12:40,900
You were still working on it.
It was a rough cut.

332
00:12:40,967 --> 00:12:41,834
[Jason]
Still working on it, correct. Yeah.

333
00:12:41,900 --> 00:12:42,800
I understand
we have the video here.

334
00:12:42,867 --> 00:12:44,333
Let's look at it.

335
00:12:44,400 --> 00:12:46,600
[hip hop music playing]

336
00:12:46,667 --> 00:12:48,767
[wolf howling]

337
00:12:51,000 --> 00:12:52,900
♪ Payin' DayZ, DayZ ♪

338
00:12:52,967 --> 00:12:55,900
♪ Everyone around
know I'm crazy ♪

339
00:12:55,967 --> 00:12:58,367
♪ I-I-I'll be in your dreams
so you can't sleep ♪

340
00:12:58,433 --> 00:13:01,600
♪ Rapper, rapper everywhere,
rapper gonna pay me ♪

341
00:13:01,667 --> 00:13:04,800
♪ I'mma have myself a smile
while I think about ♪

342
00:13:04,867 --> 00:13:06,467
♪ All the things I have
to my advantage ♪

343
00:13:06,533 --> 00:13:08,133
♪ While you live without ♪

344
00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:10,233
♪ I don't have to rap,
I just live it out ♪

345
00:13:10,300 --> 00:13:11,967
♪ I ain't rappin' now,
I'm just talkin' ♪

346
00:13:12,033 --> 00:13:13,500
♪ I just drip it out ♪

347
00:13:13,567 --> 00:13:14,967
♪ I'm not living long,
time is ticking ♪

348
00:13:15,033 --> 00:13:16,433
♪ Hide the music drugs ♪

349
00:13:16,500 --> 00:13:18,934
♪ Ice commissioner
drippin' life into your car ♪

350
00:13:19,000 --> 00:13:20,600
♪ Need the Heimlich
if you dining ♪

351
00:13:20,667 --> 00:13:22,934
♪ I'm a noid,
liquid nitrogen for blood ♪

352
00:13:23,000 --> 00:13:25,000
♪ Try to rock my chain
get spina bifida ♪

353
00:13:25,066 --> 00:13:26,633
♪ If you ask anybody
who knows me ♪

354
00:13:26,700 --> 00:13:28,133
♪ They'll say
I'm a little bit inhumane ♪

355
00:13:28,200 --> 00:13:29,600
♪ Life giving
everyone lemons ♪

356
00:13:29,667 --> 00:13:31,200
♪ I'm the only one
making lemonade ♪

357
00:13:31,266 --> 00:13:33,200
♪ Get to switchin'...
for brains ♪

358
00:13:33,266 --> 00:13:35,300
♪ You'll be lucky
if you limp away ♪

359
00:13:35,367 --> 00:13:37,900
♪ With your crippled frame
and witness my dang... ♪

360
00:13:37,967 --> 00:13:39,667
You put this up
on your Facebook?

361
00:13:39,734 --> 00:13:41,400
-Yes.
-Why'd you do that?

362
00:13:41,467 --> 00:13:43,767
Once I found out that all trust
had been broken

363
00:13:43,834 --> 00:13:45,934
and contracts were violated--

364
00:13:46,000 --> 00:13:47,834
You just said,
"I'm gonna just double down."

365
00:13:47,900 --> 00:13:49,333
-[Travis] No...
-"He took my money,

366
00:13:49,400 --> 00:13:52,233
I'm going to release someone
else's intellectual property

367
00:13:52,300 --> 00:13:53,767
because I'm mad."

368
00:13:53,834 --> 00:13:56,667
No, James had told me that
no one entity owns this song.

369
00:13:56,734 --> 00:13:58,467
Did you own it outright?

370
00:13:58,533 --> 00:13:59,533
I have partial ownership.

371
00:13:59,600 --> 00:14:01,000
-[Tanya] Partial ownership.
-And there was no agreement--

372
00:14:01,066 --> 00:14:02,800
Which means you do not
own it outright,

373
00:14:02,867 --> 00:14:04,500
and you know gosh-darn well

374
00:14:04,567 --> 00:14:08,066
that you did not have any right
to publicly release

375
00:14:08,133 --> 00:14:10,533
and to put on
your social media platforms

376
00:14:10,600 --> 00:14:12,867
a jointly owned
intellectual property project.

377
00:14:12,934 --> 00:14:14,700
-You know that.
-They sent me a link,

378
00:14:14,767 --> 00:14:16,767
and there was nothing
with the link that said--

379
00:14:16,834 --> 00:14:19,200
So you're now suggesting here,
as an artist,

380
00:14:19,266 --> 00:14:21,667
when you do a project
with other artists,

381
00:14:21,734 --> 00:14:22,900
that unless somebody says,

382
00:14:22,967 --> 00:14:25,266
"Don't put it out
on you own social,"

383
00:14:25,333 --> 00:14:27,033
you're not sure
if you don't have that right?

384
00:14:27,100 --> 00:14:30,266
[announcer]
Coming up on Tribunal Justice.

385
00:14:30,333 --> 00:14:33,633
You actually say that
"I lived off of his money."

386
00:14:33,700 --> 00:14:35,066
-[Jason] Yeah, he knew that.
-For a year.

387
00:14:35,133 --> 00:14:36,900
He knew. I told him. I was open.

388
00:14:36,967 --> 00:14:38,200
And it wasn't
"live off for a year."

389
00:14:38,266 --> 00:14:39,734
It was $2,500.

390
00:14:39,800 --> 00:14:43,800
So that 2,500, why would
that not be due back to him?

391
00:14:48,467 --> 00:14:52,033
[theme music playing]

392
00:14:52,100 --> 00:14:54,165
You must think
I am dumb, seriously.

393
00:14:54,233 --> 00:14:55,700
That was the dumbest thing
that you've said

394
00:14:55,767 --> 00:14:57,200
since you started this case.

395
00:14:57,266 --> 00:14:59,367
He did a lot to help you
with your countersuit,

396
00:14:59,433 --> 00:15:01,467
because on his claim,

397
00:15:01,533 --> 00:15:03,800
all you're doing is showing
words on paper.

398
00:15:03,867 --> 00:15:05,734
I could present
a piece of paper that says

399
00:15:05,800 --> 00:15:07,300
"Beyoncé said she's coming over,

400
00:15:07,367 --> 00:15:09,767
and she's gonna sing
at my house, see?"

401
00:15:09,834 --> 00:15:10,700
I understand.

402
00:15:10,767 --> 00:15:11,934
[Tanya]
Judge DiMango?

403
00:15:12,000 --> 00:15:15,400
I never see anything
about $2,250.

404
00:15:15,467 --> 00:15:17,700
All I see are conversations
or text messages

405
00:15:17,767 --> 00:15:20,533
between the plaintiff and you
for $5,000.

406
00:15:20,600 --> 00:15:23,200
You are, like, enamored
with the whole notion

407
00:15:23,266 --> 00:15:26,367
that this U.K. artist
is gonna rap with you.

408
00:15:26,433 --> 00:15:28,567
I mean, you are just
over the top with this.

409
00:15:28,633 --> 00:15:29,500
Yes.

410
00:15:29,567 --> 00:15:31,633
And it comes across
in the messages to you.

411
00:15:31,700 --> 00:15:33,300
And you're saying
how famous he is

412
00:15:33,367 --> 00:15:34,633
and how popular he is,

413
00:15:34,700 --> 00:15:36,934
and how you work out
these things where,

414
00:15:37,000 --> 00:15:38,834
you know, you get
a real popular artist

415
00:15:38,900 --> 00:15:40,633
and you get somebody
who's just, you know,

416
00:15:40,700 --> 00:15:41,633
coming into the business.

417
00:15:41,700 --> 00:15:43,133
And they work together,

418
00:15:43,200 --> 00:15:44,600
and that gives you
fame and glory.

419
00:15:44,667 --> 00:15:47,900
And you say to him,
"You're my North Star."

420
00:15:47,967 --> 00:15:50,700
That's him, right?
"You're my North Star."

421
00:15:50,767 --> 00:15:53,367
You just want to be famous,
and you kind of got blinders on.

422
00:15:53,433 --> 00:15:55,700
You know, that happens often
with people.

423
00:15:55,767 --> 00:15:57,867
All they can see
is the North Star.

424
00:15:57,934 --> 00:16:00,533
-Yeah.
-And then they follow Orion or something.

425
00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:02,400
You know, they're just not
following the right star.

426
00:16:02,467 --> 00:16:04,967
I also asked multiple times for
proof of where my money went,

427
00:16:05,033 --> 00:16:06,934
which he would fail to give me.

428
00:16:07,000 --> 00:16:08,467
[Patricia]
Yeah, I know.

429
00:16:08,533 --> 00:16:10,934
You then, through all of this,

430
00:16:11,000 --> 00:16:13,533
say that the 2,500
that he gave you

431
00:16:13,600 --> 00:16:16,667
in reliance on your trying
to work things out,

432
00:16:16,734 --> 00:16:20,700
you actually say that
"I lived off of his money."

433
00:16:20,767 --> 00:16:22,767
-Yeah, he knew that. He knew. I told him.
-For a year.

434
00:16:22,834 --> 00:16:24,800
I was open. And it wasn't
"live off for a year."

435
00:16:24,867 --> 00:16:26,133
It was $2,500,

436
00:16:26,200 --> 00:16:29,600
and I think 500 of that
I put towards the show deposit,

437
00:16:29,667 --> 00:16:31,533
and then I put
another 500 of my--

438
00:16:31,600 --> 00:16:35,233
So that 2,500, why would
that not be due back to him?

439
00:16:35,300 --> 00:16:37,066
It was, and I agreed
that it was due back to him.

440
00:16:37,133 --> 00:16:39,767
And I gave him several things
to please him.

441
00:16:39,834 --> 00:16:41,165
I gave him a bus, I gave him--

442
00:16:41,233 --> 00:16:42,967
-That bus was not even his.
-[Patricia] Right.

443
00:16:43,033 --> 00:16:45,567
You say, "Keep the bus.
You could probably get $3,000."

444
00:16:45,633 --> 00:16:47,333
[Jason]
Yeah, I wanted to give him--

445
00:16:47,400 --> 00:16:49,367
So you're acknowledging
that you owe him something,

446
00:16:49,433 --> 00:16:51,567
but you want him
to start selling things.

447
00:16:51,633 --> 00:16:53,433
Did you give him a title
to the bus?

448
00:16:53,500 --> 00:16:55,533
Did you give him any documents
for it so he could sell it?

449
00:16:55,600 --> 00:16:58,400
No, you could sell it without
a title because it's so old.

450
00:16:58,467 --> 00:17:00,233
-[Travis] You cannot do that.
-No. You need something.

451
00:17:00,300 --> 00:17:01,934
Even if it's a salvage title.

452
00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:03,367
You can't just sell something.

453
00:17:03,433 --> 00:17:04,599
The bus, I bought it,

454
00:17:04,666 --> 00:17:06,200
and what we did
was we registered it

455
00:17:06,266 --> 00:17:07,567
in my driver's name.

456
00:17:07,633 --> 00:17:09,666
I told them a year ago

457
00:17:09,733 --> 00:17:11,367
that if they don't want the bus

458
00:17:11,433 --> 00:17:13,867
to give it back to me
so I could sell it.

459
00:17:13,934 --> 00:17:15,266
And I'll give them the money.

460
00:17:15,333 --> 00:17:17,967
Okay, but you acknowledge that
there's a repayment due here.

461
00:17:18,032 --> 00:17:19,266
But then they didn't return the bus.

462
00:17:19,333 --> 00:17:20,934
[Patricia]
Okay, now let me stop you.

463
00:17:21,000 --> 00:17:23,633
In the counterclaim,
you're asking for 5,000.

464
00:17:23,700 --> 00:17:25,934
That's the video that
you're saying that he leaked.

465
00:17:26,000 --> 00:17:27,500
And that's why you're out
this money?

466
00:17:27,567 --> 00:17:29,433
-Yes.
-Just tell me why you did that.

467
00:17:29,500 --> 00:17:32,767
Well, James told me there was
no sole owner of the song.

468
00:17:32,834 --> 00:17:35,867
And after two years
with no contracts of no contact,

469
00:17:35,934 --> 00:17:38,333
there's no agreement
to a release.

470
00:17:38,400 --> 00:17:40,233
So basically you were like,

471
00:17:40,300 --> 00:17:42,133
"The hell with this,
I'm gonna engage in self-help.

472
00:17:42,200 --> 00:17:43,667
I didn't get what I want,

473
00:17:43,734 --> 00:17:46,200
and I'm basically going to do
what I can to promote myself."

474
00:17:46,266 --> 00:17:48,100
-Is that kind of what you...?
-[Travis] Well, it was more so

475
00:17:48,166 --> 00:17:49,433
the fact I didn't hear from him,

476
00:17:49,500 --> 00:17:51,934
so it broke down to I paid
for something, he gave it to me,

477
00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:53,300
-and I used it.
-[Patricia] All right.

478
00:17:53,367 --> 00:17:55,033
He keeps saying
he didn't hear from me.

479
00:17:55,100 --> 00:17:58,533
He spent the last two years
making fake pages

480
00:17:58,600 --> 00:18:02,667
with my likeness,
saying incredibly vulgar things.

481
00:18:02,734 --> 00:18:06,633
Attacking my family, my friends.
Attacking my producer, James.

482
00:18:06,700 --> 00:18:08,233
[Patricia]
So you think you're out five.

483
00:18:08,300 --> 00:18:09,967
You think you're out five.

484
00:18:10,033 --> 00:18:11,867
What we have is a lot
of conversation back and forth

485
00:18:11,934 --> 00:18:14,000
between a lot
of different people,

486
00:18:14,066 --> 00:18:17,233
most of whom are not here
other than you.

487
00:18:17,300 --> 00:18:18,166
[Adam]
Yeah, Mr. Carey.

488
00:18:18,233 --> 00:18:21,200
You say Wilcox
has potentially devalued

489
00:18:21,266 --> 00:18:23,266
the return on investment

490
00:18:23,333 --> 00:18:26,867
for everyone who has worked
on this project.

491
00:18:26,934 --> 00:18:28,166
It is my opinion, yes.

492
00:18:28,233 --> 00:18:30,467
[Adam] And what is that opinion
based on?

493
00:18:30,533 --> 00:18:32,700
In other words, did you have
a forensic accountant

494
00:18:32,767 --> 00:18:35,367
review the expenses
that were incurred

495
00:18:35,433 --> 00:18:37,333
involving this project?

496
00:18:37,400 --> 00:18:38,867
Not to my knowledge.

497
00:18:38,934 --> 00:18:40,767
I am just the producer
on this one.

498
00:18:40,834 --> 00:18:43,066
So that would be not my purview.

499
00:18:43,133 --> 00:18:45,100
Typically speaking,
when music is leaked,

500
00:18:45,166 --> 00:18:47,633
the reason it's perceived
as a problem

501
00:18:47,700 --> 00:18:49,900
is because of the fact
that it gets out

502
00:18:49,967 --> 00:18:51,800
in a form that isn't finalized.

503
00:18:51,867 --> 00:18:53,166
If it's spread around

504
00:18:53,233 --> 00:18:54,600
to the potential audience
beforehand,

505
00:18:54,667 --> 00:18:57,667
they hear the not-ready version,

506
00:18:57,734 --> 00:18:59,867
and they form an opinion,
and they don't come back to it.

507
00:18:59,934 --> 00:19:03,467
So there is no way to give that
a quantifiable figure.

508
00:19:03,533 --> 00:19:06,166
But I think it's sort of
standard music industry practice

509
00:19:06,233 --> 00:19:07,533
not to leak songs,

510
00:19:07,600 --> 00:19:09,967
for fear of it ruining
the release of the final product.

511
00:19:10,033 --> 00:19:11,767
[Adam] I could not
agree with you any more.

512
00:19:11,834 --> 00:19:16,066
The problem is that Mr. Flores
failed to produce a contract.

513
00:19:16,133 --> 00:19:17,767
Your testimony
based upon your history

514
00:19:17,834 --> 00:19:21,100
in the industry is appreciated,
but it's speculative,

515
00:19:21,166 --> 00:19:23,633
and we're not allowed to base
a finding on speculation.

516
00:19:23,700 --> 00:19:25,967
Thank you.
I have nothing further there.

517
00:19:26,033 --> 00:19:28,133
[Patricia] We are gonna retire
to deliberate, thank you both.

518
00:19:28,200 --> 00:19:29,467
[Byrd]
Court now stands in recess.

519
00:19:29,533 --> 00:19:30,800
Parties are excused.

520
00:19:30,867 --> 00:19:32,133
[theme music playing]

521
00:19:32,200 --> 00:19:33,934
I'm gonna start
with his counterclaim.

522
00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:36,800
I think it has to be entirely
dismissed for two reasons.

523
00:19:36,867 --> 00:19:37,967
He's claiming two things.

524
00:19:38,033 --> 00:19:40,633
He's looking for $5,000
for defamation.

525
00:19:40,700 --> 00:19:42,433
But he admitted he took
the plaintiff's money

526
00:19:42,500 --> 00:19:45,133
and spent it on things
other than the project.

527
00:19:45,200 --> 00:19:47,066
Anything that the plaintiff
would have said about him

528
00:19:47,133 --> 00:19:48,867
regarding stealing his money

529
00:19:48,934 --> 00:19:51,133
and then offering him
a broken-down van in return,

530
00:19:51,200 --> 00:19:52,600
as far as I'm concerned,

531
00:19:52,667 --> 00:19:54,500
the defendant got everything
that he deserved.

532
00:19:54,567 --> 00:19:56,834
And despite
Mr. Carey's testimony

533
00:19:56,900 --> 00:19:59,934
regarding the devaluation
of the song itself,

534
00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:01,233
it's speculative.

535
00:20:01,300 --> 00:20:03,767
Yes, we can all agree
that there is some form

536
00:20:03,834 --> 00:20:06,633
of a devaluation of that
intellectual property.

537
00:20:06,700 --> 00:20:09,333
But it's the defendant's burden
to prove what that is.

538
00:20:09,400 --> 00:20:12,300
And he completely failed
to do so.

539
00:20:12,367 --> 00:20:13,500
So for those reasons,

540
00:20:13,567 --> 00:20:15,567
I believe that his counterclaim
needs to be dismissed.

541
00:20:15,633 --> 00:20:18,000
Turning to the plaintiff's case
against the defendant

542
00:20:18,066 --> 00:20:21,934
for $5,000 for failing to put
the initial project together,

543
00:20:22,000 --> 00:20:23,734
because the contract
was non-existent

544
00:20:23,800 --> 00:20:25,767
and it was this
amorphous understanding,

545
00:20:25,834 --> 00:20:27,800
what we do know is that
the plaintiff was unable

546
00:20:27,867 --> 00:20:31,367
to establish $5,000 worth
of damages.

547
00:20:31,433 --> 00:20:35,100
The defendant acknowledges
that it was $2,250 was paid.

548
00:20:35,166 --> 00:20:37,500
There are text messages
in which the plaintiff

549
00:20:37,567 --> 00:20:38,800
actually confirms that.

550
00:20:38,867 --> 00:20:42,600
So I believe that the plaintiff
is entitled to an award

551
00:20:42,667 --> 00:20:44,767
of damages of $2,250.

552
00:20:44,834 --> 00:20:46,734
Let me go back
to the countersuit for a moment,

553
00:20:46,800 --> 00:20:49,567
because I agree completely
with everything you said,

554
00:20:49,633 --> 00:20:51,500
except your inclination
to dismiss

555
00:20:51,567 --> 00:20:53,467
because I would
almost be inclined

556
00:20:53,533 --> 00:20:56,800
to treat is as something of
a request for punitive damages,

557
00:20:56,867 --> 00:20:58,734
because I do think
that the plaintiff

558
00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:00,133
had no business doing that.

559
00:21:00,200 --> 00:21:02,100
I think he acted maliciously
in doing it.

560
00:21:02,166 --> 00:21:05,867
However, I argued my way
out of the punitive damages

561
00:21:05,934 --> 00:21:08,066
because you still have to have
some actual damages.

562
00:21:08,133 --> 00:21:10,066
And I don't know
what his actual damages are.

563
00:21:10,133 --> 00:21:13,800
I'm not gonna say a dollar,
and then 4,999.

564
00:21:13,867 --> 00:21:16,700
So I'm still on the fence
about whether or not

565
00:21:16,767 --> 00:21:18,400
there is something there.

566
00:21:18,467 --> 00:21:19,800
But even as I'm thinking
out loud...

567
00:21:19,867 --> 00:21:20,867
Well, I don't like him,

568
00:21:20,934 --> 00:21:22,266
so that could be
an actual damage

569
00:21:22,333 --> 00:21:23,600
if you want to look at it
that way.

570
00:21:23,667 --> 00:21:26,266
I found that I wasn't gonna
listen to it anymore.

571
00:21:26,333 --> 00:21:28,400
In all of our other cases
where we have agreed

572
00:21:28,467 --> 00:21:30,333
to impose those
punitive damages,

573
00:21:30,400 --> 00:21:31,900
they've always included cases

574
00:21:31,967 --> 00:21:34,800
where the party requesting
the damages

575
00:21:34,867 --> 00:21:36,233
has come to us with clean hands.

576
00:21:36,300 --> 00:21:38,066
-And in this case...
-Very good point.

577
00:21:38,133 --> 00:21:39,500
...the defendant hasn't come to us
with clean hands.

578
00:21:39,567 --> 00:21:40,633
Very good point, Adam.

579
00:21:40,700 --> 00:21:43,633
And I like to reserve
those instances of us rewarding

580
00:21:43,700 --> 00:21:47,333
and modifying, perhaps,
requests for punitive damages

581
00:21:47,400 --> 00:21:49,166
to those cases where people
really have been harmed

582
00:21:49,233 --> 00:21:50,667
and have done nothing wrong.

583
00:21:50,734 --> 00:21:51,834
And even here,

584
00:21:51,900 --> 00:21:54,066
I can give the plaintiff
a little bit of rope,

585
00:21:54,133 --> 00:21:57,734
only because he's out of money,
this guy's not in touch with him,

586
00:21:57,800 --> 00:22:00,233
and he's trying to exploit
whatever assets he has.

587
00:22:00,300 --> 00:22:02,433
-Wasn't right, but you got me.
-I agree.

588
00:22:02,500 --> 00:22:04,400
With the counterclaim,
any damages from that,

589
00:22:04,467 --> 00:22:05,800
other than
my not listening anymore,

590
00:22:05,867 --> 00:22:07,600
would really be speculative.

591
00:22:07,667 --> 00:22:09,900
So I would dismiss
the counterclaim in its entirety.

592
00:22:09,967 --> 00:22:11,600
And with regard
to the main complaint,

593
00:22:11,667 --> 00:22:14,200
I would return the $2,250.

594
00:22:14,266 --> 00:22:15,467
-[Adam] Great.
-Onboard.

595
00:22:15,533 --> 00:22:18,600
[theme music playing]

596
00:22:18,667 --> 00:22:20,166
Court is back in session.

597
00:22:20,233 --> 00:22:21,967
Parties are reminded
you're still under oath.

598
00:22:22,033 --> 00:22:23,100
-[Adam] Thank you, Byrd.
-[Byrd] Mm-hmm.

599
00:22:23,166 --> 00:22:25,600
We are a unanimous bench
in the following sense.

600
00:22:25,667 --> 00:22:26,834
We'll start
with the counterclaim.

601
00:22:26,900 --> 00:22:29,567
In order to receive an award
of damages,

602
00:22:29,633 --> 00:22:31,533
the damages cannot be speculative.

603
00:22:31,600 --> 00:22:34,767
You put a $5,000 figure
on your counterclaim.

604
00:22:34,834 --> 00:22:37,300
Some of it was for defamation,

605
00:22:37,367 --> 00:22:40,100
which quite frankly
falls on its face

606
00:22:40,166 --> 00:22:43,533
because, as you indicated,
the money that was given to you

607
00:22:43,600 --> 00:22:47,100
by the plaintiff was used for
things other than the project.

608
00:22:47,166 --> 00:22:49,000
I know what you said, sir.
You said that he knew about it.

609
00:22:49,066 --> 00:22:50,433
He says he didn't know about it.

610
00:22:50,500 --> 00:22:51,800
If he did not know about it,

611
00:22:51,867 --> 00:22:53,166
then what you did
was steal his money.

612
00:22:53,233 --> 00:22:54,633
And then it took him two years
to get it back.

613
00:22:54,700 --> 00:22:56,600
So anything that he could have
said and would have said

614
00:22:56,667 --> 00:22:59,633
about your poor business acumen
and practices,

615
00:22:59,700 --> 00:23:00,700
it was, in his eyes,

616
00:23:00,767 --> 00:23:03,533
and anyone's objective eyes
looking at it, truthful.

617
00:23:03,600 --> 00:23:05,367
So it's the unanimous verdict
of the court

618
00:23:05,433 --> 00:23:07,033
that your counterclaim
be dismissed.

619
00:23:07,100 --> 00:23:10,533
With respect to your
initial claim for $5,000,

620
00:23:10,600 --> 00:23:12,400
you have to prove
that you made those payments.

621
00:23:12,467 --> 00:23:16,333
We are willing to accept $2,250
that you gave him.

622
00:23:16,400 --> 00:23:20,834
So the judgment of the court
is in your favor for $2,250.

623
00:23:20,900 --> 00:23:21,867
Thank you both.

624
00:23:21,934 --> 00:23:23,800
-Thank you.
-[Byrd] Case is now concluded.

625
00:23:23,867 --> 00:23:25,266
Parties are excused.
You may step out.

626
00:23:27,300 --> 00:23:30,100
I should have kept
a better record, I guess.

627
00:23:30,166 --> 00:23:32,767
I didn't expect this
to be in a court, you know?

628
00:23:32,834 --> 00:23:35,700
I guess contracts
are the overall lesson today.

629
00:23:35,767 --> 00:23:38,767
So if he's gonna provide that,
maybe I'll provide my services.

630
00:23:38,834 --> 00:23:41,133
When you're trying to make it
in the music industry,

631
00:23:41,200 --> 00:23:44,166
and, like, you're looking to just
get in somewhere quickly,

632
00:23:44,233 --> 00:23:47,133
it's like, duh, money works.

633
00:23:47,200 --> 00:23:49,367
I'm hoping for the best outcome
for everything.

634
00:23:49,433 --> 00:23:53,500
I hope that we could not have
any hostility in the future.

635
00:23:53,567 --> 00:23:55,000
I'm happy with the outcome.

636
00:23:55,066 --> 00:23:57,233
[announcer]
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637
00:23:57,300 --> 00:24:01,033
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638
00:24:01,100 --> 00:24:03,900
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639
00:24:03,967 --> 00:24:06,900
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