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March
8, 2004 Transcript Walker: Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help you God? Jason: Yes. Alexis: Are you certain that Jason is going to support your bid for sole custody? Carly: He knows what's at stake. [Judge pounds gavel] Judge: Ms. Davis? Alexis: I'm sorry, your honor. Mr. Morgan, you've been a close friend of Carly Corinthos for many years, correct? Jason: Yes. Alexis: After Carly gave birth to her first son, she became ill and was unable to take care of Michael, so you took responsibility of Michael. Isn't that true? Jason: Yes, I did. Alexis: And then after she recovered, you confidently returned Michael to his mother. Have you ever doubted Carly’s ability to care for her children? Jason: No. Alexis: So in your opinion, Carly is a good mother who deserves to raise her children? Jason: Yes. Alexis: Clearly, Mr. Morgan, you're in an excellent position to comment on Carly’s fitness as a parent because you have been through and in so many circumstances with her. Sonny: Shut him down now. Get him off the stand. Justus: There's nothing I can do until she's finished questioning him. Jason: That's right, that's right. Alexis: Now, we've already established that you consider Carly to be a very good mother. Do you think you could elaborate on that? Jason: Uh -- I mean, Carly loves Michael and Morgan. Alexis: I know. Is she attentive? Is she nurturing? Is she affectionate? Jason: Yeah, yeah, she's all those things. Alexis: I want you to be more specific. For instance, last winter, Carly was pregnant and Michael was playing on a frozen lake and the ice broke, would you please tell the court what happened? Jason: Yeah, before Michael could fall into the lake, Carly crawled out onto the ice and pulled him to safety, and the ice broke under Carly. The water was freezing, she almost died trying to rescue him. And then they wanted to give her some kind of blood pressure medicine to -- to lower her blood pressure, but she refused because it would've put her baby at risk. Alexis: Sounds like a devoted parent. Jason: She would do anything to protect her kids. Alexis: Does Carly have a job? Jason: No, not right now, she doesn’t. Alexis: So she's a stay-at-home mom. So what about the children's father? Would you say that his life is dangerous? Justus: Objection, your honor. Clearly leading the witness. Alexis: I'll rephrase the question, your honor. To the best of your knowledge, Mr. Morgan, can you tell me how many times Mr. Corinthos has been the target of gunfire? Jason: I don't know. Alexis: Police records indicate that there are 12 documented incidences where Mr. Corinthos was the target of gunfire. To the best of your knowledge, Mr. Morgan, can you tell the court how many times Mr. Corinthos has been the victim of a bomb threat? Jason: No. Alexis: Have you ever been shot at or threatened as a result of working for Mr. Corinthos? Jason: Yes. Alexis: Has Michael and Morgan ever been threatened or have their lives been threatened as a result of -- Jason: Sonny would do anything to protect his kids, just like Carly would. Alexis: (raising her voice) That's not the question that I asked you, Mr. Morgan. The question is, have Mr. Corinthos' children ever been put in danger simply because he is their father? Jason: Yes. Alexis: Thank you. No more questions. Justus: Mr. Morgan, you're Sonny's best friend, his business partner. Is that correct? Jason: That's correct. Justus: You're also his brother-in-law, his family, right? Jason: Yes, I am. Justus: So it's safe to say that you have the utmost respect for Mr. Corinthos; you hold him in the highest of esteem. Jason: Absolutely, I do. Justus: Ms. Davis spoke earlier about a time shortly after Michael was born when Carly fell ill and was unable to take care of Michael, when the truth is she didn't want to. Alexis: Objection, your honor. My client was suffering from severe postpartum depression, which is a clinically diagnosed condition. Judge: Sustained. Alexis: Thank you. Justus: Allow me to clarify, your honor. Carly became depressed shortly after Michael was born. During this period, you were the sole caregiver, and was listed as the boy's legal father. Is that correct? Jason: Yes, that's correct. Justus: In fact, you even named Michael after Mr. Corinthos. Isn't that true? Jason: Yeah, that's true. Justus: And when you lost custody and resolved to leave the country for an extended period of time, with whom did you leave Michael in the care of? Jason: Sonny. Justus: And once you returned and saw that Sonny and Carly were together, did you attempt to re-establish your position as the boy's father? Jason: No, I didn't. Justus: Why not? You still loved the boy. Jason: Very much so, yes, I did. Justus: Then why not try to reclaim your place as the boy's father? Jason: Because Sonny was Michael’s father by then. Justus: So you didn't want to confuse the boy? Jason: Sonny's the best man I know. If I could choose my father, I would choose him. Because I knew he would help Michael the same way that he helped me. That's why I wanted Sonny to be Michael’s dad. I knew he'd be good at it. Justus: This hearing is to determine who Michael and Morgan should spend the rest of their young lives with. You've gone through a great personal sacrifice to allow Mr. Corinthos to raise Michael. Do you feel he's fulfilled his obligations as the boy's father? Jason: Absolutely. Justus: Do you think Michael and Morgan should remain in the custody of Sonny Corinthos? Jason: Sonny is Michael’s true father, but I think the boys need their mother. I think Michael and Morgan need to be with both their parents. Alexis: Your honor, I'd like the opportunity to redirect. Judge: This is a family court, Ms. Davis. We'll follow procedure. Mr. Ward, do you have anything further for the witness? Justus: No further questions, your honor. Judge: I'm calling a brief recess. We'll reconvene in half an hour. Carly: How could you do it, Jason? You knew that I needed you and -- Jason: I told the truth, Carly. Carly: Do you understand what I have to do now? Jason: Yes, you need to tell the judge that you and Sonny both love the kids, and you both deserve to be with them. Carly: Well, Sonny doesn't want to share, and now you have backed me into a corner, and I have got to tell the court about the breakdowns. Jason: Would you stop thinking about yourself for once, Carly, and think about Michael? I didn't give him up because I wanted to. It was like tearing my own heart out. But it was what he needed. And what Michael needs now is for his parents to make peace, even if you risk losing custody. Carly: I will not give up my kids! Jason: Then you are going to lose them anyway. Because if you make Sonny look like an unfit parent, he's going to make you look like an unfit parent, and the judge is not going to have a choice. He'll put those boys in foster care. Carly: That is the chance that you took, Jason, when you decided to turn on me! I never thought that I would have to hurt Sonny, but I tell you, I never, ever thought that you would have failed me! Jason: This is -- Sonny: You understand what you've done? Jason: Sonny, I -- I told you if you and Carly made me choose, I'm going to have to do what's right for the kids. Sonny: Oh. So you don't mind the kids being with Alcazar? I will not let my kids experience what I went through with Deke. Jason: Carly's not going to let anyone hurt your kids. Sonny: Listen to yourself. You're taking her side now. Jason: No, I'm not. Carly blackmailed me! Sonny: What do you mean? Jason: She said if I didn't say the kids belong with her, she's going to tell the court about your breakdown. Sonny: Well, I didn't know that. When did she tell you this? You know what? You just -- you just gave her the opening to win this case. Carly: You put me on the stand. I will talk about the breakdowns. Alexis: Why the sudden change of heart? Carly: I thought that Jason and Courtney would side with me. They didn't, so now I need to figure out a better way to prove that I am a better parent. Alexis: So you're going to testify that he had a nervous breakdown? You're going to talk about how destructive and dangerous his lifestyle is? Carly: Listen, I cannot protect Sonny anymore. All that matters is keeping my children. Walker: Please raise your right hand, place your left hand on the bible. Sonny: Don't object to Carly’s testimony. Justus: Why? What's going on? Sonny: Let her say what she needs to say and make her look like a liar. Justus: Excuse me? Sonny: I don't -- look, I don't care if you have to get her mad, you have to make her cry. Whatever you need to do, you got to convince the judge and everybody in this courtroom that what she's about to say is a lie. Alexis: Mrs. Corinthos, how many years have you known Mr. Corinthos? Carly: Six. Alexis: That's a good amount of time. You must know him very well. Carly: I've never been closer to anyone. Alexis: To the best of your knowledge, has your husband ever shown signs of emotional instability? Have you ever seen him lose control? Has he ever been physically violent in front of you? Justus: I object, your honor. My client has no record of violence against his family. Sonny: Sit down. Sit down. Alexis: No documented record, your honor, but Mrs. Corinthos is his wife. She is clearly aware of his behavior. Judge: I'll allow it. Answer the question, Mrs. Corinthos. Carly: Look, I just want to be very, very clear -- Alexis: Then allow me to be very specific. Isn't it true that your husband has a history of severe nervous breakdowns?
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