FULL VIDEO AT THE END OF THE POST
Friends Gather for Haircuts
Delaunte Moore, the plaintiff, sued Mr. Brown, the defendant.
The two men were friends.
They went to Damard Stearns' house for haircuts.
Mr. Stearns was a barber.
He cut hair out of his home.
Mr. Moore was the first client.
He sat in the barber chair.
Jokes and a Knife
While Mr. Moore was in the barber chair, Mr. Brown was cracking "yo mama" jokes.
Mr. Brown had a newly purchased, sharp knife.
He was playing with it throughout the day.
Mr. Moore testified that Mr. Brown said, "I'll cut you laughing."
Mr. Brown then allegedly cut Mr. Moore with the knife.
Mr. Moore initially thought it was a joke.
He thought the butt of the knife hit him.
Then he realized he was bleeding.
He went to the bathroom to wash the wound.
He found it was a deep cut.
Immediate Aftermath
Mr. Moore's girlfriend, Cheryl, was also present.
She retrieved tape from her car.
Mr. Brown taped up the wound.
Cheryl then drove Mr. Moore and Mr. Brown to the emergency room.
Mr. Moore underwent surgery to repair the injury.
Defendant's Version of Events
Mr. Brown offered a different account.
He claimed Mr. Moore was playing by his head.
Mr. Moore was trying to get the clippers.
He snatched the cord out.
Mr. Brown stated he swung the knife back.
He said Mr. Moore was reaching in.
This action resulted in the cut.
Plaintiff's Occupation and Lost Wages
Mr. Moore stated he is a contractor.
His work involves asbestos removal, demolition, and restoration.
He claimed to earn an average of $600 a week.
Mr. Moore testified he was out of work for three months due to the injury.
Judge Judy Questions the Details
Judge Judy asked to see the emergency room report.
She wanted to verify the injury and treatment.
Mr. Moore confirmed he had surgery to repair the injury.
Judge Judy pressed Mr. Brown for his version of the events.
Mr. Brown reiterated that he was at Damard Stearns' house for a haircut.
He mentioned he was tightening the liners for the clippers.
He said Mr. Stearns told him to do it.
Judge Judy questioned why he was doing the barber's job.
Contradictions Emerge
Mr. Moore stated Mr. Brown cut him intentionally during the jokes.
Mr. Brown maintained it was an accident.
He blamed Mr. Moore's actions for the incident.
Mr. Moore claimed Mr. Brown taped up the wound.
Mr. Brown initially denied taping the wound.
He then confirmed he did tape it.
Mr. Moore stated he was out of work for three months.
Judge Judy noted the doctor's report did not specify that duration.
The Knife and the Jokes
Mr. Moore described Mr. Brown's behavior with the knife.
He said Mr. Brown was playing with it all day.
Mr. Moore recounted the "I'll cut you laughing" comment.
He believed it was a joke at first.
He then realized the cut was real and deep.
Mr. Brown started crying after the incident.
Cheryl's Role
Cheryl, Mr. Moore's girlfriend, was a witness.
She retrieved the tape for the wound.
She drove both men to the hospital.
Judge Judy confirmed Cheryl drove them to the emergency room.
Financial Impact of the Injury
Mr. Moore provided details about his income.
He works as a contractor.
He does not work for a specific company.
He works for different companies.
He files taxes as a 1099 contractor.
Sometimes he receives W2s.
He stated his average weekly earnings were $600.
He claimed he was out of work for three months.
Judge Judy's Calculation
Judge Judy reviewed Mr. Moore's income.
She noted his tax filing for the previous year was $24,000.
She calculated lost wages based on a month out of work.
A month of lost wages at $600 per week would be $2,400.
She considered the pain and suffering Mr. Moore endured.
The Verdict
Judge Judy found in favor of the plaintiff, Delaunte Moore.
She awarded him $5,000.
This amount covered lost wages and pain and suffering.
Aftermath of the Ruling
Mr. Brown reacted to the verdict.
He called Mr. Moore a liar.
He claimed Mr. Moore had been lying since childhood.
Mr. Brown stated he had known Mr. Moore since 1980.
He mentioned an old lie about a "He-Man" toy.
Mr. Brown expressed his disappointment.
He said he lost money and a friend.
He advised watching who you call your friends.