Man jailed for not supporting someone else's child

[BigMeatballDave]

ADEL, Ga. – A Georgia man spent more than a year behind bars for failing to pay child support for a child that wasn't his, but he was released after DNA tests showed he wasn't the father.

Frank Hatley, 50, had been jailed since June 2008 for not making payments, but two separate DNA tests in the last nine years showed he was not the father of the boy, who is now 21.

Southern Center for Human Rights attorney Sarah Geraghty won Hatley's release at a hearing Wednesday in Superior Court. A court order has also relieved him of his financial obligation to the Georgia Department of Human Resources.

"State child support officials have shown extraordinarily poor judgment in Mr. Hatley's case," Geraghty said.

Although Hatley was freed from making future payments after a 2001 hearing, Superior Court Judge Dan Perkins had ordered him to continue making $16,000 in back payments. He paid $6,000 of that before being laid off from his job.

Perkins ordered Hatley's immediate release Wednesday after determining that he was indigent. Although he was released, Hatley's paternity case is still unresolved. No future hearings are scheduled.

"Out of it all, I just feel like justice should be served for me in this case," Hatley told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution shortly after his release. "I shouldn't have to keep being punished for a child that is not mine."

Hatley had a relationship with Essie Lee Morrison, who had a baby in 1987 and told Hatley the child was his, according to court records. The couple never married and split up shortly afterward.

In 1989, Morrison applied for public assistance through the state Department of Human Resources. Hatley agreed to reimburse the state because he believed the boy was his.

Documents show Hatley paid at least $9,500.

But in 2000, DNA samples showed the two were not related, according to court records. A test earlier this month confirmed that.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090716/...ngfully_jailed

[LaChapelle]

Where is Luv?

[Valiant]

Originally Posted by LaChapelle

Good luck with that.

Good luck with what??

going with your gut feeling??

Telling the doctor?? Because you do not have to sign shit especially if your gut feeling is telling you the kid is not yours..

Or are you talking about staying with the girl if you are not sure it is your child?? If it is not and you question it she is either A: smart and will keep lying to you or B: dumb and will get pissed and say it is not your anyway.. Of course that goes back to if the guy is ignorant himself and cannot see the mountain because the trees are in the way..

[LaChapelle]

Originally Posted by Valiant

Good luck with what??

going with your gut feeling??

Telling the doctor?? Because you do not have to sign shit especially if your gut feeling is telling you the kid is not yours..

Or are you talking about staying with the girl if you are not sure it is your child?? If it is not and you question it she is either A: smart and will keep lying to you or B: dumb and will get pissed and say it is not your anyway.. Of course that goes back to if the guy is ignorant himself and cannot see the mountain because the trees are in the way..

Pussy has never clouded a mind in the history of the world. I forget that at times.

[joesomebody]

I want to blame someone for crap like this. Any suggestions?

[Valiant]

Originally Posted by joesomebody

I want to blame someone for crap like this. Any suggestions?

We need a blamestorming session.. I blame LaChapelle..

[Amnorix]

Originally Posted by acesn8s

We have some stupid laws on the books but not a damn one to protect an innocent guy like this.

The laws are designed to protect the kids, not the adults. But yes, results like this can be infuriating.

[LaChapelle]

I love you babe, but I got concerns.

[Amnorix]

Originally Posted by Just Passin' By

Always get a paternity test any time a child is claimed to be yours, and refuse to live in a state where it doesn't matter (like California, where a married man is on the hook even if paternity tests prove the kid isn't his).

That's just about every state, not just Cali.

[Nixhex]

Originally Posted by acesn8s

Then paternal test should be given at birth. If the bitch can't proove who the father is then she cannot ever receive child support for that child.

Word. No one should ever have to pay child support until a DNA test concludes they are the parent of the child.

[BigRichard]

Originally Posted by LaChapelle

You've been dating a girl for awhile, she says she's pregnant. How do you ask for a paternity test without ruining everything from there forward if it is yours?

-Someone needs to start a class in how this is handled. $$$$$$$$$

Why couldn't there be a law where every child born is tested for paternity??? I always thought that would make it easier on guys.

[LaChapelle]

Originally Posted by Nixhex

Word. No one should ever have to pay child support until a DNA test concludes they are the parent of the child.

What if the father is your dead brother? Wow

[LaChapelle]

Originally Posted by BigRichard

Why couldn't there be a law where every child born is tested for paternity??? I always thought that would make it easier on guys.

Actually It needs to prove she is the mother also.

[Nixhex]

Originally Posted by LaChapelle

What if the father is your dead brother? Wow

That would be really messed up.


What I want to know is will they ever do anything that holds these women even somewhat responsible for their actions in these cases?

[PunkinDrublic]

This is one of the reasons why it's not a good idea to date a single mother.

[BigRichard]

Originally Posted by Nixhex

That would be really messed up.


What I want to know is will they ever do anything that holds these women even somewhat responsible for their actions in these cases?

Exactly!!! It should be the woman that is in jail in this case and not the guy. What a ****ing ****!!!