Get These Holy Hands | We the People with Judge Lauren Lake

Added: 2026-05-13

[00:00:00]Good day everyone. I was born and raised in Detroit. Growing up there, I saw people like me running things. This is a courtroom, not a circus. So, we going to calm down.

[00:00:10]>> I'm sorry.

[00:00:10]>> What I found there was a passion that I didn't know existed. This is the bottom line. I'm excited to freef fall into the limitless possibilities with we the people. So many are fearful of the law.

[00:00:23]They think it's something that works against them. I think you need to begin to accept responsibility for your mistakes. We are the people.

[00:00:35]>> Michelle Anderson claims she was suspended from her church job for arguing with the pastor about putting hands on her son.

[00:00:44]>> All rise.

[00:00:45]>> Mary Lewis says she stepped in when the plaintiff's rowdy six-year-old tried to grab a cane from an elderly woman. Court is now in session. The Honorable Judge Lauren Lake presiding.

[00:00:57]>> You may be seated.

[00:00:58]>> Hello, your honor.

[00:00:59]>> Hello. Thank you, Sean. Good day, everyone.

[00:01:01]>> Good day.

[00:01:02]>> This is the case of Anderson versus Lewis. Miss Anderson, you are suing Miss Lewis for $2100 in lost wages. You say church drama led you straight to unemployment. Is that correct?

[00:01:14]>> Unfortunately, yes.

[00:01:15]>> Defendant, you say you were responding to a situation that got out of hand.

[00:01:20]>> That is correct.

[00:01:20]>> All right. take me to this situation that potentially got out of hand. Miss Anderson, what happened?

[00:01:27]>> Yes. So, Wednesday night after Bible study, um I stepped out momentarily to take my six-month out to change his diaper. Um my six-year-old >> So, you were attending Bible study or you were working at a church?

[00:01:40]>> I was working at a church, but I also attend the Bible study.

[00:01:43]>> All right. You do both?

[00:01:44]>> Yes.

[00:01:44]>> Great.

[00:01:45]>> Um afterwards, I am a parent of two. I have a six-year-old and a six-month-old.

[00:01:49]I left my six-year-old with my family as I went to step out to change my uh change the diaper of my six-month-old.

[00:01:56]When I came out, I happened to see the defendant verbally disciplining my child.

[00:02:02]>> How long had you been going to Bible study at the church?

[00:02:05]>> Um for about 5 years.

[00:02:06]>> Oh, five years. And you'd worked there for that long, too?

[00:02:09]>> Um for about four.

[00:02:10]>> And so you knew Miss Lewis. You're familiar with Miss Lewis. You've been at the church now for five years.

[00:02:15]>> Yes.

[00:02:16]>> Okay. So, Miss Lewis, you are familiar with Miss Anderson. That is correct.

[00:02:19]>> And uh you work at the church as well.

[00:02:23]>> Yes, I'm a co-pastor there.

[00:02:25]>> You are a co-pastor. And so what caused you to have an encounter with Miss Anderson's child?

[00:02:34]>> There is an elderly lady that's one of our parishioners and she had a cane and her child was going for the cane. My first concern was the safety of the child and of course the safety of our parishioners. You say he's going for the cane. What does that mean?

[00:02:51]>> The child is throwing throwing around Bibles, going after the communion.

[00:02:56]>> This is during the Bible study.

[00:02:57]>> Yes, ma'am.

[00:02:58]>> But I thought you had left the child with your family.

[00:03:01]>> I did.

[00:03:01]>> Which family was that? Who was there?

[00:03:03]>> Um, it was my mom, my brother, and my sister.

[00:03:05]>> So, you don't know what's going on cuz you're out changing your six-month-old.

[00:03:08]>> Yes.

[00:03:09]>> And so, you're saying her son walked up to the lady with the cane.

[00:03:12]>> He was going to take the cane.

[00:03:14]>> He wanted to snatch. You wanted to see it.

[00:03:16]>> That is correct. And you were concerned that without this cane, the lady would fall and also potentially the child could get hurt.

[00:03:22]>> Correct.

[00:03:23]>> And so what happened?

[00:03:24]>> I'm looking at the family and I'm thinking, okay, at what point is someone going to intercede and ask?

[00:03:29]>> That's the worst feeling. So once you see this happening, you feel like, oh, I better you you give it a minute. And I said, that's the worst feeling because I've been in many of those situations where I feel like kids are getting out of pocket, but the adults haven't intervened yet.

[00:03:44]>> Right. And now uh what do you do right?

[00:03:47]Do you say something to the kid or do you say something to the adults? And nowadays times have changed honey because the adults might get an attitude if you say something about a child, >> right?

[00:03:57]>> When it used to be that we were all a part of a village and if something was going to happen, >> you could address a child. So you felt like you could address the child and you needed to. So what did you do exactly?

[00:04:08]What I did when I tried to find the parent and the guardian and I saw that the family members were not doing anything. I then went over without any physical altercation and I said I need you to calm down. And she entered the room.

[00:04:29]>> Now wait, you told the son you need him to calm down because he wasn't just reaching for the cane. He was what?

[00:04:35]Acting wild.

[00:04:36]>> He was rowdy. Oh, running all around, >> running running a muck. And this was not the first time. There had been multiple times during Bible study that Johnny was out of sorts >> and you want and and children aren't blocked from coming to Bible study and kids are kids. They're not necessarily able to sit still in the way that adults do. However, I think that's one of the greatest life lessons that you get as a child. At least I did. As a child, I think that's a valuable lesson to learn how to sit still or occupy yourself in ways that aren't disruptive when you're feeling a little bored. But instead, this child was kind of running around.

[00:05:10]>> Correct.

[00:05:11]>> Now, Miss Anderson, you don't know any of this. So, when you walk back in, what do you see?

[00:05:15]>> I see her holding my child in an attempt to I don't know if there was a push back or whatever was happening with this cane situation, but she had her hand on my child and was also verbally reprimanding him. And what was she saying? What did you hear when you came in? You saw her saying what?

[00:05:32]>> She was saying that you get your and before I could even finish what she was saying, I went ahead and intervened.

[00:05:39]>> Coming up.

[00:05:40]>> How was she holding him when you walked in?

[00:05:42]>> By his arm.

[00:05:42]>> By his arm. Kind of like this.

[00:05:44]>> Yes.

[00:05:44]>> Like grabbed snatched up or or like >> she was grabbing him like this.

[00:05:49]>> Well, no, that's not a snatchup. If you'll be in the Los Angeles area and want to bring your case to court, call 1888-552-6878.

[00:06:04]You're watching Emmy nominated We the People with Judge Lauren Lake.

[00:06:08]We're back with the case of Michelle Anderson who is fighting with Mary Lewis over lost wages and child care. So, you felt like she was addressing your child in a way you weren't comfortable with.

[00:06:21]>> Yes. And granted, I understand that children do get a little antsy within the church. I know my son is a little bit on the boisterous, loud side, but >> So, you're aware of this?

[00:06:33]>> I am aware, but he's not a bad child.

[00:06:36]And whenever I hear the story of even him coming towards the canan with an intention to take it, it just does not even sound like my child. And >> what did he say he was trying to do?

[00:06:46]He's old enough to tell you, "Mama, I was just trying to blank."

[00:06:49]>> Well, he said he was just playing. And >> playing how was he? Did he want to play with the cane?

[00:06:53]>> Well, he didn't say the cane necessarily. I think he was just running around. And as far as >> And that could be a problem, too, cuz if he ran and hit the cane, that also could be a problem.

[00:07:02]>> That is understandable.

[00:07:03]>> So, he admitted he was running around.

[00:07:04]>> He was running around.

[00:07:05]>> What did your family say? Because you done got you done went and changed the baby, made it all the way back down the aisle in time to intervene with Miss Lewis. What were your family members doing? They were sitting right there.

[00:07:16]>> Yes, they were present. And I wish they did do more. But Miss Mrs. Lewis and I have an understanding on disciplining my child.

[00:07:24]>> Oh, what's the understanding?

[00:07:26]>> That she does not put hands on my child.

[00:07:28]And if she has and if she has any issue with my child, she comes to find >> she didn't put hands on him.

[00:07:32]>> And also, if you would like to verbally say anything to my child, >> she said she didn't put hands on him.

[00:07:37]>> But even if she verbally said anything as well. So, your thing to Miss Lewis is don't talk to my child.

[00:07:43]>> If you have anything to do with my child, let me or any of my family members know first.

[00:07:47]>> Well, your family members was watching.

[00:07:49]They was at Bible study. They didn't do anything.

[00:07:53]>> Honestly, I feel like it was >> How was she holding him when you walked in?

[00:07:56]>> By his arm.

[00:07:57]>> By his arm. Kind of like this.

[00:07:58]>> Yes.

[00:07:59]>> Like grab snatched up or or like >> She was grabbing him like this.

[00:08:04]>> Well, no. That's not a snatch up. Like this isn't a snatch up >> by his arm.

[00:08:09]>> No, that's not a SNATCH UP. DID ANYBODY KNOW WHAT A SNATCH UP LOOK? DID ANYBODY THANK YOU. We know what the snatch up is. When you snatch a kid up, you know what that looks like. And it's not always an abuse thing. Sometimes it is a safety thing where you're nervous that the child is going to do something that could injure him or someone else. So, why are you suing Miss Lewis for $2,100?

[00:08:33]You submitted your evidence to the court. Both of you did. Can you walk through this evidence briefly?

[00:08:38]>> Yes. So, um, child care services are provided at the church that I was attending.

[00:08:44]>> Since I didn't get very much of a notice and, um, I had to change my schedule.

[00:08:48]>> So, wait, how did you get fired?

[00:08:50]>> Um, after the altercation, there was, I guess, a church leadership meeting that I was not a part of and they decided to ex um, to not allow me back to the church for a little bit.

[00:09:01]>> Because once you saw her with her hand on your child, what was your response?

[00:09:05]What did you say?

[00:09:06]>> Um, well, I definitely grabbed my child back, intervened, and just got them two away from each other. Um, then her husband came and pulled her away and my family pulled me away and I did leave the church.

[00:09:17]>> What? Cuz y'all was about to fight.

[00:09:20]Just asking. Stranger things have happened.

[00:09:24]>> Um, I have no intention intention in harming anyone.

[00:09:26]>> So, it didn't get physical.

[00:09:29]It did anything get physical, honest?

[00:09:31]>> Sure. Absolutely. She hit me.

[00:09:34]>> Oh.

[00:09:35]And by the grace of God, I just said, you know, I'm going to step away and allow my >> She hit you how? She slapped you.

[00:09:42]>> She socked me in my chest.

[00:09:44]>> She punched you in the chest.

[00:09:45]>> Yes, ma'am.

[00:09:47]>> Your honor, that's an exaggeration.

[00:09:48]>> So, what was it, Miss Anderson?

[00:09:50]>> I definitely grabbed my child and pushed her off of my child.

[00:09:53]>> Oh, so you Okay, but you didn't testify to that just a minute ago. You just said you grabbed your child to separate him from her. So, to separate. You didn't add and then I had to push her or sock her in her chest.

[00:10:06]>> Well, I did not suck her. Absolutely.

[00:10:08]>> But you pushed her.

[00:10:09]>> I did >> to tell her get off my child.

[00:10:11]>> I was just saying get off of my child.

[00:10:14]>> All right. And so you did not respond physically to that.

[00:10:18]>> I didn't. Your honor, I would like to submit exhibit A if that's feasible.

[00:10:22]>> Okay. I'd like to see that evidence. May I see it, please?

[00:10:26]>> Thank you.

[00:10:26]>> You're welcome.

[00:10:30]>> Okay. Okay. So, this is a letter basically saying that she has been relieved of her responsibilities >> temporarily. Yes.

[00:10:40]>> It says temporarily. So, you weren't kicked out the church, just temporarily.

[00:10:45]You were kind of suspended >> and I never heard any follow-up from them ever since.

[00:10:50]>> And so, you never reached back out.

[00:10:51]>> I felt like it was with intention to permanently kick me out of the church.

[00:10:54]>> But did you write back and say, "How long is this suspension? Is there anything I can do to help remedy it? Did you write notes of apologies? Like what what did you do?

[00:11:05]>> Um, no I didn't because since I am a single mother, the first thing I had to do is figure out what else I was going to do for work to make sure I could provide for my kids and make sure that they were in some uh sort of child care so I could be able to do that.

[00:11:17]>> Okay. So, let me walk through these damages with you. So, you say Wednesday to Saturday, $800. This is what it cost to get child care.

[00:11:25]>> Yes.

[00:11:26]>> Cuz you no longer had it at the church.

[00:11:28]>> Absolutely. Yes.

[00:11:28]>> So, you're suing her. You want her to pay that $800?

[00:11:31]>> Yes, your honor.

[00:11:32]>> Cuz you grabbed your child back from her and pushed her. So, she owes you this money.

[00:11:39]>> Yes, your honor.

[00:11:40]>> Okay. Yeah. And so then you paid $650 to Michelle Anderson. What is this pending?

[00:11:50]>> So, these are some of the payments that I should have been receiving um as like back pay for what I've done in the church. Girl, stop. You cannot push a pastor at the church and then expect to still work there.

[00:12:05]>> Coming up, >> just cuz you think your child's the cutest and everything they do is the cutest and it's just so funny. Haha, look at him. No, it's not funny. It's not funny. It's a lack of home training.

[00:12:16]Do you know what home training is?

[00:12:18]>> Yes, sir.

[00:12:18]>> Home training is how you get yourself trained at home so you know what to do.

[00:12:27]You're watching Emmy nominated We the People with Judge Lauren Lake.

[00:12:32]>> We're back with the case of Michelle Anderson who is fighting with Mary Lewis over lost wages and child care.

[00:12:40]>> Let's stop this nonsense right now.

[00:12:43]Okay? And look, I am not here to demonize you. I have one child and honey, he's 15. He done gave me a run for my money for the last 15 years. And he's not a bad child either, but he's an energetic child, right? And when you know you have that kind of child, you have to be prepared as a parent. If you don't want your child living on the iPad like half these kids do with their headphones on everywhere on an iPad just stuck to it, you have to think of creative ways to keep your child occupied so that your child is not in a church setting running around and potentially knocking over a woman on a cane, especially when you can't trust that your family members can monitor that child. Do you understand? Another thing I want to say to you, and this is an important lesson that you have to learn, and I'm thankful that my parents always shared that lesson. Just because you think your child's the cutest and everything they do is the cutest and it's just so funny. Gallery, you've seen this, have you not? Oh, and it's just so funny for everybody. Look at him. No, it's not funny. It's not funny. It's a lack of home training. Do you know what home training is?

[00:13:53]>> Yes, your honor.

[00:13:54]>> Home training is how you get yourself trained at home so you know what to do.

[00:13:58]When we were kids, that's some of my earliest memories is sitting at church trying to eat a peppermint as slow as I could that somebody done gave me or playing hangman on the back of the tithing envelope with a pen that my grandmother or my mother or somebody done found in their purse. You figure it out. Do your write your numbers. Write your ABCs.

[00:14:19]Write down your numbers until mommy comes back. Let's see what number you going to get to. Read a book >> coming up. Cuz that's how I am. I tell people, don't bring your kids to my house unless I can say something and they going to do what I say. That's my rule.

[00:14:39]>> You're watching Emmy nominated We the People with Judge Lauren Lake.

[00:14:44]We're back with the case of Michelle Anderson who is fighting with Mary Lewis over lost wages and child care.

[00:14:52]The fact that people are at Bible study, that elders are standing around and your son is ripping and running around the room, that's not safe for anybody there.

[00:15:02]And I'm sorry, I don't blame Miss Lewis for going up. And if the child's one them children don't listen when you just say to them, "Hey, now stop now." And they don't know how to listen and they're going for a cane of an elderly person. No, I think it's reasonable under the circumstance that you take them by the arm and say, "Now, hold on now and let your mother come." And I will tell you this, that's one of the things in this day and age that I think we have lost sight of because everybody is scared to intervene on somebody else's child because they don't want it to turn into a fight. They don't want to get beat up. They don't want it to turn into a whole escalated thing. But at the end of the day, this is your church village. And if you've been going there five years, I would hope that you would be in a situation that even if you felt like Miss Lewis was gonna try to do something to your child, your family was in there. They were going to deal with her.

[00:15:55]And most importantly, I'm hoping, and this is this is here, right here is where this testimony has kind of led me to believe you didn't want Miss Lewis managing your child. See, it don't seem like your family thought they could either. And see, now we live in families where the aunties and the grandmas and all the people don't feel like they can do nothing either because it's gonna be a problem, >> right? When it used to be if you leave them with me, then you leave them with me. Cuz that's how I am. I tell people, don't bring your kids to my house unless I can say something and they going to do what I say. That's my rule.

[00:16:32]>> Judge Lakes's verdict when we the people returns.

[00:16:40]You're watching Emmy nominated We the People with Judge Lauren Lake.

[00:16:45]>> So, you learned a lesson here. She don't owe you no money. This is all you're doing.

[00:16:51]And as a mother who has two children, I know it can be overwhelming sometimes. And you have the benefit of family and I think you should tell that family that they can help you manage your child right when he needs managing so that he doesn't get himself hurt or someone else hurt because of his behavior. And it's also important when you have these children, you know, we know it's mama's baby and papa's baby.

[00:17:20]Meaning, thank God the daddies that do show up show up. But if the daddy don't, he may come and he may not. You're gonna be there, >> right? Is the father active in your son's life?

[00:17:33]>> No, not currently.

[00:17:34]>> Okay. And that's listen, that that's how the cookie crumbles sometimes. But that means now you have to do what's necessary to raise a young man who is respectful and most importantly knows how to control himself, his emotions, and his physical actions to keep himself safe and the others around him. These reasons, your case is dismissed.

[00:17:54]Judgment for the defendant. Court is ajourned. Thank you, your honor.

[00:17:56]>> Oh, rise.

[00:17:58]>> Judge Lake has ruled in favor of the defendant.

[00:18:03]The plaintiff's case is dismissed.

[00:18:08]>> Do you have any final thoughts with each other?

[00:18:11]>> I wish you all the best and allelujah.

[00:18:14]Good luck.

[00:18:16]>> Right. Please follow me this way. Okay.

[00:18:51]This has been a production of Allen Media Group.