Vinyl Wars & Roommate Room Hate | Equal Justice with Judge Eboni K Williams

Added: 2026-05-20

[00:00:00]Can you read to me the name plate?

[00:00:01]>> Judge Ebony K. Williams.

[00:00:02]>> So, the only thing that matters in this particular courtroom is how I see it. I am from North Carolina by way of Louisiana with some West Coast cool and a New York edge. Do we have a problem, ma'am?

[00:00:12]>> No, I don't, your honor.

[00:00:13]>> Equal justice is all about the most important values of our country.

[00:00:17]Freedom, integrity, and those are the things that I'm striving for. Ma'am, you run your household. This man gets to run his. I decided to become an attorney and pursue the law. I wanted to be a voice for the voiceless. This court cannot hold this woman accountable.

[00:00:31]>> People from all sectors of life, black, white, purple, gay, straight, queer, and that's what Equal Justice with Judge Ebony K. Williams is all about.

[00:00:42]Dwayne Edwards says he loaned his rare vinyl records to a student who sampled the tracks and scratched them. Simon Russell says he bought CDs and a streaming service gift card for his teacher to cover the damage.

[00:00:56]Gentlemen, I see I have Dwayne Edwards here as my plaintiff and Simon Russell as my defendant. Mr. Edwards, I see you are suing Mr. Russell for $794.

[00:01:06]You allege property damage. What brings you to court, sir?

[00:01:09]>> Yes, your honor. I loaned some vinyl records, actually rare and valuable records to Simon to uh listen to. First of all, >> uh I have a class teaching music theory.

[00:01:20]>> Oh.

[00:01:20]>> And music appreciation.

[00:01:22]>> Teach at a local community college. Mhm.

[00:01:25]>> So I I kind of noticed uh that Simon was a up and cominging student. He had potential. He has talent. He has a vision. I noticed that early on.

[00:01:33]>> Mhm.

[00:01:34]>> So I wanted to uh kind of look more into what I could do to help him progress, >> nurture the talent.

[00:01:40]>> Yes.

[00:01:40]>> Okay. And he was in your class for how long?

[00:01:43]>> Uh it was a short period of time. It was not even a semester.

[00:01:46]>> Okay.

[00:01:47]>> You know, and uh so we had a problem. Uh I loaned him the records to listen to.

[00:01:51]First of all, before we did that, >> I I talked to him about digital music compared to analog music.

[00:01:58]>> Yes.

[00:01:58]>> Uh, a lot of the >> old school, new school >> school. Yeah. A lot of students now, a lot of young people, they just want to just push some computer buttons, get some samples, some music loops, keyboard loops, drum loops, but they don't want to put in the work that it takes in order to uh perfect the craft, >> the instrumentality.

[00:02:12]>> Exactly. And vocals without uh autotune and these other things.

[00:02:16]>> Yes. Yes. I I used to dabble in alto and tener saxophone and so so I understand the music theory of it all. Now don't ask me to play nothing but go ahead.

[00:02:24]>> Okay.

[00:02:24]>> So I figured listen we start like any uh good recipe you know uh basics.

[00:02:29]>> Yes. The basics the right ingredients.

[00:02:32]>> So this is what I um shared with him. I had about a 100 records in my office >> and I said listen why don't you come by and we'll listen to some vinyl so you can really hear what audio uh should sound like.

[00:02:45]>> Yes. So he came by and listened to the music >> and um he fell in love with the sound.

[00:02:51]>> So that encouraged me. I said, "Well, you know, maybe I'll take a chance >> and I'll um let him take some of this music home to really get familiar with it."

[00:02:59]>> So loan it out.

[00:03:00]>> Yes.

[00:03:00]>> Okay. How many records are we talking, sir?

[00:03:02]>> Uh five total.

[00:03:03]>> So you let him take five very valuable, probably at this point almost irreplaceable vinyl records of your collection home so he could get better acquainted.

[00:03:14]>> Absolutely. with the Sonic.

[00:03:15]>> Yes.

[00:03:15]>> Okay.

[00:03:16]>> Yes.

[00:03:16]>> Let's get to you, Mr. Russell. Is this all tracking to you? This all makes sense?

[00:03:20]>> It's all sounded about right, your honor. You know, I've been making >> You just already look defeated, Mr. Russell. Golly. Go ahead.

[00:03:26]>> You know, it's just dealing with this guy who's been such a thing. I didn't know it was going to result like this, you know, but >> you know, I love music. I've been making music since I was 15, you know. I've >> How old are you now, young man?

[00:03:38]>> I am 27 years old.

[00:03:39]>> Okay, great. So, you're taking this music theory class from this connoisseur.

[00:03:44]>> Yes. I mean, I was self-taught. Okay.

[00:03:46]>> And I studied the greats, you know, Dr. Dre, Kanye West, stuff like that. And >> I thought he was about to say Quincy Jones or something. Talking about I mean, I like Dre, don't get me wrong. We ain't forgot about Dre.

[00:03:58]>> All right. Go ahead, sir.

[00:03:59]>> Yeah. You know, and that was just like, but you know, you got to get real at some point and start getting on the keys. You got to learn how to do some music theory, you know. Um, so I figured maybe I'd go back to, you know, community college and try to, you know, sharpen my skills and take it to the next level. And I ended up joining Mr. Edwards's class.

[00:04:18]>> Okay.

[00:04:18]>> So, he invites you to uh his office as as he said, and you are listening. And what are you thinking as you're listening to some of these uh pioneers?

[00:04:28]>> Honestly, your honor, >> yeah, let's tell the truth. When I first got when I first got to his class, he was a really good guy, really well-intentioned, you know, clearly >> was into the music, just as deep as I was. But, >> you know, slowly as time went on, I I clearly saw that there was like a little bit of a snobism going on with them, you know, like a little bit of a >> music elitism.

[00:04:49]>> Oh.

[00:04:50]>> If you will. And you know, >> he's a bit of a purist.

[00:04:53]>> Yeah. You know, everything is real analog with him. You know, everything's real in the box. Mhm.

[00:04:58]>> You know, this guy is still >> still mad that uh you know, Dylan went electric in the 60s. Like I I don't get >> why he's so like that, you know, and I tried my best and all the students in the class were also talking about it and they were like a little disgruntled because he was trying to push that on them and you know the kids listen to Charlie XX now sir.

[00:05:20]>> Who? Charlie XX >> lost me too.

[00:05:22]>> You know, do you know I'm sorry.

[00:05:23]>> I've heard you've heard Elijah's my right-hand man. He He keeps me on the pulse of the culture.

[00:05:28]>> The culture is lit right now. Charlie XX, she's definitely got it.

[00:05:32]>> Oh, she >> coming up on Equal Justice.

[00:05:35]>> He kept saying like, "Oh man, you got to listen to this artist." And I'm like, "Who's John Cold Train? I Who's this John Train?"

[00:05:42]>> Train, can you teach me Mr. Music Man?

[00:05:45]Can you >> Oh my god.

[00:05:47]and later.

[00:05:48]>> I believe that my former roommate and former friend here interfered with my ability to have somebody take over my lease, causing me to spend 3 months of rent in a space that I didn't live in.

[00:05:58]>> If you'll be in the Los Angeles area and want to bring your case to court, call 1888-552-6878.

[00:06:10]>> This is Equal Justice. Equal Justice is back with the case of Dwayne Edwards, who blames Simon Russell for ruining his rare vinyl records.

[00:06:20]They like electronic dance music.

[00:06:23]Electronic Mr. Edwards.

[00:06:25]>> Okay. Okay. Mr. Russell. But but >> you know, Yeah. He was talking about his vinyl collection. He went kept going.

[00:06:30]>> So you went in his office and you listened to this?

[00:06:32]>> Yeah, I went in the office and he kept talking about these artists and these albums that I need to listen to the great and stuff. And >> did you appreciate what he was trying to do? Honestly, I was playing dumb, you know.

[00:06:42]>> So, you were bored?

[00:06:43]>> Yeah. I was I just wanted to see how far this goes with him. I like >> He kept saying like, "Oh, man. You gotta listen to this artist." And I'm like, "Who's John Cold Train? I Who's this John Cold Train Train?"

[00:06:56]>> Can you teach me Mr. Music Man? Can you >> Oh my god. Come on now. No, no, no. Mr. Russell, >> I'm going have to I'm I'm going to have to gather you up. We're not going to have no John Cold Train slander in my courtroom.

[00:07:06]>> I know John Tra. We all know it. like >> no Charlie Parker slander.

[00:07:12]>> We not doing none of that, sir.

[00:07:14]>> You know, and it was just odd to me that he was doing it's >> And I'm honestly, you know, really offended that you really think no one knows Janet Jackson. Mr. Russell, that's so crazy to me. Are you KIDDING ME?

[00:07:25]>> MR. RUSSELL.

[00:07:27]>> Hey guys, there's this this cool underground band named the Rolling Stones. I don't know if you heard about them.

[00:07:32]>> Okay. Yo, maybe that's the problem. They didn't make it the problem. Mr. Russell has a listening problem.

[00:07:37]>> That's exactly the problem, y'all. The Russell seems like you cannot hear your audible is deficient, sir, because I know you heard me pounding this loud gavvel.

[00:07:46]>> I lived in the ghetto.

[00:07:47]>> Everything.

[00:07:49]>> Okay. All right.

[00:07:50]>> I need to fast forward this train along.

[00:07:53]You at some point accept the five vinyl records that this scholar allowed you to borrow?

[00:08:01]>> Yes, I did, your honor.

[00:08:02]>> Okay. Does somebody Can somebody show me what the records were so I can see them?

[00:08:06]>> Yes, your honor. Please give your whole evidence folder to my ba. Thank you, sir.

[00:08:10]>> I still can't believe he was still talking. Okay. All right. Oh, I recognize some of these great classics.

[00:08:17]Okay. We don't even have to see, you know, we have to protect the copyright.

[00:08:21]Exactly. The image, but we know iconic music when we see it even a little bit.

[00:08:27]>> Yes.

[00:08:27]>> So, these are some of the great I must contend. Yes.

[00:08:30]>> Okay. And we see some of these price tags as well >> of what the retail of these really artifacts, right, would cost to replace.

[00:08:39]$250.

[00:08:41]Another one $275.

[00:08:43]$272.

[00:08:45]You have some evidence as well, sir.

[00:08:47]>> Yes, I do.

[00:08:48]>> Can you please collect his folder? Thank you.

[00:08:50]>> One thing I want to add, your honor, uh, is that some of these artists aren't even alive anymore.

[00:08:54]>> Oh, I know.

[00:08:55]>> So, this is what makes us even more >> more upset. I understand. Okay. So now I am looking at CD versions of these classic iconic vinyl albums and the replacement for the CDs looks a little bit more like $6, $8, $5, and $4. It's a little bit different, don't you think, Mr. Russell?

[00:09:20]>> Yeah, I would say so. Yeah, >> I would say so. And then I know you're not going to insult my intelligence with this being what I think it is. I'm looking at a $99 gift card for some streaming services >> as a way to replace these iconic vinyl records that this man so graciously afforded you to borrow.

[00:09:42]>> Yes, indeed.

[00:09:43]>> I guess the question we all want to know is what happened to the vinyl, sir? His main thing that he wanted to stress to me was to, you know, appreciate the greats, respect them, and the the best way I know how to appreciate them and respect them is to, you know, sample the records, >> sample them.

[00:10:02]>> Well, you know, I had a friend come over. He was a another artist, and I was like, "Hey, I just got these new vinyls from my professor. Uh, let's chop up the sample and uh putting in just wrap over them." And you know, >> you say chop it up.

[00:10:16]>> Yeah.

[00:10:17]What does that mean for the records themselves? Like physically, >> your honor, I scratched the records attorney.

[00:10:24]>> I thought you were going to get to. So you you actually physically destroyed the records.

[00:10:28]>> Yes, I did.

[00:10:29]>> Physical records.

[00:10:30]>> Well, I didn't destroy them. I definitely scratched them. if you scratch them. Let me let me tell you this, and I'm not as senior as this established man, but I can tell you I am old enough to remember what it is to drop a vinyl on a record player, drop a needle, and when you >> It's That's a wrap.

[00:10:48]>> Yeah.

[00:10:49]>> It's not No, it's a It's ruined >> if you don't know what you're doing.

[00:10:52]>> No, no, no, sir. If someone entrusts you and you accepted it, so I'm going to give him a hard time for assuming that you were trustworthy. But I'm going to equally challenge you because if you were so disinterested, if you were so bored with it, if you felt so dismissed and disrespected by it, you had no business accepting this man's records.

[00:11:11]You could have just as easily said, "You know what, Mr. Edwards? I really appreciate it, man. I really do. But you know what? I'm on a different type of time. Me and my boys like to stick with the digital stuff. We like to stick with the laptops and the Da da da da da and the streaming platforms da da da da da da da and thanks but no thanks. But you didn't do that. Only you know why you didn't do that. But upon acceptance, you were expected to treat these precious albums with reasonable care and consideration. And this court sir finds you did not do that. Therefore, I'm ruling in favor of the plaintiff and the full amount asked $794 to Mr. Edwards.

[00:11:50]Looking forward to your beats, Mr. Russell, >> that's my ruling.

[00:11:54]>> All right.

[00:11:55]>> Judge Ebony has ruled in favor of the plaintiff. The defendant has ordered to pay $794.

[00:12:02]>> Just being responsible and showing the same care you would show for your own material.

[00:12:06]>> I don't have $800 to give him, but Okay.

[00:12:09]>> Okay.

[00:12:09]>> Judges made a ruling. Please grab your belongings. Follow me.

[00:12:12]>> Coming up on Equal Justice.

[00:12:14]>> I wasn't given enough notice. I just really felt like it was something that >> I mean, if I'm following the police, I don't see it out of place. As you can see, I >> Miss Shepard, I'll do the questioning here. Thank you.

[00:12:28]>> This is equal justice.

[00:12:31]Dora Shepard claimed she was stuck paying rent after she moved out because that offendant prevented her from finding a new tenant. Carolyn Em says the plate left with just a week's notice and didn't consider her situation at all. I see I've got Dinora Shepard here as my plaintiff and Carolyn Emmes as my defendant. Miss Shepard, you are suing Miss Emmes for $5,400.

[00:12:56]You say that there's an interference with some type of economic issue. What brings you to court today, ma'am? Uh, so I'm here today seeking $5,400, as you mentioned, um, because I believe that my former roommate and former friend here interfered with my ability to have somebody take over my lease, causing me to spend 3 months of rent in a space that I didn't live in.

[00:13:15]>> Okay, let me get you in here, Miss Em.

[00:13:17]You lived with this pliff for how long?

[00:13:19]>> We lived together for about 7 months before she decided to let me know a week in advance that she was moving.

[00:13:26]>> Okay. And how did you take that?

[00:13:28]>> I definitely felt very rushed. I mean, I know that I might not have a big fancy job, but I am an art director and so I do also have a pretty demanding work schedule and I definitely felt like I wasn't given enough notice and I wasn't being considered when it came to her finding that replacement for her scheduling those tours. I just really felt like it was something that >> I mean, if I'm following the lease, I don't see I don't understand.

[00:13:52]>> Miss Shepard, I'll do the questioning here. Thank you. Okay. What time were the tours taking place, ma'am?

[00:13:56]>> Um, I was accommodating their schedules.

[00:13:58]So, this was early in the morning.

[00:14:00]>> She knows this that as an art director, I do also have potential clients that I have to meet with. Nine times out of 10, those meetings are pre-planned and she did not consider my work schedule. She would let me know maybe a day in advance, hey, I'm having someone come in tomorrow at 11:00. But if I have a pre-planned meeting, I can't cancel on my client less than 24 hours.

[00:14:18]>> What do you need to be there for, ma'am?

[00:14:20]>> Coming up on Equal Justice.

[00:14:22]>> Were you indeed creating intentionally a hostile, unfriendly environment? No, your honor.

[00:14:28]>> No, you wouldn't do that.

[00:14:29]>> I would not do that.

[00:14:34]>> This is Equal Justice.

[00:14:38]Equal Justice is back with the case of Dinora Shepard who was fighting with Carolyn Emes over a replacement roommate.

[00:14:45]>> Well, I would be at home because I work from home sometimes and I felt like she did.

[00:14:49]>> So, you were you feel you were being disrupted?

[00:14:51]>> Yes.

[00:14:51]>> Okay. Let's get back to you decide to leave, ma'am. Did you have a new place to live?

[00:14:56]>> I did.

[00:14:56]>> Okay. And you live there now?

[00:14:58]>> And do? Yes, your honor.

[00:14:59]>> Okay. And you were still held responsible for the what was it? Three months of additional rent.

[00:15:04]>> Three months of additional rent.

[00:15:05]>> Okay. And ultimately, did somebody else take over this lease?

[00:15:08]>> Uh, no. Our lease was terminated before >> was terminated.

[00:15:10]>> Okay.

[00:15:11]>> You know, as per our lease, I went and had the conversation with our landlord who approved. Um, but as you said, she doesn't really get that approval and tried to find ways to interfere. I mean, Caroline was acting ridiculous. She wouldn't say hi. She was playing loud music. Clearly not trying to create a warm environment for someone who could potentially be her perspective new roommate.

[00:15:34]>> Let me ask you something, Miss Emmes.

[00:15:35]Were you indeed creating intentionally a hostile, unwelcoming, unfriendly environment as to thwart off these prospective tenants?

[00:15:45]>> No, your honor.

[00:15:46]>> No, you wouldn't do that.

[00:15:47]>> I would not do that.

[00:15:48]>> No, you wouldn't do that. So, how would you describe your behavior?

[00:15:51]>> I describe my behavior as me being myself. um I was not going to change my schedule, my personality, my lifestyle um just for these people that she was scheduling without considering my work.

[00:16:04]>> So you found it impossible, you're telling this court to find someone to take over this lease and you're saying it is because and only because of her attitude.

[00:16:13]>> I I believe so. And I think there's plenty of evidence here from >> What do you say about that, ma'am? I don't mean to get emotional about it, but I I genuinely was under the impression that Dinara and I were friends and that everything was fine.

[00:16:26]And so, this was a hurtful experience for me.

[00:16:29]>> Yeah. So, you were in your feelings, right?

[00:16:31]>> Yes, I was upset. She let me know a week in advance. By the way, I'm moving out next week.

[00:16:37]>> Judge Ebanese's verdict when Equal Justice returns.

[00:16:44]>> This is Equal Justice.

[00:16:48]She has every right to move out at any time as did you. The only requirement to be fiscally unobligated is to procure a replacement tenant. And guess what ma'am? This court is satisfied that this plaintiff made every good faith key word here reasonable effort to do so. You seem like a young lady who's a little bit spoiled, Miss Emmes. Yeah, a little bit. I appreciate that you're creative and your schedule might be a bit different than the average, but this courtroom cannot specify and center you in your specific situation. So, I don't think you wanted to just be considered, Miss Emmes. I think you wanted to be centered in this. I think you wanted your feelings centered. I think you wanted your schedule centered. I think you wanted your lifestyle centered. And that is not anything that this court can uphold. Therefore, the court rules in full favor of the plaintiff. $5,400 per your demand. That is my ruling, ma'am. You need to figure out how to be a bit more mature in your business dealings moving forward. Roommates do not equal friends. That is my ruling.

[00:17:53]>> All right.

[00:17:55]>> Judge Evony has ruled in favor of the plaintiff.

[00:17:59]Leandad is ordered to pay $5,400.

[00:18:04]>> Any final thoughts?

[00:18:05]>> I do just feel betrayed. But >> any final thoughts?

[00:18:09]>> I think uh Judge Williams did exactly what she needed to do and figured out the issue. exactly as she needed to.

[00:18:14]>> Okay, judge has made a ruling. Please grab your belongings. Follow me.

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