SPOILER! Court Testimony

[Maxum]

Based on some spoilers I have read:

• There will be witnesses that keep going back and forth as to who might win the hearing
• Dante will try to convince Sonny not to testify against Michael;
• To help Nina, Scotty puts someone surprising on the stand
• Michael's testimony is apparently explosive and may be the key to denying Nina visitation rights.
• The "surprising" person who testified on Nina's behalf is a "she," and apparently destroys any progress that was developing with her and Michael.

My first thought was that the surprising person was Sonny, but the spoiler says a "she." Then I thought of Ava, but that's not a surprising person to support Nina, and why would any "progress" between her and Michael be destroyed as a result. Intriguing. The only thing I can think of is that they got it wrong, and it's not a "she" it's a "he," and it's Sonny. I wonder what Michael says that's so explosive.

[eileenregina]

Since Ava is under oath, Diane might ask her about her own experience at the hands of NIna (forced labor, stealing her child) which would undoubtedly go against her as it would paint her as a potential risk taking Wiley.

[Soapaholic26]

Maxum, I think you are right with Phyllis as the surprise witness. She tries to be supportive of Nina, but innocently reveals something that does not help Nina. When it mentions "the progress made between HER and Michael" the "her" could be referring to Nina and any progress she was making against Michael.

[wfreshie2130]

but the surprise persons testimony is supposed to help nina...IF it was ava and diane asked her about nina drugging her and stealing her baby...that is the opposite of helping...must be someone else

[Gwennie123]

I bet it's Sasha...

[CarnyQueen]

I can't see how calling Ava would help Nina. Yes, Ava could talk about how she forgives Nina and understands that Nina was in a throes of a nervous breakdown. But then Diane could question her about how she felt during the assault, and she could Ava about how the premature birth and kidnapping endangered Avery.

I can't think of any other female who would be a surprising person to testify for Nina. If Scott called Willow to try to get her to say that she doesn't agree with Michael and is just bowing to his wishes, that would backfire -- because Willow has repeatedly stated HER objections to Nina being near Wiley.

Maybe Michael's explosive testimony has something to do with Sonny? Maybe he'll say that growing up as the son of a murderer and having all those crimes whitewashed and being told were noble now convinces him that his own son can't be subjected to similar lies and thus Nina can't be allowed to fill Wiley's ears with fairy tales about Nelle?

[TVDfan]

Sasha????
please don’t be her, but she is the only one that I could see would hurt Michael.

[TVDfan]

@believeinme246

That is exactly what I meant.
If Michael was hurt when Willow was talking to Sonny. Imagine Sasha speaking good things about Nina.

I mean Sasha is in her right. Nina had been nothing, but nice to her. Like you said Sasha wouldn’t speak bad about Michael or Willow… just nice things about Nina.

[Maxum]

TVDfan - excellent thought! I didn't consider Sasha, and she would be a surprising witness that would benefit Nina. ALSO - it would go towards pushing Brando closer to Sonny if Michael gets upset over the testimony. Good suggestion.

[Gwennie123]

I agree it must be Sasha.... She will likely be high.

[DayRose]

I'll be sad if it's Sasha. I don't know what she could say against Michael but she could have nice words about Nina.

[elj2014b]

Thanks for posting this. I love good court room dramas so I'm looking forward to this one. Can't imagine who the surprise witness is that's been making progress with Michael and I really don't care. I just want to see good defense and offense.

[garland]

Monica could be the surprise. Telling how Micheal was keep from his,by Carly

[december rose]

Maybe BLQ?

Not sure why she would be on Nina's side though. Plus Nelle slit her throat.

[victorialord]

Aren't Michael's other girlfriends dead and/or "daughters" of Nina at one time - Sasha, Willow, Nelle?

[rkm137]

I think Starr made it our of PC alive.

[Mr.Sami_Brady]

Michael apparently has a thing for girls fathered by a character played by ME (or who he THINKS sired them). Good thing, Chase is Finn's brother and not his son, or Michael might have a bromance with Chase (which they almost did, but was ruined by the quad swapping).

[Anna74]

Star popped out of existence. I’m not sure if that counts as dead .

[OLTLBoomer]

My guess is Sasha, and how Nina treated her as a "daughter" versus how she went after her post- reveal, to now.
Nina's moods give me whiplash at times.

[Maxum]

Sasha is actually a great witness for Nina because she can tell how she hurt and betrayed Nina and yet Nina tried to help her. It shows her maternal side. I just don't know what kind of testimony Michael would give that would be explosive and sway the judge. It can't really be criminal or even what Nina did to his family. It's already been told and/or known publicly. I'm intrigued.

[OLTLBoomer]

Maxum - it is Nina's swings that are the problem: she smothers, not allowing autonomy of those she loves, and when she is betrayed, she goes scorned earth. True, Nina has tried to help Sasha once she was in a position of needing help (see a pattern here?). Nina can turn on a dime, and she uses people - look at how she is trying to use Val, and he knows it.

[Maxum]

OLTL - Oh, I agree with you. I have zero sympathy for Nina right now, especially because of what she did to Donna and Avery without a second thought. The adults here can take care of themselves, but she denied them their father and traumatized them for life, and that's just unforgivable. And she wants access to another small child?

[OLTL'69]

I don't really get the testifying for or against. People can testify to what they KNOW. So sure Sasha can say Nina was a good mom to her. But they also could ask how she saw Michael with Wiley (Idid not see the three together but she must have seen some)
None of these people are experts so their opinions are not important (I felt that way when Nina testified )

[heddalee]

It's all about who invites them to testify. Each side is looking to create bias in the jury members' minds, so they're going to invite the people that will help them, not the people that know the truth.

[rkm137]

I don't think family court has jury trials generally if ever. But in any case, these people are character witnesses testifying as to their observances of, supposedly relevant, behavior.

If Michael is going to get up on the stand and allege Nina is BSC and had absolutely no ability to empathize with other humans seeing them only as the affect and or are important to her (a theory I subscribe to myself), presumably Nina will want witnesses to get on the stand and say that Nina is a nurturing supportive mother figure and would make a wonderful grandmother. (Sasha and Valentin) She might want other people to be able to testify to the way Nina feels she has been treated by Carly and Michael. For that she might use Ava... though Ava is hardly unbiased not liking the Corinthoses generally and presently being besites with Nina and there is the whole issue on cross of 1) Ava voluntarily keeping Carly in Avery's life because she is a good mother and 2) Nina literally stealing her baby directly from the womb.

[ForeverPluto]

Perhaps it is Sasha but I'm thinking that whatever progress is destroyed between her and Michael would be under cross examination. I would hope that Michael doesn't have Diane try to destroy Sasha's credibility but this version of Michael seems cutthroat enough. Perhaps he gives the okay to Diane to bring up the fact that Sasha was scamming Nina by pretending to be her daughter or God forbid, bring up the fact that she's a recovering addict who OD'd not that long ago.

[SandyMcG0525]

and then it can come out that Sasha is back on drugs...and that is the reason Harmony is dead...

[december rose]

Perhaps it is Sasha but I'm thinking that whatever progress is destroyed between her and Michael would be under cross examination. I would hope that Michael doesn't have Diane try to destroy Sasha's credibility but this version of Michael seems cutthroat enough. Perhaps he gives the okay to Diane to bring up the fact that Sasha was scamming Nina by pretending to be her daughter or God forbid, bring up the fact that she's a recovering addict who OD'd not that long ago.

I think it is fair to bring up that Sasha was part of a scam with Valentin to trick Nina into thinking she was her daughter.

It is also fairly well known so shouldn't particularly hurt her.

It actually shows Nina's bad judgment and not being in touch with reality and her desperation

It also could make 2 potential Nina witnesses look bad - Sasha and Valentin. Nina's repeated bad judgment.

Also what about Chase and Sasha tricking Michael/Willow into thinking they were having an affair? Could make her look flakey.

However, I think bringing up her drug issues is too personal.

[LJH]

What about Willow? She and Michael are getting closer. Scott might bring up her unknown parentage and psycho mom Harmony.

[rkm137]

I'll be sad if it's Sasha. I don't know what she could say against Michael but she could have nice words about Nina.

I would be too. But as much as I like Michael, what does he expect? He knows damn well that Sasha and Nina had a great relationship before Nina learned the truth and have redeveloped a relationship almost as close since.

The bigger issue is that Sasha's testimony isn't really all that relevant. The problem isn't that Nina can't be caring or involved. It's that she lacks any concept of boundaries and is selfish to the point of prioritize her own emotional needs over a child and, worse, convincers herself that her needs are the child's needs. Sasha was an adult when she met Nina and was able to and DID set boundaries with which Nina ultimately complied. Wiley is a toddler and cannot even assess his own needs and Nina doesn't respect Michael and Willow's boundaries.

[rkm137]

channyfan And Millow are not what? Your comment doesn't seem to be addressing anything I wrote. And if they were "petty and need[ed] to erase Nelle from her son['s] life" they wouldn't have brought Wiley to see Nina in the first place. Michael and Willow have said they plan to tell Wiley about Nelle as age appropriate. But even if you didn't believe them, it would technically be their decision.

Michael's issue with Nina is that she has repeatedly shown herself to be untrustworthy, volatile, and capable of immense self delusion to justify herself when she wants something.

[channyfan]

Millow are absolutely putting THEIR needs And wishes ahead of Wiley's.

Michael wasbt devastated that Wiley found out Nina was Nelles mon he was upset because pour widdle Willow couldnt hold on to the sick fantasy she has of raising her dead kid. Wiley went back to playing with his damn construction blocs and never mentionned it again


Michael is doing the exact same thing Sonny Carly and Jason did to him when he was raised away from the Qs. He should know better than anyone what kind if dammaged yhat could do to à kid. Oh maybe he will figure it out when Wiley kills his Stepmom or Wind up in a coma.

[rkm137]

Yeah. Not even touching that.

[heddalee]

It could be Britt or Maxie, right? Maxie is a prominent damsel in distress who can say that she trusts Nina with her children.

[december rose]

Could be Maxie. She has known Michael a long time and has been a family friend,

But Michael brought up a good point today that kind of shut Maxie down - look what she did to keep Peter, the baby's father, out of their child's life.

Plus Maxie lost custody of one of her children to Spin so she may not be the best character witness either.

[rosamaira]

My thought is Maxie.

[rkm137]

I'm not sure what being a "prominent damsel in distress" is or how it can be a thing that makes you an authority on people. Setting aside Maxie having a bias towards Nina in that she considers her family, being a damsel, if anything, indicates an inability to see red flags.

[heddalee]

As for Michael's testimony, I think he outs Sonny as an official gangster mafioso mob boss. He notes that he is keeping Sonny away from Wiley, and that Nina accomplished that for quite some time anyway, so he doesn't have a relationship with the kid; and Nina will bring Wiley into the orbit of her sleazy, violence-drenched boyfriend.


In fact, Michael will point out that it's Sonny's fault he got shot in the brain.

[december rose]

I actually would enjoy seeing Michael give that kind of testimony!

My guess, (haven't seen the whole show yet ) is Dante convinces Sonny not to testify for Nina, but Michael overheard Nina with Maxie so he will go scorched earth against Sonny,