Deion and Pilar Sanders returned to court Monday morning for day five of their jury trial. Their drama-filled custody battle continues with Deion Sanders' current love interest, Tracey Edmonds, the first to take the stand.
Deion Sanders' defense team argued that Edmonds doesn’t have anything to do with his child custody battle, but that didn’t keep her off the stand.
When Edmonds was asked by NBC 5 what she thought about getting involved in the hearing she answered, “I’m not.” She may not want to be involved in the contentious case over the Sanders’ three kids, but the attorneys for Deion Sanders' estranged wife, Pilar Sanders, subpoenaed her.
The court order forced Edmonds to fly from California to testify Monday morning.
Edmonds, a film production company CEO, said she met Deion Sanders at church in 2011 and met his wife at the couple's home while shooting for their reality show in 2012. Deion Sanders said he and Edmonds began dating after he filed for divorce.
“Tracey’s going to tell the truth,” said Deion Sanders.
“She’ll provide some insight into her relationship with Deion and some prospective into what a working woman does. I think one of Deion’s complaints is Pilar has been a working woman. I think Tracey’s also a working woman,” said Larry Friedman, Pilar Sanders’ attorney.
Friedman claims Edmonds taunted Pilar Sanders by circling around her in her car at the courthouse on Friday and then harassed her in the bathroom Monday morning. Edmonds denies the allegations. Friedman also told the jury that Edmonds has spent the night several times at Deion Sanders' Prosper home when the couple's children were present.
“The concern [is] obvious when you have three young children. The concerns of adultery are obvious,” Friedman said.
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Deion Sanders and Edmonds have denied their relationship began prior to the start of the divorce proceedings.
"We are confident we got our story out, and every day you get the story out is a good day," Friedman said.
Pilar Sanders’ attorneys accused Edmonds of exchanging words with Pilar during an encounter in the Collin County Courthouse restroom on Monday morning.
They also accused Edmonds and Deion Sanders’ first wife Carolyn Sanders of “harassing” and “taunting” Pilar Sanders from the courthouse parking lot on Friday afternoon.
Deion Sanders disputes that story.
"With Tracey and my ex, Tracey and Carolyn harassing her, we've heard some good ones,” Deion Sanders said. “This courtroom has really established some good old fashioned lies."
Deion Sanders’ property manager and longtime friend Billy Jones was also called to the stand.
He testified that he’s seen Pilar Sanders “beat” the couple’s boys, adding one of the boys called him upset, saying “my mama has gone crazy”, he claims over Pilar Sanders loss of several followers on Twitter.
Pilar Sanders said that testimony was not true.
She testified that, while her sons are in Deion Sanders’ custody, she suspects they have been taken out of state instead of attending school.
She describes one incident where she says she was “frantic”, trying to locate the whereabouts of one of the boys, after discovering he was not in Oklahoma, like she had been told.
Deion Sanders’ attorneys came back at Pilar, questioning why she posted very public information, including a letter, on social media where her children could see the intimate details of the conflict between their parents.
A pastor both Deion and Pilar Sanders considered a close family friend who tried counseling the two took the stand.
"I'm not here to condemn her, haven't done it in press or media, but they've sure done it to me, it is what it is," Deion Sanders said.
Both parents have expressed their desire to keep the three children out of the courtroom.
“It would be my hope they wouldn’t. I wouldn’t want to put then through anything we’re going the now. It’s horrendous,” said Pilar Sanders.
Deion Sanders will take the stand Tuesday morning.
Attorneys expect the jury to have the case by Tuesday at noon.
NBC 5's Ray Villeda and Collin County Reporter Catherine Ross contributed to this report.
Previous Coverage:
- Sanders Children May Have to Testify in Custody Battle
- Deion and Pilar Sanders Back in Court in Custody Battle
- Judge Expands Deion Sanders' Parental Rights
- Deion Sanders Says Divorce Has Him "Tapped Out"
- Deion Sanders' Child Support Reduced
- Judge Says Pilar, Deion Prenup is Valid
- Deion and Pilar Head Back to Court
- Sanders Ordered to Pay Child Support, Fees
- Pilar: Deion Received Special Treatment
- Judge Rules in Favor of Deion Sanders
- Deion, Pilar Sanders Divorce Drama
- Deion, Pilar Sanders Court Drama Unfolds
- Deion Sanders Faces Criminal Mischief Charge
- Sanders' Protective Order Hearing Rescheduled
- Deion Sanders Also Cited in Altercation
- Pilar Sanders Charged With Assault
- Deion Sanders Must Buy Ex-Wife Massive Mansion, Prenup States
- Deion Sanders Announces Divorce on Facebook
