- 22 hours ago
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00:00A single mother thinks she's found her prince charming, and the perfect dad for her children.
00:10I felt that he would protect them.
00:11But as is often the case, it's a little too good to be true.
00:15I never knew when he was going to snap.
00:18This prince has a closet full of demons.
00:21It's a perfect storm that's really just a recipe for disaster.
00:25What will it take before a desperate wife takes matters into her own hands?
00:32He looked like a monster.
00:35Not all fairy tales have happy endings.
00:41When love goes wrong, a woman can do the unthinkable.
00:55Meet Donna Brown.
00:57In the early 90s, life is good for this successful single mom.
01:03She has a good job as a nurse technician at a local hospital.
01:07I love to help people.
01:08I love to see them heal and get better and walk away.
01:12Hey, how are you doing?
01:13I'm good, how are you?
01:14I'm good, you're good.
01:15Yes, I'm good.
01:16Donna is a hard-working woman.
01:20She's very devoted to her kids.
01:22To the outside world, Donna seems like a woman who's got her act together.
01:27Check on Mr. Hopkins in room four.
01:28He had a rough night.
01:30I have known Donna since we was about eight years old.
01:34Donna's a very beautiful person.
01:35She is one in a million.
01:39But deep down, Donna is vulnerable.
01:43Her dad bailed on the family early on,
01:45and her mom got sucked into a downward spiral of addiction.
01:49At an early age, for Donna, I took a wrong turn in life.
01:54You know, I became a drug abuser.
02:02And when it comes to men, it's been one long string of heartaches.
02:07Yasmin.
02:08That's my first child.
02:10Her father was kind of like my first love.
02:13We were together for most of my teenage years,
02:16and I had Yasmin at the age of 18.
02:18We kind of grew up and grew apart.
02:23Boyfriend number two, Eddie, isn't much of an improvement.
02:27We had a baby, a son, Joshua, my second child.
02:31Joshua's father hit me once, and I called the police.
02:36When I had him arrested, he fled the country,
02:38went back to Santo Domingo.
02:40Enter man number three, Roger.
02:48He seems like a straight-up guy with a solid military career.
02:52I found out that he was married,
02:53and so that kind of destroyed the relationship.
02:55And also, I found out that I was pregnant.
02:59Donna gives Roger a dishonorable discharge,
03:02but keeps the baby.
03:03At this point, she's raising two girls and a boy.
03:12Then, a few months after breaking up with Roger,
03:15Donna unexpectedly reconnects with Eddie.
03:18Hoping for some semblance of a family,
03:20she gives him another chance.
03:22But once again, Eddie can't live up to Donna's standards,
03:27and the relationship expires quickly.
03:31Though, not before she's pregnant yet again
03:33with her fourth child, Jonathan.
03:36Donna just got it in her head
03:44that she needed a man to complete her.
03:47She never really had a moment in her adult life
03:49where she was just single, holding still, loving life.
03:53It was always looking for the next boyfriend.
03:57At 26, Donna's batting zero with men,
04:01and she'll have to raise her four young kids on her own.
04:04I just decided at that time
04:07that I'm just going to focus on my kids.
04:10Still, she dreams that one day
04:12she'll find a father for her family.
04:20Two years later, Donna's on her way to see a girlfriend
04:23when a young man catches her eye.
04:26And then an angel walks up on me.
04:29You think I'm gonna just let you walk past me?
04:31He walked over to me, and he said,
04:33Hi, cutie.
04:37And he was so funny.
04:38I just, I kept walking.
04:40He followed me.
04:41He followed me for, like, four blocks.
04:44He had a personality that just made me so bubbly inside.
04:48I just couldn't stop laughing.
04:51Kevin is charming,
04:52different from any man she's ever known.
04:55So you and him having dinner or something?
04:56He was, like, determined to get to know who I was.
04:59And he was cute.
05:01He was really handsome and well-dressed and funny.
05:05Okay.
05:05Well, how about...
05:06Kevin Jackson trails Donna for blocks.
05:09When she turns him down for a date,
05:11he won't take no for an answer.
05:13All right.
05:13Finally, she gives in.
05:20You crazy.
05:21I have never met a guy like that.
05:25He had a way with words
05:27to get you to smile and say yes to anything.
05:32Donna's instantly hooked
05:33and thinks this time
05:35she just might have found Mr. Right.
05:41So, how would an outsider describe the two of you,
05:45Donna and Kevin, as a couple?
05:47Probably inseparable
05:49because we were always together.
05:53We spent so much time together
05:55that before you know it,
05:57we were together every day.
05:59Kevin seems like the model boyfriend
06:02Donna's been searching for.
06:04Every day, he brings her lunch at the hospital
06:06and picks her up after work.
06:09Within a couple of months,
06:10Donna is falling deeply in love.
06:14We confided in each other a lot.
06:16We really got close.
06:18We became friends.
06:20Best of friends.
06:21You had a deep emotional bond with Kevin, didn't you?
06:23Yes, I did.
06:24This was a new experience for me
06:27on a whole other level.
06:29The kind of relationship I had with Kevin
06:31is what I wanted.
06:33All along.
06:34When Kevin starts showing interest in Donna's kids,
06:37it seals the deal.
06:40I spent a lot of time with them
06:42and I loved him alone for just that matter.
06:46Because if I was going to be with anybody,
06:47they had to love my children.
06:50How's my babies?
06:51A year later, Kevin moves in.
06:54While Donna's at work during the day,
06:56Kevin stays home and takes care of the kids.
06:59And you trusted him?
07:01Yes, I did.
07:02I didn't have to worry about my house, my children.
07:06I felt that he would protect them.
07:07Now, you were working all the time,
07:10making the money, paying the rent.
07:13But Kevin's not working much.
07:15Explain that.
07:16I never concerned myself with it in the beginning
07:18because he was just always doing everything else.
07:22So it didn't bother me that he wasn't working.
07:25Donna doesn't realize that every one of these men
07:28just basically uses her for her stability,
07:31her security,
07:31and she enables them to be lazy slackers.
07:35So you have to ask,
07:36is every one of these relationships going to end badly?
07:41Still, for now,
07:42Donna's trust in Kevin seems valid.
07:45I didn't want to be a single parent.
07:47I wanted my children to have a mother and a father
07:49because I didn't have my mother and father
07:51consistently in my life.
07:57But the truth is,
07:59Kevin isn't exactly Mr. Mom.
08:01When my mom was at work,
08:05you know,
08:05he would be home taking care of us.
08:07However,
08:07he would be asleep most of the time.
08:09So it would be my older sister,
08:11Yasmin,
08:12would help cook,
08:13clean.
08:13So she was like our second mom
08:15when my mom would be at work.
08:25When Donna finally spots the first red flags,
08:28she's completely caught off guard.
08:30Who are you on the phone with?
08:33After the first year of our relationship,
08:36things started to change.
08:38Don't you get off the damn phone.
08:41For instance,
08:42the kids weren't allowed to answer the doors
08:45if someone came.
08:46every time that phone rang,
08:48he wanted to know who was on the other line.
08:52I thought to myself that maybe it's some things
08:55that I'm going to have to change to please him.
08:58So I went along with it,
08:59even though I didn't like it.
09:01Kevin,
09:02baby,
09:02I'm sorry.
09:06Donna's mother also starts to see reason for concern.
09:10Kevin.
09:11Who's this?
09:12You know who this is.
09:14He would never,
09:15ever look you eye to eye
09:17when he spoke to you
09:19or when he talked to you.
09:20And I knew he was jealous and mistrusting.
09:23He wasn't my cup of tea.
09:25And I didn't really want him for my daughter.
09:28You know,
09:29I wanted the best for her.
09:30Oh,
09:30hi,
09:31mama.
09:32Oh,
09:32oh,
09:33wait,
09:33I'm going to go.
09:33Soon,
09:34Kevin starts obsessively checking up on Donna
09:36when she's at work.
09:38Hey,
09:39Kevin.
09:40Where you been at?
09:41Baby,
09:42I've been busy with my patients.
09:44It became overbearing
09:45that I had to explain
09:48where I'm going
09:49all the time.
09:50I don't care if you're at work.
09:52I called you about an hour ago.
09:53There are always warning signs
09:55for these women
09:56who tend to enable
09:57the men in their lives.
09:59And yet,
09:59they rationalize them away.
10:01But I already have so much invested.
10:03It's me who needs to change,
10:05not him.
10:07Donna's fantasy family
10:09is about to shatter.
10:11Well,
10:11I knew something was
10:12really wrong with him
10:14when I went to the store one day
10:18while he was asleep.
10:20Coming up,
10:22Kevin completes his transformation
10:24from dream man to devil.
10:27You act like you don't know.
10:28Donna Brown has spent much of her life
10:43chasing after men,
10:45hoping to find one
10:46whose marriage material.
10:48Unfortunately,
10:49her latest love
10:50is beginning to show
10:51his dark side.
10:53Lenny?
10:54As Donna walks home
10:55from the market,
10:56she runs into
10:57Lenny Washington,
10:58one of her boyfriend
10:59Kevin's buddies.
11:01Tell Kevin to give me a call.
11:01I will.
11:02I will.
11:03Good seeing you.
11:03Good seeing you, too.
11:05Have a good night.
11:09Baby,
11:09you hungry?
11:11Yeah.
11:11Later that evening,
11:12Donna casually tells Kevin
11:14about bumping into his friend.
11:16He told me to tell you hi.
11:18Go fix our plate.
11:19All right,
11:21I made us some cheeseburgers, baby.
11:24What?
11:25You act like you don't know.
11:28Kevin walked over to me
11:30and slapped me.
11:32I was just so surprised
11:34and hurt
11:34that he hit me
11:35and I couldn't figure out why.
11:37And he immediately
11:38ran over to where I was
11:39and grabbed me
11:40and helped me
11:41and then he told me
11:42over and over,
11:43I'm so sorry.
11:44I can't believe
11:44that I hit you.
11:45And he went on
11:46to explain that
11:47this particular friend of his
11:49had carried on
11:51with his girlfriend's
11:52behind his back
11:53in the past.
11:54And so I felt sorry for him
11:56because that was his friend.
11:58Donna accepts Kevin's apology
12:00and convinces herself
12:02it was a one-time event.
12:03All right.
12:04All right.
12:05After all,
12:07kicking Kevin to the curb
12:08would mean the end
12:09of her fairy tale.
12:17The spell Kevin has
12:19on Donna
12:20is so strong
12:21it even drives
12:22her mother away.
12:23Why are you coming
12:24in here arguing all of this?
12:25I'm not arguing.
12:26He and I got into it
12:28and...
12:30Are you taking care
12:31of my...
12:31I'm taking care...
12:32Donna took his side.
12:33She said,
12:34this is my man
12:35so I'm going to ask
12:38you to leave.
12:39If you don't like it,
12:39you need to leave.
12:40You asking your mama
12:41to leave?
12:42Yes, mama.
12:43It hurt an awful lot
12:45but she backed him up
12:48knowing the type of person
12:50he was
12:50but she was committed to him.
12:53I never went back around
12:56after that.
13:02Pretty soon,
13:03Donna starts to notice
13:04that Kevin's acting paranoid.
13:06You left the door.
13:08Don't move.
13:10Kevin, baby,
13:10come to bed.
13:13And that's when I really
13:13noticed that
13:14something is wrong.
13:17I was blaming myself.
13:19I was trying to figure out
13:20what did I do wrong.
13:22I know I heard something.
13:23I know I...
13:25And it wasn't me.
13:27It was him.
13:28But when you're
13:29in the middle of it,
13:31you can't always see it.
13:32When you're in love,
13:34you can't see anything.
13:39Just a few weeks later,
13:41Donna discovers something
13:42that shakes her faith
13:44in Kevin to the core.
13:47I'm in the habit
13:48of when I'm doing my laundry.
13:50I check the pockets
13:50of everything.
13:51This is money.
13:52But this day,
13:54I found money
13:55but it wasn't just money.
13:56You know,
13:57it was money
13:58with white powder in it.
14:02Which I know is cocaine.
14:04My heart just sunk.
14:06Now my mind is racing.
14:11How long has he been doing this?
14:15And the fact that he had it
14:16in my house
14:17around my children?
14:20Donna is devastated.
14:22Memories of her mother's
14:23drug problems
14:24come flooding back.
14:26I despise drugs.
14:27I decided a long time ago
14:30that I was never going to
14:32be a drug addict.
14:33I was always going to be there
14:35for my children.
14:36Yet a part of Donna
14:37is also relieved.
14:39This explains everything.
14:43Interestingly enough,
14:44when she finds drugs
14:45in his pocket,
14:46instead of saying,
14:47oh my God,
14:48Kevin is doing drugs
14:49or even dealing drugs,
14:50she's relieved.
14:51Now I have an explanation
14:53for his violent
14:55and erratic
14:56and controlling behavior.
14:57It's the drugs.
14:58This must be fixable.
15:01Donna isn't about
15:02to let Kevin's drug use
15:04hurt her family.
15:06He has to stop this.
15:08I have babies in here.
15:10I didn't ever want
15:11my children to be
15:12around drugs, ever.
15:21So that evening,
15:22Donna braces herself
15:24and confronts him.
15:25We need to talk.
15:26What?
15:28Kevin, I found this.
15:29She urges Kevin
15:29to go to rehab,
15:31confident he can change,
15:32just like her mother did.
15:34You doing drugs, Kevin?
15:35She stood by me
15:36through my drug addiction.
15:39She didn't approve,
15:41but she did everything
15:42that she could
15:42to help me through it.
15:44And I said,
15:45well, Kevin,
15:45you have to stop.
15:47You have to stop using.
15:48I've seen it destroy
15:49so many people's lives
15:50that I love,
15:51even my mother.
15:52I give him an alternator.
15:54This has to stop,
15:55and if you don't stop...
15:55I said, you either
15:56stop doing drugs...
15:58Get out of my face!
15:59...or you're going to have
16:00to get out of my house.
16:00No, I'm not!
16:03And he kicked me
16:04in my mouth.
16:06Donna runs to
16:07her neighbor's apartment
16:08to call the police.
16:17She reports
16:18what Kevin did.
16:19Are you serious, Donna?
16:20But she leaves out
16:21a critical piece
16:22of information
16:23for the sake
16:24of protecting her man.
16:25Look what you did
16:26to my mouth!
16:27I didn't tell them
16:28about the drugs.
16:29I didn't want them
16:30to get in trouble.
16:31They could see my mouth
16:32was swollen now,
16:33and it was bleeding.
16:34Well, they asked me
16:35did I want to press charges,
16:36and I said no.
16:37I just want them
16:38to get out.
16:38Who's this guy?
16:40Are you serious?
16:42Yes, I'm serious.
16:42Really, Donna?
16:43Over the next few days,
16:49Kevin begs Donna
16:50to take him back.
16:51I'll beg home.
16:52But she refuses,
16:54deciding she's done
16:55with her violent boyfriend.
16:57Bye.
16:59That is,
17:01until she gets
17:02some shocking news
17:03that could handcuff her
17:04to Kevin for good.
17:05In 1997,
17:20Donna Brown's
17:20a single mom of four
17:22living in Harlem, New York.
17:24After her boyfriend
17:25kicks her in the face,
17:26she kicks him
17:27out of her life.
17:30Until,
17:31two weeks later,
17:32when she gets news
17:33that changes everything.
17:34I learned that
17:35I'm pregnant.
17:36Kevin,
17:37I need to take this.
17:39Donna's still not sure
17:40she wants to take
17:41Kevin back,
17:42but she feels
17:43she's at least
17:44got to tell him
17:44the news.
17:45What's wrong?
17:46Kevin,
17:47I'm pregnant.
17:49How did Kevin react
17:51to the news
17:52of your pregnancy?
17:53Kevin was
17:54extremely happy.
17:56He was so proud.
17:58I'm gonna be a father?
17:59That's great.
18:00He just talked
18:02on and on
18:02about how
18:04great of a father
18:05he was gonna be.
18:06And my heart
18:06just melts.
18:07I said,
18:08oh,
18:08he's so happy
18:09he's finally
18:10gonna have a kid.
18:11I need to be
18:11responsible
18:12and this baby
18:13will help me.
18:14She thinks
18:14she's done with him.
18:15She wants him out.
18:17And yet,
18:18how can she kick him
18:19out of her life now?
18:20Maybe she should
18:21give him another chance.
18:22Maybe he would
18:23make a great father.
18:24All of these thoughts
18:25swirl around in her head.
18:27It's a perfect storm
18:28that's really
18:28just a recipe
18:29for disaster.
18:30For the sake
18:32of her expanding family,
18:34Donna lets go
18:35of the past.
18:37Some days remind her
18:38of the good times
18:39they shared
18:39when they first met.
18:42He would do
18:42the normal things
18:43like eat dinner
18:45with us
18:45and watch a movie.
18:48We'd sit and talk
18:50like the old times.
18:52But pretty soon
18:54the good times fade.
18:56Kevin's increasingly
18:57disturbing behavior
18:58overshadows everything.
19:02He's not eating.
19:04He's still pacing
19:05the house.
19:06He's doing more
19:07he's doing weird
19:08things now.
19:11I will go to sleep
19:12and I wake up
19:13and he's still
19:13standing there.
19:14Kevin, what are you doing?
19:16Just staring.
19:17And so his behavior
19:18got really weird.
19:20What's wrong with you?
19:22He was like
19:22Dr. Jekyll
19:23and Mr. Hyde.
19:24He had this
19:24split personality.
19:28Donna wonders
19:28if she's made
19:29a terrible mistake.
19:31Kevin!
19:36Once you get
19:37so deep into drugs
19:39you lose reality.
19:41You know?
19:42He was demanding.
19:43He was possessive.
19:45He was a
19:47very jealous man.
19:50That was one
19:51side of him.
19:52Then there was
19:53another side.
19:54There was a gentle
19:54side to him.
19:56You can't even play
19:57on a dog-owned video game.
19:58But that gentle side
20:00shows itself
20:00less and less.
20:02When he's high
20:03Kevin lashes out
20:04at everyone.
20:05Get out of here!
20:05Get out of here!
20:08When he's on
20:08them drugs
20:09he's like this
20:10like an evil person
20:12and he talks to you
20:13with attitude
20:14and when he's on
20:15drugs
20:16you only have
20:17a minute conversation
20:17with him
20:18because you have
20:18to get away
20:19from him too.
20:21Why are you with
20:22this guy?
20:23For real?
20:23Though Donna
20:24tries to hide
20:25the cracks
20:25it's obvious to
20:27everyone
20:27that her so-called
20:29happy family
20:30is a fake.
20:32I only tolerated
20:33his nonsense
20:33because Donna
20:34is my best friend
20:35and she wanted me
20:37to try to make
20:38it work with her.
20:39She really loved her.
20:40Now I'm going to
20:41play some video games.
20:44Donna's kids
20:45never know
20:46which Kevin
20:46they're going to get.
20:48There will be a time
20:49where he's this
20:50horrible man
20:51cursing us all out.
20:52Go to your room!
20:53Get out of here!
20:54But then when we wake up
20:55he's like
20:56oh good morning
20:57and in the back
20:58of my mind
20:58be like
20:59well you know
20:59wasn't you just
21:00mad at us
21:00last night
21:01cursing us out
21:02and yelling at us
21:04calling us all
21:04type of names.
21:06It would be confusing
21:07to all of us
21:08in the house.
21:10Why you still up?
21:15When Donna's
21:16eight months pregnant
21:17with their twin girls
21:18Kevin's outbursts
21:20only get worse.
21:21You know you get
21:21on my nerves sometimes.
21:23One night
21:23her six year old son
21:24Jonathan is reading
21:25in the living room.
21:27I never knew
21:28when he was going
21:28to snap
21:28it just came
21:29suddenly.
21:30So like
21:31I would just try
21:32to avoid it
21:32and not go anywhere
21:34near his direction.
21:36What you crying for?
21:37You acting like
21:37a little sister.
21:38You worse than
21:39your little sister.
21:40This time
21:40Donna overhears
21:42from the next room.
21:43Huh?
21:44Look!
21:45Look at me talking
21:45to my son
21:46like you crazy!
21:47And I told him
21:49to leave Jonathan alone.
21:51Do not talk
21:52to my baby like that.
21:54And I think
21:55the fact that I said
21:55my baby
21:56pushed him
21:58over the edge.
21:59Go, go, go, go!
21:59At that moment
22:00I just left him out
22:01and I went
22:01in my room
22:02and slammed my door.
22:04I mean
22:04all I could do
22:05is cry.
22:06Like what did I do
22:07to deserve this?
22:07I'm only a child.
22:08Jonathan is terrified
22:11as he listens
22:12to the heated argument
22:13outside his door.
22:14How old he is?
22:15Kevin!
22:16In the back of my mind
22:17all I could imagine
22:18is oh my God
22:19I hope he would
22:20get off my mom.
22:21Kevin shoves Donna
22:22and she lands
22:23on her stomach.
22:26Get in my face
22:27and get what I told you.
22:28I managed to get myself
22:29on the couch
22:30and I stayed on the couch
22:31for I think
22:31about five or six hours
22:33before I even got up.
22:35I just laid there
22:36because I was in
22:36that much pain.
22:43The next day
22:44Donna feels guilty
22:45about what her kids
22:46had to witness.
22:48Mommy want to talk
22:49to y'all.
22:50I can see that
22:50my children were
22:51becoming afraid of him.
22:52So I'm trying to
22:53let the children know
22:54that what they're seeing
22:55is not healthy
22:56and that I'm sorry.
22:57Telling them
22:58how much I love them.
22:59All right.
22:59Yeah.
23:00Jonathan won't happen
23:02again okay?
23:03I'm so sorry.
23:04When you grow up
23:07don't hate your girlfriends.
23:09Donna feels trapped
23:10by fear and self-doubt.
23:13She tells no one
23:13about the abuse.
23:15If she had confided in me
23:17maybe it would have been
23:19a different situation.
23:20Maybe I'd have rather
23:21fought with him
23:22than have him fight with her.
23:24You okay?
23:25The path Donna's walking
23:26is treacherous.
23:28Recruiting her own kids
23:29to keep her secrets.
23:31You too baby.
23:33It may give her strength.
23:34to get through
23:35the situation
23:36but it gives Kevin
23:37more strength
23:38to keep perpetuating
23:39the abuse.
23:42Several days later
23:44Donna still feels
23:45lingering pain
23:46from the attack.
23:48Even worse
23:49she only feels movement
23:51on one side
23:52of her belly.
23:52Kevin
23:53I'm not feeling
23:54one of the babies move.
23:56And so
23:57I told him that
23:58listen we have to
23:59go to the hospital.
24:00I only feel one child
24:01moving.
24:02Ma'am you want me
24:03to fix this or what?
24:04We'll go after I'm finished.
24:06I'm going to the hospital.
24:07Kevin reluctantly agrees.
24:10Come on.
24:11He went with me
24:11to see what I was
24:12going to say.
24:13I think he was scared
24:14more than anything.
24:15Scared of
24:16what I would say
24:17to the doctors
24:18and if he probably
24:19would get arrested.
24:20at the hospital
24:22Donna tells them
24:23she thinks something
24:24may be wrong
24:25with one of her babies.
24:27Kevin stays right
24:27by her side.
24:34When the doctor
24:35asks what happened
24:36Donna needs
24:37to think fast.
24:39Her answer
24:39will decide
24:40Kevin's fate.
24:41Did anything happen?
24:44Coming up
24:45Kevin's escalating
24:47drug habit
24:47puts Donna's kids
24:49directly in harm's way.
24:51I was very
24:51frightened of him.
25:05Donna Brown
25:06is eight months
25:07pregnant
25:08and terrified.
25:10A few days ago
25:10her cocaine
25:11addicted boyfriend
25:12attacked her.
25:14She goes to the ER
25:16fearing for the health
25:17of her unborn twins.
25:19Did anything happen?
25:21But instead of
25:22turning Kevin in
25:23she covers for him.
25:25I told the doctors
25:26that I slid down
25:28some stairs.
25:30Why would you do that
25:30Donna?
25:31New York City
25:32if you fight
25:33too many times
25:33they're going to
25:34take your children away.
25:35That was my main
25:37concern.
25:37not losing my kids.
25:39On top of
25:40being in love
25:41with Kevin
25:41wanting everything
25:42to work
25:43I think I just
25:44was just trying
25:45to keep my family
25:47together
25:47and make it
25:48sane as possible.
25:50The doctor
25:51decides to
25:52induce labor.
25:55Donna gives birth
25:57to two healthy
25:58twin girls.
26:00She is now
26:01a mother of six.
26:07I'm your daddy.
26:09I'm your daddy.
26:10I'm your daddy.
26:11When she brings
26:12the babies home
26:13Donna is surprised
26:14by how Kevin handles
26:16his new role
26:17as a father.
26:18He is happy
26:19and helpful.
26:20Those twins
26:21those newborns
26:22were the perfect
26:23excuse for her
26:24to not deal
26:26with Kevin
26:26and yet they were
26:27also the very thing
26:29that bound Kevin
26:30to her.
26:31But the happy phase
26:34is short-lived.
26:36Kevin's having
26:37a hard time
26:38breaking his addiction
26:39and he's getting
26:43more and more
26:44careless.
26:45One afternoon
26:50Donna's son
26:52Jonathan
26:52comes face to face
26:53with Kevin's habit.
26:57I would find
26:57little bags
26:59under the cabinet
27:01and little white
27:04stuff in it
27:04and so I knew
27:05that they were
27:06probably drug using.
27:08Now I know
27:09this is why
27:10he's acting berserk.
27:12Jonathan knows
27:13what happens
27:14when Kevin
27:14loses his temper
27:15so he keeps
27:17what he found
27:17to himself.
27:19I was very
27:19frightened of him.
27:20The easiest way
27:21to deal with it
27:21was to just
27:22go along with it
27:23and to not
27:23make matters worse.
27:26As Kevin grows
27:27even more violent
27:29Donna slips
27:30deeper into denial.
27:32She suffers
27:33in silence
27:34telling no one
27:35that Kevin's
27:36made her
27:36his personal
27:37punching bag.
27:39I'm getting
27:40hit in the face.
27:41I'm getting
27:42busted lips.
27:43I'm having bruises
27:44because I don't
27:44even know
27:44that I have
27:45myself.
27:46It never
27:47entered my mind
27:49that he was
27:50physically abusive
27:51to my daughter
27:51because had I
27:53known,
27:54no way
27:55would I have
27:56ever allowed
27:57him to put
27:58his hand
27:59on my child.
28:00So no matter
28:01how far it goes,
28:03physical abuse,
28:03emotional abuse,
28:05any other woman
28:05would probably say,
28:06Donna, walk away,
28:07be done with this.
28:09but she can't
28:10give up on Kevin,
28:11not just because
28:12of the dream,
28:13but because of
28:13who she is,
28:15the ultimate
28:15enabler.
28:17I love you too.
28:24Amazingly,
28:25it's not until
28:26the twins are
28:27three years old
28:27that Kevin's
28:28lifestyle finally
28:29takes him down.
28:30He's arrested
28:34for dealing
28:35and gets sentenced
28:36to two to four
28:36years in prison.
28:38Could Donna's
28:39nightmare finally
28:40be over?
28:42I cried,
28:44but inside
28:45I was happy.
28:46I was happy.
28:47I knew that
28:47he needed the rest
28:48so that he could
28:50have the time.
28:53What you mean
28:53you're in jail,
28:54Kevin?
28:56To sit
28:57and re-evaluate
28:59his life,
29:00our life.
29:07While Kevin
29:08is locked up
29:08on Rikers Island
29:09just eight miles
29:10from Harlem,
29:12life at the
29:12Brown home
29:13is peaceful.
29:14Everything just
29:15went back to
29:16normal.
29:17We didn't have
29:18to walk around
29:18on eggshells
29:19and I didn't
29:21have to report
29:23every single
29:24movement I make.
29:26A year later,
29:34Kevin is released
29:35early on parole.
29:36I'm doing good.
29:37Incredibly,
29:38despite all the lies,
29:40drugs,
29:41and abuse,
29:42Donna takes him
29:42back when he vows
29:44to stay clean.
29:44We'll go up there
29:45to the janitorial.
29:46They've got a little
29:46opening and we'll
29:47apply.
29:49And Kevin does
29:50for a while.
29:52He was going
29:53to church with us.
29:55He was going
29:56to bed at night.
29:58His old friends
29:59wasn't always
30:00coming around
30:01and he had
30:02a parole officer.
30:04I honestly
30:05was happy,
30:05like, wow,
30:06okay, well,
30:06this is the Kevin
30:07we all know about
30:08and we all love.
30:09And back in my mind,
30:10I'm like, wow,
30:11he really, really
30:12changed.
30:13Donna fools herself
30:15into thinking
30:16that Kevin is back
30:17to being her dream man
30:18and she's not
30:20the only one
30:20who's fooled.
30:21When Kevin came
30:22home from prison,
30:24I softened up
30:26a little.
30:26I gave him
30:27the benefit
30:27of the doubt.
30:28I know a person
30:29can change.
30:31Now that he's won
30:32everyone's trust,
30:33he plays the trump
30:34card and proposes.
30:38You really believe,
30:38Donna,
30:39that Kevin
30:39was the one.
30:41I tell you what,
30:41if someone
30:42would have bed at me,
30:43if I were going
30:44to be with Kevin,
30:45I bet yes.
30:46I wanted that family.
30:48I still desire
30:49that family.
30:55After seven years
30:56of a toxic
30:57and tumultuous
30:58relationship,
30:59Donna and Kevin
31:00get married.
31:02In Donna's mind,
31:04the ritual
31:04washes all the pain away.
31:07It was a beautiful
31:08wedding.
31:09She was a beautiful
31:10bride.
31:11I was hopeful.
31:13It wouldn't be
31:13a happy ending.
31:15She had a perfect
31:16family.
31:17She was married
31:18and she had a husband.
31:21She had her children.
31:24Everything seems
31:25to be falling
31:26into place.
31:27Kevin is playing
31:28the part of the good
31:29husband and father,
31:31or so it seems to Donna,
31:32and a parole officer.
31:34Good morning.
31:35He goes to
31:36whatever program
31:36she sends him.
31:37He's working.
31:39The times that she comes,
31:40he's there.
31:42She comes on Sunday morning.
31:44We're getting ready
31:45for church.
31:45She likes what she sees.
31:47A year after getting
31:58out of prison,
31:59Kevin is released
32:00from parole early.
32:01You happy?
32:02Yeah.
32:03You get us some wine,
32:04I cook dinner,
32:05all right?
32:05And on the very first
32:07night of his freedom,
32:08from no more parole,
32:12Donna, what happened?
32:13That's the beginning
32:13of our nightmare.
32:15It's okay.
32:16I'm going to be right back.
32:17Donna wants to celebrate
32:18with a nice dinner,
32:19but Kevin has other plans.
32:22I can't believe
32:22he's just leaving like this.
32:24He stayed out all night
32:26partying with the old crew,
32:29and I just,
32:30I knew that that
32:31was the mark,
32:33the mark of the beast.
32:35Coming up,
32:37is Kevin's latest bender
32:38the last straw?
32:41That was the last time
32:42I seen him.
32:43For eight years,
32:58Donna Brown has been victim
32:59to her husband Kevin's
33:00uncontrollable rage.
33:03She thinks he's finally changed,
33:05until once again,
33:06his dark side shows itself
33:08stronger than ever.
33:10So when he got off parole,
33:11he did a complete 180.
33:12He started screaming and yelling,
33:15the old Kevin came back out
33:16full force.
33:19Way more violent
33:20than before.
33:23Even now,
33:24Donna remains
33:25in absolute denial.
33:26I was ashamed to get out of the relationship
33:31because of what I felt
33:32other people would say like,
33:34oh, this is your fourth relationship,
33:36and I just wanted to make with
33:37at least one of the children's father
33:39because I wasn't proud of my past choices.
33:43Get out of my face!
33:44She takes the abuse for two more years,
33:46putting up with behavior
33:48that threatens not only her life,
33:50but the lives of her six children.
33:52She's playing mind games with herself,
33:56adapting and completely ameliorating
33:59what he's doing
34:00into something that's harmless.
34:01It just keeps going and going.
34:03Something bad is bound to happen.
34:05It just can't go on this way forever.
34:09In November 2006,
34:12Donna plans a weekend
34:13to try and repair their marriage.
34:15She and Kevin arrange for the kids
34:20to stay with family.
34:23On the first night,
34:25they host a birthday party
34:26for some friends.
34:29And I was really anticipating
34:31having a nice time.
34:33Everything is going great
34:34until Kevin's brother
34:36starts arguing with the birthday girl
34:38about the music.
34:39You better get out of my face!
34:42Why ain't you in your mouth?
34:43So it wasn't turning out
34:46the way we planned it.
34:48The party is clearly over.
34:51Where you going, Kevin?
34:53You act like you my PM.
34:54I can go and come as I please.
34:56But Kevin's night
34:57is just getting started.
35:01Donna knows it could be hours
35:03before her husband comes home,
35:05if he makes it home at all.
35:07She decides to go to bed.
35:13Meanwhile, Donna's friend William
35:18runs into Kevin
35:19at a nearby club.
35:23He's drinking alcohol.
35:25He's being very loud
35:26at the club.
35:27And then the owners,
35:30everybody was looking at him
35:31like, Bill,
35:32your friend is getting
35:33a little outrageous.
35:35He was real different at night.
35:37He even tried to do
35:38some drugs at the bar.
35:39Kevin starts making threats.
35:43I sensed that he was on
35:45some drugs real heavy
35:46that night
35:47beside the alcohol
35:48because he was raving
35:49and me and him
35:51almost got into it.
35:52The bouncers throw
35:54an enraged Kevin
35:55out of the club.
35:56He left there
35:57with an attitude.
35:58And that was the last
36:00time I seen him.
36:00Donna hears Kevin
36:17stumbling back
36:18into their apartment.
36:20When he starts ranting,
36:21she instantly knows
36:22he's high.
36:24It ain't good enough.
36:26It ain't good enough.
36:27My spirit says,
36:28don't go to sleep.
36:28You need to get up
36:30and you need to get
36:31out of here
36:31as soon as you can.
36:34And then that other
36:35part of me,
36:35like, nah,
36:37you've been through
36:38this a million times.
36:40He'll go on
36:40and on and on
36:41and he'll eventually
36:42stop.
36:44I know what you're doing.
36:45But Donna can't sleep.
36:48Kevin seems even more
36:49out of control
36:50than usual.
36:50I know what you're doing.
36:52This night was just
36:53different.
36:54I felt it in my stomach.
36:56I felt that
36:56it wasn't right with him.
36:57And he was
36:58punching doors.
37:00And I hear him say,
37:01I'm going to kill
37:02this bitch.
37:02I'm going to hurt her.
37:03You know,
37:03I'm going to
37:04her up.
37:06Somehow,
37:07Donna pushes
37:08her fears aside
37:09and manages
37:10to fall back
37:10to sleep.
37:12It's something
37:13she'll regret
37:13for the rest
37:14of her life.
37:16She wakes up
37:17to a fist
37:18hitting her
37:18in the face.
37:20And this was
37:21my first thought
37:22that Kevin
37:24left the door
37:25when somebody's
37:25in here attacking me
37:26because he had
37:27no reason to hit me.
37:27But it's
37:29no intruder.
37:32Kevin is
37:33savagely beating her.
37:37Donna squeezes
37:38Kevin's crotch
37:39hard,
37:39hoping he'll stop.
37:42Startled,
37:43Kevin stops
37:43temporarily,
37:44giving Donna
37:45the chance
37:45to escape
37:46to the living room.
37:48And I said to myself,
37:49this is it.
37:50You're going to jail.
37:51I mean,
37:52I was getting the police.
37:53He was going to go to jail.
37:53I couldn't take
37:54no more of that
37:55before I could even
37:56get to the phone.
37:57He comes behind me
37:59and he punches me.
38:01He hit me so hard
38:02that it took
38:04the wind from me.
38:08Donna's now
38:09fighting for her life.
38:15And he grabs me
38:16from behind
38:16and now he's
38:17trying to punch me.
38:21And he starts
38:22to choke me.
38:23The look
38:25at his face,
38:26his eyes
38:27were so big.
38:29I could see veins.
38:30When I looked at him,
38:31he looked like
38:32a monster.
38:33And
38:34I remember just
38:36like kind of
38:37sinking.
38:38And if he gets me there
38:40and I can't breathe,
38:42it's over for me.
38:42I mean,
38:43my kids were flashing
38:45in my eyes.
38:46My family
38:47be dying.
38:49He's not,
38:50he's going to kill me.
38:51As Donna
38:54desperately fights
38:55to get Kevin off her,
38:56she reaches
38:57for the nearest object.
39:00I don't know
39:01if it's a knife.
39:02I don't know
39:02what kind of knife
39:03it is at the time.
39:04I know I grab it
39:05and I just,
39:06I poke him.
39:10Kevin collapses
39:11to the floor.
39:12And I just got up
39:13and I ran.
39:17Donna looks back
39:18at her husband.
39:19He's bleeding badly
39:21and he's not moving.
39:23I saw the blood
39:24and then I realized
39:25that he needs help.
39:27Donna can't believe
39:28what she's done.
39:30She's faced
39:31with an almost
39:31impossible decision.
39:33Get out
39:33or go back
39:34and try to help Kevin.
39:37In the end,
39:38she follows her instincts
39:39as a nurse.
39:41I choose to come back
39:42and help him
39:42and I'm running around.
39:43I'm looking for stuff
39:44and I'm drained for this.
39:46and I can't even think
39:47to go and get
39:48a clean towel.
39:50But I'm looking
39:50and I grab a shirt
39:51and apply pressure.
39:54I'm talking to him
39:56and he says,
39:57it's okay,
39:57it's over now.
39:59He says,
39:59it's over now.
40:02Despite everything,
40:03Donna still can't
40:04leave his side.
40:06In this moment,
40:07she wants nothing more
40:09than to save his life.
40:11I'm trying desperately
40:13to get him to breathe
40:15and I was dizzy,
40:17still in pain.
40:18I'm scared.
40:20I'm looking at him
40:21laying here
40:21and I just can't believe
40:23that this is happening.
40:30After Donna calls 911,
40:33an ambulance arrives
40:34within minutes.
40:35The knife pierced Kevin
40:36right through the heart.
40:38An hour later,
40:40he's pronounced dead
40:40at the hospital.
40:43Donna is arrested
40:44at the scene
40:45and later charged
40:46with second degree murder.
40:48Her bail is set
40:49at $15,000.
40:52It didn't surprise me,
40:53none at all,
40:54that he would do that to her.
40:55That second person
40:56that I leave his
40:57was something else.
40:59He's real evil.
41:01Evil.
41:01Words can't even describe
41:03all those emotions
41:05I'm going through.
41:06You never meant to kill him?
41:07No.
41:08I never meant to kill him.
41:09Never.
41:09My whole world
41:11just flashed before me,
41:13my whole life.
41:14Like,
41:15I just couldn't believe
41:17that this was happening.
41:20After posting bail,
41:22Donna has to wait
41:22four years
41:23for her case
41:24to go to trial.
41:25If convicted,
41:26she could face
41:27up to 25 years
41:28in prison.
41:30Still trying to work,
41:31still trying to
41:32take care of my kids,
41:34still trying to
41:34hold myself together
41:36because I'm sinking.
41:37I'm sinking so fast.
41:38In the end,
41:43Donna is found
41:44not guilty.
41:45The jury concludes
41:46that Donna acted
41:48out of self-defense.
41:50No matter what
41:51his family thinks,
41:53no matter what
41:53people say about me,
41:55God knows that
41:56I am not a murderer.
41:57And I had stuck by
41:58a man that didn't deserve
42:00five minutes of my time.
42:01With Donna,
42:04you have a woman
42:05who has all of her dreams
42:06wrapped up
42:06in this perfect family,
42:09this nuclear family,
42:10this head of household.
42:11And you have Kevin,
42:12the manipulative drug dealer,
42:14who sees the opportunity
42:16to play the role
42:17that Donna needs
42:18to fulfill her life.
42:20It was the perfect storm.
42:22That perfect storm
42:23almost cost her her life.
42:26Jerry!
42:26Jerry!
42:31Jerry!
42:32Jerry!
42:33Jerry!
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