The long-running court battle between Usher and his ex-wife Tameka Foster finally will be settled next week.
The R&B star and Tameka Foster were both presenting evidence this week while she attempts to prevent the entertainer from taking sole custody of their two sons. The lawyers from each side gave closing arguments on Thursday.
The former couple currently have a co-parenting agreement for Usher Raymond, 4, and Naviyd, 3, which they both have admitted has failed to work. Raymond is accusing his former partner of being a bad mother.
“We believe the evidence is that Ms. Raymond is incapable of being a proper parent to these children,” said Usher’s attorney John Mayoue. “That she does not have the emotional stability or capacity to bond with them, and therefore she is handicapped.”
Lisa West, the attorney for the 41-year-old stylist, argued that the pop star is always on the road, and cannot rely on the “village” of his mother, grandmother and aunt to look after them. She also mentioned that he does not have a good relationship with his mother.
“I try to do all of my work when I don’t have the children, but there may be times when there’s an obligation of something that comes up,” said Usher. During questioning, Foster admitted to stealing diapers and writing a bad check when she was a single teen mother at the age of 19.
“Yes, I stole things. I stole diapers before. I’ve gone in 7-Eleven and stolen diapers out of the store,” she said. “I admit it. I was 19 years old. I’m not proud of it. I wouldn’t do it now.” She explained that she has turned her life around and is now a successful business owner.
Foster claimed that she had begged Usher to withdraw his petition on numerous occasions.
‘I was like, “It’s ridiculous, are you mad at me? I don’t know why,” she said. “You know your kids are fine. They’re happy. They’re productive. Maybe I don’t do everything perfectly, but I do the best I can.”
This fight for custody comes during trying times for both participants as the hearing came just two weeks after the death of Foster’s son, Kile Glover. Glover was taken off of life support after suffering a major brain injury on July 6 when a man on a personal watercraft ran over the 11-year-old and a 15 year-old girl while they were innertubing on Lake Lanier.
Foster has previously claimed that Usher showed little care about her or Kile in the days after the accident. In a court filing, Foster stated that during the two-week period that her son was on life support, Usher visited the hospital only once.
