Tears, Screaming Matches & Abuse Claims! Inside Bethenny & Jason’s Nasty Custody War
Jun. 21 2019, Updated 9:32 p.m. ET
Bethenny Frankel and ex-husband Jason Hoppy’s drawn-out custody battle is almost over. As RadarOnline.com has revealed, Friday, June 21 was the last day in the reality stars’ nasty custody war over their 9-year-old daughter, Bryn.
The toxic exes, who married in 2010 and separated in 2012, have fought over money, their home, and most importantly, custody of Bryn.
The final day of the trial proved to be explosive, with Hoppy accusing The Real Housewives of New York star of lying throughout the trial!
In the final cross-examination, Frankel’s lawyer, Allan Mayefsky, brought up voicemails that were played in court from 2015.
“There have been consistent voicemails you sent critical of Bethenny, yes?” Frankel’s lawyer asked, as he responded, “Not consistent.”
When the lawyer asked if Frankel was lying, he responded, “Yes.”
“She is,” Hoppy said. “There are a lot of things I don’t agree with that Bethenny has claimed throughout the trial.”
Frankel is fighting for full custody of Bryn, while Hoppy hopes to keep their current joint custody agreement.
As a final decision is debated, take a look back at the most shocking moments from the trial.
It’s War!
Hoppy and Frankel’s bitter battle exploded on its very first day, March 4, 2019, with Bethenny requesting a change in the agreement for full custody of Bryn and sole decision-making authority.
‘Abusive Behavior’
Frankel’s lawyer claimed Hoppy’s treatment of Frankel is “extremely harmful to Bryn.” Frankel’s lawyer told jurors during a court hearing, “His abusive behavior towards her not only damages her relationship with her mother, but to everyone else in her life.”
Accusations
Mayefsky accused Hoppy of locking Frankel's late dog Cookie in a storage closet, using his emails to disintegrate her age, looks and mental health, sending her over 500 emails in a 90-day period, and more, as addressed in the past.
Rebuttal
Hoppy’s lawyer, Robert Wallack, rebutted, “While Bethenny seems intent on making this trial about her and Jason, and about the alleged issues between the two, this court must instead be guided by what is best for this child.” The lawyer added that “the evidence will show that Bryn is happy, healthy, smart and well-adjusted.”
Drinking Problem?
During the contentious custody battle, Hoppy claimed Frankel’s drunken antics on her popular Bravo show and the apparent overdose death of her ex-boyfriend Dennis Shields in 2018 should require her to submit to substance use testing. But the judge didn’t buy it.
Shocking Claims
“She is allowed to occasionally go and drink without her daughter present,” Judge Michael Katz ruled. “What exactly is your claim? That she goes out and occasionally has a drink, because that’s not illegal.”
Torture
Just days into testimony, Frankel dropped another bombshell, claiming Hoppy subjected her to emotional and mental “torture” after their 2012 split. She claimed Jason not only yells at doctors during appointments for Bryn, but he uses the opportunity to attack her. “An appointment with Jason is abusing me, making fun of me,” she told Hoppy’s lawyer. “An appointment with Jason is a torture chamber… It is a vacuum of abuse. Going to an appointment with Jason is not a good idea, because he uses every way to abuse me when no one is looking.”
Season Of The Witch
Later in the testimony, Frankel began sobbing uncontrollably when she accused Hoppy of calling her a “witch” around Bryn.
What A Witch
“He would read witch stories and say, ‘Mommy would be great at being a witch,’” she cried.
Wow!
But Frankel wasn’t always the victim, admitting in March that she was once so enraged with her ex she threw water on him while he was sleeping, explaining that she had “cracked.”
Bethenny’s Outburst
The stress and pressure of the court battle seemed to reach a breaking point in May when Frankel sobbed in court in the middle of Jason’s testimony yelling, “You tortured me. You tortured me!”
Judge Katz reprimanded the reality star for her outburst, saying, “Ms. Frankel, this is Mr. Hoppy’s testimony.”
Torture And Lies
Frankel stormed out of the court room after the judge ordered a break, where she was seen on a couch in the lobby telling her new boyfriend Paul Bernon, “He tortured me and is lying."
Psychiatrist Evaluation
Despite Frankel and Hoppy's rocky relationship, psychologist Dr. Alan Ravitz testified that changing the custody agreement could negatively impact their daughter. "If the schedule changed and the custody agreement changes, then Bryn, she can do worse. It will require an adaptation on her part and she is going to have to adapt to the changes, and we don’t know if her adaptation to such change would fail or be successful. But it could get worse for her,” Dr. Ravitz admitted.
The End
Now, with all emotions spilled, the custody trial is at an end. Judge Katz is expected to make a ruling by the end of the summer.