I previously wrote a post about the arrest of Real Housewives of Orange County and Date My Ex: Jo and Slade star Slade Smiley for nonpayment of child support.
Bear in mind, when I wrote that, I didn’t have anything personal against Slade Smiley. I even watched those two reality shows, though I found them both way too boring to cover here. However, I have covered the Atlanta and New Jersey Real Housewives series on this blog, which is the only reason the information about his arrest fell into my radar at all. As I made it clear in the post, I don’t even have anything in particular against people who get behind on their child support, as long as they are doing their best.
However, though the post was nowhere near as nasty as it could have been, especially given that Slade is hardly poor, I got a nastygram comment on that post, from someone who I’d guess, based upon timing and content, got a trackback on the Slade website embedded in that earlier post. That comment claimed that the arrest was for not paying his attorneys, rather than for not paying child support. That same person also viciously attacked the mother of Slade Smiley’s son, Michelle Arroyo, far beyond what would be considered decent given that she is caring for a terminally ill child (her son with Slade has inoperable brain cancer).
That nasty comment got caught in my spam filter, so even I hadn’t seen it yet when Ms. Arroyo originally commented to ask about my source for the information. In fact, I didn’t check the spam filter until three days after the post, two days after the nastygram, and less than a day after Ms. Arroyo’s original comment. That of course means Ms. Arroyo couldn’t have seen it either until after the fact, and that the nastygram writer had no idea Ms. Arroyo would ever see their attack upon her.
Oops. LOL
Below is Michelle Arroyo’s comment, in its entirety, detailing the real story behind why Slade Smiley was arrested, which is actually much worse than just failing to pay child support.
I have confirmed that this comment was indeed posted by Michelle Arroyo. Her comment has been edited here only for ease of readability, and I thank her for taking the time to set the record straight.
First, I will clarify the reason Mr. Smiley was arrested. A bench warrant was issued for his arrest due to his failure to appear in connection with a Stipulation and Order after Hearing filed October 9, 2007. This Stipulation specifically outlined the eight counts of contempt that Mr. Smiley signed a guilty plea, in order to allow him an additional twelve months to pay the sums due in connection with the contempt and fulfill his court ordered obligations. They date back to February 2005 and are summarized below:
1. Mr. Smiley was given 12 months from Septeber 7, 2007 to purge the (8) eight counts of contempt.
2. The contempt will be purged when the last payment is made to all parties and all payments have been made in full.
3. Payments due for all outstanding attorneys fees court ordered to be paid by Mr. Smiley. Additionally, Mr. Smiley would have to bring outstanding current claims for his half of reimbursement for expenses due for minor child current.
4. Mr. Smiley agrees that burden to prove the eight (8) counts of contempt are met.
5. Mr. Smiley is required to meet with Ms. Arroyo monthly to confer and reimburse the other for their respective one-half share of the expenses for Grayson, including medical costs, therapy cost and school costs.
6. Mr Smiley shall pay 100% of the attorney’s fees and costs incurred relating to and arising from the preparation and court appearances for the contempt including all costs to enforce the Orders made December 14, 2006, December 18, 2006, Ruling made February 14, 2007, May 3, 2007 and to date.
7. Mr. Smiley is to pay child support arrears that were previously being paid by wage assignment directly to Ms. Arroyo within the 12 month period, i.e. on or before September 7, 2008.
8. Respondent shall immediately take all necessary steps to ensure Ms. Arroyo’s access to Grayson’s medical insurance provider.
So you see this is not just about his financial obligations, but his refusal to comply with court orders in connection with his son’s medical insurance and meeting to confer with me with respect to Grayson’s care.
These are the facts of the case pending in Orange County. The remaining outstanding child support, and one-half share for out of pocket expenditures for Grayson for the last two years are being handled through the Los Angeles Court System.
For the record, the http://www.amazinggray.org website was designed solely to keep in touch with family and friends and the groups we belong to that actively advocate for pediatric cancer research, and are involved with groups that focus on quality of life for our children.
Grayson has recovered well from his recent surgery and is looking forward to enjoying his summer with friends and family. Thank you for your effort to post actual facts, rather than the typical tidbit of inaccurate information that was released as a statement from Mr. Smiley’s representatives.
I now understand very well why Ms. Arroyo wanted to set the record straight, especially when faced with the publicity machine behind a reality tv star (including the sock puppets like the one who attacked her here). Slade has said that he didn’t know anything about it, and tried to spin it as if he just missed a payment or two in order to make himself look good, and make his child’s mother look as bad as possible. Of course, the Slade camp also claimed that Slade had only failed to pay his attorneys, then they attacked Ms. Arroyo publicly on this blog.
Obviously, however, he knew about it beforehand, since it was a case ongoing for years and he knew exactly what was required of him by the court. After all, he was found in contempt of court, not once, not twice, but eight times over, in a case involving failure to support a terminally ill child, when he is a reality television star. There was no way he was ever getting away with that, nor should he get away with it.
What I find most disturbing about this situation is that Slade had to be forced by a court to provide access to medical insurance providers, when the insurance is for a dying child. That is absolutely beyond unconscionable.
