whateveryparentshouldknow

Sandy Rathbun reports
A forTestimony continues in the trial of Chris Payne, accused of starving, abusing and murdering his two children Ariana and Tyler.

Today in the courtroom, attorneys took jurors back to 2006 and a dispute over which parent had custody of Ariana and Tyler Payne.

Chris Payne says CPS told him he had custody because the agency was investigating the children’s mother Jamie Hallam.

But Hallam says CPS told her she had custody because the agency investigated her, cleared her and closed its case.

Ultimately the kids stayed with Payne, who is accused of murdering them.

Prosecutor Sue Eazer asked former CPS Supervisor Christy Tarpley what happened.

Tarpley says, “I don’t recall it. So you’re asking me to testify about stuff I don’t remember. I didn’t look at any of this. I don’t really care. And that’s the bottomline.”

Tarpley told jurors she’d been in her CPS supervisory job just one day when Ariana and Tyler’s custody became an issue.  She denies telling police to leave the kids with their dad.

Tonight Tarpley emailed KVOA about her comment insisting we’d taken it out of context. She wrote, “I never said I did not care about the children. I said I did not care to read the case notes.”

Prosecutor Eazer asked Tarpley, “Did anyone from CPS to your knowledge ever go out and check on those kids with Christopher Payne?”  Tarpley answered, “I don’t even know.”

Jamie Hallam’s former CPS caseworker Cindy Graupmann also took the stand briefly.

Prosecutor Eazer protested she’s been commenting on the Tucson Citizen Newspaper’s website throughout the trial, allegedly releasing confidential CPS information.

Eazer says, “She comes into this court with tremendous bias.  The fact is she has been signing on and saying these awful things about Miss Hallam and her family.”

Exerpts from two of Cindy Graupmann’s alleged comments state, “The saddest part is that Jamie Hallam is responsible just as much as Christopher Payne.”

“She was using meth.  Those children would be alive if she hadn’t chosen to get high.”

Jamie Hallam eventually sued and received a million dollar settlement from CPS over its handling of her children’s case.

Chris Payne’s murder case resumes tomorrow.  It could go to the jury early next week.

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