A Shreveport man’s plan for a d-i-v-o-r-c-e has landed him and his girlfriend in j-a-i-l.
Caddo Parish sheriff’s deputies say the out-of-wedlock couple — Demario Clark, 27, and Lisa McKinney, 50, of Shreveport — concocted a scheme where they filed the divorce papers themselves and went to divorce court without a lawyer. The real wife’s signature was forged on the court papers — and the girlfriend was a witness that the bonds of marriage were irretrievably broken, deputies said. The real wife was not present in court to respond and a divorce was granted August 1 by a Caddo District Court judge.
Much to the surprise of the real wife.
The Clarks, who had been married four years, separated this summer — but she thought he was living with his grandmother, Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Cindy Chadwick said. He was actually living with his girlfriend, Chadwick said.
The wife learned she was divorced while talking to her ex-husband’s grandmother.
“The grandmother stated questioning her about why the two of them had gotten a divorce,” Chadwick said. “The wife said, ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’ The grandmother told her, ‘I have the divorce papers at my house.'”
Objection, your honor! The wife went to the grandmother’s house, looked at the papers and then headed to the courthouse to get a copy.
She did not stand by her man. A complaint was filed with the Sheriff’s Office and arrests were made this week.
“She found out about the girlfriend before the divorce escapade, but there had been no discussion of a divorce,” Chadwick said of the wife, whose name is not being publicized.
Authorities have not disclosed an alleged motive. The accused have not been arraigned to answer the charges.
DeMario Clark, 27, of Henderson Avenue, faces charges of filing false public records. He was jailed Thursday afternoon under $5,000 bond. Lisa McKinney, 50, of Alicia Lane faces forgery charges alleging she knew . Her bond is set at $2,500.
Another arrest Thursday evening made it a threesome. Deputies arrested McKinney’s daughter, Stanneisha, 26, of Shreveport, on charges she forged the real wife’s name on a divorce document saying she waived being served with a copy of the divorce petition.
Stanneisha McKinney’s arrest on forgery charges late Thursday made it a threesome. She’s jailed at Caddo Correctional Center. Her bond hasn’t been set yet.
Authorities allege she forged the real wife’s name on a divorce document saying she waived being served with a copy of the divorce petition.