In contradiction of Karen Nakamatsu's blatantly perjurous statements to the benefit of her fellow middle-aged female Asian-American "Local" Hawaiian friend Hollydee Gadow, Blaine McManus (the father of David's best friend provided the following Letter for the Court.
TESTIMONIAL
John Hathaway Bates has shown me the court transcript of proceedings Monday August 22 between he and former wife Holly Gadow. I can state from first hand personal knowledge that nothing Holly says is true and it does not reflect the John Hathaway Bates I know, nor the wishes of his son David as he has shown me or my son Trace. My son Trace and David Hathaway Bates entered kindergarten together at Beverly Vista Elementary school, are now both 12 years old and have become great friends and have spent a great deal of time together over the years. I would like to take several of the statements made in the material and apply my first hand knowledge of them in order.
Statements on page 14, line 7-11 describes David's father as being controlling and will not allow David any access to his friends. This is untrue. My son goes to John's home anytime he wants to, as David can come to my home anytime he wants to. To my knowledge, any of Matt's or David's friends are allowed in John's house anytime they would like to go there. And I state this from my own first hand knowledge. In addition, from my experience, I have seen that John also allows them to go their friend's homes also.
Statements on page 8, lines 22-23 state that John attempts to "place a rift" between the two brothers, Matt and David. From my experience, I have never seen any such behavior. I have always seen John to be nurturing and caring for each of the boys, including in regards to their relationship with each other.
Staements on page 15, lines 9-17, portray John to never have food in his house for the boys and that the boys rarely have a cooked meal. This is a flat out lie. I have never seen there to be anything but an over abundance of food at John's house at any given time. Anytime I am over to John's house, I am always invited to stay for lunch or dinner. My son and I have had dinner at John's house with the kids on several occasions and can say with 100% accuracy that John takes great pride in his cooking and in his dinner/lunch preparations. From what I have seen, John has more food in his earthquake supplies than most family's have in their home at one time. At his mother's house, however, David has said that even the most simple meals like breakfast, he has to make for himself if he is hungry.
Whereas David's mother chooses to leave her sons to fend for themselves while she takes vacations to Hawaii several times a year, John Hathaway Bates chooses to invite friends and family to dinner almost as a hobby. There was always a parent/adult there to look after David and Matthew when they were living with their father. The same is not true while the children are living with their mother. In fact, David is, to my knowledge, completely unsupervised often, mostly after work and during holiday breaks while at his mother's home.
Karen Nakamatsu also implies continually that John is an abusive alcoholic. I have been to his home many times and spent time with him over several years and can honestly say I have never seen him intoxicated. Her descriptions of him are completely opposite of the man I have known for years.
Nakamatsu also states that David has told her that he wants to live with his mother, but I doubt it. The impression I have always gotten from David is that he would much prefer to live with his father. When I asked my son Trace, as his best friend, what he thought, he said he felt the same way.. .that David would much rather live with his father. From my experience, this is the way David has felt for quite a while. In fact, I can state that when David was living with his father, he seemed happier and more well adjusted than 1 have ever seen him. After he was taken from his father and his step-mother, Joy Hathaway Bates, I could see a difference in David. According to my son Trace, he was very upset. When he asked his father why his mom was doing this, all John could say is that he could not talk about it because the courts would not allow it. How this must confuse, scare and otherwise emotionally wear down a child is a crime in my opinion.
In conclusion, I will state that I have been witness through the years to many sad situations with David and have often thought about getting involved and taking some sort of action against his situation with his mom. From early on in 1st grade at Beverly Vista, I have had parents approach me on several occasions and express their concern with rny son Trace hanging out with that "David kid" who's mom is "trash" and is a neglectful parent who is rarely home while David is out out all hours of the school weeknight skateboarding through neighborhoods alone. This is not my personal statement, but rather those of several parents on several occasions. Because 1 knew David to be a smart, good kid, I did not shut him off from Trace as a friend as a result of the parents' warnings. In my opinion, David is a victim. As a single Dad, raising my son alone, with mom living out of state, I am especially sensitive to these situations. David needs and deserves to have a better life. I am not suggesting that David not be allowed to see or be with his mom, but it is imperative that his mom finally stop the damaging behavior she has displayed in regards to John Hathaway Bates, who simply wants to be part of his children's lives and give them a fighting chance to survive in life ahead. My honest opinion is that Holly is and has been for some time, suffering from bi-polarity personality disorder and should be (seriously) tested and evaluated for this. In the best interest of the children, and since Holly lives in the vicinity of John (and because John actually resides in the permitted area of Beverly Hills School District for David's school), I feel strongly that John should be allowed no less than equal physical custody of David and Matthew.
Signed, Blaine Mc Manus