Josh Homme testified at Brody Dalle's contempt trial on Friday, as the judge in the case rejected restraining orders filed against the Queens of the Stone Age frontman on their young sons' behalf.
In his live testimony, Homme said Dalle never handed the boys over on Aug. 27 or Sept. 3 despite court orders directing her to do so. The rocker conceded his relationship with the ex-couple’s 15-year-old daughter has “had its ups and downs” in recent months — she was grantedagainst him Sept. 7 — but he claimed his custodial time with his boys over the summer was positive.
Dalle’s lawyers argued Friday that their client tried to convince the older son to return to Homme’s home on Sept. 3, but the child refused. Judge Riff further said he wasn’t willing to let the kids testify in their mom’s defense until Dalle’s lawyers laid more foundation. “What I don’t want to do is put these kids on [the stand] on these very volatile, difficult topics to find out that none of it has any legal relevance,” he said. The judge said the issue of contempt centered on the “very narrow” question of whether Dalle knew there was a court order and then violated it.
“This is not a custody hearing. This is not a restraining order hearing. This is a contempt hearing,” Jonas added, arguing that if Dalle disagreed with the court’s ruling ordering her to return the boys to Homme on Sept. 3, she should have appealed it.