These women and children have faced ungodly abuse, including torture and sexual assault. Right now, Christian and Yazidi women and children are being sold and traded on the black market in Iraq and Syria by the brutal terrorist organization ISIS (see, for example, this story from Jillian Melchior in Cosmopolitan, of Iraqi’ high schooler Hengi Abdullah’s best friend). 18, 2003.This overused scare tactic isn’t only false, but grossly disrespectful of women around the world who face true oppression and cruelty on a daily basis.
The words of the Danny DeVito's character in the fictional story ring true: "A civilized divorce is a contradiction in terms." Meanwhile, Rona has yet to see any of her lump sum - because the Roses haven't sold their condominium yet - and continue to live there together. But it would make a difference to him financially, since it would mean he wouldn't have to pay alimony. Michael told Primetime it wouldn't matter to him emotionally if Rona married. Rona's new boyfriend, Bob Witek, a builder from Aspen, Colo., told Primetime he "would love to ask her to marry me." On Monday, the Roses are expected to go back to court to say they've settled, and to try to reduce lawyers' fees, which are now more than $300,000. The judge did award Rona a lump sum of $700,000, but from the proceeds of their apartment, provided it sells.īut the story didn't end there. If she were to remarry, the alimony would stop.
The judge accepted the figures Michael had provided regarding his income, but she award Rona $6,000 a month in alimony for the first year, and $4,000 a month for the two years after that. The Roses' son would live with Rona, but the judge awarded Michael generous visitation rights. And two weeks later, on June 13, Judge Freeman released her decision. So the real "War of the Roses" resumed in court. The mediation was scheduled for three weeks later, Memorial Day, 2003.ĭuring mediation, Michael's proposal remained the same as before, $400,000.
Instead, the judge ordered the Roses to try - for the fourth time - to mediate a settlement and avoid a return to court. The break became a half an hour, and by then, it was too late to conclude the trial. He challenged his claim of lack of resources and questioned his record-keeping.Īfter a long afternoon of cross examination, Kornreich asked the judge for a recess. Leinoff argued that Michael's long hours meant their son should live with Rona, and then turned to questions about Michael's finances. All I have to do is figure out what the assets are" - and who should get what, what alimony is appropriate, and where the Roses' 8-year-old son should live. She told Kornreich: "I don't care why this marriage has fallen apart. When Kornreich tried to attack Rona's character, Judge Gill Freeman limited his efforts, reminding him that Florida is a no-fault state. The weapons are thousands of documents, and thousands of words of testimony.
REAL WAR STORY TRIAL
If divorce is war, the divorce trial is the decisive battle. Court costs to Florida taxpayers would be even higher. Legal fees were mounting, and would eventually top $300,000. On April 28, 2003, Michael made an offer to settle in front of Primetime cameras: a $400,000 lump sum and $6,000 a month alimony for a couple of years.īut Rona rejected the offer … and the following week, the roses went to trial. Michael acknowledged making nearly $8 million in the booming stock market in the late '90s - but when the market went bad, he said, so did his finances. Rona's attorney, Andrew Leinoff, wanted to know why Michael seemed to have no money for Rona, but money for things like keeping an expensive Bentley automobile. But the real Rose story concludes with an ending that even Hollywood couldn't have come up with. Like their fictional counterparts, Michael and Rona Rose lived together through the divorce. What led to that act - and the financial and emotional repercussions it caused - are fascinating.ĪBCNEWS followed the couple for almost a year, as their bitter divorce became a real life version of The War of the Roses - the popular novel that spawned a hit Hollywood movie, and coined a new phrase to describe the rage of a bitter divorce. After a nine-year marriage, during which they had a son, Rona filed for divorce. Rona, 36, is a full-time mother and former beauty queen. Michael Rose, 57, is an attorney who has practiced in Miami for more than 30 years. She calls him a sociopath and a psychopathic liar. M I A M I, J- On the 31st floor of a condominium overlooking Biscayne Bay lives a couple who have crossed the thin line between love and hate: Michael and Rona Rose.