Smith defends herself for her involvement in Baby Gabriel case

A Scottsdale woman took the stand to defend herself for her involvement in the Baby Gabriel case.

Tammi Smith faced a line of questioning Thursday about the paperwork that helped put her on trial in the first place.

Smith is accused of lying on a court document in a plan to try and adopt Baby Gabriel without his father’s permission.

Prosecutors said Smith put her cousin’s name on court records suggesting he could be Baby Gabriel’s father even though Smith knew it wasn’t true.

Smith admitted she and Elizabeth Johnson, Baby Gabriel’s mother, both filled out paperwork challenging the paternity of Gabriel.

However, Smith claimed she was just helping Johnson fill in the blanks because the two were rushed to complete the paperwork before the court house closed.

Smith also told jurors when she filled out the paperwork she did not realize it was a legal document.

“I didn't think it was a court house and I didn't know a person could file. I thought an attorney had to file,” said Smith.

“You believed that, to file court documents, you had to go through legal counsel, an attorney?” her attorney asked.

“That's what I believed, yes,” replied Smith.

The trial resumes on Monday.