Comal County Court-at-Law Judge Charles Stephens ruled Wednesday that Laura Carney could have primary custody of her daughter, ordering at the same time she not participate in the porn industry she earlier testified she had previously departed. Husband Patrick Carney will take part of the joint managed conservatorship of their three-year-old, but failed to gain custody as he had hoped.
In compelling courtroom testimony on Wednesday, Patrick Carney denied allegations wife Laura Carney’s adult film entertainment career was his idea. Laura Carney had accused her husband in divorce court early Wednesday of persuading her to do fetish and bondage films because of the family’s financial difficulties. More serious allegations made by the performer better known as “Barbi Korvette,” “Demi Darkgirl” and “Slave Girl” include that her husband sexually abused their daughter.
During testimony Patrick Carney stated that his wife first wanted to create a cabaret show featuring gymnastics, and that a decision to go into adult film work followed that initial impulse. Carney admitted that he went with his wife on six work-related publicity outings and four photo shoots. He also helped build her web site and sold her merchandise. He also admitted to hiring prostitutes. Laura Carney’s legal representative had earlier charged that Patrick Carney was his wife’s manager.
Patrick Carney’s basic argument in filing for custody, which set off fireworks in court on Tuesday, is that his 35-year-old wife and former Hustler's Busty Beauties and Taboo photo model is unfit due to her film career and various mental illnesses. Patrick Carney’s lawyer, Lawrence Garcia, told San Antonio press Mrs. Carney’s career, even if in the past, put at issue the mother’s stability and the possibility that the child could be exposed to her mother’s working conditions. Patrick Carney described one shoot involving hooded participants and firearms as particularly upsetting.
The electrifying testimony powered the custody and divorce issues past what outsiders initially believed would be a late Tuesday or early Wednesday ruling. Laura Carney, who left her husband in 2001, said she plans to marry a boyfriend in Indiana and provide a home for her child there.
Along with her work in Taboo and Busty Beauties, Carney starred in several fetish videos for Gwen Media. A Gwen Media worker who chose not to be identified told AVN.com Carney/Korvette did little if any video work and probably did most of her adult work as an Internet model.
"I worked with her," the worker said, "but I don't get into their personal lives at all. She showed up, she worked. If it were one of the people we used frequently, I might know something.
"We used her twice in four years," he continued. "Once in a still set and once for Crimson Mansion. I met her through another Web producer, and we used her for a shoot. Sometimes when we're looking for extras, if a model contacts us at the right time, she gets the part. And that's probably what happened."
