DAYTON-- Benjamin Mills' parole officer Monika Hampton was first on the witness stand during Friday's custody hearing.

Her accounts showed a man trying to keep his life on the right track after past troubles.

"Attorney: When you say 'good behavior', can you explain what 'good behavior' means? Hampton: Not catching any new felonies, not getting arrested.
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Next to testify on Mills' behalf was his cousin Allen Gregg, who talked at length about how Mills helped care for his children.

"Attorney: What kinds of things have you seen him do for your kids? Allen: Normal dad stuff, you know, just play with them, feed them, let them watch cartoons, if they'd act up I'd tell him put them in the corner, but he already knows how to discipline a child, you know...time-outs, that's the way we do it in our family."

During cross-examination, Gregg alluded to problems in Mills' relationship with Vanessa's birth mother, Andrea Conley.

"Not exactly normal, you know," he said. "We're talking about protection orders, and I mean there's just...it seemed like a relationship that was doomed for destruction."

Gregg later testified that he would be willing to take custody of baby Vanessa if the need arose.

The hearings will not reconvene until at least Tuesday of next week.
Once both parties exited the chambers Friday, there was no date set for a continuation of the case.No Decision, Just More Testimony in Baby Vanessa Case