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American Morning

Interview With Jeanine Pirro

Aired November 20, 2003 - 09:09   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Jeannie Pirro, district attorney in New York's Westchester County, also the author of a recently published book, "To Punish and Protect," back with us here on AMERICAN MORNING. Nice to see you
JEANINE PIRRO, DISTRICT ATTORNEY, WESTCHESTER CO., N.Y.: Nice to see you too.

HEMMER: Toward the end of Gary's report, what do you make of Jackson's comments, his spokesperson anyway, saying there was levity in the room? A lot of jokes and laughter with the D.A. and the sheriff yesterday. Appropriate or not?

PIRRO: Well, you know what? I think Jackson should worry more about the charges and the multiple allegations he's facing than what was happening in that press conference.

Tom Sneddon is an excellent district attorney who has a reputation for putting together solid cases. And I think that's what Michael Jackson should be worried about.

HEMMER: So the word is they were negotiating last evening. What do you negotiate at this point?

PIRRO: Probably negotiating Michael Jackson coming in.

Look, this is an enormous public case in terms of safety, in terms of the logistics of this. You want to get him in and get him through the system. You've got to fingerprint him, photograph him, mug him. And you want that to occur as simply as possible. You don't want to just pick him up somewhere and then bring him in. You want to make all the arrangements. that's what's going on.

HEMMER: The reports we're getting, Jeanine, as you well know, multiple counts involved. What's considered a count?

PIRRO: Well, a count covers each particular act which violates the law. So multiple counts can suggest if there is, indeed, just one victim, different -- and I don't want to be too specific -- but you know, maybe a fondling here, a fondling there, maybe a touching, oral contact. Or if it happened on more than one occasion.

And prosecutors are required to file a charge for each of those acts in the event that he's on trial.

HEMMER: What about something as simple as hand holding?

PIRRO: Hand holding is not a crime.

HEMMER: Never?

PIRRO: Absolutely not.

HEMMER: OK. When you look at this case right now and think about the attorney involved, Mark Geragos. This guy's been in headlines for months right now. Do you put too much on your plate? Or why is it that so many stars keep going back to Mark Geragos in high-profile cases?

PIRRO: I think it's real simple. I think it's hot right now. I think he did a great job in the Laci Peterson preliminary hearing. And I think that people think that he can spin, in addition to being a lawyer. And if he's got a good law firm to back him up, he can, I'm sure, do several cases.

HEMMER: What about your own experience? You say people with interest in pedophilia keep memorabilia.

PIRRO: There's are classic cases, Bill. Someone who is a pedophile is going to keep a memory of what happened with a child, either through a photograph, videotapes, audiotapes, collecting clothing.

And we tell law enforcement all the time, when you go in pursuant to a search warrant, look for these things because you'll find them. The defendants relive the crime with the child by taking out the videotape and looking at it again.

HEMMER: All right. One thing you also say, a child's word against an adult is difficult. What have you found in your cases?

PIRRO: Well, I've been doing these cases for about 25 years. And I think over the years we've come to realize that children don't fantasize. And if we have a child who is credible, and if there is corroborating evidence, and I think that's what the search warrant was all about, getting that corroborating evidence, along with the new California evidence code that allows prior sexual complaints and bad acts, I think that there might be a solid case.

HEMMER: Three million dollars, in bail, passport said to be confiscated. Surprise you at all?

PIRRO: Not at all. You need that much bail in a case like this.

HEMMER: Why?

PIRRO: Well, he's got access to jets. And he's known to have houses all over the world. This is a guy who can take off and abscond. And you've got to make sure that you've got some bail that reflects the seriousness of the charges.

PIRRO: Thanks, Jeanine. Jeanine Pirro, D.A. in Westchester County.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired November 20, 2003 - 09:09   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Jeannie Pirro, district attorney in New York's Westchester County, also the author of a recently published book, "To Punish and Protect," back with us here on AMERICAN MORNING. Nice to see you
JEANINE PIRRO, DISTRICT ATTORNEY, WESTCHESTER CO., N.Y.: Nice to see you too.

HEMMER: Toward the end of Gary's report, what do you make of Jackson's comments, his spokesperson anyway, saying there was levity in the room? A lot of jokes and laughter with the D.A. and the sheriff yesterday. Appropriate or not?

PIRRO: Well, you know what? I think Jackson should worry more about the charges and the multiple allegations he's facing than what was happening in that press conference.

Tom Sneddon is an excellent district attorney who has a reputation for putting together solid cases. And I think that's what Michael Jackson should be worried about.

HEMMER: So the word is they were negotiating last evening. What do you negotiate at this point?

PIRRO: Probably negotiating Michael Jackson coming in.

Look, this is an enormous public case in terms of safety, in terms of the logistics of this. You want to get him in and get him through the system. You've got to fingerprint him, photograph him, mug him. And you want that to occur as simply as possible. You don't want to just pick him up somewhere and then bring him in. You want to make all the arrangements. that's what's going on.

HEMMER: The reports we're getting, Jeanine, as you well know, multiple counts involved. What's considered a count?

PIRRO: Well, a count covers each particular act which violates the law. So multiple counts can suggest if there is, indeed, just one victim, different -- and I don't want to be too specific -- but you know, maybe a fondling here, a fondling there, maybe a touching, oral contact. Or if it happened on more than one occasion.

And prosecutors are required to file a charge for each of those acts in the event that he's on trial.

HEMMER: What about something as simple as hand holding?

PIRRO: Hand holding is not a crime.

HEMMER: Never?

PIRRO: Absolutely not.

HEMMER: OK. When you look at this case right now and think about the attorney involved, Mark Geragos. This guy's been in headlines for months right now. Do you put too much on your plate? Or why is it that so many stars keep going back to Mark Geragos in high-profile cases?

PIRRO: I think it's real simple. I think it's hot right now. I think he did a great job in the Laci Peterson preliminary hearing. And I think that people think that he can spin, in addition to being a lawyer. And if he's got a good law firm to back him up, he can, I'm sure, do several cases.

HEMMER: What about your own experience? You say people with interest in pedophilia keep memorabilia.

PIRRO: There's are classic cases, Bill. Someone who is a pedophile is going to keep a memory of what happened with a child, either through a photograph, videotapes, audiotapes, collecting clothing.

And we tell law enforcement all the time, when you go in pursuant to a search warrant, look for these things because you'll find them. The defendants relive the crime with the child by taking out the videotape and looking at it again.

HEMMER: All right. One thing you also say, a child's word against an adult is difficult. What have you found in your cases?

PIRRO: Well, I've been doing these cases for about 25 years. And I think over the years we've come to realize that children don't fantasize. And if we have a child who is credible, and if there is corroborating evidence, and I think that's what the search warrant was all about, getting that corroborating evidence, along with the new California evidence code that allows prior sexual complaints and bad acts, I think that there might be a solid case.

HEMMER: Three million dollars, in bail, passport said to be confiscated. Surprise you at all?

PIRRO: Not at all. You need that much bail in a case like this.

HEMMER: Why?

PIRRO: Well, he's got access to jets. And he's known to have houses all over the world. This is a guy who can take off and abscond. And you've got to make sure that you've got some bail that reflects the seriousness of the charges.

PIRRO: Thanks, Jeanine. Jeanine Pirro, D.A. in Westchester County.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com