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American Morning
Carlie Brucia Case
Aired February 10, 2004 - 09:13 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.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Florida Governor Jeb Bush says he may call for a review of the state's probation laws after the abduction and killing of 11-year-old Carlie Brucia. Carlie's family has called for such a review. Governor Bush says her accused killer should not have been on the streets and records show that the suspect in the case, Joseph P. Smith, is a repeat offender who violated parole at least twice.
Julie Streeter is Joseph Smith's ex-wife and she says her heart goes out to the Brucia family. She believes her ex-husband is guilty.
She joins us this morning.
Nice to see you.
Thanks for being with us.
JULIE STREETER, EX-WIFE OF JOSEPH SMITH: Good morning.
O'BRIEN: I know this is pretty hard for you to talk about, so we appreciate your time.
STREETER: Yes.
O'BRIEN: You say you believe your ex-husband is guilty.
Why?
STREETER: I feel that he is, just the surveillance videos, constantly watching that. I do believe that was him on the video -- on the car wash video.
O'BRIEN: Did you watch that videotape? It aired on the news.
STREETER: Yes.
O'BRIEN: It aired everywhere, nationally and internationally, as well.
STREETER: Yes.
O'BRIEN: Did you say oh my goodness, that's Joe, the first time you saw it?
STREETER: Not at first, no. I had to watch it a few times. After watching it a few times I realized, yes, that was Joe.
O'BRIEN: And what did you do?
STREETER: I was in shock, speechless, just didn't have any words.
O'BRIEN: Did you call authorities and say I think I know who this guy is?
STREETER: No. The FBI actually contacted me.
O'BRIEN: And what did they want to know from you?
STREETER: They wanted to know anything I could tell them about where he might go or any places he might have hung out while we were together.
O'BRIEN: Were you able to give them any kind of assistance? I mean it's been a while. You were married in 1994. You got divorced a couple of years later.
STREETER: Right. Right.
O'BRIEN: Were you able to help them out at all?
STREETER: I don't think so. I did what I could. I told them places that he might have gone that we went, but that had nothing to do with the church.
O'BRIEN: When the FBI contacted you, were you surprised or was this something that you had seen in your ex-husband, any kind of thing in him where he, a violent sort of -- I mean I think the word monster kind of comes to one's mind? Did you see this in him?
STREETER: No.
O'BRIEN: What was he like?
STREETER: While we were together, he was very caring, very loving. He did what he needed to do to provide for us as a husband and wife and a couple.
O'BRIEN: You never saw any violence in him?
STREETER: Not directly, no. No.
O'BRIEN: What do you mean not directly? That's kind of a -- what does that mean? What did you see indirectly?
STREETER: Just one time we did get into a very violent fight back in '94. And the state had charges both with domestic violence and then they dropped it a month later.
O'BRIEN: Why did you end up getting divorced?
STREETER: Irreconcilable differences, just feelings that he didn't love me and I didn't love him. Communication problems.
O'BRIEN: There are some people who say that Smith's current wife asked for a divorce on the day that Carlie Brucia disappeared.
STREETER: Right.
O'BRIEN: Do you think this would be something that could trigger him to doing something horrible?
STREETER: I think anything is possible.
O'BRIEN: What was he like when you said I want a divorce?
STREETER: Upset, sad, sad. Not really violent, just upset. Sad.
O'BRIEN: You said you think anything is possible.
STREETER: Right.
O'BRIEN: That his wife of six years saying I want out, it's over, could have sent him into a spiral?
STREETER: Yes, because they do have kids together. That might have triggered something in him.
O'BRIEN: Three young children.
STREETER: Yes.
O'BRIEN: What he is being accused of is so horrible and so monsterish, it seems shocking when you describe him as a loving, kind human being. And obviously none of this has gone to trial. He has not been proven guilty of anything.
STREETER: Right.
O'BRIEN: Did you -- I guess I'm curious to know, was there ever any signs?
STREETER: No.
O'BRIEN: He had a lengthy criminal record, 13 arrests in 1993 alone.
STREETER: Right.
O'BRIEN: What was he arrested for while you two were married?
STREETER: Previous to our, before we met he was, I guess, arrested for assault and battery. I did know about that, but I stood beside him.
O'BRIEN: Anything while you were married?
STREETER: No. Nothing, except for the fact that us both got arrested for domestic violence. But that's it.
O'BRIEN: Are you surprised then by these charges? STREETER: By the kidnapping and murder? Yes. Yes, I am.
O'BRIEN: Because it doesn't sound anything like the guy you knew?
STREETER: No. No.
O'BRIEN: Was -- what would you like to see happen to him? I mean you say you're surprised, it was nothing like him, yet you think he's absolutely guilty in your mind. What do you think should happen?
STREETER: I think he should pay the ultimate price.
O'BRIEN: Which means what?
STREETER: Death.
O'BRIEN: You think he should be put to death?
STREETER: Yes. If without a doubt evidence, DNA, a hundred percent says he's guilty, then, yes.
O'BRIEN: What would cause someone to do this? Someone who you are describing -- I mean you were married to him. You know him better than 99.99 percent of the people out there.
STREETER: Right. Right.
O'BRIEN: What would make someone do this to a child?
STREETER: I think drugs took a factor in that, too.
O'BRIEN: Drugs took a factor?
STREETER: Yes.
O'BRIEN: Does he have a history of drug abuse?
STREETER: I wouldn't say abuse, but he's, he's done it. He's done drugs.
O'BRIEN: Julie Streeter, thanks for talking with us.
It's obviously a horrible case.
STREETER: Right.
O'BRIEN: And I know that you have certainly sent out your regards to the family that's mourning the loss of their little girl these days.
STREETER: Yes.
O'BRIEN: So thanks for being with us.
STREETER: You're very welcome. O'BRIEN: And we appreciate your time.
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 February 10, 2004 - 09:13 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Florida Governor Jeb Bush says he may call for a review of the state's probation laws after the abduction and killing of 11-year-old Carlie Brucia. Carlie's family has called for such a review. Governor Bush says her accused killer should not have been on the streets and records show that the suspect in the case, Joseph P. Smith, is a repeat offender who violated parole at least twice.
Julie Streeter is Joseph Smith's ex-wife and she says her heart goes out to the Brucia family. She believes her ex-husband is guilty.
She joins us this morning.
Nice to see you.
Thanks for being with us.
JULIE STREETER, EX-WIFE OF JOSEPH SMITH: Good morning.
O'BRIEN: I know this is pretty hard for you to talk about, so we appreciate your time.
STREETER: Yes.
O'BRIEN: You say you believe your ex-husband is guilty.
Why?
STREETER: I feel that he is, just the surveillance videos, constantly watching that. I do believe that was him on the video -- on the car wash video.
O'BRIEN: Did you watch that videotape? It aired on the news.
STREETER: Yes.
O'BRIEN: It aired everywhere, nationally and internationally, as well.
STREETER: Yes.
O'BRIEN: Did you say oh my goodness, that's Joe, the first time you saw it?
STREETER: Not at first, no. I had to watch it a few times. After watching it a few times I realized, yes, that was Joe.
O'BRIEN: And what did you do?
STREETER: I was in shock, speechless, just didn't have any words.
O'BRIEN: Did you call authorities and say I think I know who this guy is?
STREETER: No. The FBI actually contacted me.
O'BRIEN: And what did they want to know from you?
STREETER: They wanted to know anything I could tell them about where he might go or any places he might have hung out while we were together.
O'BRIEN: Were you able to give them any kind of assistance? I mean it's been a while. You were married in 1994. You got divorced a couple of years later.
STREETER: Right. Right.
O'BRIEN: Were you able to help them out at all?
STREETER: I don't think so. I did what I could. I told them places that he might have gone that we went, but that had nothing to do with the church.
O'BRIEN: When the FBI contacted you, were you surprised or was this something that you had seen in your ex-husband, any kind of thing in him where he, a violent sort of -- I mean I think the word monster kind of comes to one's mind? Did you see this in him?
STREETER: No.
O'BRIEN: What was he like?
STREETER: While we were together, he was very caring, very loving. He did what he needed to do to provide for us as a husband and wife and a couple.
O'BRIEN: You never saw any violence in him?
STREETER: Not directly, no. No.
O'BRIEN: What do you mean not directly? That's kind of a -- what does that mean? What did you see indirectly?
STREETER: Just one time we did get into a very violent fight back in '94. And the state had charges both with domestic violence and then they dropped it a month later.
O'BRIEN: Why did you end up getting divorced?
STREETER: Irreconcilable differences, just feelings that he didn't love me and I didn't love him. Communication problems.
O'BRIEN: There are some people who say that Smith's current wife asked for a divorce on the day that Carlie Brucia disappeared.
STREETER: Right.
O'BRIEN: Do you think this would be something that could trigger him to doing something horrible?
STREETER: I think anything is possible.
O'BRIEN: What was he like when you said I want a divorce?
STREETER: Upset, sad, sad. Not really violent, just upset. Sad.
O'BRIEN: You said you think anything is possible.
STREETER: Right.
O'BRIEN: That his wife of six years saying I want out, it's over, could have sent him into a spiral?
STREETER: Yes, because they do have kids together. That might have triggered something in him.
O'BRIEN: Three young children.
STREETER: Yes.
O'BRIEN: What he is being accused of is so horrible and so monsterish, it seems shocking when you describe him as a loving, kind human being. And obviously none of this has gone to trial. He has not been proven guilty of anything.
STREETER: Right.
O'BRIEN: Did you -- I guess I'm curious to know, was there ever any signs?
STREETER: No.
O'BRIEN: He had a lengthy criminal record, 13 arrests in 1993 alone.
STREETER: Right.
O'BRIEN: What was he arrested for while you two were married?
STREETER: Previous to our, before we met he was, I guess, arrested for assault and battery. I did know about that, but I stood beside him.
O'BRIEN: Anything while you were married?
STREETER: No. Nothing, except for the fact that us both got arrested for domestic violence. But that's it.
O'BRIEN: Are you surprised then by these charges? STREETER: By the kidnapping and murder? Yes. Yes, I am.
O'BRIEN: Because it doesn't sound anything like the guy you knew?
STREETER: No. No.
O'BRIEN: Was -- what would you like to see happen to him? I mean you say you're surprised, it was nothing like him, yet you think he's absolutely guilty in your mind. What do you think should happen?
STREETER: I think he should pay the ultimate price.
O'BRIEN: Which means what?
STREETER: Death.
O'BRIEN: You think he should be put to death?
STREETER: Yes. If without a doubt evidence, DNA, a hundred percent says he's guilty, then, yes.
O'BRIEN: What would cause someone to do this? Someone who you are describing -- I mean you were married to him. You know him better than 99.99 percent of the people out there.
STREETER: Right. Right.
O'BRIEN: What would make someone do this to a child?
STREETER: I think drugs took a factor in that, too.
O'BRIEN: Drugs took a factor?
STREETER: Yes.
O'BRIEN: Does he have a history of drug abuse?
STREETER: I wouldn't say abuse, but he's, he's done it. He's done drugs.
O'BRIEN: Julie Streeter, thanks for talking with us.
It's obviously a horrible case.
STREETER: Right.
O'BRIEN: And I know that you have certainly sent out your regards to the family that's mourning the loss of their little girl these days.
STREETER: Yes.
O'BRIEN: So thanks for being with us.
STREETER: You're very welcome. O'BRIEN: And we appreciate your time.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
