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Nancy Grace
Breaking News in Caylee Anthony Case
Aired January 05, 2009 - 20:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
NANCY GRACE, HOST: And also tonight, Jane, we learned that John Travolta, Hollywood megastar, goes to the Bahamas for new years with his family and his young son die, tragically and unexpectedly. And Jane, the public clamoring for the autopsy report, which is so wrong.
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, CNN HEADLINE NEWS ANCHOR, ISSUES: Yeah. Thank you very much, Nancy. Can`t wait to hear it. "Nancy Grace" starts right now.
GRACE: Breaking news tonight in the desperate search for a beautiful two-year-old beautiful Florida girl, Caylee. Six months of searching, culminates when skeletal remains found in a heavily wooded area just 15 houses from the Anthony`s home confirmed, those of little Caylee. Manner of death, homicide. The little girl`s remains completely skeletonized making cause of death nearly impossible to determine.
Orange County investigators literally on hands and knees for days searching, searching for hundreds of tiny undeveloped bone. This, after a utility meter reader stumbles on a garbage bag and a skull. A tiny human skull literally rolls out covered in light-colored hair. Hair still intact because a thick industrial duct tape wrapped around the child`s head.
Bombshell tonight, Casey Anthony`s private investigators at that crime scene weeks before the little remains ever reported to police. Why? Just what information led them there? How`d they know to go there? What did they see? The whole thing reportedly caught on tape. But did the private eye record over the tape? Why? Why did they destroy the tape? What was on that tape? Did the defense discover Caylee`s remains weeks before police, and then keep it quiet? Does this tie the tot mom directly to her daughter`s body? Was the video destroyed to cover up? Investigators want that tape, but defense is throwing up road blocks. Why?
And tonight, another bombshell. Reports surface tot mom researched an episode of the TV show, "One Tree Hill" where a little child is kidnapped by -- the nanny. And also we learn tonight the tot mom gets a special OK to view Caylee`s funeral on TV. This, as Caylee`s remains sit all alone at a funeral home. What`s the hold up on a proper funeral service? When will this child be laid to rest? Tot mom Casey Anthony`s Christmas behind bars as her parents mourn little Caylee, the tot mom takes time to order up more treats for herself.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Breaking developments in the case of two-year-old Florida toddler Caylee Anthony whose remains were found just yards from her own home. Investigators want to speak with two private investigators in the same area as the remains almost a month before the skull and bones of little Caylee were actually found.
According to one the private investigators the visit to the site on November 15th was videotaped. Raising questions about what was that secret recording.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The obvious implication is that perhaps they knew something. And then the question comes, who told them to go there? This Jim Hoover(ph) is reportedly worked for the Anthony family at that time. The question is, did the Anthonys know more about this location than they are saying? Did they know there was something up with this location a month before little Caylee`s remains were found?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Your gut tells you that she`s close or -- she`s hiding?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She`s not far. I know in my heart she`s not far. I can feel it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just know that I know she`s close. I can feel her.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GRACE: And tonight, Hollywood megastar John Travolta and his family travel to their luxury home in the Bahamas and tragedy strikes. Reports that Travolta`s young son suffers an unexpected death. What happened there in the Bahamas? We are waiting for autopsy results. Why did Travolta`s teen son in the prime of his life die, and why is the public clamoring for the boy`s autopsy report? Shouldn`t anything remain private?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: An autopsy was performed today on the young son of superstar actor John Travolta, who died while on vacation with his family. Sixteen-year-old Jett Travolta was found unconscious Friday in the bathroom after reportedly striking his head on the bathtub after a seizure.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Local police say the 16-year-old was found unconscious in the bathroom and could not be revived.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was a seizure and that will was it. He had a history of seizures and he fell and hit his head.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Jett was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. According to the family`s attorney Jett had a history seizure and was chronically ill since being diagnosed with Kawasaki syndrome when he was two years old. The body is expected to be moved in the coming hours. Funeral arraignments have not yet been finalized.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GRACE: Good evening. I`m Nancy Grace. I want to thank you for being with us.
Tonight, a bombshell, tot mom Casey Anthony`s family`s private eye investigates and videos the crime scene weeks before police find Caylee`s remains. Why were they there? And did they destroy the video?
Stunning developments in the case of two-year-old Florida toddler Caylee Anthony whose remains were found less than half a mile from her home. Authorities are working to learn more about a secret videotape taken of two private investigators at the remains site a month before the skull and bones were found. One the private investigators is a former member of the tot mom`s Casey Anthony`s defense team and was later hired by the Anthony family to investigate live sightings of the toddler.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There is a man with a video camera. That man is Jim Hoover and that is the man saying, I have that video from the crime scene, but there was no body. So close in time to when those remains were found.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What I do know is that Hoover`s cell phone, some still photos, and the tape, according to what he told one of the media people there in Orlando had been confiscated by the FBI.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This development about the videotape is huge in this case. How would somebody know to go out there?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I truly, truly love that little girl. I miss her so much.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You are protecting Caylee, are you protecting me, or are you protecting you?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And I`ve made an agreement I`m going to start writing letters. I`m going do it today. I`m going to write individual letters to each of you. Send them through the mail, through the jail mail.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don`t want to wait through the mail, darling.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`m protecting our family, yes.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GRACE: Yeah, I wonder how that letter writing campaign is going tonight. Bombshells in the search for little Caylee. As you know, her remains found just 15 homes away from the Anthony`s home. Is it possible that a PI working for the Anthony family actually found the remains weeks before it was reported to police? Did they video the scene? And did they destroy the video? Straight out to Drew Petrimoulx with WDBO.
What can you tell me?
DREW PETRIMOULX, REPORTER, WDBO: Well, here`s what happened. On November 15 Dominic Casey and James Hoover both went out that wooded area.
GRACE: Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Who are they? Do either of them work for the Anthony family?
PETRIMOULX: James Hoover was a security guard for the Anthony family, but he is also a private investigator. Dominic Casey, worked at that time for Jose Baez, who is Casey Anthony`s defense attorney. They went out there --
GRACE: OK, so one works for the family and one work for the defense attorney?
PETRIMOULX: Exactly.
GRACE: Go ahead.
PETRIMOULX: They went out there -- they went out there to film the area close to where the body was found. They said that they were looking for -- following up on a tip from one of Casey`s friends. At that time -- later, the remains were found there. James Hoover made a comment that he had a tape from that day that proved that the remains were not there on that date. Dominic Casey says that`s not entirely true. That they were filming out there, but that the tapes didn`t prove anything. So now there is a discrepancy between these two guys on where they were actually looking, what was actually on this film and then what happened to it, because James Hoover tells Dominic Casey that he in fact taped over it. Now we understand that that tape is in the hands of the FBI. And we`re just waiting to see, obviously, what is on that tape.
GRACE: Out to bounty hunter Leonard Padilla.
Everyone, we are taking your calls live. If this is true, this is a major development in the case. Here is my thinking. If a PI that works for the Anthony family is at the scene weeks before police ever found out little Caylee`s remains are there, what led him there? Why was he there? What was he looking for? Did he find the remains? Did they video this? And above all, why did they destroy that video?
Out to Leonard Padilla, bounty hunter, who allegedly viewed the video. Tell me about it, Leonard?
LEONARD PADILLA, BOUNTY HUNTER: Not allegedly, I viewed it. I saw it around the 16th or the 17th in the evening.
GRACE: Uh-huh.
PADILLA: When Hoover said I have a video, when Dominic called Hoover- - according to Hoover -- Dominic calls him the morning of the 15th. Says, get up here. We`re going to go get Caylee. He says, Hoover says, he asked Dominic. Is she is a live? Dominic says no. She`s deceased. They get up there and that he videoed Dominic down towards - down the road, opposite side of where the body was found.
Now, here`s something that`s very interesting. There`s some paver blocks down there that Hoover mentioned. The paver blocks are not part of the film. But if you look at the tent that was set up over the body, the paver blocks are less than 15 feet from where the body was found.
GRACE: What are paver blocks?
PADILLA: Paver blocks are your building cement puny blocks that you build with.
GRACE: OK. Leonard Padilla, when were you told this information?
PADILLA: The 16th , 17th .of December, about a week --
GRACE: I`m sorry. I couldn`t hear you? When?
PADILLA: About the 16th or 17th of December. I had been there for about a week after the body was discovered.
GRACE: And when you learned this, what, if anything, did you do?
PADILLA: I immediately called Nick Savage. I didn`t want to get caught up in a little econ-type situation, where I had information and I didn`t give it to him. So I contacted him, and I says, you better talk to this guy. I also told Hoover, three times, no less than three times you better contact the authorities, this kind of stuff can cause you problems.
GRACE: OK, and for the viewers, who is Nick Savage?
PADILLA: Nick Savage is the FBI agent in charge of the investigation in Orlando.
GRACE: Everybody, we`ll all be right back.
Does this tie the tot mom directly to her little girl`s remains? Were the Anthony family`s PIs, private investigators, tipped off to go look into this area for the mains before police found them? Will it come into trial?
As we go to break, everyone, our thoughts earn prayers tonight to the family of a very dear friend, Judge Griffin Bell. Bell, the 72nd U.S. attorney general, for the entire country, died this morning, Atlanta, age 90. He was the counselor to presidents, members of Congress, governors, major corporations. He`s credited by many with restoring integrity to the Justice Department after Watergate. I can say I`ve met many, many judges and he is without a doubt the most honorable. He tempered his wisdom with humor. He spoke from his head and his heart. He was on Mercer (ph) University`s board trustees and graduate. He helped create the Mercer School of Medicine. He leaves behind his beloved wife, Nancy, son, Griffin Junior, grandchildren, including Griffin III and Katherine.
The Honorable Judge Griffin Bell. Good night, friend.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have seen private investigator Jim Hoover with a video camera before. But today the focus is on a video he says he recorded of this wooded area where Caylee Marie Anthony`s remains were found about a month before they were found.
ROY KRONK, REPORTED CAYLEE`S REMAINS: I`m a meter reader with Orange County. I noticed something that looks white. I`m not telling you it is Caylee or anything of that nature.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hoover briefly showed one of our photographers a short clip of the videotaped which appeared to be authentic.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you have the videotape?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I know that they`re looking into -- they know the existence of the tape and I know that they want to look at all the evidence that`s available.
GRACE: We are taking your calls live. Out to Kay in Arizona.
Hi, Kay.
CALLER: Hi. How are you, Nancy?
GRACE: I am good. I had the greatest Christmas, ever. The twins loved it. They really didn`t exactly understand what was going on. They liked their wrapping paper more than everything. And completely tore apart the Advent calendar. So there you have it.
CALLER: Oh, you are so blessed. I got to-they said I had to be quick.
GRACE: OK.
CALLER: So my question is, I saw a clip and it was on your program. It was right after Caylee went missing, George got if the car, and he went down the road. The reporters followed him. And it looked like he was going to walk into that area where the baby`s body was found. And he turned around. And when the reporters ask him what he was doing, he said he was pacing out the area where to put the table and things because they were going to have a search. And if I`m right then there is something -- then they know something.
GRACE: You know, Kay, I distinctly recall that clip. Let`s go to Natisha Lance, our producer, who`s been on the case since the get-go. I recall the clip, the video that she`s talking about. But I thought it was in the area where someone claimed they saw tot mom Casey Anthony coming out of the woods.
NATISHA LANCE, NANCY GRACE PRODUCER: Absolutely, Nancy, that`s correct. I remember seeing, too. This was the area that was near the airport where police had -- had all of these cell phone pings from Casey Anthony`s cell phone. But I don`t think it is this area that was at the end of their neighborhood at Suburban Drive.
GRACE: So the caller, Kay in Arizona, is correct. It`s just a different wooded area. I see where she got that idea.
Back out to the lines. Louisiana in Indiana.
Hi, Louise.
CALLER: Hi.
GRACE: Hi, dear, what`s your question?
CALLER: Yeah, just seen a clip where they`re going to allow the mother to view the funeral on television. So obviously they have decided that she would not be allowed to go to the memorial service itself. And do you honestly think that she will actually watch this memorial service from the jail?
GRACE: Louise, I think that if she does watch it and the jail has put a lot of ifs, ands, buts, and maybes on the possibility that she can watch it such as it has to be within a certain time period. It has got to be on a cable access that they have in the jail, blah, blah, blah.
But I guarantee you, if she does watch it, it will be so it can later be said she watched it. Because remember, Louise in Indiana, when the reports came out that these remains had been found, she did not watch. She turned around and walked to her cell. Nobody made her leave. She just left. We also understood there was a very flat affect.
Out to Dr. Lillian Glass, psychologist and body language expert, author of "I Know What You`re Thinking."
The fact that she did not demand to see that TV, that TV report -- if this is correct -- speaks volumes to me.
DR. LILLIAN GLASS, PSYCHOLOGIST: Nancy, you`re so right. It speaks huge volumes, because it`s not a typical reaction of a mother that`s lost a child. And when you look at also the tapes, the jailhouse tapes, when they were allowed to -- she was visiting her parents, you really see who she is. You really see a lot about Casey and she`s very cold and calculating.
GRACE: To Nikki Pierce with WDBO. In addition to this bombshell, the defense may actually have video of the crime scene and then taped over it, I`m understanding that the defense still has not performed the second autopsy. What`s the hold up? They don`t need a judge`s approval. If they want a second autopsy, let`s get it on, so we can have the funeral for this child. Her remains sitting alone in a funeral home.
NIKKI PIERCE, REPORTER, WDBO: You`re absolutely right. And I have no idea. No one has said precisely what the hold up or the issue is. We have to wait for the defense to do the second autopsy that it want so badly to do before there is funeral arraignments made. Now we understand there is going to be a private funeral and then a public memorial service, but none of that can get started until the second autopsy gets finished.
GRACE: To Natisha Lance. Is there any security at that funeral home?
LANCE: No, Nancy, that hasn`t been indicated as far as any security. However, spokespeople at the funeral home did say that they were keeping a watch on these remains. We do know that George and Cindy Anthony did go by and sit with the remains at some point. But no indication that there`s been private security that has been asked to be at the funeral home for the remains.
GRACE: I want to go to a renowned medical examiner, Doctor Joshua Perper, chief medical examiner of Broward County, author of "When To Call The Doctor." You will remember him from the Anna Nicole Smith case. He`s the only one that made any sense during all of that.
Doctor Perper, do you recall that you guys had special security for Anna Nicole Smith`s remains as they were there at the medical examiner`s office. You took great pains to secure her remains because you never know, Doctor Perper, when some tabloid, or who knows, will try to sneak in and get photos.
DR. JOSHUA PERPER, CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER, BROWARD COUNTY: And I think that`s a different situation with this child than with Anna Nicole Smith, because with Anna Nicole Smith there was a newspaper frenzy. And there were some newspapers who basically offered money, almost, for us to release the photographs and we were --
GRACE: Doctor Perper, Doctor Perper, I hate to interrupt you because you are clearly are more of an expert in this field than I am, but I take it that you do not read the tabloids. I guess you don`t pick up "The Enquirer", "The Globe", "The Star", "The Examiner", "The Sun", when you got through the check-out line.
You know you are really giving the human race a lot of credit.
Lillian Glass you don`t think some kooky reporter wouldn`t try to -- or anybody, get in there and take a photo of the inside of the funeral home, or whatever they can get a photo of to try to sell that.
GLASS: Absolutely. Because there is a lot of money for that type of a photograph, so absolutely that is the case.
GRACE: I want to go back to Natisha Lance, our producer, who`s been on the case. I want to go back to this video. What do we know about the video? Are we sure the FBI has the video that the defense took?
LANCE: We are being told that the FBI does have the video but just to correct something, Nancy. Dominic Casey worked for Jose Baez, the attorney for Casey Anthony for a period of time from about July until October. After that time they parted ways and then Casey, Dominic Casey, went to go work for the Anthony family. Now Jim Hoover apparently got in contact with the Anthony family at some point. He decided that he wanted to help out. He offered his services to be security and he became a security guard volunteering his time to the Anthonys
GRACE: So both of these people were in the employ of the Anthony family?
LANCE: Correct.
GRACE: OK, got it.
I want to go out to Anne Bremner and Christopher Amolsch, defense attorneys joining us tonight. Anne Bremner, a high-profile lawyer out of Seattle, Christopher joining us from Washington, D.C.
Anne Bremner, if there wasn`t anything damming on that videotape, why tape over it?
ANNE BREMNER, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Well, you know, who knows. It`s like Rosemary Woods. But I`m still sitting here scratching my head, Nancy. Why don`t these people have loyalty to the clients to not go out and give this information over or talk about it when it could be damming to the family and to Casey Anthony? I mean, I have the question mark above my head.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PADILLA: I was introduced to Hoover back when we bailed out Casey in August. He mentioned to me that he had a film, that he had filmed when Dominic called him on the 15th. And I asked him, I says how can you have a film of the area? He says well, Dominic called me on the 15th. Told me Caylee had been found. Hoover told me that he asked him, is she alive? Says no she`s dead, but we`re going to go get her right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: Out to Drew Petrimoulx, with WDBO.
Drew, if the PI for the Anthony family knew to go to this area, forget the video. OK, just forget what is on the video, forget that it was of the crime scene where her remains were found, that they videotaped over it, forget it. But what led them to that scene? Why were they there? Did the tot mom tell them to go there?
PETRIMOULX: That`s the question. And you know I`ve talked to experts that think that there has to be some kind of connection back to the jail. I know that Leonard Padilla has talked about a woman that -- the guy, the meter reader, who found it knew. So was there a connection back to the jail? That is what experts are trying to figure out right now and honestly both sides have different opinions.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is Orange County Utility emergency dispatch. We found an human skull.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: On Thursday, the 11th, December 11th, during the course of my duties as a county employee, I discovered and reported to my management and the proper authorities the remains of a human body located in the wooded area close to the Suburban Drive and East Orange County.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Please stress to him to please not call attention to the area.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And that would be great just in case it is something. It may be nothing but just in case.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Back in August of this year I had previously reported to CrimeLine and to the sheriff`s communication`s center that I have spotted something suspicious a bag in the same area.
I noticed something that looked white. I`m not telling you it`s Caylee or anything of that nature.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`m going to send this call up. I`m going to take a look at the bag. I also have another phone number that I need you to dial. It`s a phone number set up for anything doing with the Caylee investigation.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What, the tip line?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I really rather would not being a county employee and all that. That`s why I`m talking to you all.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can still do it regardless if you`re a county employee you can remain anonymous.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not if they find a freaking body.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NANCY GRACE, HOST: Straight out to Nikki Pierce with WDBO Radio.
Everyone, we are taking your calls live.
Nikki, is it true that police have uncovered a Google search of the tot mom`s computer looking up "One Tree Hill," the TV series? The 100th episode, where a little girl, a child is kidnapped by the nanny?
NIKKI PIERCE, REPORTER, WDBO RADIO: That`s true. In the middle of all of those Google searches that were previously referenced where neck- breaking was researched, along with how to make weapons out of household chemicals and how to make chloroform and all of that.
Right smack in the middle of those was search for "One Tree Hill`s" 100th episode which does feature a nanny stealing a baby from a family.
GRACE: Out to the lawyers, Anne Bremner, Seattle, Christopher Amolsch, Washington, D.C.
Christopher, if that doesn`t give her a seat on the hell train, I don`t know what does.
CHRISTOPHER AMOLSCH, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: What -- well, how do we know that she`s the one who did the Google search? I mean has anyone ever confirmed that she is the one who`s actually.
GRACE: That`s all you got?
AMOLSCH: Well, she`s the only one who don`t.
GRACE: That`s you all got.
AMOLSCH: What else is there, Nancy? There -- all there is a Google search by anybody who had access to her computer, looking up all of these thing, and nobody has tied it to her. Nobody.
GRACE: OK.
AMOLSCH: Tell me how -- tell me how it matters.
GRACE: Natisha Lance, whose computer was it?
NATISHA LANCE, NANCY GRACE PRODUCER: It was the Anthony family home computer.
GRACE: Do we know what time the search was made?
LANCE: We don`t know what time the searches were made but we do know that Cindy Anthony has been taken out of the equation because we know that she was at work at the time. So that would leave George, Lee or Casey.
GRACE: Does Lee live in the home?
LANCE: No, he does not.
GRACE: OK. So we`ve got it down to the grandfather. The grandfather.
LANCE: And he sees that.
GRACE: . and the tot mom whose car had evidence of human remains in it.
Gee, that`s a toughie, Anne Bremner.
ANNE BREMNER, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Well, you know, it`s like the saying, you know, life doesn`t imitate art. It imitates bad TV. I mean, so, you know, this is somewhat like this happened, but this happens in, like, any type of case of child abduction, someone else is involved, et cetera.
It doesn`t mean if she made the search that she`s indeed the one who did it. And neck-breaking, do we know that her neck was broken in this case or anything else?
GRACE: Anne, let me ask you something.
BREMNER: Nancy, that was searched on the computer. I mean.
GRACE: Let me -- and so was chloroform. And so was missing children.
BREMNER: Doesn`t even come into evidence.
GRACE: And so was a story line, a plot line of a TV series where a child was kidnapped by the nanny.
Yes, nothing all on its own.
BREMNER: But you know what, Nancy?
(CROSSTALK)
GRACE: But when you put it all together, Anne, what -- what would you want, Anne? A videotape of the crime itself? Then what would you say? Someone doctored the tape?
BREMNER: Well, absolutely not. But the thing is, I`m just sitting here listening to this case and thinking, you know, out there was all these people working against these people, the family, the mother, the father -- and Casey Anthony. They`re supposed to be working for them and all of these inferences from what she has on the Internet.
GRACE: Nobody is working against the Anthony family. No one on this show is suggesting anyone in that family, the grandparents specifically, have done anything wrong.
BREMNER: No, no, no, Nancy. I`m not saying, I`m not saying that either. What I`m saying is.
GRACE: I guess you`re.
BREMNER: No, their own investigators are coming out and saying things and turning it against them.
GRACE: Just because they won`t lie?
BREMNER: No.
GRACE: What did they turn over? They didn`t turn over anything. The FBI asked for it.
BREMNER: You know, but they don`t have to get it because it`s supposed to be privileged. It`s the oldest privilege there is if, indeed, they, at any time, were involved as part of the team for the defense. You know the oldest defense.
GRACE: Anne, Anne.
BREMNER: If there ever was attorney/client.
GRACE: Under the constitution, Anne.
BREMNER: Yes.
GRACE: I have a pocket constitution right here with me in my purse.
BREMNER: I do. Well, OK.
GRACE: Maybe you should get one.
BREMNER: I have one.
GRACE: Because the constitution keeps -- protects you from having to testify against yourself. But if your defense team, for instance, conducts scientific tests that show you`re guilty you can`t keep those to yourself.
BREMNER: That`s not this. Nancy, that`s not this. They`re out there doing their own investigation. They`re entitle to do and it`s the oldest privilege in the book, older than.
(CROSSTALK)
GRACE: They can investigate all they want to.
(CROSSTALK)
GRACE: That doesn`t mean that the FBI can`t get that tape.
BREMNER: Yes, it does.
GRACE: And another question, out to Michael Sapraicone, former NYPD detective. He is president of Squad Security Inc. in New York.
Michael, why take a video? I mean these guys said it`s reported in all the wires. They were out investigating the crime scene as a teen hangout. Why? Why are they out looking at a teen hangout if they don`t know the remains were there?
MICHAEL SAPRAICONE, FMR. NYPD DETECTIVE PRESIDENT OF SQUAD SECURITY INC.: Well, you`re right, Nancy, it doesn`t make any sense why they were there.
But I`m kind of curious about one -- this meter reader finds this bag in August. What are these guys doing there in November? I mean what happens from August to November? Why doesn`t anybody go back and find that bag? Has the bag been removed?
GRACE: Well, we`ve gone over that many, many times, Michael. The reason -- police did respond immediately. The guy called. He left before police could get there. He called the next day. That was his area. Police came and apparently -- no, they didn`t expect the next day because they thought cadaver dogs had already been there.
On the third day they go out. They do a cursory search and they didn`t get to the area where the bag was and left. Then comes Hurricane Fay. The whole area is under water. Then months later, the meter read is reassigned to the area. He goes back to, just curious to see, did they come check on the bag? He sees the bag and calls again and he stays put until they get there.
That`s the scenario. But what I`m wondering about is why did they video over their video of the crime scene?
SAPRAICONE: Right. Well, it makes no sense. It maybes no sense why would they.
GRACE: It makes sense to me. It makes sense that they were likely covering up what they saw.
SAPRAICONE: Right, but I wouldn`t imagine them videoing it in the first place. There`s no real reason for them to do a video. These are two clowns, basically. I mean, to call them private investigators is ridiculous.
GRACE: You know, I don`t know about that. They were working for the Anthony family. I`m sure the Anthony family knew what they were doing but I want to know why they got -- where they got the information to go to this scene and start investigating before police ever knew about the remains?
Out to the lines, Lil in Ohio. Hi, Lil.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi, Nancy. Thanks for taking my call.
GRACE: Thank you for calling. What`s your question?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, first of all, I just wanted to tell you that your twins are absolutely adorable.
GRACE: Thank you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And my friend and I from -- my friends from Florida, Annie, we`ve been trying to get through to your show since the beginning.
But my question is if Lee Anthony doesn`t have going to hide, why would he need a criminal attorney?
GRACE: Excellent question and note to the New York control room, when Lil in Ohio calls again, please put her through immediately.
Why an attorney if he has nothing to hide?
First of all, Natisha Lance, what`s the status of possible charges against brother Lee Anthony?
LANCE: You know I spoke to the Orange County Sheriff`s Office today and they said that it`s still a possibility that he could get charges. He said the investigators are looking into different things. But the thing that his attorney, Lee Anthony`s attorney, is saying that there is a possibility that he could be charged with conspiring to possibly obstruction of justice, but not intentionally, by accident, because he was doing his own investigating trying to find out what happened to Caylee.
GRACE: His own investigation? His own investigation. That`s just like the tot mom. Way back when, when she was out at Fusian bar dancing up on the stage. That was her investigation.
What was Lee Anthony -- what was his investigation, Natisha?
LANCE: Well, Nancy, if you recall, he was trying to dig deep and ask all those questions of Casey when she was behind bars. He also followed up with a lot of her friends. He made a few phone calls.
I think that he was trying to get to the bottom of finding Caylee and hopefully bring her home, but unfortunately, as we all know, she wasn`t found alive.
GRACE: It`s very hard for me to believe that Lee Anthony is guilty of any wrongdoing. I don`t know if he was relying on what his sister said, however. He could have been misled.
Out to Kathy in Illinois. Hi, Kathy.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi, Nancy. How are you?
GRACE: I`m good, dear, what`s your question?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That`s good. What my question is, is -- does anybody think it`s a little strange that the Anthonys left to go to California to appear on "Larry King" and the next day Caylee`s body was found?
GRACE: And what would your -- what would your analysis of that be, Kathy in Illinois?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, it would be kind of, like, did they know ahead of time? I mean did Casey.
GRACE: OK. You know.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: . like a letter.
GRACE: Kathy, I -- it is highly coincidental. I don`t think they knew anything from anything that we have learned.
What about it, Drew Petrimoulx?
DREW PETRIMOULX, REPORTER, WDBO RADIO: I mean it would seem to me that that would be a coincidence. If they would have any, you know, preview to that knowledge it would obviously mean that they were be involved in some way with getting information from Casey and that they, in fact, knew about the body which would be a huge development in this case and something that I just don`t see -- as very likely.
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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Questions remain about what caused the death of superstar actor John Travolta`s 16-year-old son who was pronounced dead after being found unconscious in the bathroom of the family`s vacation home.
Jett Travolta was last seen heading into the bathroom Thursday night according to police officials in the Bahamas and his body was found Friday morning.
An autopsy was done today in an attempt to determine cause of death. But the results of the testing has not been made public.
The Travolta family had previously said that Jett was diagnosed with Kawasaki syndrome at the age of 2 and the attorney for the family says the boy had a history of seizures.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: There are breaking reports right now out of "Access Hollywood" claiming that the child`s body is to be cremated there in the Bahamas.
Out to Mark Dagostino, senior writer with "People" magazine.
Welcome, Mark. What happened?
MARK DAGOSTINO, SENIOR WRITER, PEOPLE MAGAZINE: Yes, you know there were all kinds of mixed reports here about what was happening with the body, with the cause of death was. Finally, we`re getting some answers.
We have been told now that it was a seizure disorder that was the cause of death. And that -- I think clears up a lot of the mystery here. The idea that he was somehow -- you know, that he -- that he injured his skull and was left for some time.
All of the things that have been floating around the last couple of days, I think they`re kind of being put to bed finally.
GRACE: To Dr. Jennifer Shu, pediatrician and editor of "Baby and Child Health."
Dr. Shu, how does a seizure cause death?
DR. JENNIFER SHU, PEDIATRICIAN, EDITOR OF "BABY AND CHILD HEALTH": Well, that`s the thing, Nancy, is that in and of itself, seizures don`t typically cause sudden death. You can see ongoing seizures, something called status epileptic is where a seizure lasts several minutes and that can deprive the brain of oxygen causing brain damage and eventual death.
You can also aspirate some liquids into the lungs, inhale it and that can cause pneumonia or problems breathing. But more frequently with a sudden death you expect to see some type of injury such as a fall that can cause bleeding in the brain or maybe if you`re driving, there could be a seizure that results in a car crash, or drowning is a very common one in children.
There`s also an entity called sudden unexplained death which might be -- which is what we`re seeing here. And in a small percentage of seizure deaths, we just don`t know what caused the death.
It`s speculated that it might be that the heart stops or that there is just not enough oxygen to the body that we just don`t know.
GRACE: So, Dr. Shu, you`re saying that seizures, in and of themselves, can cause death?
SHU: It can, yes, but usually we don`t see the sudden death except for how I just explained.
GRACE: So it is rare for a seizure alone to cause death?
SHU: Correct. It is rare for seizure.
GRACE: OK.
To Ken Baker with E! News, the executive news editor.
Ken, what about the -- story that the child hit his head due to a seizure?
KEN BAKER, E! EXECUTIVE NEWS EDITOR: Well, to the -- to the previous point before I get on that, I want to say that E! News has confirmed that Jett Travolta was cremated this afternoon.
We confirmed that with the mortuary in the Bahamas and he`s expected to be transported or at least his remains will be transported back to Central Florida, to their home in Ocala where he is expected to be buried later this week.
Now, as far as the -- the questions that remain, now, Mark Dagostino, said that there were a lot of answers today, which is true, but there`s also a lot of questions that the curious amongst us still are wondering if there`s answers to.
Number one, you mentioned the police report indicated that he had fallen in the bathroom and possibly struck his head. The autopsy report today, at least preliminarily, says that there is no indication of any trauma to the head whatsoever.
Now the other question is, there seems to be some debate over how long Jett, who had -- who had apparently special needs, who had a history of seizures, how long he was left unattended?
Now, of course, it is a major tragedy. This could have been an accident that could not have been prevented but at the same time you have to wonder, was he alone for more than 10 hours as the police report indicated? Or was he alone for just a couple of hours?
This is a really sad tragedy and, of course, nothing that we can get answers to is going to bring Jett back. It remains a horrible tragedy and my condolences go out to the family but at the same time for the rest of us who have kids who care for -- kids with special needs even, this is an important question to know, what went wrong?
Was he getting the medication he needed at the time? We were told by representatives for John Travolta.
GRACE: Can I ask you something, Ken Baker? No offense, but unless you`re suggesting wrongdoing on the part of the John Travolta family, why do you think you deserve to know the inner workings of this child`s illness, unless you are pointing a finger at John Travolta tonight.
Why is it our business? It`s their (INAUDIBLE) business. And why is the public clamoring for this child`s autopsy report? Unless there is criminal wrongdoing, it`s nobody`s business.
BAKER: Well, I have to say that I spoke to a source down the Bahamas just this afternoon and they said that, absolutely, there is no foul play. There is no, quote/unquote, "suspicious death" or circumstances around this.
Let`s make that clear.
Now, of course, you know that anytime there`s a high-profile celebrity and anyone in their family goes through a tragedy there`s fascination. Now whether or not we should care, we do as a country, as a culture. We are interested in these things.
GRACE: Well, caring, caring is not what I said. Of course, people care for the suffering of others. But to suggest that we deserve answers, it`s none of our business unless there`s a criminal investigation.
But while I`ve got you, Ken Baker with E! -- executive news editor with E!, I understand that they say the child had Kawasaki syndrome and it`s very, very rare. Many people say the child had autism.
Where does the whole scientology belief fall? I mean, were these seizures a result of either autism or Kawasaki syndrome? And we know they`re Scientologists. Do Scientologists not recognize autism as a legitimate illness, as a legitimate problem?
BAKER: Well, I`m not an expert on scientology but the expert that I spoke to have said that, well, first of all, there`s no evidence whatsoever that Jett Travolta had autism. There`s been a lot of speculation but the Travoltas have insisted that he has not.
All they have said is that he has suffered from seizures in the past.
GRACE: OK.
BAKER: . and that he did have Kawasaki syndrome. However, just let me finish. Kawasaki syndrome, there is no evidence to think that this seizure, this fatal seizure, was somehow related to Kawasaki syndrome which he had when he was 2 years old.
GRACE: OK. What about it, Mark Dagostino?
DAGOSTINO: The -- fact is, that this family was not cutting him off from any kind of medical care. I think that`s one thing the people are confused about here.
You know, the -- people confuse sometimes, I think, scientology with being a Christian scientist who won`t go to a doctor and won`t get a vaccine, and that is not the case here at all.
The fact is, if you`re a Scientologist you go to the doctor, you seek medical treatment, you would take prescriptions, and from what we understand he was receiving medical care from doctors not only in the United States, but from around the world.
And for a significant amount of time he was on an anti-seizure medication that was losing its effectiveness and causing some other side effects in his body.
GRACE: OK.
DAGOSTINO: So they had to take him off of it.
GRACE: Dr. Shu, is this making medical sense to you that Kawasaki syndrome would cause these seizures?
SHU: Well, Kawasaki syndrome basically affects kids 2 to 5 years old, high fever, inflammation of the arteries, usually the arteries that supply the heart. So you could see a heart attack, but typically not seizures.
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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was just -- it was a seizure. And that was it. Had a history of seizures, so that was it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: To Dr. Joshua Perper, chief medical examiner, Broward County.
Dr. Perper, isn`t it true that unless there`s criminal wrongdoing accused autopsy reports usually remain private?
DR. JOSHUA PERPER, MEDICAL EXAMINER, AUTHOR OF "WHEN TO CALL THE DOCTOR": Not in the state of Florida. In the state of Florida they are public record unless the case is under investigation.
GRACE: So unless there is criminal wrongdoing accused or being investigated they do remain private?
PERPER: That`s correct.
GRACE: OK.
PERPER: Until the investigation is completed and then it becomes public record.
GRACE: And what if there is -- what if there is no investigation?
PERPER: Then it`s a public record. We -- we try not to advertise that or not to publicize that, but we don`t have any legal standing to oppose the release of a public record.
GRACE: OK. Out to the lines, Linda in Florida, quickly, Linda, what`s your question?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well I suffered for 14 years from seizures and I`d like to know if one medication didn`t work, why did they not continue to put him on other medications?
GRACE: Ken Baker, what do you know?
BAKER: Well, what we know is that he was on medication and that the parents in consultation with doctors deemed that it wasn`t being effective and maybe even had side effects.
There`s no sign that that was a bad decision at all. It happens with a lot of people who have seizures and have that medications. Sometimes it just doesn`t work and doctors do recommend that they`re better off without it.
GRACE: Everyone, let`s stop now and remember, Army Sergeant First Class Steven Chevalier35, Flint, Michigan, killed Iraq. On a third tour, awarded a Bronze Star for leadership days before he died. As well as many other awards including the Purple Heart.
Described as a born leader with a soft side, loved time with his daughters, even doing their hair. Leaves behind mother Dorothy, brother Brian and grieving wife Geneva and daughters Ashley and Alicia.
Steven Chevalier, American hero.
Thanks to all our guests but especially to you for being with us, and tonight a special good night from Atlanta friends of the show, Chris and Doug.
Everyone, I`ll see you tomorrow night 8:00 sharp Eastern. Until then, good night.
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