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Jane Velez-Mitchell
Surprise Raid on Jackson`s Doctor; Woman Sues Super Bowl Champ Over Alleged Rape
Aired July 22, 2009 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HOST (voice-over): Tonight, breaking news in the Michael Jackson death probe. A swarm of cop cars stage a surprise raid on the Houston office of Jackson`s physician, Conrad Murray. What does the doctor who was with the King of Pop when he died know? Investigators already grilled him twice. Will they get the answers the third time?
Meantime, mom Katherine wants a place at the table for all decisions on Jackson`s estate. Is she ready for a knockdown, drag-out fight?
And a shocking twist in the brutal murder of a Florida couple. The killers were reportedly after a second safe containing 100 grand. But the one they allegedly stole only held children`s prescriptions and family documents. The squad of suspected killers allegedly prepped for the attack for a month. So how did they miss the mother load?
Then, sexy ESPN reporter Erin Andrews is the victim of peeping Tom terror. Some creep shot a secret video of her naked in her hotel room and posted it online. Radar Online claims ESPN suspects the perverted perpetrator was one of their own. In the age of high-tech toys and cyber stalking, is anybody safe?
Plus two-time Super Bowl champion Ben Roethlisberger being sued for alleged sexual assault. But why was there no criminal case? The accuser claims it`s because of a cover-up. We`ll investigate.
ISSUES starts now.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Tonight, colossal developments in the Michael Jackson death probe. A surprise raid on the office of Michael Jackson`s physician, Dr. Conrad Murray. Investigators looking for evidence of manslaughter. The raid went down this morning at Dr. Murray`s Texas office in the northeast section of Houston.
Agents from the DEA, plus detectives from LAPD robbery/homicide, plus local Houston cops armed with a search warrant swarmed Dr. Murray`s offices, looking for, quote, "evidence of the offense of manslaughter," end quote. That according to his attorney. So can we finally call this a homicide investigation already?
The raid, which was, quote, "absolutely a surprise" to Dr. Murray and his lawyer, netted a stack of 21 documents and forensic computer evidence. Just what do investigators think Dr. Murray knows about Michael Jackson`s death? Are they trying to track the source of the powerful surgical knockout drug Diprivan reportedly found in Jackson`s home? Apparently so.
On another front, TMZ is now just reporting that the L.A. County Coroner`s investigator just walked out of the office of nurse Cherilyn Lee, clutching Michael Jackson`s medical records. As you may recall, Nurse Lee told the world that Jackson begged her for the powerful anesthetic.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHERILYN LEE, NURSE CLAIMS SHE TREATED MICHAEL JACKSON: He asked me, he said, "Can you find me a doctor? I don`t care how much money they want. I don`t care what it is they want. I want this drug."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: These dramatic developments on the heels of a growing clamber from some members of the Jackson family who are crying foul play.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you still believe it`s a conspiracy?
LA TOYA JACKSON, SISTER OF MICHAEL JACKSON: It`s murder. I think someone did it. That`s my opinion.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wow.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Did La Toya`s startling statement and Joe Jackson`s repeated claim that something was amiss with Dr. Murray turn up the heat, pushing investigators to act? Some of the superstar`s friends say Jackson`s drug addiction was so out of control it was past the point of no return.
Uri Geller has spoken out in the wake of Jackson`s death.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
URI GELLER, FRIEND OF MICHAEL JACKSON: I screamed at him, and I used the words, "Michael, if you continue this, you will die. Michael, if you don`t stop, this will kill you."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: In the meantime, Dr. Conrad Murray`s attorney says the doctor has to have a body guard 24/7 because he is harassed wherever he goes.
Straight out to my outstanding panel: Firpo Carr, Jackson family friend and former Jackson family spokesperson; Judy Kuriansky, Dr. Judy, clinical psychiatrist; April Woodard, host on BET; Jim Moret, attorney and chief correspondent for "Inside Edition"; and Mike Walters, assignment manager for TMZ.
Mike, you have a break in lots of stories on Dr. Murray and nurse Cherilyn Lee in the last couple of hours. What is the very latest?
MIKE WALTERS, ASSIGNMENT MANAGER, TMZ: Well, let`s start with the surprise raid in Houston, Texas. I hate to say I wasn`t surprised, Jane. We`ve been talking about this for several days. They`re focusing on Conrad Murray. They are investigating a homicide, and, you know, all of a sudden here they are. Thirty cops going in, DEA, Houston, LAPD. They`re getting the files. They`re getting computer data bases; they`re getting files, everything.
Now on the other front like you said, this nurse who claims Michael called her in a panic four days before he passed away to try to get a powerful sedative, including months of Michael calling her, trying to get Propofol and get a doctor.
Now, the coroners here in L.A. almost at the same time was going into her office, getting her files. Apparently, she claims to be a nutritionist for Michael and wasn`t in that sort of business, anything to do with those drugs. But the coroner is taking no stops. He`s going in. They`re getting everything. Ed Winter was at her office today. The DEA and everybody at Murray`s office.
And like you said, I`ve got to say it. Manslaughter was the offense that they were looking for at Denny`s. We`re not charging him. We`re not -- we`re doing nothing of the sort. But it is on paper now. That is what they were looking for. Conrad Murray at his office, there was the search warrant. It`s on paper now, Jane.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, Jim Moret, to get a search warrant, you have to show a judge that probable cause exists that a crime occurred. You go in there and say, "Judge, here`s my evidence. Here`s what I think happened. Here`s what I need to find to prove my case."
What do you think was the evidence that they brought to the judge saying, "Hey, there`s probable cause that a crime was committed here?"
JIM MORET, "INSIDE EDITION": Well, they have the autopsy results, or certainly the preliminary autopsy results. They have not been made public yet. But investigators know a great deal. They haven`t shared it with us, and they may have said, "Look, your honor, these are the drugs that we believe were in Michael Jackson`s system at the time. This was the last doctor who was treating him. We want to see if and when this doctor ever gave those medications to Michael Jackson." Simple as that.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Now April Woodard, what`s fascinating about this is that we got the word "manslaughter," that they were looking for anything that would point to manslaughter, from Dr. Murray`s attorney.
APRIL WOODARD, HOST, BET: Yes.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: And they said they were totally surprised by this that, hey, they`d been in communication with the cops. And they were giving them whatever they needed and that they never even asked for the documents that they ended up walking out with.
WOODARD: Yes, it does seem somewhat suspicious and also that he put a statement so quickly on his Web site about Dr. Murray. But the other thing that`s very interesting about this is that, looking at the computers and the information that they`re able to garner from this forensic computer information. I mean, it`s talking about bank statements, passwords. Anything that was deleted from these computers can also be obtained by doing some, you know, flipping around with the forensics.
So I think it`s going to open up some eyes and open up some information about exactly what was going on, whether it was prescriptions, whether e-mails were sent, even something that was printed from this computer and deleted. We still can find out that -- what happened to him.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right, everyone, stay right there. More on the surprise raid on Dr. Conrad Murray`s office. Plus, Jermaine Jackson`s tearful plea to leave Michael alone when we come back in 30 seconds.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: A surprise raid on the office of Dr. Conrad Murray, the doctor who was with Michael Jackson the day he died. It sent shock waves, the media furiously scrambling to get to the bottom of the story. But as cops investigate and we search for answers, Michael`s family is obviously still grieving. Listen to brother Jermaine on French TV.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JERMAINE JACKSON, BROTHER OF MICHAEL JACKSON: Leave him alone. Stop the crazy names that they call him. Because what more do you have to do to make people realize he`s a human being? His daughter said it all, "My daddy." He was a human being. He was a person. He was a father; he was an uncle; he was a brother. He was a son. And they need to leave him alone.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: You could see the pain on Jermaine`s face, but given that this is an apparent homicide investigation now, how can Jermaine expect his plea to be heard? Firpo Carr, how can we leave Michael Jackson alone when this is a fast-breaking story that involves a suspicious death amid reports of alleged drug abuse?
FIRPO CARR, FORMER JACKSON FAMILY SPOKESMAN: When Jermaine says that, he means leave him alone personally as it were, give him respect, have respect for the dead.
But this should not be a surprise as far as this raid is concerned. Just 24 hours ago, Jane, I told you that this was robbery/homicide division investigating this. I let you know that. I`ve challenged the nurse on national television. So it`s not a surprise to the initiated, only to the uninitiated. This has been clear to me, an insider, all along. Only the world, as I mentioned, only the uninitiated is surprised.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Let`s review what`s been reported about Dr. Conrad Murray as far as how his actions relate to Michael Jackson death time line. Let`s start with the 911 call. Baffling for a whole number of reasons. Listen carefully.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is he on the floor? Where is he at right now?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He`s on the bed, sir. He`s on the bed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK, let`s get him on the floor.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK, let`s get him down to the floor. I`m going to help you with CPR right now...
Did anybody see him?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, we have a personal doctor here with him, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, you have a doctor there?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: First of all, CPR should be administered on a hard surface. And apparently, Michael Jackson was on a bed.
Secondly, Dr. Judy Kuriansky, the fact that a doctor was in the house didn`t come up until the end of the call, almost as if they were afraid to mention that a doctor was there. And according to one published report, Dr. Conrad Murray told cops he didn`t call 911 right away, because he didn`t know the address of the home. He had his own room in the mansion. How could he not have known the address of the home?
DR. JUDY KURIANSKY, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST: This is the same curiosity, Jane, as happened with Heath Ledger`s death, when there was that time line and that missing time.
I`m a little concerned right now with the doctor`s mental health. Everyone is pointing the finger at him. Whether or not he is culpable, this man is really on the hot seat. Not only from a professional standards point of view, but the entire public. And, in fact, legally and emotionally, I`m worried about his mental state, his depression right now. Anybody in this situation would be thinking how am I going to get out of this? And might even be suicidal.
CARR: Well, you know, there must be something said about also that 911 call. The way the LAPD works is, if you dial 911, your address comes up on the screen automatically. You don`t have to know the address. So that`s suspicious right there.
And also, keep in mind this. There was a lag time before 911 was even called. So there are some very suspicious circumstances going on here. And I guarantee you, as I stated before, robbery/homicide division will get to the bottom of it.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right, everyone. Don`t go anywhere. We are all over this truly unbelievable turn of events in the Jackson death probe. Is Dr. Conrad Murray hiding something? Give me a holler at 1-877-JVM-SAYS, 1- 877-586-7297. Sound off.
Then the people who apparently killed a Florida couple for a safe may have missed the mother load, as it were. Another safe containing 100 grand was reportedly not picked up by the perpetrators in that home. We`re going to tell you all about it and analyze the significance.
But first, cops mount a surprise raid for evidence of manslaughter in the office of Michael Jackson`s doctor. Cops have been investigating the star`s doctor ever since his untimely death.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you getting cooperation from the doctor?
CHIEF BILL BRATTON, LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT: I won`t speak to the intimacies of the investigation. It`s policy. We are speaking to and will speak to a number of physicians of Mr. Jackson.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE JACKSON, FATHER OF MICHAEL JACKSON: You don`t take a doctor and stick him in the room there and the doctor give him something to make him rest and then you don`t wake up no more. Something is wrong there.
LARRY KING, HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": Are you implying, then, the doctor committed foul play?
JOE JACKSON: Something went wrong. Something went wrong, Larry. Because when they tried to bring Michael back, he was dead.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Joe Jackson not holding back as he shares his theory about the death of his son, the super star, on "LARRY KING LIVE."
I`m back with my panel. Phone lines jam packed. Jerry in Louisiana, your question or thought, sir.
CALLER: Yes, I`ve noticed a lot of people are always mentioning a will, but did Michael have a life insurance policy? And if so, who`s the beneficiary? And second, are the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- murder scenario because that would nullify the policy but like an assisted suicide.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Wow, well, Jim Moret, you want to take a crack at that one?
MORET: I`m not aware of a life insurance policy, but let`s face it. This estate is in the hundreds of millions of dollars. No life insurance policy -- any life insurance policy would be dwarfed by that.
And no, I think that the Jacksons are legitimately concerned that, as Joe Jackson said, and it may be one thing that everyone agrees with, something is wrong. He has a doctor there, he dies. Something is wrong. It doesn`t necessarily mean it was criminal or foul play, but something happened. But I`m not aware of a life insurance policy.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, let`s take a look, Firpo Carr, at some of the other little bits of evidence we have. We have the matter of the car that was registered to Dr. Murray`s sister. It was towed from the property where Michael Jackson had been living on the very night that he died. We have to wonder what were cops looking for? What was found in there?
You have La Toya and Joe Jackson, both stating when they went to look for Dr. Murray at the hospital he disappeared. And that`s a quote. Now Dr. Murray hasn`t commented on that, except to say he has fully cooperated with the investigation.
So what do you make of all of that?
CARR: What I make of that is a very smelly, fishy story. That`s what I make of it, and that`s what the family makes of it.
Let me tell you something about this whole investigation. As I stated time and time again, and let me say it again, I went to detective school in LAPD. I know the principals, that is Commander Powell Jackson (ph), the head of the commander -- I know all of that. I know what`s going on here.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: OK, what...
CARR: They can`t say a whole lot. There`s a homicide going on here.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes, OK. Mike Walters, there was all this talk about whether or not it was a homicide. You guys, TMZ said it was a homicide, and everybody was like no, it`s not. Now we find out they`re looking for evidence of manslaughter.
WALTERS: OK, I`ll paint the picture for you. I know what you`re asking here. OK, the car gets towed. That Saturday they talk to Dr. Murray. They get a search warrant for the house because of what he said. Again, maybe a crime was committed, probable cause.
I`m telling you, TMZ`s telling everybody, look, Dr. Murray administered Propofol to Michael Jackson, a powerful anesthesia that should never should be outside of a hospital, and it was in his house.
And then, all of this coming full circle. Propofol is what is going to be the primary cause of Michael Jackson`s death. So there`s your circle. There`s the picture painted. It`s -- they`re going in that direction. Whether he gets charged...
CARR: Absolutely.
WALTERS: ... I don`t want to convict him.
CARR: Yes.
WALTERS: That`s what`s happening here.
CARR: Absolutely.
WALTERS: They`re looking for the evidence of Propofol. They`re looking for evidence of manslaughter. They`re looking for evidence of anyone that caused Michael Jackson`s death or had reckless regard for human life in any form. That`s what they`re doing.
CARR: He is absolutely -- he`s absolutely correct. He`s absolutely correct. And I`d like to add to that. You might as well say if someone else didn`t do this -- if Michael Jackson didn`t die at the hands of another person, Michael Jackson committed suicide by shooting himself in the head ten times.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: A couple of things. We don`t know what happened behind closed doors. He hasn`t been charged with anything. We would love to get Dr. Murray`s side of the story. Dr. Murray or your lawyers, you want to come on our show and tell your side, you are welcome any time.
But let me ask Jim Moret, hypothetically speaking, often when you have a situation like this, you follow the money. Now, I have read published reports that Dr. Murray had experienced financial difficulties, including a bankruptcy, as well as several tax liens. What do you know?
MORET: Well, that, Jane, that may tell you why he would accept a job for $150,000 a month. But I don`t want to imply or lead anyone to believe that I`m suggesting that Dr. Murray intentionally killed Michael Jackson. We don`t know what happened.
We know investigators are looking at Dr. Murray, because he was the last doctor there and on the premises when Michael Jackson died. They want to see if he died from Propofol and if Dr. Murray gave it to him.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: April, what do you think`s going to happen next? We`ve got ten seconds.
WOODARD: I think we`re going to see more raids going on. There may be one in Las Vegas. We`re going to see other doctors being raided, as well. And I think we`re going to get more information on this autopsy. Hopefully, we`ll find out what caused Michael Jackson to die.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Thank you, fantastic panel, for your insights.
Obviously, addiction is a chronic illness in America. And in my new book, "I Want," I lay out my own personal battle with this disease and my long struggle to get sober. It`s a recovery memoir due out this fall, but you can preorder your copy right now. Just click on CNN.com/Jane and look for the preorder section. It`s my very personal story, and I can guarantee there are things in there that will definitely surprise you.
Up next on ISSUES, NFL superstar Ben Roethlisberger being sued for alleged sexual assault, but why was there never a criminal case? We`ll debate it next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: In the spotlight tonight, NFL quarterback Ben Roethlisberger`s accuser is speaking out. Andrea McNulty, who is suing the Super Bowl champ for alleged sexual assault, claims she tried to report it.
According to McNulty, Roethlisberger forced her to have sex in the Lake Tahoe hotel where she worked. According to TMZ, after the incident, she told the head of security at the hotel, but he allegedly didn`t help. She claims he told her that she was overreacting and that, quote, "most girls would be lucky to have sex with somebody like Ben Roethlisberger," end quote.
McNulty, seen here in a picture on TMZ.com, also says her job was threatened when she reportedly alleged rape, but the question remains if a sexual assault, in fact, occurred, why didn`t she go to the cops? And today authorities announced they would not begin a criminal investigation into this assault.
So, I think, the big question is why did she wait until now to sue Ben Roethlisberger for more than $300,000?
Straight to Judge Karen Mills-Francis, host of "The Judge Karen Show."
Judge Karen, what do you make of the fact -- how you doing -- that McNulty never filed a criminal complaint?
JUDGE KAREN MILLS-FRANCIS, HOST, "THE JUDGE KAREN SHOW": You know, Jane, you`d be surprised at the number of victims of sexual battery who never report a claim. And I know that at first glance most people would think, "Well, maybe nothing really happened. That`s why she waited."
But I actually read the complaint. The "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette" has the complaint on their Web site, and she states in her complaint that after it happened she was so shocked about it, when she went home, the middle of the night, the next morning she reports it to the chief of security, and he tells her what you just said. "Well, most girls would have been happy to have sex with him." And apparently the president of Harrod`s...
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes, OK. I just want to say one thing.
MILLS-FRANCIS: Yes.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: We have not been able to reach the hotel in question, but we certainly want to get their side of the story, and we`d be very happy to have their representatives on to talk about it. And we also want to say that Roethlisberger`s attorney flatly denies the woman`s claim, saying he has never sexually assaulted anyone.
Proceed. Go ahead, Judge Karen. Finish your point.
MILLS-FRANCIS: But also this woman has been receiving mental health treatment ever since this thing happened.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: But doesn`t that cut both ways? I mean, listen, we don`t know -- nobody knows what happens behind closed doors, but there`s a lot of things here that cut both ways.
For example, three years ago, Roethlisberger made headlines when he crashed his motorcycle. He wasn`t wearing a helmet. He was thrown into a windshield. He suffered a broken jaw, broken nose, head lacerations, et cetera, from the accident.
Now, you know, by one way of looking at it, you could say, well, he`s got some questionable judgment not wearing a helmet. The other way you can look at it, he`s been in the news a lot, so he`s an easy target.
MILLS-FRANCIS: Yes, but she had a year to bring this lawsuit, if it was just about being an easy target. When I read her complaint, this woman rose rapidly in this organization. I mean, she -- six months she`s promoted to this, and another three months she`s promoted to vice president of this. She had a very high ranking in the organization.
And the allegations in her complaint are that, once she started complaining about what happened with Roethlisberger, she started getting negative reports in her personnel file.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: And again, we have no idea what actually happened. And if anybody`s involved in this -- the hotel, Roethlisberger, their attorneys -- want to come on and talk about it, you have an open invitation.
Judge Karen, thank you.
A Florida couple killed, a safe stolen. New reports, we`ll tell you all about it next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: A shocking twist in the brutal murder of a Florida couple. The killers were reportedly after a second safe containing $100,000. But the one they allegedly stole only held some children`s prescriptions and family documents. How did they miss the mother lode?
Then, sexy ESPN reporter Erin Andrews: the victim of peeping tom terror. Some creep shot a secret video of her naked in her hotel room and posted it online. In the age of high-tech toys and cyber stalking, is anybody safe?
A stunner tonight in the double murder of Byrd and Melanie Billings: that Florida couple shot dead in their home. While their many special needs children slept nearby, seven men dressed in ninja garb shot the pair and fled the home with a safe. That safe reportedly had nothing of value in it.
But tonight, a shocker: a source tells CNN that there was another safe in the house that the robbers couldn`t get to. Inside of that safe -- $100,000 reportedly, according to the source.
The sheriff was asked about it last night on Anderson Cooper, but he is keeping mum.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERIFF DAVID MORGAN, ESCAMBIA COUNTY, FLORIDA: I can only confirm the items that we have recovered or that -- excuse me, that we know were removed from the Billings home and that was a small mid-sized safe and a black briefcase.
JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: You`re saying there was not a second safe or that you just can`t confirm that, sir?
MORGAN: I`m saying, sir, that I`m not at liberty to address that issue.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Meantime, the attorney for the family called a surprise press conference today to address the issue of money, possibly inside the Billings` home.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CRYSTAL SPENCER, BILLINGS FAMILY ATTORNEY: The existence of a lot of money, I don`t know what a lot of money means. I mean, I`ve heard some outrageous amounts of money being put forth. And certainly, again, I call it just that, outrageous.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: The attorney also says the Billings may have donated money to the alleged organizer of the murders, Leonard Patrick Gonzalez Jr., but that donation was less than $1,000. That it was for this -- sort of, what would you call it karate class or a protection class, self-defense class.
Plus a second suspect comes forward and says Gonzalez Jr., was the sole shooter.
So much to cover tonight. Straight out to my outstanding expert panel: Stacey Honowitz, Florida prosecutor; David Schwartz, criminal defense attorney; Steve Kardian, a former criminal investigator and director of Defend University; and by phone, T.J. Hart, program and news director, WSKY 97.3 FM, Gainesville, Florida.
T.J., what is the very latest?
T.J. HART, PROGRAM & NEWS DIRECTOR, WSKY 97.3 FM, GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA: The very latest is this still could have still been not only a home invasion robbery, but also a hit, a possible hit that was placed on the Billings and that has not been taken off the table according to the sheriff.
And of course, let`s go back to the mastermind here, Patrick Gonzalez Jr., who you just mentioned had that self-defense outlet there in the area.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes.
HART: Well, his relationship with Pamela Wiggins, his landlord, is also starting to come to light here too. We`re starting to find out that he would come to her house and come and go as he pleased, so we think that the relationship there may have really pulled this whole group of seven or eight people together on this.
The outstanding thing that we`ve learned here today is that, not only did these people practice this robbery attempt over 30 days ago, but they did it at the same house, at their house, but ironically, the video cameras never caught it. So we`re finding that after they do...
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, it doesn`t all make sense.
And I think Stacey Honowitz, you`re the prosecutor. Watching this and listening to the sheriff who has done a fantastic job up until now, but we`ve now reached a point where it`s like tell us the story already. Because the speculation is doing more damage to this family`s peace of mind than the truth; imaginations are always worse than reality.
So he has to know more than he`s saying. I mean, how can we have sources saying there was a safe inside -- a second safe inside the home with $100,000 and he`s saying I can`t comment either way? He`s got to know more than he`s saying.
STACEY HONOWITZ, FLORIDA PROSECUTOR: Yes, he probably knows a lot. But you know what? We don`t have to know everything right now.
It is terrible that there`s speculation to the family that you`re going to hear things that don`t sound too nice, but the bottom line is he`s doing what he needs to do and that`s keeping the investigation close to the vest because, Jane, as you know, they still have other suspects -- not suspects, but people of interest that they need to talk to.
And so the most important thing when you have an investigation is to keep it under wraps, when you`re still trying to figure out and wrangle in everybody who was involved. So while it sounds horrible to have to cast aspersions on this family that is no longer here...
(CROSS TALK)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: But look, Stacey, if there was $100,000 in a second safe, why not just confirm that? Because to say, well, I can`t comment either way when we`ve already talked ad nauseum about the first safe, it just adds fuel to the fire in my humble opinion. I think it would be better to clarify it one way or another since the story is out there.
HONOWITZ: Because if he clarifies something now that`s going to be -- the next time, you know, a fact is out there or speculation`s out there, the same thing`s going to happen. So now we have to confirm this, now we have to confirm -- the bottom line is, you have an ongoing investigation.
DAVID SCHWARTZ, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: So Stacey --
HONOWITZ: There`s no reason to talk about it. That`s what it is.
SCHWARTZ: He shouldn`t be talking in the first place, then. Either you say nothing or you give the people...
HONOWITZ: That`s not true. David, you know that...
VELEZ-MITCHELL: David, go ahead.
SCHWARTZ: And let me tell you something. This whole thing about a hit; yes, I`m going to go hire seven people in a ninja costume to perform a hit. That is ridiculous.
HART: They`re real, even.
SCHWARTZ: This is absolutely insane.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I think a hit makes a little bit of sense, Steve Kardian...
SCHWARTZ: No, again...
HONOWITZ: I didn`t know you were an expert in hits. There`s so many -- there are so many...
STEVE KARDIAN, DEFEND UNIVERSITY: It is a rarity...
(CROSS TALK)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. Guys, I`m going to have to use my gavel.
Steve Kardian, here`s what I don`t understand. It seems like it took -- and I was the first to compliment the sheriff`s department, incredible work. You arrest seven suspects and then eight in a very, very short period of time, but now it`s been a week since the last arrest and we`ve been talking about this other person of interest who apparently was the person who essentially sabotaged the operation of these knuckle heads, allegedly, and failed to disable the security video system so that the entire crime was caught on tape. Why is it taking them so long to find that individual?
KARDIAN: Jane, they have a number of people that are of interest. And I`m sure that they`re going to make an arrest in that case very soon.
But with regard to the hit, it is a rarity to have eight people involved in a murder investigation hit for hire, if you will, but it`s not beyond comprehension.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. Now just Friday, the attorney for the billings family said the safe that was stolen contained nothing of value. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SPENCER: As a result of the intense speculation regarding the motive of the crime, I have been authorized to tell you that the safe that was removed from the Billings` home contained only children`s prescription medication, important family documents, and some jewelry of sentimental value.
Hopefully this will put to rest the intense speculation and rumors that are swirling about the Billings family.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: But it didn`t put it to rest, David Schwartz, because now we learned from sources there was another safe containing allegedly $100,000 in the home that the suspects did not find.
SCHWARTZ: Yes, I mean, it goes towards my earlier comment that either you`re going to give out nothing to the world or you`re going to tell the people the truth. You can`t go out there and give false statements on television as to whether or not -- and I don`t know if there was another safe or not, that has not been confirmed.
According to her, though, there is no other safe, but if that is an untrue comment, it`s only going to hurt the case.
HONOWITZ: But David, one thing, and I`m not even going to argue with you on this point.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Go ahead.
HONOWITZ: No, no, no. When there`s an ongoing investigation, you know that they are limited in what they can say. There are always going to be facts thrown out there. He did what he had to do.
I`m not going to confirm, we`re going to wait and see how this unravels. And that`s exactly what he`s doing. We don`t know, maybe there was a safe, everybody wants to know, was there more motive? Because we look at this case and you say it`s bizarre, trained ninjas. They trained a month before. It seems so odd that it would just be over one safe.
So another safe is thrown out there and it kind of makes a little bit of sense, more sense than what we`ve heard.
SCHWARTZ: Are you saying it`s a hit then -- the seven ninjas were performing a hit? He`s protecting the integrity of the investigation.
HONOWITZ: You know, he has to make some comment. He`s giving a press conference, people are asking questions. He has to give a press conference because it`s going on and it`s a huge investigation. But there are certain questions he is not required to answer.
SCHWARTZ: He doesn`t have to hold a press conference, though.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I think it`s all very well and good -- ten seconds, T.J. Hart -- to protect the victims as they should. Nothing would excuse the horror descended on them.
Nevertheless, you can`t just dance around the facts, you`ve got to find all of the facts and let the chips fall where they may to get justice.
HART: Yes, you do, and right now we`re looking into some more of these relationships here as it pertains to Gonzalez who was possibly an employee of Byrd Billings. And also we have to look into some past dealings with Pamela Wiggins and perhaps also some other trades that Mr. Billings was involved in earlier in his life and see where people have crossed paths on that.
That`s part of the big thing going on right now.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: It is a tangled web, and we`re going to try to unravel it in the future. We`ll cover this story on and on until we find the answers.
Everyone, thank you for your insights.
Newly single father of eight Jon Gosselin has a 22-year-old gal pal and she`s opening up about their relationship. Are the two already in love?
Then a pervert videotapes gorgeous ESPN reporter Erin Andrews naked in her hotel room and posts the video online. In the age of cyber stalking and Internet anonymity can we ever have privacy? This is scary. Could it happen to any one of us? Call 1-877-JVM-SAYS; 1-877-586-7297, weigh in.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: A stalking invasion of privacy for a sexy ESPN reporter Erin Andrews. We will analyze this revolting case.
But first, "Top of the Block" tonight: more Jon and Kate drama. Is the newly single father of eight already in love? According to his 22- year-old gal pal, Haleigh Glassman, that very well could be the case. She`s opened up to "People" magazine about her fling with the reality show star.
They started as family friends because she is -- get this -- the daughter of the doctor who did his soon to be ex-wife`s Kate "tummy tuck." Ouch. But now she gushes about their budding romance, how they laugh and joke and how Jon`s a great cook.
I wonder how she feels about his cooking when he was spotted with a blonde bombshell in New York City a couple of days ago.
That is tonight`s "Top of the Block."
Turning now to a scary twist to the peeping tom horror story unfolding for ESPN sideline reporter Erin Andrews: the naked videos of the ESPN hottie shot without her knowledge in her hotel room have landed all over the Internet.
Now reports say ESPN is launching an internal investigation to find out what creep took these nude shots. And according to RadarOnline, the sports network suspects it could be an inside job.
The videos now mostly removed from the Internet were shot in six -- count them six -- different cities. Indicating the peeping tom knew Erin`s schedule and get this, was probably traveling with her. Pretty sick stuff, scary.
In this technologically advanced society, are any of us ever safe from a creep with a camera?
Straight out to my fantastic expert panel: Wendy Murphy, former prosecutor and author of "And Justice for Some;" Stacey Honowitz, Florida prosecutor; and Rhonda Saunders, author of "Whisper of Fear" and L.A. prosecutor.
Wendy, what do you make of this hypothesis, this working theory that the videos were done by somebody who worked with Erin Andrews?
WENDY MURPHY, FORMER PROSECUTOR & AUTHOR, "AND JUSTICE FOR SOME": It makes perfect sense doesn`t it Jane? How else do you explain...
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Exactly.
MURPHY: ...who knew where she was?
Not in general, because maybe everybody who watches ESPN -- and she`s gorgeous, so I know a lot of guys were following her -- and they may have known she was in one state or another, but to know, not only what state, but what city, what hotel, what hotel room she was in?
I think it`s a reasonable inference that it was someone who was working with her, which is good because I`m sure there`s a small number of potential suspects which means there`s a good chance they will solve the crime.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Now, according to TMZ, the naked videos of Erin Andrews were taken from quite possibly the adjoining hotel room, and that means this perv may have drilled a hole in the wall for his spy cam. Additionally, all the reports apparently say that this guy took at least six videos of Erin in six different hotel rooms.
ESPN launching an internal investigation because it seems obvious that somebody traveling with Erin Andrews is the likely suspect.
Now, I want to show you just a still photo of some technology because a lot of us we`re saying, how can you go up to a hotel room door and look in the peephole and then see the other way and actually videotape through that peephole?
Well, that`s called peephole reverse technology right there where you can do precisely that. It`s a high-tech gizmo that allows you a kind of a spy cam thing to put it up to the peephole and it creates sort of a fish- eye lens and allows you to see the room inside.
This is totally scary to me, Rhonda Saunders.
RHONDA SAUNDERS, AUTHOR, "WHISPER OF FEAR": Absolutely and I think it`s something that was done maliciously. Because not only did the person take videos of her, but then posted it all over the Internet.
So it`s as if that person was trying to send her a message of "I`m always here." I mean, it happened six different times when she thought she had privacy. And this is so frightening. So I really think there`s more behind it that this person is saying to her, "I can get to you whenever I want."
VELEZ-MITCHELL: So Stacey Honowitz, what does this person face if they`re caught?
STACEY HONOWITZ, FLORIDA PROSECUTOR: Well, I mean of course on the book now, there`s voyeurism charges and then there`s commercial voyeurism because he`s disseminated the information. And I think the scariest about part of this, you`re so nervous that it`s a stranger, but if in fact, it is a person that travels with her and certainly that scenario is likely, it`s a matter of who can you trust that`s even with you in this close relationship?
So this person will face -- if they can narrow it down and find the person -- and the person will face criminal charges, in some states it`s a misdemeanor and in some states for commercial dissemination, meaning it`s gone all over the Internet, the person`s going to face a felony. So we`re going to have to wait and see.
MURPHY: But can I just jump in?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes.
MURPHY: Because look at the shocking thing here is that, although Stacey`s right, that some states have crimes on the books, the majority are only misdemeanors.
For example, she was reportedly in Nebraska recently and they`re thinking that`s maybe one of the places where she was filmed. It`s a 90- day sentence in Nebraska.
19 states have laws, the rest have nothing. And you think if a guy`s planning to do this as often as he did, he probably did it in states where he knew he wasn`t going to get in a lot of trouble. So I`m not sure we`re going to see anybody locked up, even if we figure out who did it.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: That`s insidious. Well at least let`s hope...
HONOWITZ: Well what happens now...
VELEZ-MITCHELL: ...that somebody loses their job at the very least. Doreen what`s...
HONOWITZ: Well what`s going to happen now Jane now, is just in cases like this, like in anything else and so with sex predators and things like that. Hopefully the law will start to change if you see a lot of cases coming up and you set an example at this point.
So maybe in a case like this if the person`s only going to get 90 days or something like that, you know, the legislatures in all of the different states will start to see...
VELEZ-MITCHELL: This is -- this is malicious, malicious stuff.
HONOWITZ: ...how now with technology we are all faced with this stuff.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Doreen in Illinois, your question or thought.
SAUNDERS: In California it`s only a trespass, I mean, it`s a six- month misdemeanor, that`s ridiculous. Even putting a hole in the door and looking at someone who`s undressed or in the stage of undressing. But...
VELEZ-MITCHELL: That`s because men are writing most of the rules. Let me tell you something...
SAUNDERS: Yes, ridiculous.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: ...this is sexism plain and simple. This is a way to try to keep a woman down who is doing an excellent job in a high testosterone world called the world of sports. These women go through a hazing ritual you would not believe because they are entering this male world of sports.
Doreen in Illinois, you`ve been very patient, your question or thought, ma`am.
DOREEN, ILLINOIS (via telephone): Yes Jane, I am really pretty scared about this whole topic of conversation. I`m a flight attendant. And what I really want to know is how do we, as women, protect ourselves from this being happening?
I understand this person is famous, but I`m in hotels all the time as a flight attendant. How do I protect myself? From this sort of thing happening as women, it`s really scary.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: It is terrifying.
SAUNDERS: We`re not even safe in department stores. Because that`s in fact how we`ve got our loss that people were drilling holes in dressing rooms and looking at women changing clothes.
So it doesn`t happen to just celebrities, it can happen to any of us.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: It can.
SAUNDERS: And it is very frightening.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: We`ll be back in just a second with more. It is scary.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ERIN ANDREWS, ESPN SPORTS REPORTER: I was actually writing a name down and then looked up. And everybody said look out. And then there was a guy sitting next to me that actually ducked, so.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you think he might try to...
ANDREWS: He said he took a hand and he got a hand on it. Do you think he did?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, I don`t think so.
ANDREWS: No.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think he just look at you.
ANDREWS: Ok.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: That was Erin Andrews talking to TMZ paparazzi earlier this month about the foul ball she took to the chin at a mess Dodgers game. A casual conversation, she`s being nice to somebody with a camera there. I think that it says a lot about her. That she`s a friendly, nice person who likes to give somebody a break.
We`ve all been -- well at least I am behind the camera trying to get a comment like that. A nice person but guess what, no good deed goes unpublished. This lovely young woman who is a hard working sports reporter, now the victim of this malicious, malicious attack where she`s videotaped naked by some creep, some mystery guy inside her hotel room.
And now, it`s all over the Internet. Michelle in Oklahoma, your question or thought.
MICHELLE, OKLAHOMA (via telephone): Yes, you keep saying he. And I was wondering if it could have been a woman that might have done something like that.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Ok course we could.
MICHELLE: Women do terrible things to each other.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Of course it could. Wendy Murphy?
MURPHY: Yes, of course, I suspect that at ESPN the women working alongside her are rare, but it`s certainly possible.
Look, I just want to answer the other question. What can women do? I have a feeling a whole new industry of tape for peephole is going to pop up.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes.
MURPHY: And we should all be thinking about putting tape over the peepholes. And let`s be clear about something, this isn`t about women being prudish, this isn`t about -- we don`t want to show our body parts because we are prudes, it`s about the right of every human being to decide who gets to look at our private parts.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes.
MURPHY: And that -- that goes to the essence of what it means to be a free human being.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: It`s a violation, Rhonda Saunders...
HONOWITZ: But it only worsens now, its worse now. Look you have peeping toms year`s ago, it`s only worse now. With all the advanced technology, people that know how to work the cameras -- you could put the tape over the peephole all you want. But you can drill right in so that you have to have cement walls now. I mean, the bottom line is you have to be...
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Right.
HONOWITZ: ...you`re never going to know. You`ve really never going to know.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, I want to ask this question of Rhonda Saunders. Maybe I`ve watched too many movies but could it be somebody who has harbored a crush, let`s say. Somebody who loves from afar or has been rejected psychologically speaking and hypothetically speaking.
SAUNDERS: Absolutely, in fact, that was my thought. That it could be someone who has a vendetta against her. Who -- because they didn`t try to sell the videos, they actually put it all over the Internet for everyone to see. So it`s not paparazzi because they would have wanted to get paid for it. It has to be personal. And what was the reason?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes, well, you know, it`s awful.
Thank you, fabulous panel. You`re watching ISSUES on HLN.
END
