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Jane Velez-Mitchell
Is Misty Croslin About to Crack?
Aired February 04, 2010 - 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, Misty Croslin cries out from behind bars.
MISTY CROSLIN, ARRESTED FOR DRUG CHARGES: Mom, I want out of here. (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Pleading for mercy. Bizarre new twists and turns in the search for little missing Haleigh Cummings. Tonight we`ll play Misty`s jailhouse tapes. Misty was the last person to see Haleigh alive. Now she`s in jail on drug charges, and she can`t make bail. But wait a second, could Caylee Anthony`s bounty hunter be back for an encore?
Plus, a very special guest joins ISSUES with stunning new inside information in the Tiger Woods` scandal. A former porn star is now coming forward, claiming to have hundreds of sexual text messages, all allegedly sent from the billion-dollar golfer. Tonight, we will talk to this woman`s high-powered attorney, Gloria Allred.
Meantime, reports say Tiger is leaving rehab tomorrow. So why is she coming out with this now, and what does it all have to do with novelty golf balls?
ISSUES starts now.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Tonight, a slew of stunning new jailhouse tapes are shedding new light on mysterious Misty Croslin. The stone-faced teenager, ex-step-mom of missing Haleigh Cummings, had seemed to have almost superhuman powers. Despite being grilled by teams of detectives and seasoned reporters, Misty, not cracked. Cops say she`s refused to give them the whole story about how little Haleigh vanished on her watch.
But tonight, we will see a much more vulnerable side to Misty. In fact, we see Misty getting all misty, weeping from behind bars to her mother.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
M. CROSLIN: Mom, I want out of here.
LISA CROSLIN, MOTHER OF MISTY: I know it, baby, I know it.
M. CROSLIN: I want out so bad.
LISA CROSLIN: I know.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Misty, locked up on charges that she was part of a prescription drug-dealing ring. She looks like a child! Along with ex- husband Ron Cummings, and her brother, Hank "Tommy" Croslin.
OK. So why might Misty want out of jail so very badly? Well, here`s what brother Hank "Tommy" Croslin, also in the slammer, said to his wife from jail.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LINDSAY CROSLIN, HANK`S WIFE: Misty said she`s going in general population. She`s crazy.
HANK "TOMMY" CROSLIN, MISTY`S BROTHER: Yes, she`s crazy. Misty is going to get her little butt kicked. If she goes in the general population, them girls are going to have their way with her.
LINDSAY CROSLIN: Hell, yes, I know.
H. CROSLIN: She`s little. They`re going to have their way.
LINDSAY CROSLIN: Do you get...
H. CROSLIN: I put a request in to see her. I can -- they can do inmate to inmate visit.
LINDSAY CROSLIN: Oh, you can?
H. CROSLIN: Yes. This jail ain`t nothing like the Putnam County Jail. It`s just like maximum security (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I didn`t know you could do inmate to inmate visits. Learn something new every day.
More bad news for Misty and Ron. Yesterday, they were slapped with more charges related to the drug-ring bust. Misty`s bail has skyrocketed now to a whopping $1,350,000. But somebody might be trying to bail her out. want to take a guess who? We`re going to tell you in just a moment. Put your thinking caps on, or maybe your cowboy hats on.
Cops say the charges have nothing to do with little Haleigh`s disappearance a year ago. But if the precious child is still alive, she is now 6 1/2 years old. Police say she was abducted, and they are still working so very hard to find the child.
So much jailhouse video to play for you tonight. And I want to hear your theories on all of this from you at home. So give me a call: 1-877- JVM-SAYS. That`s 1-877-586-7297.
Straight out to my fantastic expert panel: John Lucich, veteran criminal investigator. Dr. Reef Karim, psychiatrist and addiction specialist. We need you tonight, Dr. Reef. You`re also director of the Control Center in Beverly Hills, and assistant clinical professor at UCLA. Stacy Honowitz, supervisor of the sex crimes unit in the Florida prosecutor`s office and author of this new book, "My Privates are Private." I assume that`s for children. That sounds like a great book.
We begin with Drew Petrimoulx, reporter with WDBO Radio and WDBO.com.
Drew, you`ve been breaking this case, breaking a lot of news on it. What is the very latest?
DREW PETRIMOULX, REPORTER, WDBO RADIO: Well, you`ve got to start off with these new charges for both Ron and Misty. They stem from the investigation into this undercover drug ring. These are previous sales, ones that they weren`t busted for, sales that they made that were documented. Now they`ve been charged with those sales.
Both their bonds upped $400,000 each. Misty Croslin`s bond is now $1.35 million. And as you said, Leonard Padilla of Caylee Anthony fame has now come into play here, offering to Misty Croslin`s lawyer that he would come in and pay her bond if he could get her out of jail, and then, hopefully, get some answers for -- from her as to what happened to Haleigh Cummings.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. Now, let`s talk about Mr. Padilla a little bit. Misty`s bail is now, as you mentioned, a whopping $1.35 million. So she`d be 10 percent or 135 grand to get out. But listen to her conversation with her mom.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
M. CROSLIN: Do you know that when they said -- how long people are going to bail me out?
LISA CROSLIN: He didn`t say. He just wondered if we were willing for him to do it, and I told him yes.
M. CROSLIN: Did he say it was a for-sure thing?
LISA CROSLIN: He didn`t say for sure. He just said that he knows people in Nevada that was trying to get your bond up.
M. CROSLIN: You need to keep on them and be like, "Get her out."
LISA CROSLIN: Don`t worry. I just wish I could get you out.
M. CROSLIN: I know. It`s 50,000 now? So what`s 10 percent of 50,000?
LISA CROSLIN: I think 10,000.
M. CROSLIN: So we need 10,000 to get out?
LISA CROSLIN: Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Somebody, please, buy them a calculator from the jailhouse canteen!
Now, let`s talk about this. What about this talk about our friend investigative journalist Art Harris, knowing somebody who wants to bail Misty out. Art, we called him today, he says, "Unh-uh, I have nothing to do with any of that. I`m a journalist."
But guess who does? Yes, Leonard Padilla, Mr. Cowboy Hat from the Casey Anthony case. Padilla bailed Casey out on the hopes that she would tell him where little Caylee was. She didn`t.
Now Leonard Padilla is offering to bail Misty out on the hopes that Misty will tell him where little Haleigh is. They say insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.
But he`s putting in a twist this time. He`s reporting offering to ante up the full amount if he can make a deal with Misty`s lawyer. He wants Misty`s lawyer to hire him so that anything Misty says to Padilla would be covered under attorney/client privilege.
Stacy Honowitz, sounds like somebody has been watching too many made- for-TV movies.
STACY HONOWITZ, FLORIDA PROSECUTOR`S OFFICE: Well, listen, I don`t know if it`s a publicity stunt. I don`t know if he`s desperate for money. But certainly, it didn`t work the first time around.
And we all know from the Casey Anthony case that the attorney/client privilege kind of came into play when the investigators wanted that attorney/client privilege.
So I don`t know why he thinks he has some kind of magical, mystical powers that he, of all people, is going to get this person to talk when you mentioned at the top of the show, seasoned investigators, seasoned journalists, haven`t been able to get anything out her.
So once again, I believe this is really something for him to get involved in because he will have his face on television and once again be in the spotlight.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Now here`s my big issue tonight. First of all, this girl looks like a child to me. I mean, was she -- she was 17 when it happened. I think she`s turned 18 at this point. But she looks to me about 12.
My big issue tonight. Not so tough. Is the stubborn, tough-as-nails Misty Croslin not so tough lately? Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
M. CROSLIN: Man, I miss you guys.
LISA CROSLIN: I miss you too.
M. CROSLIN: I`m stuck in this one little cell all the time.
LISA CROSLIN: I know, baby. It`s hard, isn`t it?
M. CROSLIN: It is. They won`t even let me do anything.
LISA CROSLIN: They`re not going to let you out in population?
M. CROSLIN: I don`t know.
LISA CROSLIN: Have you asked them?
M. CROSLIN: Yes. They said give it a couple days, maybe.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Now, John Lucich, cops say they arrested her on drug charges that are not related to the missing child case. Why don`t I believe them? I think cops have her right where they want her. This is her after eight days. Imagine what she`s going to be like after 80 days behind bars.
JOHN LUCICH, VETERAN CRIMINAL INVESTIGATOR: I think they don`t want to give the appearance this woman was set up, because clearly, she wasn`t. This is a law enforcement tactic. This was Christmas come a little bit later, come a little bit early, no matter which way you look at it, for the cops.
And the cops just want justice for this little girl. This -- this woman is a serious flight risk. The $1.35 million is nothing, because you heard her. She doesn`t want to do the 21 years. She wants to get out of there right now. She doesn`t want to go back.
If she`s not going to give up what she did with this little girl or what happened to this little girl, then she has no other option but to flee. So Padilla better be on his money with this one.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: But John Lucich, if she doesn`t flee, and he springs 135 grand, he really gets a lot of free publicity for very little money, because if it all works out, doesn`t he get that money back in the end?
LUCICH: No, absolutely. If -- delivers this woman back, and you know, it goes back to what he`s saying. Remember, it`s not just privilege; it`s attorney/client privilege. Privilege never goes to anybody but the attorney. And not just any attorney. The attorney of record for that suspect.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Leonard Padilla, what are you thinking, dude? Take off that hat and let some sunshine on that skull.
More on Misty`s tear-filled jailhouse tapes, right after the break. We`re going to play some more humdingers for you.
And we`re taking your calls on all of this: 1-877-JVM-SAYS, 1-877-586- 7297. What do you think of Misty, Leonard, the whole gang?
Plus, we`re going to get the inside scoop on the Tiger Woods sex scandal. High-powered attorney Gloria Allred is joining us here on ISSUES tonight in just a little bit. She`s representing two of Tiger`s alleged mistresses. So what can she tell us about the newest allegations?
But first, Haleigh Cummings has been missing for almost a year now. Are cops finally putting the pressure on Ron and Misty to tell everything?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RON CUMMINGS, FATHER OF HALEIGH: They just told me that their main focus is not on putting me in jail, but finding Haleigh. They already know that I don`t know nothing about Haleigh`s disappearance. Otherwise I would have already been in DOC.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
H. CROSLIN: I told Misty not to (EXPLETIVE DELETED) with them. I said it`s the police. But she didn`t listen to me either. She might not even go to prison. They`re just scaring her. She ain`t got no record at all. She ain`t even got a misdemeanor on her record. They`re just scaring her. Someone needs to explain that to her.
LINDSAY CROSLIN: I don`t know why your lawyer hasn`t.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Look at that poor little child in the corner taking all that in. That was Misty`s brother, Hank "Tommy" Croslin.
Is Misty now vulnerable? Will she crack under the pressure and spill the beans on what she might know about little Haleigh, who vanished on her watch?
Phone lines lighting up.
Amy, Indiana, your question or thought, ma`am.
CALLER: Hi. My question is about why they haven`t arrested her sooner, or both of Ron and Misty on drug charges. Because it was evident from the very beginning that they are involved with drugs.
And then the other problem I have is with Ron. He seems, like, to be attracted to quite younger girls, almost...
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes.
CALLER: ... 15-, 16-, 17-year-old girls that he`s married or been with. If I had been Haleigh`s mother, I think I would have been afraid to leave her daughter with him.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Oh, yes. Absolutely. And we`re going to get to the parental responsibility in a moment. Because we`ve got some tape to play from Misty`s dad.
But Dr. Reef Karim, you`re the addiction specialist. I want to address what the caller said about the fact that why didn`t they arrest them a long time -- the reports are that Misty was on a three-day drug binge leading up to the night of little Haleigh`s disappearance. A three- day drug binge, according to friends who say they were there.
DR. REEF KARIM, ADDICTION SPECIALIST: Yes, that`s a great question. You know, we -- we can only speculate why they did it. I`m not sure why they didn`t arrest her.
The thing to keep in mind here is that when somebody is on a three-day binge, a bender, they don`t know what they`re doing. They`re not cognitively here. So all we know, she might know exactly what`s going on in regards to Haleigh, but she wasn`t present mentally at the time that she was doing it, if she had something to do with it.
There`s so many questions here, and I actually kind of like the way the police are handling this. Because, just based on what we`re hearing from the audiotape there, and any video, it just seems like at some point, she is going to crack. Because now she`s of right mind. And she probably wasn`t during a lot of those times.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: You know, you just raised a fascinating possibility that I don`t know that anybody in the many, many times we`ve covered this story, has ever really addressed. What if she was in a blackout?
Again, as a recovering alcoholic myself, I`m not happy to say it, but I have experienced blackouts myself, OK? You don`t know what happened. That`s a whole movie, "Dude, Where`s My Car?" Well, this could be, and I`m not trying to be light here, but this could be "Dude, Where`s -- Where`s My Kid?" because you can forget. And you can -- you can be there, but you don`t have any recollection the next day of what happened after a certain point in time when you`re in a blackout. And I think it`s fascinating, Doctor Reef, that you raise this possibility.
Brian Oxman, a noted criminal defense attorney joining us. What do you make of that theory?
BRIAN OXMAN, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Don`t particularly like it, Jane. Don`t like it at all.
She described the night of the disappearance of the child. She said that she tucked Haleigh in bed, along with the brother, and then that she went to bed two hours later, and that at 3 a.m., she woke up and that the child was missing and there was a cinder block opening the back door. She`s described the scene pretty specifically.
If she blacked out, she should have started that excuse right then and there and said, "I don`t remember anything. I was blacked out." She has described it. She`s almost foreclosed that defense.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: OK.
HONOWITZ: Each time she`s been on the air.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes, OK. So I`m seeing both sides there. But maybe she`s somehow shame-based that she blacked out. I don`t know. But I just think it`s an interesting possibility to raise.
Now, Misty`s dad, Hank Senior, also paid a visit to Misty. Let`s listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HANK CROSLIN SENIOR, MISTY`S DAD: I love you so much. I just wish I would have been a better -- better dad and kept you guys out of this (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: You think?
Misty was only 17 years old when little Haleigh vanished. Seventeen. She was already hooking up and shacking up with Ron Cummings.
Misty`s friends say, as we have just mentioned, she was on a three-day drug binge leading up to the night of Misty`s disappearance. Now she`s in jail for allegedly dealing drugs.
Stacy Honowitz, where have her parents been?
HONOWITZ: That`s a great question, Jane. Everybody wants to know where her parents have been.
And I think it is a sad commentary on what was going on in their lives, the background of their lives, that at 17, she is trying to care for this child.
And it all goes back to the custody issue between Ron Cummings and his ex-wife. Why was he able to have custody? There were issues about whether or not this child was beaten. If you remember, when we covered this case, you know, a year ago, the mother`s lawyer had brought pictures back where the child was injured. So I think a lot of questions need to be answered.
But I think I agree with the person that was speaking before me. I`m sorry, I don`t remember his name. That the police are handling it the way that they have to. And you said earlier, look what happened to her in eight days. What`s going to happen if she`s sitting there for a long time?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Exactly.
HONOWITZ: I can guarantee you that something is going to break in this case, because she does not want to be in that prison. She doesn`t want to be in a cell.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: And by the way, we always have a standing invitation to Misty or Ron`s attorneys to join us on this program and tell their side of the story. We always reach out to them.
Shirley, Indiana, your question or thought, ma`am.
CALLER: Yes, I was wondering if they ever thought about maybe that child was missing before her -- the father went to work? She`s on drugs so bad.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, Drew Petrimoulx, there`s a whole time line of people who saw her up to a certain point. Bring us -- bring us up on that.
PETRIMOULX: There`s kind of conflicting -- conflicting reports there. Some friends say that she was at a party. Other people say that they came by the house, or I think one of her relatives said that they came by the house and that Misty was there. So it`s really the -- some conflicting reports here.
But I think the important thing is that investigators haven`t charged her or Ron with anything. I think some people have kind of let that fly by. They did a thorough investigation into this, and they weren`t charged with any crimes in the disappearance of her. So it is possible that they didn`t have anything to do with it.
While they have done some things as far as their drug past and things like that that aren`t admirable, right as of now, they have not been charged in the disappearance of Haleigh.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Dr. Reef Karim, does it startle you the way it startles me the way that this girl looks like such a child? I mean, her physical appearance. She`s at the center of this story, but she seems like a baby.
KARIM: Yes. A lot of people grow up -- especially in this day and age, you grow up physically, and you`re not mentally ready for anything that you`re doing.
When you`re hooking up when you`re 17, then you have a -- you could call it a blackout, you could call it just hitting a pause button in your life because you`re doing drugs, you`re not developing emotionally. And I think we`re seeing a regressive state of her in prison, in jail.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Absolutely.
Fantastic panel, hang in there. So much more to talk about.
Plus, autopsies reveal breaking news in two celebrity deaths.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LISA CROSLIN: You watch anything recently?
M. CROSLIN: No. What was on?
LISA CROSLIN: Ron was doing a thing on there last night stating that you was his ex-wife and his friend only, that he had a girlfriend.
M. CROSLIN: Yes.
LISA CROSLIN: That`s what he was saying.
M. CROSLIN: Don`t care.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: We`re looking at Misty Croslin`s fascinating jailhouse tapes. There she is, saying she doesn`t care that Ron said he had a girlfriend, somebody else?
Just recently, Misty`s mom claimed Misty and Ron were still sleeping together. Misty reportedly got a tattoo on her lower back that says "Ronald Cummings."
Dr. Reef, being a rehab expert, you`ve seen a lot of tattoos. When a woman inks her man`s name on her lower back, doesn`t that tell you they`re having a relationship?
KARIM: Yes, that tends to be more on the physical intimate relationship side, that location. What do we call it, the tramp stamp? But, yes. It -- it definitely means something is going on. And I don`t think it takes a rehab doctor or a rocket scientist to figure that out.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, what does our panel think about why she possibly -- why are they kind of now denying that they have a relationship? That`s what I`m wondering. He says they`re just friends. I don`t get it. That -- that perplexes me. John Lucich, any thoughts on that?
LUCICH: Well, maybe they just want to try and use each other as leverage. Maybe he`s concerned or she`s concerned that, if they think there`s a relationship, they`ll do anything to save each other, and the cops might exploit that. So that`s the only thing I can think of, of why they just don`t want that to come out.
And I`ll bring up one more point.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: But I think that`s a very good point.
Now, let me go to Tracy in Canada. Your question or thought, ma`am.
CALLER: Yes, I was wondering why the police don`t tell Misty that her husband has posted bail, and she`s still sitting there. Maybe she might talk a little quicker.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, Brian Oxman, are they allowed to just make stuff up when you`re cracking down and investigating somebody on a crime?
OXMAN: Interesting question, Jane. It`s strange that the police are able to make stuff up when they question a suspect. The problem here would be that she has an attorney, and that the attorney probably would not permit them to inquire.
But there is no prohibition against the police lying to a suspect in order to interrogate them. It`s a very interesting Supreme Court case, and it says they can do it.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. Now, one quick bite. Misty and her mom got down to the nitty-gritty of what happened when she was busted. Listen to this one.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
M. CROSLIN: When I got arrested, my camera, my phone, my I.D., my wallet, was all in her car.
LISA CROSLIN: The police didn`t take it from her?
M. CROSLIN: No, she pulled off.
LISA CROSLIN: Huh. She`s not going to let me have it then.
M. CROSLIN: That`s (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
LISA CROSLIN: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
M. CROSLIN: I`m going to.
LISA CROSLIN: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
M. CROSLIN: I`m sorry.
LISA CROSLIN: Don`t get in trouble, baby.
M. CROSLIN: I`m not.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: John Lucich, what is she talking about? Do you have any idea?
LUCICH: I`m sorry. I just couldn`t hear what she had said off that.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: OK. You know, it`s weird. Because she`s saying, "Well, oh, my friend had the cell phone, and cops didn`t get it, because she took off." It`s -- this is all stuff out of a movie. If cops want her cell phone, they subpoena it, don`t they? We`ve got ten seconds, Stacy Honowitz.
HONOWITZ: Yes, absolutely. We don`t know what the -- what the theory is and the strategy behind the police.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Got to leave it right there.
Two young celebs` tragedy. We`ll tell you.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: A very special guest joins ISSUES with stunning new inside information in the Tiger Woods` scandal. A former porn star is now coming forward, claiming to have hundreds of sexual text messages, all allegedly sent from the billion-dollar golfer.
Tonight, we will talk to this woman`s high-powered attorney, Gloria Allred. So why is she coming out with this now? And what does it all have to do with novelty golf balls?
But first, tonight`s "Top of the Block". Breaking developments in the tragic death investigations of two young celebrities: the L.A. County coroner says Johnson & Johnson heiress Casey Johnson`s death was a result of complications from type one diabetes, specifically severe lack of insulin. Johnson died in her L.A. home a month ago. She was just 30 years old.
The coroner also released the official cause of death for actress Brittany Murphy. It was a combination of pneumonia, anemia and multiple drug intoxication; the drugs in Murphy`s system all prescription. The 32- year-old died in December in her L.A. home. Murphy`s husband claimed all the prescriptions in the house were his. He also made some strange comments about his wife`s death on NBC`s "The Today Show".
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SIMON MONJACK, BRITTANY MURPHY`S HUSBAND: Hollywood is a village. And once you upset the villager villagers, they talk and they gossip and they rumor. And they have blood on their hands. And I hope they wash them with very hot water, because the way they treated Brittany Murphy when she was alive was terrible.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Now that we know the official cause of death, I wonder if he is still blaming Hollywood. That is tonight`s "Top of the Block".
Jaw-dropping updates in the life of Tiger Woods. Is the superstar golfer done with sex rehab? RadarOnline reports Tiger is checking out of there, and guess who is reportedly picking him up? His wife, Elin. So is a divorce off? Kind of looks like it.
RadarOnline reports Elin has given her divorce attorney the axe. Radar says Elin and Tiger are now planning a private trip to work on their marriage. Boy, I would love to be a fly on the wall for that get-away. Wouldn`t you?
Tonight, just as Elin seems to be considering taking Tiger back, another alleged mistress, who is an adult film star, is speaking out, Joslyn James. Here is her photo from "The New York Daily News". She is the star of "Big Breasted Nurses" and "Top Heavy" among other films.
She says wasn`t going to talk about her affair with Tiger until she saw her face -- her own face on a golf ball. That`s right. Check this out. A Canadian company has made a line of Tiger Woods inspired golf balls. There is a different alleged mistress`s face on each golf ball.
Joslyn is furious. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOSLYN JAMES, ALLEGED TIGER WOODS` MISTRESS: I have come forward today, because I feel that it is wrong for a golf ball to have my picture on it. As a victim of violence myself, it bothered me to think that someone would be standing with a dangerous club in their hands and hitting a ball with my face on it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Now, she is releasing Tiger`s steamy texts, and she has hired high-powered attorney Gloria Allred, who also represents Tiger`s most well-known alleged mistress Rachel Uchitel. We`re going to ask Gloria about all of this in just a moment.
Straight out to my fantastic expert panel. Delighted to have Village Voice columnist and author of the upcoming book, "Fork on the Left, Knife in the Back" -- love that title -- Michael Musto.
MICHAEL MUSTO, COLUMNIST VILLAGE VOICE: Hi, Jane.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Way to go.
MUSTO: Thank you.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Plus senior editor of "In Touch Weekly", Amy Palmer. Hi there, Amy.
AMY PALMER, SENIOR EDITOR, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": Hi, Jane.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: And addiction specialist and psychiatrist Dr. Reef Karim back with us. And I`m delighted to welcome the attorney representing Joslyn James, Gloria Allred -- great to have you, Gloria.
GLORIA ALLRED, ATTORNEY FOR JOSLYN JAMES: Thank you for having me, Jane.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Why did you hold this news conference, and what is your goal in taking on this particular client?
ALLRED: Well, I do represent Joslyn James, also known as Veronica McDaniels. And she did have a long-term relationship with Tiger Woods. And she was in love with him, and she had reason to believe he was in love with her.
She was quiet. She has been in hiding ever since the scandal broke. And yesterday was the first time that she spoke out, because she was very upset about this golf ball, this so-called mistress collection of golf balls that had her face on it.
She never authorized it, she would not have authorized it, and she feels that it can promote violence against women. After all, somebody takes a golf club, Jane, and aims it at the face -- her face, or any other woman`s face on a golf ball. Guess what the golf ball is going to look like at the end of the round of golf. It`s going to look bruised, it`s going to have marks on it, it`s going to have dirt on it and it`s going to be damaged.
And I think that people might then end up making jokes, the golfers might, about hitting a woman`s face, and I don`t think that`s good on the issue of violence against women.
There are actually real women who have been hit by golf clubs by their intimate partners, and they have been injured by them. And what`s next? Are women going to be used -- their faces for target practice? I think these golf balls should not be out there. Anybody who has purchased them should return them. And I think that no one else should buy them.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: And it`s kind of ironic, though, Michael Musto, that we`re talking about golf clubs and golf balls. And the published reports were that Elin chased Tiger with a golf club.
MUSTO: I was going to say, yes...
VELEZ-MITCHELL: So it`s kind of a theme to this entire scandal. And I better brush up on my golf. I haven`t played it in years.
MUSTO: Well, to me, Jane -- I don`t know -- I don`t play any sports except tiddlywinks, but golf is non-confrontational. The people don`t even touch each other. It`s second only to badminton for sensitivity.
But you`re right. It`s extremely ironic that the only person I ever really heard of using a golf club for violence was allegedly Tiger Woods` wife at the beginning of this whole scandal. And by the way, you should see Bill Clinton`s mistress collection, there are 300 balls.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Ok. Gloria Allred, you also represented Rachel Uchitel, the very first woman rumored to be one of Tiger`s news conferences. She was supposed to do a news conference and then it was cancelled. And she has never really spoken out about the incident. But listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RACHEL UCHITEL, ALLEGED TIGER WOODS MISTRESS: I don`t have any comment. I`m not going to have any comment. So I have to live my life, and I would appreciate you guys not being on my property and not bothering me while I`m trying to be here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Gloria, I wanted to ask you about the reports that Rachel canceled that news conference that you were going to have with her because she reportedly -- according to some claims -- settled and got as much as a six-figure sum, more perhaps, to remain quiet.
What can you say about that? And is Joslyn James hoping for a similar deal?
ALLRED: I have no comment on Rachel Uchitel and no comment on why we cancelled that particular press conference.
But I do want to say something about your guest`s prior remarks that he has never heard of any woman being hit with a golf club. Perhaps he is not sensitive on the issue of battered women, doesn`t keep up with it. Women have been hit by golf clubs, battered by them, battered by baseball bats, other kinds of sports equipment. And it`s a real issue, where sports items are used as weapons of violence to hurt, maybe even to kill, women.
MUSTO: I was using a hyperbole there, Gloria, and I agree with you. And I do think one of the balls should Tiger`s face on it, because he is the one we most want to see bashed, I think.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well that is the joke that`s come out of it. And it`s not funny, it`s not a laughing matter but there have been comments like, "Boy, wouldn`t Elin like to hit a ball with Tiger`s face on it."
But I`m an advocate of nonviolence, and I agree with you, Gloria. While we can laugh about some aspects of this scandal, this is not funny. Anything that involves violence against women, our whole show here, ISSUES, is devoted to stopping violence against women, and your client was obviously offended by this, and I think it`s great that she steps forward.
I don`t care if she is an adult film star. It doesn`t invalidate her message. And we could have had the president of the PTA come up and have the same objection, and most people would be more likely to listen to her perhaps, but it`s the same objection. And I think it`s absolutely valid.
Now, here`s my big issue: life after rehab. We hear Elin is picking Tiger up from rehab this weekend, and that the divorce is off -- which is shocking to me. That`s a lot for Elin to forgive. After all, not only did he allegedly cheat with a whole bunch of women, but some of them say that they had long-term relationships. Let`s listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAMES: I was in love with Tiger. And because of what he said to me, and the length of time that we spent together and how long we were together, I believed that he loved me, too.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: So Gloria Allred, your client that says that she was in love with Tiger. What is her reaction to the idea that he is going to reconcile with Elin, and do you think it`s a good idea for Elin to forgive and forget?
ALLRED: Well, she`s not really expressing opinion about the reconciling with Elin issue. But I can say that the two texts that we did release from Tiger Woods to her, one says, "Baby, I`m not going anywhere or doing anything. You please me like no other one has or ever will. I am not losing this." And then also, of course, in September of 2009, he sent her a text that said, "Great thing is, we have a lifetime of this." I guess my client is no longer going to have a lifetime with Tiger Woods.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. Well, listen, we`ve got so much to analyze. We`ve got Amy Palmer from "In Touch Weekly" who`s going to give us her analysis on all of this when we come right back.
And we are also taking your calls at 1-877-JVM-SAYS. I know Kathleen, Wisconsin, you`re standing by. Hang in there; we`re going to get to you after the break. 1-877-586-7297.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAMES: I was in love with Tiger. And because of what he said to me and the length of time that we spent together and how long we were together, I believed that he loves me, too.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Everybody saying it`s all going to go down tomorrow in L.A. and expect a major circus -- you know, a Michael Jackson- style circus. Now, he is supposedly holed up at a friend`s house in Santa Monica. There`s been all these talks between the D.A.`s office and the LAPD. He wants to turn himself in quietly and then go to court and you know, have his court appearance and get out of the way.
But the paparazzi have reportedly surrounded the Santa Monica home where he`s staying and so when he tries to leave, even though he wants to do it under the radar, you know it`s going to be madness.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: And that was my appearance on the "View" this morning, Dr. Conrad Murray is expected to turn himself in to authorities by tomorrow afternoon and face involuntary manslaughter charges.
We are going to have special coverage on tomorrow`s ISSUES. So tune in for that. We`re all over the Michael Jackson story, with Dr. Conrad Murray turning himself in, expected tomorrow.
Right now, we`re talking about new reports Tiger Woods is checking out of sex rehab, very soon. And just as Elin seems to be thinking about forgiving him and working it out, another alleged mistress, an adult film star is speaking out.
And we`re happy to have Gloria Allred who represents that woman with us tonight. And the phone line is lighting up.
Kathleen, Wisconsin, your question or thought ma`am? Kathleen?
KATHLEEN, WISCONSON: Yes, it`s me. I love your show.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Thank you.
KATHLEEN: And I want to say, all these women, they knew he was married. I`d be so ashamed if I had an affair with a married man, I sure wouldn`t be on TV and all over the place. I wouldn`t want anybody to know. And why did they save all these text messages unless they thought it would come in handy some day for some money?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, Amy Palmer, you`ve been covering this for "In Touch Weekly". That seems to be a popular sentiment. A lot of people aren`t just blaming Tiger. They are blaming the women involved.
AMY PALMER, SENIOR EDITOR, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": Yes and you know what? I agree. I think that women have a responsibility to0, you know -- it`s the morality about it. It`s -- this is a married man and not only is he a married man, he`s a public figure.
So, you know, what are you doing? He`s married, he`s famous, he`s rich; so what are your intentions? It just seems that women are not banding together to help other women to support the institution of marriage. And it`s really disappointing.
And it`s something that I cover for "In Touch Weekly" on such a regular basis; I actually think it`s a crisis here in America. And Jane, maybe it`s something that you should explore in the show.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes, well, we are kind of exploring it now and the first part of it is to take these real-life cases and to pause a minute, instead of just having knee-jerk reactions, to try to analyze.
It`s very complicated, because this isn`t even the first adult film star to say that she`s slept with Tiger. One woman even posted a YouTube video about their alleged sexcapades. You`ve got to listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HOLLY SAMPSON, TIGER WOODS` ALLEGED PORN STAR MISTRESS: I`m trying to think of who else. I`ve had -- oh, Tiger Woods.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (EXPLETIVE DELETED) Tiger Woods?
SAMPSON: Right. (EXPLETIVE DELETED) Tiger Woods.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How did that happened?
SAMPSON: Well, a friend of mine, Brent Bolthouse (ph), he runs a lot of...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: ok. Yes, of course I do.
SAMPSON: He used to be a friend of mine and he was good friends with one of Tiger Woods` assistants. So me and my girlfriends -- we did a bachelor party for Tiger and it was amazing.
And then he picked me to go in the room and have some, you know, whatever. And I have to say, he was really good.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Now, Dr. Reef, what a lot of people find really troubling about this whole story is that Tiger seemed willing to put his family, Elin, at risk by allegedly sleeping with adult film stars who, by nature of their profession, would tend to have multiple partners.
DR. REEF KARIM, ADDICTION SPECIALIST: Yes. You know, the question everybody is asking is, is it about the sex? And he has shown to be so desperate in regards to his wanting an emotional connection with these women. That`s why this is so complicated.
It`s complicated, because these women at least claim that they`re really in love with him. He spends, you know, a year, two years, six months at a time, not just having sex, but connecting emotionally with these women. That`s why it`s so complicated.
So if he truly does have a sexual addiction, or a love addiction, he`s a sick guy. And as a sick guy, he needs -- I think it`s a great idea that his wife is coming to pick him up, because as a sick person, you`re not going to be healed in 28 days. But you`re going to at least know what`s up a little more, at the time that you come out of rehab. And you can have a little bit more of a rational discussion with your wife to decide if there is any possibility of salvaging the marriage or not.
And I really like what your other guest said about women that are with a married guy. Yes. He`s a married guy. He shouldn`t be sleeping with other women. But you know what? You women, you should not be sleeping with him either. And women may need to take responsibility...
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes, but you know what? I just to say one thing, in their defense, they`re not ones who took the vow, ok? They didn`t stand there in a tuxedo, or in a gown and say, I promise to be faithful until death do us part.
So I think that if we`re going to be sort of distributing blame here, it`s the person who took the vow to be faithful. Nobody asked Tiger Woods to get married. Ok?
KARIM: Yes, but it`s...
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Nobody said you have to get married...
KARIM: ...it`s a moral problem on both sides.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I just feel...
KARIM: Agree, he`s more...
VELEZ-MITCHELL: ...that yes...
KARIM: ...he`s more morally wrong. There is no doubt. But I`m saying, the morality is there on every side.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Right.
Christy, Missouri, your question or thought, ma`am.
CHRISTY, MISSOURI: Yes. Going back to the company that`s making the golf balls with the ladies` pictures on them.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes.
CHRISTY: Is that legal for them to do and profit from it without their permission?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, I think that to answer that question and I could be wrong, Gloria, but isn`t it because they don`t have actual photos, these are cartoons that they`ve kind of etched on there.
ALLRED: Well, we have sent a letter on behalf of Veronica asking them to cease and desist from using her photo, which as I say, she hasn`t authorized. She doesn`t condone and it`s very upsetting to her, because she happens to be a victim of violence herself. And, you know, I would always be concerned if I were a business owner and I decided to commercially exploit someone else`s image just to make a profit for myself and did so without their prior consent and without their authorization.
People do have a right to publicity. They do own their image. How would anyone listening like it if their daughter`s photo was put on a golf ball and then someone aims to smash that image on the photo? Or use it for target practice or put it on a dart board and have somebody aim darts at their daughter`s image.
I know I wouldn`t like it. And I don`t think that most people would either.
I want to say, too, that I`m tired of blaming women for having affairs with married men. You know, I think men have to take responsibility. Your point that the women aren`t the ones who took the vow I think is a great one, Jane.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Thank you, Gloria.
Everybody stay right where you are. We`re going to be back with more. Michael Musto, Gloria Allred right after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALLRED: ... the golf ball with her photo on. You can see that if a golf club were used and hit her face, it would definitely cause damage at some point.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Gloria Allred tees up to explain her point that "Tale of the Tiger" golf balls should be banned because of what they do to the face of all women.
Michael Musto, you have patiently been listening to this entire conversation. I`m shocked -- completely shocked that Elin is reportedly going to ax her high-powered attorney and take him back especially in light of everything we`ve been hearing about these new texts, this adult film star saying she was in love with Tiger.
MUSTO: Jane, you`re shocked? This is the society of "stand by your man". Remember Hillary Clinton? Remember so many women who are publicly humiliated by their men`s dalliances and take them back?
I hope Elin knows what she`s in for. Rehab doesn`t always work. In fact, it doesn`t usually work. There`s going to be a succession of more women for sure, more party hostesses, more porn stars, more Uchitels who will tell. And she`s going to be humiliated once more but hopefully she can understand and work through Tiger`s issues with him on a day-by-day basis.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Amy Palmer, I am stunned, honestly. I had heard she hired Sorrell Trope who is known as the big gun for celebrity divorces. I figured she was going to move to California, settle there where she could get a better deal, try to challenge the pre-nup and apparently uh-uh?
PALMER: She`s had a change of heart. Insiders have told "In Touch Weekly" that she really wants to keep it together, keep the marriage together for her kids. Elin is a child of divorce. She knows what divorce can do to a family so she`s super committed to making this marriage work. So this is playing into a lot of her issues as well. So you know, it`s an interesting dynamic.
But I definitely think that she has a long road ahead of her. Everyone is going to be watching this marriage very, very closely. And this is her choice.
What can we do? We can stand by as a society; maybe give her space and support her in this way. But it does open up to a lot of debate of either stand by your man or kiss him goodbye and start a new life.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Michael Musto I thought what Amy Palmer just said right now is really fascinating. She`s bringing her knew neurosis and childhood traumas to the situation. And Tiger, of course, has brought neurosis and childhood traumas. The fact that he was pre-destined to be a professional golfer, that he had this military-style dad who trained him to be a star. He could never experience his childhood. Kind of like the Michael Jackson, except golf instead of the Jackson 5.
And so they`re both bringing their neurosis to the table here on the world stage.
MUSTO: Well, Jane that`s what a relationship is. News flash: two people bring their baggage together and create more baggage, hopefully while making life a little bit easier for each other in the process.
But interestingly Elin thinks the best thing for the family is to stick together. I would think maybe what`s happened so far has been extremely damaging to the child, whether the child is reading tabloids or not. Because I don`t think he`s old enough yet. But I would think the situation might be such that you would say what is best for the family is to break out of this.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I agree, I think what`s best for the family...
KARIM: No, I don`t agree.
ALLRED: Jane --
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Ten seconds.
ALLRED: Jane, may I say that I have no personal information at all about Elin and what kind of deal she has with Tiger, whether she has a prenuptial or not. But it`s always possible that they stay together and she`s renegotiated her deal with him to get more.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Wow.
END
