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Jane Velez-Mitchell
Three More Bodies Discovered on Long Island Beach; Docs Busted for Pill Swap Scheme
Aired April 05, 2011 - 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): The body count jumps in the Long Island serial killer case. The search for missing woman Shannan Gilbert has turned up three more corpses, bringing the body count to eight, and cops on the ground are looking for even more. Is one of the newly- discovered bodies Shannan? And who are the other victims? And who is going to stop this serial killer on the loose right outside New York City?
And addict nation, out of control. Cops say two doctors -- a dentist and a podiatrist -- were writing each other prescriptions for painkillers and other mood-altering drugs. They were averaging more than 200 pills a month, say cops. That`s practically a buffet of addicting meds. When your doctor is high, who`s protecting you?
Also, a rape victim looks her attacker straight in the eye as he`s finally found guilty nearly a quarter of a century after the horrific crime. Tonight, in an ISSUES exclusive, I`ll talk one-on-one with this brave survivor, not only about her nightmarish experience but about her marathon battle for justice.
Plus, preparing for a royal divorce? Even before the wedding bells begin to ring, British divorce lawyers warning Prince William to seriously think about forcing his beautiful bride sign a prenup before he walks down the aisle. Will that sour the fairytale romance between this prince and his commoner love? I`m taking your calls.
ISSUES starts now.
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RICHARD DORMER, SUFFOLK COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT: I`d like to report at this time that we found human remains, three human remains so far in the area between Oak Beach and Gilgo Beach.
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VELEZ-MITCHELL: Breaking news tonight in the war on women, colossal developments in the mysterious Long Island serial killer case. The body count has now hit eight. Eight dead women.
Cops returned to the scene just 40 miles outside New York City where five bodies were previously found scattered along a deserted beach, and they discovered more remains. What began as a search for one missing woman, Shannan Gilbert has exploded into a massive multiple murder probe.
All four victims identified so far are female prostitutes who advertised on Craigslist. Then, just last week, a fifth body turned up and now three more bodies are discovered, all in a four-mile stretch. Could the body count keep on climbing?
Today, cops frantically scour the scene again and announced none of the new bodies are that of 24-year-old Shannan Gilbert from New Jersey. So who are these victims, and who is this serial killer or killers? Is the word "they" key to this case?
Call me: 1-877-JVM-SAYS, 1-877-586-7297.
Straight out to Jon Lieberman, investigative journalist and host of "True Facts with Jon Lieberman."
What is the very latest?
JON LIEBERMAN, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST: Well, I`ll tell you, Jane, police are feverishly trying to identify these bodies that they found over the past day or so, trying to give voice to these women, these prostitutes who they believe were murdered. At this point they`re operating under the theory that all of these people were murdered by a single serial killer. That`s No. 1.
They`re also operating under the theory that this serial killer is responsible for at least nine murders and perhaps many, many more than that. They have found out that the remains of eight people and, of course, they`re still looking for Shannan Gilbert because, as you mentioned, late today police got the DNA back from the four victims that they discovered yesterday. None of that DNA matches the DNA of Shannan Gilbert, because they got Shannan Gilbert`s family`s DNA during the search for her.
And that`s really the scary part here. As you alluded to, Jane, this whole case started with the search for one woman, and now we`ve turned up eight other victims besides the one that`s been looking for, and now it`s just an all-out assault. There are dozens and dozens of detectives actively working this case, Jane.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, joining me now is a very special guest: Lorraine Ella, the mother of one of the victims, Megan Waterman. Her beautiful 22-year-old daughter lived in Maine, and she has a 3-year-old daughter.
Megan went to New York over Memorial Day weekend, was last seen in a Long Island hotel about 30 minutes away from where her body turned up. She was with her boyfriend, who police questioned and arrested for unrelated charges.
First of all, our condolences, Lorraine. Thank you so much for speaking with me and sharing your story. What are cops telling you tonight about your daughter`s last hours and who she may have met at that hotel? That is so crucial, Lorraine.
LORRAINE ELLA, MOTHER OF MEGAN WATERMAN (via phone): Actually, detectives are not telling us any information until the investigation is totally over with.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Nothing?
ELLA: Nothing at all.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Do you -- have you been able to find out who, what individual your daughter was meeting?
ELLA: No. The only thing that we know is the last person that she was seen with was Akeem Cruz, and he was also the last one to call her cell phone.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. And that`s her boyfriend. Police questioned and arrested him on unrelated charges, but he is not considered a suspect in this case. It`s important to mention that. I -- what were you going to say?
ELLA: I was going to say exactly.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. So the key is, the commonality to all of this is Craigslist. And we have to find out who may have come in contact with all of these women via Craigslist.
I want you to stand by, if you can, Lorraine. I know you`ve been through absolute hell, but we are trying to solve this mystery, and there are some clues here.
A terrified Shannan Gilbert was spotted in this very area last May. Now, Shannan reportedly pleaded with a resident for help. As that homeowner went to call police, Shannan ran away. She later called cops repeatedly on her cell phone. They couldn`t locate her. Police were likely able to rule her out as one of the victims because of her unique physical characteristics.
Listen to her sister on Nancy Grace.
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NANCY GRACE, HLN HOST: Is it true that she had a rod in her jaw?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She had a metal plate in her left jaw.
GRACE: So they may be using that for identification?
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VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. Mike Brooks, HLN law enforcement analyst, these four identified -- unidentified victims likely did not have that rod. That`s how Shannan was excluded. So how do cops determine who these four mystery remains belong to?
MIKE BROOKS, HLN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: That`s a good question. What they do, they`re working right now also with the New York Police Department, NYPD, and all of the medical examiner`s offices, Jane. And what they do, NYPD and most other departments, especially your missing persons bureau will keep a list, a database of identifying marks which will help them identify bodies, should someone call up and say, "Hey, do you have a white female, approximately five foot five, small frame? And does she possibly have" -- now, they`re going to be looking for if they had any breast implants, because breast implants have a serial number you can trace back, Jane.
Also, with, as in Shannan Gilbert, the metal plate, any kind of pins from any prior surgeries, and they`re working right now with NYPD, because they have, you know, I don`t know how many people.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Let me jump in here, because I have...
BROOKS: Sure.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: ... to get your insight on this.
BROOKS: Yes.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Reportedly, the businessman who hired Shannan Gilbert who hooked up with her via Craigslist has been exonerated. So I have a couple of questions. How does somebody know to abduct an escort if they are not the client?
Now, unless they were the client previously. Could this individual that we`re looking for be -- the serial killer be somebody who was a client previously of all these women, and that`s the commonality? And let me ask you...
BROOKS: Sure.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: ... one other question. Because before Shannan Gilbert disappeared, she was heard saying that there was a man who was after her. So how could they be after her, unless they had had an interaction with her to know to be after her, since the commonality is that these women are escorts?
BROOKS: That`s exactly right. And there has got to be some electronic signature with Craigslist. Some kind of electronic information. Because, if you look on Craigslist, Jane, most of the time someone is going to put a telephone number to get in contact with one another. And so as painstaking, you`ve got to go back a number of years in the database for Craigslist.
And also you`ve got to take a look at all the cell records, all of the e-mail records of all of these women,, looking for that common link, and that`s what law enforcement analysts will do. They will try to make some kind of link analysis between an e-mail communication with a telephone number, anything at all. But it takes a lot of time. I know time is of the essence here. But -- and they keep finding more bodies.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Now, here`s my big issue.
BROOKS: That`s the important thing right now.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Could there be more than one killer? We hear it`s one killer from Jon Lieberman`s sources. But listen to this neighbor, who says Shannan came to his front door the night she vanished, screaming for help. Before he could get cops, she raced away. Listen to him.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I haven`t slept in two nights. I could have saved that girl if I had known something was going to happen. I could have kept her from getting out of here. That weighs heavily on your mind.
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VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. Dr. Dale Archer, that neighbor says Shannon screamed, "I need your help. They are after me." Wouldn`t "they" indicate more than one killer?
DR. DALE ARCHER, PSYCHIATRIST: "They" would definitely indicate more than one killer, Jane. But I`ve got to tell you that, statistically here, we`re looking at one guy. I would be very, very shocked if this turns out to be more than one.
I`ve got to think this is a local guy. This is going to be a guy who`s married with kids in the community that, when it breaks, people are going to say, "I can`t believe that he is the guy." That`s the guy that we`re looking for in this case.
Jed, Wyoming, your question or thought.
CALLER: Hi, Jane.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Hey.
CALLER: I love your show. I appreciate everything that you do for addicts and alcoholics that are recovering like myself.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Congratulations. Your question.
CALLER: My question is, is the FBI involved? And if they have a profile on the people or person that they think might be doing the heinous crimes?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Jon Lieberman, quick answer for us, if you could.
LIEBERMAN: Yes, the FBI is involved. They`re trying to build a profile. And one other quick point, they`re also trying to find out how long this guy has been killing for. Because one of the women was last seen in 2007. This killing could have gone back three to four years.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes, and remember, beach season is coming upon us. This is near the famous Jones Beach. People are terrified out on the island. I was just out there, and they are really scared.
Thank you, fabulous panel.
A victim looks her rapist in the face as he is convicted of a monstrous crime. In an ISSUES exclusive, in just moments, I will talk live to this brave rape survivor about her marathon journey for justice.
But first, cops say two doctors were writing each other prescriptions for painkillers to the tune of 200 pills a month? Who was taking care of the patients if the doctors are high? And we`re taking your calls on that: 1-877-JVM-SAYS.
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CECILIA BAREDDA, PINELLAS COUNTY, FLORIDA, SHERIFF`S OFFICE: Every week they would write up a prescription for about 30 to 40 pills. These doctors were essentially going to the various pharmacies, as many as five pharmacies each, to get these prescriptions filled.
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BAREDDA: Every week they would write up a prescription for about 30 to 40 pills. These doctors were essentially going to the various pharmacies, as many as five pharmacies each, to get these prescriptions filled.
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VELEZ-MITCHELL: Tonight, addict nation out of control. Two doctors in Florida busted. Cops say they supplied each other with thousands and thousands of painkillers and anti-anxiety pills for their own use.
Cops say a respected podiatrist and a local dentist were writing a slew of prescriptions for each other over three years and filling them out at different pharmacies. We`re talking powerful pain killers, Oxycodone and hydrocodone, and the anti-anxiety drug Lorazepam.
Cops say they nabbed these doctors yesterday when a tip came in after a four-month investigation. Did a pharmacist tip them off? Did maybe a patient who noticed her doctor wasn`t all there?
In any case, relatives of the accused pill-swapping docs say they are shocked.
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NORMAN HAMEROFF, PODIATRIST`S FATHER: Total shock. I can`t believe it. Unless he had some -- some addiction that I wasn`t aware of. He`s got a lot of common sense. He behaves normally. He`s really a good guy.
KEVIN O`CALLAGHAN, DENTIST`S BROTHER: This is my brother. This is the guy that never does anything other than the right thing.
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VELEZ-MITCHELL: How on earth did these alleged repeat drug deals go undetected for three years, if not longer? And how many of our doctors across the country might be self medicating, popping pills as we speak? Remember, doctors have drills. They have probes. Would you want a stoned doctor working on you?
I`m taking your calls on this: 1-877-JVM-SAYS.
Straight out to my very special guest tonight, Dr. Jim Tracy, who has really the courage to tell his story honestly. And I applaud you for that, Doctor. Jim, you were a practicing dentist who got hooked on painkillers? So...
DR. JIM TRACY, ADDICTION SPECIALIST: That`s correct. That was a long time ago.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. This story doesn`t shock you, then? Or does it?
TRACY: No, not at all. I`ve worked with impaired professionals all the time. They`ve got over 2,000 health professionals in the state of Florida who are successfully being monitored.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: So when you say impaired, you`re talking about doctors who -- again, these guys that are only accused. And by the way, I have to say, we have to try to determine whether they have attorneys. We were unable to find that out or reach any attorneys. So if they or their attorneys are watching, or their relatives, anybody, if they want to come on our show, they are invited. We want to be fair. But they are -- they have been arrested on these charges.
So how do you tell if your doctor is high, Doctor?
TRACY: Well, that -- we can usually look good for a very long time before we`re detected, but the main problem is that Florida is now one of seven states in the United States that does not have a prescription tracking system. There is -- it should have taken a ten-minute phone call to find out if someone was concerned how many prescriptions each of these doctors had written. They could have gone for treatment and rehabilitation, which would be extremely successful, instead of going this route.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: You may remember here on ISSUES, we have a friend of ours, Nikki. That`s what we call her. She`s a recovering prescription pill addict and former dealer. Last year I asked her why doctors didn`t pick up on her pill shopping. Check out what she has to say.
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"NIKKI", RECOVERING PRESCRIPTION PILL ADDICT: I had a valid injury, and to tell you the truth, I, quote unquote, don`t look like a drug addict. You know, we`re very good actors when we want what we want.
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VELEZ-MITCHELL: And that woman happens to be a suburban mother with two college-age kids. Yes, she says she doesn`t look like an addict. I want to go to J. Wyndal Gordon, criminal defense attorney.
We have this notion of who an addict is, and we lock a lot of people from the inner city for illegal drugs. And yet the biggest prescription -- the biggest drug problem we have in America is with prescription pills, and it`s very rare for anybody to get caught, like these doctors.
J. WYNDAL GORDON, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Yes, Jane. You know, they`ve been charged for having possession of these pills. And we`re all assuming that they`re drug addicts, but this has been going on for three years, Jane. Personally, I feel -- and this is only my opinion -- I believe they were drug distributors. I believe they were making money off the pill swaps. If you look at their mug shots...
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, you don`t know that.
GORDON: We don`t know it, and I`m saying...
VELEZ-MITCHELL: They weren`t charged with that. We want to make -- we want to make that clear.
GORDON: They weren`t charged with it, but I`m looking at their mug shots. Their eyes look clear. Everything about these gentlemen appears to be clear. Now, I`m not a doctor either, but these people -- these two doctors do not resemble a drug addict. I think that perhaps...
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Maybe you`re attracted to the stereotype idea, too. Because I -- we`ll discuss on the other side of the break how people can look like they`re not stoned and be completely stoned. OK? We`re going to have more on the alleged pill-swapping docs.
And the death of Michael Jackson, prescription drug abuse, and doctor shopping, it will be at the center of the Conrad Murray trial. ISSUES will have complete coverage of all the dramatic developments when this trial begins May 9.
And coming up, a victory in the war on women. In an ISSUES exclusive, I`m going to talk to a rape survivor who waited a quarter of a century for justice.
But first, addict nation out of control.
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NIKKI: I would say to them, you know, I`ve been on very strong medication for a very long time, and I wanted to wean off of some of it. So I would tell them exactly what milligrams I wanted to come down to. And to have that covered by insurance, as long as the strength in milligrams was different, you could get as many prescriptions as you want for that month. So I could have four different prescriptions for OxyContin.
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VELEZ-MITCHELL: A recovering drug addict talks about the schemes she used to get drugs now. Tonight, two doctors accused of prescribing thousands of pills to each other for their personal use. My new book, "Addict Nation," talks about America`s rampant prescription drug epidemic.
How easy is it for doctors to get their hands on hard-core prescription meds? How about nurses?
Check out this clip from Showtime`s "Nurse" Jackie from YouTube.
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VELEZ-MITCHELL: It`s that easy, and that`s my big issue: is my doctor or nurse high?
Now, Kristina Wandzilak, addiction specialist, they were accused of getting about 160 to 200 pills a month for each other. So that really averages out to six pills a day. Can they take that without appearing to be, like, slurring their words?
KRISTINA WANDZILAK, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER, FULL CIRCLE: Absolutely. That`s actually not very much when we look at the kind of access that doctors can have to pills. It`s actually not a very large quantity at all.
To be frank with you, they could take that and practice their -- you know, practice all day long and not appear under the influence at all.
And the thing is, this might be shocking to the general public at large but as an inverventionist, I see this all the time in my work. And, you know, addiction is an equal opportunity disease. It affects all different people from all different walks of life, and the only difference between these gentlemen and, you know, selling crack on the corners, they had a prescription pad, as opposed to a crack pipe.
But addiction is addiction is addiction, and it will take you down no matter where you stand.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well said. Jennifer, Washington, your question or thought?
CALLER: Hi, Jane. You know, I`m someone who uses legitimate -- legitimately using pain medication. And it infuriates me that I have to take a test every other month to make sure that I`ve got the drugs in my system, that I`m not selling them to somebody.
And yet, there`s these doctors and other patients out there that are selling these drugs and making it ten times more difficult, if you legitimately use it, to get a hold of them.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: You`re absolutely right, Jennifer. Dr. Jim Tracy, when people go into hospitals, I took a friend once -- they were having kidney stones, and made them do all these tests, because so many drug addicts go in to try to make medication, claiming they have kidney stones. When people are really suffering from kidney stones, they don`t give it to them.
TRACY: That can happen. But remember that addicts we`re really -- we`re really smart. They can go away -- they probably know more than most physicians about the symptoms that they`re going to be prescribing for.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: J. Wyndal Gordon, quickly, do you think these guys are going to do some serious time? Or are they going to get off because they`re doctors?
GORDON: No, they`re going to get off because they`re doctors. They`re going to get probation. They`re going to go into a drug treatment program and even preserve their license.
But I do want to say that the street value of those pills are enormous in the urban community, where people don`t have health-care insurance, and it`s a very profitable business. So the fact that they weren`t charged with distribution is to their credit, because, you know -- you know, many people can be charged.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Got to leave it there. Thank you, fantastic panel.
Coming up next, an ISSUES exclusive.
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VELEZ-MITCHELL: A rape victim looks her attacker straight in the eye after he`s finally found guilty nearly a quarter of a century after the horrific crime. Tonight in an ISSUES exclusive, I`ll talk one on one with this brave survivor not only about her nightmarish experience but about her marathon battle for justice.
Plus, preparing for a royal divorce even before the wedding bells begin to ring? British divorce lawyers warning Prince William to seriously think about forcing his beautiful bride to sign a pre-nup before he walks down the aisle. Will that sour the fairytale romance between this prince and his commoner love? I`m taking your calls.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We the jury, we find the defendant Donald Good guilty.
REBECCA MOWERY HOBSON, RAPE SURVIVOR: I hate you. You may not have killed me with your knife, you may not have cut me up, but the person that got in that car that day no longer exists.
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VELEZ-MITCHELL: Tonight, justice delayed a long time. But not denied. An amazing survivor in the war on women was forced to wait 24 long years to confront her rapist. Tonight she will join me in an ISSUES exclusive in just a moment.
Rebecca Hobson was outside a West Virginia mall in 1987 when a man in a ski mask kidnapped her at knife point, terrifying. He raped Rebecca repeatedly before she got away.
Finally, last Friday, came the moment Rebecca had waited decades for. Fifty-one-year-old Donald Good, a convicted murder, right there, found guilty of raping Rebecca and another woman. Both of these brave survivors seized the opportunity to confront their sicko predator.
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JANET JOHNSON SMITH, RAPE SURVIVOR: The images will stick with me for the rest of my life no matter what happens. I`m sorry that you are a sick individual. But that happens and I`m sorry there`s no help for you. God bless your soul because somebody is going to need to.
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VELEZ-MITCHELL: Jurors needed less than three hours to convict Donald Good. He stayed completely defiant, even after the guilty verdicts were read.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you feel remorseful at all?
DONALD GOOD, CONVICTED RAPIST: I have no remorse because I didn`t do it. In order to be remorseful you had to have done something to be remorseful for.
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VELEZ-MITCHELL: His victims waited 24 years for justice. During that time, Donald Good committed murder and an innocent man went to prison for the two mall rapes. He is yet another victim in this tragedy.
Why did it take so long to catch the real rapist? Straight out to my very special guest, Rebecca Hobson; first of all bravo, you are my hero. It`s so important for you to come and speak tonight because so many women who had been raped are afraid to come forward. So, you`re setting a very important example.
Tell us how it felt to confront your attacker in court nearly a quarter of a century after he viciously abducted and raped you?
HOBSON: It was amazing. It was a day that I never thought I would see. For years I`ve regretted that I wasn`t able to open my eyes and look at him, to be able to identify him. And just to look him straight in the eye, to show him that I was no longer afraid of him, was more than I could ask for.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Did it have an emotionally cathartic effect on you? Do you feel different? Did you feel your molecules realign like wow, gosh after all of these years?
HOBSON: Yes. It was great. Like I said, it was more than I could ask for.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: But how did it feel?
HOBSON: I was -- I still felt a lot of the anger, a lot of hatred towards him, which I`m sure is something I probably shouldn`t feel but it all came back. But to be able to look him in the eye, to tell him how I felt about him, that he would no longer see me scared to death like I was in the car with him. It was great.
I had my husband there with me, my children with me. And with their support, I was able to do it.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: You took the power back.
HOBSON: Yes.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Here`s my big issue. What took so long? Were there chances to solve this crime years earlier? The mall rapes happened way back in 1987, 24 years ago. Donald Good then shot and killed a man in 1992. Four years later he pleaded guilty to murder and went to prison.
You would assume by that point Good`s fingerprints and his DNA were well documented. But apparently that wasn`t the case. It wasn`t until a couple years ago, 2009 that DNA evidence collected from the mall rapes got into the FBI`s DNA database. That`s when they finally linked him to these two rapes.
Now, ok, DNA, relatively new science in the span of global geographic time but I mean come on, the national database wasn`t fully operational until the late `90s. Then again, it`s a long time since the late `90s. I would like to go to prosecutor Chris Chiles and find out why they didn`t match the DNA a long time ago.
CHRIS CHILES, PROSECUTOR: Well, Jane, there`s a number of reasons for that. First of all, when the conviction happened, as you noted in 1987, DNA did not even exist. We were reliant that time on serology evidence. And while I did not try the case back in `87, the prosecutors who did, that was all the evidence they had at the time. He was -- the man convicted then was exonerated in 1992 by then very new evidence known as DQ-Alpha. Subsequent to that as PCR DNA --
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Let me jump in for a second. Let me ask you an old- fashioned evidence. Fingerprints were taken at the time of the mall rapes from one of the victim`s driver`s license. So then he`s convicted in the late `90s for murder. Wouldn`t you be able to match the fingerprints?
CHILES: No, because the quality of the fingerprints while they were good enough to be used, once we had a name for comparison, the quality was not sufficient to be entered into AEFIS back in 1992 or at any time.
However, once we got Mr. Good`s name through the cold hit DNA match and had a name to compare those fingerprints to, then Sgt. Dave Castle from the Huntington Police Department was able to prepare those fingerprints and get a match.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. Well, I just wanted to ask you to satisfy our curiosity. And I think that`s a good answer. It`s not like the TV show CSI. You don`t solve these things unfortunately magically.
There`s another victim of this horrific crime and that is a man named Glenn Woodall. He was wrongly convicted of the two rapes Donald Good actually committed. Remember Donald Good was wearing a mask so the victims could not identify him. Woodall had already served five years in prison when DNA evidence cleared him. And he was one of many people convicted based on evidence from a corrupt state crime lab official.
Rebecca, what was your reaction to all of that? The fact that this man was falsely arrested and then released before this monster was finally caught? Did that exacerbate your pain?
HOBSON: Well, I had for years, even after they released Woodall; I had felt like he was responsible and got away from it. I just couldn`t comprehend how they could get life in prison without parole on someone that didn`t commit the crime.
And when they dropped the charges, the prosecutor at the time had told me they felt sure that they had convicted the right man, they just didn`t have the evidence they needed to retry him at that time and they could come back at a later date and do so.
So for years I continued hating this man, believing that he did this. Only until I heard the new evidence with Chris Chiles and Peggy Brown did I really know the whole truth.
(CROSSTALK)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: How has this impacted your life? How has it defined, unfortunately, your life, or has it?
HOBSON: It`s -- it`s been hard. I mean, I`ve had a lot of problems dealing with the anger and the fear, the resentment. Not just because of the rape but how everything had turned out and I had been in and out of treatment centers for depression, shock treatments. Took years to actually try to put it behind me and up until a few years ago I became sick and it just no longer seemed as important to me.
It was more important that my health get better, that I improved the quality of my life, that I could be there for my children and my grandchildren. And so I was able to put it behind me and I just did not expect this day to come.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Dr. Dale Archer, this is such proof, what you just heard from this courageous Rebecca Hobson, who was talking openly about her ordeal, that rape needs to be taken seriously. But some men in authority still refuse to take it seriously and, in fact, in a speech about Canadian safety, a Canadian police officer just said recently, quote, "women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimized and that touched off a firestorm and an entire protest in Canada occurred.
And I want to show you briefly a little bit of what -- do we have it? Ok. Check it out.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just because I`m a slut, I don`t want to be raped.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Anyone could be a slut. Like the most respected, powerful woman can be degraded down to nothing because of what she`s wearing.
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VELEZ-MITCHELL: So this was a protest and they used that word purposely, the protesters to basically throw it back in the face of the police officer who essentially attacked a victim and said the victims are to blame if they are attacked. Unfortunately, that kind of backward horrific thinking is still in evidence, Dr. Dale Archer.
DR. DALE ARCHER, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST: It`s almost astounding, Wane, when you hear that and think that this is 2011. That`s the type of thinking that maybe you accepted back in 1960.
And to think that this is a police officer who is charged with protecting those very same women and saying, well, you know what, if you dress that way, then you deserve it. So that is just shocking, astounding, and horrific in today`s world.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Rebecca Hobson, you are my hero. You are inspiring so many women. The vast majority of rapes are not even reported because women are afraid to report and they are afraid. They`re somehow shame- based.
It has all got to change and it is changing thanks to courageous women like you. I applaud you and I`m so happy you finally got justice.
Please join us again soon.
Don`t miss Dr. Drew`s new show at 9:00 p.m. Eastern right here on HLN. Tonight, a stage mom intervention, Dr. Drew talks to moms living their dreams through their kids.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Prince of Wales` press secretary has said Prince Charles has no intention of remarrying if he were to divorce. The statement follows the news that the Queen wrote to the prince and princess suggesting that they should get an early divorce. The prince has already agreed his marriage should end but the princess is today said to be devastated by the Queen`s suggestion.
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VELEZ-MITCHELL: A report from ITN amid the scandal swirling around the breakup of Princess Diana and Prince Charles. That was then; another world famous divorce and royal battle over money captivated the world. Some royal watchers claimed Diana took Charles to the cleaners forcing the prince to hand over his entire personal fortune, nearly $30 million when their 15-year marriage crumbled back in 1996.
Well, now with the royal wedding set for just three weeks from Friday -- I`m excited, are you -- family law attorneys are warning Prince William that if he doesn`t want a repeat of his father`s nasty post-nuptial mess, he should get a pre-nup. Naysayers are shocked just shocked. They say that`s not romantic. It doesn`t play into fairytale story line.
Not for nothing but three out of four of Queen Elizabeth`s kids have had failed marriages, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and of course, Prince Charles. Should William heed the pattern and hold his betrothed Kate Middleton to a binding legal agreement? I`m taking your calls 1-877-JVM- SAYS.
Straight out to Maxine Page, senior editor RadarOnline.com; Maxine, what is the buzz on this pre-nup suggestion?
MAXINE PAGE, SENIOR EDITOR, RADARONLINE.COME: Buzz is that he`s not going to do it. He`s not going to go the route of the pre-nup. I`ve got to say, I honestly think that him losing half his fortune is the least of his worries if that marriage ends in divorce. I seriously think it could be the end of the royal family. He`s very committed to making this work. They both are.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: What? Why the end of the royal family.
PAGE: Well, I just think they can`t weather another scandal.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: If they weathered the Duchess of York Fergie --
PAGE: Well, they did. They did. And I think people are pretty sick about that but that was a different situation. I mean William is potentially going to be the King of England. People in England are sick or getting sick of paying all this money to the royal family that`s just coming up with scandals and turning into tabloid trash. They want somebody that is going to be a figurehead and I think that he`s very committed to being that person.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. Well, let me just say this and Brooke Anderson, I`m sure you want to weigh in on this. He is in line to inherit some of Queen Elizabeth`s fortune which is estimated somewhere around half a billion dollars not to mention what he`s already inherited from his late mother.
BROOKE ANDERSON, HLN HOST, "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT": Yes, that`s right, Jane. And to me personally, to each his own, but I don`t like the idea of a pre-nup. I really don`t. I think you`re preparing for the whole thing to fall apart. You`re preparing for a divorce.
I just don`t think it`s a good omen but I do understand that when you`re in the public eye like Prince William is, I mean he is a royal. He`s second in line to the throne, I understand the need to be prudent and the need to be prepared for anything.
And like you say, yes, his grandmother, the Queen, is worth an estimated reported half a billion dollars. He also got an inheritance from his mother. He stands to gain an inheritance from his father. So I`m sure he`s being advised to protect his wealth, protect all those inheritances at the same time.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes, now the pundits might want to throw this idea of divorce or potential divorce until they are blue in the face but William himself sounds like he is in love. Listen to this.
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PRINCE WILLIAM, BRITISH ROYALTY: I`m actually excited; quite happy when the interview`s over. But, no, we`re hugely excited, and it`s -- you know, we`re looking forward to spending the rest of the times -- you know, the rest of our lives together.
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VELEZ-MITCHELL: I didn`t understand a word he said. Maybe Maxine will translate that for me.
Ok. My big issue, would a divorce without a pre-nup cost Prince William a princely sum. Legal experts say any agreement Vikki Ziegler would have to ensure that she keep her standard of living. So what -- castles, I mean how do you keep a standard of living for a princess?
VIKKI ZIEGLER, ATTORNEY: It`s almost impossible. It`s going to be half -- up to half of his fortune. Nannies, assets, cars, you name it. It is so ludicrous that he`s not entering into a pre-nuptial agreement with the history. It`s a statistical non -- really sequitur here. And let me tell you that clip of him being so in love and happy -- remember, I`m a divorce attorney. How many people are in love when they`re drafting pre- nups and then years down the road? You never know what is going to happen.
ANDERSON: Come on. Vikki, Jane, let`s be honest. Come on. I know Prince William`s kicking himself down the road. I`m telling you.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: We`ve got some romantics and Vikki I`m on your side. Yes, it`s always romantic in stage one.
ANDERSON: That was me Vikki, yes.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Let`s wait until stage four.
All right. More on the other side of the break, the royal wedding. Your calls.
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PRINCE WILLIAM: I`m actually excited; quite happy when the interview`s over. But, no, we`re hugely excited, and it`s -- you know, we`re looking forward to spending the rest of the times -- you know, the rest of our lives together.
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VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right, Maxine, what`d he just say? A romantic sentiment, but what if it doesn`t work out so well. Look, should Prince William be practical about all this? I don`t know.
Maury, Idaho, your question or thought ma`am?
MAURY, IDAHO (via telephone): Well, my comment is a pre-nuptial agreement is an agreement between two people who love each other almost as much as they love their stuff.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, you`re right, it is a materialistic concept in today`s world that stuff is so important that we have to presume that ultimately there could be a divorce instead of saying `til death do us part. And it`s kind of sad in that sense.
However, on the other side, take a look at the royals in their inner circle and some of the stuff that they`ve been through. I`m talking about Fergie, Sarah Ferguson, who we all remember, she became the mouthpiece for weight watchers.
We`re talking the Duchess of York here. She used to be married to Prince William`s uncle Andrew and she became ensnared in a slew of legal and financial scandals. She was caught taking bribes for granting access to her ex, all because of money problems.
So Maxine Page, you`re saying you don`t think that the royal family could survive the divorce of these two who are now getting hitched in their fancy-schmancy way?
PAGE: I honestly think it would really affect the royal family. As I said, like the opinions of the English people have changed a lot over the years. And the recent scandals have really hit the royal family hard.
And you know, a lot of people want to cut back on the amount of money that`s given to them. A lot of people ask, you know, what on earth are they doing? And they want a royal family that sets themselves above tabloid scandals --
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Good luck with that.
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PAGE: -- everyday people.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. I mean come on. Brooke Anderson, you`re going to be there, I understand in London, lucky you -- what a fantastic assignment. They`re not above scandals, because they`re human beings. They are human beings. They are flesh and blood, just like we are. They put their pants leg on one step at a time, just like we do. And they`re going to have scandals, because that`s what we people do.
ANDERSON: They are -- right, they are subject to challenges, just like the rest of us, but I want to say, Jane, that Kate and Prince William have been together a really long time, eight years. They have an established relationship, they are partners; they are in their late 20s.
In contrast, Princess Diana was just 19 years old. She was a baby when she got married. So I think that Prince William and Kate are better equipped to handle what is going to face them. I really, really do. But at the same time --
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Let me just say this.
ANDERSON: -- I understand the need to be prepared.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Brooke, I love your romanticism. I`m sure you don`t have a pre-nup, but Vikki Ziegler --
ANDERSON: I don`t.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: -- I think the fact that they`ve known each other so long increases their chances of getting divorced, at least from my perspective about relationships.
ANDERSON: What?
ZIEGLER: You know what; I have to agree. And Brooke, I love her, she`s great and I believe in the romantic thoughts that marriage is going to last forever; one out of two marriages fail in the U.K. just like they fail in the United States. So the key is, if you have a pre-nup, there`s a confidentiality agreement that says she can`t talk so we won`t hear about the scandals. That`s why they should have a pre-nup. Moreover, get rid of the fact that they`re going to have, if they do get divorced, because I`m going to bet --
(CROSSTALK)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Maybe you should hop across the pond and talk to this guy. We`ll be right back?
ZIEGLER: I`m available for consultation.
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VELEZ-MITCHELL: Kate is joining a royal family that is known as "The Firm", because it`s run kind of like a business. Maxine Page, tell us about the royal family.
PAGE: Well, they keep themselves very much to themselves. They are - - I mean, they are a firm. They work like a firm. They still haven`t that much got into modern times, but they`re trying to adapt. It`s going to be tough for her, but she`ll do it.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes, but it`s kind of like having your foot in one world and having the other foot in another world, because they do not live like you and I. They are living a parallel universe.
PAGE: They are, but William and Kate live much more like regular people. And you know, she doesn`t come from a titled background; she comes from a regular middle class working family albeit a wealthy one. But they live in a small house, relatively. And they have a fairly normal life.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Wow. They live in a house and not a castle. I am shocked. But I will say, she is pretty.
Nancy Grace up next.
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