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Jane Velez-Mitchell
George Zimmerman`s Wife Arrested for Perjury; Woman Allegedly Set on Fire by Ex-Boyfriend; Father Kills to Defend Daughter
Aired June 12, 2012 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And Jane, I think this is a case where the state of Texas is going to have to decide what they want to do. I want to get to a final thought on this. Do you think that the state can end up pursuing charges here, or do you think, as you see this, that ends up being a justifiable circumstance?
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HOST: I don`t think they can take the father`s word for what happened. They have to see the evidence backs up his version of events. I think it`s horrible, and if what he said happened did happen, then he should not be charged.
But they need to investigate and find out if the DNA evidence, if the little girl`s story, if all of it matches up with what he says happened that terrible day.
Meantime, we`ve got late-breaking news in the Trayvon Martin shooting case. The wife of accused killer, George Zimmerman, has been arrested for lying to the judge in court. Did George and Shellie Zimmerman conspire to hide cash, pretending they were flat broke when they really weren`t? How is this new charge going to affect George Zimmerman`s murder trial? We`ve got the very latest right here next.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VELEZ-MITCHEL (voice-over): Tonight, blockbuster developments in the Trayvon Martin shooting. Shooter George Zimmerman`s wife has just been arrested and booked. We`ll tell you why.
And was it restraining order revenge? Cops say a Florida man set the mother of his son on fire at a 7-Eleven and chased her with a knife, all caught on tape. You`ll see the video here. And I`ll talk to another woman who was set ablaze by her estranged husband. Is the law doing enough to protect women targeted by their exes?
And cops say a dad walked in on a man sexually molesting his 4-year- old daughter. So he killed him. So, if he beat the man to death while trying to protect his little girl, should he even be charged?
Then, just when we thought she was putting her troubles behind her, Lindsay Lohan involved in yet another car crash. New disturbing allocations emerging. Was she trying to hide a secret pink bag from police?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He is in custody now. He`s going to remain there.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A judge revoked his bond Friday, saying he misled the court about his finances and an unsurrendered passport.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They also accused the couple of speaking in code somehow about donations from a Web site that he set up.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have the jail calls the defendant made to his wife.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Doesn`t it tell you where his mindset is? "I can skate. I can just kind of convince them that I`m telling the truth."
BENJAMIN CRUMP, LAWYER FOR TRAYVON MARTIN`S FAMILY: His credibility is the most important thing in this entire case.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Zimmerman, who had been living in an undisclosed location due to threats on his life, is charged with second-degree murder.
MARK O`MARA, ATTORNEY FOR GEORGE ZIMMERMAN: He`s worried about himself. He`s worried about his wife. He`s worried about his family.
CRUMP: They`ve always believed, if the shoe was on the other foot, that Trayvon Martin would have been put in jail on day one, and he would not have been given bail.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If this wasn`t relevant to bond, then why did they lie about it?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Tonight, a shocking twist in the Trayvon Martin shooting case. Take a look at this. It is the mug shot of shooter George Zimmerman`s wife, Shellie. She was arrested late this afternoon for perjury. Prosecutors say she lied to a judge, just as her husband did.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have the jail calls the defendant made to his wife and to other people, and I`ll focus specifically on his wife, Shellie Zimmerman, in which he repeatedly tells her about the money, about moving the money and transferring from one position to the other.
So both Mrs. Zimmerman and the defendant -- the defendant through Mrs. Zimmerman, lied to this court about the amount of money they had.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: George, the Neighborhood Watch volunteer who was charged with second-degree murder, was free on bond. But then you remember, he was ordered back to jail for not being truthful.
George claimed he was broke when he actually had access to tons of cash through the Web site set up to support his defense in this highly charged case. So, yes, it was back to jail for George.
Well, now it appears prosecutors zeroing in on his wife, saying she also lied about how much money they had in their bank account. She`s even accused of moving thousands of dollars to another account right before his first bond hearing when she testified over the phone. Remember this?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You mentioned also in terms of the ability of your husband now that you all have no money, is that correct?
SHELLIE ZIMMERMAN, WIFE (via phone): To my knowledge that`s correct.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Were you aware that Mr. Zimmerman or somebody on his behalf created?
S. ZIMMERMAN: I`m aware of that Web site.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And how much money is in that right now? How much money as a result of that Web site is...?
S. ZIMMERMAN: Currently, I do not know.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Shellie Zimmerman was arrested on one count of knowingly making a false statement. And less than three hours ago she was released on $1,000 bond.
Straight out to Natalie Jackson, the attorney for the family of shooting victim Trayvon Martin. Natalie, thank you for joining us tonight.
What do you make, and what does the Martin family make of this stunning new development?
NATALIE JACKSON, ATTORNEY FOR TRAYVON MARTIN`S FAMILY: Well, I think that -- well, we think that Angela Corey did the absolute right thing. The foundation of our judicial system is based on witnesses telling the truth. So this is a message for not only in this case but in all cases that, when you come into a courtroom, you must tell the truth. And the American justice system depends on that.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Michelle Suskauer, criminal defense attorney out of West Palm Beach, do you agree this was fair?
MICHELLE SUSKAUER, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Well, I think that they definitely have it out for this family. You know, these are -- prosecutors don`t really charge people with perjury too often, but they are really gunning for this family. And the pun is definitely not intended.
So they -- they`re after George Zimmerman. They`re after Shellie. And what are they going to gain from this? I just don`t know. This is a third-degree felony. She`s not going to go to prison for this. I don`t think that this was necessary.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Wow. OK. Mark Eiglarsh, criminal defense attorney, you`ve heard both sides now. What say you?
MARK EIGLARSH, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: I disagree with my dear friend, Michelle Suskauer. You know, being in the criminal justice system for 20 years, I`ve seen how miscarriages of justice take place when people lie. And, you know, if you let it go by, in spite of clear -- what appears to be clear overwhelming evidence of perjury, then what you`re saying is it`s OK. Anyone can do it. Let it go.
And I think that it needs to send a message to other people that there are severe consequences when you come into court and lie.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, let me tell you, here`s what I think. I think this is war. You remember when Mark O`Mara at the bond hearing turned it into a mini-trial and actually embarrassed prosecutors, because some people didn`t know certain things, hadn`t seen -- and this was one of the first court hearings on this whole issue. One of the investigators for the prosecution hadn`t seen George Zimmerman`s medical records. And everybody was up in arms about, oh my gosh, was a special prosecutor prepared with her case?
Well, guess what? Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. And it would appear to me that this is a high-stakes war going on, a legal war. And no holds barred. Yes, the wife is going to jail. Even though she bailed out.
Let`s go to the phone lines. Judy, Michigan, your question or thought, Judy.
CALLER: Yes, Jane. I hear that the defense is still using the "stand your ground" law for George Zimmerman. And I wonder why Trayvon isn`t afforded the same right. He was being attacked by someone with a gun. And he was visiting his father. There`s no other way for him to get there. Why isn`t he afforded the right of having the "stand your ground" law?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, tragically, he is not here anymore to make any claims, except through evidence that we`ve collected about what happened that night.
Now, prosecutors say, getting back to this extraordinary issue of essentially the wife of this man charged with second-degree murder being taken to jail and bailing out. Let`s give you a little back story here.
There was a crucial bond hearing where George and Shellie, his wife, claimed they were flat broke. OK. That allowed him to get out of jail after posting just 15 grand on a second-degree murder charge.
Here`s a transcript that prosecutors say proves George and his wife were lying about that, that they had talked in code beforehand from jail in a jailhouse phone call.
"George: `In my account, do I have at least $100?`
"Wife: `No.`
"George: `How close am I?`
"Wife: `Eight, 8-60.`
"George: Really? So everything total, how much we`re looking at?`
"Wife -- Wife: "A hundred and fifty-five.`"
Now, prosecutors said, and I`ll throw this back to Natalie Jackson, Trayvon Martin`s family`s attorney. The prosecution said when Shellie was saying the words "one hundred and fifty-five," she was actually talking about $155,000. That is extraordinary that these two actually thought they could talk in code and get away with this.
JACKSON: And that`s what the prosecutor said at the bond hearing. That was one of the reasons the bond was revoked. And I -- you know, I would offer that that`s one of the reasons that Shellie Zimmerman was jailed today.
Once again, it`s a very irresponsible message to tell people that it`s OK for whatever reason, as long as you have a good reason, that you can lie in court. That`s not the message. That`s not what our judicial system says. And I think that this is a strong, responsible message that we`re going to follow the law in this case.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Now, I`ve just got a look at the psychological side here. Take a look at Shellie Zimmerman`s mug shot. We are seeing her for the first time. Remember, she testified over the phone. This lady does not look happy, Michelle Suskauer.
SUSKAUER: Of course not. Why would she be happy? This is a family - - look, this -- in my opinion -- certainly, and I agree with Mark and Natalie, nobody should be coming into court and intentionally lying.
But hey, we also do have a presumption of innocence here. So she was charged, but she wasn`t convicted of perjury yet. OK? So -- but again, this family is under tremendous stress. So I think we need to take that into consideration.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, what I will say is when you`re dealing with a mega-case like this, it`s always dramatic twists and turns that always go outside the narrow boundaries that one is expecting and that usually occur with a minor case. In a major case, it`s no holds barred war. And that`s what we`re seeing there between both sides.
"NANCY GRACE" up next at 8 p.m. Eastern. Nancy, what are you working on tonight?
NANCY GRACE, HLN ANCHOR: Jane, when a mommy comes to pick up her 4- year-old little girl, Daddy gets sent to fetch her, but he comes out not with the toddler girl but with a 12-inch blade knife. Stabs mommy to death in broad daylight right in front of his own children.
Was mommy`s murder touched off by her new engagement, this two full years after legally divorcing Daddy?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Take a look at this shocking video of a Florida woman set on fire in an apparent domestic dispute. Police say the suspect, 52-year-old Roosevelt Mondesir, poured gasoline on the mother of his 4- year-old son and torched her after pulling her out of a convenience store.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He`s still outside. He has a knife.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This guy has a knife. There`s fire around the entrance of the 7-Eleven.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Tonight, sheer terror inside a Florida convenience store. A woman attacked, allegedly by her estranged boyfriend. When the attack`s over, the woman`s on fire, the boyfriend on the run.
We warn you this video is disturbing. The 34-year-old mother seen on surveillance camera is trying to keep her son`s father from coming inside the store. She tries to hold the door shut. He`s too strong. He pulls her outside. Police say that`s when he allegedly pours gasoline on her and sets her on fire. She runs back into the store. She`s calling 911 bravely in a cry for help.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He set me on fire, OK!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Set you on fire?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hurry up! Hurry up! Please, please, please.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you need paramedics?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: The victim`s in the hospital tonight with severe burns to her body and face. She came to the 7-Eleven store because that`s where her boyfriend was supposed to deliver their 4-year-old son after a visit. They had joint custody.
Police found the little boy home alone in the suspect`s house, sleeping and unhurt. The suspect, 59-year-old Roosevelt Mondesir, was found hiding in the bushes. He`s being held without bond, charged with attempted first-degree murder. The ugly back story in a moment.
But someone who knows exactly what this burn victim`s going through tonight, Yvette Cade, our heroine -- we love her -- she joins us tonight. The same thing happened to her. She was at work when her estranged husband stormed in and threw gasoline on her, set her on fire. She was burned over 60 percent of her body. But she is a survivor seven years later. Again, one of my heroes.
Yvette, thank you for joining us tonight.
News reports say this woman who was just burned in Florida had just recently applied for a restraining order against this ex-boyfriend, the suspect. The judge denied it.
Three weeks before your attack, a judge denied your request to renew your protective order against your husband. Why on earth are these judges, do you think, ruling against women they`re supposed to be protecting?
YVETTE CADE, BURN ATTACK SURVIVOR: Well, they just don`t have a clue. When someone says that they`re being attacked or harmed, and they`ve gone through this time and time again, they need to listen.
What`s -- what`s a year protective order? It`s only a piece of paper. We`re only asking for help for someone that can`t do something. But, you know, they just don`t listen. And I don`t understand it.
I`m sitting here in awe over this, just looking at this. I`m sitting here. I can`t believe that this awful, evil man has done the same thing to her.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: That another man did to you. We bless you for having the courage to witness this. I know it`s got to bring up some very, very painful old memories.
The first person to call 911 from the store was a clerk. It`s hard to tell what she`s saying, but you can hear the victim screaming in the background. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have a fight. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) We have a fight.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you see any weapons? Any weapons?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. Yes. Too much trouble.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Barbara Sheehan, you shot and killed your husband after decades of abuse. Do you think women have to take the law into their own hands if the courts will not protect women? Barbara?
BARBARA SHEEHAN, DOMESTIC ABUSE SURVIVOR (via phone): Yes, hi.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. Do you think that -- what`s your reaction to this story?
SHEEHAN: I`m just horrified that something like this would happen. It just shows that the justice system does not understand what`s going on and how horrible it is to live in a situation like that.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He`s still outside. He has a knife. He set me on fire.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. Is he a white or black male?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He`s a Haitian man. He has a white (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Please.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A man with a knife (ph). A white shirt.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: The suspect, who allegedly set the mother of his young son on fire doesn`t have a criminal record, until now. According to court records obtained by WPTV, the victim says that he tried to physically pull her out of a car back in May when she brought their son to visit him.
Afterwards she says the suspect vandalized her car, flattened her tires, removed the lug nuts. The victim says back in February the suspect cut up all the furniture in their house before throwing her out.
Diane Rosenfeld, Harvard Law School, domestic violence specialist, all that plus audio tapes of threats and they still wouldn`t give her a restraining order she needed to keep this man out of her life?
DIANE ROSENFELD, HARVARD LAW SCHOOL: It`s inexcusable, Jane. It`s completely inexcusable. When an endangered woman is trying to get out of an abusive relationship, and she turns to the criminal justice system, and they turn her down for protection, they are part of the problem. And they have put her in harm`s way. And that`s how it happened. It`s really untenable situation.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Here`s what I don`t get. Why on earth did they have joint custody?
Now, this woman had called the cops. She tried to get a restraining order, because she says he was threatening her on a daily basis with texts and voice mail. In one of the messages he wrote, "You have to learn the hard way. I`m all about revenge now."
And nevertheless, Yvette Cade, he still had joint custody. How is that possible?
CADE: That is awful. He didn`t deserve any type of custody.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Diane, what is wrong with our system? It does not protect women.
ROSENFELD: Here`s what`s wrong with the system. When we don`t take threats to women seriously, especially when they`re trying to separate from an abusive relationship, we know that it`s predictable that she could be the victim of a homicide by her abuser. And domestic violence homicide is the particular type of homicide that is so predictable as to be preventable.
Not all judges are this bad. And in places where we have high-risk teams, where we treat all domestic violence as potentially dangerous and lethal, treating them as if they could turn into a homicide, and it`s a checklist that law-enforcement officers can administer when they answer a domestic violence call. And then there`s an objective way to tell, wait, this is a really threatening situation. And then the judges act on that.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Let me tell you something. Anybody with half a brain would have known this was a really dangerous situation. He chopped up her furniture. He pulled her, allegedly, out of her car. He removed the lug nuts. You`d have to be a lug nut not to realize that this is an absolute tragedy waiting to happen.
I think judges should be prosecuted not giving restraining orders when they should.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A father told authorities that a 47-year-old man who helps with his horses tried to sexually assault his 4-year-old daughter.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The 23-year-old father of the young girl then attacked the man after learning what was happening.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He got what he well deserved. And you can say that nationwide.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was just merely defending his daughter.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The father ended up beating the man to death with his bare hands.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don`t think he should be arrested for it. I don`t think any charges should be filed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I would do the same probably ten times worse if somebody would have done that to my kid.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Cops say a Texas father walks in on his young daughter being raped, and then kills the alleged rapist with his bare hands. Should he be hailed as a hero?
It all happened Saturday in Shire Texas, a small town with a population of 2,000. The victim, a 4-year-old girl. She was feeding chickens on her grandfather`s ranch when she was taken away by a 47-year- old man visiting the property.
That`s when her dad says he leapt into action. The sheriff said they heard the girl yelling and then the father ran to her and found then half naked, the man attempting to rape the child. The dad then started fighting with the alleged rapist, striking him in the face with his fist repeatedly.
Now even the sheriff doesn`t know what to do.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In the defense of her, trying to get her away from him that he struck the man in the head several times.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you think this father should be charged?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let`s don`t ask that question.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: This story trending very high with millions of Americans weighing in. Virtually everybody says don`t arrest this father. He`s a hero.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Anybody been talking about the same thing, they would have done the same thing.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don`t think he should be arrested for it. I don`t think any charges should be filed.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Somebody abused my grandchild like he did, I think he deserved everything he got.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Especially 4 years old. That`s terrible.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Would you charge this father with a crime? Call me: 1-877-JVM-SAYS, 1-877-586-7297.
Mark Eiglarsh, criminal defense attorney, former prosecutor, should this case be prosecuted?
EIGLARSH: No. I mean, that`s just the clear unequivocal response based on what the evidence and the specific facts are in this case. I`m not saying that someone deserves to die because they molest a child. I might have my own personal things about that.
But this guy caught him in the act. The guy, the perpetrator, allegedly, was resisting. There was fighting going on between them. This man, this father, was defending his daughter. And he has the legal right to do so. A death resulted. Too bad.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: The name of the little girl, her father and the alleged attacker not being released tonight. But the grandfather of the child spoke out. Listen to what he said he saw when he got there.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I jumped the fence and saw the man on the ground, he says. At that point I didn`t know if he was dead or not.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: But Pat Brown, criminal profiler, police do still have to investigate. Don`t they have to see if the evidence in this case weighs up and adds up with what the father said happened?
PAT BROWN, CRIMINAL PROFILER: Yes. Absolutely, Jane. They`ve got to know that there was an assault in progress. If there was no assault, let`s say the little girl was just hanging around and this man got mad at this guy for some other reason and started beating him to death and say because he was raping my daughter, you know, that obviously would be a murder. But they`ve got to prove that the girl was being assaulted.
And if she was being assaulted, I`m all for his action. It was pure self-defense. Man got what he deserved.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, you`ve got a lot of company. The town of Shriner, Texas has seemingly united behind this dad. Listen to what this neighbor of the father said about all this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I would have done the same. Everybody feels that it was justified, you know. I haven`t heard any details about it. But I mean, that`s just a comment. You talk around town.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Oh, we`re going to go out to the phone lines. Bill, Ohio, your question or thought.
BILL, OHIO: Hey, Jane. I was put in jail because I caught my cousin molesting his own daughter and he did not get jail time, but I got three years of probation. I beat him pretty bad. Why isn`t -- why is this man even being charged with a crime? He walked in on something. That was totally wrong I think.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Did cops tell you why you were charged? I mean, that doesn`t seem fair. It seems like a very similar situation. And you got the short end of it, it seems, Bill.
BILL: You know the people that do right in the United States usually do. Either the prosecutor wants to make a name for themselves, just like in the George Zimmerman case, he should not have been charged -- my personal opinion. But in this case the father never should have been charged.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: It`s interesting you mention the George Zimmerman case. Virtually everyone is supporting the dad in this case. But you have to wonder should we automatically just accept his version of events. The other person is not here to give his side of the story.
This kind of reminds me in a certain way of how cops in Florida instantly believed George Zimmerman. And remember what he told them?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE ZIMMERMAN, CHARGED WITH TRAYVON MARTIN`S MURDER: I`m with the neighborhood watch and we`ve had some burglaries and vandalisms lately. And this gentleman was walking in the neighborhood. I`ve seen before on trash days going around picking up trash. I don`t know what his deal is.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is he white, black or Hispanic?
ZIMMERMAN: Black.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: So that was the initial 911 call from George Zimmerman. Of course we have learned -- the whole world has learned that the story was very different from what he initially described. Trayvon was at a 7-Eleven buying Skittles and iced tea. He was walking back to his house talking to his girlfriend and he was gunned down, essentially. And now George Zimmerman is charged with second-degree murder.
Mark Eiglarsh, should we be so quick to accept this father`s version of events?
EIGLARSH: No. And I don`t think law enforcement would immediately accept what he`s saying. It appears though after an investigation they then reported these are the following facts.
But all of these cases, especially Zimmerman, hinges upon what the facts are after an appropriate, extensive, thorough and fair investigation.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Got to go out to Rich Dool, our HLN producer who`s been monitoring Twitter and other social media. That is just off the charts literally millions of people weighing in, Rich.
RICH DOOL, HLN PRODUCER: Yes, Jane. We`ve gotten hundreds of responses. And the vast majority of people think this father should not face any charges. We had a couple people that said he should. Teresa is tweeting, "Jane, murder is murder. Once the guy was off her, he was no longer protecting her, it was revenge."
Shirley says "I totally understand the father`s fury, but we`re supposed to be a civilized society and not become vigilantes."
But like I said, the vast majority think not only should this father not face charges, but he should be given a medal, or an award.
Maggie is saying, "Finally, someone has done what many felt like doing. Sometimes justice needs to be taken in our own hands."
Amber says "A true case of justified homicide. Any good parent would have done the same. I`m actually surprised that there was enough left of the guy to identify and bury."
And Leslie says, "No, give him a trophy for dad of the year" -- Jane.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. Well, obviously the whole country is united behind this father. And to me the best news is that this 4-year-old girl is ok and she was rescued before anything truly, truly, truly horrific could happen.
Now, from Texas justice to Florida`s trial of the century, guess who - - back in the news.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CASEY ANTHONY, ACQUITTED FOR DAUGHTER`S DEATH: Can someone let me -- come on.
CINDY ANTHONY, MOTHER OF CASEY ANTHONY: Casey, hold on, sweetheart. Settle down, baby.
CASEY ANTHONY: Nobody`s letting me speak. You want me to talk --
CINDY ANTHONY: All right. I`ll listen.
CASEY ANTHONY: -- then give me three seconds to say something.
CINDY: Go sweetheart.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. Casey now getting her chance to speak -- again; after months in hiding she is breaking her silence. She just filed an appeal in her criminal trial -- unbelievable. She was found not guilty of murdering her daughter, Caylee, but she was convicted of lying to police.
Now, her lawyer, Cheney Mason says even that should be thrown out. He says Casey`s interview with police should have been allowed in court because Casey was not read her Miranda rights. She wasn`t officially arrested.
But Cheney Mason says Casey thought she had been arrested. She was trying to get a totally clean slate. Remember this? Boy, that brings back memories, doesn`t it? She`s backing up this attempt to clear her name, so to speak, with a full-on media assault.
Mark Eiglarsh, does she have a chance? Why on earth -- I mean most people feel like she got away with something horrible. She`s not satisfied. She`s got to come back and try to get this thrown out?
EIGLARSH: Ok. Let me defend Cheney Mason for one second. It`s his job. His job as a defense lawyer, as much as people despise her and maybe even his actions. It`s his job to do everything he can which includes taking an appeal.
Do I think it has any merit? Absolutely not. Even if his chances are theoretically possible that he can win, that`s his job to do so. She, trying to clear her name? That`s never going to happen. And even if the appellate court were to find some defect in what was done during her trial, it`s not going to clear her name.
You know, we all know what she`s about. And she cannot tell the truth.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, this is just the start. Tomorrow we are all over this story because there are reports that Casey Anthony`s physical appearance has changed radically. To the point where she goes out and walks around and nobody recognizes her. That`s tomorrow right here on this show. Got to join us for that.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Lindsay Lohan next. But first your "Viral Video of the Day".
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(VIRAL VIDEO OF THE DAY)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: New mysteries from Lindsay Lohan`s horrible crash scene. Could Lindsay be in even bigger trouble for what happened moments after her nasty crash?
LINDSAY LOHAN, ACTRESS: I did do everything I was told to do and did the best I could.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well it seems like Lindsay Lohan is getting her life back on track, but she could be in some hot water again. According to TMZ the actress may have lied to cops about who was driving when she was in a car crash last week.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Lindsay who was traveling to the set of her new Lifetime movie "Liz and Dick" made an unexpected trip to the hospital after her rented Porsche slammed into an 18-wheeler.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It just seems like the whole thing is just adding up to not being funny anymore. I think at first when Lindsay was kind of getting derailed in her life, people were like oh, young girl going through a phase. But now it`s just getting troublesome.
LOHAN: I`m not taking this as a joke. It`s my life. And it`s my career. And something I`ve worked for my entire life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Whatever. It`s happened again. The perpetually troubled starlet had another car crash. And there are already allegations flying of lies on both sides. Lindsay was on her way to shoot for her new Elizabeth Taylor Lifetime movie "Liz and Dick" when her rental Porsche collided with an 18-wheeler. She allegedly claimed the car was cut off and the Porsche`s brakes failed. So which is it?
Look at this damage. Cops say Lilo, originally told them she was not the driver. We`re going to show you the crash portion in a second. But her assistant allegedly spilled the beans and told police later, yes, Lindsay was the one behind the wheel. So if cops decide to press charges for lying to police, Lindsay`s probation could be revoked. That`s a pretty picture isn`t it?
If that wasn`t enough, the truck driver says Lindsay`s posse tried to bribe him and suspiciously whisked a pink bag into another vehicle. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAMES JOHNSON, LOHAN CRASH VICTIM: The other guy took me across the street, told me this was some kind of famous person and they didn`t want to be in the media. But I`d already called 911 because they was trying to get away from the scene. They packed this bag, put this bag -- the limousine driver told me don`t mention the bag to the cops.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Lindsay`s legal team says Lindsay`s cooperating fully with police. Mike Walters, news manager TMZ, what have you heard about all this and alcohol, allegedly, possibly found in the trunk of the Porsche?
MIKE WALTERS, NEWS MANAGER, TMZ: Well, yes, Jane. A water bottle filled with alcohol was found in the trunk of Lindsay`s Porsche after the accident. And I can tell you that several law enforcement officers tell us it was found in the debris from the car accident and was taken as evidence as part of the accident. Now, it`s not illegal to have an open container of alcohol in the trunk, but all of us were watching and talking about this know Lindsay Lohan`s been to rehab several times. Probably shouldn`t be around alcohol and have a water bottle filled with alcohol in her car.
But that`s not the worst news. The worst news is I can tell you that this case is going to go to the district attorney and she lied to a law enforcement officer. When they got to the hospital she said "I wasn`t driving" to Santa Monica police detectives. You cannot lie. And they found out from her assistant who said she was driving that she was driving the car. Guess what, if she gets this and she`s convicted of it, she will go to jail because that`s a violation of her probation, which she`s still on from the shoplifting case, Jane.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, thank you so much, Mike Walters, TMZ. You know, they`ve been trying to put her in jail for a long time. I don`t think any of these judges really have the will to stand up to this young woman.
I want to know what`s in the pink purse. Lindsay has been given every chance under the sun to get her act together. Remember her acting job in court? We all do.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LOHAN: I`m not taking this as a joke. It`s my life. And it`s my career. And something I`ve worked for my entire life. And, you know, I`ve learned from my experiences. I take responsibility for my actions. And I`ve tried to do the best I can in the past few weeks since I was here last. Which is the only time I`ve been in, you know, present in front of a judge in any of my situations in terms of this specific case.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Dylan Howard, Buzz Media, editor-in-chief. Is this going to impact her career?
DYLAN HOWARD, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, BUZZ MEDIA: Well, Jane, was that Lindsay Lohan or Pinocchio? Because she certainly has a problem when it comes to telling the truth.
Will this have an effect on her career? She`s just signed on a new role today. So it seems unlikely. But let`s face it, what is her career at the moment? Sure she signed up to that Lifetime bio pick about Elizabeth Taylor, but beyond that she really hasn`t starred in any Hollywood film for some time.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, I got to tell you, I am so sick of this young lady`s shenanigans. There are so many people behind bars and she just keeps walking free.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: We`re very excited to tell you the Daytime Emmys are coming to HLN. Watch the awards live on Saturday June 23rd at 8:00 p.m. Eastern right here on HLN. And check out our red carpet sweepstakes on hlntv.com for a chance to win a trip to the awards.
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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOM HOLLAND, FITNESS EXPERT: And you don`t need a lot of time, you don`t need a lot of equipment. Don`t waste your money on expensive equipment that you`re not going to use.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes.
HOLLAND: If you hadn`t done those -- great. If not, grab those. I don`t know why someone said you had to go to the gym for an hour. You`re going to do a workout here that will take the time it takes you to get to the gym.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Beach season just around the corner And we continue our adventure to slim. Tonight I`m making a fool of myself, as we hit the floor with our very own fitness magician, Tom Holland.
But seriously, I wasn`t so jazzed about the idea of like hitting the floor. But you must try this. If you just take two minutes, you can do this while you`re watching TV.
HOLLAND: Exactly.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: It can transform your life if you do these things for a couple of minutes.
HOLLAND: Exactly. The number one reason people say they don`t have to work out -- they don`t work out is because of time. So we watch a couple of hours of TV a day, right? So two minutes during the commercial is the best time to do your ab exercises.
So we`re going to target the entire region. Four exercises, 30 seconds each. Real basic, Jane. You know, down, and we`re just going to slide the hands up. So working -- this is the six pack, everyone wants a six pack. We all have them, they`re covered up a little bit. But this is really basic.
I know you were talking about your neck. Just relax your next and just not a big movement. Really starting to work the ab, the six pack.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: See, I like this because I have never been able to do sit-ups and I have also never been able to do push-ups.
HOLLAND: Right. And you don`t have to do a big movement, Jane. This is exactly all you need to do. So that`s 30 seconds.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes.
HOLLAND: New commercial. So now we`re just going to lift the legs up. I want you to press your lower back into the floor, really important. And just bicycle.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Ok.
HOLLAND: Now we`re starting to bring the obliques, the sides of the our abdomen to it.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I can put my head back right? I don`t have to --
HOLLAND: You can put your head back. Some people like to bring it up. You just want to make sure that lower back is pressed down into the floor.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right.
HOLLAND: Now work on the sides. Now, everyone wants the lower abs. Hardest ones to get. Just reach a little bit away and you pull back. Not too far. This -- a lot of stress on the back; you don`t have to do that. So just reach to here and pull. You feel the lower abs?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes, yes. Totally I feel it right here. I`m totally feeling right here.
HOLLAND: 30 seconds. We just targeted our entire abdominal region, six pack, sides, lower abs.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: So you could do this a couple of commercials or a short segment.
HOLLAND: Exactly. You know --
VELEZ-MITCHELL: You`re watching TV and then do this.
HOLLAND: And then don`t want to leave out our lower back. It`s really important, that`s part of our course. All we have to do -- you know, move. Lift up those hips, now straight line with your body Jane.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Ok.
HOLLAND: Press down on your heels. Feel your lower back start to engage? So this is the beginner. You can just hold this for 30 seconds as you get stronger. And then to make it harder -- you can always make it harder right? Right there Jane. Floor exercise.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I`m wearing boots because it rained today, ok. Just so you know guys.
HOLLAND: And that`s it. And then in the middle, hug those knees and it will stretch the lower back as well.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Ok. Well, you know, what I like about this is that frankly, I`m not into extreme exertion, I was when I was like 17, but this is just enough to keep us going.
HOLLAND: Be consistent, two minutes, you`re going to change your abdominals.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: HLN is committed to our military and their families who sacrifice so much to protect our freedom and our way of life. Our own Robin Meade met up with some wounded servicemen for this year`s Warrior Games.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBIN MEADE, HLN HOST: So we`re here at the Warrior Games where 200 different athletes from each branch of the military competing to get up here on the medal stand. Whether they`re competing in track and field, shooting, archery, cycling or swimming, or maybe it`s a team sport, sitting volleyball or wheelchair basketball. But they`ll tell you that it`s not all about the medals.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In 2009, in June, I became a right above the knee amputee. For me it was a very, very big change of life because I really, really enjoyed the athletic part of life.
It actually gives me a chance to learn some things that I probably was thinking inside of the box about before being injured. And now I`m outside the box about it and it makes me feel as if I`m not alone.
You look around, and you see legs, and body parts all over the place but people are still doing the same things that they were doing before they were injured but just a little bit different. It`s what we call our new normal routine.
The acceptance part is everything. We have to accept what we went through, but we also have to get accepted to what we want to be a part of, and that`s the biggest thing there. That makes this kind of event worthwhile being a part of.
MEADE: It`s about accepting what your next chapter of life is. But also knowing that you`re accepted in what you want to do.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right.
About a thousand people try for this event but only 200 athletes were selected and we come out here and this is the cream of the crop of the injured soldiers.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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