Return to Transcripts main page

Jane Velez-Mitchell

Casey`s Free When Clock Strikes 12:00; Day Care Widow Out on Bail; A Royal Dressing Down; Graphic Video Costs Beef Supplier Big Biz; Deanna Cook was Found Dead in her House Two Days After 911 Call; Tony Famer was Sentence in Prison for Assaulting her Girlfriend

Aired August 23, 2012 - 19:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HLN HOST: Tonight, shock and outrage after a woman calls 911 begging for her life only to be found dead two days later by her family. Cops came to Deanna Cook`s house but never went inside. Why not? And why doesn`t Dallas PD release the 911 call that lasted 11 minutes? Why did no one help this desperate woman next?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Tonight, outrage over a Dallas woman`s death. She called 911 and reportedly screamed she`s being attacked inside her own home by her ex-husband. Reports claimed a man`s voice could be heard in the background saying he`s going to kill her. But when cops go to the house, they allegedly just do a perimeter check and leave never going inside. Two days later Deanna Cook`s family finds her dead in the bathtub. Could cops have said this woman`s life?

And a dramatic new twist in the Casey Anthony saga. The woman infamously acquitted of murdering her daughter Caylee, is about to be officially free. Casey`s probation for check fraud ends tonight. But her lawyers say she`s afraid to go out in public because she`s so despised. So, where is Casey right now, and what will she do next now that she can leave Florida?

Plus, a basketball star collapses in shock in the middle of court after learning he`ll go to prison for years.

But tonight, we`ll show you the shocking video of 18-year-old Ohio high school standout Tony Farmer viciously assaulting his ex-girlfriend. He was one of the top basketball recruits in the country until he was convicted of kidnapping and assault. We`ll talk to the judge who sentence made tony farmer faint.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Deanna Cook called 911 from her home on Friday after she was being attacked.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s more like anger at the same time why they wouldn`t bust down the door to get in there.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You can hear Cook`s begging and gasping for help. In the background you can hear the alleged attacker, her ex-husband, Patrick, saying he`s going to kill her. She even calls him out by name.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just think something more could have been done.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sources tell us the operator never relays that Cook is being attacked. The officers arrive at the home, knock and leave when there`s no answer. The call lasts 11 minutes before the line goes dead.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Tonight, an apparent breakdown in communication. After a desperate woman calls 911, reportedly screaming and begging for her life and she never gets any help. The cops show up at Deanna Cook`s house but they never went inside. Why not?

Two days later she was found dead. Deanna seen here from her facebook page made the call on Friday from a cell phone while reportedly screaming hysterically that her ex-husband was trying to kill her. Get this, the call lasts 11 minutes, 11 minutes. Yet police say they only knew they were responding to a domestic disturbance call.

We would like to play the call for you but we can`t because Dallas police won`t release it because they say, well, it`s an active investigation. So listen to the victim`s sister who did hear the call at the police station.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KARLETHA GUNDY, VICTIM`S SISTER: I could just hear how loud she was screaming. I couldn`t tell what she was saying. But I know that she was screaming for her life.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Two days after Cook made the 911 call, her family saw water pouring out of her house and they called 911 again. Here`s what they were told.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GUNDY: The lady said, well, before we can send an officer out to check, you need to call the hospitals and I think she said the jails.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Check the hospitals and the jails before we can come over to help? Well, the family didn`t wait. Desperate, they busted down the door and they discovered Deanna Cook dead inside in the bathtub, discovered by her own daughter. Cops arrested her ex-husband, Patrick, and charged him with murder.

Was Deanna Cook still alive when officers showed up but left to go inside and left after knocking on the door? Could she have been saved if they had just done more?

Straight out to investigated reporter, Joe Gomez with KRLD radio in Dallas.

Joe, you`re on the ground in Dallas. How much are good enough for has this created and what are you hearing about why those officers didn`t go inside?

JOE GOMEZ, INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER, KRLD RADIO: Yes Jane, this is creating quite an up roar. Hey, let me tell you. I mean, for 11 minutes you can hear Deanna Cook screaming and begging her ex allegedly to stop strangling her and gasping for air for 11 minutes. It`s hard to believe the operator wouldn`t relay that kind of information to police.

They subsequently arrive at San Indiana subway. I understand they took them about 50 minutes until the call came in until they arrived at Deanna`s home, knocked on the door. There was no answer. And then, they simply left after that.

Meanwhile, she, you know, possibly as you mention, could have been alive perhaps struggling to breathe, maybe if they had opened the door or if they have barged in at that particular moment, Jane, perhaps they could have saved this beautiful 32-year-old woman`s life.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Unbelievable.

Stacey Honowitz, Florida prosecutor, the reports are -- we would love to play the 911 call but they`re not releasing it. But, the reports from those who are reporting on those who have heard it is that for 11 minutes she`s begging for her life, that you can allegedly purportedly hear her ex threatening her on the call. How is it that the call, the dispatch is described as simply domestic disturbance, which is not very descriptive?

STACEY HONOWITZ, FLORIDA PROSECUTOR: Well, it`s not descriptive at all, though domestic disturbance covers a lot of things. But certainly, the training for this operator is improper and her lack of knowledge on the job as to what to do is certainly going to send this case, you know, over the top. We have somebody who is on the phone screaming for her life and certainly that should have been relayed to the officers.

When the line goes dead, they are automatically sent out there any way. Certainly, when it is a domestic case, it is one of the most serious cases for police officers to arrive at if they believe exigent circumstances existed they should have gone into the house. So, this is going to take on a whole life of its own, a whole investigation into the police department and who is responsible for really the death of this woman. Could she have been saved? Possibly, if they knew and had this information she could have been saved.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: KHOU is reporting Deanna Cook`s ex-husband could be heard in the background saying he is going to kill her. This is alleged. Yes, it took cops minutes to get to Cook`s house, but then the big question is they didn`t go inside the house. They left.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GUNDY: We just deserve more answers than what we`re getting. If they would have kicked the door down, maybe she could have been saved.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Stacy Kaiser, psychotherapist, is there a psychological issue here. Perhaps the place, if the Dallas police say it took nine minutes to get there because the call came in on a cell phone and they didn`t have an address and in a statement they say they are changing how calls are classified.

But again, to go to this door -- I don`t blame the officers who responded because they were just told domestic disturbance. Honestly, I think there was a breakdown in communication that might signal some kind of complacency here.

STACY KAISER, PSYCHOTHERAPIST: I agree with you 100 percent. There was clearly a breakdown in communication and this complacency does happen. From what I read from the story there were issues in the past that reported of domestic violence and often times operators get -- it`s almost like they become numb to the situation and they don`t realize the magnitude of what`s really happening because they`ve shut down their emotions. So, someone may be screaming for their life on one end and they are literally emotionally shut down on the other end.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well you know, we all deal with this. We have to sort of develop a tough exterior. My God, we cover so many horrible stories on this show. I go home sometimes and I`ve got to grapple with am I going to get depressed? Am I going to start feeling negative about the human race? No. I have to remain sensitive otherwise I`m not able to do my job.

ABC News reports that when Cook`s family came inside her house, they say the bedroom door had been kicked down. The room torn apart even the toilet seat had been ripped off.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHERQUENTIA CRAWFORD, FAMILY FRIEND: Why didn`t they go inside? Why didn`t they make the next -- just go inside to check. Not two days later. The family should never have found her. That`s what I`m upset about.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Joe Gomez, ABC news reporting that Cook had a history of calling 911 against her ex. You wonder if that might had something to do with it. But I got to tell you, reports are she had just tweeted he now dude says he`s going to kill me. Wouldn`t be so bad if he isn`t tried three times before, OK? What do you say, Joe?

GOMEZ: I think that`s outrage outrageous, Jane. I mean, here we have all the evidence that we need. Obviously, just had a history of a turmoil with this guy. She`s sending tweets saying she`s afraid for her life. She called 911 several times in the past. I mean, somebody should have paid more attention to what was going on. And the fact that this guy allegedly tore through her apartment, he didn`t just murder Deanna. He went berserk it sounds like.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: It`s absolutely unbelievable. Again, I could say right now I`m officially suggesting and calling for Dallas PD, release the 911 call. Let`s get it out in the open. Let`s find out what happened so we can improve the system so somebody else doesn`t die. We`re on top of the story.

Up next, two shocking videos on the same case.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ohio high school basketball star Tony Farmer collapses in court after getting sentenced to three years in prison.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One of the top college recruits in the country.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The court orders the defendant shall serve a term of two years (bleep).

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He looked upset and confused about the sentence. He fell to the ground.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There`s nothing in the sentencing guideline that talks about him being a basketball star.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He attacked his ex-girlfriend in her apartment building (INAUDIBLE) on April 23rd.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don`t know what was wrong with him that day. I know he was a good person.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Caught on camera and he apparently just couldn`t believe the sentence.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Striking Andrea Lane in the head and then continuing to strike and kick the 18 year old as she cowered in a corner and pleaded for him to stop. He tried to pull her outside and later kicked her in a head.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He really needs help.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: A basketball star on his way to fame and fortune and NBA glory. Instead sent to prison for viciously beating his girlfriend and it`s all caught on camera. Take a look at this terrifying surveillance footage showing 18-year-old Tony Farmer ambushing his girlfriend in her apartment building and then striking her to the ground and kicking her repeatedly as she begs him to stop. He pleaded guilty in court but he was stunned when his sentence was handed down. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The court orders that the defendant shall serve a term of two years on that (bleep) as well.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. He fainted right there in court. He couldn`t believe he was actually going to jail even though the evidence was right there on camera. Tony Farmer, 6`6", 220 pounds, his girlfriend petite. No match for him. Even after he pounded her to the ground and then dragged her outside by her hair and continued the assault.

But it didn`t end there. Afterwards police say he sent threatening text messages to his victim. Listen to what the judge had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JUDGE PAMELA BARKER, CUYAHOGA COUNTY COURT: He certainly threatened her or said that he should have done something more to her and so that in addition to what I saw on the tape was very telling to me. And it was a violation of the no-contact order that was put in place to protect her. The opportunities that were lost I would just say that he lost them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: With me now an exclusive interview with Judge Pamela Barker.

Judge, thank you for being here tonight. You handed down the sentence that made Tony Farmer collapse, faint, in disbelief. What was your reaction in court when he went down?

BARKER: Well, my reaction was that I had to sentence him on -- there were two cases. And in one case it was three counts or convictions of the kidnapping, felonious assault and robbery. And the second case was intimidation of a crime victim. And I started with the first count on the kidnapping charge and gave him the three-year minimum. And I was proceeding to sentence him then on the other respective charges and I think it was as I got to the second two-year prison sentence that I imposed associated with the felonious assault and then the robbery that he went down thinking that he was going to have to serve actually a longer sentence than I actually imposed.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: I want to take a look at the videotape of the beating to try to put your sentence in context. Because you did talk about the videotape as you sentenced him. What was it about this videotape that really influenced you?

BARKER: Well, it was first of all obviously what was on the videotape that occurred in the lobby of the apartment complex and first striking of this young lady was in the lobby. And he struck her and she went to the ground. Then I know from other investigation or the investigation of the case that actually he pulled her out into a car and continued as far as I understand it to beat her and then she escaped from the car and got to the vestibule of the apartment complex and that`s where you see them again where she`s cowering in the corner and you can tell how petrified she is and see the fear in her eyes. And he`s trying to pull her up in that point of time as well and she`s trying to fend him off and then of course, he kicked her in the head four times. So, certainly, it was an attack on her that I thought was very, very serious.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: One of the most unbelievable parts of this story is that in court the victim actually spoke in defense of her attacker. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDREA LANE, VICTIM: He really needs help. I don`t know what was wrong with him that day. I know he was a good person. I hope he still is. I hope he learned from this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Stacey Kaiser, psychotherapist, why would she plead for leniency for the man that assaulted and threatened her.

KAISER: Unfortunately, this is we see - we see this a lot of times with victims of that kind of violence. She loves him. She still cares about him. We saw it with Rihanna and Chris Brown. It`s literally this ideal of him. She is looking at the good parts and not the bad parts. And I wouldn`t be surprised if she continues to stay connected to him in some way.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, on the other side of the break, we are going to talk to the judge and we are going to talk about Chris Brown and Rihanna. Are there comparisons?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Now, you see -- in a moment you`ll see, there she is, the young woman who was being assaulted by budding hoop star Tony Farmer. But again, in court, even though she`s being beaten here, she defended her attacker and begged for him not to get jail time which he did. This kinds of reminds me of Rihanna`s recent interview with Oprah where she confesses to still loving her attacker, Chris Brown. Watch this from own. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OPRAH WINFREY, TV HOST: Do you think Chris Brown is a true love for you?

RIHANNA, SINGER: Absolutely. I think he was the love of my life. He was the first love. I see that he loved me the same way.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: But Stacey Honowitz, Florida prosecutor. Chris Brown rich and famous even though his beating seems crops more severe than the beating that was inflicted on this other young woman, he made a plea bargain and got community service and probation.

So, is there a double standard at work if you got the big lawyers and if you`re rich or famous and you can somehow wrangle probation even though you beat a young woman to a pulp.

HONOWITZ: Look, I would hate to say that`s the state of our justice system that more money you have better representation get. In these cases, Jane, each case is different. Victims don`t want to go forward. Prosecutors have a difficult time getting them in. They might change their story on the stand. And so, sometimes we have to plea bargain these cases in a way for the defendant to at least get some sentence rather than no sentence.

So we do see a discrepancy in some of the cases. In this case finally I`m glad the public is getting to see that even though a victim says I don`t want to go forward, I don`t want to see him get jail time, that the punishment now fits the crime. This is something for everybody to take note of. That this judge did the right thing by giving this individual no matter if everyone came forward and he`s a star, he got prison time.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, he may be a star but he`s not a rich and famous star yet to the point that Chris Brown is, higher that kind of legal talent. I do believe we have two tier criminal justice systems because I have seen it with my own eyes covering cases in Hollywood.

But I want to go back to Judge Pamela Barker who handed down this sentence that made him collapsed, made Tony Farmer collapse. We`ll show you that video again.

Do you think he was shocked because he was one of the top high school basketball players in the country, because he had already been, I believe, recruited by several colleges? Did he in a sense think that gave him immunity?

BARKER: I don`t know if he thought he had that immunity or not. I`m sure that his attorney advised him of what the potential consequences were. And in Ohio I do have to say that with felonies of the first degree or one of those which is kidnapping and the other two felonies of the second degree, there are the presumption is in favor of prison and certainly I had to take into consideration the seriousness of the offense, the physical and psychological harm to the victim and she even as she stood before me. She was -- you could tell petrified and she said she wanted nothing more to do with him.

And again, you have to remember too, that when he was released on bond after the initial kidnapping, felonious assault and robbery charges were filed against him, he violated a no-contact with the victim protection order that had been put in place to help protect her by attempting to call her over several hours in a given day. At that point he said --

VELEZ-MITCHELL: We`re out of time, but we get your point.

Judge Pamela Barker, thank you so much for joining us and explaining your sentence. We do believe in redemption. We hope this is a cautionary tale for young men out there that think this is not serious. It`s as serious as you can get.

On the other side of the break, Casey Anthony.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Midnight, August 23rd. It will be finished then.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Obviously I didn`t kill my daughter. She said that very firmly. If anything there`s nothing in this world I`ve ever been more proud of and no one I loved more than my daughter.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`m not in control over any of this because I don`t know what the hell is going on.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She is a different person now. In her eyes to the one she was before.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This child at 8-years-old learned to lie immediately.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But she seemed very aware that she has a reputation as one of the most hated people in America.

CROWD: Justice for Caylee!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People hate her and that`s because they don`t know her. She certainly is looking forward to breathing a deep breath of air.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: 4 1/2 hours from now, Casey Anthony will be a free woman. Her probation ends at the stroke of midnight and she`ll be able to go wherever she wants to, to do whatever she wants to. The big mystery, will she emerge from hiding and if she does, will anybody be able to recognize her? And can she escape the craziness that surrounded her the last time she was let out of jail?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CROWD: Caylee! Caylee! Justice for Caylee! Justice for Caylee!

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE). You`re crazier.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Now, Casey was acquitted of murdering her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee, last summer and was sentenced to one year of probation for an earlier check fraud conviction. She spent that time in hiding only to surface with brand new look in videos. Video diaries like this one from you tube.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CASEY ANTHONY, ACQUITTED OF DAUGHTER`S MURDER: This has just been such a blessing in so many ways. Things are starting to look up. Some things are starting to change in a good way.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: So what does the future hold for Casey Anthony? Her attorney, Cheney Mason, tells us she is staying right where she is for now in Florida in somebody`s home; she`s staying there with a friend. And that she will continue to live with this secret friend that she`s been staying with.

Joining me now, Michelle Suskauer, criminal defense attorney; you are in Florida where all of this is going down. My question to you, you`ve covered this case, are you buying what her lawyer is saying she`s going to stay in hiding and we`re not going to see her. Or could that be a diversion so we`re caught off guard and suddenly she takes off to Europe. I heard Costa Rica at one point was being bandied about.

MICHELLE SUSKAUER, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: I don`t buy the fact that she`s going to stay in Florida. I think she would go anywhere to get away from the limelight. If she stays in Florida, then we`re probably going to be seeing her.

But given the fact that she doesn`t have any ties anymore as of midnight tonight, then why stay here? Why stay where everyone knows who you are, when you have that much notoriety? So I think she`s out of here.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, I agree with you. It could be a diversion tactic. Even though Casey was angry and over the top in those jailhouse tapes, she`s been pretty mum ever since. Remember this?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CASEY ANTHONY: Can someone let me -- come on.

CINDY ANTHONY, MOTHER OF CASEY ANTHONY: Casey, hold on, sweetheart. Settle down, baby.

CASEY ANTHONY: Nobody is letting me speak. You want me to talk then --

CINDY ANTHONY: All right. I`ll listen to you.

CASEY ANTHONY: -- give me three seconds to say something.

CINDY ANTHONY: Go, sweetheart.

CASEY ANTHONY: I`m not in control over any of this because I don`t know what the hell is going on.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Now, Casey recently pleaded the fifth in a video deposition for a defamation case brought by this woman, the real Zenaida Gonzalez, who of course, who of course said her life was ruined when Casey claimed a Zanny the nanny, Zenaida Gonzalez, which is her same name, kidnapped her child.

This is just one of three civil suits she`s going to have to deal with. Now Stacey Honowitz, Florida prosecutor, the civil trial, the Zenaida Gonzalez civil trial, is set to start the first of next year. So would Casey have to stay to possibly appear and I can tell you they just handed interrogatories which is a fancy word for saying "questions" that they want Casey to answer. Namely, have her parents given her any money? Has she gotten any money from news organization?

So that case is not going away.

STACEY HONOWITZ, FLORIDA PROSECUTOR: Yes, that case is never going to go away. The problem is if she decides to take off, there`s no order keeping her here. There`s no civil judge that`s making her stay because there`s a lawsuit pending.

As you know, Jane, in many lawsuits people don`t show up to court. The other party can get a default judgment against them but she`s not ordered to do or stay or produce or anything. They can go in and try to get court orders. We just don`t know how good they`re going to be if she`s not in the state.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, Casey`s defense famously went after her own father, George Anthony, during the trial claiming that George sexually abused Casey as a child and that he knew Caylee was dead all along. How could we forget this?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOSE BAEZ, DEFENSE ATTORNEY FOR CASEY ANTHONY: This child, who at 8 years old, learned to lie immediately. She could be 13 years old, have her father`s (EXPLETIVE DELETED) in her mouth and then go to school and play with the other kids as if nothing ever happened.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: So Stacy Kaiser, psychotherapist, George, the father, denied those allegations. He was a witness at times for the prosecution it seemed. He said Casey is not welcome in his house.

Cindy on the other hand could win an award as the world`s most forgiving mom. She said she believes the acquittal was a sign from God. She tried to visit her daughter. We remember that famous attempted encounter after the trial was over but Casey said "Go away, I don`t want to see you."

Is there a possibility that Casey could reunite with her family or is the fact that Cindy is living with George purportedly still is going to prevent that from happening?

STACY KAISER, PSYCHOTHERAPIST: I do think that it`s not likely that they`re going to reunite. I think that Cindy is going to continue to pursue her daughter but George seems to be in charge in this case in terms of the couple`s situation. And I don`t think he`s going to let her in that house.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: What`s Casey going to do now that she`s back in the real world? Listen to what her attorney, Cheney Mason, told our sister network "In Session".

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

J. CHENEY MASON, ATTORNEY FOR CASEY ANTHONY: Can you tell me any of the networks you work for or anybody else you know that will give her a job? Can you tell me anybody that`s going to hire Casey Anthony at this time in her life? We know of none.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well Michelle Suskauer, that`s one thing I agree with Cheney Mason on. I don`t agree with him on much of anything. How is she going to survive? Who is going to hire her? We`ve been hearing stories ad nauseum about her shopping her story around but so far, we haven`t seen a hard firm deal and everybody else and his brother seemed to have written a book about this case already. So how is she going to survive?

SUSKAUER: Well, I sort of like, liken her to maybe Amy Fisher. She certainly has sort of scraped out a living a little because people may want to hire her just because she has a name and there`s notoriety there. It may not be the best living in the world.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Now Casey tragically does not have a child anymore to support. But remember she did adopt a dog. That could also impact. She`s -- remember in the video diary, she said "I adopted a dog." So who knows?

CNN`s Piers Morgan talked to Casey on the phone not too long ago. She addressed some of the rumors out there about her. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PIERS MORGAN, CNN HOST: She said to me I do not weigh 500 pounds as one magazine has stated and I`m not moving to Costa Rica.

MASON: I can assure you that she doesn`t weigh 500 pounds. It`s doubtful that she weighs 120 pounds. Costa Rica, I don`t know where that comes from. I don`t know where any of this stuff comes from.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: One thing I can say for certain, we have not seen the last of Casey Anthony. She remains sort of a negative fascination for America and we will stay on top of this.

For more on what might be next for Casey Anthony, tune in to Nancy Grace tonight at 8:00 p.m. Eastern.

Now for a quick update on the Atlanta widow now charged with her husband`s murder. Andrea Sneiderman walked out of jail a couple hours ago after paying at least half of her $500,000 bond in cash. She is sporting some new hardware, an ankle monitor. There she is leaving court a little while ago.

So she`s supposed to be under house arrest at her parents` home. Andrea is accused of murdering her husband, Rusty, the father of their two children as he dropped one of the kids at the day care. Imagine that.

Prosecutors say she conspired with her former boss and her purported lover, Hemy Neumann. He was convicted. He`s serving a life sentence for shooting Rusty at point-blank range.

Once again, what a wild case; what a dysfunctional bunch. We`re going to stay on top of that one too.

Now, to our "Shocking Video of the Day. Check out this monster explosion on the I-10 in Baton Rouge.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(EXPLOSION IN BATON ROUGE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Whoa. My gosh. It looks like something out of an action movie. A tanker truck carrying a flammable gas similar to propane was rear-ended by another 18-wheeler last night. A huge stretch of freeway had to be shut down. People were evacuated.

Well, we`re happy to say the gas burned off. The leak was contained. Nobody was hurt. But oh my gosh -- take a look at that.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Time for your "Viral Video of the Day". Somebody wants to go for a ride. I think I`ll keep the top down. Let those lips flap a little bit.

You know, animals enjoy recreation just as we do. They are complex creatures. Let`s not underestimate them.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Prince Harry was caught with his pants down. No, he was caught with his pants off actually.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It happened in Vegas. Prince Harry photographed here in the nude after a reported game of strip pool.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Prince Harry has always been the kind of naughty boy of the royals.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Naked partier Prince Harry in Vegas. Buckingham Palace is saying, "Yes, that`s our guy."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Tonight the naked gallivanting Prince Harry is called out on the royal carpet. You have seen the photo. We don`t need to show it to you again. The prince literally caught with his pants down when photos surfaced of a completely naked Harry after a game of strip pool in a VIP room. Apparently the Prince and his posse brought back a bunch of girls to a high roller suite and things got crazy.

When the pictures went viral, Prince Harry was immediately yanked back across the pond to face his dad, Prince Charles, and his grandmother, the Queen herself.

Late night talk shows had a field day. Watch this from NBC and ABC.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAY LENO, TALKL SHOW HOST: Good news. It was announced today that there will be a "Hangover 3" this one starring Prince Harry. You know who I feel sorry for -- any other guy at that party who is trying to meet women. I mean you have the prince of England; you have Ryan Lochte with the abs, he`s got the medals. You`re walking in, "Hi, I`m a Midwest sales manager for Wendy`s."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Buckingham Palace today actually confirmed that the pictures are Harry, which was obvious with the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) white and we at least knew he was British.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Straight out to "Naughty but Nice" Rob Shuter from Huff Po. Rob, we`re hearing now that Prince Harry`s guards, his security team, in deep trouble. What do you know?

ROB SHUTER, HUFFINGTON POST: Absolutely. This is the big story at the moment in Britain and now America too. Prince Harry has a very extensive security team. He is third in line to the throne and now everybody is asking "How did this happen? Where were the security? How was he allowed in a room with strangers, with people that hadn`t been checked?"

Thank goodness they just got pictures of him because it could have been a little bit more serious. Everybody is asking where were those guards?

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, I think it`s an excellent question, especially because I read that the royal family -- well, it costs $189 million a year for security for the royal family.

The royal family has been experiencing tremendous popularity ever since the fairy tale wedding of Kate Middleton and Prince William. Remember this? Who couldn`t?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(WEDDING OF PRINCE WILLIAM AND KATE MIDDLETON)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: "In Touch" senior editor, Kim Serafin, does this kind of undo all the goodwill that was accumulated during that?

KIM SERAFIN, SENIOR EDITOR, "IN TOUCH": No. I don`t think so at all. I think especially among younger people. This is Harry. This is who Prince Harry is. He`s the playboy. He`s the guy that`s gotten caught not with his pants down but in some other situations before.

And I think people chalk it up to this is just Harry. This is how he acts. He`s 27 years old. He was blowing off some steam. And you`re right. People are talking about his security.

So yes, he has to take responsibility. He is a prince. He does have a lot of eyes on him all the time whether he has his clothes on or off but he also has security around him. So people are wondering should they have been aware of people taking pictures. Should they be aware that everyone has a camera these days?

And pretty much if you`re anyone important, a picture of you is going to show up if you are out and about and pictures did show up of him in the pool with Ryan Lochte as you mentioned, out and about in Las Vegas with his bathing suit on hanging out with pretty women.

But I don`t think at the end of the day this really plays any different role. This is Harry. It`s who he is. That`s why he`s endearing and he`s likable.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. And just the security aspect -- I mean what if one of these young ladies was a spy of some sort? You don`t know. You never know especially not in Vegas.

More in a second.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: And here`s your "Pet of the Day". Wow. Ella, you are absolutely gorgeous. Brittany, I like your little friend, the monkey. How sweet. Let`s see who else we have. Lexi -- Lexi`s also got a doll. These animals are like children. Send us your pet`s pics. Layla.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: He can move. Prince Harry`s bare bottom photo may have been posted all over American TV, in shows, newspapers. In Britain they did not print the photo because the royal family asked them not to. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They have to behave themselves. And at the moment I don`t think Harry is being particularly well-behaved. So we won`t publish the pictures in this country now. But I think the next set of pictures will be published and with Harry you can be damn sure there will be a next set of pictures.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Rob Shuter, I`m confused. I thought the British press was fierce and boy, they put our tabloids to shame in how rough they are. And -- gloves off?

SHUTER: They are pretty fierce. However, there`s a gentlemen`s agreement when it comes to the Palace that they really do try to respect the Palace`s wishes. In this instance they have not published the pictures. However the "Sun" newspaper -- a cheeky newspaper -- over there got a member of their staff, a reporter who is called Harry, to pose naked with his hands over his crotch and ran a recreation of the photos that we`ve seen here in America.

But it is just a gentlemen`s agreement. So they can do whatever they want but for the time being it looks as if they`re going to honor that agreement.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: You see Prince Harry there in military uniform. To me the question is how is he bankrolling this never ending party of his? We did some digging and we found out that Prince Harry makes about $60,000 a year in his job as captain of the British army. That`s not going to pay for many hotel rooms in Vegas. Plus, he splits $450,000 investment fund with his brother. Kim Serafin, "In Touch" senior editor, they`re royalty - - there is money that`s always sort of there. They live like royals.

SERAFIN: Well, yes. And of course what people are talking about is the taxpayer funded security. I think that`s what people are more concerned about, not his personal salary or any personal money that he has from his inheritance from Princess Diana but it`s the tax-funded security and that`s where the question comes in. Not whether this was a private vacation.

But also, you know, will he be reprimanded by the military superiors because of this conduct? Again, he didn`t do anything illegal. Nothing he did was against the law in any way. And really the security -- are they to blame? I think that`s the big question. Should they have been involved in some of these cell phones? Is that a security issue or is that something that he should have taken responsibility for himself?

But again, I don`t know if anyone even especially younger people even care. They might just chalk it up to Prince Harry being Prince Harry.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. I wonder if he suffers from like third in line to the throne syndrome. I`ve got a better chance of winning the lottery than actually becoming the King of England, I might as well have a good time since I`ve been cast in this role as sort of a side character.

But we wish him the best. He`s obviously a nice guy. You know what; we were all in our 20s once.

Back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Tonight a burning question, will the graphic video of cattle, dairy cattle, allegedly being tortured finally shake up the meat industry? The undercover footage you are about to see is outrageous and disturbing. It has now prompted McDonald`s to stop buying beef from Central Valley Meat -- that`s a slaughterhouse.

The USDA suspended operations at that slaughterhouse. Costco and In- and-Out Burger also severed their relationship with the beef supplier after seeing this footage.

It appears to expose horrific, obscene abuse of helpless cows. This worker`s standing on a cow`s nose that the narrator says this cow has already been shot in the head but didn`t die; a cow thrashing about after allegedly being shot over and over again with a pneumatic gun. It also appears to show cows unable to stand, being poked and prodded and pulled by the tail. Tactics, critics say, are used to get cattle moving so they can be sent to slaughter.

The USDA says its investigation did not find evidence that (inaudible) cows were slaughtered at the company. And the company in question, Central Valley Meat, calls the allegations, "disturbing and surprising".

The company says it, quote, "seeks not just to meet federal humane handling regulations but to exceed them". However they told us they haven`t seen the video. We sent it to them and we have yet to get a response.

I don`t really get it. Do they know what`s going on in their slaughterhouse or do they turn a blind eye?

How many times does this have to happen? Come on. Every few weeks we report on a story like this -- an undercover investigation where an animal welfare group goes undercover to expose these horrors. This is an example of why we need undercover investigations, something the meat and dairy industry wants to ban.

But what about the USDA inspectors who were on site during all of this? Why didn`t they notice any of these hideous cruelties that we can plainly see on the videotape? Remember, it`s the USDA`s mission not just to promote agriculture but also to make sure these animals are treated humanely.

In my opinion, the USDA has completely dropped the ball. The USDA needs to be investigated for failing to defend these innocent animals and, you know, potentially it could affect all of us.

Go to hlntv.com for my editorial. Until the USDA gets its act together, remember, caveat emptor -- buyer beware. You, the consumer, have a lot more power than you think. Check out my editorial and think about this next time you go shopping.

Nancy Grace is next.

END