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Jane Velez-Mitchell

Parents Instigate Teenage Fight; Jury Selection Begins in Jodi Arias Trial

Aired December 10, 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, HOST: Tonight, is it parenting at its very worst? A mother and father arrested for allegedly instigating a fistfight between two teenage girls, and it`s all caught on tape. I`m going to talk to one of the girls involved and her outraged mother, next.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VELEZ-MITCHELL (voice-over): Tonight, two teenage girls caught on tape in an all-out brawl at the school bus stop. But it`s how the fight got started that`s the real head-turner. Cops say the parts of one of the girls forced them to fight. I`ll talk live to the girl who says she was attacked and her outraged mother, next.

Plus, the shock jock deejays responsible for the prank call to Kate Middleton`s hospital break down on camera, saying they`re gutted and heartbroken after a nurse committed suicide. We`ll show you their tearful apology. But is it enough or does the blame for this terrible tragedy rest in someone else`s hands? We`ll debate it and take your calls.

Also, move over, Jersey Shore. It`s time to get "Buckwild." But MTV`s newest reality show has some up in arms before it`s even aired. We`ll talk to the newest member of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" live, tonight.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (EXPLETIVE DELETED).

QUATEKA DURDEN, MOTHER: My child was on the ground, pleading for someone to get her off of her.

TIMOTHY TAYLOR, ENCOURAGED DAUGHTER TO FIGHT: Nobody better try to (EXPLETIVE DELETED) jump in neither.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Witnesses say the man telling no one to jump in is the father of one of the girls.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (EXPLETIVE DELETED).

TAYLOR: You know where to hit her at.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Quateka Durden`s 14-year-old daughter, Quinnaya, is the other girl in the video. According to Quinnaya, the teen`s parents picked her up from school with the sole purpose of bringing her here to fight at the bus stop.

QUATEKA DURDEN: My child could have died. She could have hit that concrete the wrong way. Their child could have died. And then whose fault is it?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Tonight, a secret ambush at a school bus forces a 14- year-old girl to fight for her life, and it is all caught on tape. And now two parents have been arrested and charged.

Good evening. I`m Jane Velez-Mitchell coming to you live.

Look at this video. Fourteen-year-old Quinnaya Durden says when she got off her school bus, she was attacked by another 14-year-old female student. Bad enough, but here`s the twist that makes it even worse.

Police say that other student was actually driven to that bus stop by her own parents. Police say they got out of their minivan and urged the girls to fight. The whole thing was caught on tape and uploaded to YouTube, where it went viral. Here`s the mother of Quinnaya, talking about how she felt when she found out what happened.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

QUATEKA DURDEN: It just broke my heart to know that parents would allow this to happen, and for my child to be there with nobody.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: The parents of the other 14-year-old, Timothy Taylor and Shequita Cade, were both arrested for contributing to the delinquency of a minor. That mom is now out on bond tonight, but the dad, who also is facing a battery charge as a result of all this, he is still locked up as we speak.

Quinnaya Durden says she saw the other parents in their van actually following the school bus she was in.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

QUINNAYA DURDEN, VICTIM: They followed the bus. Well, we seen them behind the bus.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Here tonight is 14-year-old Quinnaya and her outraged mother to talk about how they both feel about this, well, they believe an ambush.

And I want to hear from you. Did the other dad act like a boxing coach in a pay-per-view match? Give me a holler: 1-877-JVM-SAYS, 1-877- 586-7297.

Straight out to the young victim and her mom, Quateka.

Quateka, how did you find out about this and why are you so very upset about what happened to your daughter?

QUATEKA DURDEN: Well, I was at work, and Quinnaya texted me that she just had a fight with Tanaya (ph). And I kind of was like, the parents was at my house two days before the incident, and I talked with the parents. And I said, "Well, I`m going to have Quinnaya keep her space, and you have your child keep your space." And we closed the front door, and I`m thinking everything is find.

And Monday afternoon I get a call from Quinnaya, and she goes, "I just had a fight with Tanaya (ph)."

And I`m like, "What do you mean?"

She said, "Her dad followed the bus, and they waited for me to get off the bus. They let their daughter out of the van, and she just attacked me." So my daughter had to defend herself, you know, in that situation.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Wow. Now I think you`re not the one in the white shirt. That`s the other girl, as far as I can track. You are in the dark shirt. Is that -- is that true, Quinnaya, just so we can keep track of who`s who on this fight?

QUINNAYA DURDEN: Yes.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Now, so you get off the school bus. What happens? Is it like boom, right off the bat, or is there a conversation? Tell us, honey, what happened?

QUINNAYA DURDEN: There was no conversation. Me and this another student was getting ready to walk home. And her van pulled up, and we was looking. And she got out, and we started fighting.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, here`s what is so shocking to so many people. We listened to this beating video and caught some very disturbing moments where you can hear the adults coaching one of the girls on where to punch and how to punch. Listen carefully.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TAYLOR: You know where to hit her at.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Did you hear that? The published reports claim that`s the father of the other 14-year-old girl, telling his daughter, "You know where to hit her at."

So I have to ask you, those parents -- and I just say this to get this out of the way -- those parents are claiming that they brought their daughter there because you, Quinnaya, were, according to them, allegedly bullying their daughter. I want to give you a chance to set the record straight. You obviously had some kind of back story, because there had been a talk. Your mom explained that. Were you fighting with this other girl at all?

QUATEKA DURDEN: I don`t think her mike is on.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: OK. Well, maybe you could answer it then, mom.

QUATEKA DURDEN: Can you repeat the question?

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. Was there -- these other parents -- and there`s no excuse for what they were accused of doing, if they did what they`re accused of -- but they`re saying that your daughter had been bullying their daughter. I just want to give you a chance to respond to that.

QUATEKA DURDEN: Actually, there`s no record of Quinnaya bullying the other young lady. Because when we actually had the hearing today at the school, and Tanaya (ph) never went to the principal, never went to the school resource officer. She never went to proper authorities to put proper people into place about bullying.

So I guess they tried to use that as their defense on trying to cover up what they came to the bus stop to do.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. And I have to say that this is shocking to me, because we`re supposed to be teaching kids peaceful, non-violent conflict resolution to hopefully make this a more peaceful world as we go on generation to generation.

This seems to be, if in fact these parents are accused accurately -- they deserve their day in court -- but if what police are saying is true, it seems like they`re taking this sort of survival of the fittest credo and imposing it on their kids, like "This is how you`re going to have to survive in the world." Your thoughts on that, Quateka?

QUATEKA DURDEN: I really don`t know what was -- what the parents were thinking, because what was shocking to me, they came to my home. We talked. The mom knocked on my front door. Quinnaya wasn`t home at that time, and I kind of said, you know, let the kids swallow their own beef. I`ll let, you know, Quinnaya know when she comes home that, you know, you and Tanaya (ph) are no longer friends for whatever reason, and let`s just keep it that way.

So for parents to, I mean, come to my door and then turn around Monday and do this, I mean, I was very upset. And I don`t know what -- I kind of feel sorry for both girls, because both girls got ten days home because of the parents, because I mean...

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Oh, wow. So -- so Quinnaya, you`ve been suspended as a result of this? Do you think that`s fair? You`ve to spend ten days at home because of this?

QUINNAYA DURDEN: Yes.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: And do you think that`s fair or not?

QUINNAYA DURDEN: No.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Did you have any alternative but to defend yourself? Could -- I mean, what else could you have done?

QUINNAYA DURDEN: If I would have stayed on the bus, that would have caused -- she would have came for me again the next day. Maybe at the bus stop in the morning or something. So I had to get off the bus and defend myself.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. And what kind of injuries did you get -- did you get, Quinnaya, from this fight? Did you get bruising or any kind of...

QUINNAYA DURDEN: No.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, I`m happy to hear that. Wow. I want to thank you both.

And we`re going to turn to our expert panel. Darren Kavinoky, your thoughts. You just heard from the mother and the daughter on one side of this fight.

DARREN KAVINOKY: Yes. Well, and as a parent, too, I keep projecting some of that. You know, my daughter is 11 years old, and so I look at these kinds of schoolyard disputes and think, oh, goodness, that`s -- that`s all coming just around the corner.

On the one hand, you look at it and you think, this is terrible. You`d expect that parents, and we really insist that parents don`t -- don`t teach their children to settle their disputes this way.

But it`s so interesting, Jane. It wasn`t that long ago, just a generation ago, and maybe geography comes into play, when people were routinely coached by their parents to settle disputes in just that way.

I was talking to a friend today who grew up in Texas who told me that in Texas, it was quite common when he was a kid that, if there was a dispute with another kid, the dad would take their sons over, and say, "OK, now go. You two go settle it with your fists."

So we`d like to think that we`ve evolved and we have a higher level of emotional intelligence.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. But Darren, these are girls, too. I mean, I believe in gender bias, but these are girls. And you just saw very pretty 14-year-old girl, and she`s fighting like a sailor. You know, this is unbelievable.

KAVINOKY: It is.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Listen, here`s the most shocking part of it, Darren. This isn`t the only example. On the other side of the break, we`re going to show you several other examples where parents get their kids, allegedly, to slug it out. Stay right there.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRANDY MILLS, MOTHER WHO ENCOURAGED CHILD TO FIGHT: My feelings are, my regrets. My feelings, I guess, would be I should have thought before I reacted.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: You`re looking at another teen fight, and that woman you just heard from and another mom both arrested because of a fight. That mom, Brandy Mills, says she initially encouraged her daughter to fight because she says her daughter was being bullied.

Now, Wendy Walsh, psychologist, DatingAdvice.com, the Georgia parents also say their daughter was being bullied. They deny it.

WENDY WALSH, PSYCHOLOGIST: Jane...

VELEZ-MITCHELL: The family you just heard from. But what about this bullying, let`s fight because we`re being bullied, alleged?

WALSH: Jane, I`m sorry. Are we still in the middle ages? Correct me. I think we`re in 2012.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes.

WALSH: There are many other ways to have conflict resolution. There are many other ways to settle your differences. You can bring in the authorities. You can bring in the school people, the counselors.

My favorite, the parents can get together for dinner and break bread and talk about the -- oh, yes, words. Sigmund Freud once said the first man to hurl a word instead of a stone had evolved.

So what is this? We`re supposed to be teaching our children how to deal with conflict, not egging them on.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes, I agree. But you heard that mom say that they had had words and they thought they had an agreement. Let`s face it: I don`t know what happened in this situation, but I do know -- any of us who were kids know -- kids can be cruel; kids can be mean. And bullying is a very serious situation.

There`s got to be a better way, though. And I`m not saying this girl bullied the other girl, but if there is bullying involved in any situation, there`s got to be another way to handle it other than this. I mean, this is, as you said, a Neanderthal approach by the parents.

Let`s go out to the phone lines. Crystal, Iowa, your question or thought, Crystal?

CALLER: Yes, I was wondering, can the father be charged with stalking and the family be charged with kidnapping?

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, he`s been charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor and battery.

Darren Kavinoky, does he have a defense?

KAVINOKY: Well, maybe. You know, we only have that snippet of information that was captured on video. So it will be interesting, once we have a full airing of the facts.

And by the way, Jane, there may be more to the story yet, inasmuch as the Department of Children Services or some other -- some other government body that`s responsible for the welfare of kids could get involved in this if they decide that this is a household that is dangerous to the well-being of the children.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. Well, take a look. We covered this other beating that...

KAVINOKY: Those kids could be removed from the house.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. A 16-year-old boy and a father. This is tough to watch. We`ve got to warn you. Gary Johnson had apparently been refereeing a fight between his son and another boy, and the dad suddenly decides to jump in. Boom, it`s all caught on tape.

This guy was found guilty of battery, child abuse, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and disorderly conduct and got 47 months in prison.

And here`s somebody who`s supposedly is standing up for his son but then ends up brutalizing this kid, and it`s caught on tape. Oh, my gosh.

So how much of this is about power? How much of this is about an adult saying, "I have power over kids and no matter what, I`m going to exert that power, whether by proxy, getting my kid to fight with this kid or, if my kid is losing, I`m going to jump in and take care of it myself." This is outrageous stuff.

Let`s go to our other caller, and she`s out of Illinois. Deborah, Illinois. Your question or thought, Deborah?

CALLER: Yes. You`re right about that. A lot of kids, they`re bullied and stuff, but the parents are supposed to step in when something like that happens and they come home and they let the parents know what`s coming on. They`re supposed to work it out, go to the school and talk to the principal, and stuff like that.

Because I have a 14-year-old, and a 15-year-old. And my granddaughter got into an incident last year, and I had to go to the school. And I went to the school and talked to the parents, and we had a sit-down and talked about it. And we solved it.

So I didn`t wait outside for the girl to come outside and then tell my granddaughter to jump on her. I think that`s very disrespectful.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, I think you -- you did the right approach. You went to the school, you confronted in a peaceful way. It`s like the peaceful warrior. I took that course once where you learn how to fight but peacefully without inflicting violence. And that`s what we all need to do in this world if we want to evolve forward to a more peaceful society.

On the other side of the break, far from peaceful. We`re talking about the Jodi Arias trial starting. You know, that gorgeous photographer accused of viciously killing her lover? Stay right there.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It really was an obsession type of a thing, and the way he described it was that she was really stalking him.

It was very vicious and very heinous. Twenty-seven times, like everybody knows, throat slit from ear to ear and shot in the head.

JODI ARIAS, CHARGED WITH MURDER: There are many sides to the story. And I just don`t feel like mine has been represented.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: That`s the defendant, and this is a sensational stalking murder case, being called the trial of the year.

A stunning professional photographer, accused of stabbing her ex- boyfriend 27 times, shooting him in the face, slitting his throat. But first, cops say Jodi Arias took sexy pictures of her and her on-again, off- again lover in bed. And then shortly after, with the same camera, photos of him dying in the shower.

The victim`s friends say they immediately suspected Jodi did this to him.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Towards the end of their relationship after they had kind of broken up and he had put some distance between them, it really was an obsession type of a thing. And the way he described it is that she was really stalking him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: After four years of delays, the trial finally getting under way. Jury selection began today.

Darren Kavinoky, defense attorney, what kind of a juror is the defense team looking for, given that the evidence against her is considered to be overwhelming, circumstantial evidence, and forensic evidence at the scene?

KAVINOKY: Yes, there`s obviously very, very strong evidence that would point towards guilt, and this is a case where the prosecution is seeking the death penalty.

What that means is that, ultimately, there`s a bifurcated trial. First, there`s a trial on guilt and innocence. Then, if she`s found guilty, if the government proves the case, then there`s another trial, same jurors, where they decide whether or not she receives the ultimate penalty, the death penalty, or instead would spend every day of the rest of her life in prison without the possibility of parole.

It may be that, since the prosecution views this as a death case, that there`s never been any kind of settlement offer on the table. This case may not be about guilt or innocence at all. It may be about finding jurors that are just willing to spare her life.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. And she`s a beautiful, young woman that may play a factor. Also, she acts just like she`s been cast on a reality show, like she`s won the jackpot, not that she`s facing possible death.

This Jodi Arias doesn`t shy away from the spotlight. We have video of her -- get this -- winning a prison talent show. Listen to this for a second.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARIAS (SINGING): O, holy night, the stars are brightly shining it is the night of our dear savior`s birth

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: And she`s very occupied with her looks. There she is applying makeup to herself before an interview with a news crew.

Darren Kavinoky, Kavinoky, we saw this with the Casey Anthony case. Some of these defendants mesmerize the jurors, even though intellectually, they might say there`s a lot of evidence. Somehow staring at that pretty young face for months on end makes them incapable of punishing them, despite evidence to the contrary.

KAVINOKY: That`s right. And I can`t help but think as I watched that about the "American Idol" prison edition or something along those lines. It`s the narcissism of this woman that is really -- it`s just striking.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: That`s the mug shot, Darren. That`s her mug shot. It looks like a head shot.

KAVINOKY: But you know, it may be that lack of connection to reality that could ultimately save her life. At the end of the day, assuming that the jurors find her guilty and they`re now grappling with what kind of punishment to impose, what they`re looking at is factors of aggravation or factors of mitigation that can tip the scales one way or the other. It may be that disconnect. It may be the fact that she is so out of it that she doesn`t appreciate it and that could ultimately cause them to spare them -- to spare her.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: It`s an interesting case, and we on this show are going to be all over it.

Now, just minutes from now, Nancy Grace has the story of a Dallas Cowboy player accused of driving drunk and killing his teammate in a fiery crash. The NFL player was released on bail. Why is he walking the streets? Nancy talks to the grandmother of the victim at 8 Eastern here on HLN. Just a couple of minutes.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We`re hearing from the two pretty remorseful deejays involved with the hoax. That nurse that put the call through committed suicide.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`m just so devastated for them. I`m really feeling for them.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Very tragic, very ugly turn in what was otherwise a relatively light-hearted story. A couple of days ago, remember an Australian radio station made a prank call to this hospital.

RICHARD QUEST, CNN INTERNATIONAL: The prank that took place was clearly so affected this woman that she committed suicide.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think the entire world is really reeling at this incident.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If they thought it was hilarious, it really wasn`t because the most tragic outcome of that stupid prank has happened. The nurse who took that call and transferred that call to the ward where the Duchess was staying, that nurse has now committed suicide.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HLN HOST: Tonight, two Australian deejays are finally speaking out, saying they`re shattered and heartbroken that a nurse committed suicide after falling for their prank call to the hospital`s pregnant Kate Middleton. And now those deejays are feeling wrath from around the world.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL CHRISTIAN, AUSTRALIAN DEEJAY: Shattered, gutted, heartbroken and obviously, you know, our deepest sympathies are with the family and the friends. You know we hope that they`re doing ok and they`re getting a lot of support today (inaudible). I mean personally, I`m -- gutted.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: The shock jock pair called the hospital where Duchess Catherine Middleton was being cared for and pretended to be Queen of England and Prince Charles. Despite some very phoney accent, the nurse receptionist was fooled by their call and put them through to the nurse caring for Kate. Many laughed along with the deejays until the nurse receptionist Jacinta Saldanha allegedly couldn`t take the humiliation and the world wide scrutiny and killed herself.

The deejays say they`re extremely sorry for their possible role in her death. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GREIG: There is nothing that can make me feel worse than what I feel right now and for what I feel for the family. We`re so sorry that this has happened to them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Their radio show has now been canceled. Advertising at the network suspended and their network has launched an investigation. Some people are saying this angry public outcry gives these deejays a taste of what they dished out to the nurse. Others people this is a witch hunt by those determined to place blame on somebody for an outcome no one could have foreseen.

What do you think? Call me, 1-877-JVM-SAYS.

Straight to -- I`m very delighted to have with me -- Emmy Award winner and Sirius radio host, Jay Thomas. Jay, you know all about the perils of being a provocative radio host. Should these deejays suffer the blame or is this something that nobody is to blame for because nobody could have foreseen the outcome?

JAY THOMAS, SIRIUS RADIO HOST: I was stunned today to hear that the woman who killed herself was just the person that took the phone call. We timed it, six seconds she spoke, then threw it to another nurse. It was a phony accent, it was silly. The other nurse said -- well, she hasn`t retched all day or whatever. The other nurse isn`t even mentioned, isn`t upset.

I think that the woman who killed herself -- and I`m not a psychologist -- but from the people we`re talking to, she had to have some precondition of psychological or emotional upset that her family is not talking about.

No, it was a silly -- by the way, the call was PG. The questions were not rude. It wasn`t as if they announced someone had cancer or some embarrassing fact about Kate. It was such a simple phone call that I think that it`s sad that this scandal is even being focused on the deejays. It ought to be more on the woman who killed herself.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Let me go to Simone Bienne, counselor, British journalist. Here`s why I think that this is different than any other prank call. And I have certain things to say in the defense of these guys in the sense that they were hired to be shock jocks, so maybe we have to look at the higher ups.

But two things are different here than an average prank call. One, you`re dealing with a woman who`s pregnant. So there`s a factor there, they have to be sensitive. And also when you`re dealing with royalty, everything is magnified.

People spend their entire lives waiting for a moment of interaction with royalty. And so the impact of anything involving royalty is going to be magnified, Simone.

SIMONE BIENNE, COUNSELOR, BRITISH JOURNALIST: Yes, absolutely. I think one thing that`s inherent in British culture Jane, is the fact that we don`t like to make a fuss. Well, we need to start making a fuss. Because gorgeous Prince William and darling Catherine, what they`re doing is they want to be as normal as possible. They don`t want people to make a fuss around them.

But from my point of view, it`s actually we need to start making that kind fuss around them, because it`s not just them that need to be protected, it`s the staff around them. And it is true. Of course we do not know this dear nurse`s medical history. But what we do know inherent in her culture as a British Indian is that she will not have wanted to bring shame on her family, on her profession, on the royal family, on herself. And of course, it led to disastrous effects.

So I think that Prince William and Catherine need to be treated like the President and have their own specific staff trained so that this never happens again.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: At first, the radio hosts were only suspended. Today, the network announced the show has been canceled. The deejays responded to questions about their careers. Let`s listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GREIG: I don`t want to think about that right now. There`s bigger pressing issues and that`s making sure that family gets through this tough time. Our careers aren`t important at the moment.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: I want to go out to the phone lines. Kathy, Michigan, you want to weigh in on this? Kathy, Michigan.

KATHY, MICHIGAN (via telephone): Hi, Jane. How are you?

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Hi. Fine, thank you.

KATHY: I do. I would like to weigh on this because I`ve gone through suicide twice in my life and most recently with my son who was 14 who hung himself and was in a very poor state for three years and just passed away this September.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: I`m sorry.

KATHY: Thank you very much. I have a mission about suicide, I live it every day and I have a mission. But not all suicides are predictable. Not all of them are preventable. But I really believe what they did, and just like your last person said, in that culture, that lady was totally humiliated.

We don`t know what the hospital did to talk to her. But she was humiliated. She probably felt that was her only way out. If I was her family, I would probably want criminal charges or civil charges pressed against them. And I think they`re crying because they are scared.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Kathy, thank you so much for your call. I think Jay, what the critics are saying is that the impact on this woman, a British Indian, who for her, the shame, the humiliation, the disgrace, the feelings, we can`t judge what`s going on through someone in their interior because it involves the royals.

THOMAS: But it`s too silly and too meaningless for it to have caused a suicide. The other nurse, who spoke for minutes, she doesn`t feel a thing. So why aren`t we talking about her? It impacted her life not at all.

I`m very sorry for anyone who has suffered a suicide. I`m very sorry for anyone that has contemplated it and has been pushed over the edge. This is the silliest scandal I`ve heard about in years.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, it`s not silly --

THOMAS: It is silly.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: -- because somebody died, Wendy Walsh, psychologist. Here`s the thing. A lot of people are blaming these deejays. I look at the bosses. Here`s the hint of a company announced it`s suspending all prank calls. To me that tells me the prank calls were part of the format. You`re hired to be a shock jock. If you don`t do your prank calls, you`re going to be fired. So it`s the culture that has these prank calls as part of the media culture that`s to blame.

WENDY WALSH, PSYCHOLOGIST: I completely agree with you, Jane. In fact, there`s a reason why those prank calls are now illegal in America because you can`t shame a private person. You can`t suddenly, without their knowledge, put them on radio or put them on television without their knowledge.

Now, I think the cultural thing is very important to think about. We`re looking at this through an American lens, and not just an American lens Jay Thomas, but in the lens of performers who are extroverts, who are accustomed to a certain level of shame.

But we have to understand that not everybody is that way. Could this woman have had some kind of mental health issue in the past that went undiagnosed? Of course that`s possible. But the real point is here to blame these companies and blame the laws that do not protect private citizens from public shame.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, on the other side of the break, we`re going to give Jay Thomas a chance to respond and continue our discussion.

By the way, we have video of the family of this woman. You see them right there. The daughter and the son, with a member of parliament hugging and they are at the center now of this, as well. This is the son, the daughter and the husband with a member of parliament.

On the other side, we`ll continue our debate. They`re holding a picture of the woman who committed suicide.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: On a lighter note, "Your Viral Video of the Day". This is love. A mouse and cat put aside their differences and cuddle up on a cold, winter night. Boy, these animals can teach us humans a thing or two about how to live in peace. If only we would listen to them.

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GREIG: I`m just so devastated for them. I`m really feeling for them.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The shocking turn of events.

GREIG: If we had any idea that something like this could have be even possible to happen you know. We couldn`t see this happening. It was meant to be a prank call.

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VELEZ-MITCHELL: One of the two deejays who made that prank call, and now there is this huge public outcry after the nurse at the hospital where Kate was being treated for morning sickness committed suicide.

People are furious, and here is just some of the stuff they`re firing out on Twitter. "So the nurse she called has committed suicide. Still laughing about it? You total idiots."

And how about this one, "Hope the Australian radio deejays Mel Greig" -- I believe that`s how you pronounce it -- "and Michael Christian that caused Kate Middleton`s hospital secretary to commit suicide burn in hell."

So I want to ask Jay Thomas, what happens to the rest of their lives. I mean in a way are they victims too? If they were doing what they were hired to do, because the network has announced they`re suspending prank calls, so that means it was a system-wide thing that was done on these shock jock shows as is done all over the world.

Now their lives, because they were doing their function and did something inappropriate, their lives may be destroyed, as well.

THOMAS: Well, let me say first of all, I think the responses like the one you`re getting are from a very small portion of the population. I do not think the world is outraged. I think it was a prank call. They will never do it again. They will pass the laws we have here.

Unfortunately, they prank called a woman in my estimation that was either culturally totally upset or emotionally or psychologically ill and it`s a one in 100 million chance that something like this would happen. Who knows what will happen to these two? Who knows?

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Simone Bienne, British journalist, counselor, first of all, you`re dealing with a call made in Australia to London. But there are critics who say they should not have put this on the air without getting her specific approval as a human being; that that was a huge mistake that they made.

BIENNE: Yes, I actually really agree with that. Because when you have people that come on, whether they come on a news program or go on one of these talk shows, then you`re going to get some kind of psychological testing or you know what you`re getting into. You are willingly participating.

THOMAS: I`m sorry to say this but --

BIENNE: This woman was innocent. She wasn`t willingly participating.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, that`s true, Jay.

THOMAS: That`s true, but what about witnesses? We see it all the time on the news. Something happens, a witness or someone says, what do you think? We`ve seen people embarrassed. We`ve seen people say things on news channels --

VELEZ-MITCHELL: But they`re usually in public.

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VELEZ-MITCHELL: I`m going to give you the last word.

BIENNE: We have to act with compassion, surely.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. I think this is -- everybody who laughs at shock jocks -- also I think we bear the responsibility. We laugh at inappropriate stuff and then when something goes south, oh, it`s their fault.

I mean let`s face it, ultimately the consumer of this media is the one who determines whether it`s going to be successful or not. If we all co- sign it by listening to it, then it`s going to continue. So we have to look at ourselves. We always have to look in the mirror when something like this happens.

THOMAS: A law will be passed. It will never happen again. It`s terrible that this had to happen -- for that to happen. It`s probably a good law in the United States. It will be a law now in Australia.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Got to leave it right there. Thank you fantastic panel.

On the other side, "Buckwild" blow back.

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VELEZ-MITCHELL: Time for your "Pet o` the Day". Send your pet pics to hlntv.com/jane. Baby Girl, Missy and Mr. Man -- you are gorgeous. You are a pack.

And Chloe and Buck, you are a pair -- a gorgeous pair.

I love mittens. Mittens is just the kittens of mittens.

And Harlow and Chloe are absolutely gorgeous proving once again animals of different species get along well.

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JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It`s as if they crossed Honey Boo-Boo --

ALANA THOMPSON, REALITY STAR: Our cat is possessed.

MOOS: -- with Jersey Shore.

They`ve got the whitest, craziest hillbillies.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Our motto around here is whatever happens, happens.

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VELEZ-MITCHELL: Move over "Jersey Shore", MTV has a brand new reality series sparking outrage before one episode is even aired. It`s called "Buckwild" and it stars nine young and crazy kids from West Virginia.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: West Virginia is a place founded on freedom. For me and my friends, that means the freedom to do whatever the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) we want.

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VELEZ-MITCHELL: Clips like that have U.S. Senator Joe Manchin who represents West Virginia demanding MTV cancel the show calling it a travesty and displays too ugly, inaccurate stereotypes about the people of West Virginia.

We are delighted to have with us tonight, the newest "Real Housewife of Beverly Hills", she`s about to debut on Bravo. Marisa, thank you for joining us. I want to say, Marisa Zanuck (ph), it seems reality TV does take the worst stereotypes of whatever culture and just put them on steroids and offend whoever they are talking about. Why is that?

MARISA ZANUCK, "REAL HOUSEWIVES BEVERLY HILLS": This is true. You know, I think this is what America as a whole wants to see. You know, I`m addicted to reality TV. It is a lot of fun. It is all of the crazy things that normal people as a whole don`t really see in everyday life. You know, it is sad that this is what America has come to, but it is a reality.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: It is a real, real reality TV reality. Not necessarily a real reality. I mean that`s why the West Virginia senator is so upset about "Buckwild" saying that this is not reality, this is staged.

Let`s listen. He`s saying it`s fake.

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SEN. JOE MANCHIN, WEST VIRGINIA: In no way, shape or form is this reality and definitely not reality in West Virginia. We have an awful lot of constituents that are very much offended trying to portray our state in this light. As I`m told and understand this was all scripted and please we`ll take four or five or six takes if that`s what`s need to make it took as outrageous as it possibly can.

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VELEZ-MITCHELL: So is it scripted? Is reality TV really scripted, Marisa?

ZANUCK: No. Reality TV is not scripted. What it is, is, you know, in this town in West Virginia you have a whole bunch of kids in a small town that have nothing to do. So basically all they do is hang out with their friends, party, drink and, you know, have a good time.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: So they don`t actually write scripts for them but do they encourage them to act out?

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VELEZ-MITCHELL: Marisa Zanuck, the newest star of "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills". You debut next week on Bravo. Do you feel pressure to act out for the cameras?

ZANUCK: I`m sorry, what did you say?

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Do you feel pressure to act out for the cameras?

ZANUCK: Most definitely no. I do not. It is not my personality to not be myself either on camera or off camera. With me it`s what you see is what you get. I`m the exact same person on camera as I am off.

So there are women that do act up for the cameras and there are women who are real. You know, and that`s reality TV. You know, some women want a lot of camera time and want to have the story line all be about themselves but that`s not me. If I`m quiet it`s because I`m having a bad day or whatever it is. But reality TV is real; it`s just sometimes heightened.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, we wish you the very best of luck with it.

Nancy Grace is up next.

END