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American Morning

Paula Poundstone to be Arraigned Today

Aired July 03, 2001 - 11:09   ET

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

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BRIAN NELSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Comedienne Paula Poundstone is going to be arraigned today on lewd conduct and child endangerment charges. And CNN correspondent Sherri Sylvester is joining us now from Santa Monica, California with the latest on that -- good morning, Sherri.

SHERRI SYLVESTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Brian.

And we have been told to expect a statement by Paula Poundstone to reporters here at the Santa Monica courthouse, that in the next 15 minutes or so. Paula Poundstone is eager to have her day in court. Her arraignment was originally scheduled for the end the month but she didn't want those allegations to be left out there. This arraignment has been moved up to today per her request so that, in the words of her attorney, she could begin the process of clearing her name. She did have very few words for reporters after her arrest last week.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAULA POUNDSTONE: I have faith that the truth is the right thing.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: What do you have to say to your fans?

POUNDSTONE: Thank you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SYLVESTER: Poundstone faces felony charges of committing lewd acts upon a child under the age of 14 and of child endangerment involving four other children. Now, the 41-year-old comedian became a foster mother in 1993. She has cared for a total of eight children through the years. At the time of her arrest she was a single parent to five children, three of whom she adopted. Now all five of those children have been taken into county custody. Their ages range from 12 to just under one-year-old.

Now, Paula Poundstone has always been very proud of her role as a foster parent. She has very publicly encouraged others to join the foster parenting program. If she's convicted on these charges, she does face 13 years in prison. I'm Sherri Sylvester reporting live from the courthouse in Santa Monica.

NELSON: Sherri, before you go, a question that I've been wondering about, where did these charges originate from? How did they come to be the attention of the police?

SYLVESTER: The charges, we don't know specifically, and that's one reason that she wanted this day in court, so that we can find out more details about these charges. Right now we know that they have come from the district attorney's office and they do follow an investigation by the Santa Monica police and by the child welfare agency, the Department of Child Services. And the investigation revealed or led to charges that involved three separate occasions, three separate lewd acts upon this child that was in her care. Beyond that we don't know. They are trying to protect the privacy of the children and so they are referring to them as Jane Does and John Does. Beyond that, we are going to have to wait until this morning's arraignment and try to find out some more details.

NELSON: OK, thank you, CNN's Sherri Sylvester. And comedian Paula Poundstone is going to make a statement a little later today and I'm sure we're going to try to bring it to you live.

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