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Nancy Grace
Trial Opens in Michael Dunn Stand Your Ground Shooting; Wife Says Murder Easier Than Divorce; Mom Stores 3-year-old in Suitcase in Freezer
Aired February 06, 2014 - 20:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
NANCY GRACE, HOST: Breaking news tonight, live. Murder in Jacksonville. A 45-year-old man guns down a youth when they argue over the kid`s loud music at a gas station. After shooting the youth three times, including in his back, he speeds off two hours away, never bothering to call police.
Bombshell tonight. George Zimmerman all over again, 45-year-old Michael Dunn claims self-defense.
Tonight, we obtain the stunning 911 call and secret surveillance video that captures everything on camera.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The trial now under way for 47-year-old software developer Michael Dunn.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He pointed out his window back at Jordan Davis`s door.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That didn`t come from Michael Dunn. Not a single curse word came from Mr. Dunn.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... and pulled the trigger three times.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: And tonight, live, Michigan suburbs. A brunette beauty hires a hitman to kill her husband. Why? He`s not abusive, he`s not a deadbeat, no drugs, no alcohol. She just says, very plainly, that murder is so much easier than divorce.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So you don`t want it done in the house then?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Because it would be messy in the house.
(LAUGHTER)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: it was easier than divorcing him. You know, I didn`t have to worry about the judgment of my family. I didn`t have to worry about breaking his heart. Just make it painless.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`m just going to take him and I`m going to shoot him right in the face.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: And Napa suburbs, after CPS gives Mommy an A-plus for parenting, cops stunned to discover Mom stores 3-year-old little Kayleigh in the family freezer. Mommy, you`re going to wish they had a freezer where you`re going!
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Police found her 3-year-old daughter, Kayleigh Slusher (ph), dead and apparently beaten.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For three days, suspect Kruger and suspect Warner stored her body in a suitcase and then placed the body in a freezer.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The looming question in Napa, how could Kayleigh be murdered in an apartment police had visited just a few days before?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: And an on-line invitation invites parents to play at Krazy Kids (ph) kid center for a, quote, "all-night pajama party." Tonight, parents outraged as photos of what appears to be a naked man and semi-naked women as they party down on the kids` inflatables. I mean, please! Krazy Kids say they fogged (ph) the place clean. But if you`ve got naked folks sliding down the slide, do you really want your toddler sliding down the same slide? Think about it!
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Krazy Kids under fire for an after-hours adult PJ party. There will be tasteful nudity, warm Jell-O wrestling. Party goers posted on social media what appears to be naked revelers enjoying themselves on the equipment and (INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That`s a kids` place, and they had an adult nude sleepover?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: Good evening. I`m Nancy Grace. I want to thank you for being with us.
Bombshell tonight. Live, murder in Jacksonville. A 45-year-old man guns down a youth after they argue over the kid`s loud music at a gas station. We obtain the stunning 911 call and secret surveillance video that captures everything on camera.
Before we go straight to the courthouse, take a listen to this surveillance video. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my God! Somebody`s shooting! Somebody`s shooting out of their car!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: That is surveillance inside the 7-Eleven, as you can plainly hear gunshots outside. I`m surprised they didn`t all hit the floor.
Straight out to Tory Dunnan, CNN correspondent at the courthouse. Tory, the jury is in place, and today, we learned that there were not eight shots and two wounds to Jordan Davis. We find out there were ten shots and three wounds, correct?
TORY DUNNAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Nancy. You know, that`s what was presented in court today. You know, initially, we had heard that Michael Dunn told police that eight shots were fired off, but in court today, the prosecution saying, No, there were more than that that were fired off. So that was kind of one of the big things that did come out of court.
GRACE: With me at the courthouse, Tory Dunnan. You know, another I learned, because there`s so much hype around this case -- you got a 45- year-old white male gunning down an unarmed youth. And this time, unlike Zimmerman -- at least Zimmerman did have one Band-Aid on the back of his head -- this guy, Michael Dunn, has no injuries whatsoever.
Now, isn`t it true, Tory Dunnan, that after he unloads 10 rounds, he puts the gun back in the glove compartment and he screams to his girlfriend that he -- he sits in the car while sending her in to get more booze -- Get in the car, get in the car, get in the car! And they take off. They go spend the night at a bed and breakfast. They order pizza. The next morning, they get up, they drive all the way back home. And it`s only when they see news reports on TV that police find them. They never even bothered to call police, and they both have cell phones!
DUNNAN: So Nancy, this is really going to be a key part of this case. It`s why did he leave the scene, and why did he drive off? Why didn`t he call police at all?
And it`s really is interesting sitting in the courtroom, hearing the different sides about this because on one side, you have the defense saying, Well, he wanted to get to a place where his family was nearby. His girlfriend was saying she wanted to get home, take care of things, and then they would eventually potentially notify police.
On the other hand, you have the prosecution saying, No, they just left the scene, didn`t call 911. So that`s going to be a key aspect for the jury to take a look at.
GRACE: With me is Tory Dunnan, there in Jacksonville. Could you clarify something for me, Tory? The girlfriend says that she wants to go home and take care of things before they call police. Take care of what things? They just shot a kid. He`s dead. What are they going to take care of?
DUNNAN: Well, according to the defense, apparently, the girlfriend hadn`t eaten all day, and that`s why they -- she wanted to get some food in her system. That`s why they called for pizza. But you know, that`s all according to the defense attorney. The big question is really, why did they leave and why didn`t they call police?
GRACE: OK, so Tory, when they say they waited to call police because the girlfriend wanted to take care of some things, they ordered a pizza, OK? They never call police. So what was the thing she had to take care of before they call police and tell police that they unloaded 10 rounds at some kids and one of them could be dead, bleeding to death? It was what, she had to order a pizza?
DUNNAN: According to the defense attorneys inside the courtroom today, yes, she hadn`t eaten. She wanted to get food. But mainly, she wanted to get back home to be around people that she knew. This is all according to the defense attorney. And apparently, they also had a puppy with them. They wanted to get the dog settled, as well.
Apparently, she was fearful about what was going to happen, saying that she didn`t know all the laws regarding self-defense and the likes. But prosecution saying, Listen, they should have let police know because, ultimately, how they ended up finding Michael Dunn was witnesses there wrote down the tag number, and eventually, detectives tracked that information down and caught up with him at his home.
GRACE: Out to Frank Taaffe, friend of George Zimmerman, who is supporting the "stand your ground" law. Also with me today, tonight in our studios in New York, Paul Solotaroff, a writer with the "Rolling Stone" magazine. He`s anti-"stand your gun." (sic)
All right, Frank Taaffe -- where`s Frank Taaffe and Paul Solotaroff? Taaffe, that doesn`t sound too good. She -- they wanted to wait, wait to call 911 because she had things to do, and that thing to do was she had to order a pizza and let her dog tee-tee? Is that what she had to wait to do?
FRANK TAAFFE, FRIEND OF GEORGE ZIMMERMAN: Well, that`s what they say. But you know what? If they really wanted to escape the scene, I think they would have...
GRACE: That`s not what I asked you.
TAAFFE: ... taken off like your boy, Scott Peterson, did. No, we don`t know what happened afterwards, OK, what was in their mind. They just experienced trauma.
GRACE: No, I do know because he told police. He told police.
TAAFFE: Yes, but you`re not hearing me!
GRACE: He left the scene and he ordered a pizza.
TAAFFE: OK, but what happened? Was she witness to the moment when Jordan Davis started to threaten...
GRACE: Who`s George Davis?
TAAFFE: ... Mr. Dunn`s life? No.
GRACE: Are you talking about Jordan Davis?
TAAFFE: That`s correct. He threatened...
GRACE: OK.
TAAFFE: ... according to Mr. Dunn -- and I got -- You know what? The defense has some good issues here. The state has some -- they got some challenges ahead of them, and one of them being...
GRACE: I don`t even know what you`re talking about.
TAAFFE: I`m talking about in the opening statements today that Mr. Guy opened up with to the jury, OK?
GRACE: Yes, and that would be what?
TAAFFE: What they did -- well, what they did is...
GRACE: What`s the good issue? I got to hear this.
TAAFFE: OK...
GRACE: The good issue. What`s the good issue you`re talking about?
TAAFFE: OK. Well, you know what?
GRACE: No.
TAAFFE: The burden of proof is on the state, OK...
GRACE: That`s the good issue?
TAAFFE: ... beyond reasonable...
GRACE: OK.
TAAFFE: Yes, and you know what?
GRACE: You know what?
TAAFFE: If you listen...
GRACE: I`ll take that burden and I`ll raise you, OK?
TAAFFE: Listen...
GRACE: I`ll take the burden...
TAAFFE: Well, guess what?
GRACE: ... and I`ll raise you.
TAAFFE: It took the police four days -- it took the police four days to search the area after those teenagers left the crime scene, and they all of a sudden conveniently come back to where the shooting took place? I think not. I don`t think so.
GRACE: OK, you know what?
TAAFFE: Of they were...
GRACE: You`re -- Taaffe, you`re even not making any sense. You`re guy, Dunn, leaves the scene. They`re still there trying to save Jordan Davis`s life. But you know what? I`m going to let you collect yourself and go out to Paul Solotaroff, writer with the "Rolling Stone" magazine. Paul, thank you for being with us. Respond.
PAUL SOLOTAROFF, "ROLLING STONE": To what part of this nonsense?
GRACE: Pick. Just pick anything and go.
SOLOTAROFF: All right. All right.
TAAFFE: Nonsense?
SOLOTAROFF: So Jordan is dying in the back seat. His three friends are desperately trying to revive him. They drive 100 feet from the parking spot...
TAAFFE: A hundred yards. A hundred yards.
SOLOTAROFF: hundred yards.
TAAFFE: The length of a football field.
SOLOTAROFF: OK. They drive into an adjacent shopping plaza. They are within sight of dozens, if not hundreds of witnesses the entire time. It`s black Friday. It is the day after Thanksgiving. The shopping plaza is absolutely thronged with people. Unless these kids were Hogwarts who had just graduated with masters in magic, the idea that they were somehow going to disappear a long-barrel weapon in front of dozens or hundreds of witnesses, when they were constantly in plain sight the entire time...
TAAFFE: Nighttime!
GRACE: You know -- whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!
TAAFFE: Two witnesses...
GRACE: You know what, Taaffe?
TAAFFE: Listen, have you read...
GRACE: You had your chance.
TAAFFE: ... the discovery? Hey, Paul, have you read...
GRACE: Yes, actually, I have.
TAAFFE: ... the discovery?
GRACE: Yes, I have.
TAAFFE: Read the discovery. Read the discovery.
GRACE: We read it. We read it. What`s your point?
SOLOTAROFF: I actually wrote the story.
GRACE: So far, you haven`t even made a point. You keep saying they`ve got good issues, and then you never tell me what the good issue is.
(CROSSTALK)
GRACE: Let`s take a listen...
TAAFFE: Number one...
GRACE: OK, here`s your chance.
TAAFFE: ... they drove off 100 yards. They drove off 100 yards.
GRACE: So did Dunn...
TAAFFE: Two witnesses saw...
GRACE: ... except he drove away two hours.
SOLOTAROFF: Well, he drove 100 yards and parked in front of a crowded sandwich shop.
TAAFFE: You just said 100 feet! I thought you wrote the story!
GRACE: Never mind.
Out to the lines, Amanda in Ohio. Hi, Amanda. What`s your question?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi, Nancy. How are you?
GRACE: I`m good, dear.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: First off, I just want to say thank you for bringing this story to light because I hadn`t heard about it in the news. So thank you for that.
GRACE: You know what? I appreciate that. But I wish to God I wasn`t because if that were true, then this kid right here would be alive. You know, when I look at him and I think about my son -- you know, I have 6- year-old twins, and I cannot even imagine pouring all my love, all my dreams, all my effort, literally blood, sweat and tears into them, and having somebody gun them down at a gas station?
Amanda, what`s your question, dear?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, my question is this. Isn`t he guilty of something because he left the scene after shooting? Like, isn`t that some kind of crime? Who shoots a gun at a car and leaves without calling the cops?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GRACE: Welcome back, everybody. We are live at the courthouse. The jury has been seated in the Michael Dunn case. For those of you just joining us, a 45-year-old white guy guns down an unarmed teen after they argue about his loud music at a Gate (ph) gas station. I`ve been calling it 7- Eleven generically, it`s a Gate gas station.
We are talking your calls. But to Stephanie Brown with WOKV joining us also at the courthouse. Stephanie, what is Dunn doing as all this evidence is coming in?
STEPHANIE BROWN, WOKV RADIO (via telephone): Well, as the opening statement went through (ph), he was actually sitting at the table taking notes, watching on the viewer screen to see the evidence the jury was seeing, really just paying attention at this point to the case that`s being presented. He feels confident that his attorney has a case that he can, you know, put forward to prove some of these self-defense claims.
GRACE: So he looks as if he`s being stoic throughout as evidence pours in. Let`s go back to Paul Solotaroff, writing with the "Rolling Stone" magazine, and joining me also, Zimmerman spokesperson, supporting "stand your ground" law Frank Taaffe.
You know, Taaffe, you keep going on and on about these kids going 100 yards versus 100 feet...
TAAFFE: Well, let`s get the facts correct.
GRACE: Their friend is dying in the back seat. Hey, you know what?
(CROSSTALK)
GRACE: ... because last night, we were talking about two gunshots. Actually, we find out tonight -- we find out in court it`s not eight rounds that are fired, it`s ten rounds that are fired, and he hits the kid three times.
TAAFFE: Look, when I read the discovery, there were two volleys. There were four and then another four, OK?
GRACE: Really?
TAAFFE: Now today in court, it came out to be 10. OK...
GRACE: And you`re the one going on and on, pounding on Solotaroff about the discovery? All right, Paul, jump in.
SOLOTAROFF: All right, Nancy. First of all, I reported the 10 shots a year ago. Second of all...
GRACE: Yes, you did.
SOLOTAROFF: Second of all, Dunn opens the door of his car...
TAAFFE: Big deal.
SOLOTAROFF: ... opens the door of his car as the boys are peeling out and fleeing and continues to fire over and at their fleeing vehicle in the direction of the gas pumps.
Now, he`s been charged with one count of capital murder, three counts of attempted. Had one bullet hit one of those gas pumps, he would be charged post-mortem because he would be a crisp, along with dozens if not hundreds of other...
GRACE: Paul...
SOLOTAROFF: ... of innocent bystanders that night...
GRACE: Paul, question to you.
SOLOTAROFF: Yes?
GRACE: Which is neither here nor there, but do you have children?
SOLOTAROFF: I do. I do indeed.
GRACE: You know, this morning, I turned around -- I got all the way back - - I turned around all the way back to school because my son needed Chapstick and I forgot to put it in his pocket.
SOLOTAROFF: Yes.
GRACE: And when I think of him in a car, when he can finally drive, God help us all, and some guy being mad about his loud music and peeling off 10 bullets at my son?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my God! Somebody`s shooting! Somebody`s shooting out of their car!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: Can you imagine, you`re there -- and as I call it a 7-Eleven, it`s the Gate gas station -- and somebody`s right outside about 15 feet away, opening fire? That`s what they heard inside the gas station as Michael Dunn opened fire, gunning down a kid after they argue over the kid`s loud music.
Now, I want you to hear more of what we`ve obtained, the 911 call. Take a listen.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
911 OPERATOR: How many shots did he fire?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, like -- how many shots do you think it was?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, it was more than six. It was, like, Pop, pop, pop, pop, pop. And then it stopped for a second, and then you heard, Pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop.
911 OPERATOR: OK. So would you say close to 10?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: About, yes. It very well could have been.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
GRACE: Joining me right now is the attorney for Jordan Davis`s family, John Phillips. Mr. Phillips, thank you for being with us. I`d like to hear how the Davis family is doing tonight.
JOHN PHILLIPS, ATTORNEY FOR JORDAN DAVIS FAMILY (via telephone): Thank you, Nancy. The best way to put it is heavy-hearted but optimistic. You know, it`s been a very tough day.
GRACE: You know, Mr. Phillips, I cannot imagine losing my son or daughter in this manner. What do they want out of this trial, Mr. Phillips?
PHILLIPS: You know, justice is spelled one way, but it`s defined probably a million different ways. And the biggest part of that is the conviction of this murderer. You know, I met the Dunn family through my own son`s godmother. I mean, I met the Davis family through my own son`s godmother. And you know, it`s an unspeakable tragedy that they`ve gone through.
GRACE: Mr. Phillips, they got to have Trayvon Martin in the back of their head.
PHILLIPS: They do. There`s been some texting back and forth when that verdict was announced, and I had just gotten a text from Lucy, saying, Oh, my God, please tell me this won`t happen to us. And I said (INAUDIBLE) and you know, we`re going to have jury of 12 instead of a jury of 6, and we`re going to get justice for you. And it`s just -- you know, we`re finally here.
GRACE: Everyone, when we come back: A brunette beauty hires a hitman to kill her husband. Why? She just says very plainly that murder is just so much easier than divorce.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: As terrible as it sounds, it was easier than divorcing him. You know, I didn`t have to worry about the judgment of my family. I didn`t have to worry about breaking his heart.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GRACE: Live to upscale Michigan suburbs. A brunette beauty hires a hitman to kill her husband. Why? He`s not abusive. He`s not a deadbeat, no drugs, no alcohol. She just says very plainly that murder is just so much easier than divorce.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: As terrible as it sounds, it was easier than divorcing him. You know, I didn`t have to worry about the judgment of my family. I didn`t have to worry about breaking his heart. Let`s just make it painless. I don`t want...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`m just going to take him and I`m going to shoot him right in the face.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So you don`t want it done in the house then?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Because it would be messy in the house.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: Oh, yes, it would be messy because she wanted him shot dead.
Straight out to Greg Ghering, news director WOOD, joining me there in Michigan. Greg, what happened? What possessed her? Everyone thought they had such a happy marriage. How does she go about hiring a hitman?
GREG GHERING, WOOD RADIO (via telephone): Well, Nancy, it seemed like a happy marriage, like you said, and she eventually told the hitman that they just weren`t getting along, that they`d been fighting a little bit.
Basically, where this started is that she approached a co-worker, asking him if he`d be interested in arranging this hit, taking care of this hit and taking the money for it.
GRACE: Wait, wait, wait. Greg -- Greg Ghering with me, news director, WOOD. What made her think that it`s OK to approach a new -- a co-worker and say, can you hook me up with a hit man? I want a murderer. Do you know anybody?
GHERING: Well, as you heard in the video there, she talked about murder being easier than divorce. She talked about being able to save him the pain of breaking his heart. She would be able to save herself the judgment that she thought would come with getting a divorce and so she thought she`d talk to this co-worker whom she knew had a criminal history and see if he might be interested in taking care of this.
GRACE: Yes. Just what he wants, to land right back in jail.
This woman is caught on tape. A brunette beauty wants to get a hitman to murder her husband so she would not get the house messy and because it is just so much easier than divorce. Take a listen to this, caught on tape.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MERFELD: It`s not that we weren`t getting along, but I mean, I was just -- it was easier, as terrible as it sounds, it was easier than divorcing him. You know, I didn`t have to worry about the judgment on my family. I didn`t have to worry about breaking his heart. Stuff like this. It`s kind of like a quick clean getaway, I mean, it going to break my heart when it happens. But I mean, it`s something I`ve been thinking about. I just -- the more I think about it, the more I just want to a little more time.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You want me to shoot him?
MERFELD: Unless you can do it painlessly, you`re not breaking his neck. That would --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I would prefer to use either a knife or a gun. Quick and easy.
MERFELD: Do it painless. Less painless.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where do you want me to shoot him? Do you want open or closed casket? What do you want?
MERFELD: I don`t want an open casket. I mean -- the most painless way you could possibly do it, I don`t really -- I don`t care about anything else. Just make it painless.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`m just going to take him and I`m going to shoot him right in the face.
MERFELD: OK.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: Make it painless? How about don`t do it at all?
Caught on tape. A brunette beauty out of Michigan decides it`s just -- she shook his hand. And such a dainty little hang shake, too. Laughing and giggling about how she doesn`t want the house messed up as she orders her husband gunned down.
Unleash the lawyers. Joining me, Trent Copeland, L.A., Alex Sanchez, New York, Kelly Saindon, Chicago, and special guest joining us, D.J. Hilson, the Muskegon County prosecutor.
First of all to you, D.J. This is an incredible case. How did you manage to get the video? How did that happen? Did the co-worker set up an undercover sting? How did it go down, D.J.?
And that`s D.J. Hilson from Muskegon County. Go ahead, sir.
D.J. HILSON, MUSKEGON COUNTY PROSECUTOR: Well, it was quite interesting. The co-worker did the smart thing and he contacted police almost immediately and as a result we were able to put together an undercover operation pretty quickly working with different jurisdictions. And, you know, the great thing about modern technology is that we have a really great device that our state police uses in these situations and it creates that high definition, good quality video and sound.
GRACE: Oh, it`s great.
HILSON: And it looks relatively normal. It doesn`t look out of place when it`s placed in the vehicle.
GRACE: You know what`s so great about it, D.J.?
D.J. Hilson is with me, he`s the prosecutor in charge of this case there in Muskegon County.
What`s so great about it -- let me go to you on this, Kelly Saindon, with me out of Chicago, is when you don`t have a video, the defense lays down and cries and kicks their feet that it didn`t happen that way or it didn`t happen that way.
KELLY SAINDON, FAMILY LAW ATTORNEY: Right.
GRACE: Then when you have the video, they`ve got to say either insanity or somebody tampered with the video and it is all fabricated.
SAINDON: You`re right. I mean, that`s the thing. Because we`re so used to CSI crimes that everybody wants it laid out. Oh, it`s not that simple. In this case there is no way to avoid it. It`s on tape. She had drawings. She`s giggling so you can`t say she was -- you know, didn`t know what she was doing. She doesn`t want him to suffer. She is going away for a really long time. This case is a prosecutor`s dream.
GRACE: Well, I can only hope. OK, Alex Sanchez, you don`t look like you`re in a very good mood. What? You can`t dig up an insanity defense on this one?
ALEX SANCHEZ, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: You know, I don`t know if there`s anybody watching this show, including you, Nancy, who could not possibly come to the conclusion that this woman has very serious mental issues.
Do you think that she understands the nature and consequences of her actions? She is over there laughing and giggling, acting like it`s some type of a joke. And there is only one defense here and that`s a mental health defense and probably an insanity defense.
GRACE: Actually she said, as awful as it sounds, I know it would really make the house messy.
Trent Copeland, I admire you because you managed to keep a straight face while Alex Sanchez dug up -- and I got to give you an A-plus on that, Sanchez. Dug up a mental defect.
TRENT COPELAND, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Yes. I don`t see it, Nancy. Look, and I`d like to be as creative as I can. And you know normally --
(CROSSTALK)
GRACE: That`s a nice way to put it.
COPELAND: -- speaking when I look at these issues as a defense lawyer. You know, I look at this and I want to come up with some kind of plausible theory but there isn`t one. The thing that I`m going to do as a defense lawyer in this case is, I`m going to march her into the prosecutor`s office and we`re going to sit down and we`re going to try to hammer out some kind of plea deal that`s going to save this woman`s life.
There just really isn`t. I mean, she`s too cogent, she`s too clear, she`s too coherent, she`s too understandable. She is making too much sense for there to be a reasonable issue of their being some kind of insanity plea here.
GRACE: OK. Take a listen to this woman. She approaches a co-worker to hire a hitman. She decides she wants to kill her husband because it is just so much easier than divorce.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`m going to put a couple of rounds so there`s no accident, no way he`s going to live. He`s going to die. You understand that?
MERFELD: Makes me sad.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Rather than sneaking upon the guy and doing it from behind I`ll just take him head on. Like I said, I`ll put two bullets in his head and I`ll know he`d dead. And then call me a couple of weeks after and just let me know.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: She sits there very calmly as the hitman is talking about putting two bullets in her husband`s head.
Clark Goldband, weigh in. What do you know?
CLARK GOLDBAND, NANCY GRACE PRODUCER, COVERING STORY: OK, Nancy, this 21- year-old mom of two settled on a price of 50 grand. But here`s the thing. In the second encounter she brings one $100 bill for a down payment which got us thinking how much are certain down payments that we come across every day.
Take a look at this behind me. You see the average down payment for a car, $2800 in that state. $2700 more than a down payment that she thought to kill someone. Also you sign up for that new iPhone, it costs you $200 as a down payment with a cell phone contract, twice as much as this down payment to kill someone.
And finally, Nancy, that price of 50 grand to have her husband killed, well, guess what, she had to spend more on a Chevy Suburban vehicle than to kill her husband.
GRACE: You know, Bethany Marshall, psychoanalyst, author of "Dealbreakers," I appreciate all the financials in this. But there is something very chilling about the way she sat there as the hitman talked about pumping two bullets into her husband`s head.
BETHANY MARSHALL, PSYCHOANALYST, AUTHOR OF "DEALBREAKERS": Well, I mean, what I see in that, Nancy, is this fits the profile of someone who is anti- social, who is detached, who`s cold blooded, who lacked empathy and remorse.
It`s interesting when she says she doesn`t want to face the judgment of her family, she doesn`t want her house to be messy, she doesn`t want to break his heart. And in a superficial level she sounds believable, but when you really listen to her, what is she trying to do? She`s trying to con the hitman, right?
Just like in a sense we`re all conned because we`re talking about how could she worry about breaking his heart and then want to kill him. She is just manipulating to get her way because she wants the life insurance policy.
GRACE: She wants the life insurance policy and life without her husband.
Everybody, when we come back, after CPS, Child Protective Services, gives mommy an A-plus for parenting, cops stunned to discover mom is storing 3- year-old little Caylee`s body in the family freezer.
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GRACE: After CPS gives mommy an A-plus for parenting, police stunned to discover mommy stores the body of her 3-year-old little girl Caylee in the family freezer.
Hey, Mommy, you`re going to wish they have a freezer where you`re going.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have a dead child.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Arrest documents has horrible details. Sara Krueger and Ryan Scott Warner, they told they stuck in the little girl`s body in a suitcase and storing it in a refrigerator for three days.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Police were called to check on the girl. They found her dead, lying in her bed in what police called blunt force trauma.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: How did Child Welfare Services never know about a little girl in an apartment police had visited just a few days before?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: You know, to Henry K. Lee, reporter of the "San Francisco Chronicle," I hardly even know where to start. So Child Protective Services goes to the home and they say everything is A-plus.
The baby`s body -- look at this child. She`s 3. Look at her. Stored in the freezer? May they rot in hell.
Let me just start with that, Henry. You`re turn.
HENRY K. LEE, SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE REPORTER: That`s right. It is a terrible case, Nancy. Right off the bat this little girl, according to the police, ended up being killed just a day after police went to the apartment and found nothing awry. CPS is telling us, we can`t tell you what, if anything we did, we don`t think there`s anything incorrect in what we have done but that is not to say that the system failed.
GRACE: You know, out to Dr. Joye Carter, chief forensic pathologist, author of "I Speak for the Dead," joining us from California.
Dr. Joye, if they find the child on the bed, how did they know she had been stored -- her body, a 3-year-old child, had been stored in the body -- and somebody, Matt Zerrell and Bethany Marshall, remind me to get to the boyfriend, all right. Mommy keeping this boyfriend around. I guarantee you he`s going to be the one that ultimately killed this child while mommy went along with it.
OK. Dr. Carter, how do you know the child has been in a freezer?
DR. JOYE CARTER, CHIEF FORENSIC PATHOLOGIST, AUTHOR OF "I SPEAK FOR THE DEAD": Well, they probably checked the body temperature and the body was frozen. And they are going to look at the organs and look for evidence of ice crystals and damage that you get from being in the cold and probably also looking at the scene, looking at the suitcase, looking at that room. And looking at how cold does affect the body and whether or not it would decompose at the same rate.
GRACE: To Tisha Guyer, blogger, author and family advocate.
Trisha, it`s driving me crazy, thinking about what this child went through before it was discovered her own mother stored her in the freezer.
TISHA GUYER, BLOGGER, AUTHOR AND FAMILY ADVOCATE: You know, it just breaks my heart to know that this child went through this and that police had been called and that numerous times they had gone there. And if somebody called that many times then we need to keep checking into it.
The child I think should have been removed from the home. I have two 3- year-olds that we adopted, one from the foster care system, and my heart just breaks thinking of what that child went through. And you know what, sometimes we can make a call, but we need to be the answer, too. We need to keep calling and keep doing something until we know the child is in a safe place.
GRACE: Unleash the lawyers. With me, Alex Sanchez, Trent Copeland, also with me, psychoanalyst Dr. Bethany Marshall.
OK. Out to you, Alex Sanchez, after your last defense, I want to hear this one. By the way, with the little girl`s frozen body lying on the bed, the mommy was caught with her live-in leaving with suitcases. They packed up and left leaving her body behind, Alex.
Let`s hear your defense, Alex.
SANCHEZ: Well, one thing you have to determine is that who is going to be held responsible for this? The party`s interest are going to diverge very quickly.
GRACE: They`re both responsible.
SANCHEZ: Another words, the boyfriend is probably already plotting on how he can blame the girlfriend and the girlfriend may be plotting on how he -- she could blame the boyfriend. So their interests are going to be at odds with each other.
I suspect that one of the parties is going to race to the prosecution, say they have evidence against the other party and demand some type of a deal. That`s what I think is going to happen in this case.
GRACE: Right, right, right, there`ll be a race to get to the prosecutor to see who can work a deal.
All right, Copeland, what is your defense other than this -- pointing at each other? Got anything for me?
COPELAND: Well, look, I would have to take each defendant one at a time. Look, if I`m the mother, I`m probably going to ask my lawyer to look into issues about whether or not there was some sexual assault here, whether or, you know, not my daughter was the victim of sexual abuse and maybe this guy, this Ryan Scott had something to do with that. Ryan Scott is responsible for it. I was just -- I was an abused woman. I think she`s going to have to look that way.
GRACE: OK. To Dr. Bethany Marshall, psychoanalyst and author. Dr. Bethany, all of that is BS. They need to put both of them on trial, let them stew in the same pot in front of the jury.
MARSHALL: Nancy, it is absolutely B.S. On some level, these two adults acted in concert in the following manner. They hated this little girl. They thought she was unconditionally bad. She was not supposed to have needs.
I wouldn`t be surprised if they starved her, beat her and there was a lot of abuse leading up to this.
GRACE: When I look at this girl, little girl, Caylee Slusher, I`m not going to let go of this until they both get life or more.
When we come back, an all-night pajama party at Crazy Kids Play Center. Parents outraged as photos of what appears to be a -- totally naked man and semi-naked women as they party down on the kids` inflatables.
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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Invitations distributed by a private group renting the kiddie zone, quote, "There will be no orgy, smut, strippers or sexually lewd content, however, there will be tasteful nudity."
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But not to the children`s ability. I have just concerns for sanitary.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Crazy kids.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: OK. To Sophia Hall with WCBS.
Sophia, parents are in an outrage. I mean, a naked man, all these photos leaked on Instagram of what looks to me like a naked man and a bunch of women in their underwear at a kids play zone, Crazy Kids?
Do I really want a naked man -- just think about it -- with his booty and his genitals sliding down an inflatable slide and then my children on the same inflatable slide? God forbid. What if they go get all their stomachs, for Pete`s sake. I just -- I don`t even want to think about it.
Sophia, help me out.
SOPHIA HILL, REPORTER, WCBS RADIO: Well, you know what, parents are completely grossed out. They`re calling for this place Crazy Kids to be shutdown. They are asking the town to give them tickets. They said the police should be involved. Like you said, scantily clad, a naked man --
GRACE: Naked.
HILL: -- on the bouncy toys, upside down on the jungle gym. All these things that the children would normally be on.
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GRACE: An adult nude party at a kids bouncy house? Take a look at this. These leaked out on Instagram. And you know, it`s not a good thing.
Out to you, Stacey Newman, when the -- when the invitations said, now, remember, everybody, this is not an orgy. It`s not going to be an orgy. There`s only tasteful nudity at the bouncy house.
I`m just hearing for the first time you got a naked man hanging upside down on the jungle gym, Stacy.
STACEY NEWMAN, NANCY GRACE PRODUCER: Well, that`s why --
GRACE: And you don`t have children yet, but can you imagine one of my children going down on their tummies on this thing after a naked man has just slid down it?
NEWMAN: Absolutely not. And this is what has parents outraged, Nancy. They don`t want their toddler on these slides or in these bouncy houses. At this party, Nancy, they were offering warm Jell-O wrestling, nude dancing, nude twister, you name it. Parents say they are not going to bring their kids back to Crazy Kids because of this smut.
GRACE: And then Crazy Kids actually gives a statement -- out to you, Sophia Hall, joining me, WCBS, stating that they fogged the place. What`s that? You fog a place. I thought you did that for bugs.
HALL: Exactly. Exactly. You know, they close down actually for three days. They said they did extensive cleaning, disinfecting for these three days after this party. They did apologize to parents. They said they had this party, this private party to help meet their regular --
GRACE: Not an orgy. Not an orgy, they say.
And you know, Bethany Marshall, just quickly to you, what is going on in the mind of the people? Who wants to go completely naked at a party in a bouncy house?
MARSHALL: Somebody who wants to get laid? I mean, it`s about sex.
(CROSSTALK)
GRACE: You know you`re so delicate. You know, I like the way you`re so diplomatic. You`ve got a future at the U.N.
OK, crazy kids says they`re all cleaned up. Everybody come on back. Kids go ahead, go down the inflatable face first. All right. Not John Dave and Lucy, of course, but somebody else`s children.
Everybody, last night our coverage of the David Cassidy being charged with a third DUI this one was in L.A. now we were contacted by Cassidy`s camp and they say there was no evidence Cassidy was impaired during any deposition. In fact, his team says after attending the depos, in this case against Sony Pictures Television, it appears pressure led to a real laugh.
And also left might we discuss an half-empty bottle of bourbon found under the seat of Mr. Cassidy`s Mercedes.
And I want to make clear. That was not this DUI, but that was two DUIs ago. Not this DUI, it was another DUI with another half empty bottle of bourbon. There was a no contest plea in Florida.
And we invited Mr. Cassidy to come on tonight to clarify all that, but he declined.
Let`s stop and remember American hero, Army Sergeant Joel Clarkson. 23. Fairbanks. Bronze star, Purple Heart, third tour. Buried, Arlington. Parents Karen and Steven, sister Jessica, widow Cassandra. Son Orion.
Joel Clarkson, American hero.
Drew`s up next. I`ll see you tomorrow night. 8:00 sharp eastern. Until then, good night, friend.
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