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CNN Live Event/Special

Paula Poundstone's Lawyer Holds Press Conference

Aired August 27, 2001 - 11:56   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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We're getting word out of Santa Monica, California that the hearing for Paula Poundstone, the comedian, has ended. We'll have more on that.

LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: As a matter of fact, here is a live picture right now.

STEVEN CRON, POUNDSTONE'S ATTORNEY: OK, I don't know what I can tell you that's newsworthy. We went in, set a date for preliminary hearing, and that's September 11th. And we're back here on the 5th to -- for a status conference to see whether there's any movement on the case. Other than that, as you know, I'm not allowed to discuss the facts of the case. Everything that I have seen about this case has convinced me, as I have been from the start, that Paula is not a child molester, she's not guilty of these charges, and I'm very confident that we will prevail in the end.

QUESTION: Can you talk about any settlement?

CRON: I can't go into that. If the district attorney's office and we view the case in the same light, and I am hopeful they will, that's always a possibility. But there's been no discussions at this point.

QUESTION: Paula, why can't you proclaim your innocence right that the moment?

CRON: Because I have ask her not say anything, and I would hope that you respect that. Sir, I have asked her not to the make any comments. She's said from the beginning that she's not guilty, and I don't want to have to make any comments.

QUESTION: Can you tell us more about the charges? And we still don't know anything more. Do you?

CRON: I do. But I'm not at liberty to say. I have been working on the case for the past couple of months, I know the charges well, I know the allegations, and as I said, Paula is not guilty of these charges. That's...

That I don't know. We haven't decided.

Yes, she has. Although, she's still in rehab, she is seeing the children regularly, she is making progress in rehab, and we're looking forward to the day when she can be reunited on the full-time basis with her children.

QUESTION: What about rehab? What is the discharge date?

CRON: We don't know that yet.

QUESTION: Could you explain the legal strategy of not allowing her to say anything on her own behalf?

CRON: We have a case pending. I don't see that her proclaiming her innocence at this point is going to do much. I don't want her to talk about the facts of the case, because we are ordered not to do so. I just don't see any point from that. Take it from me, that she is, from the beginning, alleged to be innocent, as she -- what I am trying to say? Paula has, from the beginning, said that she's innocent, and I have believed that from the beginning, and everything that we have seen in this case has confirmed that.

QUESTION: Can you talk about what is going on for weeks now, this whole thing...

CRON: She's doing great. There's no question about that, she's doing extremely well on her own. She's also helping are people that are at the program. She's been a role model at the program that she's in.

QUESTION: Why can't she talk about that?

CRON: Sir, I'm not going to answer that. I have already answered you.

QUESTION: Sir, do you think that there is enough evidence in the preliminary hearing?

CRON: If it goes to the preliminary hearing, I'll ask to have it dismissed at the end of the preliminary hearing. I don't think that there is enough evidence. I'm very confident that we will prevail. Whether we will prevail at a preliminary hearing or whether we will have to go to trial or not, I don't know.

That's something that we haven't decided.

Thank you, all, very much.

QUESTION: What is your name again, sir?

CRON: Steven Cron.

KAGAN: We've been listening to Steven Cron. He's attorney for comedian Paula Poundstone, at his side there in Santa Monica, California today to set a preliminary hearing date. So a hearing for a hearing in Santa Monica. Ms. Poundstone is facing charges of committing lewd actions against a child and child endangerment. In light of that, her foster children, adopted children, have been removed from her home, but as you heard the attorney say, she is having regular visits with them. We're going to take a break. More news just ahead, including more from Santa Monica on the Paula Poundstone situation with our Sherri Sylvester.

Right now, a quick break.

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