Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Saturday Morning News
Interview with Nelda Blair, Lida Rodrigquez-Taseff
Aired November 29, 2003 - 08:15 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.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN ANCHOR: From allegations to affidavits, the charges and counter charges in Michael Jackson's legal case still seem to be on the "A" list of what people are talking about.
So here to help us sort it all out, a couple of guests. One, former Texas prosecutor Nelda Blair in Houston and Lida Rodriguez- Taseff, a Miami civil liberties attorney who joins us live from Washington, D.C.
Good morning to both of you. Thanks for coming in today.
NELDA BLAIR, FMR. PROSECUTOR: Thank you.
LIDA RODRIGUEZ-TASEFF, CIVIL LIBERTIES ATTORNEY: Good morning.
CALLEBS: Lida, let me start with you. From your standpoint, what do you think about the allegations that we're hearing now that apparently the mother and the alleged victim in this case both are on tape saying, basically, that Michael Jackson has been a blessed event in their life and did he nothing inappropriate?
RODRIGUEZ-TASEFF: Yes, the tape was obtained, allegedly, by investigators for Jackson last February allegedly because at that time, the documentary came out where he admitted to sleeping with boys.
Obviously, this tape lends a lot of credibility to the defense position that this guy is innocent until proven guilty. And you got to read the tape in context. In context with the fact that the mother is believed to have made an additional two sets of allegations, two different lawsuits. Some would argue she's a professional plaintiff of abuse. One of them against mall employees at a J.C. Penney when she alleged that she and her children were beaten and that she was sexually abused by these mall employees.
J.C. Penney paid $137,000 to settle that lawsuit. I think these allegations are going to help the defense tremendously, because they'll be able to paint a picture of a mother who is the problem, not the victim himself. You never want to attack a 12-year-old cancer patient.
CALLEBS: Indeed. Nelda from your standpoint, as a former prosecutor, is this as damaging as it seems to the prosecution's case?
BLAIR: Well, it's damaging as it seems publicly right now because it's the only evidence we know of, that evidence a testimony of the mother and this boy are all we know that the prosecution has.
But let me tell you this. This is a seasoned prosecutor. He has an excellent reputation. And he must have more of a case than just testimony of these two people. I feel sure that he knew about the problems with these people in the beginning and that evidence that's going to come out later on, we will find is a stronger case than what we see now. It has to be or they would not have charged him in the first place, would not have stepped into the spotlight. I feel sure.
CALLEBS: Well, Nelda, I guess formal charges are going to come sometime in December.
BLAIR: Right.
CALLEBS: Is it then we are going to hear more specifics about what the prosecution has?
BLAIR: We might. We might. You know, the prosecution is not required to inform us as the public what their case is. They're only required to do that at the preliminary hearing and only enough to show that they can go to trial with it.
But if this prosecutor wants to convince the public, then he will come out and let us know more evidence that they have. Right now, they've not chosen to do that. In fact, they've not even chosen to file formal charges yet. But I can only, only hope as a good prosecutor that he has a good case, has his ducks in a row. And we'll find out more about that as time goes on.
CALLEBS: So if he has a strong hand, he has yet to show it at this point.
BLAIR: I would say that, yes.
CALLEBS: Lida, what do you also make about the fact that apparently the mother of this alleged victim also allegedly signed an affidavit which no one has seen, as far as I understand to this point, that Michael Jackson did nothing inappropriate with the 12-year-old?
RODRIGUEZ-TASEFF: Well, it's a very strong fact for the defense because this mother supposedly signed this affidavit in February. The allegations of molestation supposedly occurred last winter.
You know, there used to be old theories about children and how suggestive it was, how easy it was to suggest things to children. And people used to say that children never lie. Well it's very easy to suggest things to children, especially a child who's going through what this child is going through.
I think what this affidavit will do is it will cast a shadow of a doubt on the credibility of the mother so that you never really have to attack the credibility of the child and simply argue that the child is a victim of a zealous mother, who wanted to make money off of this case.
CALLEBS: If indeed it is out there, as I mentioned, we have yet to see that as well.
BLAIR: That's correct.
RODRIGUEZ-TASEFF: That's correct.
CALLEBS: Nelda...
BLAIR: And if it's -- also, if it's admissible in court. We don't even know that yet.
CALLEBS: Good point. Good point as well. What will do you think to this point of Michael Jackson and his attorneys? They seem to be very aggressive at this point, a sharp contrast to what played out back in 1993, when he settled for something like between $15 and $20 million dollars when allegations were brought against him for basically the same thing?
BLAIR: Well, the laws are different now. Back then, prosecutors couldn't proceed with any kind of criminal charges against Jackson, without the cooperation of the boy that had brought the allegations. And this time, they can do that. So...
CALLEBS: But he has Mark Geragos in his corner as well, this time.
BLAIR: That's right. He certainly does. And that's Geragos' way of doing things. He comes out swinging, makes sure that these defense is on the offense. And actually, that's what a good defense lawyer should do. Geragos is one of the best. And he's doing exactly what he needs to do now. And that's make us as the public doubt these charges.
CALLEBS: I can't let you both go away without talking about what allegedly happened on the Extra Jet when Michael Jackson was either flying to or from Las Vegas. Allegedly videotaping and audio taping. Is this as bone head a stunt as it seems?
BLAIR: It's horrible. It's absolutely horrible.
RODRIGUEZ-TASEFF: Absolutely disgusting. There is nothing more outrageous than the invasion of the attorney-client privilege. And how these people thought that they would be able to sell this tape, and how the lawyer even went around and asked, oh, gee, will we be allowed to sell a tape of Michael Jackson talking to his lawyer in a private conversation on a jet is incredible. The FBI is investigating. There might be a prosecution here.
BLAIR: There also might be a lawyer without a law license anymore.
CALLEBS: Yes, indeed. Okay, I want to thank both of you for joining us this morning. Nelda Blair from Houston...
BLAIR: Thank you.
CALLEBS: ...and Lida Rodriguez-Taseff from Miami. Thanks again. RODRIGUEZ-TASEFF: Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired November 29, 2003 - 08:15 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN ANCHOR: From allegations to affidavits, the charges and counter charges in Michael Jackson's legal case still seem to be on the "A" list of what people are talking about.
So here to help us sort it all out, a couple of guests. One, former Texas prosecutor Nelda Blair in Houston and Lida Rodriguez- Taseff, a Miami civil liberties attorney who joins us live from Washington, D.C.
Good morning to both of you. Thanks for coming in today.
NELDA BLAIR, FMR. PROSECUTOR: Thank you.
LIDA RODRIGUEZ-TASEFF, CIVIL LIBERTIES ATTORNEY: Good morning.
CALLEBS: Lida, let me start with you. From your standpoint, what do you think about the allegations that we're hearing now that apparently the mother and the alleged victim in this case both are on tape saying, basically, that Michael Jackson has been a blessed event in their life and did he nothing inappropriate?
RODRIGUEZ-TASEFF: Yes, the tape was obtained, allegedly, by investigators for Jackson last February allegedly because at that time, the documentary came out where he admitted to sleeping with boys.
Obviously, this tape lends a lot of credibility to the defense position that this guy is innocent until proven guilty. And you got to read the tape in context. In context with the fact that the mother is believed to have made an additional two sets of allegations, two different lawsuits. Some would argue she's a professional plaintiff of abuse. One of them against mall employees at a J.C. Penney when she alleged that she and her children were beaten and that she was sexually abused by these mall employees.
J.C. Penney paid $137,000 to settle that lawsuit. I think these allegations are going to help the defense tremendously, because they'll be able to paint a picture of a mother who is the problem, not the victim himself. You never want to attack a 12-year-old cancer patient.
CALLEBS: Indeed. Nelda from your standpoint, as a former prosecutor, is this as damaging as it seems to the prosecution's case?
BLAIR: Well, it's damaging as it seems publicly right now because it's the only evidence we know of, that evidence a testimony of the mother and this boy are all we know that the prosecution has.
But let me tell you this. This is a seasoned prosecutor. He has an excellent reputation. And he must have more of a case than just testimony of these two people. I feel sure that he knew about the problems with these people in the beginning and that evidence that's going to come out later on, we will find is a stronger case than what we see now. It has to be or they would not have charged him in the first place, would not have stepped into the spotlight. I feel sure.
CALLEBS: Well, Nelda, I guess formal charges are going to come sometime in December.
BLAIR: Right.
CALLEBS: Is it then we are going to hear more specifics about what the prosecution has?
BLAIR: We might. We might. You know, the prosecution is not required to inform us as the public what their case is. They're only required to do that at the preliminary hearing and only enough to show that they can go to trial with it.
But if this prosecutor wants to convince the public, then he will come out and let us know more evidence that they have. Right now, they've not chosen to do that. In fact, they've not even chosen to file formal charges yet. But I can only, only hope as a good prosecutor that he has a good case, has his ducks in a row. And we'll find out more about that as time goes on.
CALLEBS: So if he has a strong hand, he has yet to show it at this point.
BLAIR: I would say that, yes.
CALLEBS: Lida, what do you also make about the fact that apparently the mother of this alleged victim also allegedly signed an affidavit which no one has seen, as far as I understand to this point, that Michael Jackson did nothing inappropriate with the 12-year-old?
RODRIGUEZ-TASEFF: Well, it's a very strong fact for the defense because this mother supposedly signed this affidavit in February. The allegations of molestation supposedly occurred last winter.
You know, there used to be old theories about children and how suggestive it was, how easy it was to suggest things to children. And people used to say that children never lie. Well it's very easy to suggest things to children, especially a child who's going through what this child is going through.
I think what this affidavit will do is it will cast a shadow of a doubt on the credibility of the mother so that you never really have to attack the credibility of the child and simply argue that the child is a victim of a zealous mother, who wanted to make money off of this case.
CALLEBS: If indeed it is out there, as I mentioned, we have yet to see that as well.
BLAIR: That's correct.
RODRIGUEZ-TASEFF: That's correct.
CALLEBS: Nelda...
BLAIR: And if it's -- also, if it's admissible in court. We don't even know that yet.
CALLEBS: Good point. Good point as well. What will do you think to this point of Michael Jackson and his attorneys? They seem to be very aggressive at this point, a sharp contrast to what played out back in 1993, when he settled for something like between $15 and $20 million dollars when allegations were brought against him for basically the same thing?
BLAIR: Well, the laws are different now. Back then, prosecutors couldn't proceed with any kind of criminal charges against Jackson, without the cooperation of the boy that had brought the allegations. And this time, they can do that. So...
CALLEBS: But he has Mark Geragos in his corner as well, this time.
BLAIR: That's right. He certainly does. And that's Geragos' way of doing things. He comes out swinging, makes sure that these defense is on the offense. And actually, that's what a good defense lawyer should do. Geragos is one of the best. And he's doing exactly what he needs to do now. And that's make us as the public doubt these charges.
CALLEBS: I can't let you both go away without talking about what allegedly happened on the Extra Jet when Michael Jackson was either flying to or from Las Vegas. Allegedly videotaping and audio taping. Is this as bone head a stunt as it seems?
BLAIR: It's horrible. It's absolutely horrible.
RODRIGUEZ-TASEFF: Absolutely disgusting. There is nothing more outrageous than the invasion of the attorney-client privilege. And how these people thought that they would be able to sell this tape, and how the lawyer even went around and asked, oh, gee, will we be allowed to sell a tape of Michael Jackson talking to his lawyer in a private conversation on a jet is incredible. The FBI is investigating. There might be a prosecution here.
BLAIR: There also might be a lawyer without a law license anymore.
CALLEBS: Yes, indeed. Okay, I want to thank both of you for joining us this morning. Nelda Blair from Houston...
BLAIR: Thank you.
CALLEBS: ...and Lida Rodriguez-Taseff from Miami. Thanks again. RODRIGUEZ-TASEFF: Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
