tv Tonight From Washington CSPAN October 29, 2009 8:00pm-11:00pm EDT
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breaking news tonight. a beautiful young virginia tech coed keeps tickets to a metallica concert taped up on the fridge. goes to the concert with all her friends. just before the band takes the stage, she goes missing. missing from a packed arena of 16,000 people. and nobody knows what happened? found in the parking lot, her purse and cell phone, battery removed. breaking tonight, new credible sightings of the girl. a new timeline tracking 20-year-old morgan maharringtonp
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until 9:30 p.m., up across two parking lots, then a bridge. then it all grows cold, this after grainy concert video surfaces of a girl fitting morgan's description. tonight, with us live taking your calls, morgan's parents. >> between the hours of 8:20 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on october the 17th, someone matching the description of morgan harrington was on the exterior of the john paul jones arena. >> morgan was not the kind of person that would take off. >> at 8:48, we can confirm that she did have a phone conversation which was initiated by her friend to check on what she's doing, where she was at. >> i know that she did tell them that she could get a ride home is what we believe. >> between 9:10 and :20 p.m. we
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can confirm that someone matching morgan's description was in a lanigan field which is adjacent to the track and copely street bridge. >> this is not behavior that we've ever seen from morgan. i think she was taken. >> we believe that what happened from 8:30 till 9:30 is very relevant for us to go in the right direction and to receive additional pertinent information that will help us resolve this case. >>. and tonight live florida, a little second grader, looks like an angel, walked the ten-minute walk home with her sister and little brother, all their little friends. she runs ahead, gets separated just moments, broad daylight, 7-year-old somer thompson never seen alive again. 4:00, one hour later, mom rushes
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home, flags down police. no good. police trail somer's orange park trash truck 55 miles to the north. sifting through about 100 tons of garbage. spot, the little girl's legs sticking out of that filthy garbage. tonight, investigators release a dee tailed behavioral profile of the killer. there are clues to finding 7-year-old somer's killer. >> yesterday was about somer thompson. today is about her killer. >> 7-year-old kill r. girl laid to rest while her killer is on the loose. >> she met up with her brother and sister to take the mile walk home they take on a regular basis. the last time she was seen was in front of an abandoned house about 500 yards away from the
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school. >> there is a child killer on the loose and why we'll catch this person and bring him to justice. >> i will not sleep until this person is found. i hope they get you and i hope they make you pay. >> there's still a sense of terror because somer's killer is still out there. >> there's no person of interest. there's no suspect at this point. >> we did conclude our work at 1080 ganno avenue where she was last seen. a lot of evidence was collected at that sight and it's been transported for processing. >> people close to the individual responsible for this offense may have noticed unexplained injuries such as cuts, bruises, particularly on the head, arms and hands. good evening. i'm nancy grace. i want to thank you for being with us. a virginia tech coed keeps tickets for a metallica concert six months taped up on the fridge, goes to the concert with all her friends. just before the band takes the stage, she goes missing. as we go to air, new and
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credible sights of morgan. >> between the hours of 8:20 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on october the 17th someone matching the description of morgan harrington was on the exterior of the john paul jones arena. from 8:30 till 8:48, we have established that someone matching morgan's description was in fact outside the arena. at 8:48, we can confirm that she did have a phone conversation which was initiated by her friend to check on what she's doing, where she was at. from 8:48 till about 9:00 p.m., we have witnesses who observed someone matching her description who say that she was still in the area of the arena but on the exterior. up to 9:10, she was seen walking
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with a black purse through the university hall parking area. between 9:10 and 9:20 p.m., we can confirm someone matching morgan's description was in lan i hadgan field parking area, which is adjacent to the track and to copely street bridge. between 9:20 and 9:30, we have interviewed people who called us who described seeing someone matching morgan's description on the copely street bridge near the intersection of ivy road. the last confirmed sighting of someone matching her description was at that location. everyone, before we take you to morgan harrington, first live to breaking news florida. police say a 2-year-old baby
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girl in extreme danger. her young mother also missing. >> florida police are desperately searching for a 2-year-old girl considered missing and endangered. winter haven police say sarah ross was last seen in the company of her mother, who is also missing. the pair were reportedly last spotted at a walmart on october 18th. reports surfaced that the mom came to pick up her daughter, who was visiting with relatives. when family members did not hear from the mother, they called police. cops say there are conflicting stories as to the last known location of the mother and her daughter, but police believe they are in the winter haven or haynes city area. police will not say why the child is considered endangered. >> out to mark williams, anchor/reporter out of daytona beach, florida. mark, i don't get it. if the little girl was last seen with her mother, then why is she in extreme danger? what do you know? >> well, right now, nancy, police in winter haven aren't saying much.
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they just issued a missing persons report late yesterday afternoon, within the last 24 hours. and since they've been missing, no one has heard from either the mother and police say masara is in danger but won't say what that danger is. >> do we know whether the mother is the custodial parent? is there some problem with the mother? how did the mother get the little gill girl anyway? >> we don't know if the mother has custody. the way the police are wording the report. they say they believe she's with her mother and the mother is missing. apparently the little girl was staying with relatives. the mother came to pick them up. they left. never returned. the relatives never heard from her. that's why they became concerned and called police. >> i can tell you right now there's a reason this little girl, the 2-year-old girl is not with her mother or father. she's living with relatives. she's with the mother. and police have put out a very cryptic message that this child
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is in extreme danger and the mother is missing. not that the mother is in danger. the child is in danger. the tip line, everyone, 863-291-5858. take a look at masaraha ross. rosie, put up a map if we've got one, please. >> there's conflicting reports. a detective for the winter hafb police department says the pair was last seen at a walmart in neighboring haynes city, just the city over from the winter haven area, but there was a second report they were last seen in winter haven itself. those reports still up in the air, but i'd go with the detectives saying that they were last seen at that walmart in neighboring hanes city. >> mark brooks, former fbi, i don't like it. i don't like the way it's been worded. it's not explaining to me what's going on. it's making me very suspicious of the mother. i also don't understand why we
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don't have an amber alert. what's your take, mike brooks? something stinks. >> good point. either -- the child is in danger. the mother is involved in this, they should just come out and say this. and if that's the case, why doesn't it meet the criteria to put out an amber alert? if she's in danger, i think she does and we should hear about a tag number, a car. >> maybe they don't have a tag number. maybe they don't know what car she was in. >> video at walmart should -- >> exactly. >> we have always seen great video coming from both inside and outside of walmart. was she with anyone else, what kind of car? could they enhance it to get a tag number, all of these kind of things. but nothing so far, nancy. >> martin williams, this is your neck of the woods. is there a bus stop in front of that walmart? did she necessarily have to have a car? because i'm telling you target and walmart, they could teach nasa a thing or two about their surveillance video. if this woman was in a car, they should have video. and i still don't get it, mark,
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why is there no amber alert on this baby girl and why is she in danger if she's with her mother? there is something way wrong with this. >> well, most walmart stores that i know of, there is usually a public bus stop, the county runs a public transportation system. and, yeah, the photos that come out of walmart are breathtaking sometimes. let's go back to the amber alert thing. there's been -- in amber alert, the criteria is when an abduction has taken place. they haven't even said anything about an abduction yet. that's one of the -- >> they said extreme danger, a 2-year-old child, extreme danger. masaraha ross. black female. black hair, brown eyes. only 38 inches tall, 30 pounds. tip line, 863-291-5858. tonight police are in fear for her life. they simply say the mother is missing.
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the search continues in the case of a missing 2-year-old florida girl believed to be in danger. police say 2 1/2-year-old masaraha ross known to be with her mother also missing. the two last seen at a walmart in hanes city on november 18th and haven't been seen since. reports are the mother came to pick up masara who is visiting relatives. police will not say why the child is considered encaning erred but are desperate to find her. there are conflicting reports as to the last known whereabouts but witnesses place them in either the winter havenor hanes city areas. we have a young
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20 years old. she's a white female. her name is morgan dana harrington. she has long blonde hair and blue eyes. >> police say she met up with friends at jmu before coming here to john paul jones arena for a metallica concert. police say she was separated from her friends 8:40 p.m. saturday night. >> cops have found her purse along with her cell phone. the family's pastor said what's really odd the battery has been removed. >> this is not behavior she would have. she, to our knowledge, did not have a boyfriend. you know, there may be circumstances we're not aware of but, you know, i think morgan was pretty transparent with us, you know, and this is just not something morgan would do. >> she is as beautiful inside as she is outside. she has family and friends that
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love her and miss her. if there's any information that anyone can offer that would help us find her, we would appreciate you contacting the police. >> straight out to jacqueline perrini. it's my understanding police have a lot of new information in the search for this girl. credible new sightings of her. tracing her, tracking her up until about 9:30 p.m. across two parking lots and a bridge? >> yes. they have just released a time line based on information they gathered from tips from bystanders. they can track her from about 8:20 to 9:0 or 9:30 when she's last seen on a bridge. it's based on people seeing someone that matches morgan's description. we know she left sometime before metallica began, told her friend she was going to a bathroom.
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she has a brief phone call telling them not to worry. last reported sighting was on a bridge a quarter of a mile from the arena. police shifted their focus from what went on inside of the arena to what happened outside. they've received approximately 300 plus tips since the case began. leads are coming in all the time but no breaks in the case so far other than that. >> taking your calls live and joining us tonight special guest dr. dan harrington, morgan's father. doctor, thank you for being with us. doctor, i don't understand something. was she outside the arena when she called her friends and said don't worry? >> yes. yes, she was outside the arena. she had gone to the bathroom and somehow, for whatever reason, left the arena and could not get back in. and that's when she made the last phone call to her friend, sarah, inside the arena. >> that's what i don't understand, if she was just going to the bathroom, then why did she go outside the arena? have they looked at her cell
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phone? did anyone contact her and lure her out? >> it does not appear there were other calls to morgan during that period of time. there was some texting of morgan to a young -- a gentleman that she was friends with, but it was no one in charlottesville. it was further away. but he's not a suspect at all at this time. >> right. so they were just probably texting about, what, the concert, that she was at the concert, stuff like that? >> yes. >> he was in a different city? >> yes, that's right. >> to stacy, our producer on the story, let's go through what we know. first of all, we're saying there are new and credible sightings. is all of this bamsed on eyewitne eyewitness alone or do we have any surveillance video, anything? >> there is no surveillance video at this time that we know of. and we do know investigators have combed through every piece of video that they have. no sight of morgan. all of these -- this timeline,
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the tips are all based on eyewitness reports, but cops are confident that these are credible sightings. >> okay. but i don't understand that. pat brown, you're the criminal profiler, pat brown, author of "killing for sport." they must have had some type of interaction with morgan to make sure that these are credible. she maybe asked them a question, a direction or something, because just saying, yeah, i saw a girl that looked like that, that's not really knocking me out. >> yeah, it's not working for me either, nancy. there are so many girls that look so similar. if you think about a concert area, tons of people. >> it's the location of the pocketbook that's bothering me. listen to this, pat. dr. harrington, her pocketbook is found outside the arena in the parking lot, correct? >> well, it's actually found beyond the parking lot. it was found near some athletic fields, which is close to the bridge where she was last apparently seen. >> okay. that makes more sense to me. pat, what do you make of it? >> one of the questions is why
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she went outside the arena and why she would keep going further and further away from the arena while she tried to find a way to go home. maybe she was a little confused at that point and frustrated. >> there is a very empty place, a morgan-shaped place in our hearts as well as at home right now. one of our children is missing and we want her back.
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generally considered safe and, of course, the metallica concert drew people from all over the east coast. but this kind of thing occurs all over the country, and it's usually someone who knows the area, someone who's comfortable with the roads. and it's not generally going to be someone who is just out of the blue driving through town and decides to do this. >> to stacy newman our producer on the story. stacy, again, explain to me where the purse was and where all the cops have tracked herouf that arena. >> okay. the purse was found in lannigan field. this is a grassy sort of overflow parking area known where rvs park. that's where the purse was found, nancy, with of course that cell phone. cops tracked her from about 8:20 till 9:00 around the arena trying to get back inside. they told her, no, you can't get back in, you don't have your ticket. then from 9:00 to 9:10, she's
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seen walking through, i believe it's the university hall parking lot. then from there, 9:10 to 9:20 walking through lannigan field. again, that's where the purse was found. then up till 9:30, last known sighting of morgan is at this bridge. >> that's where i've got the bridge because her pocketbook and purse are obviously taken from her there at lannigan field. but yet after that, these eyewitnesses state they see her walking across a bridge over a railroad track. dr. harrington, what are cops telling you about that discrepancy, that her pocketbook was back at the second sighting and then she's seen after that walking along? >> i think we don't know whether the parking -- the purse was with her on the bridge or could something have happened and taken her to the parking lot and then the purse being thrown out from there. >> got it. >> i think that's not clear. >> to laura in massachusetts. hi, laura.
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>> caller: how are you, nancy? >> i'm good, dear. what's your question. >> caller: do you know if law enforcement has checked out her computers both at home and at school? >> good question. >> caller: maybe she's met somebody online and arranged to meet them. >> dr. harrington, i'm sure the cops have looked at her computer and text messages, right, doctor? >> yes. the computer has been taken by the state police. i have not heard any word on that, but it is part of the investigation.
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we have reason to believe that there are individuals who have yet to come forward who may know or associate with the offender in this case. >> police put the entire neighborhood on alert. they believe someone knows something but is not coming forward. >> people close to the individual responsible for this offense may have noticed one or more of the following behavioral changes or scenarios -- leaving the area unexpectedly for what
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seems like a very plausible reason, such as going to work or to visit a friend or a relative, missing work or other routine engagements, particularly on the afternoon or night of the incident. an unnatural interest in the status of this investigation, paying close attention to media reports, talking about this incident with others, friends, families and co-workers. >> all i want is to happen is that my baby didn't die in vain and that we catch him. >> yesterday was about somer thompson. today is about her killer. my sincere hope is that the thompson family found comfort from the outpouring of love and support that was demonstrated by all who was there. but now, i turn my attention to finding somer's killer and serving justice. and to do that, i need help from
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certain people. people close to the individual responsible for this offense may have noticed one or more of the following behavioral changes or scenarios especially since october 19th, 2009. leaving the area unexpectedly for what seems like a very plausible reason, such as going to work or to visit a friend or a relative, missing work or other routine engagements, particularly on the afternoon or night of the incident. unexplained injuries such as cuts, bruises, particularly on the head, arms and hands. >> tonight, police are saying there's a killer among us and he can be identified. that there are clues all around us as to who killed this little
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girl. her body found 55 miles north of her home. police following the local trash truck to a dump and sifting through about 100,000 tons of garbage. until they see the child's legs. who killed somer? out to tiffany griffith with wokv radio. tiffany, what are police trying to tell us about th killer? >> they're trying to give us a profile, who we should be aware of in our surroundings. like we heard from the sheriff giving those details of who this sheriff could be, just to make the public a lot more vigilant and aware of what happened that day, because we're still trying to track down who could have done this. >> well, pat brown, criminal profiler, author of "killing for sport," it all happened so quickly. i mean, she is walking home with her friends, her sister, her little twin brother. they're with the rest of the neighborhood friends.
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she runs ahead just for a few moments. she's never seen again. mom did everything right. she raced home from work 4:00, flagged down police, to no avail. so give me your deductions, pat brown. who do you think is responsible? use all that gray matter you've got up there and tell me what you think. >> well, i do agrees with the police that it is a local person. >> right there, why? >> absolutely. because, first of all, someone who had a window of opportunity to grab her. i don't believe he had a vehicle, coming through town where he could have taken her and zipped out of town 10, 20, 30 miles and thrown her body in a ditch somewhere. this guy had to throw her in a dumpster right there. that means he had no way to move. >> why are you saying it was too far away from an interstate? why? >> he may not have had a vehicle, that's one possibility. or he may not have had time to leave. maybe he been was doing this on his -- he had to go home perhaps. he had to go to work. >> your theory is corroborated by the fact that her body was likely disposed of right there
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in the area. >> exactly. >> because that trash was from the neighborhood trash. yes, it traveled 55 miles to the north, but it came from that neighborhood. >> exactly. but i do want to warn the public about what the police put out. this person may exhibit one or some of those behaviors they're talking about. but, on the other hand he may exhibit absolutely none of them. so please don't say wait a minute -- >> why are you so sure it's a he? because we've just seen in another case it's a 15-year-old girl. >> that is true. we have to keep that in mind generally speaking it's usually a he. but if somebody is psychopathic, you know this cruel person who lies and empathy, that kind of person and doesn't exhibit these things doesn't mean he's not the guy. so pay attention closely to the time of day this happened and say could he have done it even if he doesn't show all of these signs? >> with us right now, i'm hearing in my ears a very special guest, samuel thompson. this is somer thompson's father.
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mr. thompson, thank you for being with us. >> thank you very much for having me. >> mr. thompson, i know that your grief is overwhelming especially because you were in another town. you weren't there right on the scene when everything happened. i remember when i became a crime victim, i wasn't on the scene. i was a couple hundred miles away. and i felt so helpless. there was nothing i could do, nothing i could do. to change anything. how did you learn somer was missing? >> about 6:25 that evening, i got a call from the clay county sheriff's department, and the first thing he said was, mr. thompson, don't freak out, but your daughter is missing and we're going to find her. so at that time, that's when i realized my daughter was missing, and i can't tell you
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the wave of pain and fear that runs over you -- your body through your mind. you feel like your heart is just going to stop at that time. >> mr. thompson, my whole family -- myself, my husband, my mother, my father -- we were all in a little souvenir store in florida. and my husband had john david. and all of a sudden i heard him call out, john david. and i looked across and i realized he didn't know where john david was. >> oh, wow. >> and i can't even tell you -- i felt it go from here to my toes. i can feel it right now just the fear that shoots through your body. of course, i found him. he was all the way at the front of the store about to go out the door when the next person opened
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it. and i can only imagine how you felt. what did you do? >> at that moment, you describe the fear and panic that hits you right away. and i'm in a wheelchair. i've got a broken leg. i was in a car accident a month ago. >> and this is after you come home from iraq, right? >> this is after i've come home from iraq. and i've been -- i've had a lot of doctor's appointments with the va for the past two years trying to get my disability. and, you know, trying to make a better life for my children after this. but i felt helpless because i wanted to run and grab -- and find her myself. you know, i wanted to get on my hands and knees and crawl to florida. but i didn't have the means or the transportation. and, you know, right after that, as soon as everybody in my community found out, they came straight to me. trinity baptist church --
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>> did you make it there? >> yes, i made it here to florida. >> you're there. in fact, you're joining me now from jacksonville. >> that's right. >> what are cops telling you? i mean, it all happened so fast. and you and your wife were doing everything right. she was not alone. it was broad daylight. she was with a group of little friends and she just ran ahead. that was it. boom, she's gone. >> you know, whoever did this had to be watching and waiting for his moment, because, like you said, just briefly she ran ahead and was out of sight. so there were, what, a two or three second window of somebody to grab my child and take her away from us and brutally murder her and throw her in the trash like she was nothing. so if this doesn't wake everybody up in america to know that when you feel secure that your children are okay, you need to think again. and you need to protect your
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children. you need to watch your children. you need to know where they are. don't take anything for granted ever again. we get complacent as americans and we get in our comfort zone, but now you see that we can't be that way. this world is different. we need to change our ways. we need to change our laws. the jessica law now nc.org, we need to make this part of every state in the united states. and i just hope everybody --
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i want you to know that i will not sleep until this person is found. i hope they get you and i hope they make you pay. >> one day after the community of orange park buried 7-year-old somer thompson, the sheriff leading the investigation into her murder warned the public the killer could be in their midst. >> police put the entire neighborhood on alert.
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they believe someone knows something but is not coming forward. >> investigators believe somer's killer is likely exhibiting changes in behavior or giving clues that the people around them might not recognize. >> unexplained injuries such as cuts, bruises, particularly on the head, arms and hands. >> while the sheriff didn't expound, that information suggests when somer's body was recovered from a georgia la landfi landfill, there may have been evidence she struggled with the killer. >> he is a sexual predator, psychopath, probably lies, probably very narcissistic and probably has no empathy. if you know a guy like that, regardless whether you know he has done anything shady in the days before or surrounding soler's abduction and murder, you should definitely report that to the police. >> we are taking your calls live. out to you, mike brooks, former fed with the fbi. cops are convinced that someone
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has the key to this mystery. who took somer? now, why are they saying that people have seen something and they don't realize what they've seen? >> because, nancy, if it's someone that you're close to, many, many times you don't realize the changes that you're actually seeing until someone says, hey, is this person your husband, your wife, your boyfriend, your girlfriend? are they acting differently? and you say to yourself, you know what, once they read that, they say, well, you know, he is acting a little bit different. you know, he did just shave off his mustache. you know what, his hair -- he hadn't gotten a haircut. it's interesting, nancy, because they say a suspect could have made one or more changes in his or her lifestyle. again, we can't rule out a woman in this case. >> let's unleash the lawyers. doug burns, former fed, now defense attorney out of new york.
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carmen st. george, defense attorney, also out of new york. first to you doug burns. cops are convinced there are individuals with information that have not come forward. weigh in. >> they're asking for people to say who didn't show up for work, who is acting differently. >> don't you remember this latest case of annie lay, the graduate student? her alleged killer was covered in scratches that day. >> no question about it. and the fact of the matter is it's a fine line between asking everybody to use their eyes and ears versus as you highlighted -- and i think you may be right -- that they think specifically somebody knows something. that's a tough distinction. >> also to you carmen st. george, you've seen plenty of cases like this. investigators say 90 sex offenders have been interviewed, but they didn't say any of them had been cleared. >> well of course, nancy. i think those are the main suspects because clearly she was abducted and killed.
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it had signs that somebody had been casing the area, saw an opportunity, took her. she was by the abandoned house. within a three-mile radius, at least 57 registered sex offenders reside. >> back to tiffany griffith, wokv, what can you tell us about that abandoned house? what evidence, if any, has it revealed? >> well, they're definitely still testing evidence that they pulled from the house. they have wrapped up with that house at this point, so all the fdle trucks have pulled away. right now they are scanning that evidence and will learn if there's any connection between somer's disappearance and what might have gone on there. >> i want to go to dr. michael bell. dr. bell, the palm beach county chief medical examiner. cops are still waiting on crime scene evidence to be returned from the lab from that home. what do you think? >> well, chances are they may have found some stains, looking for dna, that they want to
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compare to somer or any of the other evidence that they gathered from her body. >> well, this is what i don't get. i want to go back to you. pat brown, why are they so focused on that vacant building, that home? >> well, i think the main reason is she went missing right there. the home is available to go do something terrible inside of it and they have the creepy dude as a sex offender working on the house. lots of times we have handyman workers or construction types that show up -- >> what do you know about the worker? >> just what we heard before, he supposedly was a sex offender, but they haven't said any more about that. >> to samuel thompson joining us tonight. this is somer's father. what are police telling you about that vacant home? >> well, they're not telling me a lot. i was told that there was some soot found on her, on somer and -- >> soot? >> soot, you know, from -- it was a burned-out house. and i was told one time that they found some soot that possibly came from that house,
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that she may have been in there. but other than that, you know, the information that they're putting out over the air is the same information that they're giving me. if they had more information, they can't just put it out there. >> no, they can't. they can't. although, they are saying, dr. lillian glass, psychologist joining us out of l.a., they are saying that they are sure the killer is watching the coverage, our coverage right now. and it reminds me of the btk killer, bind torture kill, who had volumes of newspaper articles and actually communicated with the media about the case. >> exactly. and this is the whole thing. they could be extremely narcissistic, sociopathic. it's interesting because this is their only means of communication. they're getting a vicarious thrill out of this. >> freak, freak. out to the lines. monica, georgia, hi, monica.
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>> caller: hello, nancy. thank you for taking my call. >> thank you for calling in, dear. what's your question. >> caller: i have a question, if they've done a dna workup on somer of any evidence. i don't know if the don't know are married, if it's possibly an ex-boyfriend of the mom or an associate with the family. >> mr. thompson, with us is somer's father. that's where every investigation starts. they look at the parents, the father, the mother. then it goes out to the neighbors, the relatives. i'm sure that police have already investigated any, especially, males that are close to that family. whether it's a boyfriend, you, the dad, or the milk man. every man that is connected to this family is likely been investigated by now. >> well, that's true. the first people that came to my house was the fbi. you know -- >> awe and you cooperated fully. >> certainly. you know, when you are missing
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i just want them to know that everything they're doing is not in vain. i've had grown men over here cry on my shoulder and tell me they didn't feel like they did enough. everybody did so much. it just was it was. >> out to the lines. sheeb ba, illinois. hi, sheeb ba. >> caller: hi, sweetie. first of all, don't stop what you're doing. >> thank you. >> caller: you are a godsend to so many people. second of all, i need your prayers. my husband has lost his left leg
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due to ganggreen. secondly, please tell me she had dna under her fingernails. >> let's find out. to mr. thompson, have they recovered any forensic evidence from somer, mr. thompson? >> i was told that there was possibly skin under her fingernails and there was possibly defensive marks on her. i know my daughter, and she's a fighter, and she's got one ounce of my blood in her, she's not going to take this lying down. this man probably does have scratches on him, bite marks. i know my daughter. she wouldn't give up. >> you know, that is just exactly, mr. thompson, what police are saying. that around the day, at the time she was taken, someone wasn't where they were supposed to be. and, everyone, we're talking about somer rene thompson.
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she was 7 years old, a first grader. there is a $40,000 reward for information about her killer. 877-277-6911. please, take a look. we now believe that she did leave defense -- attack wounds on her killer. everyone, let's stop and remember army sergeant brandon wallace, 27, st. louis, missouri, killed iraq. awarded the bronze star, purple heart, also served kosovo. lost his life hours before he was set to return home to get married. he never met a stranger, dreamed of being a police officer. loved cooking, photography, singing, playing guitar. since his death, his parents wrote a song "no tears" in memory of their beloved son. leaves behind parents ricky and
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robin, sisters vicki and sarah, fian fiancee, dawn, also in the army. brandon wallace, american hero. i'll see you tomorrow night, 8:00 sharp eastern and until then, good night, friend. tonight on "the joy behar show" curb your enthusiasm, star larry david's urine joke is pissing on the catholic church. did he cross the line? plus the michael jackson movie "this is it." is it a thriller or do more damage to the king of pop's image? the always hilarious wanda
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tonight, many catholics are furious with larry david because of a joke he maid on your show "curb your enthusiasm" involving jesus. did the joke go too far? then, michael jackson may be gone from the world, but he is very much alive at the box office. his new movie opened yesterday. we're going to find out what's wrought with "this is it." wanda sykes is on stage, screen, television, and tonight she's on my show. is she on a roll or on speed? all this and more starts now.
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now, some people call this clip from larry david's hbo series comedy and others blastmy. you be the judge. here's the scene from "curb your enthusiasm" on sunday, god's day off, that started the controversy. ♪ >> some people say why is there a picture of jesus in the bathroom? joining me to discuss this and more, andy borwitz.
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michelle collins, median and managing editor of bestweekever.tv and lorri morgan, country music star extraordinary their. i find it offensive to watch people urinate. that part annoys me. i know larry. he is hilarious and takes a lot of chances on that show. the urine accidentally goes on the picture of jesus and other people come in and religious people think that the portrait is crying. you know, these type of people think the face of jesus appears on a tamale and they get all excited. it's that same group of people he's making fun of. lorrie, i know you are a devout catholic. does that offend you? >> it does. i -- i guess because i was raised to be revrant to jesus and the church, that was my
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upbringing and that's how i feel. i feel it would have been funnier had he had his mother hanging there or something. >> oh, yeah. as a matter of fact, before i go on with you two, the president of the catholic league issued a statement saying, last night's episode demonstrates david's best years are behind hill. he ought to quit while he's ahead. would he think it's comedic if someone urinated on a picture of his mother? >> really? >> that's one of the things donahue, whatever his name is, he doesn't get. >> that's going to be an episode for "sweeps" i think for larry. peeing on his mother's picture. >> every show larry does something to offend someone. i'm glad finally the catholics are feeling a little bit -- >> they got picked on. >> it's about time. >> i was a little bit offended as a urinator. >> i can see that. >> that is my group, people with the heavy flow. i was a little bit offended. >> he says, this guy, donahue, he says hbo only makes fun of
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catholics. what about this scene from "curb" when a holocaust survivor argues with a contestant from the show "survivor." >> have you ever seen the show? >> did you ever see our show? >> i was damn close to that $1 million. the whole time everyone's back stabbing me and undermining me trying to get me kicked off the show. >> i'm a survivor. >> i'm a survivor. >> i'm a survivor. >> i'm a survivor. >> he also took on the muslims in another episode. so he really is a religious basher on all counts. >> buddhists are next. >> maybe buddhists. they're pretty funny, buddhists. >> i'm jewish. my grandparents are holocaust survivors. we as jews have bigger things to worry about like our people not getting re-murdered in europe. we have bigger fish to fry. >> to me there's still something that is so -- and i -- i
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understand your point totally, but to me, it's just, i guess it's my upbringing. it's just my opinion. i would never, ever think of doing something like that to a picture of jesus. i just -- >> because it offends the catholic sensibility. >> it does. i'm with my mom, who is 78 years old. totally -- i mean, she could be the pope, you know, if she wanted to be. that's how strict she is. >> i don't think technically she could be the pope. >> i agree. >> i think there are some problems -- >> she could be in our family. i mean, her sisters are the same way. so -- >> is it common to have jesus in the bathroom? i would feel more uncomfortable having a hot dude in a beard watch me pee than getting my waste on him. he's a handsome guy, joy. >> jesus? in that rendition, we don't really know -- they make up the way he looks. nobody knows what he looks like really. >> i would be heartbroken if -- >> if i found that out i'd be heartbroken, too.
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no hunchback. >> no hunchback jesus for me. >> he looks like william defo. >> i could never worship a man who looked like that. >> speaking of leaking, levi johnston continues to leak dirt about sarah palin in their ongoing feud. did you know that? >> oh, yes. >> on "the early show" he was asked about reconciling with the palins. >> is it too late to turn back now? is it too late to save that relationship? reconcile with the palins? >> yeah. i don't see myself over there for christmas or whatnot, so i don't know. >> oh my god. >> do we really want this to end? andy, it's such a great thing. >> i never want it to end. i'm happy he's posing nude. i've been doing a little dance of joy in the office all they long. can't wait for the picture. the tasteful laying on the antler shot. whatever they're going to go for. >> do you know he's going to drop his levis and show us his johnston? >> whatever floats his boat.
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it's fine with me. i don't care what he does. >> levi and sarah palin have become the republican version of jon & kate. they're like this fraught couple that doesn't get along. we haven't heard from bristol in months. >> she's laying low, bristol. she's smart to do that. >> todd we've never heard from. >> what's todd doing? you know the palins don't you, lorrie? >> i don't know them personally. i do not. i'm a sarah palin fan. >> you are? >> yes, i am. >> are you looking forward to her book? >> well -- >> i'm getting the english translation. >> are you? >> waiting for that. >> here's what levy said on "the early show" about his claim that palin called her son, trig, retarded. listen to this. >> where's my retarded baby and all this? it wasn't right. i have no proof of showing you it's true, but i knows it. i was shocked the first time i heard it. she would say is regularly. i was just like, you know -- i
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think she was joking but still, you know, doesn't make it right. >> do you think she really said that? >> for sure. why would he make something like that up? >> he's an idiot. he's an idiot. that's why he wouldn't make it up. he's too stupid to make that up. >> i can see levi being offended by the retarded remark. i think it probably didn't happen. think about it, guys. neither levi nor sarah palin has been in alaska for the last 12 months. she's been out promoting the book -- >> therefore? >> this couldn't have happened. >> they were at the convention together. >> okay. that brief photo opt. >> she passed the baby along. >> i'm sorry. i just don't think she said that. i just really don't. >> i think she has a whole other side to her we don't see. >> here's palin's response. she said, consider the source. i remember when i was a kid, they'd go, consider the source, of the most recent attention getting lies. those who would sell their body for money reflect a desperate need for attention and are
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likely to say and do anything for more attention, meaning the full frontal in "playgirl." does he know mostly gay guys read that book? >> that's where the money is. >> i like when levi is on the shows like "the today show." they treat him like a political pundit. >> i don't understand it either. >> by the way, his "playgirl" shoot is on the same day oprah is interviewing sarah palin. coincidence, you tell me. thanks, everybody, very much. up next, one of the rare women of late night, wanda sykes, joins me.
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people asking why i'm doing late night tv, well, whenever he ask our friends to come over, you know, they want to know. are the babies going to be there? of course the babies are going to be there. they're like, oh, we can't make it. i have to go give blood. so clearly i had no choice but to find another place to hang out. this is my home away from home, but just don't tell my wife about it because right now she thinks i'm out in the garage putting together a highchair. >> i've known this woman for a long time. her hbo specials prove she's one of the funniest and edgiest women working in comedy today. not just women, anybody. her new late night talk show remeres on november 7th and i love the title "the wanda sykes show." has a ring. i always wanted a show named after me, too.
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oh, i do have one. sorry. wanda, hi. >> hi. >> how are you? >> good to be here. >> listen. you've got so many things going on, girlfriend. you've got the hbo special, you're on the christina -- what is it again? >> "new evince bl christine." >> a la boirs you title but a funny show. you have a talk show at night competing with the boys late at night. >> well, i'm on saturday night. >> oh, you're on saturday. >> the boys take the night off. >> chelsey has one too? >> yeah. >> chelsly lately. she's on every night. >> she's on every night. >> you're only on on saturday night. >> saturday night. >> that's how you can do all this work. >> yes. with a black president now i don't have to work as hard. >> that's true. okay. >> i just do -- they wanted me to work seven nights. i was like, no, race card, black president. >> pass the race card. >> we get two race cards a year with a black president. sweet. >> that's great. so the last person to -- a woman
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to have a talk show, late night, was joan rivers. that was 25 years ago. >> wow. >> you know, i mean, that was -- dick cheney was still on his first pacemaker. nothing for that. okay, fine. >> i'm with you. i'm with you. >> it's okay. rumor has it that you wanted a black head writer for your show. >> a black head writer? >> a black head writer. >> okay. >> not a blackhead writer. how many jokes can you do on one blackhead? >> you can't. >> why is it important for you to have a black head writer? >> i didn't specify i wanted a black, you know, head writer. i said i wanted a funny writer. a guy who was good. it wasn't -- i didn't put that out. that wasn't in the -- >> it was just a rumor, not true. >> not true. not true. i said i wanted a head writer with a large penis.
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oh. >> okay. >> you can -- you know. however you want to go with that one. >> i guess they interpreted it that way. >> and big lips. that's all i said. large penis and thick lips. >> and a good dancer. they can come to any conclusion they want. >> i didn't say nothing about black. >> i see. everyone's talking about the letterman show and the staff quoted, all the staff quotes on all the shows. i found out last night here that there are 50 writers on all three shows and they're all male. >> really? >> all male. 50 male writers. is that shocking to you? >> very shocking. i have female writers, male writers, you know, black, white, it's a mix. yeah. >> you were a female -- a writer -- >> i still am. >> you're still a female showwoman. >> yep. still there. >> you're working with chris rock. >> working with chris rock, right. i was the only female on that staff. >> did anyone sexually harass you over there?
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>> i wasn't that hot back then. >> that was before you were a lesbian. >> before i became a hot lesbian. now i'm a hot lesbian. they would be all over me. back then, yeah, no, no one hit on me. i mean, come on. you know, i mean, we're filthy. comics are filthy. we talk, stuff we say is -- it's not appropriate outside of the kmeddy room. it's not. but, yeah, but the guys over there, they were cool. >> they were cool with it. >> yeah. >> there's some kind of scuttlebutt about how the guys in the comedy room, they don't feel comfortable in front of the girls with their, you know, with their material. the girls probably go, that's not funny, and they don't like that. >> well, yeah. i guess. or, you know, they -- guys are -- i'm not going to even say intimidated, but it's, to me it's like they don't hear women in the writers' room.
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when you're there, you pick something and -- >> you're invisiblinvisible. >> you're invisible. another guy will pitch exactly what i just said and they think it's the funniest thing in the world. >> why is that? >> didn't i just say that? you know, i just said -- i think guys, like, when they're at work they tune off their ears to listen to a female's voice. you know? it's like, okay, i'm at work. no need to hear that. then when they go back home they turn it up a little bit and, okay, all right, okay, i can barely hear her. i hear her voice and that's it. >> i'm going to change the subject if you don't mind. >> we want to roll with that. it's your show. >> moving along here. i want to talk bt the fact you came out as a -- you came out of the closet. i don't know if you were in the closet. i knew you when you were married when you were wand za psya syke and the next thing i knew you were gay and just wanda sykes. i never saw that coming.
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>> you never saw that coming? after we were making out, you didn't see that coming? >> does that make you -- for goodness sakes. you came out at a same-sex marriage rally in las vegas in 2008. >> i'm very proud. i'm proud to be a woman. i'm proud to be a black woman. i'm proud to be gay. and i love you all. now, let's go get our equal rights. come on. >> i'm not proud of that hair color. >> this is cute. this color's cute. when did you realize that you were gay? how did it happen? tell me. >> how did it happen? >> was it a slow -- >> i think -- you know, it was the way i was born and i think earlier on, like when i was in maybe second or third grade i knew. >> oh, really? >> yeah. yeah. >> you were attracted to the girls? >> i remember telling one of my
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brother's girlfriends or something, i was like, i wish i were a boy or whatever, so then you could be my girlfriend. yeah. she was like, oh, no, no. you can't say that. you know? you can't think like that. so, you know, so you just gorks okay, that was a bad move. you suppress everything and get in line. okay, this is the way things are supposed to be. >> you got in line for a long time. >> yeah. >> there must have been a trigger though. where were you when it came to you? were you at a bowling alley? >> bowling alley, softball game, come on. >> where were you? come on, tell any. >> i don't even remember. it just happens. you know? it's -- you know, you have the attraction there i guess. >> you're not the first person. it happened to a -- >> i'm not the only gay person? get out of here. >> no, women comedians. women comedians who thought they were straight and turned out not to be. i want to talk about this and
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i'm earning $15,000 a month in child support, but i don't even have a child. >> okay. that was my guest, wanda sykes, on "the chris rock show." that was a big break for you? wasn't it? >> that was my big break. that was my first real tv gig as a writer. it got me in the writers' guild. that's the ground where i learned how to do everything. edit, produce. it was a writer-driven show. chris would let us stay with the piece. write it, go out and shoot it,
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edit, produce, and everything i learned from that show is why i can do my own show now. i give chris all the credit. no check, just credit. >> okay. let me talk about your marriage a little bit. you got married? >> yes. >> you're not -- your marriage is not a civil union. >> it's a marriage. >> got married before prop 8. >> what's your wife -- >> alex. >> that was before prop 8? >> yes. >> so are you still mar rid in california. >> still married in california. >> there's a grandfather clause? >> the marriages that happened before prop 8 passed are still valid. yes. so we're still married. >> that must have beena disappointing night, prop 8 passed but obama won so it was a mixed bag. >> yeah. it was very -- like a roller coaster ride. at first, like, obama won, yes! then it's like, we saw the numbers coming in and saw prop 8 was going to pass. so i couldn't even really fully
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enjoy my black president win. >> yeah. >> you know? because now it's like, gee, okay, black president but now i'm a second-class citizen. >> are you disappointed with the fact he's dragging his heels on gay marriage a little bit? >> you know, would i like for him to step it up? yes. i'm being patient, you know, because when he took over, this country was in the dumper. >> i know it. >> people -- like bush deniers out there, like, it never happened. it happened. we were in, i mean, dire straits. the economy, everything. so i want him to take care of these problems first. these are things that he should be focused on. the war. i mean, afghanistan. iraq. these are the things that -- >> health care, the economy. >> these are the things that he needs to put on the, you know, on the forefront. i believe eventually he'll get to gay rights. you know, do we want to be standing in the back of the line
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waiting for it? no, but as long as we're in the line, as long as we're -- you know? he's getting to it. >> the patience that the left is exhibiting is phenomenal for him because the right is really on his case and pushing him and he's not doing it and he's a do-nothing president and carry-on like that. the left, like us, people like us, are giving him time. more time. we know. >> we know how awful, you know, the place we were in when he took office, and to criticize him, that's like somebody giving you life-saving cpr then you go, your breath stinks. you know? >> exactly. i mean, dick cheney had the nerve to say he was dithering on afghanistan. when they rushed into iraq and there were no wmd there and they started a war that will not end. he says he's dithering. the nerve, the hypocrisy. stay there. we'll be back in a bit. we're not done with you yet.
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rush limbaugh said he hopes this administration fails. you know, so you're saying i hope america fails? you're like, i don't care about people losing their homes or jobs or our soldiers in iraq? he just wants the country to fail. to me, that's treason. he's not saying anything differently than what osama bin laden is saying. you know, you might want to look into this. i think rush limbaugh was the 20th hijacker but he was so strung out on oxycontin he missed his flight. >> i'm back with the very funny woman. her new late night talk show premieres on november 7th. that was from the washington correspondence dinner.
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you caused a lot of controversy at that dinner. everyone who does it causes controversy and gets criticized for it. it's a thankless job. why did you say yes? >> come on, it's the first black president. >> got to do it. >> you got to do it. i had to do it. it's just an honor to be invited, you know? so -- i said -- i made a decision. i was like, you know what, you asked for it so you're going to get it. i'm not going to hold back. i'm not going to hold back. you know? i'm going to show up and be me. >> was limbaugh mad? >> i have no idea. i don't know. who cares. it was so funny because i was so wrapped up into doing it, focusing. i was sitting at the table. the first lady is there. i'm going through my notes and going through my cards. okay, i got it, i got it. she leaned over to say something to me and i -- she leaned over and said something. i literally looked at her and went -- and went back to my
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cards. that's how focused i was. i brushed off the first lady, like, i'm working, woman. >> she was interrupting you. >> interrupting me. hey, hey. >> busy. working over here. >> people ask me, what was that experience like? i don't even remember. >> let me go back a minute to your family. i'm very interested. you have twins now. >> yes. >> and what's your girlfriend's name again? >> alex. >> alex. i keep thinking kelly. i'm thinking of another couple i know. >> yeah. okay. >> so alex gave birth to the babies, right? sorry. and so -- has your family seen the babies? how are they dealing with all of this? it's an interracial gay marriage. >> right. >> a lot to digest. >> so we should stay out of louisiana is what you're saying. >> mississippi. alabama. >> should just take a ride through the south and just film it. we should.
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just see how many states we can get through? you know, here's the mississippi border. >> i mean, has anyone in your family come to see the kids? are they accepting of it? do you care? >> my brother and his wife, my nephews, they've seen the kids. it's just like an issue as far as with disstarngs i guess. my parents do plan on seeing the kids. >> so everything is copecetic with this? >> it's getting there. >> when does your new show start? >> november 7th. >> do you feel nervous about it? >> a little. usually everything just comes together. you know? i work hard at it. keith robinson, a very funny comic, we've been friends for 20 years. it's great i get to hang out with keith and just every week just rip him apart. >> i just want you to be successful at this, because it's been so many years and there's never a woman in late night,
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particularly on the big three networks. we have chelsey late night and now you. you know, those real money-makers. >> monique is on b.e.t. >> monique. did you see precious? >> not yet. i want to see her. >> she -- i hope she comes on this show. i want to tell her what a brilliant performance she gave in that movie. oh my god. the levels -- the levels -- she's a comedian. who knew she was such an -- it was like meryl streep level. really very interesting stuff. so what to you think about how the country's going now? do you feel positive about it? >> i feel -- i feel positive. i just hope we don't lose focus because when you see how we all jump behind balloon boy, that's scary. >> i know. >> that's scary. that balloon boy -- >> did you think he was in that thing? i said, he can't be in that
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thing. >> no, no. i knew he wasn't in there. look at the father, he looks like a big dumby. what makes you think this idiot could build a space ship that could carry a child? it looks like a big bag of jiffy pop. what the hell? >> exactly. >> everybody wanted -- they loved the drama of it. everybody was disappointed when they found out the little boy was okay. >> they weren't disappointed. >> joy, they weren't disappointed. they wanted that boy to be found in the woods somewhere being protected by a bear or something. they wanted a bear to come out of the woods. >> have you seen the new michael jackson movie? >> no, i have not. i plan -- that's another thing on my list. i have a lot of free time, now, joy, with a show and kids. >> i haven't been able to see it. >> why are you asking me like i have free time, like a life or something? >> i'm sorry. i thought maybe you saw it.
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now that he's dead he's making a lot of money. >> he is making a lot of money. >> a lot. is it the third or the fourth? the third wealthiest dead celebrity. >> the third? >> the third wealthiest. >> elvis and who? >> elvis is fourth. >> the other two? >> eve sanlarong. the designer. composer roger and sammer stein. one and two. then michael jackson, then elvis. isn't that something? it's fascinating to me. >> i was going to say something very inappropriate. >> go ahead, say it. >> no. >> we can cut it out. we can cut it out. we have a seven-second delay. come on, say it. say it. do you want to say the "f" word? want to say the "f" word? >> no, it's fine. >> say it, come on, wanda. >> not going to get it out of me. >> what's the most tasteless joke you've ever told? >> what i was about to say. >> i'm telling you, we have ways here to cut things out. >> you get it and then you air it. what this [ bleep ] said.
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>> no, we wouldn't. i promise you. >> i'll tell you later. want me to write it down for you? okay. >> now, what's the thing you love the most? is it standup, is it the tv show? is it acting? you do everything. >> it's all of it. >> you love all of it? >> i love all of it. i think i would probably get bored if i was doing one. standup is the -- that's the key. that's the thing right there. that's where it all starts. >> what's the most stressful. why is it? tell people why it's the most stressful. i'm tired of saying it because i know it. >> it's just you. you know, you, it's the audience, it's never the same. you don't know what kind of audience you're going to get. you don't know what the building -- you know, the venue is like. it's just, you're alone. you're alone. there's no edit -- okay, i'll cut that out. you know? >> everybody's wearing clothes and you're naked. that's how it feels. everybody's looking at you and
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you have no clothes on and they're sitting there in tuxedos. s >> exactly. >> do you think it's harder for women? >> i think it's -- you knwell, t know about harder for women. you do have to get past this first. stop looking at my boobs. can you hear me? let's have fun. >> do you think it's easier for lesbians? >> easier for lesbians? >> yeah. >> hot lesbians or -- >> not hot lesbians, just lesbians. just plain old lesbians. if the men, they know you're a lesbian -- >> all they're doing is fantasizing about, i bet i could turn her. >> exactly. >> or picture me with, you know, fantasize about joining in. so -- it's harder for me, joy. >> is it harder for you? >> it's harder. >> anyway, good luck with
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that i am the one ♪ >> mikes jackson's "this is it" debuted this week among acclaim and controversy. everyone is talking about it. take a look. >> right there. ♪ into the nighttime ♪ and they say why, why ♪ and they say why, why >> joining me to talk about the movie, the man, the money, frank delow you and gayle king, editor at large at "o." and host of "the gayle king show" on sirius xm. do you think it's oscar worthy?
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>> i actually do think it's oscar worthy. what's so funny to me is my own reaction to it. i was always a fan of michael jackson's music, but i can't say i was still into michael jackson the way i used to be. after he died and hearing all of his music, it brought it back about why i liked him. when i went to go see this movie, i can honestly say to you i was blown away and not expecting to be. i was blown away because you see his passion for what he does, his humility, his kindness to people was really something to see. >> yeah, yeah, yeah. frank, did you see the film? >> oh, yes, i've seen it, many stages. of course, i've seen the finished product many times. gayle is right. it shows the warmth of michael. it shows his work ethic. it shows how passionate he was about this show and how perfect he wanted it to be. >> joy, he was a perfectionist in every sense of the word. >> the music is great. i mean, when you just want to move. >> the music -- i'm telling you, joy, it brings it all back to
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you. what bothers me when i hear people criticizing the movie. this was not a movie that was supposed to be for public consumption. this was for his own personal library. we were never supposed to see this. when people say, they had to use subtitles, well, he wasn't talking to us. there wasn't a microphone. >> do you think he would be upset if he knew everyone was watching this movie? >> no. may i bud in for a second. >> please bud in. >> what this is, this is the documentary part of all of his tours. my history with michael, we always filmed rehearsals backstage. crowds. that's all we were doing. unfortunately when he passed away, as we were sitting there talking amongst ourselves remembering the great times, we threw on some film and we were just looking at it and somebody said, you know, this would have been such a great show, but the fans should see what he was really about. that's how this came to pass.
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>> let me ask you something. did he seem healthy, frank? because protesters were saying he was unhealthy and aeg was e using him to make a profit. >> no. that's an absolute lie. >> it's a lie? >> michael was healthy. >> then why all the drugs and the doctor 24/7? what was that about? >> well, i'll explain it to you. he was 136 pounds. now, for some reason, michael wanted a doctor to go on tour. i wasn't aware of this doctor. we met him one time. all right? >> yeah. >> i don't know why he wanted that. the man was 50 years old. he made decisions without me. i was in charge of the tour, not his personal, personal, personal life. >> you didn't really know what was going on? >> no. no. if i would have known, do you think i would have let it happen? >> i can't say, joy, he looked unhealthy in the movie that we saw. you know, it's my understanding, frank, they recorded 100 hours. we only saw two. he was very, very thin. i have no way of knowing -- i
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don't think anybody really knows whether he was healthy or not. >> joe jackson, his father, his father claimed body doubles were used. >> i didn't believe that. i think joe jackson said a lot of things that are skeptical to those of us who have seen the movie. i didn't see indication of a body double. >> what do you think of that, frank? >> there are no body doubles. was there a stuntman? any manager or any studio would not let somebody in a blue screen slide down the banister of jump through a window. >> do you think joe is mad because he's not making money on this film? >> you'll have to make that decision on your own. >> what do you think, frank? come on? >> no, no, no. >> frank, what do you think in. >> come on, frank. >> you know joe jackson. i don't. >> no, but i've seen him on television and don't believe a word he says, frankly. there's a lot of money we're talking about. michael jackson -- i saw it on a crawl yesterday, he's the third
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richest dead celebrity in the word. yves saint laurent. michael jackson, $90 million. elvis presley, $55 million. i would have thought he was more than that. >> i'm not surprised the numbers have jumped for michael jackson. i didn't have one michael jackson song on my ipod. after he died and i started hearing the music, i decided i wanted to get the top things i remember. a lot of people have done that. >> it's interesting. >> you didn't do that, joy? you don't have michael jackson joys on your ipod? >> i don't know how to even download. how much do you think this film's going to make? frank, do you know? >> well, i -- we think it's going to do very well. right now, two days, we're at about $22 million. you have to remember something, that 90% of all the profits go to the children's trust. >> that's good. >> not only that, they're saying right now it's only going to play for two weeks. i don't believe that, joy.
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i believe there will be such a demand for the movie, they'll say, well, why don't we extend it another week, another two weeks? right now, it's really genius when you think about it, to be told you only have two weeks. you think, i have to go see it now. >> it hasn't sold out everywhere. did you know that? >> i did not know that. >> it has not sold out everywhere, frank. maybe it's too much of michael right now or the economy? i don't know what the reason is. >> i heard it was sold out everywhere. >> it may be -- it could be in certain areas that it hasn't sold out. our research hasn't been, you know, that great today for me to comment on that. >> yeah. >> i'm sure there's small pockets that haven't sold out. i'm sure buffalo didn't sell out. >> would you go see it? >> we never sold a lot of records in buffalo. >> a lot of the money is going to go to the kisds. do you think the children should see the movie? >> well, it's funny -- go ahead, frank. >> i'm sorry. the children do want to see the
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film. they both have had the flu. they've missed two of the screenings set up for them. they will see it probably in the next week or so. >> a lot of the -- a news article i read said that these children are being used as pawns in the financial tug of war that's going on. >> i don't know anything about it. are the children being used or not used, whether the decision is made for them to see it will come at a time when they're ready. when i was sitting there watching it, i was watching with my daugter who is 23. i said i wonder how difficult this is for his kids. i found it difficult to watch and i never met michael jackson. i've never had a conversation with him, but i felt such sadness for the life that he had. i really did. it made me so incredibly sad. so i can't imagine what it's like for people who loved him and knew him. two of the brothers were on "oprah" and tito said it was too painful for him to see it. i'm curious how the people who
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i think he would have loved it, only because it shows that there's a person in him throughout all the rehearsals and everything, you see when he is focused and he's concentrating on the band. you see there's a humane side to him as on posed to him being on stage all the time and the glitz and the glamor. >> i'm back with gayle king, you look very pretty tonight. >> thank you. >> so at the end of it, does the
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movie help his image or hurt his legacy, what do you think? >> i think his legacy is stilled with a lot of contradictions. there's a lot of people that believe michael jackson had some issues. i am one of those people. but i do believe that that -- this movie will help his legacy. because i, for me, and a lot of people who saw the movie, jermaine alluded to it a second ago, saw a totally different side of im. joy, he was very kind and -- >> he was kind? >> based on the tape that i saw, he was very kind with the people he worked with. even when he was chastising one of the musicians in the movie. someone done something and he said i say this with love, but could you do this with bla, bla, bla. he says, i'm sizzling. let it simmer. i believe that's going to be a pop culture rempls. you see how passionate he was about his work and you admire
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that. >> they was consummate professional. but frank, you knew him for a long time as his manager, right? >> right. >> what do you think about all the negative stuff gayle alluded to, some of the stuff in his back ground was not always positive and wonderful. what about that? >> i've known michael since 1979, and i managed him the longest at 5 1/2 years in the middle of his career. yeah, there has always been a lot of controversy with michael. when you see this film, you will get a new revived feeling for him. people who loved him will love it. people who are just being introduced him as young children will love him. >> do you think -- >> people who are older and see it will remember him in a great light. >> what about all the bad press he got about having children in his bed and all that stuff that came out a few years ago? >> it's all garbage. >> it's all garbage? >> i think so.
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a lot of it was garbage. some of it was important, some of it wasn't. but this clears up the legacy and sets it straight. >> there seems to be a different perception of him with the races. for example, 44% of whites are fans of michael jackson, but 81% of blacks are fans. do you think it's a racial issue? or white people are not musical? >> i don't agree with those numbers. >> you don't? >> no, no. when you go to a concert, you sew a mixture of the people that go to see michael jackson. so i'm surprised to hear that. no, no, no. i disagree with those facts, mr. behar. where did you get them? >> it was a cnn poll actually. >> what frank just said people who loved him before will continue to do so. >> i love both of you for coming on the show. good night, everybody.
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a beautiful young virginia tech coed keeps tickets to a metallica concert taped up on the fridge for six months. goes to the concert with all her friends. just before the band takes the stage, she goes missing. missing from a packed arena of 16,000 people. and nobody knows what happened? found in the parking lot, her purse and cell phone, battery removed. breaking tonight, new credible sightings of the girl. a new timeline tracking 20-year-old morgan harrington up
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until 9:30 p.m., across two parking lots, then a bridge. then it all grows cold, this after grainy concert video surfaces of a girl fitting morgan's description. tonight, with us live taking your calls, morgan's parents. >> between the hours of 8:20 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on october the 17th, someone matching the description of morgan harrington was on the exterior of the john paul jones arena. >> morgan was not the kind of person that would take off. >> at 8:48, we can confirm that she did have a phone conversation which was initiated by her friend to check on what she's doing, where she was at. >> i know that she did tell them that she could get a ride home is what we believe. >> between 9:10 and 9:20 p.m. we
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can confirm that someone matching morgan's description was in a lanigan field which is adjacent to the track and copely street bridge. >> this is not behavior that we've ever seen from morgan. i think she was taken. >> we believe that what happened from 8:30 till 9:30 is very relevant for us to go in the right direction and to receive additional pertinent information that will help us resolve this case. and tonight live florida, a little second grader, looks like an angel, walked the ten-minute walk home with her sister and little brother, all their little friends. she runs ahead, gets separated just moments, broad daylight, 7-year-old somer thompson never seen alive again. 4:00, one hour later, mom rushes home, flags down police. no good.
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police trail somer's orange park trash truck 55 miles to the north. sifting through about 100 tons of garbage. spot the little girl's legs sticking out of that filthy garbage. tonight, investigators release a detailed behavioral profile of the killer. there are clues to finding 7-year-old somer's killer. >> yesterday was about somer thompson. today is about her killer. >> 7-year-old girl, laid to rest while her killer is on the loose. >> she met up with her brother and sister to take the mile walk home they take on a regular basis. the last time she was seen was in front of an abandoned house about 500 yards away from the school. >> there is a child killer on the loose and why we'll catch this person and bring him to justice.
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>> i will not sleep until this person is found. i hope they get you and i hope they make you pay. >> there's still a sense of terror because somer's killer is still out there. >> there's no person of interest. there's no suspect at this point. >> we did conclude our work at 1080 ganno avenue where she was last seen. a lot of evidence was collected that the site and it's been transported for processing. >> people close to the individual responsible for this offense may have noticed unexplained injuries such as cuts, bruises, particularly on the head, arms and hands. good evening. i'm nancy grace. i want to thank you for being with us. a virginia tech coed keeps tickets for a metallica concert six months taped up on the fridge, goes to the concert with all her friends. just before the band takes the stage, she goes missing. as we go to air, new and credible sights of morgan.
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>> between the hours of 8:20 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on october the 17th someone matching the description of morgan harrington was on the exterior of the john paul jones arena. from 8:30 till 8:48, we have established that someone matching morgan's description was in fact outside the arena. at 8:48, we can confirm that she did have a phone conversation which was initiated by her friend to check on what she's doing, where she was at. from 8:48 till about 9:00 p.m., we have witnesses who observed someone matching her description who say that she was still in the area of the arena but on the exterior. up to 9:10, she was seen walking
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with a black purse through the university hall parking area. between 9:10 and 9:20 p.m., we can confirm someone matching morgan's description was in the lanigan field parking area, which is adjacent to the track and to copely street bridge. between 9:20 and 9:30, we have interviewed people who called us who described seeing someone matching morgan's description on the copely street bridge near the intersection of ivy road. the last confirmed sighting of someone matching her description was at that location. everyone, before we take you to morgan harrington, first live to breaking news florida. police say a 2-year-old baby girl in extreme danger. her young mother also missing.
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>> florida police are desperately searching for a 2-year-old girl considered missing and in danger. winter haven police say sarah ross was last seen in the company of her mother, who is also missing. the pair were reportedly last spotted at a walmart on october 18th. reports surfaced that the mom came to pick up her daughter, who was visiting with relatives. when family members did not hear from the mother, they called police. cops say there are conflicting stories as to the last known location of the mother and her daughter, but police believe they are in the winter haven or haynes city area. police will not say why the child is considered in danger. >> out to mark williams, anchor/reporter out of daytona beach, florida. mark, i don't get it. if the little girl was last seen with her mother, then why is she in extreme danger? what do you know? >> well, right now, nancy, police in winter haven aren't saying much. they just issued a missing persons report late yesterday afternoon, within the last 24 hours.
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and since they've been missing, no one has heard from either the mother and police say masara is in danger but won't say what that danger is. >> do we know whether the mother is the custodial parent? is there some problem with the mother? how did the mother get the little gill girl anyway? >> we don't know if the mother has custody. the way the police are wording this report is very interesting. they say they believe she's with her mother and the mother is missing. but it is the girl who is in extreme danger. apparently the little girl was staying with relatives. the mother came to pick her up. they left. never returned. the relatives never heard from her. that's why they became concerned and called police. >> i can tell you right now there's a reason this little girl, the 2-year-old girl is not with her mother or father. she's living with relatives. she's with the mother. and police have put out a very cryptic message that this child is in extreme danger and the
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mother is missing. not that the mother is in danger. the child is in danger. the tip line, everyone, 863-291-5858. take a look at masaraha ross. mark williams, again, where were they last seen specifically? rosie, put up a map if we've got one, please. >> there's conflicting reports. a detective nor the police department says the pair was last seen at a walmart in neighboring haynes city, just the city over from the winter haven area, but there was a second report they were last seen in winter haven itself. those reports still up in the air, but i'd go with the detectives saying that they were last seen at that walmart in neighboring hanes city. >> mark brooks, former fbi, i don't like it. i don't like the way it's been worded. it's not explaining to me what's going on. it's making me very suspicious of the mother. i also don't understand why we don't have an amber alert. what's your take, mike brooks? something stinks.
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>> good point. either -- the child is in danger. the mother is involved in this, they should just come out and say this. and if that's the case, why doesn't it meet the criteria to put out an amber alert? if she's in danger, i think she does and we should hear about a tag number, a car. something like this. >> maybe they don't have a tag number. maybe they don't know what car she was in. >> video at walmart should -- >> exactly. >> we have always seen great video coming from both inside and outside of walmart. was she with anyone else, what kind of car? could they enhance it to get a tag number, all of these kind of things. but nothing so far, nancy. >> martin williams, this is your neck of the woods. is there a bus stop in front of that walmart? did she necessarily have to have a car? because i'm telling you target and walmart, they could teach nasa a thing or two about their surveillance video. if this woman was in a car, they should have video. and i still don't get it, mark, why is there no amber alert on this baby girl and why is she in
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danger if she's with her mother? there is something way wrong with this. >> well, most walmart stores that i know of, there is usually a public bus stop, the county runs a public transportation system. and, yeah, the photos that come out of walmart are breathtaking sometimes. let's go back to the amber alert thing. there's been -- in amber alert, the criteria is when an abduction has taken place. they haven't even said anything about an abduction yet. that's one of the -- >> they said extreme danger, a 2-year-old child, extreme danger. masaraha ross. 2 years old. black female. black hair, brown eyes. only 38 inches tall, 30 pounds. tip line, 863-291-5858. tonight police are in fear for her life. they simply say the mother is missing.
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the search continues in the case of a missing 2-year-old florida girl believed to be in danger. police say 2 1/2-year-old masaraha ross known to be with her mother also missing. the two last seen at a walmart in haynes city on october 18th and haven't been seen since. reports are the mother came to pick up masara who is visiting relatives. when the family didn't hear from the mother, they notified cops. police will not say why the child is considered in danger, but are desperate to find her. there are conflicting reports as to the last known whereabouts but witnesses place them in in the winter hach or haynes city areas.
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we have a young lady who is 20 years old. she's a white female. her name is morgan dana harrington. she has long blonde hair and blue eyes. >> police say she met up with friends at jmu before coming here to john paul jones arena for a metallica concert. police say she was separated from her friends 8:40 p.m. saturday night. >> cops have found her purse along with her cell phone. the family's pastor said what's really odd the battery has been removed. >> this is not behavior she would have. she, to our knowledge, did not have a boyfriend. you know, there may be circumstances we're not aware of but, you know, i think morgan was pretty transparent with us, you know, and this is just not something morgan would do. >> she is as beautiful inside as she is outside. she has family and friends that
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love her and miss her. if there's any information that anyone can offer that would help us find her, we would appreciate you contacting the police. >> straight out to jacqueline perrini. reporter with wina news radio. it's my understanding police have a lot of new information in the search for this girl. credible new sightings of her. tracing her, tracking her up until about 9:30 p.m. across two parking lots and a bridge? >> yes. they have just released a time line based on information they gathered from tips from bystanders. they can track her from about 8:20 to 9:20 or 9:30 when she's last seen on a bridge. it's based on people seeing someone that matches morgan's description. we know she left sometime before metallica began, told her friend she was going to a bathroom. she has a brief phone call with them telling them not to worry. last reported sighting was on a
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bridge a quarter of a mile from the arena. hassen been heard from since. police shifted their focus from what went on inside of the arena to what happened outside. they've received approximately 300 plus tips since the case began. leads are coming in all the time but no breaks in the case so far other than that. >> taking your calls live and joining us tonight special guest dr. dan harrington, morgan's father. doctor, thank you for being with us. doctor, i don't understand something. was she outside the arena when she called her friends and said don't worry? >> yes. yes, she was outside the arena. she had gone to the bathroom and somehow, for whatever reason, left the arena and could not get back in. and that's when she made the last phone call to her friend, sarah, inside the arena. >> that's what i don't understand, if she was just going to the bathroom, then why did she go outside the arena? have they looked at her cell phone? did anyone contact her and lure her out?
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>> it does not appear there were other calls to morgan during that period of time. there was some texting of morgan to a young -- a gentleman that she was friends with, but it was no one in charlottesville. it was further away. but he's not a suspect at all at this time. >> right. so they were just probably texting about, what, the concert, that she was at the concert, stuff like that? >> yes. >> he was in a different city? >> yes, that's right. >> to stacy, our producer on the story, let's go through what we know. first of all, we're saying there are new and credible sightings. is all of this based on eyewitness alone or do we have any surveillance video, anything? >> there is no surveillance video at this time that we know of. and we do know investigators have combed through every piece of video that they have. no sight of morgan. all of these -- this timeline, the tips are all based on eyewitness reports, but cops are
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confident that these are credible sightings. >> okay. but i don't understand that. pat brown, you're the criminal profiler, pat brown, author of "killing for sport." they must have had some type of interaction with morgan to make sure that these are credible. she maybe asked them a question, a direction or something, because just saying, yeah, i saw a girl that looked like that, that's not really knocking me out. >> yeah, it's not working for me either, nancy. there are so many girls that look so similar. if you think about a concert area, tons of people. >> it's the location of the pocketbook that's bothering me. listen to this, pat. dr. harrington, her pocketbook is found outside the arena in the parking lot, correct? >> well, it's actually found beyond the parking lot. it was found near some athletic fields, which is close to the bridge where she was last apparently seen. >> okay. that makes more sense to me. pat, what do you make of it? >> one of the questions is why she went outside the arena and why she would keep going further and further away from the arena
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of course, the metallica concert drew people from all over the east coast. but this kind of thing occurs all over the country, and it's usually someone who knows the area, someone who's comfortable with the roads. and it's not generally going to be someone who is just out of the blue driving through town and decides to do this. >> to stacy newman our producer on the story. stacy, again, explain to me where the purse was and where all the cops have tracked her walking up until 9:30 outside of that arena. >> okay. the purse was found in lannigan field. this is a grassy sort of overflow parking area known where rvs park. that's where the purse was found, nancy, with of course that cell phone. cops tracked her from about 8:20 till 9:00 around the arena trying to get back inside. they told her, no, you can't get back in, you don't have your ticket. then from 9:00 to 9:10, she's seen walking through, i believe it's the university hall parking lot. then from there, 9:10 to 9:20
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walking through lannigan field. again, that's where the purse was found. then up till 9:30, last known sighting of morgan is at this bridge. >> that's where i've got the problem because her pocketbook and purse are obviously taken from her there at lannigan field. but yet after that, these eyewitnesses state they see her walking across a bridge over a railroad track. dr. harrington, what are cops telling you about that discrepancy, that her pocketbook was back at the second sighting and then she's seen after that walking along? >> i think we don't know whether the parking -- the purse was with her on the bridge or could something have happened and taken her to the parking lot and then the purse being thrown out from there. >> got it. >> i think that's not clear. >> to laura in massachusetts. hi, laura. >> caller: how are you, nancy? >> i'm good, dear. what's your question?
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>> caller: does anyone know if law enforcement has checked out her computers both at home and school? >> good question. >> caller: maybe she's met somebody online and arranged to meet them. >> dr. harrington, i'm sure the cops have looked at her computer and text messages, right, doctor? >> yes. the computer has been taken by the state police. i have not heard any word on that, but it is part of the investigation.
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we have reason to believe that there are individuals who have yet to come forward who may know or associate with the offender in this case. >> police put the entire neighborhood on alert. they believe someone knows something but is not coming forward. >> people close to the individual responsible for this offense may have noticed one or more of the following behavioral changes or scenarios -- leaving the area unexpectedly for what seems like a very plausible reason, such as going to work or
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to visit a friend or a relative, missing work or other routine engagements, particularly on the afternoon or night of the incident. an unnatural interest in the status of this investigation, paying close attention to media reports, talking about this incident with others, friends, families and co-workers. >> all i want is to happen is that my baby didn't die in vain and that we catch him. >> yesterday was about somer thompson. today is about her killer. my sincere hope is that the thompson family found comfort from the outpouring of love and support that was demonstrated by all who was there. but now, i turn my attention to finding somer's killer and serving justice. and to do that, i need help from certain people.
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people close to the individual responsible for this offense may have noticed one or more of the following behavioral changes or scenarios especially since october 19th, 2009. leaving the area unexpectedly for what seems like a very plausible reason, such as going to work or to visit a friend or a relative, missing work or other routine engagements, particularly on the afternoon or night of the incident. unexplained injuries such as cuts, bruises, particularly on the head, arms and hands. >> tonight, police are saying there's a killer among us and he can be identified. that there are clues all around us as to who killed this little girl.
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her body found 55 miles north of her home. police following the local trash truck to a dump and sifting through about 100,000 tons of garbage. until they see the child's legs. who killed somer? out to tiffany griffith with wokv radio. tiffany, what are police trying to tell us about the killer? >> they're trying to give us a profile, who we should be aware of in our surroundings. like we heard from the sheriff giving those details of who this suspect could be, just to make the public a lot more vigilant and aware of what happened that day, because we're still trying to track down who could have done this. >> well, pat brown, criminal profiler, author of "killing for sport," it all happened so quickly. i mean, she is walking home with her friends, her sister, her little twin brother. they're with the rest of the neighborhood friends. she runs ahead just for a few moments. she's never seen again.
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mom did everything right. she raced home from work 4:00, flagged down police, to no avail. so give me your deductions, pat brown. who do you think is responsible? use all that gray matter you've got up there and tell me what you think. >> well, i do agrees with the police that it is a local person. >> right there, why? >> absolutely. because, first of all, someone who had a window of opportunity to grab her. i don't believe he had a vehicle, coming through town where he could have taken her and zipped out of town 10, 20, 30 miles and thrown her body in a ditch somewhere. this guy had to throw her in a dumpster right there. that means he had no way to move. >> why are you saying it was too far away from an interstate? why? >> he may not have had a vehicle, that's one possibility. or he may not have had time to leave. maybe he been was doing this on his -- he had to go home perhaps. somebody expected him. he had to go to work. >> your theory is corroborated by the fact that her body was likely disposed of right there in the area. >> exactly.
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>> because that trash was from the neighborhood trash. yes, it traveled 55 miles to the north, but it came from that neighborhood. >> exactly. but i do want to warn the public about what the police put out. this person may exhibit one or some of those behaviors they're talking about. but, on the other hand he may exhibit absolutely none of them. so please don't say wait a minute -- >> why are you so sure it's a he? because we've just seen in another case it's a 15-year-old girl. >> that is true. we have to keep that in mind generally speaking it's usually a he. but if somebody is psychopathic, you know this cruel person who lies and manipulates, has no empathy, that kind of person and doesn't exhibit these things doesn't mean he's not the guy. so pay attention closely to the time of day this happened and say could he have done it even if he doesn't show all of these signs? >> with us right now, i'm hearing in my ears a very special guest, samuel thompson. this is somer thompson's father. mr. thompson, thank you for being with us.
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>> thank you very much for having me. >> mr. thompson, i know that your grief is overwhelming especially because you were in another town. you weren't there right on the scene when everything happened. i remember when i became a crime victim, i wasn't on the scene. i was a couple hundred miles away. and i felt so helpless. there was nothing i could do, nothing i could do. to change anything. how did you learn somer was missing? >> about 6:25 that evening, i got a call from the clay county sheriff's department, and the first thing he said was, mr. thompson, don't freak out, but your daughter is missing and we're going to find her. so at that time, that's when i realized my daughter was missing, and i can't tell you
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the wave of pain and fear that runs over you -- your body through your mind. you feel like your heart is just going to stop at that time. >> mr. thompson, my whole family -- myself, my husband, my mother, my father -- we were all in a little souvenir store in florida. and my husband had john david. and all of a sudden i heard him call out, john david. and i looked across and i realized he didn't know where john david was. >> oh, wow. >> and i can't even tell you -- i felt it go from here to my toes. i can feel it right now just the fear that shoots through your body. of course, i found him. he was all the way at the front of the store about to go out the door when the next person opened it. and i can only imagine how you felt.
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what did you do? >> at that moment, you describe the fear and panic that hits you right away. and i'm in a wheelchair. i've got a broken leg. i was in a car accident a month ago. >> and this is after you come home from iraq, right? >> this is after i've come home from iraq. and i've been -- i've had a lot of doctor's appointments with the va for the past two years trying to get my disability. and, you know, trying to make a better life for my children after this. but i felt helpless because i wanted to run and grab -- and find her myself. you know, i wanted to get on my hands and knees and crawl to florida. but i didn't have the means or the transportation. and, you know, right after that, as soon as everybody in my community found out, they came straight to me. trinity baptist church -- >> did you make it there?
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>> yes, i made it here to florida. >> you're there. in fact, you're joining me now from jacksonville. >> that's right. >> what are cops telling you? i mean, it all happened so fast. and you and your wife were doing everything right. she was not alone. it was broad daylight. she was with a group of little friends and she just ran ahead. that was it. boom, she's gone. >> you know, whoever did this had to be watching and waiting for his moment, because, like you said, just briefly she ran ahead and was out of sight. so there were, what, a two or three second window of somebody to grab my child and take her away from us and brutally murder her and throw her in the trash like she was nothing. so if this doesn't wake everybody up in america to know that when you feel secure that your children are okay, you need to think again. and you need to protect your children. you need to watch your children. you need to know where they are.
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don't take anything for granted ever again. we get complacent as americans and we get in our comfort zone, but now you see that we can't be that way. this world is different. we need to change our ways. we need to change our laws. the jessica law now nc.org, we need to make this part of every state in the united states.
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i want you to know that i will not sleep until this person is found. i hope they get you and i hope they make you pay. >> one day after the community of orange park buried 7-year-old somer thompson, the sheriff leading the investigation into her murder warned the public the killer could be in their midst. >> police put the entire neighborhood on alert. they believe someone knows something but is not coming forward. >> investigators believe somer's
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killer is likely exhibiting changes in behavior or giving clues that the people around them might not recognize. >> unexplained injuries such as cuts, bruises, particularly on the head, arms and hands. >> while the sheriff didn't expound, that information suggests when somer's body was recovered from a georgia landfill, there may have been evidence she struggled with the killer. >> he is a sexual predator, psychopath, probably lies, probably very narcissistic and probably has no empathy. if you know a guy like that, regardless whether you know he has done anything shady in the days before or surrounding somer's abduction and murder, you should definitely report that to the police. >> we are taking your calls live. out to you, mike brooks, former fed with the fbi. cops are convinced that someone has the key to this mystery. who took somer?
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now, why are they saying that people have seen something and they don't realize what they've seen? >> because, nancy, if it's someone that you're close to, many, many times you don't realize the changes that you're actually seeing until someone says, hey, is this person your husband, your wife, your boyfriend, your girlfriend? are they acting differently? and you say to yourself, you know what, once they read that, they say, well, you know, he is acting a little bit different. you know, he did just shave off his mustache. you know what, his hair -- he hadn't gotten a haircut. it's interesting, nancy, because they say a suspect could have made one or more changes in his or her lifestyle. again, we can't rule out a woman in this case. >> let's unleash the lawyers. doug burns, former fed, now defense attorney out of new york. carmen st. george, defense attorney, also out of new york. first to you doug burns. cops are convinced there are
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individuals with information that have not come forward. weigh in. >> they're asking for people to say who didn't show up for work, who is acting differently. >> don't you remember this latest case of annie lay, the graduate student? her alleged killer was covered in scratches that day. >> no question about it. and the fact of the matter is it's a fine line between asking everybody to use their eyes and ears versus as you highlighted -- and i think you may be right -- that they think specifically somebody knows something. that's a tough distinction. >> also to you carmen st. george, you've seen plenty of cases like this. investigators say 90 sex offenders have been interviewed, but they didn't say any of them had been cleared. >> well of course, nancy. i think those are the main suspects because clearly she was abducted and killed. it had signs that somebody had been casing the area, saw an opportunity, took her. she was by the abandoned house.
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within a three-mile radius, at least 57 registered sex offenders reside. >> back to tiffany griffith, wokv, what can you tell us about that abandoned house? what evidence, if any, has it revealed? >> well, they're definitely still testing evidence that they pulled from the house. they have wrapped up with that house at this point, so all the fdle trucks have pulled away. right now they are scanning that evidence and will learn if there's any connection between somer's disappearance and what might have gone on there. >> i want to go to dr. michael bell. dr. bell, the palm beach county chief medical examiner. cops are still waiting on crime scene evidence to be returned from the lab from that home. what do you think? >> well, chances are they may have found some stains, looking for dna, that they want to compare to somer or any of the other evidence that they gathered from her body. >> well, this is what i don't get.
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i want to go back to you. pat brown, why are they so focused on that vacant building, that home? >> well, i think the main reason is she went missing right there. the home is available to go do something terrible inside of it and they have the creepy dude as a sex offender working on the house. lots of times we have handyman workers or construction types that show up -- >> what do you know about the worker? >> just what we heard before, he supposedly was a sex offender, but they haven't said any more about that. >> to samuel thompson joining us tonight. this is somer's father. what are police telling you about that vacant home? >> well, they're not telling me a lot. i was told that there was some soot found on her, on somer and -- >> soot? >> soot, you know, from -- it was a burned-out house. and i was told one time that they found some soot that possibly came from that house, that she may have been in there. but other than that, you know, the information that they're
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putting out over the air is the same information that they're giving me. if they had more information, they can't just put it out there. >> no, they can't. they can't. although, they are saying, dr. lillian glass, psychologist joining us out of l.a., they are saying that they are sure the killer is watching the coverage, our coverage right now. and it reminds me of the btk killer, bind torture kill, who had volumes of newspaper articles and actually communicated with the media about the case. >> exactly. and this is the whole thing. they could be extremely narcissistic, sociopathic. it's interesting because this is their only means of communication. they're getting a vicarious thrill out of this. >> freak, freak. out to the lines. monica, georgia, hi, monica. >> caller: hello, nancy. thank you for taking my call. >> thank you for calling in, dear. what's your question. >> caller: i have a question, if
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they've done a dna workup on somer of any evidence. i don't know if the thompsons are married, if possibly an ex-boyfriend or someone associated with the family. >> mr. thompson, with us is somer's father. that's where every investigation starts. they look at the parents, the father, the mother. then it goes out to the neighbors, the relatives. i'm assure that police are already investigated any -- especially, males, that are close to that family, whether it's a boyfriend, you, the dadding with or the milk man. every man that's connected to this family has likely been investigated by now. >> well, that's true. the first people who came to my house was the fbi. you know -- >> and you cooperated fully? >> oh, certainly. you know, when you are missing your daughter, anybody who would reach out to help you, that's who you want. you know, you cooperate and you
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i'm brooke anderson. next on "showbiz tonight," jon's girlfriend goes off on him. is jon gosselin an emotionally abusive boyfriend? a former writer for david lettermans all. was letterman playing favorites because of sex? plus, sarah palin's brand-new slam on levi johnston, next. out to the lines. sheeba, illinois. hi, sheeba? zpl >> caller: hi, sweetie. first of all, don't stop what you're doing. >> thank you. >> caller: you are a godsend to so many people. second of all, i need your prayers. my husband has lost his left leg
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due to gangrene. and secondly, please, tell me she had dna under her fingernails and she got him good. >> let's find out. to mr. thompson, have they recovered any forensic evidence from somer, mr. thompson? >> well, i was told that there was possibly skin under her fingernails and there was possibly defensive marks on her. i know my daughter and she's a fighter. and if she's got one ounce of my blood in her, she's not going to take this lying down. so this man probably does have scratches on him, bite marks. i know my daughter, and she wouldn't give up. >> you know, that is just, exactly, mr. thompson, what police are saying. that around the day, at the time she was taken, someone wasn't where they were supposed to be. and everyone, we are talking about somer renee thompson. she is, was 7 years old, a first
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grader. there is a $40,000 reward for information about her killer. 877-277-6911. please, take a look. we now believe that she did leave defensive -- attack wounds on her killer. everyone, let's stop and remember army sergeant brandon wallace, 27, st. louis, missouri, killed, iraq. awarded the bronze star, purple heart. also served chose vo. lost his life just hours before he was set to return home to get married. he never met a stranger, dreamed of being a police officer, loved cooking, photography, singing, playing gi star. since his death, his parents wrote a song, "no tears," in memory of their beloved song. leaves behind parents, siblings,
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and fiance, dawn, also in the army. thanks to our guests, but especially to you for being with us. i'll see you tomorrow night, 8:00 sharp eastern, and until then, good night, friend. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com hello. i'm brooke anderson and here's a "showbiz tonight" news break. here's what's coming up on "showbiz tonight" at the top of the hour. the brand-new startling allegations by jon gosselin's 22-year-old girlfriend. hailey glassman calling him abu abusive. and sarah palin's unbelievable new threats against
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