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what he told the court and why one charge is thrown out tonight. hello everyone i'm dick carter. >> i'm denise. >> the over the robo calls gets its high profile witness yet. he defends his campaign manager. he speaks to him just moments after he testifies. >> now the stand for a few minutes, but it was long enough to tell the jury the high

opinion he has for his former campaign manager and good friend. >> i'm not pleased to be here but it's the right thing to be here. >> former governor in a parade of character witnesses called to testify on behalf of his campaign manager, someone he trusted. he's facing charges that he and campaign consultant intended to suppress voter turn out with the 2010 election night are bo call that suggested there was no need to go vote because democrats had already been victorious before the polls even closed. >> i hired paul. i represented majority democratic district. i had a staffer relieved at the time. and we formed an employee/employer relationship at the time and that evolved into a very close relationship as well. >> first character witness called by the defense lieutenant governor michael

field who called him an honest man of high integrity a straight shooter. the jury heard from 91-year-old former governor marvin mandell. >> straightforward, honest, i never had a problem under any circumstance. >> also this morning a minor victory for the defendant paul -- decide today throw out one of the charges against him, the judge decided there was not enough evidence presented by the prosecution for them to move forward with an obstruction of justice charge. wjz eyewitness news. cafe consultant jewel you goes on trial for similar charges in february. kidnapped overseas, al queda says it's holding a maryland man hostage in pakistan. it kidnapped him in august. al queda's leader posted a video today saying he would be released only if the united states stopped all air strikes and releases all al queda and taliban suspects around the world. breaking silence, prime

suspect in the disappearance of maryland woman in aruba explained his bizarre behavior after she vanished. it raises new questions about what really happened. >> reporter: in his first interview after being released, gary refused to answer questions about how robyn gardner disappeared. the two from maryland were on vacation when she vanished. >> i'm not going to sit here and answer something i've answered repeatedly. >> what do they think happened to robin. he told gma he was likely a victim of human trafficking. >> where we were it was half hour to drive a boat. >> they want to know -- >> absolutely know. >> reporter: why did he buy travel insurance more than a million dollars worth on both of them. >> in short for his kids. >> i want them to be covered. i can't unselect robin. >> reporter: he claims his lawyer at the time made him call the insurer about the collecting it and wanted a third of the money.

he spoke about his suspicious behavior after robin vanished including whether before his arrest he tried to flee the airport. he said robin's mom told him it was okay to go home but he didn't get far. >> the head of the detective said we're arresting you for the murder. >> reporter: robin's family is devastated. her brother wrote this message to robin, i feeled helpless, depressed and angry. the nightmare is waking up and facing another day of reality, i miss you, i love you. i need you. do. >> the two were not drunk when she disappeared and he said if he had to do it all over again he would have never gone to aruba in the first place. mike, wjz eyewitness news. aruba's top prosecutor called him a liar but says he just doesn't have enough evidence to charge him. a bad accident sends a motorcycle driver to the hospital. it happened at camp immediate dan hand over road. you can see the impact

shattered the car's windshield. the motorcycle driver had life threatening injuries. more trouble for a world reknown cardiologist nearly two dozen additional lawsuits for allegedly planting stints into patients who didn't need them. angie explains the legal battle is far from over, andrea. >> reporter: i think he's now facing 175 civil lawsuits and a pay -- there are many more potential victims out there. >> the list is growing. patients who claim dr. mark gave them unnecessary stints tiny devices to open blocked arteries arteries. >> you need a -- >> dr. mcday said it was 90%. after they reviewed everything it was 10%.

she's one of the original 150 patients suing. where the surgeries were done. saint josephs. may have unnecessary stints but now 23 more patients come forward. never notified them. >> i think it's further evidence that this conspiracy runs much deeper. >> de-- de-- >> from anybody in my family, my mother, my father, they were treated appropriately and with the highest regard. >> patient's -- some patients hoped for more. >> i'd like to see him do some jail time. >> reporter: now the patient's attorney plans to file another

45 more lawsuits next month. the trial is expected to begin in 2013. andrea -- saint joseph did not want to comment ton the new suits. and he did not return our phone call. >> dangerous and severe wind. take a look at this frightening scene. hurricane forced screens incentive grill flying through a porch. the violent -- and in southern california destructive winds snapped trees and powerlines, this gas station badly damaged when a tree fell on it. some gusts approached 100 miles an hour, hundreds of thousands of people don't have power. they're expected to last through tomorrow and there are real fears they could ignite wild fires. >> will he quit. that's what many are wondering as controversy over alleged affair continues to grow. he admits he gave money to her to help pay her bills and

expenses. she claims she had a 13 year affair. he did not know about her relate until the accusations came out this week. >> it may appear now that why didn't i tell her about this when it was going on, you're absolutely right in retrospect. it doesn't necessarily change what we're dealing with now. >> cane says he's given money to other friends in addition to wright. he'll meet with his family and decide if he'll stay. >> getting the zero, that's the theme. at cop pin state the in number was 4,000 they needed that many people to join their living aids ribbon to break the record. they were a little short but that didn't matter. their real goal is to raise americans. baltimore and maryland have the worst new hiv infection rates

in the nation. >> holiday spirits lights up the sky. it's much anticipated lighting of washington monument. wjz is live there. >> reporter: organizers say this year's show was bigger and better. >> the washington monument lights up mount vernon and fireworks light up the night sky in baltimore. what do fireworks look like? >> the annual washington monument lighting brings out a huge crowd and on special day. it's first day of december. 40th anniversary of special celebration that started out quite humbly as a gathering. >> people want to come here to be together outside and have a nice time to bring in the holidays. >> so the consensus, the fireworks show this year was great and the weather wasn't

bad either. >> last year was really cold and i eve been to a couple where it was like below zero. this year it's nice. it was warm during the day. so it was great. >> morgan state university choir and city college choir sang holiday favorites, back to you. >> you look very festive there. >> there he goes. coming up coca-cola's latest change falls flat. the soda makers simple switch that outraged so many customers. >> i don't understand why someone would do this, you know, it just blows my mind. a scare for shoppers, the horrifying hidden danger uncovered in a wal-mart store. >> i can't be without him any longer. >> the family of a maryland man held in a cuban prison makes an emotional plea. the full story just ahead. sunny dry end of the week -- ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

it is 34 degrees and clear in central maryland right now. two workers were killed when this 80-foot crane toppled over on to concrete parkway. we're working on the exterior.

it got stuck in mud. when the crews tried to free them it fell over. georgia wal-mart customer found sirings hidden inside clothing. they say the needles are the ones commonly used by diabetics they say they will pay the medical expenses for those sirings. the school was not specific about the role the students play in the death of robert champion he was found unresponsive on the bus after football game last month. this is a portion of the 911 call made that night. >> i don't know if he's breathing now. >> we were sitting there and talking next thing you know, he was -- he was shaking and not doing anything. >> the former band director tells cbs news he recommended

not performing at that football game as punishment for other hazing incidents. renewed pleas for the release of allen gross from the cuban prison. the man has been held for 2 years. gross' family says the on and talks have failed. as they report they're now appealing. saturday marks the second anniversary of the arrest and imprisonment of allen gross in a cuban prison as the anniversary approaches his family is increasing the pressure on the castro family to reunit them. >> and i know allen must be suffering more than i am. >> allen gross' 89-year-old mother makes an emotional appeal directly to cuban president. evelyn has terminal lung cancer and afraid she'll die before he's released. >> i get up in the morning first thing on my mind is allen. >> when i got to bed, it's allen. i can't live without him any longer. it's not fair for him or his

family or me. >> reporter: gross is serving a 15 year sentence in prison accused of smuggling communication equipment into the country. this week cuba allowed the general secretary of national council of churches of christ to meet with gross. he says his health is worsening. he's lost more than 100 pounds his photo shows his changed appearance. >> we have concerns for his health but he's in good spirits and we had a good conversation. >> members of maryland's congressional delegation are urging lawmakers to do more to free gross. they're meeting with members to see what else the u.s. government can do. marry's -- marry, wjz eyewitness news. >> in a statement the senator says if cuba wants to improve their relations with the united states they need to release allen gross now. >> public outcry takes it out of coke's new campaign, consumers complained about if

new white can saying they've got it confused. they're scrapping the campaign months earlier. he can support white endangered polar bears. they go back as soon as the white ones sell out. >> a member of the blue angels makes a special stop in baltimore county. the elite fighter jet was on a promotional mission. the blue angel spectacular show will be part of maryland's by centennial commemoration. it is set for the week of june 13 it will coincide with an air show at martin state airport. he may find himself at new airport. he is at popular choice. postal service asks customers -- rip kin along with oprah winfrey and -- anybody else. meanwhile in the high-tech world of twitter and facebook lady gaga is the early friday.

cal rip kin, oprah, lady gaga. >> the other was jerry lewis. >> what a come bo. >> lady gaga with that make up that would make quite a hit. >> this. let's take a look at the traditions. it's chilly. tomorrow 34 now. no wind at all, humidity up to 78%. the dew point 78 and that's probably -- 30s, the barometer way back up as higher pressure moves in. 40 in washington. 32 ocean city. once again we're at 34. but some areas north of the city are already down to the freezing mark and probably quickly getting in the upper 20s by tomorrow morning with light winds and clear skies. it's going to really drop by the water a lot warmer. annapolis 53. the current temperature is the

low for today, 50. 32 normal. and the record back in 2006, 75. in 1967 12 degrees above zero. right now the only -- cumberland and oakland very light wind. they'll stay over night tonight. tomorrow looks like a light shift in the wind. there will be a weak tunnel passage you won't see it accept wind shift. tomorrow actually a little warmer than today because ahead of that week front winds of southwest for a while. it will be to the north and northeast. sun up to the north, hudson clouds but we don't expect to see much out of that by the time it reaches our region. it will cool down a little bit on saturday. as soon as that high pressure is over the region will move off the east coast, some mild air comes right back, so a pleasant end of the weekend. now if you're heading out to cleveland, there is a risk of some rain activity for the football game on sunday in

cleveland. temperatures in the mid to upper 40s expected there. northwest winds at 5 to 10 knots, day temp around 50. tonight clear and pretty darn chilly. 28 with light wind. tomorrow lot you was of sunshine all day long and milder than today up to 54 only by one degree by the way. again it gets a little cooler saturday. sunshine up to 56 on sunday. 60 on monday, yes, get back to 60. 44. the clouds come in on tuesday. maybe some rain, 56 then it's doing to start turning cooler again by the middle and end of next week. coming up joe flacco and the ravens, get ready for the eye. >> more from the quarterback next in sports. ,,,,,,

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and partnering with a local hospital to help expand patient care. because the more we do in baltimore,

you mentioned get the playoffs. >> getting. >> well the reigns have won two in a row without their veteran leader ray lewis. it seems likely they're going to have to play without him in cleveland on sunday. lewis missed another practice today because of that lingering toe injury. the ravens have several veterans to help fill the leadership void. joe flacco is no rookie. the same goes for running back ray rice has become more out spoken this year. and there are many veterans ton offensive line. he looks at some of his receivers as he assesses the team and sees their growing experience as a major asset. >> the thing for us, i think that we're a young football team and, you know, we are counting get better each week, you know, the team that you saw last week didn't -- isn't the same team you going to see this week and next week because guys

do have so much room to grow. >> and they looked to grow their wind total to 9. no wind has more teams in the conference. see you right here on wjz coverage comes your way at 4:00. in baseball orioles announce winter fan fest. it's going to be held -- the team also made a trade in texas back up catcher taylor tee comes for minor league pitcher. bobby valentine officially introduced red sox new manager completing the leadership make over that saw the departure of epstein and manager. new gm ben brings in valentine who last managed in the major leagues 9 years ago. con campus college basketball, taking unmarries in a conference -- unmarries in a -- on marist in conference class. they were tied at second half.

they open it up. from cardinal gibbons inside for two of his -- watch him as he goes over the bench. how about a pat for his coach. i got you covered, coach. 76-63. they've won five in a row. the news is not so good for unbc coach randy monroe and his retrievers down the road to d.c. to take on american u. ryan cook will hit a 3. unbc had 5 point lead in the first half but that lead was gone by the half time buzzer. unbc trailed the rest of the way. ends up 58-59 final. unbc is 0-7 on the season. they've lost 13 straight going back to last year. >> much more on the ravens coming up tomorrow, big game in cleveland coming up. >> thank you, mark, ,,,,,,,,,,,,

no snow, no problem, extreme fears are hitting the coast accept they are rumbling over stones. seasonably warm weather has made it impossible to make artificial snow. as they wait for mother nature to provide smoother ride. >> yeah. oh, the things you can do with cardboard one says he can furnish your house with it. zach owns chair agamy in connecticut his magical cardboard can be converted into tables, chairs and bookcases. he says the furniture is perfect for people on the move and for outdoor events unless it's raining. it lasted about a year and a half and then you can recycle it. >> that was a great idea. >> it is. >> we'll be right back. ,,,,,,,,