i want to bring in senior legal analyst jeff toobin. jeff, from what i understand, we know that this jury and these judges are not split. that is why we know they're coming out to read this decision. but this thing could go one of multiple ways, right? this isn't just a matter of she walks free or she's in prison for life. >> no. i mean, this just underlines that we are dealing with a completely different legal system than the one many of us are familiar with. first of all, there's a jury. there are no juries in american appeals. appeals in the united states are done entirely to judges. also, the options as you point out are very different. the sentence of 25 years could be affirmed. it could be increased. it could be reduced. or it could be eliminated altogether and amanda knox could go free. those kind of variations, again, are not at the discretion of the jury, are not usually part of an appeal in an american courtroom. but italy has its own rules. >> jeff toobin, stick around. we have just learned that that decision will be read in 2

i have our senior analyst jeff toobin standing about. we have the bill sponsor, representative from pennsylvania. pennsylvania pi pennsylvania congressman pitts, how does it relate to hospitals? >> it would not fakt the way that hospitals or doctors treat patients. the same conscious protection that has been the law that they operate under and the law called impala would still be the same. all we do is provide the conscious protection for a health care worker, that they can't be compelled to perform an abortion. the conscience law has not resulted in any of the outrageous scenarios that were quoted on the floor. i had several doctors who have practiced as ob/gyns who said that that was an outrageous interpretation. they've never experienced that the law requires a doctor must treat a woman, a pregnant woman and her unborn child if they -- if they come into an emergency situation. >> well, let me bring one other voice into this. we heard this during yesterday's debate. i want to play spome sound. jackie she herself went back a problem in

. >> stephen: jeff erie toobin, thank you sop much. cnn senior legal analyst jeffery toobin. we'll be right back. thank you so much. (cheers and applause) >> stephen: welcome back, everybody. nation, thank you so much. folks, there is danger around every corner but don't forget the corner itself. they can be surprisingly sharp. this is the threatdown. (cheers and applause) first up, folks, horrifying news out of the ukraine. for more we go to ct i want to say 5 with a line down the back. ukraine's news leader. i know what you're thinking. (laughter) >> stephen: bear in a cage and a large bald man, clearly ukrainian love story. but no, the ukraines environmental minister and white ving rhames mykola zlochevsky have vowed to put an end to the ukrainian practice of forcing bears to drink vodka for human entertainment. and that brings us to threat number three. bears in rehab. (laughter) folks, we cannot have bears-- we can't have bears go through the 12 step program. first off, they'll eat their sponsors. how can they accept a higher power when their godless killing machines. th

. >> stephen: jeff erie toobin, thank you sop much. cnn senior legal analyst jeffery toobin. we'll be right back. thank you so much. (cheers and applause) come on in. (camera flashes) leanne...leanne! how do you feel about your new focus? oh my god, i love it. (laughs) what would you say to a friend who might be skeptical about ford? just that they make a quality vehicle. does the sound system stand out for you? yes. and when do you use it? um, i use it all the time. i love listening to jazz in the car. you know the only thing that stinks is you can't have a martini. (laughs) >> stephen: welcome back, everybody. nation, thank you so much. folks, there is danger around every corner but don't forget the corner itself. they can be surprisingly sharp. this is the threatdown. (cheers and applause) first up, folks, horrifying news out of the ukraine. for more we go to ct i want to say 5 with a line down the back. ukraine's news leader. i know what you're thinking. (laughter) >> stephen: bear in a cage and a large bald man, clearly ukrainian love story. but no, the ukraines environm

jeff toobin is cnn legal analyst -- >> and i'm just sitting here.ve when cheap trick sang "i want you to want me." that is an old reference. i don't think you were. >> i don't know the exact year, but i may not have been. >> not "blazing saddles" either. >> although i have been told i must watch it this weekend. so this john edwards, he admits spending money to hide the affair. so is this a slam dunk case? >> it's just a very weird criminal case, because the facts are largely not in dispute. john edwards was near the end of miss presidential campaign. the disclosures started to come out that he had this child with rielle hunter. two of his big supporters, fred barron and bunny mellen put up nearly $1 million that goes through intermediaries and goes to rielle hunter, basically to cover her living expenses and keep her quiet. so the question is -- and everybody agrees that happened. the question is, is that an illegal campaign contribution, as the government says, or is it simply friends helping out a friend in trouble? >> okay. so, now, he's pretty

jeff toobin is cnn legal analyst -- >> and i'm just sitting here.e you even alive when cheap trick sang "i want you to want me." that is an old reference. i don't think you were. >> i don't know the exact year, but i may not have been. >> not "blazing saddles" either. >> although i have been told i must watch it this weekend. so this john edwards, he admits spending money to hide the affair. so is this a slam dunk case? >> it's just a very weird criminal case, because the facts are largely not in dispute. john edwards was near the end of his presidential campaign. the disclosures started to come out that he had this child with rielle hunter. two of his big supporters, fred barron and bunny mellen put up nearly $1 million that goes through intermediaries and goes to rielle hunter, basically to cover her living expenses and keep her quiet. so the question is -- and everybody agrees that happened. the question is, is that an illegal campaign contribution, as the government says, or is it simply friends helping out a friend in trouble? >> okay. so, now,

. >> i'm no jeff toobin, but i think that's true.ial, even if the trial consists of people evaluating your lindy hop. do they do that? when courtroom drama meets ballroom dancing there will be confrontations. it's a pressure cooker. people will say things in the heat of the moment that they will regret. let's hear what maks had to say on "good morning, america." >> any second thoughts about what you had to say? >> not really. >> you want the truth, robin roberts? you can't handle the truth. >> everyone is waiting for me to bow my head, take a knee and say i'm sorry and plea for forgiveness. i have nothing to apologize for. >> he took a stand and is sticking by it.

jeff toobin who has worked with us on other things on our award, cnn senior analyst and contributor to "the new yorker" magazine, just a few days ago we learned that linda fairstein couldn't be with us. she's also a pass on crime novelist and former prosecutor, so let's recognize the selection committee. [applause] >> in a few minutes david baldacci will lead a panel discussion of the book that we are honored today, the confession. so want to take a few minutes telling you about the author of the confession, mr. john grisham but i which which is part of the repeating facts off you know more famous person, john grisham was originally from arkansas. graduate from university of mississippi law school in 1981 and practiced law for nearly a decade, specializing in criminal defense and personal injury. he also served in the mississippi house of representatives from 1983-1990. as difficult as all of us lawyers know it is to practice law, he somehow wrote every morning before the crack of dawn and published a time to kill in 1980. his next book the firm spent 47 weeks on "the new york times" b

jeff toobin has worked with us on other things, but just as the word, cnn, and "the new yorker" magazine just a few days ago learned that linda fairstein couldn't be with us. she is also the best-selling crime novelist and former prosecutor. let's recognize the selection committee. [applause] >> in a few minutes, david baldacci will lead a discussion about the compassion. or take a few minutes telling you about the author, mr. john grisham. although i'm just repeating facts all of you know that the market as a person, the shorter the introduction. someone who is originally from arkansas graduated from the university of mississippi law school in 1981 to practice law for nearly a decade, specializing in criminal defense in personal injury litigation. he also served in the mississippi house of representatives from 1883 until 1990. as difficult as all of us lawyers go is to practice law, he somehow wrote every morning before the crack of don and published a time to kill in 1880. his next book, the firm, spent 47 weeks on "the new york times" bestsellers list it was a best-selling novel of 19

. >> scott beason, appreciate your insight and also our legal analyst jeff toobin.'ll get the title right. i promise you. >> that's all right. >> up next, putting the truth test to something said on the campaign trail. is the claim by anita perry fact or fiction? a guy named his own price, wants a room tonight for 65 dollars. we don't go lower than 130. big deal, persuade him. is it wise to allow a perishable item to spoil? he asked, why leave a room empty? the additional revenue easily covers operating costs. 65 dollars is better than no dollars. okay. $65 for tonight. you can't argue with a big deal. so if i didn't know better i'd say you're having some sort of big tire sale. yes we are. yeah. how many tires does ford buy every year? over 3 million. you say you can beat any advertised price on tires? correct. anywhere? yes. like this price? yes. riously? yes what about this one? i'll beat it. this one? s we will. right, i only have one more question for you...this one? (laughing) yeah. get $100 rebate when you buy four tires. 100 bucks! only at your ford dealer. 3

. >> i'm no jeff toobin but i think that's true.e evaluating your linda hop. do they do that? when courtroom drama meets ballroom dancing there will be confrontations. it's a pressure cooker. people will say things in the heat of the moment that they will regret. let's hear what max had to say on "good morning america." >> any second thoughts about what you had to say? >>

. >>> now i want to bring in jeff toobin, kevin madden, the campaign spokesperson for mitt romney in 2008. and john avlon. we've got a lot to talk about. i want to talk about what governor barbour just said about the election. but i want to start with herman cain. jeff, it's interesting. first he denied, then he remembered more. as the day goes on, he remembers even more. how much more is there to this herman cain sexual harassment situation? >> well, he better hope there is something more to it, because it's currently a disaster. what we are two facts. one, that there was an accusation of sexual harassment by two women. we know, fact two, that money was paid to these two women. now he denies it. you know what, that's not good enough. this is a guy running for president of the united states. this is a very serious accusation. he has got to get in front of the story somehow and explain why it's not a real story, because it will pursue him. it will destroy his candidacy if he doesn't -- >> if he doesn't come out. >> and notice what governor barbour said. he was very careful to say ther

. >> jeff toobin, for an american who might follow court cases in this country and not just spend a lotf time on this one, let's go through a couple of issues. in an appeal in the italian system you can bring new evidence into lay. you can't do that in a traditional american appeal, can you? >> no. you have what's called the record. which is the evidence that was brought to the trial. and except in extremely unusual circumstances, that's it. that's what you're arguing about in appeal. there's no new fact finding, no new jury. you just have to deal with the hand that you dealt and you were dealt in the trial court. >> and also judges. jeff, let me stay with you for a minute. the judges are involved. in an american system the judge presides over the trial. the jury goes off. that's all lay people. in the apeoples system, again, an appeals system here, judges make the decisions period. how unusual, how different does it make it that you have six citizens plus two judges diseasidisease i deciding the case? >> this is the heart of the difference. in italy, spain, france, you have the judge a

i'm joined via skype by jeffrey toobin. jeff, this is quite a story.tart with the 13th amendment. let me read it it to you. quote, neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall exist within the united states. now, it doesn't specify people, does it, jeffrey? >> it doesn't specify people, but if there is one court or one judge in the united states who thinks it applies to anything other than people, i would be very surprised. i mean, it is implicit that it only applies to people. >> i want to bring in fad lassnick, you're a former head trainer at seaworld. you work with marine parks around the world. what do you think about this? are seaworld's killer whales enslaved? >> well, i have spent my life doing what i do and taking care of animals, and i can tell you firsthand that seaworld does a terrific job with everything they do with the animals at seaworld. i just think this thing is crazy. it really does beg the question of why does peta does do something like this? and it shows how ridiculous they are. i mean, what's next? are we going to say that ani

toobin and former l.a. deputy district attorney marcia clark author of the book "guilt by association." jeffin your opinion, was this the correct verdict? >> absolutely. i mean, this was really a terrible case. there were two pieces of evidence against her. there was this confession that was clearly discombobulated and false and a piece of dna that was completely discredited, plus the real killer is in prison. rudy guede has all his dna, his blood at the scene and the prosecution of amanda knox and her boyfriend seemed inexplicable to me. >> a lot has hinged on dna evidence that was later reversed or later ruled basically useless. >> yeah, exactly. anderson, it's one of these things that you look at. wow, why did nobody look at this at the time of trial? why did it get this far if it was this badly handled? we found it was. they have a different system there. at trial, unlike here, where we weed it out before we get to court. there it seemed as though they go to trial, then weed it out on appeal. here appeal is a very limited thing. they have a different balance. the bad news about that syst

toobin joins us from new york. i don't know if you agree or not, jeff, enthralling perhaps the cases here? what jumps out at you? >> well, health care reform really could be the biggest case that has been before the court since bush v. gore. but here you have president obama's major achievement as president of the united states and the supreme court very likely will issue a thumbs up or thumbs down in the next -- you know, before the -- july of next year. it is a huge, huge case. >> jeff, what about the make-up of the court? it's changed. has it at all changed its rulings or its character now that you have three female justices on the court? >> well, i think more important than three female justices is you have four democratic justices. i mean the political polarization that we see in congress we see in the supreme court now. there are five republicans on that court, there are four democrats on that court and that really tells you pretty much all you need to know about how they resolve most cases. >> do we expect to see the same kind of 5-4 split that we've become accustomed to over hot-button issues? >> we sure