ms. williams had changed completely. during the intervening time, there were numerous communications between the sheriff and ms. lopez. mr. merton testified to getting a message from buzz lopez to dissuade him -- ms. lopez to dissuade him from testifying and he heard sheriff mirkarimi in the background. that the sheriff was aware of these dissuasion efforts and participated in them. chairperson hur: in -- is there any more in respect to ms. williams' testimony? thank you. we will invite mr. wagner or mr. kopp to address this issue and deal with a declaration issued. >> we would concur with what chairperson hur state. th- -- stated. that -- i don't thnk that -- think that live testimony would serve any other purpose. i want to respond to something that mr. keith just said. this red herring of witness dissuasion has consumed an incredible amount of time and effort and energy and it does not -- should have no place here. what mr. keith just told you is not true. mr. mertons was interviewed by the police and was asked, did it

ms. williams. if miss lopez does appear and tries to testify contrary to this, these will be admissible to prior inconsistent statements. chairperson hur: other views from the commissioners? >> i think it would be fine to take a look at the transcript and give it what weight we think. beyond that, we would have to take a look to see if there is any probative value, at any value as a rebuttal witness for any reason. right now, i cannot see a reason how it ties cin. >> i am concerned that if we allow the transcripts, and consider it as evidence, it seems difficult for me to figure out how he would not have a right to cross-examine that witness. and so, i think if we consider it at all, we need to have some basis for why we think it is relevant. i am not sure we would able to base a decision just on the transcripts. >> one of the other witnesses we have is a recognized expert in domestic violence. her testimony would be that it is relevant whether there have been past instances of domestic abuse becau

williams uses it to relieve symptoms of ms. >> i have been living with neuropathic pain in my lower extremitiesd sides for 10 years. 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, period. doesn't go away. >> reporter: williams says the national institute on drug abuse, the mayo clinic and others know it works. but opponents worry that legalizing marijuana sends the wrong message. >> i don't care if it's for medical use or personal use, when you smoke pot you get high. and when you get high you are impaired. >> reporter: people who are suffering ask others to understand it helps them eat and sleep and survive. >> so the use of marijuana is keeping you alive? >> yes, that in combination with other medications, that's what's keeping me alive. >> it is important to note that montel williams is part of a dispensary in sacramento and his name is on a licensed application a dispensary in washington, d.c. the use of a drug is legal to varying degrees in 16 states and in washington, d.c. >>> a terrifying accident in western pennsylvania, two sunbathers are run over by a car with their cousin behind the wheel. police

williams uses it to relieve symptoms of ms. >> i have been living with neuropat thick pain in my lower extreme might advertise, my face and side for 10 years. 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, period. it doesn't go away. >> reporter: williams says the mayo clinic and others know it works but opponents worry that it sends the wrong message. >> i don't care if it's for medical use or personal use, when you smoke pot you get high and when you get high you are impaired. >> reporter: people who are suffering ask others to understand it helps them eat and sleep and survive. >> the use of marijuana is keeping you alive. >> yes. that in combination with other medications, that is keeping me alive. >> reporter: vic carter, wjz eyewitness news. >> montel williams is part owner of several medical marijuana dispensaries. >>> next up this morning on wjz. >> good morning, i'm alex demetrick. politics mixes with first amendment rights. that story as eyewitness news continues. >> good morning, i'm meghan mccorkell. could you tell on tape. a protestor arrested by baltimore city police. ,,,,,,,,, ♪ strea

ms. -- get it right? seconduld have put him and catherine first. shocked they put william third. i thought he would be up there. i thought the top two were mixed. >> you were happy with what happened. was my pick. >> it has been a season that has kept people glued to their tv. they have watched every twist and turn. taking in the fancy footwork in the flashy fashion, fans of stars" glued the tonight.reen >> i love dancing. i love the show. it is wonderful. >> the people, they are pretty tough. >> why do they watch? a longtime dancer says the show motivation to keep her dancing shoes. >> sometimes, i want to quit. see that. i say, i cannot quit. >> every day people a transformed into sensations. it is a regular person. could be me. is that keeps is boostingback, it business. people call and ask, could be teach me? -- you teach me? >> fans had a hard time finding one favorite. i am looking at the customs. >> people week after week. i want to ask a couple of the keeps youis that coming back. great that the hard pays off. they do these great performances. is what i keep going back. >

. >> reporter: year after year, baltimore native, montel williams, lobbies to legalize marijuana. he uses it for ms -- living with neuropathic pain in my lower extremities and my face and my side 10 years. 24-hours a day. 365 days a year. >> reporter: williams is saying that the national insist today on drug abuse and others know it works. but opponents are worrying that it sends the wrong message. >> i don't care if it is for medical use or personal use. when you smoke pot, you get high. when you get high, you are impaired. >> reporter: people who are suffering and others the helps them eat and sleep and survive. >> the use of marijuana is keeping you alive. >> yes. that in combination with other medications. >> reporter: vic carter, eyewitness news. >> montell williams is part owner of several dispensarys. >>> earlier this morning, connecticut started the 17th state, became the 17th state to legalize it to some degree. >>> coming up on eyewitness news saturday morning -- ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, >>> welcome back to eyewitness news saturday morning -- it is 7:32. i'm gigi barnett. >> i'm tim williams.

williams gets at the white house. it is such fawning coverage that nbc and ms-nbc are giving that barack obama gave him access to the warm with camera, which by the way -- wolf blitzer asked for in august and barack obama told h, you can come, but you can't bring cameras. because he's not brian williams and it's not nbc. >> sean: republicans saying -- oh, i mean the white house... watch this. >> what do you think of the republican criticism that we are politicizing the white house, i should say, is politicizing it with the obama ad, which focuses on this, in part? and all of the events around today? >> sean: we are politicizing -- i mean white house, not me. i meant the white house. >> you know, ms-nbc is a mess in so many ways. this week, we get the memos from al qaeda and it turns out that an al qaeda spokesman called ms-nbc, a good and neutral network. >> sean: bin laden apparently missioned keith oberman and thought that was a great loss to the network. >> i love it when he's analyzing fox news. >> sean: yeah. no, no, no -- we are the most hated network. i think it's a badge of honor. >> you know, how is it that and

ms. hunter will testify. >>> other big trial news. closing arguments are set to begin later this morning in the murder case against jennifer hudson's former brother-in-law. attorneys for williamwo police detectives as witnesses. balfour is charged with killing hudson's mother, brother and her 7-year-old nephew. we were talking about this before we went on the air. the defense, their case lasted 30 minutes. prosecutors spent two weeks putting their side of the case. so that's not a white flag, what is? >> i didn't understand that. typically when you have someone on trial, really for their life and for their liberty -- >> triple murder. >> a triple murder. you want to see some sort of aggressive defense mounted. i thought going into the trial the prosecution didn't have a slam dunk case. very little forensic evidence. jurors like that csi effect. missing fingerprints and blood evidence. but 30-minute defense, i say -- >> two weeks versus 30 minutes. i don't know -- i'm going to go out on a limb and say i think the jury may convict in this case based upon a weak defense. >> a very weak defense. >> but justice for the family perhaps. that's the good part. >>> a warning about grap

ms. hunter will testify. >>> other big trial news. closing arguments are set to begin later this morning in the murder case against jennifer hudson's former brother-in-law. attorneys for williamested their case yesterday after calling two police detectives as witnesses. balfour is charged with killing hudson's mother, brother and her 7-year-old nephew. we were talking about this before we went on the air. the defense, their case lasted 30 minutes. prosecutors spent two weeks putting their side of the case. so that's not a white flag, what is? >> i didn't understand that. typically when you have someone on trial, really for their life and for their liberty -- >> triple murder. >> a triple murder. you want to see some sort of aggressive defense mounted. i thought going into the trial the prosecution didn't have a slam dunk case. very little forensic evidence. jurors like that csi effect. missing fingerprints and blood evidence. but 30-minute defense, i say -- >> two weeks versus 30 minutes. i don't know -- i'm going to go out on a limb and say i think the jury may convict in this case based upon a weak defense. >> a very weak defense. >> but justice for the family perhaps. that