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NANCY GRACE

Casino Video Shows Van Der Sloot and Flores Before the Murder

Aired June 10, 2010 - 20:00:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


NANCY GRACE, HOST: Breaking news tonight in the disappearance of Alabama beauty Natalee Holloway, missing off her high school senior trip, Aruba. Aruban police refuse to make a case against judge`s son Joran Van Der Sloot even after high-tech surveillance catches him describing Natalee`s death repeatedly, even admitting he hid Natalee`s body so it would never be found.

Tonight, live, Peru. Van Der Sloot kills again. Another young girl, just 21, meets Van Der Sloot at a resort casino and is found dead just hours later, brutally beaten, bloody, her neck cracked, broken, partially clothed on the floor of Van Der Sloot`s own hotel room. Van Der Sloot on the run, crossing the border to Chile, altering his appearance to hide out.

After a massive manhunt, Van Der Sloot captured, so reviled he`s got to be strapped in a bulletproof vest to protect him. As we obtain spine-chilling surveillance of Van Der Sloot with 21-year-old Stephany Tatiana just before she`s found dead, we also obtain video of police searching his body for cuts and bruises sustained during the murder. Bloody clothes from the murder found with Van Der Sloot on the run.

U.S. feds busting Van Der Sloot on a quarter-million-dollar scam trying to sell the location of Natalee`s body. Killing machine Van Der Sloot confesses to the murder of Stephany and divulges motive that she discovered he killed Natalee!

Bombshell tonight. Just released, we obtain casino video of Van Der Sloot and Stephany Tatiana meeting, talking, playing cards, leaving together. And we learn -- listen to this -- after beating Stephany to a pulp and breaking her neck, Van Der Sloot sits back, sips coffee and eats Danish just feet from Stephany dead on the floor.

We learn he schemes to hide her body in a suitcase and throw her into the water. And we hear for the first time his wild story he concocted to police, blaming armed men for the murder, his new defense lawyer trying to get that confession thrown out as Van Der Sloot`s mommy claims it was coerced.

And tonight, another bombshell. Is Van Der Sloot connected to two more missing girls, Bogota, Colombia?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The prosecution for the first time today got the case against Joran Van Der Sloot.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Right now, it`s such a circumstantial case that it`s open and shut.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The police chief in Peru says investigators have practically closed the case...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They already have enough evidence.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: ... and are preparing to file murder charges.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think he`s a psycho...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He`s the only suspect.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: ... murderer...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... caught on tape...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... new surveillance video...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have just received this video showing Joran Van Der Sloot at a casino with 21-year-old Stephany Flores Ramirez just hours before she was killed.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Step by step, they believed it was time to turn it over to prosecutors.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There are no slam dunks, but this is as close as they come.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Van Der Sloot`s been moved out of a police compound. A crush of media captured video of the transfer.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He was transported this morning from the national Peruvian police location...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Van Der Sloot`s attorney said he`s going to fight the confession.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: ... that it was not voluntary.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He`s already given a damning confession.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: ... there was a defense attorney next to him that did not truly represent his rights.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The cat`s out of the bag.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRACE: Good evening. I`m Nancy Grace. I want to thank you for being with us. Bombshell tonight. Just released, we obtain casino video of Van Der Sloot and Stephany Tatiana meeting, talking, playing cards and leaving together. And we learn, after beating her to a pulp and breaking her neck, Van Der Sloot kicks back and sips a little coffee and eats Danish just feet away from Stephany dead on the floor.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The police chief in Peru says investigators have practically closed the case.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) substantial, and they`re going to move forward on the case.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... a confessed killer...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... a very dramatic confession here in Lima, Peru...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They`re preparing to file murder charges against Joran Van Der Sloot.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... broke down in tears when he made the dramatic confession to Peruvian authorities...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He has lawyered up.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Van Der Sloot`s attorney said he`s going to fight to have that confession thrown out.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... a murder confession...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: His words were, I did not want to do it. The girl intruded into my private life.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: ... lies, lies, lies...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He`s a stone cold psychopath.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They`ve got a confession...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Authorities insist his confession was not coerced and Van Der Sloot was intelligent and described the brutal killing in detail.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s a little late for his lawyer to tell him not to cooperate.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He believes the crime scene investigation was tainted...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They`ve got his DNA...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: ... that this public defender was a buddy of police in this community.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: God knows what else they have.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Van Der Sloot`s been moved out of a police compound...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The private attorney representing Joran says that this case is going to go to trial.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRACE: Straight out to legal correspondent, "In Session," Jean Casarez. She`s joining us live from Lima, Peru. She is at Lima Justice Palace. What is that? It sounds like a castle, the Justice Palace.

JEAN CASAREZ, "IN SESSION": It looks very Spanish, doesn`t it. That`s where all the judges are and that`s where it was believed earlier today that Joran Van Der Sloot would go before a judge, for a judge to say what prison he will go to as he awaits what now will be a trial.

You know, Nancy, this started out as a very normal day. A press conference was supposed to be had at the national police headquarters. They were going to discuss the case.

I`m standing outside, and all of a sudden, everyone is gathering at the driveway to go in and out of that building. I went over there, and minutes later, I was face to face with Joran Van Der Sloot as he was in a police car with two police officers on either side of him, as they drove him out as fast as they could. It was as though a riot was almost breaking out because the media wouldn`t let the car get out. They wanted to get their pictures. But that car sped down the highway. They were on their way to prosecutors. Prosecutors now have this case.

GRACE: Let`s take a look -- Rosie, if you can roll me that casino videotape. Here you go. Take a look. There is Joran Van Der Sloot, still wearing the white, the light-colored, long-sleeved shirt. He`s sitting there at the casino table. As you can see, his hair is still dark.

Now, Jean, I am looking at a woman in a dark T-shirt, and that -- I believe, that we are looking at Stephany Tatiana right there to the left of Van Der Sloot. See, her seat has gotten closer to him. They`re now -- they have been sitting side by side. There you see her. That`s her. Get a good, full look at her face. Van Der Sloot coming back. And they sat like that for hours, hours, talking, getting to know each other, playing cards. Keep rolling on that casino video, Rosie.

What else do you observe, Jean Casarez? I know you`ve studied it carefully.

CASAREZ: I have studied it because it was all over Peruvian television early this morning when I woke up. And one thing I noticed was a little purse that was in front of her. And remember, it was a white purse...

GRACE: That`s right.

CASAREZ: ... according to the crime scene report, that was found on the nightstand. I see a white purse right there.

GRACE: That`s it. She just laid it down.

CASAREZ: That`s what she took her money out of. That`s what she`s gambling with.

(CROSSTALK)

GRACE: She just laid it down, Jean.

CASAREZ: ... and another thing -- yes. And there`s another thing. You know, everybody has said that there was no physical contact between the two. And I`m just telling you the facts that I see in the video. But there is a shot as they`re walking out of an empty poker room, where he actually takes his hand and puts it around her. And that`s something that we haven`t seen before.

Now, what does that mean? Does that mean that he was expecting something to happen between them romantically, which could have led to what allegedly could have been a sexual assault? I don`t think we know at this point. But factually, there is that video as they are exiting that empty poker room.

GRACE: You are seeing video just released, the casino surveillance video. Jean Casarez, so much has happened in the last 24 hours. Bring us up to date.

CASAREZ: Well, Nancy, let me show you the newspaper. Here is today`s -- one of today`s newspapers. It`s called "De (ph) Trome." You see the headline there, "Juego Mortal," "A mortal game." What it is saying is that her life was taken all because of a poker game and her being next to -- this is what the public believes -- the killer, Joran Van Der Sloot.

Some other newspapers, Nancy -- "El Comercio." It says, "Stephany descrubrio supasado y holandes la asesino sin piedad." What it says is, "Stephany described and confronted him of his past with Natalee Holloway. He murdered her without any pity at all."

Another one, "Malogradazo" -- this is Peruvian slang, I understand. And I`ve been told what it means is "The lowest of low." It`s someone that`s a drug addict. It`s someone that`s a liar. And it is scum, as they have told me.

And this headline here, "Trome" -- "Yo La Mate," "I killed her." And that is the confession that authorities confirmed with us did happen. But now he has a private attorney. That attorney says they`re going to attack that confession, that it was not voluntarily made by Joran Van Der Sloot.

GRACE: And Jean Casarez, we are now learning that it wasn`t just weed -- pot -- that he was using that night, but cocaine.

CASAREZ: That is a question we have not confirmed. I`ve seen it in all the local reports in the local newspapers, that toxicology tests showed more than marijuana. That is a confirmation we have to make.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He just got so arrogant, he just didn`t think anything was ever going to catch up with him. But now it has.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He did confess, but the lawyer would say, Well, it`s a coerced confession. You can`t believe it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don`t think they believe it. That`s why they`re going to corroborate everything he said.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He`s a psychopath, and he`s going to play the game to the best of his ability so he can get away with as much as he can get away with.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GRACE: The police chief in Peru says investigators have practically closed the case.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Such a gruesome homicide case...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Van Der Sloot could be formally charged with the murder of a Peruvian woman as early as tomorrow.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I didn`t want to do it. The girl intruded into my private life.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Was it premeditated? Was it something that he planned ahead of time? Or was it something that happened at the spur of the moment?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is was a very dramatic confession.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Forensics is going to prove exactly what happened.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Van Der Sloot has been moved out of a police compound and is now at the national attorney general`s office, waiting to be charged.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): This killer is going to pay.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Van Der Sloot`s attorney said he`s going to fight the confession, fight to have it thrown out.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He wants to blame Stephany, that it was her fault.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The attorney also said Flores attacked Van Der Sloot first.

GRACE: The whole theory of self-defense is ridiculous.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Authorities say they have a remarkably complete confession from him.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And Van Der Sloot was intelligent and described this brutal killing in detail.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRACE: We are taking your calls. But first, straight back to Lima, Peru. Standing by, Jean Casarez. She`s there in front of the Lima Justice Palace. Jean Casarez, just before we went to break, it is now being reported that Van Der Sloot was under the influence of cocaine the night he murdered Stephany Tatiana. What do you know about it?

CASAREZ: What I can tell you is what I read from the crime scene investigation report from the room. It listed a lot of things in that room. It did not list any drugs. So that`s what I can say from the crime scene investigation report. I can also tell you every local newspaper is saying that. Every news broadcast is saying that. But officials have not told us that.

GRACE: But of course, when they did the crime scene report, toxicology had not come back at that time. I mean, you can get a blood sample...

CASAREZ: Yes. Yes.

GRACE: ... in 72 hours. They may very well just be getting all that information organized right now, so I wouldn`t expect it to be in the initial police report.

But Jean, what is the response there in Peru that he`s seemingly cooperating and could be out in seven to ten years for a cold-blooded murder? What`s being reported there?

CASAREZ: Well, the law -- if we look at the law, they have good time credit here, as some states do in the United States. And it`s actually two for one. So your sentence can be reduced by 50 percent. So if you look at 15 to 35 years, if he would get 15 years, guess what? He could be out in seven-and-a-half.

GRACE: But how are the Peruvians responding to it, especially, in light of what we have learned tonight, that after he kills her, he kicks back and drinks his coffee and munches on his Danish, just staring at her bloody body, half-clothed body? With her neck broken and her eye hanging from the socket, he enjoys a cup of coffee and a Danish!

CASAREZ: Nancy, you saw the newspaper headlines. You see the state of mind of these people. And remember, the officials here, they know the world is watching. They know the international press is watching. And that also is an influence in this situation.

GRACE: To Victoria Macchi, freelance investigative reporter joining us also out of Lima. Victoria, what is the response amongst the Peruvian public?

VICTORIA MACCHI, INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER: They all perceive him as a very calculating person. If you look, as Jean said, on the -- in the headlines in all of the media reports, he is not very well seen here. They basically have -- have already tried him in the media here and think he`s guilty.

GRACE: And back to you, Jean Casarez. What can you tell me about his mother coming in, wanting a new defense attorney to challenge the confession and saying police forced him to confess?

CASAREZ: You know what`s interesting in all of this? We had heard his mother was coming. Then authorities stopped talking to us. They would not tell us if she was coming, if she was here. And now we learn of this private attorney. The first time he spoke with the attorney was two nights ago at 10:00 o`clock. That tells me that he was a recently acquired attorney. And he`s private. What does that mean? He`s being paid.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... Van Der Sloot`s confession a tearful one...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She slapped him...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... told Peruvian officials, quote, "I did not want to do it. The girl intruded into my private life."

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He then slapped her. He then grabbed her neck, and that is the beginning of the end of Stephany Flores.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: ... in the brutal beating and strangling death of 21-year-old Stephany Flores Ramirez...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There was a confrontation...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: His anger exploded.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She wanted to leave.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She was extremely upset.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She slapped him.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He lost control.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He then slapped her.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... a lot of rage and violence...

GRACE: It is absolutely brutal. She was thrown to her knees.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... quoted in the local newspaper. She had no right. I got closer. She became scared and wanted to escape. And I grabbed her by the neck and started hitting her.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A private investigator who says he was in on the sting calls Van Der Sloot a homicidal maniac.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRACE: We are taking your calls live. We have just gotten just released surveillance video from the casino showing Van Der Sloot`s meeting with his second murder victim, that we know of. Another bombshell tonight. He is now possibly connected to two more missing girls from casinos in Bogota, Colombia.

But to you, Clark Goldband. Let`s go through what we learn by looking at this video. Everyone, we have been combing over it since we first got it. Here`s what we know. Go ahead, Clark.

CLARK GOLDBAND, NANCY GRACE PRODUCER: You got it, Nancy. Our team has broken this down frame by frame. Let`s start at the very beginning with the victim entering the casino. Reports suggest this is around 2:00 AM. We advance on to the next slide, and you can see her walking through the casino, through that poker area behind me. The next frame is when she first makes contact with Van Der Sloot. According to reports, this is around 3:00 AM, as you`ll, as you`ll see in the next slide, where she really starts playing cards, sits down and interacts.

Now, Nancy, if we advance on to the next frame, you can see the two right here in the circle behind me leaving the casino, heading to the hotel. And we have a map now where we will show you that distance, about seven miles from the south, at the Atlantic City Casino all the way up north to the Hotel Tac, where this allegedly occurred.

Now, Nancy, around 5:33 AM, that surveillance, Van Der Sloot leading the way, the alleged victim with her head down, following him. Next slide, about three hours later, Van Der Sloot leaving the hotel room. And in the next slide, we will see him checking the door to make sure it`s locked. And that`s where the surveillance that we know of stops.

GRACE: To Dr. Bethany Marshall, psychoanalyst, author of "Dealbreakers." Bethany, I know you`ve also reviewed the video of Joran Van Der Sloot leaving the hotel room. He looks like nothing is wrong. Is he a psychopath? Now he`s possibly connected to two more missing girls in Bogota, Colombia.

BETHANY MARSHALL, PSYCHOANALYST: Well, let`s think of O`Hare`s (ph) sociopathic checklist, which is used in forensic settings -- callousness, lying, poor behavioral controls, drug abuse, parasitic lifestyle. That`s at the top of the list. His whole life has been parasitic. Since Aruba, he has lived off the notoriety or infamy of this case, and now he lives off this woman, trying to take her money in the casino. And that`s parasitic, as well as homicidal.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Joran Van Der Sloot was paid $25,000 in an undercover sting connected to the disappearance of Alabama teen Natalee Holloway.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The FBI says any money paid to Van Der Sloot came from private funds.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: $250,000 total.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: $250,000 scam.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The Holloway family in exchange for the location of Natalee Holloway`s remains.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The prosecution for the first time today got the case against Joran Van Der Sloot.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The re-enactment of the crime may not take place because authorities could decide they already have enough evidence against Van Der Sloot, the May 30th serial killer.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The killing machine.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Private investigator who says he was in on the sting, calls Van Der Sloot a homicidal maniac.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Joran Van Der Sloot was crying when he confessed to the murder.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This case is going to go to trial.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Van Der Sloot`s attorneys say Van Der Sloot wasn`t being properly represented during his interrogation.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He does have a concern for Joran`s safety.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This guy is walking to the gates of hell.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He has spoken with the Department of Prisons.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Be in a room occupied by 35 people, 25 x 15, with a hole in the floor as a toilet.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Three types of prisons he could go to.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Knowing that these people will cut your throat for $10. He may never make it to trial.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NANCY GRACE, HOST: We are taking your calls live. Joining us right now live out of Aruba, the attorney for Natalie`s father, Dave Holloway, Vinda De Sousa.

Vinda, thank for being with us. What do you think of the fact that Joran Van Der Sloot`s new defense attorney is trying to have his confession to Stephany`s murder thrown out and that Van Der Sloot`s mommy says the confession was forced? Was coerced?

VINDA DE SOUSA, ATTORNEY FOR DAVE HOLLOWAY (via telephone): It`s completely in line with whatever has happened in Joran Van Der Sloot`s pattern. He says something, he declares something, he states something, and then he retracts. He always finds a way out to make whatever he states to be a lie or to be something that is dismissed. It is his pattern.

GRACE: You are there in Aruba, and Dave Holloway, Natalee`s father is coming to Aruba. What did the two of you hope to accomplish?

SOUSA: We are trying to get back in touch with the case and we`re trying to see if there are any new developments. It`s getting back in touch and get a feel for what is happening with Natalee Holloway`s case.

GRACE: Right. What do you make of the Aruban government`s claim that they`re going to relaunch the search for Natalee?

SOUSA: First of all, Nancy, it is not the Aruban government, it is the Aruba investigative authorities. And I have to say that the case was never closed and if they relaunch is because they feel they might find something new. Right now we don`t have any new information from the investigative authorities here. But we hope to be informed.

GRACE: We are taking your calls live out to Kim in Illinois. Hi, Kim.

CALLER: Hi, Nancy. Nice to talk with you.

GRACE: Likewise, what is your question, dear?

CALLER: You made a comment as far as him walking out of the hotel room, looked like nothing had happened.

GRACE: Right. He kind of looked like an opossum looking at the lights.

CALLER: Yes, he didn`t realize the eye of the camera was on him. He didn`t scope it out. What I would really look to know they did do, a physical, a partial physical on his chest. I`ve seen that. But when will they be able to do a complete body physical so that they can check to see if there are scratches or bites because of the way that they said that it is possible she could have been sexually assaulted, but not in that way.

GRACE: You know, I imagine -- images we are showing you right now is a full body check of Joran Van Der Sloot. Jeanne Casarez, didn`t they check his whole body?

JEANNE CASAREZ: They did and you know, one of the things we learned this morning from authorities and at the time it was a minor point, but I do remember it being said was that when the case is transferred over to prosecutors there is a physical exam done during the course of that time. So, psychological, only physical, can`t clarify it that much. But there is an exam, a medical exam done.

GRACE: Let`s unleash the lawyers, joining us tonight, Eleanor Odom, sex crimes prosecutor, Atlanta, also, a veteran death penalty prosecutor. Also joining us, Miami, Hugo Rodriguez, international criminal law attorney, former fed. Renee Rockwell, defense attorney Atlanta. Peter Odom, defense attorney, Atlanta.

Eleanor, it`s not unusual at all, in fact, it is S.O.P., standard operating procedure, to view the defendant`s body in a case like this. You don`t have to have their OK. They don`t have to consent to it. You get a warrant for it here in the states. To look for things like scratches and defense wounds from an attack on a victim.

ELEONOR ODOM, SEX CRIMES PROSECUTOR: Exactly and especially in a case like this where he allege lead claims she attacked him first. You`re going to look at his body very carefully and see what kind of scratches or markings he has, which would indicate that his story is even true. I bet they don`t find a whole lot, Nancy.

GRACE: Hugo Rodriguez, international criminal law attorney joining us out of Miami. Hugo, it`s a little late for him to going -- you coerced me. I didn`t confess. B.S. he confessed.

HUGO RODRIGUEZ, INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL LAW ATTORNEY: Nancy, there is no 5th amendment in Peru. The constitutional protections that we have in the United States do not exist in that country. It`s in process.

GRACE: Hugo, that`s their problem.

RODRIGUEZ: It is. Well, I`m just saying that is a problem for him because all those pronouncements, he was coerced. There was a Dutch representative there that interpreted all of his confession. All of those things that you would normally say, suppression, all those things they don`t exist in that country. It is a whole different game for him. He is going to have a very rude awakening. None of those things will work.

GRACE: It`s very hard for all of us to take in, no 5th amendment right. We don`t understand really how they even practice law with those kinds of rules. And Jeanne Casarez was telling me the night that this broke.

When she was talking to sources there, and she was talking about, his rights, his 5th amendment rights, they`re like what? It`s completely foreign to them that they would have rights like we have for defendants in this country.

So, to you, Peter Odom, now you have a new highly paid defense attorney coming in and claiming the statement, his confession is coerced. How far will that make it?

PETER ODOM, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Well, it will go a lot further than a 5th amendment claim. In the United States we have a privilege not to incriminate ourselves, but in Peru they do have the right not to have a coerced confession introduced into court.

And you know, all we have is the police`s word that this confession was not coerced. We don`t know who these people are that were in the room during that confession. It could be a lot different than the police explained and we`re going to have to wait and see exactly what kind of documentation exists about that confession.

GRACE: Peter, have you ever covered one case where you haven`t said to my face, we`re just going to have to wait and see. We know. There is nothing to wait and see. We know that there was a -- a representative from the Dutch embassy. Wait. Jeanne Casarez, who was in the room when Joran Van Der Sloot confessed?

CASAREZ: Here`s what we know. It was a police investigation. He is being held a cell in the Peruvian Police Department. We believe a prosecutor was present. We had heard a Dutch translator was coming for a deposition, is a deposition the interrogation which led to the confession? Don`t know. But there were a lot of people in the room. But specifically who? I can just go with what I have heard.

GRACE: That is a lot of people in the room, Renee Rockwell to be there if he were beaten into a confession.

RENEE ROCKWELL, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Yes, and I`m sure that they will try to re-enact exactly what was said. But Nancy, the strategy of it all, I completely disagree with, because in this country, if you are remorseful, if you can come forward, if you take responsibility early, that in itself is enough to get leniency from that 35 top end down to the 15-year bottom end. So I completely disagree with that strategy if that in fact even works.

GRACE: Well, I tell you, Renee, in this country or at least in court rooms where I have prosecuted. If I get a confession, it is not going to help them at all. It is going to help me seek a bigger sentence. But, very, very quickly, back to you, Jeanne Casarez, we are also hearing the possibility that Joran Van Der Sloot may be connected to two more missing girls from casinos in Bogota.

CASAREZ: Right, Colombia. Well, we called Interpol, because when we heard that ourselves and believe me that is all over the community too, the taxi driver was telling me about it yesterday. Interpol told us that when he flew from Aruba he didn`t leave the airport. He actually was there to change planes. So that`s what Interpol is telling us there is no connection.

GRACE: You know, I know that is what they are saying now. But with Joran Van Der Sloot, I believe it when I see it myself. Quickly to tonight`s Facebook crime fighters. Illinois friend, Amanda, a legal assistant, Iowa friend, Curt, recent University of Iowa grad, Tennessee friend, Allison.

Guys, thank you. To all of you Facebook crime fighters. Submit your photos, go to cnn.com/nancygrace and click on Facebook.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There is probably all kinds of physical evidence in that room. And then maybe they figure they have a lock-solid case.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They have the videotape evidence. I`m sure they have a wealth of physical evidence from the room itself.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Authorities insist his confession was not coerced.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They have got his DNA, God knows what else they have.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You have all this other horrible evidence, the video of two people going in and one person coming out and the other person being found dead.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He twists things around. There`s a partial truth. Then he lies. So be very careful not to believe what Joran Van Der Sloot says.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He is probably looking at about 20 years in prison now that he is cooperating.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Van Der Sloot was intelligent and described the brutal killing in detail.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They have got a confession. They have got a video of him going in there with her and her not coming out.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Under Peruvian law, a qualified homicide would be one that in America would have aggravating circumstances such as a killing that happened during the midst of a robbery.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Joran Van Der Sloot has confessed. We want to make sure that what his -- that his story actually gels with, with the actual facts of what happened.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s a little late for his lawyer to tell him not to cooperate since he has already given a damning confession.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRACE: All this as reports surface that Joran Van Der Sloot actually using cocaine the night he broke the neck of Stephany Flores Ramirez. We`re taking your calls out to the lines. Joanne in Pennsylvania. Hi, Joanne.

CALLER: Hi, Nancy. How are you doing?

GRACE: I am good, dear. What`s your question?

CALLER: I have a fast question and then fast comment. My question is can the authorities say we don`t need your confession. We have enough evidence. We`re going to go for the death penalty? My comment, I said to my husband when you first announced this. He is a serial killer. There`s a lot more girls out there. We don`t know if Natalee is the first.

GRACE: You know, Joanne, you are dead on. I have a little bad news for you though, Peru doesn`t have the death penalty in cases like this. Sad to say. What I can tell you, which might put you in a better mood is that, the states are on to him for extortion. It`s a whole another can of worms.

Trying to extort $250,000 out of Natalee`s mother reportedly in exchange for the location of Natalee`s body. That`s a fine, fine fellow. Now I want to go back out to the lines. Tracy in Canada, yes, answer to that, Eleanor Odom, long story short, do they need the re- enactment?

ODOM: No, they don`t. They don`t even need the confession, Nancy with all the forensic evidence they have and all the video surveillance. They have pretty much dead to rights. Sadly, you are right, no death penalty for him.

GRACE: Tracy, Canada. Hi, dear. What is your question?

CALLER: Hi, my question is -- if they find information on his computer about Natalee Holloway would he be extradited to the United States for a trial? Or would it be charges in Aruba? And also, how does the lawyer justify, she slapped me, so then I killed her.

GRACE: The trial for Natalee`s murder would have to be in Aruba, which my guess would never happen. Maybe for body is found. Her remains are found. We`ve got a chance. Let`s go to the defense attorney on Tracy`s second question about, she slaps me, so I break her neck. Eleanor, weigh in?

ODOM: Well, that is not enough force. Even if he is claiming self defense, he can`t use more force than necessary. It is a crock of, you know what.

GRACE: Hugo?

RODRIGUEZ: She is right and I will tell you something. He will never survive a Peruvian prison. We will never see him in the United States.

GRACE: Explain?

RODRIGUEZ: It`s a different condition down there. Over 50 percent of the population have AIDS. They`re very poor. He is probably the biggest celebrity since the shining path in that country. He won`t survive their prison system. There will be some street justice. GRACE: Renee, weigh in about the self defense question from Tracy, Canada?

ROCKWELL: Well, I don`t think that they`re going to succeed on the self defense. It may still be helpful to him to show that it was not some kind of premeditated, maybe something that allegedly provoked. I think it puts him in a better position. That`s why I keep saying that he does not need to get this confession thrown out. The confession needs to stand.

GRACE: Peter Odom, weigh in.

ODOM: I agree with Renee, except, the self defense thing is very, very weak. The guy is 6`3", and Natalee was smaller. I think it would be stupid to try that. I think it`s a mistake for his attorney to float it. It`s offensive.

GRACE: Joining us, Dr. Marty Makary, physician, professor of Public Health, Johns Hopkins, Dr. Marty, I want to talk to you about the date rape drug. How long would that stay in her system? Will it show up in toxicology during autopsy?

DR. MARTY MAKARY, M.D., PHYSICIAN, PROFESSOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH, JOHNS HOPKINS: Well, it actually stays in for a different time in an alive person versus someone who has died because it is digested in your liver. So about 24 hours would be the period where it might be detectable in somebody alive.

You could probably add, two, three days to that in some body whose metabolism is shut down immediately after taking it. Now, if they died within minutes or half an hour of taking it, the pill may actually still be in the stomach and retrievable on an autopsy.

GRACE: To Dr. Bethany, this is really, really bothering me the fact that he sat back, put his feet up, drank his coffee, possibly, two cups of coffee, and ate Danish. Looking down at her body, her half-clothed body with her broken neck and her eye out of the socket.

BETHANY MARSHALL, PSYCHOANALYST, AUTHOR OF "DEALBREAKERS": I think what we are going to find is in the case of Natalee and in the case of Stephany that each woman rejected him or he perceived that they rejected him. This was enough to send him into a homicidal frenzy and after he committed the deed and remember the amount of force that he was quite pleased with himself. I see smug, self-satisfaction and left her in the room to rot because he felt that`s what he had coming to her.

GRACE: When we come back, the wild story Joran Van Der Sloot first gave police but tonight our thoughts and prayers to Marie Costalda recovering from surgery. A beloved mother, grandmother, great grandmother, best known for surprising neighbors and parishioners with homemade baking and her love of music. Never misses the show. Marie, please stay strong and happy birthday to Tennessee friend and firefighter Daniel. He celebrated with wife Morgan and daughter, Emma. Happy birthday, Daniel.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Joran Van Der Sloot confessed the murder but now he has a lawyer who plans to fight that saying he did not have proper representation at his interrogation.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: In his confession, he says she was looking him up on his laptop. She invaded into his private life and that`s when he lost it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There`s more evidence showing Van Der Sloot and the victim together. There he is meeting Stephany Flores Ramirez, we believe for the first time at the casino. We know hours later she was murdered.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRACE: We are taking your calls live to Andrew Jay Scott, former chief of police, VP of Scott Robert Associates. Thank you for being with us as always. Should Peruvian authorities believe anything Van Der Sloot says?

ANDREW JAY SCOTT, FORMER CHIEF OF POLICE: Absolutely not, Nancy. This guy is an absolute pathological liar, which is combined with his sociopathic type of demeanor. I really see that this guy is enjoying all of this celebrity type status and frankly I think we have an international serial killer just based on what he`s done in the past couple of instances and frankly they can`t believe anything that he says other than if it`s corroborated by physical evidence or some type of videotape.

GRACE: To Victoria Macchi, freelance investigator reporter there in Lima. Victoria, we`re hearing that he also gave some wild story at first to Peruvian police that -- how did it go. Some armed men followed he and Stephany Tatiana from the casino and they`re responsible for what happened? What else was his crazy story?

VICTORIA MACCHI, FREELANCE INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER: What I have understood is he told that to Chilean authorities when they caught him in Chile immediately after he fled Peru. He told them that there had been armed men in the hotel room and when they have gotten there and that was what caused Stephany`s death, not him but these armed robbers, not sure.

GRACE: So he`s blaming a robbing crew. Victoria, what do you know about a theory that he this planned to take her body, Stephany Tatiana`s body out of the hotel room in a suit case and throw it in the water?

MACCHI: Right. The media down here has reported that he in fact did plan on doing that. However, he didn`t know where to find a suitcase quickly and that`s pretty much what impeded him from carry that plan out.

GRACE: Is that right, Jeanne?

CASAREZ: You know what`s interesting, these are the local reports. I`m thinking about the facts to put together with that. The sheets were of the bed. I never understood that. Sheets off the bed? Why? Well, it could go along with that state of mind.

GRACE: Everyone, let`s stop and remember Army Specialist James Miller, 21, served Afghanistan, awarded bronze star, purple heart, national service medal. He loved fishing, hunting, video games, four wheeling, paintball. Leaves behind grieving parents, Kimberly and Nick, sister Mandy and widow, Cady and baby girl. James Miller, American hero.

Thanks to our guests, but especially for you for being with us. See you tomorrow night, 8:00 sharp Eastern. Until then, good night, friend.

END