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ISSUES WITH JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL

Did Murdered Firefighter Lead a Double Life?; Hefner`s Son Accused of Beating Girlfriend

Aired February 29, 2012 - 19:00   ET

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


JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HOST: I`m Jane Velez-Mitchell coming to you live from New York City.

Secrets and lies uncovered in the missing firefighter case. Cops have now found the fireman`s body. This is breaking news. What this handsome father of two living a double life? And did that lead him into a deadly situation? We`re digging up the facts next.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Tonight, investigators find a body and uncover am enormous number of secrets surrounding firefighter Jerry Perdomo`s murder. Perdomo`s alleged mistress told police the married firefighter had a gun when he left her house to meet someone who owed him money.

Cops reveal a tumultuous history between Daniel Porter, now charged with Perdomo`s murder, and the Florida fireman. We`ve uncovered brand-new information in this case, including details about Porter`s suspicious move.

And she`s been barred from even entering the courthouse, but she`s still causing chaos in the Dunwoody Daycare murder trial. In day one of their case, the defense goes after the victim`s wife. The woman they say had a secret affair with the gunman who`s pleading insanity. We`ll take your calls.

Then a key witness in the Rutgers suicide trial delivers damaging testimony. She says she watched as this man secretly broadcast his roommate`s sexual encounter with another man. Days later Tyler Clementi jumped to his death.

Now our investigating has uncovered more claims of homophobia in America. I`ll talk to a couple who says they had a firsthand experience with hate.

And Hugh Hefner`s son charged with assaulting his "Playboy" Playmate girlfriend. She claims he kicked, punched and grabbed her, and it wasn`t the first time. But will his famous dad get him off the hook?

Plus, you`re invited to my house for a shopping party, and you don`t have to spend a penny.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There`s been an arrest in the mysterious disappearance of a Florida firefighter. Jerry Perdomo`s family says he was on a trip to Maine to visit a friend when he vanished 13 days ago.

TONYA PERDOMO, WIFE OF JERRY PERDOMO: It`s been really difficult. I miss him. I just want him to come home.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Porter was arrested yesterday. The two had been shooting pool, started arguing, and it appears Porter shot him in the head.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you have anything to say, Daniel?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: His suspected killer was booked into the jail on murder charges, reeking of alcohol.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Were you dealing drugs with Perdomo?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The report shows Perdomo was killed in Porter`s father`s home.

CHRIS LERCH, BROTHER-IN-LAW OF JERRY PERDOMO: Why? Why would you take a loved one away?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Tonight, breaking news: Cops find human remains in the woods of Maine. And just a little while ago, we`re very sad to say they`ve positively identified the body is that of missing Florida firefighter Jerry Perdomo.

Was Jerry Perdomo living a double life that ended in murder? A Maine woman says she was Jerry`s girlfriend and called cops, saying the married father of two vanished after walking out of her house with a loaded gun. This family is trying to process this very baffling tragedy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LERCH: I`m worried about my family at home. I`m worried about Jerry`s family. That`s what I`m worried -- I`m worried about Jerry.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What would you want to ask Daniel?

LERCH: Why? Why would you take a loved one away? If he did it. That hasn`t been proven yet. I don`t know.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: We`ve got some possible answers. Yesterday cops arrested this man, 24-year-old Daniel Porter, and charged him with Jerry`s murder.

Now, you`ve got to ask yourself, why is this guy -- who looks like he`s smiling, right? He`s just been charged with murder. We`ve got a theory about that smirk in a second.

Here are the facts. Fireman Jerry Perdomo, last seen 13 days ago, after renting a car and driving 1,600 miles from Florida all the way to Maine, telling his wife he had to help a friend move.

Well, we`ve done some investigating, and that`s not the entire story. We pieced together what might have happened in Jerry`s last hours.

Cops say on Thursday, February 16, Jerry left his alleged girlfriend`s house with a loaded gun and told her he had to see somebody who, quote, "owed him money." An amount rumored to be a couple of thousand, $2,000 or $3,000. Investigators say he went over to Daniel Porter`s father`s house, where the two got into a heated argument and Daniel allegedly shot Jerry in the head. Could his death have been over drug money?

As Danny was let out in handcuffs, he was asked about cops` claims that drugs were involved.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Were you dealing drugs with Perdomo?

DANIEL PORTER, SUSPECT IN MURDER: Not as much as they`d like to think.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Not as much? What does that mean? What do you think? Call me: 1-877-JVM-SAYS, 1-877-586-7297. I want to hear from you.

Straight out to WFTV reporter Jeff Deal on the ground in Maine covering this story. You were there when Daniel Porter was arrested for murder. First of all, tell us about his alleged strange behavior as he`s arrested and hopefully we`ll have video of that.

JEFF DEAL, WFTV REPORTER (via phone): Well, you just played a little bit of a clip of that. And it was pretty obvious that he had a strong odor of alcohol on his breath, and it appears that he had been drinking all afternoon.

We were at his house earlier in the afternoon, in fact, when the state police pulled into the driveway. Right after he got into the driveway, one of his uncles handed him what appeared to be a beer. And the uncle was carrying a 12 pack of beer into the house. And when we were at the jail late last night when he was booked in, we approached him with our camera, and as soon as the officer rolled down the window, we could smell that strong odor of alcohol on his breath.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: And so that possibly accounts for why he was smirking in the mug shot. There he is, being led away from his father`s house into a cop car, charged with murder tonight.

Cops have said the murder might have been drug related. In the affidavit, the suspect`s girlfriend told cops Porter`s relationship with fireman Perdomo was business, and they were both involved with drug activity.

During Daniel`s arrest, he was asked about his involvement with drugs. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Were you dealing drugs with Perdomo?

PORTER: Not as much as they`d like to think.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. An unnamed friend told WFTV Perdomo was involved with drugs, the fireman, and mentioned Daniel`s name a week before his Maine trip.

Back to Jeff Deal. What did this friend of six years tell you about the drug angle?

DEAL: It was actually one of our other reporters, Bianca Castro, who was down in Florida that spoke with this guy. But essentially, from what I understand, he was saying that Jerry Perdomo was not a bad guy, that he didn`t do drugs, that he didn`t deal drugs on the streets of Florida, but that he just wanted to make some extra cash and that he knew that prescription pills were fairly easy to get.

And he would run those pills up to Maine, because he could get more money for those pills up in Maine than he could down in Florida. He would -- just wanted some extra cash to support his family, basically.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, last night a former FBI agent gave us a very similar theory on why somebody would drive and not fly all the way to Maine from Florida, an almost 1,600-mile trip.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEVE MOORE, FORMER FBI AGENT: It is expensive up there. The OxyContin pills are going to go for $100 a pill at 80 milligrams, but it`s cheap in Florida. I believe that it -- I mean, you don`t have to go across town to sell cocaine. You don`t have to go across the street to sell marijuana. But the big money here is moving the OxyContin from Florida up to Maine.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Lisa Bloom, attorney of the Bloom Firm and my dear friend, we have many, many times covered double lives. I wrote a book called "Secrets Can Be Murder." We do not want to blame this poor firefighter. His family is devastated. They`re grieving. But it seems like he had a classic double life.

LISA BLOOM, ATTORNEY: Yes, he did, Jane. And I was thinking about your book when I was thinking about this case today. It`s a terrific book, and I recommend it to everyone.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Thank you.

BLOOM: I really mean that. Because it shows how, when we have these double lives and these secret lives, how it can lead to so many problems.

So we don`t know what happened here. We don`t know if he was running drugs. We don`t know if there was a financial dispute. We don`t know if his double life, cheating on his wife, allegedly, had anything to do with it.

But when you put all of this together, it certainly is very, very suspicious. And this is, I`m sure, what the police are going over right now as they`re trying to solve this thing.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, I`ve got to tell you: this affidavit contains - - this is a police affidavit -- some stunners.

When Jerry went missing, cops made a beeline to Daniel Porter, because it says in this affidavit the two have a very violent history. According to this, back in January, a cop in Maine investigated a dispute between Porter and the fireman and said Jerry Perdomo had observed Porter with a machine gun, and then Porter threatened to shoot him and put him through a wood chipper. And then the threats came from the other side. Fireman Perdomo threatened to cut off Porter`s hands and kill him.

So this happened in Maine more than a month before the murder. What do you make of it, Pat Brown?

PAT BROWN, CRIMINAL PROFILER: Well, I mean, first of all, I think we need to get rid of that he`s a nice guy if he did all these things.

If he did all these things, he`s a criminal. He`s a drug trafficker, and he put his business dealings and whatever he was doing up in Maine over his family.

Who goes back to Maine to a guy who says he`s going to put him in a wood chipper, who says these kind of things, and thinks that`s a wise thing to do?

And I really feel sad that his wife who probably was a very nice person but very naive, would believe that he was going to help a friend move, drive all that distance when -- what did he do? Help a friend to move in January, as well? How many times did he help this friend move and the wife doesn`t catch onto it?

So I mean, I just think it`s very sad for the family, because...

VELEZ-MITCHELL: It is.

BROWN: ... obviously, they`ve been totally hoodwinked.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Devastated. Let`s go to the phone lines. Quickly, Pamela, New York, your question or thought? Pamela?

CALLER: OK. All right, thanks.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Pamela. Oh, Pamela.

CALLER: Yes.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Hey, your question or thought, Pamela?

CALLER: Yes, you know, you answered my first question.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: What`s your second?

CALLER: I was wondering if he did have, like, a double life, some sort of relationship with this guy. But now -- now I think I get the picture.

But my other question or my thought was you can`t tell me that his wife did not suspect something. I think, you know, these people, they come on, and they just act like they`ve never -- you know, that he`s never done anything out of character. But it`s just -- it has to be something that she knew something.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, Dr. Brian Russell, forensic psychologist, sometimes the wife is clueless, whether it`s denial, naivete, or just innocence.

DR. BRIAN RUSSELL, FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGIST: Well, that`s true, Jane, but I think our HLN viewers are smart, and this one is no exception. I think that most of the time the spouses do have an inkling, and a lot of times they just don`t want to face the truth because of what it would require them to do.

You know, interestingly, Jane, this case just reinforces a point that you and I have made over and over and over and over again, which is you can`t know what a drug dealer looks like. You wouldn`t believe the number of doctors that I`ve assessed who have sold medications or traded them for sex and stuff like that, especially as we`ve evolved away from some of the traditional, you know, drug trade in like, you know, cocaine and...

VELEZ-MITCHEL: Prescription drugs.

(CROSSTALK)

RUSSELL: ... prescription drugs.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: I`ll finish your sentence. Prescription drugs are the biggest threat in America today when it comes to drugs, the war on drugs. Needs to be a war on prescription drugs. Prescription drugs allegedly involved in this case.

And yes, the doctor is absolutely right. So many doctors themselves are hooked on drugs. I`m taking your calls on the other side: 1-877-JVM- SAYS.

Later, Hugh Hefner`s son in trouble with the law, charged with assaulting his "Playboy" Playmate girlfriend.

Plus, secrets revealed, more on the firefighter murder in Maine.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A lot of pain. You know, it`s a family in turmoil.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You never think it would happen to you. Never in a million years would I think I`d be hanging out missing posters of my brother. You know, you can`t -- how can you sleep?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PERDOMO: I knew that he had a friend, but he has female friends. It`s nothing -- I can`t comment on the extent of their relationship, because I don`t know. I really -- I don`t know.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: That poor widow learning that her firefighter husband has been murdered, reportedly shot in the head and, according to the arrest affidavit, police suspect drugs were involved.

WFTV reporting that they talked to a friend of the new deceased firefighter who said that he had revealed to him that he had gone up to Maine several times to sell prescription pills. We have no independent confirmation of that.

This firefighter was much loved by his firehouse, is not here to defend himself. But this is the information that`s coming in. And we have an obligation to report what people are saying. Again, no independent confirmation.

But Max Domino (ph), Huffington Post contributor and defense attorney, what do you make of it? What`s the big picture? What`s the cultural picture here?

MAX DOMINO (PH), HUFFINGTON POST CONTRIBUTOR: Well, even though, Jane, we`re still learning the facts of this case, it really points to the issue of the lure of prescription drugs. The money behind prescription drugs, that even normal people, good people, may be lured into this illicit activity of trafficking illicit, you know, prescription drugs from one state to another. Yes, we`re still learning the facts of the case. But this -- this could show that that`s a big issue here.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: I agree.

Lisa Bloom, I say it over and over: as a recovering alcoholic, the biggest problem we have with drugs in our country is legal prescription drugs. We know that the pill mills are doing a bang-up business down in Florida. And if somebody`s got perhaps a modest paying job like firefighter, kids, wife, I mean, the lure of this is taking down doctors; it`s taking down people who are upstanding citizens otherwise.

BLOOM: More people die from prescription drug overdoses in this country than from street drugs. I mean, it has surpassed street drugs as a huge problem, and as a result prescription drugs on the illegal market are very expensive and, therefore, very lucrative.

As we say, we don`t know this man; he`s not here to defend himself. We don`t know the extent to which he was involved. But it sure sounds like this was a part of it. Not only is his friend saying that, Jane, but he`s taking a loaded gun when he left the girlfriend`s house. I mean, why is he taking that, if he`s not involved with something that`s illicit?

Look, people carry guns. Perhaps there`s an innocent explanation, but this is all pointing to a lot of suspicion against this man and the activities he was engaged in.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: The cops -- I agree with you. The cops deserve kudos for a very swift arrest. They were able to follow clues, cracked this case fast. They checked out surveillance video near the Wal-Mart where Jerry`s car was abandoned. They saw Daniel Porter walking near a store, throwing a bag away.

Cops got the bag and uncovered a treasure trove of evidence: Jerry`s rental car keys and what was believed to be his wallet, two cell phones. They confronted Daniel, told him that he had the bag. Cops said, "We have a bag," and all of a sudden, this guy`s eyes welled up with tears.

Jared Pliner, reporter on the scene, WVII, the cops really did an amazing job in this case, no?

JARED PLINER, REPORTER, WVII: Well, I have to say, Jane, it`s been a pretty compressed time line in terms of when firefighters, colleagues of Jerry Perdomo`s arrived here, began to fly or began searching for him, and the arrest as of yesterday. And now a body and confirmation that the body is Jerry Perdomo`s.

A lot of clues, a lot of leads. And they really got their -- all their facts in order and made the arrest.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Jared, where was the body found? Because at first I thought they couldn`t even identify it. And do you have any details?

PLINER: Sure, Jane, the body was found in the town of Newburgh, not far from the town of Monroe line, about 150 feet off of this very wooded road. And a Maine game warden and his dog found the dog -- found the body, rather, very shortly into the search, and it was later identified by the chief medical examiner.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. Well, such a sad case, and our hearts go out to his children and his family.

And up next, a wild trial. I mean crazy.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Here`s your "Viral Video of the Day," a new world`s record for human dominos. No kidding: 850 humans. Check this out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(MUSIC)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HUGH HEFNER, FOUNDER, "PLAYBOY" EMPIRE: I`m proudest of the impact that we`ve have in sort of changing social sexual values. I think we live in a more liberated world today in terms of sex, and I think that`s positive.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Good old Hef.

Tonight, scandalous allegations from within the "Playboy" empire. Hugh Hefner`s 21-year-old son has been charged with beating up his girlfriend, none other than last year`s Playmate of the Year.

Marston Hefner arrested early this month after a fight at their California apartment. Listen to what accuser Playmate Claire Sinclair told E! News.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLAIRE SINCLAIR, "PLAYBOY" PLAYMATE: We got in an argument about something really silly. And it kind of escalated, and it became violent.

Initially, he kicked me, and I went backwards. I fell. And then he punched me and grabbed me up. And you know, I scratched him to defend myself. And it was very shocking.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Sinclair showed up a big purple bruise on her arm. She claims "Playboy" is trying to cover up the whole incident to protect the Hefner name.

We contacted Hefner and "Playboy" to get their response to these allegations, and they told us they are not commenting.

Joining me now, my good buddy, Rob Shuter, Huffington Post`s "Naughty but Nice" columnist. What do you know about this young Hefner fellow, Marston?

ROB SHUTER, COLUMNIST, HUFFINGTON POST: This is a young chap who has grown up in Hollywood surrounded by the most beautiful women in the world. We really don`t think he`s ever worked a day in his life for anybody but his father.

However, he has always been in Daddy`s shadow. He`s always been the son of this icon, so we know, actually, very little about him. However, we do know it`s a tremendous life of privilege this young man has always had.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Privilege but also pressure. I mean, when you think about it, growing up as the son of Hugh Hefner, my gosh. I`m not condoning anything. We don`t know. He`s only been charged. But God, that`s got to be psychologically pretty wild.

SHUTER: Absolutely. To have someone that famous and that successful, a man that really changed the business. Whether or not you like the business he`s in, he certainly is the king of that business. And that`s his dad.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Claire alleges Marston and his family are trying to cover up the fight to keep it from tarnishing the Hefner name. Here`s another clip from E! Online.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Has he reached out to you at all during this?

SINCLAIR: No. Nobody. No support. No one is empathetic or concerned. It`s more like cover it up and protect an image.

One aspect I am ridiculously offended by the way things are being handled. On the other aspect I understand, because it`s family, that they`re looking out for, you know, their name.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Again, we asked Hefner to respond; got a "no comment." But TMZ is quoting Hugh Hefner as saying, "If they care about each other, they`ll patch it up."

Got to ask: if he did say that, is that kind of minimizing a pretty serious

SHUTER: Absolutely. Hugh is out of touch with how serious this is.

The "Playboy" empire might be worth a billion dollars a year as a brand. It`s a massive company, Jane. This is something that, if it goes forward and if more details are released, we`re going to be very shocked. It will have an impact on this brand.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: But I think I remember it`s the daughter who`s in charge of the company, right? And I like her. I`ve read a lot about her.

SHUTER: Absolutely. But guys who love this brand, are they identifying with the daughter or Mr. Hefner and the "Playboy" son? He`s the heir apparent, Jane. This young chap is the one they wanted to take off.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: No, no, no. In this day in age, I think the lady, the daughter is taking over.

All right. Thank you, my dear friend Rob Shuter. And he is naughty but nice.

Defense in the daycare murder trial goes after the victim`s wife. Two witnesses talk about the accused killer`s twisted past and dark mind.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Andrea Sneiderman is playing each and every one of us for a fool.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: That widow, Andrea Sneiderman, has just been banned from the courtroom. This after a flurry of testimony claiming she was cheating on her husband before he was shot.

ANDREA SNEIDERMAN, VICTIM`S WIFE: It was unfathomable and unbelievable that it could be him -- someone that proposed to care about me.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You were there. You were there from the beginning.

Am I wrong about you being there?

HEMY NEUMAN, ON TRIAL FOR MURDER OF RUSTY SNEIDERMAN: I don`t see how you can place me there. I did not pull the trigger on the gun that killed Rusty Sneiderman.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Neuman is sick and secondly, that he has been manipulated by Andrea Sneiderman.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Tonight, fireworks fly at the trial of Hemy Neuman who is accused of gunning down a dad outside an Atlanta area preschool shooting him three times in the chest at point-blank range. But it`s the victim`s wife Andrea Sneiderman who once again takes center stage.

Andrea insists she was not cheating on her husband with the gunman. Did Andrea threaten a friend, Chayna Citron, after Citron testified that she felt Andrea was actually secretly having a sexual affair with the man who later shot her husband?

Now, this embrace in open court last week got Andrea kicked out of court. Andrea kissed and hugged her friend even though Chayna testified she thought Andrea was cheating with the defendant, Hemy Neuman.

Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Based on all the time you have known Andrea, based on your observations of her and her mannerisms, when she told you "no", did you believe her?

CHAYNA CITRON, FRIEND OF ANDREA SNEIDERMAN: No, but my heart really wanted to.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: The defense hopes to paint the defendant as a mentally-ill man. They admit he shot the husband but they insist, the defense does, that this guy was manipulated by Andrea so as evidence of Andrea`s cunning behavior, the defense wanted to call that Chayna, friend, back to the stand because Chayna says Andrea`s big kiss in the courtroom was a total act and that Andrea later threatened her outside of court.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Miss Citron said that Andrea Sneiderman escorted her and directed her to sit down on the bench outside of this courtroom and told her that she was no longer her friend because of what she had testified to. Miss Citron responded, "I had to tell the truth." Andrea Sneiderman responded, "Well, then I have to do what I have to do." Miss Citron considered that a veiled threat. It scared her.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Chayna was scared enough to call her kids` school and warned them about Andrea Sneiderman. Wow. With friends like that who needs enemies? As they say.

The big question though is why is the defense and the prosecution so obsessed with Andrea? She is not facing any charges in her husband`s death. So what are they trying to accomplish? What do you think? Call me, 1-877-JVM-SAYS.

Straight out to WSB radio reporter, Jon Lewis who was in court today. John, I got to ask you. Why do you think everybody is focused and obsessed with this woman who is not the defendant?

JON LEWIS, WSB RADIO REPORTER: Well, Jane, because from the very start, from the time that Hemy Neuman was arrested in this case and we found out that Hemy Neuman was Andrea`s friend and boss, and then later on that there was this allegation of an affair, the question has always been did she have a hand in it?

She had a $2 million life insurance policy on her husband. She was having an affair with her boss. She denied it over and over again. We have found out since the trial started she was fabricating stories to the police. She did not tell the police that she had gone to Colorado with her boss even though while she was at Colorado she asked a hotel to change her reservation from a room with two queen beds to a room with a bigger bed, a single bed.

All these different thing came up but the biggest thing about this -- the thing that`s been hanging over this trial because it`s not a question of whether Hemy Neuman pulled the trigger. We know that. He`s admitted to that. The question now is did Andrea Sneiderman know?

The most damning evidence came she testified that she did not find out her husband, Rusty, had been shot until she made it to the hospital. She said all she was told by the school was that there had been an accident involving her husband. Nobody -- she said this four times -- nobody would tell her what happened until she reached the emergency room. But three people, her best friend, her father-in-law, and a co-worker have all testified she called them long before she made it to it the hospital saying Rusty has been shot.

Yesterday an FBI agent who analyzed the cell phone data says she made those phone calls long before she made it to the Atlanta Medical Center. So the question now is how did she know her husband was shot before anybody told her, her husband was shot?

(CROSSTALK)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. But listen, first of all -- thank you for that great report, Jon, but I want to stress this woman you`re looking at here even if she did, which she denies having an affair with the gunman, she`s not facing any charges. So I just find it fascinating that everybody -- prosecutors, defense, everybody is focusing on her. What do you make of that?

MATT SEMINO, HUFFINGTON POST CONTRIBUTOR: Andrea is central to this case for the prosecution and the defense. For the prosecution to establish motive for Hemy Neuman that he was having this affair and he was acting out of -- he loved her so much that he wanted to kill her husband and then for the defense to show that she manipulated him. And then combining that with his fragile mental state, that created this crime and that`s why she`s so central.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. And of course, we don`t need to repeat the fragile mental state but we have to because it`s just so bizarre. It includes the defendant alleging that voices of Olivia Newton-John and Barry White, because he`s old school back in the `70s, told him to do whatever he did. He was hearing these delusions.

But the cops say this guy is absolutely not crazy. He knows exactly what he`s doing. Cell phone records prove Hemy Neuman was not at the office the morning of Rusty Sneiderman`s murder. He claims Andrea told him what happened.

Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NEUMAN: The first thing, the first thing I knew was when Andrea contacted me.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How did she do that? How did she contact you?

NEUMAN: She sent me a text and called me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Here are key facts, Lisa Bloom. Hemy Neuman rents a van, buys a disguise and even Googles "can cops trace a cell phone". It`s always the cover-up that gets folks. And, Lisa, although he initially denied having anything to do with this now -- oh, yes I did it, I shot him three times in the chest but it`s because I was manipulated by this woman and I`m hearing voices. Do you buy it?

LISA BLOOM, ATTORNEY, THEBLOOMFIRM.COM: You know, the women are always the ones that get blamed. And when you add to that that in a criminal trial the defendant always wants to have another villain in the courtroom. In the Casey Anthony case, for example, George Anthony was made to be the real villain in the case. She ended up becoming acquitted of the major charges against her.

I think that`s what`s going on here. You know, let`s pile on Andrea, the woman who has not been charged with anything, right? I mean what did she do supposedly? She said I`m going to do what I`m going to do. That`s considered to be a threat? That`s not a threat in the eyes of a law. I mean you need a little bit more than that.

So I`m not buying all of this negative smear campaign that`s being made against this wife. If the police don`t think it`s enough to charge her, then I`m not going to go after her either. I think this is just a campaign by the defense to try to distract.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: I agree with you, Lisa, in the sense that she`s kooky. I think we can all agree she`s a little kooky. That doesn`t mean that she`s done anything wrong just because she`s kooky. And we`ve reached out to her lawyer, by the way. Haven`t heard back but she and her lawyer are invited on our show any time.

Now, we have seen her very emotional on the stand. You remember this. This is famous now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SNEIDERMAN: They just said you need to come here so I dropped the phone and ran out of my office. I presumed it was Rusty. I don`t know whether they actually said. Maybe they said it has something to do with Rusty.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did they at any time tell what you had happened to Rusty?

SNEIDERMAN: Nope.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Nope. Now, who knows how we would behave under these circumstances.

Want to go out to the phone lines.

Denise, Georgia, quick question or thought, Denise?

DENISE, GEORGIA (via telephone): Hi, Jane. It`s good to talk to you. What I want to know is how did Hemy Neuman know which day care the Sneidermans use? Who told him that Rusty would be dropping his son off at that particular day care on that day, that hour? I feel certain that Andrea was the mastermind behind this. 1,400 cell calls between her and Hemy; that`s more than just a casual relationship.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Dr. Brian Russell, do you want to take it?

BRIAN RUSSELL, FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGIST: You know, I think that again we`ve got smart HLN viewers and I`ve wondered about that myself. I think the insanity defense is bogus for all kinds of obvious reasons that I can tell you. You know, you have to -- we have to keep in mind as you said, Jane, that she`s not charged with anything right now.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. And please come on, Andrea. I have a couple questions I would love to ask you. You are invited on any time.

Next we`re going on an adventure. I`m taking you inside my apartment. You`re invited to a party -- lots of gifts. Nobody spent a penny. I`m going to show you how you could do this in your home.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: I`m a sugar addict. I cannot eat regular sugar because I eat too much of it so I`m always trying to come up with these healthy alternatives.

This is what I do with a blender. You can do it too. I take dates, right, and then I put in some strawberries. And then I put in a banana. Then I put in some shredded coconut. Then I put in some soy milk. Or you can also do coconut milk, whatever. And I add some Stevia which is natural 50 times sweeter than sugar, has no calories and does not affect your glycemic index. And I put it all in the blender.

Look at that. It`s fabulous. Totally healthy, totally wonderful and delicious, sweet but it`s not bad for you.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was sad, overwhelmed. I felt very bad if anything had happened.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Heart-wrenching cyber-bullying case.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Allegedly he posted this Facebook message just before he took his life, quote, "Jumping off the GW Bridge. Sorry," end quote.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Clementi`s suicide brought national attention to a campaign against bullying.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Rutgers student Dharun Ravi is accused of using a webcam to broadcast his roommate`s encounter with another man.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ravi is now on trial facing 15 charges including hate crimes and invasion of privacy.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just was overwhelmed with emotions of sadness and I just felt so bad for what happened.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Tomorrow a huge day in the Rutgers cyber-spying trial. The secret lover will take the stand. His identity protected but his testimony key. Tyler Clementi, 18 years old, starting college when he jumps to his death from the George Washington Bridge after his roommate allegedly secretly recorded his sexual encounter with another man who will testify tomorrow.

But today, new facts emerge in court. Before his death Tyler filed a formal complaint accusing his roommate of spying.

Listen to this e-mail he sent his dorm supervisor.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: "I feel that my privacy has been violated and I`m extremely uncomfortable sharing a room with someone who would act in this manner."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: This case bringing a lot of people out of the woodwork saying we`re being targeted too. A lesbian couple in Phoenix says they were kicked out of a fancy restaurant on their anniversary after sharing a quick kiss. Where does it end people, if you`re targeted because of your real or perceived sexual orientation? What`s next? Discrimination based on your hairstyle, your accent, what you`re ordering for dinner or what you`re wearing?

Joining me tonight, Kenyata and Aeimee, who were shown the door, they say on their anniversary. Thanks for being here, both of you. Kenyata, let me start with you. Tell us, what happened at this restaurant.

KENYATA WHITE, REMOVED FROM RESTAURANT FOR KISSING GIRLFRIEND: Yes, we went there for our anniversary and we were just kind of reminiscing about things and how we had met. That`s where we first met. That`s why we decided to go there. And we were just reminiscing about everything and we sat down in our favorite -- the place where we sat down when we met that night. And they are kind of high booths.

So Aeimee had sat down. And I was standing in front of her just giving her a hug. I gave her a hug and we were just kind of laughing and talking and then we exchanged a very innocent peck on the lips kiss and continued hugging and talking.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Give us an illustration of the kiss. What kiss did you give?

WHITE: This was the kiss.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: And for that -- and then what happened?

WHITE: And then we just continued talking and not even a minute later the management came over and his first words were "You two need to get a room." We looked at him very puzzled and we asked why? He said that our behavior was inappropriate and it wasn`t welcome here and that we need to leave. We kept, continually asking him what did we do wrong? He said "Well, there are thousands of rooms here, why don`t you two go get one?"

It was very devastating. We had no idea what he was talking about. He did not answer our question when we asked him what he was talking about. He just continued to tell us that we weren`t welcome and that we need to get a room. And I got very --

(CROSSTALK)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: The restaurant in Phoenix is the District Kitchen in downtown Sheraton Hotel. They`ve come under fire. This is what they told us in a statement. "We embrace diversity and are proud supporters of the LGBT community. We apologize that this incident ever happened. We are taking this very serious and had the opportunity to meet with the couple yesterday. Together we`ve identified opportunities in which both parties can unite and work together to foster diversity awareness."

Aeimee, does that satisfy you?

AEIMEE DIAZ, REMOVED FROM RESTAURANT FOR KISSING GIRLFRIEND: Not really. I definitely feel like there needs to be a lot more action. And that`s one of the things that they did mention is that they want to move forward in taking action. One of the things that we talked about was doing some sensitive training.

It`s going to -- we`re going to need a lot more than that. It takes a lot more to change the thoughts, the perception of people`s belief systems of how someone may be according to race, or their gender or their sexual orientation. I really think it`s going to take -- it`s just one step toward it, though.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Kenyata -- how did it make you feel, Kenyata?

WHITE: It was very devastating and I was very frustrated and when I get that way, I get really emotional. I started crying because I was in my moment with my companion and he just ruined it. And he didn`t tell us why. So it was very heart-wrenching. I started crying. I didn`t know what else -- I just started crying and I had to leave and go sit in the lobby. And Aeimee wouldn`t talk to him privately actually.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, I want to thank you ladies for coming forward and sharing your story. And I appreciate it. I know it takes courage because it`s tough to talk about unpleasant experiences and I wish you both the very best.

Happy anniversary.

DIAZ: Thank you Jane.

WHITE: Thank you.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Don`t go anywhere. The "Laugh Break" in one minute.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: You`re coming to my party in a minute. But first, you have to check this beagle out. He faces of against the leaf blower.

It is our "Laugh Break".

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(DOG PLAYING WITH LEAF BLOWER)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Hey, I`m having a party and guess what, you`re invited. And this is a great way to party and hang out with friends, get gifts, new clothes and you don`t have to spend one single penny. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: How are you darling? It`s so good to see you.

Come on in. Hi, hi, hi. The no-shop swap -- it`s good to see you darling. We have one more, one more. Hey. What did you bring?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Go through your closet and realize I haven`t worn this in x amount of times. Here are some lovely dessert glasses.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have kind of a thing for non-leather purses.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Skirts. This is for the plane. It was too big for me. Don`t like it, don`t need it -- trying to give it away to someone who might be able to use it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Some lucky person can have these.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: I love them. We`ve all gone through those tired holidays and the birthdays and the anniversaries. We`re so tired of it. How do we make it different? How do we reduce our consumption and how do we save money? There is a way to combine all of that and it`s the no-shop swap. Let the games begin.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s brilliant. Not just better for the planet. It`s better for your wallets. You`re greening the planet and you`re greening your wallet. I think it`s brilliant.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s just a good excuse to clean out my closet and actually give the clothes to a better cause and to whoever needs it more. And it`s just way to just out with the old and in with the new.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I go to these every once in a while and I think it`s fabulous. If you`re a shopaholic, you now can be a swapaholic. That`s my new phrase. Swap till you drop.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Swap till you drop. I love it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: One girl`s junk is another girl`s treasure.

Cable knit sweater, (INAUDIBLE) cream. It has matching corduroy pants.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is a jewelry box. You can put a picture in and it is --

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Oh.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you want that?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I love containers. It is a linen jacket. I got this made in Vietnam. So if anybody wants this.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What size?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I got these in Brazil. Melissa plastic shoes -- they`re great for the beach.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: These are vegan.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A little black jean jacket.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You like green.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I thought it was so cool. I got it at H & M but it doesn`t hang on me right.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That`s really cute.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So vegetarian. Very nice. There`s Marissa.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This one is a re-swap. This is a classic re- swap because it still has the tag. But it`s a good color, a very good color.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just for fun, I have two red bridesmaids` dresses.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You and you.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So how many items? About three? How many items did you get?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I got one, two, three.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think you should do it. Let`s not consume so much and, you know, try to recycle a little bit more.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: How did everybody like the swap? What do you think? Yes? Don`t stop. Keep on swapping. It`s the way to go. We`re going to do it all across America.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: We want to start a new movement. We want to start a consumer trend or maybe trend away from being a consumer.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What`s great is you get out of your comfort circle. You can get clothes that normally might not be your style. You can try them out because it is free, no risks, right? So it`s a lot of fun.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it`s a great idea. I think everybody is wonderful. We get to learn a little bit about each other, especially your clothing, what you like, your size, all the intimate details. And it`s been great. So happy shopping.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Swapping.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: That last participant was my niece. I know you`re watching. These parties -- such a fun way to get rid of your old stuff and find gifts for friends and family, plan for the holidays. Instead of heading to the mall and spending cash on a new sweater, tell your friends, clean out your closets and come over and let`s have a no shop swap party.

I`m talking about this on Facebook coming up next.

Nancy, next.

END