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JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL

Principal Alleged to Have Held Drug Parties

Aired July 11, 2012 - 19:00   ET

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


UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right. I want to bring in Jane Velez- Mitchell. And Jane, what do you think about all this attention people are now paying to all these sharks and seals and what might be going on with sharks actually feeding on those seals at the shore?

JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HOST: Well, I applaud the captain you`ve been speaking to, because he obviously has a respect for these animals and agrees with me that we shouldn`t demonize these creatures. These are nature`s creatures, and the water belongs to them. That is their natural habitat.

And so the idea that we demonize them and we create a wave of hysteria every time one is spotted. Let the people get out of the water when a shark is seen, and it will pass. The fact is that tens of millions, and some say it`s up to 100 million, sharks are decimated by human -- human beings every year. The shark population is plummeting. It`s upsetting the ecosystem. It is really and truly, Ryan, a crisis, and all for something as ridiculous as shark fin soup...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: ... where they slice off the shark`s fin and let the animal writhe to death in the water. That should be our real concern.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now, Jane, let me ask you this. I would have thought that you would have been a little upset that people are buying all these tour passes to try to see sharks attack seals. You don`t have a problem with that?

VELEZ-MITCHELL: My biggest problem is the over-fishing and the numbers of sharks that are being decimated by the fisherman who are going after sharks for shark fin soup, which is being banned, by the way. There`s a movement to ban shark fin soup around the world. And we actually did a story on it on my show, because there`s no taste to the fin, and it can easily be replicated with another substance.

And so that`s my real concern. All of this is a side issue. But I think the big point, Ryan and Isha, is that we must respect these. These are God`s creatures. And they are put here. They have a place in our ecosystem. And we need to show compassion.

And we begin tonight with a deeply disturbing story out of Florida. An elementary school principal accused of betraying the very trust of every parent and student in his entire school, the whole community.

He allegedly hosted drug and alcohol parties during school hours, sometimes even on school grounds.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VELEZ-MITCHELL (voice-over): Tonight shock leads to outrage as an elementary-school principal is arrested after cops say they found a stash of meth, Ecstasy and a date rape drug in his home. Is this just the tip of the iceberg?

Co-workers accuse this man of throwing wild parties with drugs and alcohol in the very school where young kids attend. Who was watching these kids? I`m taking your calls.

Plus, was this Florida bride-to-be living a double life? Cops arrest a 32-year-old mother of three who was just weeks away from tying the knot and accuse her of having sex with a 14-year-old boy in a park bathroom. We`re investigating.

And beauty queen gone rogue? Cops charge a former Miss New Hampshire with assault again. This time police say the brunette stunner flew into a rage, fighting, kicking her boyfriend, all on the heels of another assault case involving a different boyfriend. Is female-on-male domestic abuse a growing problem?

Plus, as the world grieves the killing of innocent Lennox just because he looked like a pit bull, outrage grows from his death, a movement to protect all dogs, no matter what they look like.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This video shows former principal David Groover`s DUI arrest.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why was this man still leading a school in this district?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, that would be a question to ask.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Complaints against the former leader of Partin Settlement Elementary date back to 2005: harassment, office parties and teachers doing drugs and drinking on campus.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, without the political clout that his family had in the community, there wouldn`t anything come of it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He was ordered to sensitivity training and stayed on the job. Two weeks later he was arrested when undercover agents say they found meth and the drug GHB in his home.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hey, we`ve made some mistakes.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Tonight outrage as an elementary school principal is accused of hosting wild drug parties on school grounds. We`re talking about an elementary school here, during school hours. That`s right, with kids around. That`s what`s being alleged right now in Florida.

Good evening. I`m Jane Velez-Mitchell coming to you live.

Cops arrested this man, Principal David Groover, and say he gave drugs to an undercover officer who was at his home as part of an elaborate sting operation that cops launched after complaints alleging drug use at his house.

Look at the list of what cops say they found. He was charged with possession of meth and possession of GHB, the so-called date-rape drug, also known as liquid Ecstasy, plus marijuana and even steroids.

And this is not the first time Principal Groover -- well, he`s now resigned, but then Principal Groover`s gotten in trouble with the law. Three years ago -- take a look at this video -- he was arrested for DUI, but he was reportedly acquitted.

However, there`s still more trouble. According to our Florida affiliate, WFTV, complaints filed against Principal Groover claim that he held office parties during school hours and that staff are allowed to do drugs and have alcohol on campus.

And a former nurse claims she saw him yell at a kindergartener, claiming he slapped his hand on her mouth to stop the child from crying.

And there`s even more. This school board member is outraged.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why was this man still leading a school in this district?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, that would be a question to ask Mr. Andrews.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you fear these mistakes could have put these children in jeopardy?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Possibly.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Excellent questions. How did this man become and remain a principal? What are your thoughts? Call me: 1-877-JVM-SAYS, 1- 877-586-7297.

This 43-year-old principal deals with young kids. We`re talking kindergarteners through fifth grade. And he`s charged with delivery of meth and GHB, which is also known as liquid Ecstasy and date rape drug.

Straight out to Florida prosecutor Stacey Honowitz.

Stacey, in legal terms, what does it mean when cops charge this principal, as they did, with delivery of these hard drugs?

STACEY HONOWITZ, FLORIDA PROSECUTOR: He`s looking at a minimum mandatory under Florida law. Certainly, I think the question you pose in the beginning is unbelievable. I mean, that`s the truth. And why was he still there? Who was the one that told on him? Who knew that this was going on for so long? And why did it take so long for this undercover operation to take place?

Those are the questions that really need to be answered and whether or not he really has it in with somebody on the school board. Because under any other circumstances, a principal with any of these things behind him would have been removed.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, incredibly, we`re just getting started. These complaints are hardly the first level against this now former Principal Groover. Yes, he did resign.

Let`s take a look at what WFTV, our affiliate, is telling us. In 2005 a teacher accused him of making sexually-charged comments at school. In 2008, Groover was accused of harassment and nicknaming an employee "the Nazi." And the year after that he was arrested for DUI.

Now, he was acquitted of that DUI charge, but we asked the school board why none of the above seemed to impact his status as an elementary school principal. And this is what they said, quote, "That was dealt with from an HR standpoint when it happened several years ago. The recent investigation does not include the past DUI."

All right, we tried to reach former Principal Groover and did not reach him. We could not find any attorney connected with him. He is welcomed or his attorney is welcome on our show any time at all. We want to be fair. There`s always a couple sides to the story. We`d love to hear it.

But here`s my question, and I want to take it out to retired Florida judge Larry Seidlin who, of course, is famous for presiding over the Anna Nicole Smith death trial.

Judge Seidlin, there you are at the bench at one of the most famous court hearings in recent time in Florida. This man has a history of complaints against him dating back seven years. How was he allowed to be supervising children aging 6 through 10 for so long?

LARRY SEIDLIN, RETIRED JUDGE: He shouldn`t be supervising children. He should be a role model for the teachers and the students.

But politics enters every system. It permeates every government structure. And this guy -- I`ve been making my calls -- this guy has some family influence in his area. And he was able to hold onto his job.

Because when you look at his background, he has a pattern of being bizarre and violating the law. This guy will never get a job in another school system. And he`s going to be facing some jail time in this matter.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, only one of the school-board members is speaking out against Principal Groover. And she says she went to the man who was superintendent at the time with concerns. And listen to what she says he told her.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: His response was, well, without all the political clout that his family had in the community, that there wouldn`t anything come of it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. She claims he`s got a relative with ties to the county. And we have no independent confirmation of that.

But if it were true -- if, if, if it were true -- you`ve got to wonder if that could in any way account for what she says is an appalling lack of oversight.

I want to throw it out to Levi Page, Internet radio host of "The Levi Page Show."

LEVI PAGE, INTERNET RADIO HOST: Yes, I mean, that`s an interesting point, Jane. This guy had some political clout in the community, and that may be why he was allegedly able to get away with all of these.

I mean, this -- the fact that he was allowing, according to employees that had worked for him, other employees to do drugs in their car, to come into the school and have parties and drink alcohol on campus.

The fact that there was a kindergarten girl that was in the nurse`s office, and she was crying because she had gotten hurt. And apparently, that had upset Groover, this 43-year-old former principal. He came in there and screamed and harassed and berated this kindergarten girl, put his hand over her mouth, slapped it over her mouth and said, "We don`t act this way in school." That was a kindergartner who was hurt at the nurse`s office.

That nurse filed a complaint against him. And what happened? He was sent to sensitivity training. That sensitivity training didn`t work, because he continued his bad behavior. And he`s now facing a buttload of drug charges, and he`ll probably be going away for a very long time if he`s convicted.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: I mean, come on, look at the drugs that he is charged with possessing. We`re talking several types of drugs. All right, marijuana. But meth, GHB? GHB is known as liquid Ecstasy. OK? It`s also known as a date rape drug.

And then there`s meth. You know this, "Faces of Meth," have you ever seen this? It`s fascinating. Every drug has consequences, but meth is one of the drugs that has the most consequences. And this shows you the transition that occurs when somebody starts doing methamphetamine. They go from looking somewhat normal to having these pockmarks on their face. All sorts of bizarre like -- just like they`re picking at their face, they`re picking at their hair, their teeth. There`s something called meth mouth.

I want to go to Howard Samuels, founder and CEO of the Hills Treatment Center. You`re an addiction specialist. Does it shock you that a principal of an elementary school is arrested in connection with possession and delivery of meth and GHB?

HOWARD SAMUELS, ADDICTION SPECIALIST: Jane, unfortunately, it does not shock me. I have treated police officers, school teachers, priests and rabbis. As you know, addiction is an epidemic that is throughout our whole country. For this to happen to a principal does not shock me. Maybe that`s the sad thing, because that`s the state of where our country`s at.

But what shocks me are the people that enabled this principal to continue in this job. For him to do what he did to a kindergartener about sensitivity training, for him to be supported by other members of the school board is outrageous.

But as you know, Jane, in your own book, this is addict nation. That`s what`s sad. .

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: These are the faces of meth. You can see the effects of this very hard drug. It`s so dangerous.

And now we`re learning that an elementary school principal in Florida, after an undercover sting operation by cops, has been arrested on possession and delivery allegedly of methamphetamine along with GHB, also known as liquid Ecstasy, which can also be used as a date-rape drug.

But I`ve got to go back to Howard Samuels, addiction specialist. This guy doesn`t have a face of meth. He has a very clean-cut face.

SAMUELS: Well, Jane, I mean, what that means is that he`s not smoking it on a daily basis. I mean, he`s using it. But, you know, he`s been able to be high-functioning.

There`s a lot of high-functioning addicts out there who will use it on weekends, and he`ll smoke weed during the week or probably something along those -- that line. But it`s the high-functioning addicts that, you know, that we`re seeing with this individual.

Now, the pictures of the other people you showed, those are meth addicts that use it on a daily basis. And that`s where all that comes from over a long period of time.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: You know, we got completely stonewalled by everybody who seems to know this principal. I mean, nobody would come on our show. We spent all day, all of our producers. Please, somebody come on and talk. Somebody who wants to defend him, fine. We could not get anybody to talk about him. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The district needs to own up to the fact that, hey, we`ve made some mistakes. And we`re going to do everything within our power to rectify those mistakes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: WFTV, a Florida affiliate, says that among the complaints made were that two staff members were known to do drugs in their car and bring booze into the office.

Now, again, I`m not there. I have no idea if this is true, but Levi Page, do you think there should be some kind of independent investigation, given the fact that one school board member says, oh, he`s got connections, powerful connections. A relative of his has some kind of connection to the county.

Do you think there should be an independent investigation into this school, into this entire district, put people under oath and find out what they saw, what they did?

PAGE: Absolutely because people that are working with children that range from ages 5 to 10 should not be doing drugs in their vehicle on school property and should not be having alcohol-fueled parties on school property around 5-, 6-, 7-, 8-, 9- and 10-year-olds.

So if those rumors or allegations are true -- if there`s any truth to it that this guy has political clout, and there were people covering up for him, which may be true because earlier reports said that there was no -- nothing on his record. And now we`re hearing about him calling a bookkeeper a Nazi, putting his hand over the mouth and berating a 5-year- old kindergarten girl.

I mean, something needs to be done here. And I think an independent investigation would be useful.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: I`m calling for one right now.

Let`s go out to the phone lines. Christian, Ohio, your question or thought, Christian?

CALLER: My question is, I do think the school principal should lose his license of school teaching of any kind of school.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, yes, it`s beyond that.

Stacey Honowitz, Florida prosecutor, this is the shocking part. This is one of the biggest shockers of all this, and that is when he was first arrested, a spokesperson for the Osceola public school system said that this disgraced principal was going to be reassigned, reassigned to a position that does not involve contact with students.

Now, that changed. The school board told us upon his arrest, "Mr. Groover resigned from the district. At this point a law enforcement investigation is underway."

So he quit. But can you imagine that the school board originally planned to simply reassign him?

HONOWITZ: Yes, I can absolutely believe that. And I`ll tell you why.

Based on the prior behavior, they let all of this go, and evidently he`s got some political clout. So I`m not shocked about that. I`m not shocked about them trying to reassign him.

It`s really the parents that need to be up in arms. And they should call for this independent investigation, because they couldn`t allow their kids to be in a school with somebody that runs a school with his background.

So there will be an independent investigation. The school board should come forward, because it looks worse that they`re trying to cover something up and not coming forward and saying a mistake was made.

So you`re going to see a lot of this in the news. You`re going to see a lot of it happening. And when he`s convicted, he of course is, for your caller`s purpose, he will lose his license. He will not be able to be around children.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This video shows former Principal David Groover`s DUI arrest.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why was this man still leading a school in this district?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, that would be a question to ask.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Complaints against the former leader or Partin Settlement Elementary date back to 2005: harassment, office parties and teachers doing drugs and drinking on campus.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, with all the political clout that his family had in the community, there wouldn`t anything come of it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He was ordered to sensitivity training and stayed on the job. Two weeks later he was arrested when undercover agents say they found meth and the drug GHB in his home.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hey, we`ve made some mistakes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: I would say so. This guy has a history of trouble. He has since resigned, but they were planning only to originally -- oh, we`re going to put him somewhere where he`s not going to be in contact with students. Are you kidding me? After the affidavit says that this principal allegedly took out a baby bottle with a liquid he said was "G," the street name for GHB, and told, allegedly, an undercover cop, "Well, I`m also going to take out a glass pipe." And he says, "Oh, yes, I`ve got some tina, which is short for methamphetamine."

So he knows all the lingo, according to cops, who basically conducted an undercover sting operation and got into his house and were talking to him and dealing with him, allegedly with all these drugs: methamphetamine, GHB, liquid Ecstasy it`s also known as. And also a glass pipe and rolling paper and the list goes on and on.

Out to the phone lines. Amy, Florida, your question or thought, Amy.

CALLER: Yes, I want to know who`s responsible for hiring this guy? And are there any consequences for the person who hired him?

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, that`s an interesting question. Levi Page, my understanding is he has a very long history with this school district. And he worked his way up from the ground up.

He had started in a very lowly position and seemed to rise. He was hired by the school district in 1992 as a substitute teacher and worked his way up the ranks, becoming principal in 2006. So he`s been principal for quite a few years now.

PAGE: Yes. He started in 1992. He was a substitute teacher. He also was a social studies teacher. He became the dean. Then he became the principal. I think he worked at more than one school in this area.

And the person that hired him would be the superintendent of the school system there in Kissimmee, Florida. So that would be who parents in that area need to contact to find out what`s going on here. Because earlier we heard this guy had no disciplinary record at the school. Then we hear that employee after employee filing complaints against him including a nurse who took her child out of the school and quit working at the school. Nothing was done.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Howard Samuels, addiction specialist, what does it tell you that cops say this guy was using all sorts of drug lingo, talking about methamphetamine as tina, talking about GHB, which he had in a baby bottle allegedly -- a baby bottle as "G," what does that tell you?

SAMUELS: Well, it tells me he has a history. He`s definitely an addict. He definitely is not a newcomer to the drug scene. He definitely has been in it. He knows the lingo. He knows how to talk about it. He even has all the drugs that sort of fit his particular personality.

He`s an addict. There`s no question. Based on all the information.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, again, we always -- there are many sides to a story. I`d like to hear from him. I don`t want to convict him. He`s been arrested. He`s been charged. And now he has to face justice.

But I will that say, yes, Howard, I did where about this in my book "Addict Nation." There is a stereotype of what a drug user and a drug addict looks like. And that stereotype, throw it out the window. They look like me and you and the guy down the street and the principal. That`s the dilemma, is that we never know what is lurking behind an expression. It could be drug addiction.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The beauty queen making her way to this Highland Park courtroom dealing with charges stemming from her DUI arrest last year.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Tara, are the allegations true?

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Apparently some were, admits tearful Miss USA.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I want to apologize to my family if I put any disgrace upon you. I wouldn`t say that I`m an alcoholic.

DONALD TRUMP, REAL-ESTATE MOGUL: She`s agreed to go into rehab.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: And tonight some new beauty queens in trouble. Tonight a former Miss USA contestant is now being called a savage beauty after she was arrested for a second time for allegedly beating up a boyfriend.

Now, here is 26-year-old Nicole Hood`s mug shot. Hmm. Somewhat less than runway ready in that photo.

Cops say back in April the former Miss New Hampshire punched, kicked, scratched and bit her boyfriend during an argument when he accused her of cheating. Well, now she`s allegedly attacked a different man. Her ex claims it`s the very guy he`d accused her of having an affair with. Wow. Did you get all that? Get your note cards out. You`re watching -- well, about to. The moment Nicole won the Miss New Hampshire Pageant back in 2010. This video courtesy of Blackwater Video productions.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What remains is the name of the winner. Did you get all that? The other two young women are finalists. Miss New Hampshire, USA, 2010, Nicole Houde.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: The win gave Houde a shot at the Miss USA title. We found some video from the Miss USA pageant where she is asked about relationships. Listen to her answer carefully.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NICOLE HOUDE, 2010 MISS NEW HAMPSHIRE: Well, I think it`s -- I don`t know, probably if you`ve been dating someone for maybe three or four months, whenever you really feel like you love the person I think and you`re with them and you only hang out with them intimately, then might as well make it official.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Make it official.

Ok. Here`s a Facebook photo of Houde on some faraway beach. Her ex- boyfriend told RadarOnline that Houde has a temper and he says, especially when she`s been drinking. Now, we have no independent knowledge of that.

We reached out to her for comment. We have not heard back. We would love to have Miss Houde on our show any time and really get her perspective on this whole thing. Nicole Houde certainly is not the first beauty pageant to run amuck or go rogue or however you want to describe it.

So does America have unfair expectations for these runway beauties? Is the limelight simply too much to handle? What do you think? Give me a call. 1-877-JVM SAYS.

Straight out to Alexis Tereszcuk, entertainment reporter with radaronline.com; Alexis, what do you know?

ALEXIS TERESZCUK, ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER, RADARONLINE.COM: What we know is this is the second time within two months that Nicole has been arrested. She was -- the first time it was her boyfriend who called the police.

Here`s the thing. It wasn`t just that she started hitting him. She claims they were in a fight. He was accusing her of cheating. He would not give her back her cell phone. So the only way that she said she could get it was by hitting him, clawing at him, he was holding it away from her. So she went crazy on him. She grabbed it and that`s when he called the police. He says she was cheating on her.

Well, this guy that she was allegedly cheating on him with has been her boyfriend since then -- just about two months -- they get in a fight apparently. He says that she`d been drinking again and she basically did the same thing -- just unleashed her fury on him.

So it`s a really sad pattern with her.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: yes. And you know, alcohol and acting out in this manner is certainly not uncommon. And I say that as a recovering alcoholic with 17 years of sobriety. Everybody who watches this show regularly knows that.

And I don`t say it to repeat it over and over but I have done thing that I would say are incredibly embarrassing back when I was in my disease. And sometimes I was in a blackout. I didn`t even know what I was doing.

Thank God I never hurt anybody but what I`m saying is you lose control. You`re not in charge. And that is part of the problem with alcohol especially if you can`t drink it moderately. I`m not saying she`s an alcoholic. I`m saying I am and I can relate.

I`m not here to pass judgment. I`m expressing compassion for somebody who might be struggling with that.

Here`s a glimpse at Nicole Houde at the 2010 Miss USA pageant in the swim suit competition. We found this one on YouTube.

The path to Miss USA was unconventional for Nicole Houde. After getting laid off this 24-year-old decided to give pageants a try; one door closed and another opened for New Hampshire.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: I mean, look at her. She is a beautiful young woman with a fabulous body. Very feminine.

But Stacey Honowitz, you`re a former sex crimes prosecutor, none of that has to do anything with violence. Violence really doesn`t know -- just like hate doesn`t really know any bounds.

STACEY HONOWITZ, FLORIDA PROSECUTOR (via telephone): Well, you`re correct, Jane. And we do see a lot. I`m still in the state attorney`s office -- I`m not former. But we still do see a lot of cases where there are female defendants that are violent.

Unfortunately you don`t have a lot of men that want to come forward because it`s almost an embarrassment that a woman is beating them up. It`s such an ego blow to them to have to come forward and say that they were physically abused. But we do see a lot of it. Violence has nothing to do with any of the other avenues that she`s involved in. If you`re violent, you`re violent. If you can`t control it, you can`t control it. In this case she obviously could not control it.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Nicole Houde was at the top of her game as she went into the Miss USA pageant. We found this from the Miss USA pageant on YouTube. Check this one out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HOUDE: It`s actually live your life because it motivates me, you know. Just live your life, oh. I can`t sing. I`m horrible at it. But just to motivate me and help me -- remind me to just live it up and have fun every day.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Now my dear friend, Roger Neal, my old buddy from L.A., you are a manager and publicist, you`ve worked in pageants since 1987. This young lady did not make it into the top ten -- certainly a disappointment. Now she`s working as a makeup artist and a pageant trainer for young women who are heading into the pageant world. Is that a letdown? I mean she was potentially a superstar and now she`s got this very down to earth job.

ROGER NEAL, MANAGER AND PUBLICIST: Well, you know Jane, after looking at her and seeing how great she looked in the swim suit and she was actually a very pretty lady, if she had connected with the right people, she could have had a career. And a lot of times what happens when these girls get to that level, they connect with the wrong people. And they go down the wrong path and the wrong road.

She needs some help for sure. And, you know, I think people need to be compassionate with her. But at the same time, these girls need to really be selective about who they allow in their life when they`re on the stage and have that limelight because that`s a pivotal moment for them in their life. You`re either going to go good or bad.

And on this one it seems like she made a little bad about it -- I hope she can get it together because if she really wanted a career, she possibly could have one.

And the other thing too, Jane, is that when they let these people in their lives and they do these silly things -- and a lot of times you have people saying, hey, get arrested, do something crazy so you`ll get in the news and it`ll make you famous.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Oh.

NEAL: But they don`t realize what it`s going to do to them when they do those crazy things. And it really happens that way sometimes.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. I mean nothing shocks me. But I mean, this is not the way you want to get your name in the paper or on television.

The winner of the 2010 Miss USA pageant has also -- she found herself in hot water too. She got caught drunk driving in Michigan. Check this out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RIMA FAKIH, FORMER MISS USA: You learn. You pay your price for making mistakes. And you move on.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Now, Rob Shuter, Naughty but Nice correspondent from Huff Po, Rima Fakih is now on six months probation for a drunk-driving case in Michigan. She pleaded no contest. The judge gave her six months probation.

The arrest came long after her pageant win. But I`m wondering, is there something about these pageants and the sudden glamour and fame and adulation and you`re so beautiful, gorgeous, you`re a perfect ten, and then see you around, sister.

ROB SHUTER, "HUFFINGTON POST": I think you`re really onto something here. I actually hosted Miss New York. I hosted one of these pageants. And a lot of the young ladies that I met, the most important thing in their lives was winning this pageant.

In fact, the only skill that they ever really learned or the skill that they valued the most was how to win these pageants. Not necessarily to be a good person or to be an educated person, but to look fabulous.

The problem with that is that these careers are over by the time you turn your late 20s. And then you have to live your life. And they`ve had very, very little preparation about how to do that. All they`ve been taught is how to win these pageants.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: And nobody feels sorry for them because they`re so cute. Beauty queens make headlines for so many different reasons. You remember this former Miss California lost her crown for making a political statement that, well, it provoked a lot of criticism.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CARRIE PREJEAN, FORMER MISS CALIFORNIA: I answered my question honestly and sincerely from my heart. I was very careful to articulate in saying that I did not want to offend anybody. And that this is how I was raised. And this is what I believe a marriage should be between one man and one woman.

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VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. And I criticized that one. But I got to say, the one that comes to mind when I think of pageant sticking your foot in your mouth is Miss Teen South Carolina 2007 who should have studied some geography. Sweetheart, love her, but this question, well, it went viral.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: People out there in our nation don`t have that. And I believe that our education like such as in South Africa and Iraq, everywhere like such as --

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VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. Look, I`m on television. I say dumb things. We all can. I really wish all of these women we`ve talked about the very best. And I hope that this lady here who is in trouble now with the law, you know, they say there`s no mess you can`t clean up. I do hope that nobody was seriously hurt and she can clean it up.

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VELEZ-MITCHELL: I don`t know about you, but I have a bad habit. It`s soda -- in my case, diet. But regular, diet, there is an alternative -- one that is cheaper, that`s healthier for you and also zero calories. It`s good old fashioned lemonade.

My recipe is Stevia lemonade. I cut up some lemons. I put them right there in the water -- good old-fashioned water, you can filter it if you want. And then I add my secret ingredient, Stevia -- you can do it in powder form or in liquid form, 50 times sweeter than sugar. It doesn`t upset your glycemic index. It`s all good. And guess what? It`s kind of old fashioned too. Want some lemonade?

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: According to Lakewood police, 32-year-old Destiny Witte had sex with a 14-year-old boy in the men`s bathroom.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think that`s horrible. I mean 32 and somebody`s child.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Authorities say the investigation started after the teen`s parents contacted police.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In a park? Oh, man. That`s messed up.

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VELEZ-MITCHELL: Tonight a disturbing story of sexual assault rocks a Florida community. Cops say this 32-year-old mother of three, Destiny Witte, allegedly had sex with a 14-year-old boy in a men`s bathroom in a public park.

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SGT. TERI SMITH, LAKEWOOD POLICE DEPT: We were notified by the parents of the victim who noticed some unusual behavior in the victim. Investigated it and the incident came to light.

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VELEZ-MITCHELL: The pair allegedly met at a social situation and flirted through texting for a whole week before the assault. Cops say witnesses came forward stating they saw Witte quote, "wearing provocative clothing and hugging the teen in a passionate manner and kissing the teen on the lips".

And here`s another twist. Cops say Witte was supposed to be getting married in two weeks. Could that be the reason? One of her long-time friends says she just hasn`t been acting right for weeks.

We tried to find an attorney for Witte and of course Destiny Witte or her lawyer or anybody who represents her welcome on this show any time.

Straight out to Stacey Honowitz. Boy, a lot to talk about today because you are a sex crimes prosecutor. This is a very serious allegation that cannot be brushed off because it involves a female suspect and a male victim. But so often I`ve argued even with lawyers who say, oh, it`s a boy. No, it doesn`t matter.

HONOWITZ: No. I mean you`re 100 percent right. Certainly that used to be the attitude a long time ago. It`s almost a rite of passage for a young boy to have sex with an older woman. We`ve glamorized it in Mrs. Robinson and all those other things.

I`m hoping now that the public is starting to see just how important and how criminal this act is. She`s looking at a lewd and lascivious battery charge if the state files charges. She`s looking at up to 15 years in prison depending upon how many times these acts took place.

And this is serious. Serious enough that a prosecutor has to make that decision that this person just because it`s a female has to go to prison just like a man would.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: How does this happen? Listen to a neighbor describe her reaction to the allegations.

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TREVON EVANS, NEIGHBOR: UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think that`s horrible. I mean 32 and somebody`s child? Hurt for the child, being sorry for the child. And the innocence, you know, just pure innocence being taken away from him. He didn`t even have a chance, you know, because he`s 14 and she`s a grown woman.

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VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. I want to bring in an addiction specialist because addiction isn`t just about drugs. Sometimes it could be sex or love addiction. Witte got a divorce earlier this year and now she`s allegedly getting ready to remarry and now this allegation of lewd activities with a 14-year-old boy.

Howard Samuels, sex and general addiction specialist, could she have some kind of sex or love addiction?

HOWARD SAMUELS, ADDICTION SPECIALIST: Well, without question, Jane. I mean, you have to understand addiction is about a need. You need something so badly that you will break the law. You`ll do whatever it takes to have that need fulfilled. Now, in this situation this fits that to a t.

I don`t really know her or have I assessed her, but just this act itself, doing it in a public restroom with a 14-year-old fits that "I need it so badly I`ll do anything to have it" scenario -- shocking and horrible for that 14-year-old.

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VELEZ-MITCHELL: We love your pet pictures. Keep them coming at Jane@hlntv.com. Here are some of the pets of the day.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A dog in Northern Ireland that has captivated the world`s attention.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: -- put to death just because he happens to look like a pit bull.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Euthanized after two years on death row.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: An innocent dog has been taken away from the family. Lennox is not a dangerous dog but he was taken from the family just because of the way he looked.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Never attacked anyone, he wasn`t aggressive. (inaudible) legislations everywhere -- now it`s coming to the U.S. as well.

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VELEZ-MITCHELL: This is why I`m an animal rights activist. This international crusade to save an innocent has now turned to global outrage over his death. Lennox the dog killed last night in Northern Ireland, not because he was dangerous; he had never bitten anyone. Lennox was killed because he simply resembled a Pit Bull, a breed banned by the UK`s Dangerous Dog Act.

After this innocent companion was ripped from its family, more than 200,000 people around the world signed a petition to save his life. It wasn`t enough. Ok.

He was killed. He was killed last night after we aired our broadcast, trying to save his life.

I want to go out to Victoria Stillwell, dog trainer, host of Animal Planet`s "It`s Me or the Dog". You went to Ireland to try to save his life. What was the emotion like as word came down that he was killed -- I don`t say put down, I say killed. I say actually, there`s another word for it. Victoria?

VICTORIA STILLWELL, HOST, ANIMAL PLANET: Murdered?

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes.

STILLWELL: I agree with you. In fact I have to say, what was most disgusting was that I was the one that gave the news to the family because I heard it on the media first. The Belfast City council didn`t even have the decency to call the family before the media and let them know that their dog was dead.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: You said it`s going to happen in America. What can we do to stop this trend?

STILLWELL: Well, it`s already happening in towns and cities and counties around the United States. And what we have to say is basically say, look, we understand there an issue with dangerous dogs, but we really have to punish the deed not the breed.

There are people -- their irresponsible owners need to be held accountable for their dog`s behavior. And so you know -- we have fantastic dogs of any breed that can be amazing dogs and any breed that can be dangerous. That`s what we have to focus on, not one particular breed.

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VELEZ-MITCHELL: Join us on our nightly adventure. We talked to Kathy Preston about getting lean. We talk to fitness expert Tom Holland about getting buff and shredded.

And tonight, the most important aspect of our adventure, the psychological relationship we have with food. In our continuing adventure to slim, let`s face it, we all have to eat but do we really think about why we are eating, if we`re even hungry.

Here to look at our psychological and emotional relationship with food is the one and only Judy Hollis, author of the bestseller, "Fat is a Family Affair" and the newly-released, "From Bagels to Buddha". Judy, I love your book, I love how you said we are as fat as we are dishonest.

Talk to our viewers about the connection between your emotion and eating?

JUDY HOLLIS, AUTHOR, "FAT IS A FAMILY AFFAIR": Well, people are not in touch with their emotions until they stop eating. I always tell people if you want to find out why you`re eating, don`t. Everyone has great philosophical ideas about it while they`re still stuffing their face. In fact I did that as a psychologist.

I could better explain why I was doing it. But there`s a physical addiction component to it. We suffer withdrawals, we have an early high tolerance and even after we`re off sugar and refined carbohydrates, we still have cravings to go back.

And those are watch words of any kind of addiction. People are self- medicating themselves; they`re lard, laden and sugar-coated. And in treatment programs, we try to get the people to see what the eating is about. But it`s very dangerous to not -- to still have a head full of all ideas and a belly full of excess food.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: So you`re saying when people have a craving, and they know, honestly I`m not hungry, but I`m still having a craving, sit through the feelings -- 10 seconds.

HOLLIS: Well, we ask people to write their feelings. I also send people to groups to like Overeaters Anonymous where they have another fellow sufferer they can to talk about it, and sometimes most compulsions last about 15 minutes.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Nancy next.

END