Greta Van Susteren's Coverage
Not only has Greta taken cameras into the Anthony home, as well as their backyard, along with interviewing George and Cindy Anthony repeatedly, but last night she had even more scoop: an interview with Tony the boyfriend's roommate, who was the DJ on the night that the "hot body" photos were taken, as well as being there when Casey and Tony met -- and living in the apartment, witnessing Casey being there, both before and after Caylee went missing.
From Tony the boyfriend's roommate, Greta got:
- confirmation thru live interviews that Casey was telling Cindy that Caylee was with the nanny, at the same time she was telling Tony and his roommate that Caylee was with her grandparents, Cindy and George;
- confirmation that Casey met Tony through Facebook, and that their relationship started around the last week of May;
- confirmation that Casey left around 8:30 am each morning, telling Tony and his roommate she was going to work (just as she was telling her grandparents she was going to work); and
- confirmation that after the last weekend in May, or the first week of June at the latest, Caylee was not seen by Tony's roommate at the apartment.
Nancy Grace's Coverage
Meanwhile, over on Nancy Grace, the big interview last night was with psychic Gail St. John (another interview was with St. John's assistant) which gave us absolutely nothing new. I must admit, thought, that the cadaver dog was very cute, and had the best personality of all the psychic team members.
Nancy Grace and the Melinda Duckett Missing Tot Case - has Nancy been reined in?
Granted, Nancy Grace may be gunshy - or maybe the CNN legal team has set some clear show boundaries, given that she's being sued for her aggressive questioning of the mother of another missing tot, who committed suicide shortly after the interview.
Just like Casey Anthony, Melinda Duckett was the only "person of interest" regarding her missing son, Trenton. Trenton is still missing today.
Melinda was questioned on videotape by Nancy Grace, who vigorously questioned Melinda on why she didn't take a lie detector test, and why she was so vague in her answers to questions regarding Trenton's location. (One can only imagine how a similar interview would go between Nancy Grace and Casey Anthony.)
After her interview with Nancy Grace, but before the show aired on TV, Melinda Duckett committed suicide.
The Duckett family is suing Nancy Grace and CNN for the wrongful death of Melinda, as well as for their own allegedly severe emotional distress as well as media and public harassment after CNN and Nancy Grace aired the interview after Melinda's death.
Just this month, the judge okayed the case to go forward, denying CNN/Nancy Grace's motion to dismiss the lawsuit on the grounds that it would "severely chill" media coverage of stories involving similar missing children (or missing persons).
Interestingly, the Duckett lawsuit is filed in a federal district court in Florida, the same state in which the Anthony investigation is taking place. If another Florida family were to file a similar suit, they would be under the same state and federal circuit jurisdiction.
So, has Nancy Grace been "chilled" by the pending litigation? It's something to ponder ... though (ahem) I'm no psychic.
Don't get me wrong, though -- there's nothing I'd like better that to watch Nancy Grace interview Casey Anthony.
I'm just thinking that while the Jenny Jones show had its $25,000,000 verdict reversed on appeal, litigation is very expensive in time and money, and while television shows need to be responsible, the argument that their coverage can be "chilled" by even the possibility of being sued is also something valid.