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JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL

Cliff Bride Pleads Guilty to Murder Two; Teens Arrested for `Ghost Party," Theft

Aired December 12, 2013 - 19:00:00   ET

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


JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HOST: Tonight the so-called "cliff bride" cuts a deal. Jordan Graham fesses up, admitting she shoved her husband of eight days off a steep cliff to his death. Now late this afternoon, right before closing arguments were set to begin, she suddenly pleaded guilty to murder two.

Good evening. I`m Jane Velez-Mitchell coming to you live. Now the question: What kind of punishment will this murderous lying newlywed get?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Jordan, did you kill Cody? Did you mean to push your husband off a cliff, Jordan?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A deal has just been struck in which she has agreed to plead guilty to murder two.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Jordan, what`s your defense?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And pushed him off a cliff.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want justice for Cody.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Jordan Graham is a calculating killer.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: To escape their eight-day-old marriage.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She admitted to pushing him off this cliff.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But a regretful bride planned to kill.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: In return for the killer bride`s plea deal, prosecutors dropped murder one that could have sent her to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

So what kind of sentence is she facing now? Well, it`s a huge range. The guidelines are very fluid. It could be anywhere from 19 years to life in prison. She`s going to be sentenced in March.

After uttering the word "guilty" in court, the judge asked Jordan to finally tell the truth about what really happened on that cliff. And Jordan said, quote, "I wasn`t thinking of where we were. It was a reckless act. I just pushed."

Here is my rant, people. This girl is still lying through her teeth, even after pleading guilty. I do not believe for one second that she wasn`t thinking. Quite the opposite. I believe she planned and plotted her husband Cody`s death, and then staged an elaborate cover-up.

On the very day he died Cody turned down invitations from friends, telling them, "Oh, my wife has a big surprise for me." I think Jordan lured her groom to the cliff`s edge to deliver that big surprise, a deadly shove off the cliff, 200 feet down. In my book, that`s first-degree. Premeditated murder. Given that, this woman got the deal of the century.

So do you think she got away with premeditated murder? Call me: 1- 877-JVM-SAYS, 1-877-586-7297.

Straight out to CNN correspondent Kyung Lah from Missoula, Montana. Kyung, you were in court for all the action. Tell us about the emotional reaction in court when this Jordan Graham, this bride, pled guilty to murder two.

KYUNG LAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, remember, this is quite the about face. Throughout the week, the attorneys, the defense attorneys had been arguing that she simply did not mean to do this, that this was an accident and that no one actually saw her doing this, that no one was there other than the bride and the groom. And so that was their point. That was what they kept arguing. But this is certainly an about face.

Everyone in the courtroom was simply surprised. It was unexpected. And so when that was announced, then Jordan Graham got up. She faced the judge, and then she said that single word, "guilty." And then you could feel the ripple through the courtroom, Jane. You saw her -- Cody`s mother. She was sitting right in front of me. She crumpled. A female relative sitting next to Cody`s mother, you know, dropped. She was listening to the judge through, like, a hearing device, dropped it and said, "She pled guilty." She was crying. Cody`s friends standing up and nodding in satisfaction, Jane, as she was cuffed and led away by U.S. marshals.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: So let me get this. You say there`s a very emotional reaction. Cody is the groom, the dead man. Was there approval of the deal or outrage, like "Oh my God! She got away with something"?

LAH: No, certainly what everyone felt, at least the friends that I was right near and his mother, it looked like there was palpable relief. They are very, very pleased. At least at the point that the decision was made inside that courtroom, they looked very relieved. They looked very satisfied.

And one of Cody`s friends, as he was walking out, we asked him, "Do you have anything to say?"

He says, "It`s in God`s hands now."

And so they certainly feel like this is at least closure in some measure.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, I`m glad they feel that way. I am not satisfied, however. I mean, this is -- it`s such a plot. It`s out of a bad movie.

Cops found what looked like a black cloth near Cody`s body. It has been described as a blindfold. A blindfold. Prosecutors suspect Jordan blindfolded her husband, and then said, "Hey, honey, I`ve got a big surprise for you. Hasta la vista, baby," 200 feet off the cliff to his death. If that`s true, that is premeditation right there.

Of course, the bride`s attorneys argue the blindfold theory wasn`t true, but Cody`s friends made up their minds.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want them to do the right thing. I want justice for Cody. He didn`t deserve whatever end she gave him. He never earned anything that Jordan did to him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Lisa Bloom, legal analyst, Avvo.com, is this justice, or did she essentially get away with something because she`s not found guilty of murder one, premeditated murder? She`s found guilty of murder two. She pleaded to murder two, which is precisely not premeditation.

LISA BLOOM, LEGAL ANALYST, AVVO.COM: Jane, you make a very powerful case for first-degree murder and for premeditation. And it`s not as though the state had to wait a long time to bring this thing to trial. They were already in trial. They were about to go into closing arguments. You know, why not let the jury decide? I find the timing especially very, very odd. I mean, what was it about this particular moment where all of a sudden the state said, "You know what? We`ve got to do a plea deal"?

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, I think it`s the Casey Anthony effect, frankly. And I`ll go to you, Sierra Elizabeth. You never know -- You`re an attorney. You never know what the outcome is going to be. This became a high-profile case. Just because it`s such a freaky story. The nation started listening to it. And that means that everybody`s careers are on the line.

And so these prosecutors know, even if they have an open and shut case, look at the Casey Anthony case. She walked. Why not go for something that`s, you know, a solid deal? You know she`s going to get time, as opposed to seeing her waltz out of there a free woman?

SIERRA ELIZABETH, ATTORNEY: Absolutely, Jane. I think that the defendant in this case is as disgusting, as we all do.

But this is a great result. Listen, the jurors get to go home to their families. It`s the holiday season. We have the courtroom open for other cases that need to be tried. And the family in this case is going to get justice. So I think this is a great result. Let`s get it over with. She was going to be found guilty.

And she still faces up to life in prison. So I agree totally with this result by the state.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, listen, Robi Ludwig, psychotherapist, boy, do we need you tonight. Let`s take a look at the wedding video.

According to friends, Jordan and Cody did not have sex before they got married. I guess you might say this is an argument for premarital sex. Cody told friends that, when they finally did have sex after they got married, it was awkward. OK.

You know what else is awkward? This first dance at the wedding. You`ve got to take a look at this. There`s something odd about the entire relationship. I don`t know. Is this -- it just doesn`t look -- it looks like something is off from the get-go.

Why on earth would you marry somebody that you don`t want to marry? And then why would you eight days later push them off a cliff? I mean, it makes the runaway bride look good.

ROBI LUDWIG, PSYCHOTHERAPIST: It absolutely does. And listen, we know that many people get married, not for quite the right reasons, and I wonder when I look at this woman, if she felt pressure somehow. Either pressure from society, culturally, from her family, that this was the next step that she needed to take. She needed to get married in order to have some kind of family approval or status. But she really didn`t want to be with this man and didn`t know how to get out of it.

It seems like this is a woman who really wanted her husband out of the way. And the only way he could really be out of the way and she gain acceptance is if he`s dead. And he was very young. So it didn`t look like he was dying naturally any time soon.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: It`s better to leave them at the altar than leave them at the bottom of a cliff.

LUDWIG: Absolutely.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: We`re just getting started. Phone calls coming in. More on the other side. And the song, the wedding song that will blow your mind.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Johnson plunged to his death off a steep cliff at Glacier National Park. Graham`s lawyers called the death an accident, says the couple was fighting on the cliff, Johnson grabbed her. She pushed, and he fell to his death.

The prosecutors have a different version. They say Graham wanted out of her marriage and plotted to kill her new husband.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Jordan, did you kill Cody? Did you mean to push your husband off a cliff, Jordan?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A deal has just been struck in which she has agreed to plead guilty to murder two.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And pushed him off a cliff.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want justice for Cody.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Jordan Graham is a calculated killer.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: To escape their eight-day-old marriage.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She admitted to pushing him off this cliff.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A regretful bride who planned to kill.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: You have a wedding. You get married. Then eight days later you push your husband off the cliff. It sounds crazy, but that`s not the craziest part of the story. The craziest part of the story is that a friend wrote a song for their wedding to be played at their wedding. You`ve got to listen very carefully to the lyrics, because it`s really creepy, given what happened eight days later.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

Everyone wants a safe place to fall. And you`re mine. You helped me to climb higher for a better view

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: I honestly don`t know what to say about that. That`s the freakiest, weirdest thing. That was the wedding song. And then she pushes him off a cliff.

KINSEY SCHOFIELD, BLOGGER: Exactly, and then everyone online in the comment sections are having a field day with not only this aspect of the story but the story in general. And they`re being much kinder now that she`s, you know, admitted to the crime. But before they were vile and vicious, and they were tormenting this obvious murderer online. But since -- since she has finally came out and said that she did it, people are being much kinder towards her but still calling her...

VELEZ-MITCHELL: What are they saying? Are they saying, like, "Oh, it`s OK, then. I`m glad you came clean." First of all, I don`t think she came clean. I don`t know if calling somebody out on murder is vicious. I think it`s sort of like...

SCHOFIELD: No, no, no, no. The word "kind" is the wrong word. I mean it`s gone from being, you know, verbally assaulting to just making fun of her. Everybody on is -- they`re calling her a pushover -- ba-dum-bum -- and things like that for taking the plea deal.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Oh, boy. OK. I see what you mean. Let`s go to the phone lines. Let`s see if this is a kind comment. Stephanie, Colorado. What have you got to say? Stephanie in Colorado.

CALLER: Hi, thanks so much for taking my call.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Sure.

CALLER: I`ve been watching this since the very beginning. I`m wondering -- and it`s not -- I`m not going to try to defend her in any way. But is there any way that there was a history of domestic violence?

VELEZ-MITCHELL: No. I mean, she made some comment in the course of this that, oh, she sent a text to a friend, you know, "He`s gotten aggressive with me."

But I honestly believe that she was setting this up when she did that. Because it`s part of the premeditation that she exhibited before she did this. The whole -- oh, the blindfold, the surprise, and then the cover-up afterwards.

Let`s talk cover-up. I mean, Jordan already knew her husband of eight days was dead. And she`s asking her friends, "Hey, have you seen Cody anywhere. Have you seen him? No?" She knew he was dead.

She told police that Cody had been missing for two days. She said, oh, he had gone off with some friends. OK? Some friends that were visiting from out of town.

And she texted her maid of honor, quote, "The last thing he said to me is he was going for a drive with some friends." I mean, she then stages an e-mail from a guy named Tony who doesn`t even exist, saying, "Cody is dead. Call off the missing person`s report."

Well, guess what? Police have ruled the e-mail is traced right back to her parents` house.

BLOOM: Yes, we get so many people with technology these days. With the texts, with the e-mails, with the photos, the social media.

I mean, I think you`re right, Jane. There`s certainly a very strong case to be made that, before and afterwards, she was very, very aware of what she was going to do and what she did, and that this was an intentional act. And that would be first-degree murder.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. Dr. Robi Ludwig, I still do not understand. Now listen, I understand people have their regrets after getting married. I totally get it. But there`s other options. There`s divorce. There`s calling the wedding off beforehand.

LUDWIG: Right.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: There`s talking to somebody not at the steep edge of a cliff. Why push somebody off a cliff?

LUDWIG: Well, people who commit marital homicide, they see their spouse as being in the way of them having the life that they want to have. So it takes strength and courage to say, "You know what? I`m not going to get married after I send out the invitations." Or it takes courage in some cases, especially if she comes from a religious background, to say, "I`m going to be a divorced person or a divorced woman."

For some people, their self-concept cannot wrap their brains around the idea of being a divorcee. In fact, in the past, historically, when divorce was hard to get for women, they would sometimes kill their partners to get out of a horrible marriage.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, she`s going way back. She`s got a retro solution, and it`s not working for her. And I hope this judge throws the book at her and gives her some good, hard time.

I mean, I am so sick of these stories of people getting away with heinous things while other people who haven`t done terrible things get sent for decades because of nonviolent drug offenses because of mandatory minimums. It`s absurd. Let`s clean up our criminal justice system and punish the people who deserve it.

Next, a group of teenagers, they take party crashing to a whole "nother" level. They throw a huge, huge, huge party at a stranger`s mansion, and then they trash the place and steal a million bucks worth of bling. Sound familiar?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just think we wanted to be a part of, like, the lifestyle. The lifestyle that everybody kind of wants.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: More than 100 people were partying inside this mansion.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What`s called a ghost party.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Accused of breaking into a vacant mansion and throwing a party.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The suspect hosted a party, charged a fee.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The party got out of control.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And stealing a million dollars` worth of stuff.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They also grabbed some Armani suits, scuba gear.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Probably about 100-plus kids or so attended the party. Kind of a looting frenzy.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Pictures of many of the items were posted on Twitter by the thieves.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bragging about the party. Showing themselves carrying stolen property.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The teens face serious charges.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: In tonight`s "Buzz," 16 kids busted for throwing a so-called ghost party at an L.A. mansion of. The teens broke into a $7 million mansion in a very exclusive suburb outside L.A. and threw a big, big, big, big party. I mean, we`re talking D.J., drinking, drugs. And they charged for admission.

And then about 100 partygoers decide, you know what? That grosses me out. They say, "Let`s not stay in the yard here. You know, the backyard where we`re partying. Let`s bust in and trash the inside of the house and take some very expensive party favors with us."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Somebody broke into the house, which caused kind of a looting frenzy. While they were in the house, they started looting and causing damage. They were actually bragging about the party, showing themselves within the residence, showing themselves carrying some of the stolen property.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: The very swanky mansion up for sale, so it`s kind of like up for show. And people usually don`t live in the mansions that they`re selling. So they kind of knew that it would be empty. And they took some serious luxuries. I mean, this place has a custom movie theater, a casino room, a wine cellar, a water slide, a resort-themed pool.

And the teens allegedly partied for something like 17 hours. They caused a million dollars of damage and loss. Cops say they took designer suits, arts, electronics. What really disgusts me is that there was a snow leopard mounted, and you see it there. It`s kind of a shock. There. You know, that was stolen once. That skin was stolen once off the animal to whom it belonged. And it was just stolen again. So I don`t feel sorry for that situation. But I feel sorry for the owners on every other front.

Stuart Brazel, pop culture expert, TV personality, so you give it a name and you say it`s a ghost party, and somehow that sort of washes away in their minds the criminality of it, if it`s part of the social media phenomenon?

STUART BRAZEL, POP CULTURE EXPERT: You know, Jane, this just blows me away how much social media was involved. I`m sitting there saying didn`t anyone see "The Bling Ring"? Don`t these kids recognize that everyone ended up in jail? I don`t know what kind of child or high-schooler thinks it`s smart to post selfies at a party, advertise it online, and charge people admission. This is complete craziness to me. I`m shocked and appalled.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, I have to say that huge parties where things go completely haywire happens all the time. I remember, a friend called me over to Beverly Hills, and she had lost her dog. And we started looking for her dog. And we went into one of these mansions that was totally empty. And you could tell that there had been a wild party the night before. I mean, just the number of liquor bottles and the overturned chaises and everything. I was like, wow, what happened here?

So that`s par for the course. What`s really bizarre and unique is that this was an uninvited party at a location they had obviously cased and knew that it was empty because it was being put up for sale. And they decided to take advantage and trespass.

I mean, you know, you`re right. It sounds like that the Hollywood Bling Ring, that infamous group of teenagers who broke into celebrity homes and stole more than $3 million worth of jewelry and designer clothes. And you know, the story actually hit the big screen this year. "Bling Ring." Here`s a clip from A24 films.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just think we wanted to be part of, like, the lifestyle. The lifestyle that everybody kind of wants. Paris Hilton is a hosting a party in Vegas tonight.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Where does she live? Do you think we could find a way in?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don`t know.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Come on. Let`s go to Paris`.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Kinsey Schofield, blogger, social media strategist, are we essentially romanticizing criminal behavior? In other words, we have a stereotype of criminality. And oh, it`s a street gang. These kids are just as much of a gang as any street gang. Just because they`re middle class or upper middle class kids, they don`t get a pass in my book. In fact, it makes it worse.

SCHOFIELD: And here`s the worst part. I saw "The Bling Ring." I was probably one of the first people in line to see it. I was excited about "The Bling Ring." And the movie totally romanticized it. I liked these kids that went to jail. And you really did not see the repercussions in the movie.

Another thing is, when that actual event went down, they were taking pictures, and it was more of a digital camera age and they were posting them on Myspace. But nowadays, we have smart phones. Smart phones, it collects excess data.

So no matter whether I put the picture on Twitter or not, my smart phone can tell the cops where I took the phone [SIC], exactly where, and what time. So to even document it with your cell phone, posting it online is taking it beyond stupid. But taking a picture, right then and there, you`re incriminating yourself.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Look, Betty, Pennsylvania, I hear you`ve got something to say. Betty in Pennsylvania. Take it away.

CALLER: Hi, Jane. I love your show.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Thank you.

CALLER: These kids should be made to clean that up or pay to have it cleaned up. And then some jail time.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: You are absolutely right. Lisa Bloom, you`re a lawyer. Is anything going to happen to these kids? I mean, we spent the day talking about the privileged kid who killed four people because he was driving drunk and left another person in a coma. And he`s getting ten years` probation and gets to go to a fancy rehab that looks more like a luxury resort.

Are we going to see the same type of inequality here, where because these are middle class kids whose parents can hire lawyers for them, that basically no repercussions?

BLOOM: Well, I certainly hope not. But you`re right. Inequality runs rampant in our justice system. And white and middle class kids generally do a lot better than their counterparts in the inner cities, which is a crying shame.

I also would like to know, where were the parents? This is a party that went on all night until after dawn the next morning. How do you allow your teenagers under the age of 18 to be out all night? This is the kind of thing that teenagers do when you`re out all night. Not necessarily on this scale. But it`s not a healthy thing. They shouldn`t be out past midnight. They should be home. And I think the parents have some accountability and some explaining to do, too.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: And I`m so sad looking at that poor creature. And there he is, a victim of something that happened a long time ago. That poor, poor animal that was stuffed. You know, maybe this is also a warning against conspicuous consumption. Look at all this stuff, and what a mess it ended up being.

Time for "Me, My Pet and I." Hey! Tweet us your pet selfies at #jvmpetselfies or send them to HLNTV.com/Jane. Jennifer and Oakley. Look at that pair. What a sweet bunch.

Loren (ph) with Kota and Valentino. That`s a trio for the times.

And Matt and Kylie. Gosh, you look happy. Woo!

Nathan and Weber. You are together forever!

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Obesity costs this country about $150 billion a year or almost 10 percent of the national medical budget. Approximately one in three adults and one in six children are obese. Obesity is epidemic in the United States and a major cause of death attributable to heart disease, cancer and diabetes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Tonight`s big story, the big mess in Washington, D.C., a.k.a. dysfunction junction. Tonight politicians patting themselves on the back as just moments ago the House passed the budget deal. It heads over to the Senate now. And that deal prevents another government shutdown. Oh wow -- such self-congratulations.

Those politicians praising themselves for breaking through the partisanship and the gridlock only to reach a deal that everybody can hate. It`s nonsense. Our government is morally corrupt. It`s run by the corporate interests that they`re supposed to govern, and they`re celebrating because it`s not going to shut down. Really? Seriously?

Here`s my suggestion. How about a major top to bottom gut renovation and remodel of our government starting with the farm bill? Now an extension of the farm bill was just passed today -- it just extends it. They claim they`re going to finish it for real by January 31st. It`s still being haggled over. And they`re about to leave for another vacation tomorrow.

If they don`t reach a final deal early next year, the price of milk could skyrocket. To that I say, "yay". Skyrocket. Americans drink way too much cow`s milk and a big reason two-thirds of us are overweight or obese. Ditto for another product Uncle Sam is pushing down our throat and subsidizes -- high fructose corn syrup, which is also contributing to obesity and diabetes.

Listen to the head of Weight Watchers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMES CHAMBERS, WEIGH WATCHERS: Health care cost today related to obesity is about 9 percent of our health care expenditures. But frankly if you look at diabetes by itself, because roughly one out of ten Americans has diabetes, today it`s about --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One out of ten has diabetes?

CHAMBERS: Adults. It`s about $170 billion, $180 billion a year condition.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Wow, obesity costs America $200 billion a year. And by the way, it`s battling with cigarettes as the leading cause of preventable death according to CDC. Straight out to the executive director of Wolf-PAC, Ryan Clayton -- our government is upside down topsy-turvy. These Republican and Democrat battles completely miss the point. The whole thing is broken. It`s a mess.

RYAN CLAYTON, WOLF-PAC: Well sure. I mean the entire government is dysfunctional. Everybody in America knows it right now. I mean Congress has a nine percent approval rating. That`s the lowest it`s ever been in history. And passing a budget three years after you were supposed to in the first place is not going to make the American people any happier.

I agree with you 100 percent. I think we need a top to bottom renovation. We need to throw the bums out of Congress. We need to change the way that we elect people to Congress. We need to get free and fair elections and that`s going to take an amendment.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Let`s go out to the phone lines. Sandra in California. What do you have to say? All right. Let me say this while she`s getting her act together and turning down the TV.

When I say the U.S. government created the obesity crisis, that`s not just my humble opinion, all right. In fact, a report called Apples to Twinkies comparing federal subsidies of fresh produce and junk food by the California public interest research group concluded the federal government spent $17 billion of the total $260 billion that subsidizes agriculture over the past decade and a half on just four common food additives. We`re talking corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, corn starch and soy oils.

By comparison, the government spent only $261 million on apples and far less supporting fruits and vegetables like spinach, broccoli, blueberries, which encourage better health.

Lisa Bloom, the study says corn and soy subsidies accounted for 40 percent, over $100 billion of all agricultural produce subsidies, basically crops that feed livestock and poultry in factory farming. Is the U.S. government creating the obesity crisis and the health crisis that is in turn causing our budget deficits to skyrocket for health care?

LISA BLOOM, LEGAL ANALYST, AVO.COM: Absolutely. Not to mention that the billions of dollars that are given to the meat and dairy industry contribute to the massive animal cruelty that goes on in those industry. It used to be that eating a vegetarian diet like I do was the cheapest way to go because rice and beans and vegetables were the cheapest things to buy.

Now it`s completely the opposite. The cheapest food you can buy is a hamburger or a cheese burger at a fast food place and spinach and kale are more expensive. That is crazy. And that`s the condition that`s created by a government`s choice of who to subsidize. We`ve got to change that for our health and also to be kinder to the animals.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: But Lisa, the U.S. government, it`s beyond Democrat and Republican. None of them are really addressing this issue -- period, end of story. Michelle Obama talks about planting gardens, but her husband isn`t doing anything to end the massive, you know, the subsidy to big Ag. The support -- government support of big Ag.

BLOOM: So it`s got to come from us. It`s got to come from we the people. We don`t want obesity. We don`t want our children eating this garbage anymore. It`s got to come from us.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: So remember consumers, you have the ultimate power. In fact you are more than consumers. You watching at home, you are citizens. And your power collectively can tell Uncle Sam cut it out. Stop sabotaging our lifestyle. Stop sabotaging our health.

All right. Remember Hunter Yelton? We told you about him yesterday - - the adorable six-year-old boy who had the label "sexual harasser" slapped on him because he kissed a little classmate on the hand. Well that school has come to its senses and is dropping the "harasser" label instead calling it misconduct. Smart move -- what on earth were you thinking?

On the other side, this is not just a cartoon. It is a huge headache for that disgraced former San Diego mayor, ok, who has that special headlock he does. You won`t believe this game changer for one of the women accusing the former mayor Bob Filner of sexual harassment.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: At first Filner remained defiant.

BOB FILNER, FORMER MAYOR OF SAN DIEGO: I have never sexually harassed anyone.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That was then, and this is now.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Filner pleading guilty to false imprisonment for restraining a woman at a fund-raiser. California`s attorney general says this case showed an extreme abuse of power.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Time for #hilarious, tonight a father and son bridging the generation gap. Gary and Gabriel Valenciano`s super selfie dance courtesy of their YouTube, Dazzling 80s tunes and 80s moves. And we`re talking wigs. We`re talking parachute pants. We`re talking Crazy.

Let me know, on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube, the videos you love that are just #hilarious.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Part of the sexual harassment lawsuit against the former San Diego mayor Bob Filner.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just to make this clear. This is not a business lunch. This is a date.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Your newly favorite congressman, Bob Filner.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: The war on women ramping up as the former San Diego mayor back in serious hot water. Remember, former mayor Bob Filner, the creep is already serving 90 days on monitored house arrest for sexually harassing at least three women while in the office. And a slew of women have accused him of creepy pawing.

Now a new accuser stepping forward with a half a million dollar lawsuit saying the 71-year-old grabbed her from behind, put her in the now infamous Filner headlock and touched her breast. Now her lawyers are fighting for the jury to see a fascinating piece of potential evidence -- an animated video recreating the alleged attack. Check it out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Isn`t she great? Isn`t she great?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Um, yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am mentoring her. I am thinking of making her employee of the day.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sounds good.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just to let you know. I like to get really close to my city employees. Stacy, you are turning really red.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You are really embarrassing me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: That laugh is straight out of a horror movie. They even included the infamous Filner headlock in their animation. So I think the big question, will the jury see this very fascinating and ingenious cartoon?

Straight out to the "Lion`s Den", first of all, Stuart Brazell, pop culture expert, TV personal, I want to ask you about the pop culture influence that may have contributed to this brainstorm of wow, let`s do an anime or a movie that would normally be done as a snarky kind, kind of funny social commentary. But now it`s becoming part of a trial.

STUART BRAZELL, POP CULTURE EXPERT: Yes, you know, Jane, I have to be honest when I first saw this -- first of all I want to say that it takes great guts to speak out. But I could have sworn that I was watching, you know, Grand Theft Auto. It looks straight out of a video game. The technology is so far above and beyond anything we have seen before.

I mean where was this technology with George Zimmerman? And I have to say, when something like this comes out, you have the chance of names popping up. It can be trending. There can be all kinds of hashtags created over this video. So this is game changing for sure.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: It`s not a game but it`s game changing. The new accuser says her conversation with the mayor started out innocently. You know, the basic introductions. She said Mayor Filner quickly changed the subject. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How long have you worked for the city?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: 32 years.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you for your service. Do you have a boyfriend or a husband?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Whenever I see a beautiful woman, I always have to go over and talk to her.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: I`m getting the creeps just watching that. Some people are saying there`s no way the jury is going to see this. But remember in the George Zimmerman case, the jury saw an animation. It wasn`t a part of the trial itself but it was used in closing arguments, if I remember correctly.

Lisa Bloom, legal analyst, is this anime or cartoon or whatever you want to call it going to make it into this lawsuit -- the trial?

BLOOM: Well, first -- yes, first of all animations are commonly used in court. They are commonly used especially in traffic cases and personal injury cases. And you`re right, the defense did one there in the George Zimmerman case for closing argument. There was a lot of argument between the lawyers that ended up getting chopped up and they could only use a piece of it.

But I think this is a brilliant move to use it in a sexual harassment case. In fact in my law practice we`re going to start using animations I think in sexual harassment cases starting tomorrow. I love this idea. Why not? Because if a picture is worth a thousand words, a video is worth a million words -- and people don`t want to read long transcripts and hear people give long descriptions. They can just look at this.

I`m sure this was done with her input as to how everything happened. And they can see it. And there`s no replacement for that. Most sexual harassment, there`s not a video camera reporting it. It`s done in private. So I think this is brilliant move.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Now according to the accuser, Mayor Filner did not mince words. He was allegedly bold -- bold enough to grab her hands and point-blank ask her on a date.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can you ever go to lunch with your boss?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don`t see why not?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can I have your business card?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, here you go.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just to make this clear, this is not a business lunch. This is a date. I`m asking you out on a date.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Psychotherapist Robi Ludwig, what is wrong with this guy? I mean why is this person who has enough brains to become the mayor of a major city dumb or so self-destructive or just a misogynist that he would engage in this behavior allegedly?

ROBI LUDWIG, PSYCHOTHERAPIST: Well, he may be grandiose. He may think that he`s so fabulous or he`s so powerful that he can do this kind of thing and get away with it. I am sure this mayor has done this in the past, has gotten away with it, has charmed his way out of it, but really has a problem, has an impulse control disorder where he really can`t stop himself. And of course, if you can`t stop yourself from self-destructive behavior, you end up self-destructing, which we see here in this case.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Kinsey Scofield, is this going to go viral before it gets even before to any jurors in a civil trial?

KINSEY SCOFIELD: I believe so. But can I -- can I take up for him for two seconds?

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Sure. What?

SCOFIELD: How creepy is his voice in that video? And then the female sounds like the teacher from Charlie Brown. Maybe if she had any sort of tone whatsoever I wouldn`t be feeling sorry for him. He`s like, hey girl. And she`s like wah, wah, wah.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Sorry, I disagree. Up next we have a very special story, don`t we, Foxy?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Time for Pet of the Day. Send your pet pics to hlntv.com/jane. Begley has his Christmas colors on and so does Roo. Roo says, "I`m dressing quite dapper today." Scooter says "I`m going to be naked. Deal with it." Sunny says "I`m going to wear a bandanna, but I`m choosing my own color combo. Yes, I am."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Here`s a riddle for you, what do orangutans and palm oil have in common? Here`s a hint. One is killing the other.

What is palm oil, do you know?

Do you know what palm oil is?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Young man, do you know what palm oil is?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: You`re a shopper, do you know what palm oil is?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, I`m sorry.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Palm oil is incredibly versatile because it remains solid at room temperature. So it`s in so many products -- food, cookies, snacks, ice cream, even cosmetics and detergent. It`s everywhere, but invisible.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Hey Foxy. In tonight`s Planet ER, you know Greenpeace from their battles on the high seas against oil companies and trying to protect sea creatures. Well, Greenpeace is also fighting on land to protect orangutans and tigers, whose homes have been devastated by palm oil production.

Palm Oil comes from the fruit of certain palm trees which are found in rainforests in Malaysia and Indonesia. It`s in thousands of different products that you eat and use every day. You probably don`t realize it, like most people. Palm oil production has devastated these precious forests and the orangutan and tigers that live in them.

But there is hope. Wilmar International, one of the largest producers of palm oil has now made a public promise to do the right thing, and make sure their palm oil products are harvested in an ethical and sustainable way rather than destroying precious rainforest.

Straight out to Rolf Skar from Greenpeace -- and I say full out, I`m a member of Greenpeace, have been for years the amazing organization that has led the campaign to change palm oil production. Rolf why is this so important for the survival of orangutans, tigers and our entire planet?

ROLF SKAR, GREENPEACE: Well in recent years, palm oil has been the number one threat to tigers, orangutans in rainforests in Southeast Asia. And to have now the biggest player in the palm oil industry committing to ridding its business of deforestation is huge. It means that we can go on having cosmetics and candies and everything else that use palm oil knowing that we`re not going to lead to the extinction of the Sumatran tigers. There are only 400 of those left Jane, so we need to act now to save them.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: And what I understand is that unethical harvesters go in there and they just burn everything. And so these orangutans and tigers are either trapped in the flames or they`re fleeing for their lives. It`s terribly disrespectful of our earth the way it has been done. And I congratulate you, and I congratulate this company for changing.

How do we get the other companies to change now?

SKAR: Well, the reason they`re changing Jane is because people like you and your viewers have spoken up and told them look, I want to buy your candy and your cosmetics, but I don`t want to be a part of tiger extinction or rainforest destruction.

If you go to Greenpeace.org you can see a list of companies that have been naughty and have been nice. And the ones that need to hear from you and it will make it easy for you to speak up and continue progress. It`s not done yet. We`ve got the biggest player in the palm oil industry to change -- we need more to save these tigers and these rainforests for the future.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: So go to greenpeace.org -- that`s what it is, right, just greenpeace.org. And find out what companies are naughty, and what companies are nice, before Christmas, before you do your holiday shopping.

Now, I have tried not to use palm oil, until I find out what the story is, like who`s doing it right and wrong. It`s in everything, though, it takes me hours to shop and then sometimes it`s not even listed as palm oil. How do we deal with that as consumers?

SKAR: Well that`s right. Sometimes it`s just vegetable oil or some sort of chemical that they`ve made from palm oil. It`s in something like 50 percent of packaged products on store shelves. So we don`t think it`s really easy to avoid. We want our palm oil -- we just want it created in the right way.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: I agree 100 percent. So check out greenpeace.org. And also try to use natural products. I do all my shopping at the health food store, so everything is American made by companies that are ethically- minded and that way you`ll have a greater probability of avoiding that problem.

Thank you Rolf Skar of Greenpeace -- keep doing your amazing work for the voiceless animals. Right, Foxy?

SKAR: Keep speaking up, Jane. Thank you.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Finally your Slice of Happiness. Foxy look at this cat chasing after his toy, mastering a blindside kick on the way. Watch out karate kid. You may have met your match. What do you think, Foxy?

Nancy is next.

END