Duckett trial against TV host, Nancy Grace, is postponed/Nancy Grace settles suit with Duckett family

Wrapitup wrote:I wonder why Nancy would NOT want camera's while being depo'd. She sure loves the spotlight any other time.

The video of the deposition will not be released per judges order.

My thoughts exactly, any other time NG is in front of the camera, armed and dangerous.
Melinda committed suicide because of her actions, not the actions of NG!!! IMO!

Wrapitup wrote:I wonder why Nancy would NOT want camera's while being depo'd. She sure loves the spotlight any other time.

The video of the deposition will not be released per judges order.

IMO NG did not kill Melinda D! Melinda killed herself, due to bad choices she had made. Guilt!! No one made Melinda go on the show. It was her choice. NG asked the usual hard questions.
I hope and pray Trenton is alive and happy. Not sold into slavery or sex traffic.

LOL, Critter. Did you have something to add in the above post? You quoted but didn't post anything. :lol!:

thxs!! fixed it!!!

I agree. As much as I generally dislike NG, I do not think she can be blamed for Melinda taking her own life. I think Melinda knew the jig was up and she would end up in prison and couldn't deal with it.

NG will be cleared. No doubt in my mind. Any one with a brain that has watched her show should know what they are in for.

I have to agree, NG shouldnt be held accountanble for anything. Yes she is a hardass and sometimes gets under my skin but man do I love that mean ol witch!

It's been a long time since I've seen NG's inteview with Melinda Duckett but I'll never forget how brutal she was. Even for NG and her normal narcissistic attitude she was just plain mean although I don't think that she put the gun into Duckett's hand.
NG didn't want to be taped but the judge ruled that she's not all that special so she must -- poetic justice (JMO)!
I have a hard time watching NG and her above it all attitude, that's why I'm so glad to have found this forum!

wesh.com reports that Trenton Ducketts father Josh
does not blame NG for Melindas death, he states
that the questions Grace asked needed to be asked
of Melinda.

raine1953 wrote:It's been a long time since I've seen NG's inteview with Melinda Duckett but I'll never forget how brutal she was. Even for NG and her normal narcissistic attitude she was just plain mean although I don't think that she put the gun into Duckett's hand.
NG didn't want to be taped but the judge ruled that she's not all that special so she must -- poetic justice (JMO)!
I have a hard time watching NG and her above it all attitude, that's why I'm so glad to have found this forum!

Raine1953, most that know me know that I am NOT a fan of Nancy Dis-Grace. I watch her to see if there is truly a Bombshell and/or for laughs. Every blue moon she has a guest that is interesting, but most of them she brow beats to death.

I found this article, wasn't quite sure where it should go and thought this would be the perfect spot.

There's a reason Nancy Grace's 'exclusive' sounded familiar

* By Mark Woods
* Story updated at 11:03 PM on Saturday, Jan. 30, 2010

I’m glad we don’t often use the word “exclusive” to describe a story or interview.

Even though I suppose many stories and interviews done by reporters at this and other local papers could be described as such, doing so often seems like sensational, look-at-me journalism.

Besides, after catching some of Nancy Grace on television last week, I’m a little confused about the definition of “exclusive.”

For a couple of days, in logos and screen crawls, in blogs and headlines, the HLN show used the e-word over and over.

Breaking News Exclusive!

Haleigh’s Dad’s Exclusive Jailhouse Interview!

Exclusive interview: Ronald Cummings explodes behind bars!

Much of Grace’s show last week was built around audio of an interview, done in the Flagler County jail, by Times-Union reporter Dana Treen. Or, as we now call him in the newsroom, “inaudible.”

Let me explain.

Dana has spent much of the last year trying to keep up with the saga of Haleigh Cummings and her family. I don’t envy him. It was hard enough to cover the tragic beginning. But since then, I imagine it has been kind of like covering one very long episode of Jerry Springer.

That’s my description, not Dana’s. He has covered this professionally. He has spent long hours working on story after story. And every time it seems like he might be able to get away from it, some new twist pulls him back.

So last Sunday, after Haleigh’s father and former stepmother were arrested on charges of trafficking in prescription drugs, Treen spoke with Cummings by phone.

The conversation was recorded and made a public record.

We ran a story about what Cummings said on Jacksonville.com and in the paper Monday. We never used the e-word.

But when the audio became public, Grace filled hours of her prime-time cable show with it, inevitably labeling it an exclusive. If you didn’t know better, you would have thought it was the show’s exclusive, that Grace’s people did the interview and had the only record of it.

And she and her staff made sure viewers didn’t know better, never mentioning the Times-Union, Dana Treen or -- minor detail -- that others had the audio.

Beyond that, when the show played conversation that included Cummings calling the reporter by name, the transcript on the screen included every word except one. The name.

“[Inaudible],” it said.

Maybe I should cut Grace some slack. It was a long week. She had to appear in court for a deposition in a wrongful death suit filed against her and CNN. Her lawyers fought against having it videotaped, basically saying they feared someone might get ahold of the clips and use them in ways they couldn’t control.

Imagine that.

A sense of irony never has been one of Grace’s strengths. She once co-wrote a book saying, among other things, the “24/7 media” was hurting our justice system, which is kind of like Mark McGwire writing a book saying “bulked-up ’roid heads” tainted our baseball records.

By the end of the week, Grace was losing her voice. But fear not. Even if she is unable able to talk, I’m sure she and her staff will come up with something to air. Perhaps a Nancy Grace “exclusive flashback.”

The [Inaudable]/Nixon interviews!

http://jacksonville.com/news/columnists/mark_woods/2010-01-30/story/theres_a_reason_nancy_graces_exclusive_sounded_familiar

I found this to be very interesting. Would love to know when this script was discovered.

http://www.clickorlando.com/video/23492935/index.html

A trial date in the civil case that the estate of Melinda Duckett has brought against talk show host Nancy Grace and CNN has been pushed back.


Initially scheduled to start Aug. 30 in Ocala, the trial is now set for Nov. 1 after Senior U.S. District Judge William Terrell Hodges granted the plaintiffs' attorney's motion for a continuance.

Kara Skorupa, one of two attorneys for Duckett's estate and her adoptive parents, requested the delay to recuperate from recent knee surgery.

Defense attorneys do not oppose the delay; Hodges has set a pre-trial conference for Oct. 20.

Duckett, the mother of still-missing Leesburg boy Trenton Duckett, killed herself with a shotgun at her grandparents' home in The Villages on Sept. 8, 2006, shortly after being interviewed on Grace's criminal-justice television show about the disappearance of her then-2-year-old son.

Duckett's estate argues that Grace misled the 20-year-old mother into believing her participation on the show would enlist the public's help in locating Trenton but instead bullied her with veiled accusations that she was responsible for her son's death.

On Aug. 27, 2006, Duckett reported to authorities her son's disappearance from his bedroom. The child would be 6 years old today.

In late 2006, a lawsuit seeking damages for Duckett's death and intentional infliction of emotional distress was filed in federal court.

http://www.ocala.com/article/20100814/ARTICLES/8141006/1402/NEWS

Naw, it won't fly. Melinda chose to pick up that gun and do herself in. I thing NG was definitely rough on her (typical NG) but (and please..no one faint) I applaud Nancy for asking her those important questions.

The truth of what happened to little Trenton is forever buried w/Melinda. I still think she sold him and he is in the orient somewhere. MOO.

I agree its not going to fly - and its amazing to me
that instead of putting the money into trying to find Trenton they choose to sue NG. Its very apparent to anyone who has ever watched her show that she
is brutal on parents suspected of killing their children.
It was Melinda's choice to go public and maybe those questions brought home to her exactly what she had done whether it was murder or she gave the child away. I saw that interview and I didnt feel sorry for Melinda one little bit. She wanted sympathy and she didnt get it and rightly so. They all cry aftewards.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The parents and estate of a young woman who shot herself after she faced harsh questioning from talk-show host Nancy Grace have dismissed a lawsuit against CNN and the host.

According to court records, the settlement calls for Grace to establish a $200,000 trust dedicated to finding Melinda Duckett's missing son, Trenton, who was 2 when he disappeared.

The lawsuit accused Grace, whose show airs on CNN's sister network HLN, of inflicting emotional distress on the 21-year-old mother with her questions about the missing boy. Grace accused the woman of hiding something because Duckett did not take a lie-detector test and answered vaguely about her whereabouts when the boy disappeared from her apartment.

Police later named Duckett the prime suspect in the boy's disappearance.

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..Duckett shot herself the day the taped interview was scheduled to broadcast — Sept. 8, 2006. Duckett had reported the boy missing less than two weeks earlier.

The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Ocala four years ago. The settlement agreement between Grace and the Duckett family lawyers was filed Friday and still needs a federal judge's approval. The trial was scheduled to begin next month.

If Trenton is found alive before his 13th birthday, proceeds from the trust will transfer to him for his benefit. If he is not found by the time he would turn 13 in 2017 — or if he is found dead before then — then the remaining money will be transferred to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

CNN said in a statement Monday that network officials were pleased the lawsuit has been dismissed.

"After four years of litigation and extensive discovery, the parties now agree that Nancy Grace, the producers of her program, and CNN engaged in no intentional wrongdoing in the course of dedicating a program to finding the missing toddler, as alleged in the lawsuit," Jay Paul Deratany, a lawyer representing Duckett's family and estate, said in a statement.

Deratany's statement was sent to The Associated Press by CNN. He declined further comment.
source:
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/40078411/ns/today-entertainment/

According to court records, the settlement calls for Grace to establish a $200,000 trust dedicated to finding Melinda Duckett's missing son, Trenton, who was 2 when he disappeared.

I'm sure that is peanuts to NG. IMHO, she should at least contribute something to all these missing children towards a reward, and so should JVM and anyone else that reports on them. These people are multi-millionaires. I don't understand how they can get on night after night and say how horrible these crimes are and not contribute something other than their hour show.

Wrapitup wrote:

According to court records, the settlement calls for Grace to establish a $200,000 trust dedicated to finding Melinda Duckett's missing son, Trenton, who was 2 when he disappeared.

I'm sure that is peanuts to NG. IMHO, she should at least contribute something to all these missing children towards a reward, and so should JVM and anyone else that reports on them. These people are multi-millionaires. I don't understand how they can get on night after night and say how horrible these crimes are and not contribute something other than their hour show.

:nothingtoadd:

Well Wrap as they say "That's Show Business"!

Another..old one..."He that expects nothing shall not be disappointed!"

We dont know what she personally gives, but considering how much she makes, Im sure they contribute a lot because otherwise it goes for taxes!

Good point, Artgal!!

I think Nancy is mean and sharp with just about every one who crosses her path. Its one of the main reasons why many of us dislike her but I'm pretty certain that's why she gets paid the big bucks.
(I seriously feel sorry for her hubs. Bet he can't get a word in during an argument.)

Is it certain that NG was the cause of the suicide and not the fact that Melinda had done harm to her child and was about to be held responsible for it? Did she leave a note? I guess I'm wondering at what point Nancy was considered the cause of death?

I didn't know that if someone committed suicide and named or blamed some one for it, that the person is then held accountable for it. This has far reaching implications if its true.

Nancy Grace can now breathe easy.

After four years of litigation over the wrongful-death suit of Melissa Duckett, the HLN host has finally reached a settlement with the family.

Melissa Duckett, than 21, appeared on Grace’s show four years ago after her son Trenton Duckett was reported missing. Her family accused Grace of “ambushing” the grieving mother, who later killed herself with a shotgun the day the interview aired.

The host and CNN have agreed to establish a $200,000 trust fund dedicated to locating the missing child, who disappeared when he was two years old.

"It's not every day that a single missing child receives $200,000 to aid in their search," Josh Duckett, Trenton’s father, said in a statement. "This is a blessing.”

The father also noted that if the boy was found alive before his 13th birthday, in 2017, the proceeds from the fund would be transferred to him. Otherwise, the money will be transferred to the National Center for Missing and Exploited children.

Meanwhile, lawyers representing Melissa’s estate issued an apology to Grace and CNN, “"to the extent that any suggestion has been made that anyone deliberately caused the family distress or Melinda Duckett's suicide."

Read more: http://www.thirdage.com/news/nancy-grace-establishes-trust-fund-over-guests-suicide_12-1-2010#ixzz190Qw076T

Kudo's to CNN for the $200K for Trenton Duckett.

I find it strange that Melinda Duckett's family issued an apology to NG? WHY? After 4 years, they must have felt NG was responsible. Now, they are apologizing. Gee, do ya think it has to do w/the money for Trenton?

If I thought someone was responsible for my child's death (as bogus as this claim was) I sure as hell wouldn't turn around and apologize after the court comes to a decision in the other person's favor.

Wrapitup wrote:
I find it strange that Melinda Duckett's family issued an apology to NG? WHY?

Can you say "countersuit".........which I think would have been filed by big time law firms with big time bucks representing big time corporations.

We have the custody pages on the HaLeigh links. I have followed the HaLeigh Cummings case as if she were my own daughter. I never once thought that Crystal was in the wrong. I also know she was w/Ron since age 14 and have no doubt he was quite abusive to her and she thought this was a better life than living with her mother who was selling drugs at the time and her dad was running a dog fighting ring. I think C was scared to death of Ron but I also think she did do drugs w/Ron and probably was hooked on something...coke or pills. Or both. But, I never thought she killed her child or had/has HaLeigh hidden.

As far as Melinda Duckett, why did she throw Trenton's toys away? Why wouldn't she take a poly? Why wouldn't she answer pertinent questions? Why was she seen going to Wendy's w/Trenton and 20 min later, back through the drive thru w/out him on THE day she called 911?

I don't doubt that Josh was not wanting to pay child support but I DO think that Melinda killed herself. She had been in a mental institution (whether she was Baker Acted or not) and had tried to kill herself before.

Of course, her parents will say she was innocent. I think Melinda did not want Josh to have Trenton but she really didn't want him either. It rather reminds me of Casey Anthony. She didn't want Cindy to have Caylee but she sure didn't want her.

I did see the pics of Josh and Melinda. So what? Many couples film themselves so I don't think that is a big deal. But, I also saw pics of Melinda nude posing over her son's crib and other nude shots of her alone.

IMHO, Trenton w/never be found as he is not in this country. I do think he is or at least, was alive. I do not think Melinda killed him but did have ties to a Korean gang.

I appreciate your candor on this case. I hope you will keep posting.