Nancy Grace being sued

[Miss Jasmine]

Those of you following the Trenton Duckett case, what do you think about Melinda Duckett's estate suing Nancy Grace?

Personally, I am not surprised. I bet CNN ponys up a settlement.

November 21, 2006


Nancy Grace faces lawsuit

Parents of missing boy's mom say CNN host was judge and executioner

WKMG LOCAL 6 NEWS

The parents of Melinda Duckett will file a wrongful death lawsuit against talk show host Nancy Grace, claiming the CNN Headline News host contributed to her suicide, FLORIDA TODAY news partner WKMG Local 6 News has learned.

"In (the lawsuit), Melinda's parents claim Nancy Grace and her producers lied to get their daughter on the show and that they are accountable for her suicide," Local 6's Jessica D'Onofrio said. "The suit claims Grace's spitfire cross-examination of the young mother pushed Melinda to the brink. They said Grace was the judge, jury and executioner."

Grace came under fire for her aggressive questioning of Duckett on the day before she committed suicide on Sept. 8 as crews searched for her missing son, Trenton.

One week after Duckett ended her life, Grace went on air to defend her "fist-pounding" interview of the young mother.

"You look for somebody to blame," Grace said. "You look hard. I do not feel that our show is to blame for what happened to Melinda Duckett. Melinda committed suicide before that interview aired."

However, now Grace is about to be sued for wrongful death by Duckett's parents, Jay and Beth Eubank, Local 6 News reported late Monday.

The family hired a Palm Beach law fire to file the lawsuit today, according to the report.

"What we are saying is that Nancy Grace's actions have led to Melinda's suicide," Attorney Kara Skorupa said.

The parents claim the Nancy Grace show misled Duckett into doing the interview, saying the 21-year-old was convinced to go on the national broadcast under false pretenses.

According to the family's attorneys, producers told Duckett that the purpose of the questioning was to drum up awareness of her son's disappearance.

However, they said Grace interrogated and accused Duckett of a crime by implication, according to the report.

"That conduct in combination with the questions she asked in the family's view put Melinda over the edge," Attorney Paul Deratany said.

A CNN Headline News spokesperson said, "While we have no comment on pending litigation, we stand by Nancy Grace and fully support her, as we have from the beginning of this matter."

Attorneys for the Eubanks said they are seeking monetary damages but have not decided on an amount.

 

[Beth76]

Suing for being mean? That woman did something to her child. Nice.

 

[ducklite]

I'm on the fence. It seems that Melinda Duckett was quite unstable to begin with, but I'm not sure that you could prove that Nancy Grace "made her kill herself." Personally I think that Melinda Duckett did "something" with that little boy, and then could face the pressure of keeping up her lies. I think she would have killed herself anyhow. And if she didn't do something with that baby, then you would think that she would have had the will to live and help in any way she could to get her child back.

That said, I think Nancy Grace pushes the envelope and needs to get *****-slapped in general. Her condescending attitude has gotten worse over time, and I won't even pause to watch for a minute anymore. In fact I'd rather watch Martha Stewart these days.

Anne

 

[DawnCt1]

no one is responsbile for someone elsess suicide, HOWEVER nancy grace stepped over the line and ignored a fragile individual for the sake of ratings. i think that at some point she should have recognized the situation and controlled her lust for drama.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

no one is responsbile for someone elsess suicide, HOWEVER nancy grace stepped over the line and ignored a fragile individual for the sake of ratings. i think that at some point she should have recognized the situation and controlled her lust for drama.

Dawn, I agree with this.

 

[powellrj]

no one is responsbile for someone elsess suicide, HOWEVER nancy grace stepped over the line and ignored a fragile individual for the sake of ratings. i think that at some point she should have recognized the situation and controlled her lust for drama.

gotta agree with that. I read a survey once that rated Nancy Grace as the #1 person you wouldn't want to be sitting next to on a transatlantic flight!

 

[ozarkmom]

I think we are a sue crazy society. I also think that Melinda Duckett either killed her son or had something to do with his disappearance. I think Nancy Grace is what she is if you don't like her or her tactics don't do her show. It is a show and is out to score ratings. Should her family also sue the police because I'm pretty sure that they asked her some tough questions too.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Those of you following the Trenton Duckett case, what do you think about Melinda Duckett's estate suing Nancy Grace?

Personally, I am not surprised. I bet CNN ponys up a settlement.

Nothing against you Miss Jasmine, but I hope they don't.

It's the media and she voluntarily excepted an interview for which she was held accountable to questioning.

Even if it is mean--that is too bad. Trenton's father was subject to similar questioning and answered. Melinda avoided answering questions.

They probably will settle, but that would be a shame.

I don't like Melinda's family much anyway. The few clips they showed--they were not very nice to Trenton's dad. Can he sue them for obstruction of justice since he just wanted to work together to find his son?

It seems to be a frivolous case to me.

Did the Ramsey's or the Roseburg's (Sabrina's parents??) sue the media?

 

[Miss Jasmine]

Should her family also sue the police because I'm pretty sure that they asked her some tough questions too.

Knowing how investigations and interrrogations work, the police/FBI investigators MAY have been asking the same questions, but I can guarantee they were doing it in a non-threatening manner. They were most likely trying to gain her trust by saying they themselves could be in her shoes and they would act the same way that she was.

It isn't all bright lights and rubber hoses. A good investigator knows how to interview a suspect/witness in the proper manner.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

no one is responsbile for someone elsess suicide, HOWEVER nancy grace stepped over the line and ignored a fragile individual for the sake of ratings. i think that at some point she should have recognized the situation and controlled her lust for drama.

I was under the impression that Melinda voluntarily called CNN b/c Trenton's dad was being interviewed. According to transcripts--NG asked pretty much the same questions of both of them, only Melinda tip toed around trying to tell the truth and avoided answering questions.

Regardless of how "mean" NG is--is that not what took place?

 

[Miss Jasmine]

I was under the impression that Melinda voluntarily called CNN b/c Trenton's dad was being interviewed. According to transcripts--NG asked pretty much the same questions of both of them, only Melinda tip toed around trying to tell the truth and avoided answering questions.

Regardless of how "mean" NG is--is that not what took place?

You don't get the full feel of the interview (really quesitoning in my eyes) by just reading the transcript. Nancy was pounding on the desk and acting way over the top with Melinda.

 

[C.Ann]

I'm another one who doesn't believe that you can "force" someone into committing suicide, however, I trult believe that the producers misled Melinda in terms of why she was being interviewed and then Nancy Grace went after her in her usual pit bull style.. Asks questions, doesn't wait for answers.. Person being interviewed attempts to make a statement, she talks "over" them so you can't hear both sides of the story..

Did Melinda do something with her child? Obviously - because no one can locate him - but that doesn't necessarily mean that she murdered him..

The thing that galls me the most is that I truly believe that Nancy's badgering contributed to robbing the authorities of the ONLY person who could lead them to Trenton.. If the authorities had been able to gain Melinda's trust, we might know where Trenton is now.. But no - Nancy was so sure she could do a "better" job of getting to the bottom of the story when in all reality the only thing she accomplished was to create a situation where Trenton may NEVER be found..

Nice going, Nancy..

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

You don't get the full feel of the interview (really quesitoning in my eyes) by just reading the transcript. Nancy was pounding on the desk and acting way over the top with Melinda.

So would this be similar to the Jenny Jones case? Not sure what happened with her--but she was sued b/c someone on her show murdered someone after the show. In that regard, the guy was kept in the dark with what the show topic was about.

Could Melinda not here the questions for the dad? Did she really believe that no questions would come up in regards to what happened or what was known to have happened at the time of the disappearance.

It seems in most missing children interviews, that always happens. Would NG have been as "mean" if Melinda was forthcoming?

I remember seeing a special about Sabrina's parents and that as a result of Susan Smith, that turned the tide on mysterious child abductions and when evidence or actions don't cooberate the story--people are much more quick to turn the parents into a suspect.

 

[DawnCt1]

So would this be similar to the Jenny Jones case? Not sure what happened with her--but she was sued b/c someone on her show murdered someone after the show. In that regard, the guy was kept in the dark with what the show topic was about.
t.

jenny jones lost that suit and the family prevailed.

 

[C.Ann]

It seems in most missing children interviews, that always happens. Would NG have been as "mean" if Melinda was forthcoming?

--------------------------------

There's an old saying - "You catch more flies with honey than vinegar.." This was the approach that the authorities were taking and they have publicly stated how distraught they are that the ONLY person that could have lead them to Trenton - or provided crucial information in regards to his disappearance - is now dead..

It was NOT Nancy's place to take over the investigation herself and play cop, prosecutor, judge and jury.. She stepped over the line - AND - made the solving of this disappearance MUCH more difficult..

Nancy is about ratings and nothing else..

 

[allison443]

OT-sorry-but what ever happened in the Sabrina Eisenberg case mentioned above? Does anyone know?

 

[Laura]

no one is responsbile for someone elsess suicide, HOWEVER nancy grace stepped over the line and ignored a fragile individual for the sake of ratings. i think that at some point she should have recognized the situation and controlled her lust for drama.

I totally agree. She should have left the interrogation to the authorities.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

--------------------------------

There's an old saying - "You catch more flies with honey than vinegar.." This was the approach that the authorities were taking and they have publicly stated how distraught they are that the ONLY person that could have lead them to Trenton - or provided crucial information in regards to his disappearance - is now dead..

It was NOT Nancy's place to take over the investigation herself and play cop, prosecutor, judge and jury.. She stepped over the line - AND - made the solving of this disappearance MUCH more difficult..

Nancy is about ratings and nothing else..

That doesn't really answer my question though.

Was she pounding the desk with Trenton's dad--b/c his questions were quite similar if not the same (with different follow ups based on his response)?

While other journalists might take a more professional approach--you can often tell when they feel they are being fed a line of bull and do their best to draw out the answer.

If Melinda had actually answered a question--would NG not have been as "mean"?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

OT-sorry-but what ever happened in the Sabrina Eisenberg case mentioned above? Does anyone know?

The parents were placed under the gun and treated as the only suspects.

There homes were bugged and it was stated that the parents said things that incriminated them (I watched the hour special recently, but forgive me for the lack of specifics).

The problem..the things that prosecuters said they heard distinctly on the tape--were no where to be found. It was also said that some of the tapes were doctored or something to that affect.

The parents after much much much scrutiny and public prosecution left Florida.

They were indicted based on what I mentioned above. The case was eventually thrown out and they later sued and I believe won for all of their legal costs and such.

B/c of the lynching though--valuable time over finding the real abductor was lost.

Part of their initial scrutiny was obtaining a lawyer---and the media showing clips of them laughing as they left their home while they were being investigated--but the FBI agent said a joke (not an inappropriate one--but in response to the leeching journalists) and it made them laugh.

Luckily they had the lawyer b/c they were wrongfully pursued (at least based on the evidence) as the prime suspects when they had nothing to do with her disappearance.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

Lisa, she treated the father differently.