Transcripts For WMAR ABC News Good Morning America 20111217

Transcripts For WMAR ABC News Good Morning America 20111217



bedroom door? >> yeah, but they're here. >> we'll hear from that brave young girl about her terrifying ordeal. and she did it again. after two famously failed marriages, britney spears is marrying her former agent. after years of breakups, bad haircuts and very public meltdowns, is her life finally back on track? ♪ i'm not that innocent and in a sign of the times, britney spears announced her engagement via twitter. >> makes sense. >> we wish them the best. they've been dating for a few years. good for them. more on that story coming up. a lot of other news to get to today. a big day in the case against former penn state coach jerry sandusky. the key eyewitness finally testified in court. we'll tell you what he said. whether his story changed, and just how damaging it could be. >> it could be very damaging. a story that sounds like a premise for a tv show. an nfl star that makes millions leading a double life as a drug kingpin. that's what police say sam hurd of the chicago bears has been doing. how did this devout christian and dedicated family man get into such serious trouble? a great story for you. a week before christmas eve. a story of the season. about a bunch of secret santas. why are they showing up at a bunch of kmarts and the good deeds they're doing. we'll tell you what's going on there. >> what these people are doing is incredible. we're going to start this morning with ron claiborne with breaking news from overnight. >> good morning, everyone. senate leaders have reached a deal to avert payroll tax hike affecting millions of americans that would go into effect on new year's day 2012. the senate votes this morning on the an agreement to extend a payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits for two months. it's a partial victory for the president, who wanted it extended for a year. it forces him to make a decision on a controversial canada to texas oil pipeline. leon panetta arrived overseas in libya. the first pentagon chief to visit that country. he meets with leaders of the government today. how will the u.s. help the new libyan government will be determined. and in the philippines, more than two dozen people were killed and dozens are missing after flood waters flowed over the islands. rivers overflowed and muddy waters cascaded. and last month's hazing death of a florida drum major was ruled a homicide. he died within an hour of being beaten. he has injuries to his chest, arms, shourders and back and had internal bleeding. and the so-called barefoot bandit has been sentenced to seven years in prison. he pleaded guilty to dozens of charges, including burglary and identity theft. from his two-year crime spree. he pled guilty for federal charges as well. and be sentenced for that some time next year. finally, heavy snow in china has created a winter wonderland for a couple of pandas. the pandas, seen there, that's one of them, rolled around the snow, putting on a show for the visitors at their nature reserve. and as wildlife expert dan harris can tell you, they are so comfortable in the snow. >> thank you for giving me credit. now i need to go back and get my zoology degree. >> i have a question for you. you finished your holiday shopping? >> i haven't started. >> you have time. you have time because you want to know why? today is super saturday. by some estimates, it's the busiest shopping day of the year. exceeding black friday and cyber monday. this year's calendar is a bit different. retailers are pulling out all the stops with big sales to get shoppers in the stores today. where are the big deals? is next saturday, christmas eve, an even better day to score big bargains? t.j. winick is at new york's herald square. at the macy's. maybe doing shopping of his own. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. it's go time for retailers. 40% of americans say they finished their holiday shopping last week. to make those cash registers sing, some retailers are giving you not one, but two super saturdays. to shop or not to shop? that is the question. and so called super saturday falls a week early. you see, super saturday, a day of huge savings and deep discounts, normally falls on the last saturday before christmas. this year, that day is christmas eve. leaving just hours for retailers to unload all of that holiday merchandise. that's why several national chains, including macy's sears, and j.c. penney, will celebrate super saturday today. >> some of them are offering 40% off the entire store for a limited period of time. >> reporter: yet others are sticking with the 24th. this scheduling snafu is a big deal for desperate retailers. while thanksgiving weekend might have set sales records, the drop of 2.4% in the following weeks was the biggest since 2000. so get ready for 60% off toys, coats, and luggage at j.c. penney. sears will give away diamond earrings when you buy $199 or more of diamond jewelry. >> fingers are crossed we get a big kickoff. >> reporter: the stakes are even higher when you consider that more customers than ever are having buyer's remorse. for every dollar stores take in, they'll have to give back 9.9 cents in returns. according to the national retail federation. in better economic times, it's about seven sents. in the run up to christmas, several sears and target stores will stay open until midnight. many macy's locations will be open 83 straight hours up to the holiday. dan? >> incredible. t.v., thank you. now to the star witness in the penn state child sex abuse scandal, speaking for the first time about what he saw the legendary defensive coach doeng doing in the showers. and answering the burning question, why did he not stop it? jim avila is on the story. >> reporter: he's the center of the case against his former coaching colleague, jerry sandusky. his grand jury testimony forced his mentor, joe paterno, to retire. and now threatens to send two university officials to prison for allegedly lying about what he told them. penn state coach mike mcqueary on the stand. sticking to the story that he told the university. i saw jerry in the shower with a boy and it was extremely sexual this nature, and over the line, and wrong. mcqueary is the only adult witness to that alleged assault in the penn state football team showers. he said he went to his mentor, coach joe paterno about what he saw. i told paterno i saw jerry with a young boy in the showers. way over the line. extremely sexual in nature, and i thought i needed to tell him. his account backed by coach paterno's grand jury testimony. it was of a sexual nature. enough, say prosecutors, that the university officials accused of personalry and not reporting the crime lied when hay said it was all just horseplay. >> now you have paterno and mcqueary saying they told them it was a sexual act going on. at the university. >> reporter: the judge agreeing. the case will go to trial. one underlying question remained, why didn't mike mcqueary do more? he said he slammed his locker shut loudly, hoping to stop the attack. but did not confront sandusky, remove the child he saw assaulted, or go to police. >> he should have done something. it's sickening that he didn't. >> reporter: a point that the defense says proves their case. if he really saw what he says he did, he would not have just walked away. jim avila, abc news, new york. >> let's go to a man who has covered this story extensively, as the host of "prime news" on hln, vinnie politan. thanks for joining us. >> good morning. >> if he didn't do anything to stop this, which appears to be the case, does that hurt his credibility as a witness? >> it's an argument the defense is going to make. my goodness, if a grown man, 6'4", 240 pounds sees this happening and doesn't do anything, doesn't call police, logic tells you, it didn't happen. but on the other hand, dan, i mean, look at it. why would he make it up? how is mike mcqueary's life better by making up this story. >> exactly. sit incumbent on the defense, then, to say why he would make it up? >> i think. i think that's the only way to convince the jury he's making it up. he's not the only witness. every one of these victims are also witnesses. they are adults now. they can talk about what happened to them when they were children. so he's -- in the sandusky case, he's more of a corroborating witness than a primary witness in the case. >> let me ask you about the ten alleged victims, many of whom are expected to testify, what kind of defense strategy can they device -- devise to deal with this onslaught? >> there's just one. mcqueary is the witness. but if you have ten victims, what you have to do is victim by victim, come up with a reason why they would make it up. it will be all about the money. most of them have civil attorneys. civil suits have not necessarily been filed yet. but that's where they're going to going. they're going to say, listen, why do you hire a civil attorney? oh, you're not going to sue him, not going to sue penn state? really? when did you come forward? questions like that. they'll talk about the interactions some of the victims have had, since the assault, with jerry sandusky. listen, if you were assaulted by this man and he was so bad the you, why are you hanging out with him years later? i think those are the places the defense will go in attempting to discredit the victims. >> still an uphill battle. thanks for joining us this morning, vinnie politan. >> thank you. >> bianna, over to you. >> thanks, dan. another story making headlines. victoria's secret is famous for super models. today, the nation's biggest lingerie retailer is facing an entirely different type of bombshell. the company is under fire because child labor may have been involved in producing some of its famous underwear. cecilia vega has the latest from washington. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, bianna. so many of us will rush out to finish our holiday shopping today. the new allegations about one of the best known lingerie makers might make you think twice about where some popular products are coming from. these are the images of perfection and glamour victoria's secret are known for. models seen strutting their stuff at the annual fashion show. ♪ behind the sexy underwear line lies another kind of secret. according to bloomberg news, the cotton used to make the underwear may have been picked by the hands of children on a poor farm in west africa. >> we found foster children that could be abandoned, often be sought to do work. >> reporter: 13-year-old clarice is one of them. she spends her day doing back-breaking work, hour after hour picking cotton, often, bloomberg says, enduring beatings from the farmer who makes the profit. the company says it relies on fair trade organizations to make sure that workers are not exploited. and that children are not being used in the field. >> this is not a secret in this village. everybody knows about it. that's why it's so easy to find. and why they spoke about it so extensively with farmers. they really didn't know that they were doing anything wrong. >> reporter: victoria's secret gave this statement. to abc news. our standards specifically prohibit child labor. we are vig usely engaging with stake holders to fully investigate this matter. they have more than 1,000 stores in north america. on one of the biggest shopping days of the year, it's fighting to maintain its famous image of perfection. one of the fair trade groups responsible for policing farms and factories from child labor is alsoinvestigating. victoria's secret says all the farm this case buy from are required to maintain standards. dan? >> big p.r. problem this morning. now to one of the most dramatic trials of the year. millionaire bob ward was convicted of killing his wife. at his sentencing on friday, his two daughters came out to plead for mercy for the man who killed their mother. dan gutman is on the story. >> it breaks my heart to see him behind bars. >> reporter: sara ward's desperate plea to save the man who killed their mother. >> justice for my mom is not locking my dad behind bars for the rest of his life. it's giving our family a second chance. >> reporter: and mallory ward beseeching the judge to commute bob ward's 30-year sentence. >> i'll sentence you at this time to 30 years in prison. >> reporter: a sentence that would likely condemn the 63-year-old former millionaire and developer, who lived in the same neighborhood as tiger woods and shaquille o'neal, to life in prison. his daughters seemed incensed, muttering profanity and heart-broken. throughout the trial, they steadfastly supported their father. >> that's my dad. >> do you love him? >> more than anything. >> reporter: even when they heard this damning tape. >> i just shot my wife. >> you just what? >> i just shot my wife. she's dead. she's done. i'm sorry. >> reporter: ultimately, it was bob ward's constantly shifting story that seemed to condemn him. he said this ohours after his arrest. >> i have nothing to be worried about, other than i was trying to get the gun out of her hand. >> reporter: there's this jailhouse video, dancing a jig. making light of the dismal conditions. and vowing to be out for a week. that was in 2009. for "good morning america," matt gutman, abc news. now let's downshift. to something we hope will be lighter. let's go to ginger zee. >> good morning, everyone. the most volatile weather in the nation in the southwest again. we'll start with video from kabc. we have signs on top of cars. this is not the worst they have seen. the 150-mile-an-hour from weeks ago would be bigger. 70-mile-an-hour winds would knock trees down, too. it will be a ruckus there. wind advisories, high wind warnings. that storm going to pull away and move east into other parts of the southwest, including arizona, new mexico, and eventually oklahoma and nebraska. kansas too. you're starting to see winter weather advisories. in the northeast, you're asking, what about winter here? lyi light snow from chicago. buffalo, burlingtoburlington, af >> all i want for christmas are some great facebook photos. so help me out. you can go to facebook.com/gingerzeetv. a great one from phoenix. christine on the airplane. just great pictures. >> that's all you want for christmas? you're easy. >> so easy to shop for. santa won't have to work too hard for you. now to a story that involves a santa. it's putting us all in a good mood this morning. a slew of santas are showing up at scores around the country helping people pay off their debt just in time for the holidays. >> an angel just dropped out of the sky. >> reporter: an angel at a checkout counter? people at the kmart in indianapolis said it happened. >> i took out my credit card to pay the minimum. she said, don't pay that. i'm going to pay it for you. >> reporter: angie was visited by the christmas angel at the layaway counter. an anonymous stranger who offered to pay the remaining debt on her daughter's christmas gifts. >> i said, what can we do for you? she said, the only thing you can do for me is to give back. >> reporter: this secret santa then paid other strangers' debts. and handed out $50 bills to shocked shoppers. >> here you go, george, merry christmas. >> reporter: sort of like the residents of bedford falls helping out george bailey. just like the real santa makes the rounds on christmas eve, these secret santas have suddenly been popping up all across the country, in states like nebraska, missouri, illinois, michigan, and north carolina. >> it's incredible. it gives me chills thinking about it. >> reporter: and at another one in montana -- >> he walked in and wanted to pay on some layaways. and i asked him what ones he wanted? he said some that weren't going to have christmas and were late. >> ma'am, merry christmas, that's for you. >> reporter: this happened before. larry stewart, a legendary santa until his death in 2007. >> oh, thank you, thank you, thank you. >> reporter: he doled out nearly $1 million over 30 years to families in need. and in salvation army kettles, near gettysburg, pennsylvania, every year, a gold coin worth $1,700. for angie, she was able to make her daughter's christmas dreams come true, debt free. >> thank you so much that she did this for us. i can't believe it. >> it just reminds you of what the holidays are truly about. >> i love it. i suspect it will catch on. coming up, the terrified 13-year-old girl and the call to 911 as she hides under the bed with the intruders in her room. >> do you have a lock on your bedroom dor? >> they're in my room. >> where are you, under the bed? and was this nfl player leading a double life. federal agents say he was playing ball and dealing drugs at the same time. that story coming up. and the burning question, will the third time be the charm for britney spears? will another walk down the aisle change the pop star's wild ways? keep it here. i take an omega for my heart. but to be honest, i find the omega choices overwhelming. which one is right for me? then i found new pronutrients omega-3. it's from centrum, a name i trust. it goes beyond my heart to support my brain and eyes too. and these ultra-concentrated minigels are much smaller than many others. it's part of a whole new line of supplements. there's probiotic and fruit & veggie too. new pronutrients from centrum helps make nutrition possible. but sometimes i wonder... what's left behind? [ female announcer ] purifying facial cleanser from neutrogena® naturals. removes 99% of dirt and toxins without dyes, parabens or harsh sulfates. so skin feels pure and healthy. [ female announcer ] from neutrogena® naturals. vfor the ones that dab, the ones who smear,r king. so skin feels pure and healthy. the ones who spread them everywhere. for the late night cravers to the oddball eaters, the handful stuffers and the tiny biters. thicker cut for more flavor. new fries from burger king. has focused on making the best-tasting... sour cream for over four generations. it's made with farm-fresh cream that's 100% natural. no preservatives. and no added hormones. ♪ do-do a dollop of daisy with less chronic low back pain. imagine living your life with less chronic osteoarthritis pain. imagine you, with less pain. cymbalta can help. cymbalta is a non-narcotic treatment that's fda-approved to manage chronic musculoskeletal pain. one pill a day, every day, can help reduce this pain. tell your doctor right away if your mood worsens, you have unusual changes in mood or behavior or thoughts of suicide. antidepressants can increase these in children, teens, and young adults. cymbalta is not approved for children under 18. people taking maois or thioridazine or with uncontrolled glaucoma should not take cymbalta. taking it with nsaid pain relievers, aspirin, or blood thinners may increase bleeding risk. severe liver problems, some fatal, were reported. signs include abdominal pain and yellowing of the skin or eyes. talk with your doctor about your medicines, including those for migraine, or if you have high fever, confusion and stiff muscles, to address a possible life-threatening condition. tell your doctor about alcohol use, liver disease, and before you reduce or stop taking cymbalta. dizziness or fainting may occur upon standing. side effects include nausea, dry mouth, and constipation. [ male announcer ] ask your doctor about cymbalta. imagine you, with less pain. cymbalta can help. go to cymbalta.com to learn about a free trial offer. [ grandma ] ok. ♪ ah. then we will all do it together. treats! teets...teets...teets... yeah, look at this. [ female announcer ] it seems like the best family traditions... always start in the kitchen. ♪ rice krispies®. happy holidays. coming up on "good morning america," a quick-thinking 13-year-old manages to call 911 from under her bed as intruders enter her house. er? sometimes life can be, well, a little uncomfortable,

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