jenna: start with some politics now. brand new polling on the all-important midterm elections. hi, everybody. hope you re off to great day so far. i m jenna lee. jon: i m jon scott. control of congress as you know be for grabs come november. days before the first primaries new polls suggest republicans are in a stronger position than the democrats and the president has a lot to do with those numbers a cbs/new york times poll showing 59% of those surveyed are disappointed with the obama presidency so far compared with only 40% say they are satisfied. when it comes to the job the president is doing. only 41% approve. 51% disapprove. all that could be translating into support for the gop with the poll finding in house races republicans have a slight edge, 42% saying they would vote for the gop candidate. 39% would support the democrat. joining us now, nina easton, senior editor and washington columnist at fortune magazine and also a fox news contributor. ron fournier, senior
Jon: hayes was accused of conspiring with her husband to murder 27-year-old laura ackerson. the defense argued hayes was coerced by her husband into helping him dispose of the body and did not actually participate in the murder itself. her attorneys now plan to appeal the conviction. let s bring in our legal panel today. ebony williams is a criminal defense attorney. phil snyder is a former prosecutor. phil, you said a second degree conviction in your view doesn t necessarily fit the facts of the crime here? well, you know it doesn t make sense. first off you can t fault the jury. they spent time. they spent three days evaluating this evidence. the verdict that they came back with seeps to split the baby what lawyers call it. the state was act for first degree, acting in concert. and defense said she didn t know the crime until her actions after the murder why should should be here. they are splitting the baby so
Jenna: in ukraine there are new clashes erupting in venezuela. antigovernment protesters and security forces fighting in the capitol city streets there. violence has killed at least six people in the past week. phil keating is live in miami with the late on this, phil? reporter: another day of burning trash and barricades in and around caracas. the opposition leader asking them to stay firm. the harvard heavy educated economist remains in prison after surrending in caracas two days ago. military tribunal ruled lopez will not be freed before his trial. the socialist government charged him with criminal incitement and arson related to six deaths and damage related to protests that shut down parts of the country for more than a week.
Greatest challenge to date of president nicholas maduro s post-hugo chavez presidency. translator: this fascist we detained is well-guarded in prison. he is tried for having called for a coup and he should respond. reporter: the dead include 22-year-old genesis carmona, last year s miss tourism of one venezuelan state. she was shot by a motorcyclist who fired into a crowd of antigovernment protesters. florida senators, marco rubio and bill nelson condemned the government s action as did president obama yesterday. earlier today venezuela expelled three u.s. officials from venezuela. the u.s. state department is weighing exactly how to respond to that. jenna: phil keating live in miami. phil, thank you. jon: well, right now some lucky person is $425 $425 million richer, before taxes. just one jackpot winner from last night s powerball drawing.
We can t figure it out so we ll convict on murder two. jon: ebony, what do you think the prosecution did that had its greatest effect on the jurors? certainly, jon. the prosecutors did really two things that i think sealed this conviction for them. first they highlighted the fact this woman, amanda hayes, is former professiol actress. she appeared in a number of prime time hit series in small roles nonetheless. the prosecutor s closing argument this was the performance of amanda hayes life. when you make that statement, you make the jury s second-guess themselves, even if they bought the story of coercion they have the underlying sentiment this is perform as as well. that will raise likelihood this will bring back a conviction. the jurors highlighted how her defense story didn t line up with the evidence. i think phil is right. what we see is compromise verdict of sort. jon: phil, they did poke holes in her credibility pretty thoroughly. poke holes, they took a big