July 2007 - Posts
In her first interview since the final chapter of the Harry Potter series went public, J.K. Rowling revealed the secrets she could never previously discuss to TODAY’s Meredith Vieira in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Rowling covered all topics including the rationale behind her plot choices; the character she saved and the ones she decided to kill later in the writing process; what Harry, Hermione and Ron are up to these days; her plans for the future; and the way Harry Potter has saved her own life.When J.K. Rowling sat down with NBC's Meredith Vieira, the two discussed Rowling's life pre-Potter, how the Harry Potter franchise changed her life, and the decision process in killing off a character. Ever wonder what Rowling would re-write and what "almost" happened in prior Harry Potter books? Read excerpts from the interview below and tune in to NBC Sunday for a one-hour special.
Spoiler alert: This interview reveals some key plot points in the final Harry Potter book. So if you've haven't finished the book, J.K. Rowling asks that you not read this story.
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By Chris Hansen, Dateline Correspondent
The fireman
Tonight we’re back in Ocean County, N.J., for the second part of our "To Catch A Predator" investigation. Among the first men you’ll meet here is a guy who uses new ruse to convince a 14-year-old girl named Jane to let him come over to her family’s house and have sex. Jane is really a decoy from Perverted Justice.
In his online chat 42-year old Rick Burnham pretends to be a 21-year-old college student going by the screen name "uconnbluenwhite". Then he introduces "Jane" to his older friend "stevetakespix" who supposed to be a real cool guy who just happens to be interested in taking the virginity of a 14-year-old.
We think what he’s trying to do is not scare off the young teen by giving his real age in the beginning of the chat. As you watch Burnham walk into our hidden camera house, he’s just driven three hours from Connecticut. Watch as it appears he want to get right down to business. He chats with Casey, our decoy, for a bit and when she excuses herself to go to the next room, he’s right behind her. As I walk out to talk to him, we almost bump into each other.
That’s when I see something sticking out of his back pocket. When I ask him what it is, he says it’s his cell phone. I know it’s not a cell phone so I say: "No. The other back pocket." As you’re about to see, the item he pulls out leaves little doubt about his intent. Burnham, by the way, is retired fire department captain who says he’s now a freelance photographer.
Grooming technique
We’re about to see another man who makes himself comfortable on the beach of our multi-million dollar home on the ocean. James Marcott, 32, doesn’t seem one bit nervous as his sits down to talk to our decoy posing as a 13-year-old girl. Perhaps he has experience talking to teenagers.
In his on line chat he told the decoy that he had earlier met a 15-year-old girl online. Watch now as he tells Casey that not only did he met her, he also had sex with her. When I talk to Marcott, he changes his story, saying he never had sex with a 15-year-old. Why would someone say this online?
Experts tell us it’s a common grooming technique used by potential predators. Almost as if to say: "It’s ok. Other kids you age have already done this." But in this case it’s going to be another lead to be followed up on by detectives with the Ocean County Prosecutors Office.
Everyday guys
Once again, we see just how many of the guys who surface in our investigations look like everyday guys who don’t stand out of a crowd. If you live in Pennsylvania, you might have even purchased a car from one of our next visitors.
When we meet 39-year old Jeremy Keister he has a job selling luxury cars. Watch as Keister walks into our home. Something spooks him right away. He almost freezes. I think it may have been when Casey offered him some brownies that something clicked and he maybe realizes he’s just walked into a "To Catch A Predator" investigation. All doubt is removed when he admits he knows exactly who I am. He even says: "It’s nice to meet you."
Head first
You may have seen last week’s preview to tonight’s show, where we showed video of one of our visitors who went head first into the bar in the family room of our hidden camera house. People have been asking me about it all week. Tonight, you’ll see the whole story.
The man I’m talking about is 37-year-old Kazuo Akustso. When we meet him he’s a shirt-and-tie salesman at a major Manhattan department store. I have seen a lot during the three years we’ve been doing these investigations, but nothing quite like this. Kazuo walks in, chats with our decoy Casey, and then I walk out. What you don’t see on camera is that the color literally drains from his face.
I can’t be sure that he knew who I was or what he has just walked into, but he knows it’s not good. He goes down on his knees, gets back up and then apparently faints, crashing head-first into the bar. A medic comes in to check him out. Later police say he’s OK.
What were they thinking?
As we finish up in New Jersey, consider this: nearly half of the 28 men who surfaced in this investigation had seen one of our earlier investigations. What does that say to me? Some people have suggested that some of these guys want to get caught, perhaps maybe even want to be on our show. Possibly, but I still think most of these guys just really don’t think it could happen to them.
Click here for the script to "To Catch a Predator" New Jersey
By Chris Hansen, Dateline Correspondent
More often than not, when a potential predator shows up at one of our hidden camera houses he has no criminal history for sexual assault or soliciting a minor online for sex. But when a convicted sex offender does come over, we typically know in advance. That’s because most states have easily accessible databases where you can simply enter a name and other identifying information and if there’s a match you’ll know in seconds.
Such is the case as we continue our “To Catch A Predator” investigation in Ocean County, New Jersey. Before 36-year-old Todd Lewis even knocks on our door, we suspect that he’s the same Todd Lewis who in 2003 pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl. As you’ll see, it doesn’t appear that he’s learned his lesson in the four years since.
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In her only television interview after the highly anticipated release of the seventh and final installment in the Harry Potter series, author J.K. Rowling sat down with NBC's Meredith Vieira in Edinburgh, Scotland.
During the interview, Vieira asked the author about what she's left out of past books and what the future holds for Harry Potter.
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By Sue Simpson, Dateline Producer
The trial of Thomas Toolan III, was the first murder trial on Nantucket, Mass., in almost a generation. It was a riveting courtroom drama. Toolan, who was at one point a Wall Street financial executive, was accused of the first-degree murder of his ex-girlfriend, Beth Lochtefeld in October 2004. He pleaded not guilty.
The facts of the case were not in dispute: Toolan flew to Nantucket on October 25th 2004, stabbed Beth Lochtefeld 23 times in her cottage, left the island immediately and several hours later was arrested in Rhode Island.
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By Chris Hansen, Dateline Correspondent
These posts are meant to coincide with the broadcast.
10:03 p.m.
One of the things you may notice tonight as you watch our 11th "To Catch A Predator" investigation is how much more interaction there is between the men and the young woman we've hired to be our onsite decoy. In past investigations the young woman or young man typically invites the potential predator in, chats for a few seconds, and then disappears.
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By Chris Hansen, Dateline Correspondent
Our 11th computer predator investigation takes place in a multi-million dollar home on the beautiful shoreline of New Jersey. It's a picture perfect vacation spot for parents and children -- and for potential predators as well.
This particular investigation is full of firsts. We have had decoys in our hidden camera homes in previous operations greet and chat in person with our visitors, but this is the first time we were set up to capture such extensive interaction between the two. As you'll see, our onsite decoy Casey looks a lot younger than her 18 years, but don't be fooled.
She was exceptional when it came to making conversation with almost every one of the 28 men who came to our house. What makes this so revealing is that we not only see the potential predator engage in the grooming process in his online chat, we also see it in real time.
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by Tim Uehlinger, Dateline Senior Producer
We had just a few hours to make it all happen.
In March, I flew down to Knoxville, Tenn., with Today's Matt Lauer for an exclusive interview with the husband of a student teacher -- a husband charged with murdering her teenage boyfriend.
From the moment we arrived, it has been one of the most unusual stories I have ever covered.
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by Keith Morrison, Dateline Correspondent
Even in his drab prison jumpsuit, chained and handcuffed, confined behind a thick glass barrier in the county jail, Sean Goff is an engaging man. Which shouldn't have surprised me, of course. After all, the man was a minister, a youth pastor, before-- well, before what he did.
We met in the narrow confines of the visitor's center, separated by that barrier, not long after his conviction for a crime that was so horrific it had left more than a few people pondering the possibility for evil in one human soul. Did I expect his face to betray something sinister or monstrous?
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by Josh Weiner, Dateline producer
I've served on a jury for a criminal case. I've also had the opportunity to watch several murder trials in person through my job at Dateline. Every case has been interesting. But a trial where the defendant represented himself? This is one I'll never forget.
By all accounts Janine Sutphen was an artistic, gregarious and talented woman with many friends. So when she disappeared on January 22, 2003, the community of Durham, North Carolina was stunned. Her body turned up four months later and that's when her husband, Rob Petrick, was charged with first degree murder.
Their marriage had once seemed so ideal. But it turned out Mr. Petrick was keeping secrets. The biggest secret wasn't just that he'd been cheating. He'd actually gotten engaged to another woman.
I headed down to North Carolina last fall, just days after coming across the story of this upcoming trial. I knew this case would be fascinating and unique. You see, Rob Petrick, who had no legal background, made the risky decision to act as his own defense attorney.
Within days after the trial began, Mr. Petrick was cross-examining witnesses about his own behavior. Some were his ex-girlfriends, and his questions veered into the most intimate details of their relationships. To watch these women reveal such personal details in a courtroom full of people was often uncomfortable, yet compelling.
Rob Petrick had already pleaded guilty to fraud charges before the trial began. He was even serving a prison sentence. But the jury in his murder trial didn't know that. They had no clue that his daily commute involved being transported by police while wearing the orange prison jumpsuit and handcuffs. Every morning, in the hallway outside the courtroom, the guards escorted Mr. Petrick into a small, dark holding cell where he would change into a suit and tie and review legal documents.
Included in the daily crowd of people attending the trial were other reporters and an assortment of Janine's friends and family. They're a tight-knit bunch and it's clear they are still heartbroken over losing Janine. They always sat closely together, commenting to each other and even taking notes. A Web-group called "Friends of Janine" had been created, and every evening after court, her friends would share updates online as the trial progressed.
After nearly three weeks, the case went to the jury. Everyone was wondering... had Rob Petrick, the amateur attorney, been able to convince the jurors he had nothing to do with his wife's death?
Watch "Body of Evidence" on Dateline NBC at 7 p.m. Sunday to find out.
Click here for full story
[Originally posted June 2, 2006]
It's a story that made headlines across the country.
A small-town preacher was killed early one morning in his own parsonage as he slept.
This case would open a pandora's box of secrets -- because the pious and charismatic preacher, it seemed, was a different man when he stepped away from the pulpit.
PLAY VIDEO
Dateline correspondent Keith Morrison previews the case.
"The Preacher's Wife" airs Dateline NBC on Monday at 10 p.m.
Read full story with exclusive interviews and photos here.
