and a celebrity chef as a witness, nigella lawson. for the british this story is a different kind of upstairs downstairs. >> reporter: two long-term employees accused of stealing from their super wealthy employers, almost a modern version of "downton abbey." >> i still don't see why you didn't tell me first. >> reporter: it's playing out in london exposing the secrets of celebrity chef, nigella lawson. she has over 6 million cookbooks in print worldwide and is a tv star, including on abc's "the taste." her culinary empire started when her first husband lay dying and she created a cookbook about the foods that consoled her. >> there is something so extraordinary about eggs, sugar, flour and butter becoming a cake. >> reporter: elizabetta grillo became her children's caretaker during that difficult time. sister francesca grillo joined the household just before nigella remarried multi-millionare charles saatchi. six months ago a scandal erupted when photos surfaced showing saatchi with his hand on nigella's throat. that image was soon fo

as proof defense lawyers brought up an e-mail from lawson's ex, millionaire art dealer. in it he called her -- he accused her of being off her head on drugs. lawson says her ex-husband's e- mail was part of a bullying campaign to clear his name. he was vilified in the press this summer after he was photographed allegedly choking her. they divorced months later. the best selling author is worried the drug claims may have damaged her reputation. while her assistants are in court for fraud, she says that she's the one on trial in the world's press. al nonso van marsh, cbs news, london. >> the judge in the trial for law -- warned lawson that any of her testimony could implicate her in a criminal offense and that she could decline to answer any questions. >>> marine experts are trying to figure out what's causing whales to beach along florida's southwest coast off everglades national park. the pod of 30 to 40 pilot whales is swimming in shallow water less than a mile off the shoreline. the whales are a deep water animal commonly found in the gulf of mexico. some of the whales

lawson testified the argument was over her desire to have grandchildren. and she said saatchi spread false rumors he had been examining her for cocaine. when saatchi was asked in court if the argument was about drugs, he said no. i was holding her head by the neck to make her focus, he said. other intimate allegations were revealed by the defense, claims satcally would have his assistants buy his book to improve sales. and spent most of the time in his room. nigella was accused of keeping cocaine in a hollowed out book. all of it now part of public court record. >> i think the winners from this particular case are simply the public. we've devoured this great soap opera. the tabloids have done well. the media has done well out of it. when we reflect on this maybe in two or three months time we'll think why did we do it. >> erin mclaughlin, cnn, london. >> the sisters still face a civil suit brought by charles saatchi. lawson released a statement after the verdict claiming that the trial wasn't about justice, but rather about destroying her reputation. now,

of course, her father, nigel lawson was a former chancellor of the exchequer. a very well-known figure in the uk, like treasurer if you like. >> very well-known. >>> let's talk about how a union official is telling cnn the man driving the train that derailed sunday in the bronx had probably nodded off. >> the latest on that deadly train crash next. hey kevin...still eating chalk for heartburn? yeah... try new alka seltzer fruit chews. they work fast on heartburn and taste awesome. these are good. told ya! i'm feeling better already. [ male announcer ] new alka seltzer fruits chews. enjoy the relief! >>> welcome back. in new york city, a union official has been telling cnn that the man driving the train that derailed on sunday was such tragic results had probably nodded off. >> because that official talked to the media, the rail union has been kicked off the ntsb investigation, which has strict confidentiality rules. four people died sunday, more than 65 others hurt when the metro north train jumped the tracks while going three times the safe speed for the curve

so far lawson had not commented on the allegations. this is really the first time we're hearing her talk about this. >> did nigella lawson talk at all about the famous tabloid picture? the one where it appears her husband was choking her in a restaurant. >> reporter: not at present. the testimony is continuing, they just came out of a lunch break. the testimony will continue into the afternoon. her ex-husband did testify on friday. in that testimony, he talked about an e-mail he september to lawson inning on th october. he alleges she used marijuana and cocaine and she allowed the sisters to spend as they liked. he backtracked on that statement in his testimony saying he was very upset when he september the e-mail, adding he was simply speculating as to what the sisters defense would be at trial adding that at no point in time did he ever see my bell ni lawson do drugs. >> thanks so much. >>> still to come, chilling details about the crash that killed paul walker. casey wian is following that story for you. >> reporter: there is new vi

we'll talk about nigella lawson, celebrity chef and court case she's involved in. just left court after giving testimony for a second day and her drug use was raised again even though she's not the one on trial. [ male announcer ] research suggests cell health plays a key role throughout our lives. one a day men's 50+ is a complete multivitamin designed for men's health concerns as we age. with 7 antioxidants to support cell health. one a day men's 50+. humans. even when we cross our t's and dot our i's, we still run into problems. namely, other humans. which is why, at liberty mutual insurance, auto policies come with new car replacement and accident forgiveness if you qualify. see what else comes standard at libertymutual.com. liberty mutual insurance. responsibility. what's your policy? ...are the hands that do good things for the whole community: the environment, seniors, kids, and animals. that's why we created the share the love event. by the end of this year, the total donated by subaru could reach 35 million dollars. you get a great deal on a new subaru. we

it happened about two hours ago in the section of lawson avenue and sanity why theresa boulevard. one of those cars ended up on the front porch of that home right there. one person was taken to the hospital with unknown injuries. we are told she is responsive, though. good morning. thanks for joining us. i'm terry mcsweeney. >> i'm peggy bunker. happening also right now president obama is getting ready to hold his latest news conference of the year. now, later tonight he and his family will head to hawaii for the christmas vacation so this will be his last news conference. once the president's news conference(=14,eju well, will bring it to you live. >> to a developing story in san francisco. that's where a garbage truck has hit and killed a pedestrian in the city's tender loin neighborhood. it happened about 7:30 this morning near the intersection of jones and opharrell. he was hit by an ecology garbage truck going in reverse, and this is the third deadly crash involving an ecology garbage truck since just. >> we have new details about the fight of a bay area family to cç support

it's playing out in london exposing the secrets of nigella lawson. she has over 6 million cook books in print worldwide and is a tv star, including on abc's the taste. her culinary empire started when her first husband lay dying and she created a book about the foods that consoled her. >> there is something extraordinary about eggs, sugar, flower and butter becoming a cake. >> elizabetta grillo became her children's caretaker. sister frank chess ska joined the household just before nigella married charles saatchi. six months ago a scandal erupted when photos surfaced showing saatchi with his hand on nigella lawson's throat. then nigella was forced back into the spotlight to give evidence into the trial of those two former assistants. the sisters have pleaded not guilty to using their credit cards to go on a million dollar spending spree. their defense that lawson gave them the green light to spend lavishly in return for their silence about her drug use. nigella made explosive admissions saying she had used cocaine a total of 7 times and quote, smoked

disaster for lawson and charles sachi. there have been allegations of drug use, as well as details into the breakdown of their marriage. and neither of them are the ones on trial. the defendants in this case, two sisters, their former personal assist tans, elisabetta and francesca grillo. the prosecution alleges that the two sisters frondly used saatchi credit cards. charles saatchi was asked questions by the defense from e-mails he sent to lawson in october. in that e-mail he writes of her daily drug use, and he says that he allowed the sisters to spend as they liked. he explained to the court at the time he wrote that e-mail, he was very upset, distraught, heartbroken over the breakdown of their marriage. he was simply speculating to the sisters' defense saying that nigella lawson to his knowledge has never used drugs. we have yet to hear from nigella lawson. she's never responded to any of these allegations. she's expected to testify later today, zoraida. >> what a mess. you started out saying this is a p.r. nightmare f

lawson says he told everyone he was trying to take cocaine out of her nose. she claims that a child walked by that day. and she said she was looking forward to becoming a grandmother. and sachi responded saying "i am the only person you should be concerned with. i am the only person that should give you pleasure." sachi testified last week that he was simply trying to get nigella's attention in the restaurant. the accusations go back and forth. the trial continues. >> and they're both under oath. so somebody's lying. all right, trace, thanks so much. we'll see you tomorrow. >> okay. >>> lions and tigers and bears, oh my. the famous line from the "wizard of oz" now a reality at one animal sanctuary. the blt family and how they were saved from being split up. [ paper rustles, outdoor sounds ] ♪ [ male announcer ] laura's heart attack didn't come with a warning. today her doctor has her on a bayer aspirin regimen to help reduce the risk of another one. if you've had a heart attack, be sure to talk to your doctor before you begin an aspirin regimen. they're abo

on the stand, lawson denied being an addict. saying she smoked an occasional joint and used cocaine a handful of times. but, the idea that i am a drug addict or habit ul user of cocaine is absolutely ridiculous. and an annonymous friend shade she was floored about the she's angry at her ex-husband who she blames for spreading those stories. friends say her plan for revenge is to succeed with her new show starting here on abc and her publisher promising to reissue her cookbooks. >> could she be indicted on these drug charges? >> she was the alleged victim here. now the authorities are talking about possibly investigating her for drug use and social services possibly coming in. because there are children in the house. this is a woman who has admitted to using drugs on a few occasions. if we are going to start investigating every person that admits to using drugs on a few occasions. there would be a lot of investigations. >> is there going to be an investigation? >> they have to say there is an investigation. there is not. they've

lawson is being dragged through the u.k. courts and out -- amidst allegations of cocaine use here in have you been following this? >> we had this great piece in time magazine about how she handled herself in court. all of the different way she was managing her reputation during the trial. >> it was really interesting. these cases underline the power of the personal brand and what you can do to salvage her reputation when scandal hits. joining us is a reputation. air. he is an associate at a management firm that works with celebrities, athletes, and government officials. including goldman sachs. they were slung through the mud as well. first off, what grade you give nigella lawson and how she handles herself? >> i would give her about a b plus. she needs to understand that you never pound your own test, whether you are sitting on the standard talking to the media. she was trying to do both. by her coached more attorney than someone with a pr background. >> how? >> you should never speak as to how you look yourself. a coke use

. >> and stay tuned for inside edition, bella lawson admits to taking drugs herself, but find out who else, and beyonce's new visual album, why she release today without any fan fair tonight after the news. ♪ could it be? ♪ no presents beneath the tree? ♪ ♪ wait a minute, now i see ♪ my gifts are above me ♪ that's my kind of holiday ♪ i picked it out in a snap ♪ what made it genius ♪ was my camouflage wrap ♪ that's my kind of holiday >>> new tonight at 11:00, the city of concord is warning residents to be on alert. a rash of burglaries is plaguing the city. 26 burglaries have been reported. eight of those have been car burglaries. many have a happened at malls in the area where people shop for gifts, put them in their cars and then go back for more shopping, finding themselves victimized. we spoke with an official about their plans to keep patrons safe. >> it's best to leave try cleaning at on home and hide obvious christmas presents, even donuts can attract thieves. it wasn't hard to find various items stored in plain view parked at the sun valley mall auto thefts

that lawson used cocaine and other drugs and tried to buy their silence about it. under questioning, lawson, herself, testified she had had used cocaine in the past and had ended her marriage to saatchi because of his intimate terrorism, jealous i didn't and attempts to destroy her reputation as a celebrity tv chef in britain and the u.s., has it branded her brand? >> cooking at home experts are held to a higher standard because they are in your home, so i think she will take a little more heat for the behavior that is pretty typically for hollywood. >> reporter: after the verdict, lawson relieved a statement saying, i did my civic duty only to be maliciously vilified without the right to respond. as for the assistants who turned on her, neither was in court to hear the not guilty verdict, though, their lawyer said they were naturally relieved. for "today," mike taibbi, nbc news, los angeles. >>> still ahead on "today," it's a big night for "saturday night live" as jimmy fallon and justin timb timberlake team up once again. we will tell you about that. >>> first, t

nigela lawson made a career as a hot celebrity chef. >> see, look, that is so easy and yet so perfect. >> now it is her reputation and we go inside a spectacular trial with allegations of habitual drug use and caught on camera marital feud. >> spoiled rotten. from private planes to fast cars and luxurious label. these kids are living the life. and their motto "if you've got it flaunt it." >> plus, duck and cover, duck dynasty patriarch puts his foot in his mouth with anti-gay comments and gets suspended from the show. now the whole family is threatening to walk. au cou >> could the sun be setting >>> and good evening. court watchers tell us we are just hours away now from a verdict in a trial that has riveted many americans and has entirely transfixed people across the pond. the case involves nigela lawson, british celebrity chef and domestic goddess, who like martha stewart and paula deen before her is in reputational hot water. lama hasan takes us inside a courtroom showdown. >> reporter: celebrity chef, nigela lawson on the hot seat for the past three weeks, front and center of a f

what next for nigella lawson? she's due to host abc's "the taste" in january. >> thank you for that. meanwhile lawson called the trial a ridiculous side show, saying she's disappointed but not surprised by the verdict. >>> and the economy grew. thanks in part by consumer spending. and warren buffett made on average $37 million a day this year. yes, that's about 1.5 million dollars for every hour. and a school field trip would have ended in disaster if not for two teachers. the driver fell out of the seat and one driver grabbed the wheel while the driver was still in the way. another teacher jumped over him and slammed on the brakes. thankfully no one was hurt. >>> and finally, if you like chicken wings -- >> who doesn't? >> -- there's a huge supply of them out there for you. it appears that mcdonald's may have overestimated the demand for wings during its fall promotion. the company has some 10 million pounds of wings leftover. >> i didn't know they had them. >> just sitting in freezers. as robin says, i didn't kn

but nigella lawson feels like she's on the stand. and that's because so much is going to turn on whether the jury believes she was using drugs. >> you can understand why she feels she's on trial there. the defense is in effect -- we were given permission to use these cards, in part because she was on drugs. we were working long hours because she was on drugs. that becomes a crucial part of the defense here. if these jurors don't believe that she was abusing drugs, i think this case is over. if they do, it still doesn't mean they're getting off. >> it gets complicated because charles saatchi has recanted on his accusations. but there's e-mails that say, the assistants will get off because of her, nigella's, drug use. >> and that's what is so powerful here. although he does make a comment at the very end of that e-mail, suggesting that they still did it. but his powerful words in an e-mail, you can't take that away. you can say, yes, i didn't mean it. i meant it as hyperbole. i was trying to make a point. but those are powerful words.

nigella lawson made a career as a hot celebrity chef. >> see, look, that is so easy and yet so perfect. >> but now it's her reputation in firefighter. we go inside a spectacular trial with allegations of habitual drug use and caught on camera marital feud. >>> spoiled rotten. from private planes to fast cars and luxurious labels. these kids are living the life. and their motto "if you've got it flaunt it." >>> plus, duck and cover, duck dynasty patriarch puts his foot in his mouth with anti-gay comments and gets suspended from the show. now the whole family is threatening to walk. >> we're actually going to do this? >> could the sun be setting on their empire? >> announcer: keep it right here, america, "nightline" is back in just 60 seconds. a subaru... ...are the hands that do good things for the whole community: the environment, seniors, kids, and animals. that's why we created the share the love event. by the end of this year, the total donated by subaru could reach 35 million dollars. you get a great deal on a new subaru. we'll donate 250 dollars to a choice of charities that benef

lawson has been accused of habitual drug use. saatchi has been accused of, quote, intimate terrorism. neither of them are on trial but all of it coming out publicly in court. yesterday, lawson addressing those drug allegations saying she is not a habitual drug user though she did admit to using the drug cocaine on two separate life occasions as well as the drug marijuana but says she is currently drug-free and she talked about how she feels this trial has become a witchhunt. she says she feels she is the one that is actually on trial without an attorney and, in her words, without rights when actuality, the defendants in her case are her two former personal assistants accused of having fraudulently stolen over a million dollars using saatchi company credit card charges that the two sisters have denied. john? >> what about that picture that got so much attention, the one that seemed to show her former husband? i guess with his hand around her neck? >> reporter: yeah. for the first time yesterday, nigella lawson talking about that i

nigel lawson has admitted using cocaine in a london court but denies he and headaches or new music that fifty three year old said she had taken cocaine on several occasions with her late first husband john died that you use it as a form of escape from throat cancer that went on to kill him in twenty oh one now years later the celebrity chef clincher ex husband charles said she drove her into using the drug again claiming he had subjected her to consume a . and then she turned to cocaine out of fear lawson's confession is the latest twist in the dramatic case against two personal assistants francesca and elizabeth the grill the sisters are accused of cheating a couple of more than a million dollars for upper limits spending exorbitant amounts of blood tree items and travel but they denied the charges claiming that the popular tv personality was so distracted by legal substances that she permitted the overspending to take place. while austin is having smoked marijuana occasionally during her final year of marriage the art dealer she shot down allegations after being in the same. i don't h

this is the context in which general lawson will address the state of u.s./canada bilateral defense regulations, and we all look forward to hearing what he thats to say on the subject. i want to ask everyone to please write down on the index cards we've provided to you any questions that his remarks or this opportunity for dialogue evoke. and if you do not have a card, please, raise your hand, and we'll distribute them to you now. after general lawson completes his prepared remarks, i'll ask the staff to collect your index cards, and we have two of our senior fellows here who will combine the questions in group-like groupings and facilitate a follow-on discussion. so with that, i want to thank again general lawson and please join me this welcoming him today. [applause] >> thank you very much for that warm welcome, kathleen. and just absolutely delighted to be here. feeling very affectionate towards washington regard he is of that atrocious weather. the washington capitals just came up into canada and got beaten by both the montreal decade yens and my beloved

. >> i gela lawson were -- nigela lawsoner her husband were accused of embezzling money. in her testimony in a london courtroom law son confirmed using cocaine in the past but denied being a habitual user. lawson and her husband have split. >>> the call to keep pedestrians safe is growing with two people hit and killed in two days in one bay area safety. >>> the mistakes done in the streets and what needs to be down to stop the deaths. >> when the bus driver lost control the teachers jumped in to keep the students safe. the ride is all caught on video. >> when it comes to monday's niner ticket prices everything is about location. . >>> a garbage truck backs into a man walking in the tenderloin be kills him. the city is struggling with trying to stop the high right of pedestrian deaths. 17 people have died this year along. >> these sidewalks and streets are busies and that worries people who try to keep the city safe for everyone. >> with san francisco streets filled with shoppers and cars. >> it's chaotic down here. the district attorney and pedestrian advocates urged tra

about her extreme drug use forced lawson in to the spotlight. on the stand, she admitted to using cocaine a handful of times and said she smoked the "odd joint" that she admitted she asked her assistants to roll for her but insisted i have never been a drug addict or habitual user. the so-called domestic goddess has been tabloid fodder since the summer when photos surfaced showing her husband with his hand on her throat. that image was soon followed by a divorce. the revelations of drug use have been central to nigella lawson's public battle with her former husband charles saatchi and it's not over yet. lawson is back on the stand. abc news, london. >> wow. this is a juicy one. lawson admitted to smoking marijuana as her troubled marriage to the 70-year-old saachi collapsed and taking cocaine as her first husband got cancer before his death in 2001. >> she admits this is the way she escaped from her problems but she also says no drug was as toxic and destructive as her ex-husband. >> she will be back on the stand today. it's unfortunate the way

about her extreme drug use forced lawson in to the spotlight. on the stand she admitted to using cocaine a handful of times and said she smoked the "odd joint" that she admitted she asked her assistants to roll for her but said i have never been a drug addict or habit chufl user. she has been front page tabloid fodder since the summer when photos surfaced showing her husband with his hand on her throat. that image was soon followed by a divorce. the revelations of drug use have been central to nigella lawson's public battle with her former husband and it's not over yet. abc news, london. >> wow. this is a juicy one. lawson admitted to smoking marijuana as her troubled marriage to the 70-year-old saachi collapsed and taking cocaine before the death of her husband in 2001. >> she admits this is the way she escaped from her problems but she also says no drug was as toxic and destructive as her husband. >> she will be back on the stand -- >> her ex-husband sgland she will be back on the stand today. it's unfortunate the way trials work. this is a wo

on wednesday, lawson made some explosive admissions. saying she had used cocaine a total of seven times. and, quote, smoked the odd joint. nigella lawson is insisting she does not have a drug problem. explaining to the jury, quote, the idea that i'm a drug addict or habitual user of cocaine is absolutely ridiculous. adding, i didn't have a drug problem. i had a life problem. slamming her former husband, multimillionaire media mogul, charles saatchi, who she refers to as mr. saatchi. nigella told the court the last time she used cocaine was just over three years ago. i felt, how can i put this, subjected to intimate terrorism by mr. saatchi. i felt totally isolated, in fear, and just unhappy. >> my coffee ice cream is really simple. >> reporter: the 53-year-old tv cook and author is giving evidence in the trial of her two former assistants. elisabetta and francesca grill who have pleaded not guilty of defrauding her and her ex-husband of a million dollars. but it's her rocky relationship with saatchi that is front and center. she testifi

celebrity chef nigella lawson hitting back after two of her assistants were found not guilty of stealing her money. can she rehab her tarnished image? >>> plus, ruffled feathers. the "duck dynasty" cast threatens to walk off and end the reality show unless phil robertson is brought back. what a&e is saying after getting death threats. >> this story is really heating up. >>> also coming up in "pop news" this morning, a new way to enjoy one of the most viral videos of the year. checking back with the fox and his friends. coming up here on "gma." keep it here on this very busy saturday morning. we're back in just a few minutes. ♪ [ woman ] "the levian family have been masters of jewelry design for centuries." ♪ this levian collection is amazing. maybe it's time to start your own. [ female announcer ] kay jewelers presents today's levian collection... [ gasps ] [ female announcer ] ...featuring exclusive levian chocolate diamonds. from the levian family -- where the latest in fashion meets fine jewelry. one more reason kay is the number-one jewelry store in america. it's... a work of art

. >> i'm pat lawson muse. delayed deliveries. the latest word is some packages scheduled to be delivered by christmas may not be until tomorrow. >> bad weather and late purchases cause chaos at u.p.s. and fedex. >> a lot of people talked about the short shopping season between thanksgiving and christmas. it's why they couldn't keep up with the volume this year. u.p.s. left many people with a bah humbug spirit as packages were not delivered on time. heidi grant paid extra to guarantee delivery. >> the benefit was christmas is going to last longer and they will have more gifts to open in a couple days. >> reporter: he sent his cousin nike shoes ten days ago. they never arrived. >> it's christmas, why wouldn't they get it by christmas? they are not santa claus, they are u.p.s. >> reporter: they brought in extra workers to get packages out. analysts blame the calendar, weather and more last minute shaping. >> you had a surge in online demand by mobile devices. mobile contributed to 40% of all internet sales. >> reporter: online shopp

lawson's confession is the latest twist in the dramatic case against two personal assistants princess gear and elizabeth the grill the sisters are accused of cheating a couple of more than a million dollars or up their limits spending exorbitant amounts of blood tree items and travel but they denied the charges claiming that the popular tv personality was so distracted by legal substances that she permitted the overspending to take place. while austin is having smoked marijuana occasionally during her final year of marriage the art dealer she shot down allegations after being in the same. i don't have the drug problem i have the life problem but she also says she's happy to answer the allegations after a long summer of bullying and abuse celebrity couple ended their ten year marriage in july after the release of the notorious proper artsy photos of said she grabbed her throat in . lawson says when she refused to back him of the queen said she threatened to bring her down with false claims of drug addicts in an e mail sent out in october the seven year old accused his ex wife being off

. >> i'm pat lawson muse. police are reaching half way around the world to get a teacher accused of abusing a teenage student back to the county to face charges. we told you the suspect hopped a flight to hong kong. pat collins is live with more on the search for this teacher. pat? >> reporter: the victim, a 15-year-old autistic boy. the suspect is 25-year-old teacher. police say while the boy's parents were at church, the teacher went to the boy's home and sexually assaulted that teen. sharon, she's 25 years old. a teacher at the frost school in aspen hill, a school for children with special needs. the victim, a 15-year-old boy, one of her students. now according to court documents, the teacher and the teenager exchanged sexually explicit messages. then they say the teacher went to the victim's residence while the family was out and had sex with her 15-year-old student. >> our victim is a child. and a child with special needs. he should have been nurtured and protected by his teacher, instead, his teacher cho

death threats, the hit reality show turning ugly this morning. >>> and nigella lawson, cooking up her next move. her two assistants, winning an acquittal in court, saying they had approval to spend nearly $1 million. >>> lama hasan has been following this case since day one. >> reporte >> my coffee ice cream. >> reporter: nigella lawson and ex-husband, multimillionaire, charles saatchi, have taken their former assistants to court, accusing them of swindling more than $1 million of their money. the prosecution arguing they spent that money without permission and were guilty of, quote, a greedy and fraudulent free-for-all. then came the allegations of drug use, with an e-mail, written by saathchi, calling her high-jella. you were so off your head on drugs that you allowed the sisters to spend whatever they like. and i believe every word they said. saachi took the stand saying he never saw her take drugs. and that e-mail was, quote, nasty. nigella's explosive testimony followed. forcing her to admit she used cocaine seven times during her life. and, quote, smoked the odd joint. the siste

nigella lawson, celebrated chef, and her husband, in a courtroom drama against their assistants. abc's lama hasan tells us why the jury sided with the employees. >> reporter: it was the case that pitted the super wealthy against the hired help. the two assistants accused of embezzling more than a million dollars of their former boss's money. >> coffee ice cream is really so simple. >> reporter: money that belonged to celebrity tv cook nigella lawson and former husband, multimillionaire, charles saatchi. after explosive testimony here in court, the jury did find the sisters were telling the truth but not before the world heard sordid accusations about the tv star's lifestyle and marriage to one of the richest men in britain. the assistants insisted they didn't steal the money. >> this has been a long hard fight played out in the world's media. >> reporter: one of the sisters seen here on nigella's tv show, the two said they were allowed to spend it in return for not telling saatchi about what they alleged was nigella's frequent drug use. while the assistants never witnessed nigell

the sisters who worked for lawson for more than ten years have denied the accusations. they allege lawson abused drugs regularly and let them spend that money as long as they would keep her secret. life with crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis is a daily game of "what if's". what if my abdominal pain and cramps come back? what if the plane gets delayed? what if i can't hide my symptoms? what if? but what if the most important question is the one you're not asking? what if the underlying cause of your symptoms is damaging inflammation? for help getting the answers you need, talk to your doctor and visit crohnsandcolitisinfo.com to get your complimentary q&a book, with information from experts on your condition. that's a good thing, but it doesn't cover everything. only about 80% of your part b medical expenses. the rest is up to you. so consider an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan, insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company. like all standardized medicare supplement insurance plans, they could save you in out-of-pocket medical costs. call today to request a f

. >> reporter: nigella lawson telling the court today she'd rather be honest about drugs than bullied by lies. i'll have more about that in a moment. >>> i'm ed lavandera in dallas, tex texas. the ice storm is coming, north texas braces for the worst. ♪ morning, turtle. ♪ my friends are all around me ♪ my friends, they do surround me ♪ ♪ i hope this never ends ♪ and we'll be the best of friends ♪ [ male announcer ] the 2014 chevrolet traverse... all set? all set. [ male announcer ] ...with three rows of spacious seating for up to eight. imagine that. chevrolet. find new roads. thanks for giving me your smile. thanks for inspiring me. thanks for showing me my potential. for teaching me not to take life so seriously. thanks for loving me and being my best friend. don't forget to thank those who helped you take charge of your future and got you where you are today. the boss of your life. the chief life officer. ♪ >>> good morning. i'm carol costello, thanks so much for joining me. checking our top stories at 31 minutes past the hour, vice president joe biden met this morn

lawson admitted to using cocaine twice. she testified in a fraud and embezzlement case against two women who once worked for her. lawson told the court and i'm quoting again, i did not have a drug problem. i had a life problem. >>> the former haven't dick cheney responding to a very public family feud. you may remember it started when cheney's daughter liz told a fox news host she doesn't support same-sex marriage. liz's sister mary is gay and her wife slammed liz cheney on facebook. sister mary joined in saying liz, this isn't just an issue on which we disagree. you're just wrong. and on the wrong side of history. at a book promotion event, the former haven't responded to this feud. >> we, you know, were surprised when there was an attack launched against liz on facebook. and wished it hadn't happened. it's always been dealt with within the context of the family and frankly, that's our preferences. >> let's bringing in our chief political analyst gloria borger. how striking were these words from the former vice president t

>> then domestic goddess, nigella lawson. >> they claimed drug dealers were regularly showing up at the house. >> and paul walker shocker. does this shadowy figure show the actor trying to escape the burning car, as his grieving daughter pays tribute to her dad. she's wearing his cap. then, the college quarterback sex scandal. the prominent columnist's advice to her

. >>> celebrity tv chef nige lla lawson is not a drug addict. you want to read it? >> she says that she's only done cocaine a handful of times. take a listen. >> now that's just one morsel coming out of a fraud trial in britain. her former assistants are accused of lacking up more than $1 million in fraudulent charges. they claim lawson authorized the purchases in exchange for keeping quiet about the chef's excessive drug use. >>> today is the ten year anniversary of a northern virginia murder mystery. the wife of alexandria sheriff james dunning found in her own home murdered. peggy fox updates the case at 5:30. >> also ahead, d.c.'s first new wal-mart is now open for business. but we're going to explain why you may want to be careful parking your car near one of those stores. >> all right, temperatures mild. yes it's a harbinger of the warm air to come. we'll show you testimoniens right now. they're in the 50s. but you know what? 60s are on the way. we'll talk about that. a wintry mix is on the way for sunday. and erica will show you where all the winter weather i

lawson will take the stand to answer the allegations. they are adjourned to lunch and we expect her to continue to testify. >> every story has at least three sides and this one certainly does. what is her husband's response? >> reporter: well, her former husband charles testified on friday. during that testimony, he talked about an e-mail that he september to lawson in october. in that e-mail, he alleges that lawson used drugs daily, marijuana and cocaine. and allowed her assistants to spend at will. though he clarified that e-mail in his testimony saying that he was very upset when he wrote it, heartbroken in fact over the break down of his marriage and that he was merely speculating as to the defense. and he also said that he had at never any point in time seen lawson do drugs. >> all right, erin, thank you. appreciate the reporting. keep us in touch with what happens there when she gets back this afternoon. >>> it is important once again to point out she isn't on trial. she is, though, in the midst of defending herself against these a

. >> plus, a stunning admission from celebrity chef nigella lawson. hear what she confessed to doing while in court today. we're on the case. stay with me. [ male announcer ] research suggests cell health plays a key role throughout our lives. one a day men's 50+ is a complete multivitamin designed for men's health concerns as we age. with 7 antioxidants to support cell health. one a day men's 50+. with 7 antioxidants to support cell health. so when my moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis them. was also on display, i'd had it. i finally had a serious talk with my dermatologist. this time, he prescribed humira-adalimumab. humira helps to clear the surface of my skin by actually working inside my body. in clinical trials, most adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis saw 75% skin clearance. and the majority of people were clear or almost clear in just 4 months. humira can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. serious, sometimes fatal events, such as infections, lymphoma, or other types of cancer have happened. blo

the extravagant spending emerging against lawson's housekeeper continues. they claim she let hem buy whatever they wanted in return to keeping them quiet about the cocaine and marijuana use. >>> stepping down after recently blaming a yoga pants recall on over weight customers. it was women's fat thighs that made his company signature yoga pants see through. wilson will be replaced as chairman by the company's lead director. >>> it wouldn't be the proper holiday season without angels. we are talking about the annual victoria secret models. ♪ >> they supported different looks in each scene. the birds of paradise, shipwrecked and snow angel. i didn't even know they had a scene. >> 25 minutes after the top of the hour. a 911 operator in disbelief when she took this call. >> your order was wrong? >> back to the guy who made the call messing up his grounds certainly a crime. the police has the story all wrong. >> american troops don't expect to get a visa from the united states. if you are looking to do business in harry reid's home state you can skip to the fr

i'm barbara harrison. >> i'm pat lawson muse. back to our breaking news about a deadly theater collapse in london. one of a couple breaking news stories we are following. >> bear with us a moment. we'll go back to the scene at the apollo theatre. there are a number of casualties. there are reports of injuries, just not sure how many. all those who were trapped have been freed. a performance was happening at the time. people in the front rows starting to get up when they heard creeking, then part of a balcony collapsed. casualties and injuries to the apollo theatre that dates back to 1901. >>> the swedish embassy near the georgetown waterfront is impacting traffic. there's a live look at k street, the entrance to the freeway. cars diverted off k street. it is closed on to the freeway. rock creek parkway also closed. heads up if you are traveling in that area. a suspicious package causing chaos at the worst possible time, rush hour in d.c. >>> days left in the holiday shopping season, 40 million target shoppers are learning they mi

. >> i'm pat lawson muse. right now, investigators are going over two data recorders as they try to figure out what caused a commuter train to derail. this video was taken minutes after the crash. >> today, nearly a dozen of those injured passengers were releaseed from the hospital. the engineer and conductor have not been questioned. investigators hope to do that soon. jay gray is in the bronx now. >> reporter: they just pulled the last two cars from the train out of the area here. they are moving forward with this investigation. look, the early thought is speed played some kind of part in the accident here as investigators continue to pour through the evidence and interview those who were on the train at the time it left the tracks. massive cranes helped p right and move the battered cars as investigators continue to search why the train left the tracks killing four passengers and injuring more than 60. >> reporter: there could have been a problem with the track. there could have been equipment failure or op

lawson admitted using cocaine at a fraud trial against two former personal asis tants. the asis tants say they saw signings of drug use, but didn't see her take druggings. police made it clear they don't expect to charge lawson any time soon. >>> a former p.r. executive says she's sorry for the pain she caused by a tweet. >> going to africa. hope i don't get a.i.d.s. just kidding, i'm white. then she boarded a flight to south africa. the tweet went viral and led to her firing. >>> quarterback peyton manning just added another record to his hall of fame career. the denver broncos qb with his 51st touchdown in a season. the most ever in a regular season. the record-breaking pass was a 25 yard strike to juliu srksz thomas. manning miekt not be done yet. the broncos have oolt game next week. it was the battle of the sequels at if box office this weekend. the latest hobbitt movie. the hobbitt earned 31 million dlargs while the anchor man pulled in almost $27 million. american hustle and saving mr. banks. both broke into the top five. >> all right, news now from hawaii. presi

. >> i'm pat lawson muse. chilling calls from the mourning of a national tragedy just released after a year. >> yeah, jim, we want to start out by saying we will not air the audio from the 911 calls. we are honoring requests from the victims. we do want to share some of the phone calls as police told dispatchers someone was shooting in the building. one woman saying "i caught a glimpse of somebody running down the hol way. oh, they're still running and still shooting. sandy hook school. please. the family fought to keep the 911 tapes sealed. the father of one says there's value in letting them hear now. >> i think there will be less confusion. there will be less people making up stories about what happened. >> the audio files just released online a short time ago. we're going through them and will have the latest on a live report a 5:00. for now at the live desk. i'm scott macfarlane. >>> we are tracking a strange incident at the white house today. uniformed secret service officers cleared the north lawn, clos

i'm pat lawson muse. >> i'm barbara harrison. first to the weather. this is just the first taste of a wet weekend ahead. the rain was falling hard in tieson's corner and sent shoppers scurrying. >> veronica johnson is here to tell us how long the rain will last. >> this is the first wave of this big system that as you know, storm team 4 has been monitoring for the last couple days. what we are getting here with the first round is nothing more than rain. let me zoom into the area. it's just pretty much light showers for the most part throughout gaithersburg. fairfax, manassas and bowie. it's what's coming in over the next couple hours. the rain and intensity is going to step up and pick up. all as we chill down from upper 50s to 60 degrees. we are at 47 degrees in d.c. look at the cooldown. close to the 30s now. folks in hagerstown, 39 degrees in cumberland, maryland. all this as we get ready for round two. we have more rain for the overnight. then we have the snow and ice that is going to step into the area. the snow and ice, already unfolding over th

. >>> good afternoon, i'm pat lawson muse. >> i'm jim handly. the rain is tapering off, but the mercury is on the move down. >> that's right. get ready, cold is about to make a comeback. storm team 4 meteorologist chuck bell is on it. how low are we talking, chuck? >> i think some areas could be below the freezing mark tomorrow morning. with all the rain we have had, there could be patchiness of ice tomorrow morning. use caution. for now, we are dealing with rain drops across the area. storm team 4 radar zoomed in on the immediate metro area. rain drops on the capital beltway. more rain across parts of southern maryland. by and large, the good news is the drying trend to the north and west. it's on the way in. it's going to be riding an increasingly gusty wind here. temperatures already starting their way down. mid-50s in southern maryland. already back in the mid-40s for hag hage hagerstown and martinsburg. showers and mild for now. the metro area, mid-40s by 9:00 tonight. there could be iciness to deal with tomorrow morning. we'll talk about t

lawson admitted in testimony she used cocaine and marijuana. >>> in southern california, officials are investigating three separate bus accidents thursday and one of them deadly. the buses were carrying commuters and casino gamblers on rainy freeways. the crashes in riverside and san diego counties left at least one person dead and more than 60 injured. >>> a search is underway for the victims of a deadly mudslide in brazil. horrific video there as you watch it. >>> the florida congressman that pleaded guilty to cocaine possession a month ago says he has no plans to resign. trey radel spoke out thursday after leaving a drug and rehab facility saying it never got in the way of his duties. >> i made a mistake and i know that. i let you down. i let your country down. and, again, for that, i am sorry. i will do everything in my power to make it up to you and to regain your trust. >> the florida republican is on probation for a year and under investigation by the house ethics committee. >>> two adults are being hailed as heros after saving the lives of fourth graders on a bus. on thursday,

pat lawson muse with reaction from former president bill clinton. pat? >> yes, former president clinton says he's lost a true friend today. also, he says, quote, history will remember nelson mandela as a champion of dignity and f freedom. we will remember him as a man of grace and compassion for whom abandoning bitterness and embracing adversaries. back to you. >> thanks so much. we'll have continuing coverage, of course, and reaction of his death throughout the night and online at www.nbcwashington.com. we'll also have a full hour long special edition of "nightly news" following our broadcast. >>> now to other news and a developing local story. the d.c. police department is being rocked by not one but two scandals. three police officers are under investigation tonight. one officer was arrested earlier this week and facing charges of child pornography. a third officer has been disciplined. news 4s mark segraves is following this developing story from outside u.s. district court. mark? >> reporter: doreen, that's right. one officer charged with taking por

but her former assist about the disputed lawson's testimony. providing evidence that lawson was using cocaine all the time. lama hasan has the latest and joins us this morning from london. good morning, lama. >> reporter: good morning, to you, robin. for the first time since this trial began, nigella lawson's former assistant is in the witness box giving evidence. and this morning, shocking testimony from her. accusing nigella of lying in court about the extent of her drug use. making stunning claims in court, nigella's former assistant, elisabetta grillo, says the celebrity tv chef took cocaine regularly. quoting her testimony, that she used the drug seven times in her life, simply untrue. >> having people around my table makes me happy. >> reporter: although she said she never witnessed nigella taking drugs. she said she saw evidence of her drug use, quote, every three days. contradicting the domestic goddess' admissions last week when she said, quote, the idea that i'm a drug addict or habitual user of cocaine is absolutely ridiculous. elisa

. >>> good afternoon, i'm pat lawson muse. >> i'm barbara harrison. this afternoon, one officer appeared in court on child pornography charges. a second was found with a missing teenager. >> now, news 4 learned a same police officer is being questioned in the same case. mark segraves has the latest in a fast moving story. >> reporter: two d.c. police officers are off the street and another behind bars in allegations officers were having inappropriate contact with underage girls. it was two days ago when a d.c. police officer was charged with taking nude pictures of a 15-year-old girl. multiple sources say another officer is being charged for his actions after the mother called the police. the second officer is not charged with wrong doing but placed on desk duty pending the investigation. he tried to alert officer washington that he was about to be arrested. another officer has been placed on desk duty as his allegations are being investigated. a judge ordered him held until a future court date. he did not enter a plea. coming up at 5:00, see what hap