This is a partial transcript from On the Record with Greta Van Susteren, June 26, 2002. Click here to order the entire transcript of the show.
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GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, HOST: Joining us from Salt Lake City are [former Smart family] handyman Richard Ricci's wife, Angela, and his attorney, David Smith. Welcome to both of you.
Angela, first to you. How are you handling all the pressure of this investigation?
ANGELA RICCI, RICHARD RICCI'S WIFE: It's been very, very rough, to say the least. It's been...
VAN SUSTEREN: How's it been rough?
RICCI: Oh, just talking with the police and the FBI and all of the interrogation and sitting at the grand jury today and just waiting and just all of it. You know, it's all very, very tough. I feel bad for the Smart family, especially. I really do hope that Elizabeth Smart is found. And you know, this affects a lot of -- a lot of people in the community...
VAN SUSTEREN: Angela...
RICCI: ... and a lot of...
VAN SUSTEREN: Angela, the...
RICCI: ... a lot of families.
VAN SUSTEREN: The night -- the night of June 4th, the morning of June 5th, when Elizabeth Smart disappeared, where was your husband?
RICCI: He was at home with me.
VAN SUSTEREN: How do you know that? How do you remember that?
RICCI: Well, we had missionaries over that evening for teaching my son for a baptism. We fed them dinner. They left. We did dishes, had a regular evening, night, and then he went to bed about 10:30. I fell asleep around 1:00.
VAN SUSTEREN: Do you and your husband always sleep in the same room?
RICCI: Yes, we do.
VAN SUSTEREN: And when you went in at 1:00, was he in the bedroom?
RICCI: Yeah. Actually, I sit and watch TV, so we were both in the bed. And then we awoke the next morning at 6:00.
VAN SUSTEREN: Are you a light sleeper?
RICCI: Usually. Not all the time. You know, I couldn't say for sure whether he got up or not, but he was there when I fell asleep at 1:00 or 2:00 and there when I woke up at 6:00.
VAN SUSTEREN: David, he was there with Angela when she went to bed, and he was there at 6:00 o'clock in the morning. Is there any way that -- can your client prove where he was between the time she went to bed and the time she woke up?
DAVID K. SMITH, RICHARD RICCI'S ATTORNEY: Well, I don't know that she's clairvoyant, but I would think that if they went to bed together and it was 1:00 o'clock -- you do the math, in terms of when Elizabeth was taken or allegedly taken. So -- and when they wake up early in the morning together -- I don't know how else you prove it except to say that they were there when she went to bed, and he was asleep and he was -- she was there when he -- when they awakened in the morning.
VAN SUSTEREN: David, why is it being reported, or why would the police -- why is it being attributed to the police that they say they are dissatisfied or uncertain of your client's alibi?
SMITH: You'll have to ask them that. I think they're trying to do the best they can, under the circumstances, but it's their spin on the story.
VAN SUSTEREN: Angela...
SMITH: How do you discredit someone except to say, "Well, I'm not really satisfied with what you're telling me."
VAN SUSTEREN: Angela, has your home been searched?
RICCI: Yes, it has.
VAN SUSTEREN: When was that done?
RICCI: There's been several times.
VAN SUSTEREN: When was the first time?
RICCI: Probably, I believe it was the day of the 5th.
VAN SUSTEREN: The 5th of June?
RICCI: Yes.
VAN SUSTEREN: And that was the day...
RICCI: Or -- excuse me. Excuse me. The evening. That evening.
VAN SUSTEREN: Why do you think that your -- you -- do you live in a mobile home? Is that right?
RICCI: Yes, we do.
VAN SUSTEREN: Why do you think as early as the 5th of June, which would probably be about 12 to 18 hours after Elizabeth disappeared -- why was your mobile home searched?
RICCI: Because Richard is on parole. He did work for Mr. Smart, and he had also boughten (ph) a vehicle from him.
VAN SUSTEREN: Was anything removed in that first search?
RICCI: I can't comment on that.
VAN SUSTEREN: Is there any reason why you can't comment on it?
RICCI: I believe it would hurt the investigation. I don't feel like I should.
VAN SUSTEREN: Did the police talk to your husband on June 5th?
RICCI: Yeah.
VAN SUSTEREN: What did he tell them?
RICCI: That he was home with me, the same thing I just said, and that we woke up together, and that he'd been there and just basically the same thing. They let him come home after that interview.
VAN SUSTEREN: David, can you tell us what was taken from the home in the search? Are you able to tell us?
SMITH: I'm sorry, Greta, I'm not really able to comment on that, either. It's really part of the ongoing investigation, and I don't think it's something we should comment on just now.
VAN SUSTEREN: I'm curious why. How does that hurt the investigation?
SMITH: Well, we don't know what they -- what the police are claiming was taken, or what they took, if they took anything. And we want to reserve any comment that we may have until we have some more information from the police.
VAN SUSTEREN: Angela, today you went to the grand jury. Can you describe that experience for us? Was that hard on you?
RICCI: It was very hard on me. It was very long, long, long, long day. It was difficult. But you know, you just got to tell the truth, and that's what, hopefully, will come out of all of this in the end is the truth and finding Elizabeth.
VAN SUSTEREN: How long did they question you today?
RICCI: Oh, I don't -- I have no idea. An hour, longer. I wasn't -- I had no clock. I wasn't even paying attention. I'm so exhausted that I just wanted to get in there and get some rest -- out of there and get some rest, so -- you know? And I really can't talk too much about that. And you know, I'm pretty limited, you know, with everything being so pending and us not knowing exactly all the charges, so...
VAN SUSTEREN: What was the toughest question they asked you today in the grand jury?
RICCI: I can't discuss that. I cannot discuss that without getting myself in trouble.
VAN SUSTEREN: David, what about your client? Has he been asked to testify before the grand jury?
RICCI: I don't know that he has. Now, he may. I understand that the grand jury may still convene tomorrow. But so far as I know from this afternoon, he's not been called to go.
VAN SUSTEREN: Angela, describe for me how big your mobile home is. Is it a one-bedroom mobile home?
RICCI: It's a two-bedroom, single-wide. There's a bedroom on each end.
VAN SUSTEREN: And who lives in it besides your husband, Richard?
RICCI: My son.
VAN SUSTEREN: Has he been interviewed by the police?
RICCI: Yes.
VAN SUSTEREN: And what kind of questions did they ask him?
RICCI: I have no idea. I was not allowed in there.
VAN SUSTEREN: Now, the day of June 5th was a day that your husband didn't go to work, right?
RICCI: Yes.
VAN SUSTEREN: And why didn't he go to work on June 5th? Was that a planned day off?
RICCI: Yes, it was scheduled. And his whereabouts are accounted for that entire day.
VAN SUSTEREN: All right. We're going to take a quick break. David and Angela, stand by. We're going to be right back.
We continue with more on the search for Elizabeth Smart. We're back with Richard Ricci's wife, Angela, and his attorney, David Smith.
Angela, how long have you been married to your husband?
RICCI: Since February 14th, Valentine's Day, this year.
VAN SUSTEREN: How long have you known your husband?
RICCI: Oh, about a year and a half.
VAN SUSTEREN: Where'd you meet him?
RICCI: Through my brother.
VAN SUSTEREN: Did your -- did your husband ever discuss working at the Smart home?
RICCI: Very briefly. He always spoke highly of the Smarts. He never spoke about any individual family member, but he always spoke very highly of the Smart family. He liked them and thought they were very nice people.
VAN SUSTEREN: Do you know when he last had contact with the house or with Ed Smart or any member of the family?
RICCI: I believe when he went to pick up the title to the Jeep Cherokee. It was about September, October.
VAN SUSTEREN: Of last year? Of 2001?
RICCI: Yes.
VAN SUSTEREN: Do you know why he got paid -- why he was given the Jeep Cherokee? Was it a payment for work?
RICCI: Yes, it was. It was an agreement between him and Mr. Smart.
VAN SUSTEREN: When you say that he liked the family, did he actually name the members of the family? Did you ever hear the name Elizabeth Smart or Mary Katherine?
RICCI: I never heard those names until the day of the newscast of her disappearance.
VAN SUSTEREN: David, how much is your client talking to the police, not that he necessarily has to, but how much is he talking to them?
SMITH: My understanding is that he's been very cooperative. He's been -- in fact, I think extremely cooperative, in terms of talking to them. Whenever they have asked him to give a statement, he has done so. He's given blood, for example. He's given -- been given polygraph tests. All of this...
VAN SUSTEREN: Why do you say -- why do you say...
SMITH: ... has been done voluntarily.
VAN SUSTEREN: Why do you say "my understanding"? Are you -- are the police keeping you from him, or can't you speak to him? I mean, aren't you there with your client?
SMITH: Well, he's at the Utah state prison, at the moment. And yes, I have met with him. I didn't meet with him today. But we had wanted to do that, but weren't able to do that today because of circumstance. Nevertheless, yes, I am -- I do have access to him, and I am able to talk to him.
VAN SUSTEREN: Angela, Let me go back to June 5th for a second. That was a day that your husband planned to take off work and did take off work. Why was he taking work off that day?
RICCI: He had a scheduled day off. It was a scheduled day off.
VAN SUSTEREN: And what -- but I -- and I -- and I know -- I understand that. I didn't mean to suggest anything otherwise. But what was -- what were you going to do on that day, or what did you do on that day?
RICCI: Well, I work from 9:00 to 2:00 every day. He -- we had discussed, you know, earlier that morning -- because he did work in the Smart home, he did get a vehicle and because he was on parole, we had felt strongly that he would be questioned. And that was OK. That was fine because he wanted to do whatever he could to help the Smart family in any way he could. So he's always been voluntary. We had no -- you know, no plans that day. He did do some work around the home and took -- drove the kids to a movie and things like that, so...
VAN SUSTEREN: Angela, how did he hear? I mean, when did he -- at what time did he hear about the disappearance of Elizabeth? And how did he hear that?
RICCI: He was -- it was probably around 7:00 in the morning. And how did he feel about that? He was devastated.
VAN SUSTEREN: No, how did he hear -- how did he hear about it?
RICCI: Oh. Excuse me. On the news that morning.
VAN SUSTEREN: And what did he -- did he come to you and tell you?
RICCI: No. We actually watch the news together every morning as we're drinking our coffee. He was actually devastated when he found out it was Mr. Smart's girl. And you know, Richard has lost a son before to a drunk driver, and we've spoken of that before, of his pain. And I feel honestly that he wouldn't put another human being's heart -- another hole like that in another human being's heart. And so he felt very sad for Mr. Smart because Rick knows that pain himself.
VAN SUSTEREN: You know, I'm confused a little bit because you say -- you describe the day for me, and I read someplace that that was the day that your son was supposed to be baptized. Is that not true?
RICCI: Actually, he was supposed to be baptized on Thursday.
VAN SUSTEREN: And not on June 5th?
RICCI: No. It was first scheduled for June 5th, but the actual was -- ended up being Thursday. We had -- the missionaries did come over for about a half hour again on the 5th to just do a last-minute -- a last follow-up interview. But they were there in our home that night, as well.
VAN SUSTEREN: All right, let me go back to when you heard on television with your -- with Richard about the Elizabeth Smith -- Smart disappearing. Did he say at that point that he thought he would be questioned?
RICCI: Yes, he did. He knew he would be because -- I -- once -- I said -- of him being on parole, of him working for Mr. Smart and having his Jeep. So you know, we both knew that they would come. We didn't know when. But like I said, he was willing and waiting because he wanted to do everything possible to help Mr. Smart in this matter.
VAN SUSTEREN: OK, Angela. Thank you. David, I appreciate you also joining us this evening. Appreciate it.
SMITH: You're welcome.
Click here to order the entire transcript of the June 26 edition of On the Record.
Content and Programming Copyright 2002 Fox News Network, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Transcription Copyright 2002 eMediaMillWorks, Inc. (f/k/a Federal Document Clearing House, Inc.), which takes sole responsibility for the accuracy of the transcription. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No license is granted to the user of this material except for the user's personal or internal use and, in such case, only one copy may be printed, nor shall user use any material for commercial purposes or in any fashion that may infringe upon Fox News Network, Inc.'s and eMediaMillWorks, Inc.'s copyrights or other proprietary rights or interests in the material. This is not a legal transcript for purposes of litigation.
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