Exclusive: Audrey Seiler's Attorney Goes on the Record

This is a partial transcript from On the Record with Greta Van Susteren, April 5, 2004 that has been edited for clarity.

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GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, HOST: Tonight: It is alleged she lied to the police. So will she face criminal charges? Twenty-year-old University of Wisconsin student Audrey Seiler lied about being kidnapped according to the allegations setting off an investigation that cost an estimated $70,000. Did the college student break the law? Joining us from Madison, Wisconsin is Audrey's attorney and family friend Randy Hopper. Welcome Randy.

Hi, Greta, how are you?

VAN SUSTEREN: I'm very well. Randy, you've met with your client. What's your impression of her?

RANDY HOPPER, AUDREY SEILER'S ATTORNEY: It's a struggle, as you might imagine, for any 20-year-old. Her family has been through a major crisis and now had, with the turn of events last Thursday another crisis piled on top of that. So the family is hurting and struggling as you might imagine that they would. And she's trying to come to grips with the situation she's found herself in.

VAN SUSTEREN: How is she coming to grips with this?

HOPPER: Well, first of all, she has the love and support of her family. You may have learned as you followed this story for the last week,as events have been unfolding, that this is an incredible family. A very loving, close, caring family. You probably learned that Audrey is a very accomplished young woman.

She's straight A, she's a star on the basketball and volleyball teamin high school, she's a National Honor Society Member. This is Audrey way out of character. Her parents are obviously shocked and surprised at what's happened. And I think Audrey in many respects is shocked and surprised at what's happened, too.

VAN SUSTEREN: Here's what strikes me as odd, Randy. The police said she used her computer during the time when she had seemingly vanished. So it seems to me she actually had to go back to her apartment to use a computer unless of course it was a login. Did she actually go back to her apartment, and the police missed that?

HOPPER: I heard that that was reported, Greta. I wondered myself. I mean, many of us operate remotely and I don't know for a fact if she had o rhas that capability to operate remotely on her computer. And I haven't seen anything or talked to anyone about that. And that certainly is not something that we discussed when I met with her today.

VAN SUSTEREN: What set her off, that she decided to sort of hit the road for a couple of days?

HOPPER: Well, as you know, as a lawyer, the conversations I've had with her are privileged and I'm not going to reveal what was in her mind,or what her motivations are to the extent that I may even know them. One of the things I said in the statement that I published on Saturday is that the facts are still unfolding. When I said that, I don't just mean that with respect to the investigation that the police have undertaken. But her parents are still trying to learn what's behind this and what happened. I'm still trying to investigate and learn and understand what's happened. So truly, when I said the facts are unfolding, they are. And I'm not sure we've gotten to the bottom of this yet. It's going to take a little time.

VAN SUSTEREN: I'm not asking you to invade the attorney-client privilege. -- I have an appreciation for that.-- But have you asked or anyone else asked her where were you and why you did it, and has she answered? I'm not asking you the content of the answer, but is she answering it at least?

HOPPER: She's starting to answer it, but it's complex. She has had troubles. She's had difficulties; she's internalized those in many respects. Not dissimilar to the way a lot of 20-year-old young people, or 20-year-old young women her age have attempted to deal with the issues or problems that they are struggling with in their life. And she's attempted to do that here. This has a public face to it obviously, and I think that adds gravity to the situation. And it, certainly, brings it out into the public spotlight which makes it even tougher.

VAN SUSTEREN: We only have 30 second left Randy. The D.A., is anyone talking about charges for this young woman or anything? Have you heard any noise on that?

HOPPER: No, only the media has raised it. I'm still hoping [to meet with them] while I'm in Madison before I go back to Minneapolis to meet with the police. They extended that invitation to me yesterday. And perhaps even the District Attorney, if they have any inclination to do it while I'm here, I'll certainly be available to do that.

VAN SUSTEREN: All right. Randy, thank you very much for joining us. Hope you'll come back.

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