point was the 2008 money where fred was talking to elizabeth edwards with john edwards in the room. and acknowledged that he was putting up the money to move rielle around, to as he put it, keep your friends close and your enemies closer. he didn't want it made public that she was out there with his child and was his mistress while they were still trying to mount a presidential campaign. >> what did they need to prove here regarding the money and the use of it? i think by all accounts, as i pointed out to rihanna and we heard from the defense, there is no question there was an affair. there is a child and there was an attempt to cover this up so that elizabeth edwards would not have her heart broken by this being all dragged out here. at issue, whether this campaign money was used in a legal manner. >> that's it. the question was either, edwards illegally took the money to conceal his illicit affair, to maintain his presidential aspirations. that would be the prosecution

today, one of elizabeth edwards' closest friends took the stand offering wrenching testimony about how this drama affected e-busine elizabeth edwards before he beth. >> reporter: the most emotional point of the day was when jennifer palmieri, a friend of edwards, described mrs. edwards last days before she died of cancer. fighting through tears, she testified that mrs. edwards wor weed when she died, there would no be a man around who loved her. she testified of private meetings about hunter. she said she was in a meeting with edwards and his wife and with a benefactor and his life, whoed a vited flying rielle hunter to los angeles to go shopping.

>> and elizabeth edwards, the emotional testimony from a woman who knew her well that caused her daughter to leave the courtroom today. "nightly news" begins now. >>> good evening. he was a big name in the world of sports. junior seau was one of the best known players in the nfl in his two decades in the game. he was a top flight linebacker, a 12-time pro bowler with devoted fans in miami, new england, and san diego. today, he was found dead, an apparent suicide with a gun shot wound to the chest. he was just 43, and by some accounts, was a troubled man after leaving the game, and while there's a lot we don't know yet, his name joins a growing sad list of players who have found their post game years filled with too much pain to go on. we begin tonight with nbc's gabe gutierrez in los angeles. >> i'm shocked. >> junior seau's mom said she learned of her son's death while she was at church. >> i prayed to god, please, take me. take me. leave my child, but it was too late. >> he was a legend in san diego, a star linebacker know for his hard hits, but this morning, news of his death hit espec

. >>> up next as we continue along the way, the private grief and rage of elizabeth edwards. it became very apparent today. >>> and later, the list of america's worst airports is out. three of the top five are all in one place. you may be able to guess where. of any small business credit card! how does this thing work? oh, i like it! [ garth ] sven's small business earns 2% cash back on every purchase, every day! woo-hoo!!! so that's ten security gators, right? put them on my spark card! why settle for less? testing hot tar... great businesses deserve the most rewards! [ male announcer ] the spark business card from capital one. choose unlimited rewards with 2% cash back or double miles on every purchase, every day! what's in your wallet? here's your invoice. what's in your wallet? you wouldn't want your doctor doing your job. so why are you doing his? only your doctor can determine if your persistent heartburn is actually something more serious... like acid reflux disease. over time, stomach acid can damage the lining of your esophagus. for many, prescription nexium not only

as christina reynolds, former campaign staffer and close friend of elizabeth edwards began to testify about elizabeth's knowledge of her husband's affair. john edwards turned to his daughter. i don't know what's coming. do you want to leave, edwards was heard asking kate. kate broke down in tears and hurried out of the courtroom as her father called her name. >> it was a very emotional moment, very touching, very real, very human, when kacate edwards left the courtroom crying. >> reporter: christina reynolds testified in the summer of 2007, elizabeth told me mr. edwards had an affair and she believed it might still be going on. reynolds also recounted a dramatic confrontation between the edwards near a raleigh airport hangar the day after the nation nation"national enquirer"'s fir story about the affair. mrs. edwards was very upset and fairly vocal. she stormed off and collapsed into a ball on the ground. reynolds testified a few minutes later, she confronted her husband again, yelling to him, you don't see me anymore and angrily tearing off her blouse and bra. >> there's no question

, elizabeth edwards. nbc's lisa myers has our report from greensboro, north carolina. >> it was another emotional day. as jennifer palmieri, press secretary to john edwards, and close friend of elizabeth, recounted how elizabeth angrily confronted a donor she learned was helping rielle hunter. it happened in this iowa hotel, in october 2007, ten months after elizabeth first discovered the affair between hunter and her husband. palmieri said elizabeth was very upset when she learned that donor fred baron and his wife were in contact with rielle hunter. she had even taken hunter to los angeles on a shopping trip. palmieri said it was a very emotional scene. elizabeth worried that spending time and money on hunter makes john look even more guilty. lisa was saying, you got to hold your friends close and your enemies even closer. that rielle was a loose cannon who might go to the press. >> palmieri testified john edwards was there but said very little. >> it's important, it shows that as early as october 2007,

testimony from a friend of elizabeth edwards. >> as we do every morning, we begin with a look at today's eye opener. you're world in 90 seconds. >> it is important for me to go ahead and affirm. i think same-sex couples should be able to get married. >> president obama makes history. and sparks a national debate. >> so did the president flip-flop as critics say or did he evolve? >> you really think this republicans might use this as an issue? >> push the rainbow button and launch gaymageton. >> marriage is a relationship between a man and woman. >> first time joe biden said something that obama didn't have to apologize for. amazing. >>> the man suspected of killing a mother and oldest daughter to kidnap two young sisters has been rushed to the fbi's ten most wanted list. >> he could be anywhere in the united states and we are extremely concerned for the safety of the girls.

wept as she talked about elizabeth edwards death after a long battle with cancer. palmieri also told jurors about a meeting in an iowa hotel. elizabeth confronting barron, a meeting that included her husband. >> palmieri's testimony helps the prosecution because it shows elizabeth edwards knew about the affair in october of 2007, so he couldn't have been covering up to protect his marriage. it was to protect his campaign. >> reporter: as testimony continues, and prosecutors near the end of their case, one key voice that is yet to be heard is the woman at center of it all, rielle hunter. >> make no mistake, she will take the stand. prosecution wants to end strong, if they think she would not be a good ending she will get called by the defense. >> reporter: which means one of the most anticipated witnesses in this controversial trial could testify by the end of the week. jay gray, nbc news, greensboro, north carolina. >>> now here is a look at other stories making news "early today" in america. >>> in wisconsin police had to use spike strips to end a high speed chase

elizabeth edwards, i'm sorry, the daughter of elizabeth and john edwards also never took the stand in this case. and there was a lot of conversation over that. how much would his daughter be able to provide even though she did not work with her father. certainly, rielle hunter. that came as a big surprise to so many that she did not make it to that stand. what is your take there? >> i don't think it was a surprise so much as disappointment. everybody want to see her on the stand. everybody wanted to hear her on the stand. she didn't add much to the charges one way or the other and she would be a wild card. people were dying to see her take the stand and testify. but as far as impact on the case, i don't think her testimony was necessary. >> it may not have been necessary but would it have been the proper downer to andrew young, especially, when you hear court analysts discuss how he all but fizzled out when he was on the stand? >> if he fizzled, i think rielle would have exploded, quite frankly. the defense didn't call her because she would be seen as a while card. the prosecution, sh

the details about elizabeth edwards collapsinging on the tarmac after confronting him about his affair. >>> the gun lobbyist breaks silence over gun laws vowing to defend them despite serious questions raised by trayvon martin's death. >>> hi, everybody. great to have you with me. i'm tom roberts. a linebacker considered one of the best defensive players of his generation football icon junior seau, unstoppable, played for three nfl teams, new england patriots, san diego charge hers, miami dolphins. he's dead in what authorities describe as a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest. today family and friends expressing their grief as well as their shock. >> i pray to god, please, take me. take me. leave my son. but it's too late. >> i can't believe he's gone. >> i was devastated. i couldn't believe he was dead. >> an autopsy on seau is expected to be completed today. his death follows a string of others involving former nfl players and it's raising more questions about their quality of life after the game. nbc's gabe gutierrez live in san diego. here in the studio nbc news contributor,

did, what elizabeth edwards said. she could have brought a lot to the table in this trial in terms of, you know, what was the real motivation and how much did she know and did she really know more about this affair than a lot of people have let on? so there are a number of people who just weren't here. the last person on that list is a guy named george halder. he was the united states attorney back at the time this indictment was brought. he's a republican, and it's fascinating because obviously when a democratic president is in office, a democrat is at the helm of the united states attorney's offices generally or an independent or somebody at least thatt ete eted -- the pre chose. he's now running for office in the state of north carolina. he didn't make an appearance either and that's a guy we'd really like to hear from, you know, about why these charges were brought and what was in his mind when this whole thing went before the grand jury. a fascinating case. a lot of gaps. a lot of gaps. >> and other key players t

very emotional testimony from a friend of elizabeth edward. and and jim parsons on broadway. >>> as we do every morning, we begin with a look at today's "eye opener," your world in 90 seconds. >> it is important for me to go ahead and affirm. i think same-sex couples should get married. >> president obama makes history. and sparks a national debate. >> so, did the president flip-flop as his critics say or did he evolve? >> you really think republicans might use this as an issue? >> push the rainbow button and launch gaymaggedon. >> i believe marriage is a relationship between a man and a woman. >> this is the first time biden said something obama didn't have to apologize for. >> the man accused of kidnapping two young women has been put on the fbi top ten most wanted. >> dozens of people have been killed in two blosts in the syrian capital damascus. a time when there's supposed to be a cease-fire. >> they rush their case against john edwards, not testifying at the trial, mistress, rielle hunter. >> grand isle is picking up the pieces after a t

testimony about the anguish of elizabeth edwards, daughter cate leaving the courtroom in tears. accounts of expletive laced confrontations between edwards and campaign staff over his relationship with rielle hunter. but today, a change of pace. bryan huffman, the charming, stylish decorator and friend of 101-year-old bunny mellon told the jury how he became the middle man for what became known as the bunny money, used to help cover up edwards' affair. he testified when mellon learned that the $725,000 she provided to help edwards with an unspecified personal problem was meant to take care of hunter, she didn't condemn him for having an affair, but huffman said, she thought you should probably pay for your girlfriend yourself. >> the jury erupted in laughter, as did much of the courtroom and even the judge cracked a smile. >> huffman said he and mellon referred to the money for edwards as the furniture business because the payments were disguised as checks to buy furniture. why hide what was going on? mellon didn't want her lawyer to know because he didn't want her to give any mo

. >> and the public tirade when elizabeth edwards learned about her husband's infidelity. all that's coming up, and then on "nightline." >> i'm cynthia mcfaden. coming up next on "nightline" extremely young girls looking you ultra thin and ultra perfect. one 14-year-old's crusade to stop an industry's dangerous deception. and then we go back stage for my staring role on revenge. i am keeping my day job. that's on "nightline." >> abc7 news at 11:00 continues in 60 seconds. >>> did you know americans miss out on almost $38 billion in wages every year because we are sitting around a waiting for in home services like cable appointments and furniture deliveries ? >> it is bound to have happened to you. that's according to a poll that found most people say they have to wait four and a half hours for those appointments. and it is frustrating. >> you didn't have to put up with it. michael finney is here to find out how you can fight back. >> consumers say the delivery didn't arrive or the repairman didn't come. no apology and no acknowledgment that their time was wasted. well, you

this according to the testimony of kristina reynolds a former top aide and one of elizabeth edwards' closest pals. kristina recounted a particular particular incident in which they went to a private air field and elizabeth edwards ripped off her blouse and bared her chest as if to command john edwards attention. kristina said that in 2006 elizabeth was aware of this but despite that, though, according to the indictment the checks continued to roll in for hunter right through until he disband h his pressial campaign. >> stripping off her blouse and a bra in a meltdown is a sad thing for a woman who had cancer and ultimately died. thank you so much for being with us. will edwards be found guilty. calita mitchell and ken gross and former co-campaign finance expert for the edwards legal team. does the prosecution have a case? >> they do have a case. whether they will froive we never know what is jury is going to do. in 2002 congress changed the mccainn it passed mccain feingold and added a new definition. payments by a third-party for expenses of a candidate. the question is that the pro

. >> and the public tirade when elizabeth edwards learned about her husband's infidelity. all that's coming up, and then on "nightline." >> i'm cynthia mcfaden. coming up next on "nightline" extremely young girls looking you ultra thin and ultra perfect. one 14-year-old's crusade to stop anndustry's dangerous deception. and then we go back stage for my staring role on revenge. i am keeping my day job. that's on "nightline." >> abc7 news at 11:00 continues in 60 seconds. >>> did you know americans miss out on almost $38 billion in wages every year because we are sitting around a waiting for in home services like cable appointments and furniture deliveries ? >> it is bound to have happened to you. that's according to a poll that found most people say they have to wait four and a half hours for those appointments. and it is you didn't >> you didn't have to put up with it. michael finney is here to find out how you can fight back. >> consumers say the delivery didn'te the repairman didn't come. no apology and no acknowledgment that their time was wasted. well, you don't have t

edwards, she told a story about a distraught elizabeth edwards who told her a few days earlier, i think john is back having that same affair with that woman again on october 10th, 2007. there was a "national enquirer" article reporting there had been an affair. the very next day, on the tarmac at a private jet port in raleigh, north carolina. elizabeth has a meltdown. she says to her husband something like, you don't see me anymore. she ripped off her blouse. she ripped off her bra in front of everyone on the tarmac, all of the congressional staffers and began to yell at her husband. christina reynolds testified that she and another staffer ru rushed to her, tried to cover her up and went inside. she did not go on this campaign trip. john edwards was a mess. his face turned red. he covered his eyes. there was a break for 15 minutes. he raced out of the room, i guess, to find kate. when he came back, i was standing right there, two rows back in the media section. in a very large stage whisper, he said to his attorneys, that was just so wrong. that was so wrong. this is supposed to be a c

we have heard from elizabeth edwards, we heard from hunter in a magazine. we haven't heard from him. this was his apology to the nation. but he at the crux of it, he did a very, very bad thing, but it wasn't an illegal thing. apology to the nation. i think it struck the right tone. he is done in politics, i'm not sure it can repair or decenter people. >> brian: get a talk show. >> bob: because he is a good lawyer is the reason he thought he'd beat this. he knew the laws were impossible the way they're written to prosecute somebody. that's why he was confident throughout the trial. >> eric: quick observation. when o.j. simpson was acquited he came out saying i'm going to spend the rest of my life looking for nicole's killer and it went on the side. john edwards comes to podium and says i'm going to work for kids going forward. do you think he is going to work for kids? >> kimberly: in north carolina, john edwards has left the courtroom. making his comments with his daughter and his parents by his side. we're going to have more on this stunning verdict coming

. >> and the public tirade when elizabeth edwards learned about her husband's infidelity. all that's coming up, and then on "nightline." >> i'm cynthia mcfaden. coming up next on "nightline" extremely young girls looking you ultra thin and ultra perfect. one 14-year-old's crusade to stop an industry's dangerous deception. and then we go back stage for my staring role on revenge. i am keeping my day job. that's on "nightline." >> abc7 news at 11:00 continues in 60 seconds. -dad, why e you getting that? -that's my cereal. is there a prize in there? oh, there's prize, all right. is it a robot? no. is it a jet plane? nope. is it a dinosaur? [ laughs ] [ male announcer ] inside every box of heart healthy cheerios are the great tasting little o's made from carefully selected oats that can help lower cholesterol. stickers? uh-uh. a perhero? ♪ kinda. [ male announcer ] and we think that's the best prize of all. ♪ miss out on almost $38 billion in wages every year because we are sitting around a waiting for in home services like cable appointments and furniture deliveries ? >>

this drama affected e-busine elizabeth edwards before he beth. >> reporter: the most emotional point of the day was when jennifer palmieri, a friend of edwards, described mrs. edwards last days before she died of cancer. fighting through tears, she testified that mrs. edwards wor weed when she died, there would no be a man around who loved her. she testified of private meetings about hunter. she said she was in a meeting with edwards and his wife and with a benefactor and his life, whoed a vited flying rielle hunter to los angeles to go shopping. all of this was new to elizabeth. she was really upset. she didn't understand why they would be helping hunter, since she was under the impression that the affair was long over. according to palmieri, it makes edwards look more and more guilt. a year before, john edwards told me on "nightline" he was in the dark. >> i don't know why he did it or what his reasons were for doing it. >> reporter: the prosecution says it's ending its case tomorrow. the last three witnesses will be three fbi agents and one for financial supporter of edwards' camp

when she got to the meeting palmieri said elizabeth edwards was very upset because baron and blue had been in contact with edwards' mistress rielle hunter. she learned lisa had taken hunter on a shopping trip. they tried to explain saying keep your friends close and your enemies closer. rielle is a loose cannon. she could go to the media. a whole stream of prosecution witnesses expected on the stand this afternoon. the prosecution saying it still hopes to wrap up its case by the end of the week. >> "situation room" with wolf blitzer begins right now. >> brooke, thanks very much. >>> breaking news -- >> i've just concluded that for me, personally, it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that i think same-sex couples should be able to get married. >> truly historic and potentially watershed moment as president obama comes out, formally, publicly, enthusiastically in support of gay marriage and with the election less than six months away the political implications are enormous. we'll look at all of the potential fallout. reactions from both sides of this issue pouring in right now

is with elizabeth edwards in this trial. every time the subject comes up, it makes him seem all the more unlikable. do we think that somehow rielle hunter is going to help the jury to understand how this ever could have happened? >> this child has not portrayed many sympathetic characters, john edwards, rielle hunter looks ridiculous through many of the government's witnesses. andrew young had a terrible time on the stand. there aren't any saints in this trial, save perhaps elizabeth edwards. but even she in some of the testimony has not come off terribly well. it's unclear the jurors will be looking at any of these characters sympathetically. they have to sift through the salacious details and focus on what is an arcane question of campaign finance law. what were the purpose of these donations, to influence the presidential election or for some other reason, to help john edwards avoid public humiliation? that's the key question in the case. >> we're told that jennifer palmieri is expected to take the stand and talk about an

she choked up when she talked about elizabeth's final days and said after the edwards separated elizabeth expressed concern that when she died, there would not be a man around who loved her. and i said, i will be there. he will be there. and she says, john was there tending to elizabeth when she died. lisa myers, nbc news, washington. >>> edwards' press secretary testified that edwards was delusional about his political prospects throughout at fair. she says even after he was caught with his mistress, he still hoped to be named attorney general. >> tonight foul play is not suspected in the death of a man in a northern virginia rest a a area. police found the man dead at the virginia welcome center westbound i 66. out of state license plates. >>> the episcopal diocese wants to hold a funeral to forgive a homeless man that shot and killed a priest and church secretary. he opened fire at saint peters in ellicott city. the reverend, and another were kid. jones ended up turning the gun on himself. church officials are waiting to see if family will accept the offer for the funeral. >>> the jenn

we heard some sad testimony today about elizabeth edwards. >> yeah, we heard that testimony from edwards' former campaign spokesperson jennifer, cried openly in court as she recalled the conversation with elizabeth edwards in the days before she died. palmeri said she expressed concern when she and john decided to separate she was concerned when she died there would not be man around that loved her. she said she promised to be there for mrs. edwards but her friend continued to hold on to her feeling of loss, shep? >> shepard: how about the criminal issue in this trial, jonathan? >> yeah, as sad as it is. the criminal issue is not whether john edwards broke his wife's heart but whether the donations used to hide his pregnant mistress were intended to protect his campaign. the defense asked jennifer about a 2007 confrontation at an iowa hotel in which mrs. edwards questioned benefactors, fred and lisa bluebaron on why they had flown hunter on private jets and tea taken her shopping. her mind set was she didn't think john was going to get the nomination and she just wanted to get out of the

. >> jennifer testified that elizabeth edwards confronted a fair campaign official. she saw elizabeth edwards confront campaign finance chairman in 2007 over the support for hunter who was pregnant with his child at the time. >> now we turn to gain six for the capitals tonight. >> the verizon center will be rocking the red and hopefully for not the last time this season. this t-shirt says it all. >> horace holmes is live with more. is he wearing the seat belts -- is he wearing a t-shirt? >> every single capitalist and we spoke with said tonight they are going to rock the red. stay calm? that will be impossible. this is it. tonight is the night. >> players were up early this morning practicing for the do- or-die game. there in the stands to watch faithful fans like mary henry. they believed in this team all season long. >> i am confident they are going to win. >> he did not have to be much of an expert to know how important the game is to capitals nation. >> i just know if they win this game they go on, if they do not they are out. >> the rangers tied with six games -

and elizabeth edwards is an important story. it was really not just about her but the john edwards act because of her and actually tried to protect her after causing the initial pain. jennifer palmieri can add a lot of this information later today. and the prosecution is hoping to show that she and john edwards were acting for the campaign, trying to help his aspirations, if not for president, then vice president and attorney general. >> let's get to this because this is about the neighbor, tim tobin, he's a neighbor a buddy of edwards' aide, andrew young, testified that he warned the obama campaign in '08 about edwards' infidelities when edwards expressed interest in being on the ticket. why does that matter? >> it matters because the prosecution's theory is that edwards made this cover-up and took this money to help him in the campaign, if not for president, then to keep him in play for vice president or attorney general. that helps the prosecution. >> professor stephen friedland, thanks for keeping us up to date. >>> so take

she huddled with edwards and his wife, elizabeth, to try to find out how to huddle the story. elizabeth was a cancer survivor who connected well with women. a big part of the campaign was elizabeth. i don't think that if this is true, you can survive it, she told him. but in public, he continued to deny the affair. >> i have been in love with the same woman for 30 plus year, as anyone who has been around knows. she is an extraordinary human being. >> reporter: inthe enquirer printed a bombshell, that rielle was pregnant with a baby, prortedly edwards baby. >> it's lies. >> reporter: he asked a close aide to claim paternity. >> he wanted me to issue a statement claiming paternity. so he starts telling me, you know, look, i can win iowa. >> reporter: but soon, his presidential campaign was over. his attention around his growing sex scandal was not after the enfirer caught him visiting rielle and the baby. elizabeth thought the public would leaf him alone if he confessed to the affair. >> reporter: why did you not don't tell the truth? >> i did not want to public to know the trut