Dateline NBC’s two hour special on the murder of 16 year old Mickie Costanzo was the highest rated non-sports program for its time slot in the nation according to the Nielsen company.
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According to the company’s overnight report:
* From 9-11 p.m. ET, Dateline NBC” averaged a 1.5/4 in 18-49 and 5.7 million viewers overall. From its first half-hour to its fourth, “Dateline” grew by 64 percent in adults 18-49 (to a 1.8 rating from a 1.1), by 60 percent in adults 25-54 (2.4 vs. 1.5) and 63 percent or 2.7 million persons in total viewers (6.9 million vs. 4.2 million).
* For its second hour from 10-11 p.m., “Dateline NBC” reported a 1.8/5 in 18-49 and 6.7 million, ranking #1 among non-sports programs on ABC, CBS and NBC (behind Cotton Bowl coverage on Fox) in adults, men and women 18-49; adults, men and women 25-54 and other key demos.
* In the 10:30 lead-in to local news, “Dateline NBC” was the #1 non-sports telecast on ABC, CBS and NBC in the key news demo of adults 25-54, delivering a 33 percent margin (with a 2.4 rating vs. a 1.8 for ABC’s “20/20” and CBS’s “Blue Bloods”).
Costanzo was killed by the Wendover teens in March 2011. Both are now serving life sentences in the Nevada prison system.
It was be the first time the story was be covered by a major national network although the story along with interviews of Mickie’s mother Celia Costanzo and Toni Fratto’s mother Cassie as well as a jail house interview with Toni Fratto were featured on the syndicated talk show ‘Anderson’ starring CNN anchor Anderson Cooper in 2012.
Presented by reporter Keith Morrison the two hour program relied heavily on interviews with and information supplied by John Ohlson, Kody Patten’s lead attorney. And as with previous interviews with other media outlets, Ohlson suggested that it was Fratto who played the leading rule in the murder while Patten was more or less manipulated into the killing.
Fratto’s motive in the murder Ohlson suggested was her overwhelming jealousy of Fratto who she believed was romantically interested in Kody Patten.
While in interviews with Morrison, Costanzo’s mother Celia and other family members dismissed any notion that Mickie sought to ‘steal’ Patten away from Fratto, they were at least partially in accord with Ohlson’s theory of Fratto’s jealousy as a motive for the murder of Mickie.
Fratto along with her parents in separate interviews all insisted that her role in the killing was almost as an unwilling bystander who was afraid for her own life from Patten.
Morrisson also gave special attention to the disparate sentences the two received with Patten serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole while Fratto is eligible for parole in 18 years.
Noticeable by their absence were Toni Fratto’s attorney’s John Springgate and David Lockie.
Judging by comments on Dateline’s face book page the vast majority of viewers expressed disdain for the Frattos both parents and daughter and a large number questioned the fairness of Patten’s sentence when compared with Fratto’s.
Serena Renee Schad: “Great show! My boyfriend and I were glued to the TV. They were both guilty that was clear. We still think that she was the mastermind behind it all. And during her interview with Keith when she mentioned that they took her to the “designated” location.. well that gave it all away. My heart breaks for her family.”
Camille Clark: “Toni appeared soulless and deranged. She and Kody were a deadly combination. They’re both guilty. Should have been capital murder, since it was apparently planned. All due to jealousy… so, so sad. My prayers are with Mickie’s family.”
Are two examples of the comments.
In addition to adopting Ohlson’s theory for the motive of the murder many viewers expressed admiration for Kip Patten, Kody’s father, not only for getting his son to admit to the crime but also by getting Toni Fratto to also confess.
“I think Kip Patten is an amazing person. This man immediately told his son to do right by Micaela and tell the police what happened. He didn’t advise Kody to shut up and retain a lawyer. He tearfully told his son to do the right thing, and later helped Toni do the same. Toni’s parents are full of excuses and it’s just sad. There is no excuse.” Wrote C. R. Bailey in response to the program on the High Desert Advocate’s website.
That reaction is a marked turnaround from sentiments expressed not even a month ago. For two years now the elder Patten was vilified by a segment of the Wendover community and accused of pressuring Fratto to confess to a crime she did not commit to actually being in someway involved in the erstwhile cover up of the crime.