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CNN Live At Daybreak

What Kind of Teenager is Donovan Jackson?

Aired July 11, 2002 - 06:33   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: What kind of teenager is Donovan Jackson? CNN's Anne McDermott talks to his relatives, who describe him as a good kid. Her story now from Los Angeles.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANNE MCDERMOTT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Donovan Jackson is a handsome boy. He has even done some modeling, but that was before this.

Later, Jackson was asked what all happened to him in that confrontation with police.

DONOVAN JACKSON: I don't know.

MCDERMOTT: That's typical of Jackson not to say much, and relatives say that's because he is shy, partly because of a speech impediment, and partly because of difficulty processing information.

JOHN SWEENEY, ATTORNEY: It always took a few seconds for him to react. He is clearly disabled. There is no question about that.

MCDERMOTT: No, but he does attend this mainstream high school and enjoys video games and watching wrestling, just like most other teens. He lives in this apartment with his mother and father in the town of Inglewood, once best known as the home of the world champion Lakers, until they forsook the Forum for the Staple Center in L.A.

So, what kind of kid is Donovan Jackson? Well, by all accounts, a good kid.

TALIBAH SHAKIR, JACKSON'S COUSIN: He didn't hang out on the street, and no drugs, no smoking, no police record, nothing, nothing like that at all.

MCDERMOTT: Nothing, until this. And now, says his family, Jackson has nightmares, night after night.

Anne McDermott, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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