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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports

Did Florida Authorities Let Another Child Down?; Ed Smart Pleads With Ricci to Tell the Truth; Can Terrorists Make Polio in Labs?

Aired July 12, 2002 - 17:00   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.
WOLF BLITZER, HOST: Did Florida authorities let another child down? Outrage today in the case of a dead toddler.

Is he asking too much? The father of Elizabeth Smart pleads with the family's former handyman to tell the truth.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ED SMART, ELIZABETH SMART'S FATHER: I don't want to believe it's you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: It cripples and kills. Now, scientists make polio in the lab. Can terrorists do the same?

Is Prince Charles free to marry his longtime love?

And crikey! He wrestles reptiles and snuggles with scorpions. On a collision course with the crocodile hunter. I'll speak live with Steve Irwin.

It's Friday, July 12, 2002. I'm Wolf Blitzer in Washington. We're following a shocking story right now. Florida's Child Welfare Agency is once again in the spotlight, this time in the case of a toddler who was beaten to death, allegedly by a baby-sitter. Police say it was because he soiled his pants.

CNN's John Zarrella is covering the story for us. He joins us now live from Inverness in Florida -- John.

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN MIAMI BUREAU CHIEF: Wolf, many of probably remember the shocking case of Rilya Wilson just a few months ago. Rilya Wilson disappeared from the care of the Florida Department of Children and Family. She still has not been found, missing for over a year. Her grandmother said before it came to light that she was missing.

Now, again, it appears another case. Last night authorities in Polk County discovered the body, wrapped in a blanket, 2-year-old Alfredo Montez along I-275, that's just north of Tampa. The way the story goes, Jeanna Swallows, the boy's mother, gave the boy and his sister to her friends to watch them, to baby-sit. When she came back on a couple of occasions, the end of June and the beginning of July, she says they weren't there.

She finally notified the Department of Children and Family Services who assigned an investigator to the case. In the meantime, the police investigation had continued. After the body was found today, they have said now that Richard Chouquer and Amandy Lawrence were picked up in Utah and Chouquer who was given the boy, to the boy -- given the boy for care, has admitted that he beat the boy to death.

Now, after the police were notified and the Department of Children and Family Services were notified they assigned an investigator to the case, Erica Jones (ph) -- this is before the boy's body was found, back to the end of June, early July. That investigator said she visited the home and said that the children were fine. They were happy. They were clean and well cared for. But it turns out that according to the head of the Department of Children and Family Services that statement by the child welfare investigator was a lie.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KATHLEEN KEARNEY, SECY. FLA. DEPT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES: The reality is, is now as law enforcement has done its work on the criminal side, the reality is there was no contact with Alfredo, Rheyna and the mother of these children on July 1 by protective investigator Jones. She has admitted such to law enforcement. We believe very strongly at the Department of Children and Families that this work must be done with the utmost of integrity. It must always be done with a focus first on safety of children as the paramount concern.

JIM SEWELL, FLA. DEPT. OF LAW ENFORCEMENT: She admitted under oath on July 11 that on July 9 she created and altered records of the Department of Children and Families by falsely indicating that she had visited the home of Alfred A. Montez and Rheyna Montez on July 1 and that she observed the children had no marks or bruises. She did not, in fact, observe the children at all and that's the basis for the felony we've charged her with. She's created this record.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZARRELLA: Chouquer apparently flew into a rage when the boy soiled his pants and Chouquer, according to authorities, says that he beat the boy repeatedly to death. At that point, they took the body and dumped it along I-275. As far as Erica Jones is concerned, authorities say her records, her files, every file that she, the child investigator has touched, are being reviewed now, and her supervisor according to authorities did not follow up on the case, so she, too, is being investigated tonight.

So again, Wolf, another story, another very tragic story involving the Florida Department of Children and Families -- Wolf.

BLITZER: John, is this becoming an issue in Governor Jeb Bush's desire to be reelected? ZARRELLA: Well, if it wasn't before, it may well be now because it certainly had huge attention during the Rilya Wilson case. There were demands for the reform within the Department of Children and Families. The governor has looked into that. They appointed a "Blue Ribbon" panel to investigate the situation with Rilya Wilson. Certainly that will be probably added -- add more fuel to the fire now that this incident has taken place and certainly it is very likely to become an issue in his re-election campaign -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Our Miami bureau chief John Zarrella reporting live. Thank you very much.

And a missing girl, an unsolved crime, and a frustrated and very sad father. That was the background today as Elizabeth Smart's father suggested that a former family handyman knows more than he's saying about the 14-year-old girl's disappearance.

CNN's Brian Cabell has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN CABELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Forty-eight-year- old Richard Ricci may not be an official suspect in the abduction of 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart last month, but the investigation is increasingly focusing on him. Three main reasons -- apparent discrepancies about the whereabouts of his jeep at the time of the abduction; charges that he stole objects from the Smart home last year; and a 29-year police record. Elizabeth's father, Ed Smart, who once hired Ricci as a handyman, stepped forward Friday with a plea to him.

ED SMART, ELIZABETH'S FATHER: I need you, Richard. I need you to contact and clear yourself out of this. I don't want to believe it's you. The whole way through this, all of the issues, I have had faith in you enough, and I have not held any resentment, but at this point and time, I would plead with you and ask you to answer the questions, and be truthful.

CABELL: Ricci, who's now in the Utah state prison on alleged parole violations, has denied involvement in the girl's disappearance. His wife, here seen at their wedding in February, backs his claim. Elizabeth was abducted from her Salt Lake City home on June 5. FBI and police investigators have undertaken a massive, and so far unsuccessful, search for her.

Brian Cabell, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Attorney David Smith is representing Richard Ricci. Within the past hour, I spoke with him.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Mr. Smith, thanks for joining us. You heard Ed Smart, the father of Elizabeth Smart, today appeal to your client, in his words to come clean. He says he can't help but feel that your client is involved.

DAVID SMITH, ATTY. FOR RICHARD RICCI: Yes, I heard that remark.

BLITZER: Well, what do you say about that? Has your client 100 percent fully cooperated with law enforcement?

SMITH: He has cooperated as much as he possibly can. Let me say this, that my client and I too feel Mr. Smart's concern and certainly have empathy for his situation. My client has indicated that he is willing to cooperate with the police at anytime, any place. He still expresses that desire. He will meet with him. He will answer question. He will answer follow-up questions. He will undergo further polygraph tests, if necessary. He's willing to cooperate.

BLITZER: Has he explained fully the whereabouts of that jeep that took on apparently another 500 or 1,000 miles mysteriously around the time of Elizabeth's disappearance?

SMITH: Let me say this with respect to that, this is part of an ongoing investigation the police are currently undertaking, and it is not appropriate for us to really comment further, at least in public discussion, anything relative to what's happened to the jeep or the miles and so forth. He's willing to discuss that with the police.

BLITZER: What about the seat covers that were missing from the jeep when it was returned?

SMITH: That -- the same response would be there too.

BLITZER: Is there -- does your clients have any additional -- your client have any additional information about someone else who might be responsible for taking Elizabeth Smart?

SMITH: He does not. He would like to know who took her. He has no information on who it might be.

BLITZER: He expressed his remorse, his regret today through you, his apologies. What was the point of that?

SMITH: He realizes that he's been a focal point of the investigation and the apology is a general apology to Mr. Smart and Mrs. Smart and their family for pain and discomfort that he has caused them as a result of his being a focal point of this investigation, obviously having worked for them earlier.

BLITZER: Did he acknowledge to police that he did commit burglary at that home, perhaps other homes in the area?

SMITH: I was not present when he made any admissions and so I'm really unable to comment on that. I have, of course, talked with him as an attorney and client, but those communications are privileged, so I really can't go into that.

BLITZER: David Smith, thanks for updating us. Thanks for joining us.

SMITH: You're welcome.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: And here's your chance to weigh in on this story. Our "Web Question Of The Day" is this: Are the media paying too much attention to the Elizabeth Smart case and not enough to other missing children?

Go to my Web page, cnn.com/Wolf. That's where you can vote. While you're there, let me know what you're thinking. There's a click here, icon on the left side of the page. Send me your comments. I'll try to read some of them on the air each day at the end of this program. That's also, by the way, where you can read my daily on-line column -- cnn.com/Wolf.

In California, more outrage over that beating of a teenager in Inglewood, and the man who captured the now infamous images is in jail.

CNN's Thelma Gutierrez is in Inglewood, California. She has late-breaking developments. Thelma, what's going on today?

THELMA GUTIERREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, I can tell you that there were hundreds of protesters gathered here in front of the Inglewood Police headquarters today. They were very vocal, but they were very peaceful in making their demands. Not only are they calling for the immediate dismissal of the officer who's involved in the videotape, but also they say the dismissal of the officers who stood by and whom they say did nothing to stop it.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: No justice, no peace. No justice, no peace.

GUTIERREZ (voice-over): They held signs.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Police brutality is a wrong thing.

GUTIERREZ: They called for action.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We ask that all officers, deputies who witnessed this crime and failed to stop it be suspended without pay.

UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: Yes.

GUTIERREZ: And they marched peacefully side-by-side around Inglewood City Hall.

REV. MARTIN LUTHER KING III, CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST: This is not a black or white issue. This is a right and a wrong issue.

UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: Yes.

GUTIERREZ: Nearly 300 protesters stood in front of the Inglewood Police Department today demanding the immediate dismissal of all officers who were present the day that 16-year-old Donovan Jackson and his father Coby Chavis were arrested.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Seems that the only way to protect our civil liberties now is to have a camera.

GUTIERREZ: The attorney for Officer Jeremy Morse says this tape doesn't tell the whole story, that while the teenager's hands were in cuffs, that he grabbed the officer in the groin area and wouldn't let go and that that is why the officer punched him.

TALIBAH SHAKIR, JACKSON'S RELATIVE: Donovan in no way did he hit anybody in the testicles, and if he did it must have been an involuntary reflex action.

GUTIERREZ: The Inglewood Police chief said it's too soon to determine whether Officer Morse should be fired, a position that has outraged protesters.

NAJEE ALI, CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST: Ten years ago we protested and we forced Darryl Gates out of office because he did not take the Rodney King beating seriously and 10 years later we're here to say if you don't give up these wrong officers, we'll get rid of you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GUTIERREZ: Now Inglewood Police Chief Ronald Banks was not present during the protest nor has he commented on today's rally. Now all of this, as we mentioned, took place right in front of the Inglewood headquarters where we are right now, but we should say that police kept a very low profile and things went very smoothly today. Wolf, back to you.

BLITZER: Thelma Gutierrez, thank you very much for that report and the Inglewood Police Officer Jeremy Morse remains on suspension. His lawyer on this program yesterday said the officer's actions were justified because the suspect grabbed Morse in the groin.

Here's another look at the arrest of Donovan Jackson. This time, we're running the now infamous videotape in slow motion. Jackson's hands were handcuffed behind his back, and you can't see what he's doing with them. Morse's lawyer contends that Jackson managed to grab the officer in the groin. The lawyer, John Barnett, says Jackson's actions were -- quote -- "required that he be punched" -- unquote. The lawyer says Morse's response was restrained given the circumstances.

The government moves to restrict information about September 11. Why the need to be secret? A closer look at the information war in terror.

Also, "Sesame Street" puts out a positive role model for south African youth, an HIV-positive muppet.

Plus ...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: He wrestles alligators and crocodiles. Now, he's on a collision course. The crocodile hunter will join us live, and he'll be taking your phone calls, 1-888-CNN-0561.

If you watch Steve Irwin, the crocodile hunter in action, you're familiar with his use of Aussie expressions. What does the word "bitzer" mean in the language of the land down under? Bearded news anchor? Hyper kangaroo? Mongrel dog? Speedy Australian? The answer coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back. Polio is on the brink of eradication worldwide, but biomedical researchers in New York have created the deadly virus in a laboratory, virtually from scratch. Can terrorists duplicate that feat?

Joining me now, CNN medical correspondent Rea Blakey. What's the answer?

REA BLAKEY, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well let's put it this way, this is considered proof of principle, if you will, Wolf. a lot of virologists we've spoken to said this was always a matter of time, certainly a doable prospect, now they have proof and scientists no longer obviously need the real thing to make more polio virus, so the answer potentially is yes they could.

The question is how was it done? Well, basically you get the written genetic code for polio virus, you build a strand of DNA, you convert that to RNA, you use chemicals and enzymes, you let the thing replicate itself. What's so troubling about all this is all the crucial elements, the 7,700 letter genetic code for Polio virus, the DNA strands, the other chemicals and enzymes all available on the Internet or by mail order.

In fact, that's standard operating procedure for many labs. The lead researcher, Dr. Eckard Wimmer, says there should be laws to track and reduce distribution of these materials since they can be put together in such this way. Now how dangerous is this new science, which is really what we want to know. Well for many reasons polio is not a good bioterrorism weapon, but can molecular scientists create a more lethal human pathogen? Possible.

The president of the American Society for Virology fears that that's closer to being possible now that this synthetic polio virus has been made, as you say, from scratch. Now the science does need to point out the need for a stockpile, if you will, of polio vaccine even though the natural wild virus is almost extinct in this world. Worldwide only 480 cases reported last year and the World Health Organization has plans to stop vaccinating against it by 2005.

Now, however, those plans may need to be reconsidered. Polio is not as deadly or infectious a pathogen as smallpox or Ebola, but according to WHO, polio virus causes paralysis in one out of every 200 to 1,000 people infected. Only a fraction of those people who were paralyzed actually died from the virus, Wolf.

So it's not really an effective way to go about causing terrorism, but very much like a dirty bomb. The potential panic factor could cause a problem and be very disruptive in public health terms.

BLITZER: And panic could even be worse if somebody could replicate smallpox, the smallpox virus.

BLAKEY: Which at this point we cannot say is impossible. What -- the big difference here is, is that for polio, in particular, takes 7700 elements or units, if you will. Polio -- I'm sorry, smallpox is a much bigger virus, takes somewhere around 200,000 units, so it would take a much longer amount of time and much more scientific effort. However, with technology advancing the way it does, we can not say that it's impossible.

BLITZER: Well, let's hope it is. Rea Blakey, thank you very much.

The alleged shoe bomber, Richard Reid, has lost a legal bid to have the words "al Qaeda" removed from the indictment against him. Reid's lawyers argue that the government's references to al Qaeda would create prejudice against Reid, who's due to go on trial in November. The government alleges that Reid was trained by the terror network before he tried to light explosives in his shoes on an American Airlines flight last year.

A federal appeals court is again barring a suspected American Taliban fighter from meeting with a lawyer. The panel ruled that a lower court judge, who approved such a meeting, did not adequately consider the government's position that the prisoner is a -- quote -- "enemy combatant." Yasser Esam Hamdi was captured in Afghanistan. He was held at Guantanomo Bay, Cuba, the U.S. naval base there, until it was discovered that he was born in Louisiana. He's been in a navy brig in Virginia since April. Hamdi has not been charged.

John Walker Lindh, the American who allegedly fought on the side of the Taliban, wants a freelance CNN contributor to testify at his trial. Walker Lindh was interviewed by Robert Pelton right after his capture in Afghanistan. His defense team wants a federal judge to decide if Pelton can be subpoenaed as a material witness.

Pelton was freelancing for this network at the time of the interview. CNN is among the media organizations trying to squash -- quash that subpoena. Journalist Robert Pelton, by the way, will be Aaron Brown's guests -- among Aaron's guests tonight on "NEWSNIGHT." That, of course, begins at 10 p.m. Eastern here only on CNN.

The Justice Department is asking a federal judge to let it screen pretrial information in all September 11 injury and death lawsuits against airlines. It's the latest in a series of government efforts to restrict information connected to terror cases. Let's go live to CNN'S Deborah Feyerick. She's outside the federal court in New York City.

Deborah, tell us all about this.

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, the agency in charge of airlines say they basically wanted the judge to give them the green light, to give thumbs up or down to all evidence requested by the families' victims. This way they would have been able to monitor exactly what they would have given them but, a judge effectively said no.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(voice-over): Ellen Mariani wears her husband's picture close to her heart. He was killed on board United Airlines flight 175 when it slammed into tower two. She blames the airline and is suing.

(on camera): Is this a search for truth or is this a search for vengeance?

ELLEN MARIANI: It is not a vengeance. My God, it's my husband. I loved him dearly. It is for the truth and it's to find out how it happened, why it happened.

FEYERICK (voice-over): The Justice Department has stepped in fighting to protect what it calls airline's sensitive security information, SSI for short. Prosecutors saying unauthorized release of SSI creates an unacceptable risk to the traveling public and to the national security. Prosecutors want the Transportation Security Administration, which oversees air safety, to be able to stop the use of any evidence they feel could be a safety threat. Lawyers for the victims families call it outrageous.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, they want to stop the discovery. There is something they do not want to come out, and so they have said that by any discovery it's possible that sensitive security information could be revealed. That's also very troubling because we're not talking national security or top secret documents.

FEYERICK: So what are the families lawyers talking about?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're talking about security violations. We're talking about training that security people had. We're talking about the travel of the terrorists on the planes. We're talking about even the passenger name records.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FEYERICK: So what the judge basically decided is that the government will have to file a protective order against each and every piece of evidence that they deem to be a safety risk. So, for example, if the family wants that passenger list, the government is going to have to say why they think it's a matter of national security that it not be released. That means a lot more work for the government as opposed to sort of a blanket right to give thumbs up or thumbs down. Also what the judge said is that discovery will not be able to start immediately, but it can start in September within the year, which is when families have the right to file -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Deborah Feyerick in New York. Thank you, Deborah, very much.

And "Sesame Street" goes out on a limb to teach South African youth about AIDS. When we return, a look at the newest muppet, who happens to be HIV-positive.

Plus, how are America's children doing? Better than you might think.

And the church clears the way for Charles and Camilla. Is a royal wedding on the horizon? We'll talk to a man who has the royals' ears. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: A story just happening in Los Angeles, four men in police custody after an incident involving guns at the CBS Television City Production facilities. We're told an outside contractor for the network was stopped at a security checkpoint. Several weapons were found in his car. He and three other men taken into custody. They are being questioned right now. No shots were fired; no reports of any injuries or what is behind all of this; a lot of unanswered questions.

We're going to stay on top of this story. We'll have more information, of course, as it becomes available. Let's check some other stories we're covering right now.

Another volatile session on Wall Street. For the fourth time this week, the Dow suffered another triple-digit decline falling almost 117 points. The Nasdaq fared a little bit better, closing only slightly lower for the day.

On the outskirts of Mexico City, hundreds of angry farmers are threatening to kill a dozen government officials they're holding hostage. The farmers are protesting the use of their land to build an airport. Yesterday about 15 of them were arrested as they attacked police with machetes and sticks on a highway. The protesters vow to kill their hostages unless those protesters are released.

Attendees of the International AIDS Conference are disbanding with the stirring words of two former presidents ringing in their ears. Bill Clinton and South Africa's Nelson Mandela dramatically closed the conference today. They decried the global pandemic and praised those in the front lines of the battle against it. Mr. Clinton said ending AIDS was in the interest of everyone on the planet.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BILL CLINTON, FMR. PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: There are still people who view AIDS as something that affects only people who are different. Yes, people with HIV and AIDS are sex workers and drug addicts and poor and often gay, and if you live in a place with a low rate of infection, most of them are from another country, maybe another race. But they're also our friends and our neighbors.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: AIDS has hit Africa hardest and in South Africa, the virus has now made its way to Sesame Street. CNN's Jason Carroll explains how and why.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): From the very beginning the characters on this make believe street taught children it's just as important to know your ABC's as it is to know and respect people of different cultures, a groundbreaking idea for a children's show in 1969.

The creators of Sesame Street are still breaking ground 34 years later. This fall they will introduce a HIV-infected character on the show that will air only in South Africa. That country has the highest number of HIV-infected people of any nation in the world. One in 9 suffers from the disease. The show's spokeswoman says our curriculum reflects the cultures in which they take place. Because of the prevalence of AIDS in South Africa, it makes it a large issue and something we chose to address for that audience.

Despite published reports to the contrary, Sesame Street says there are no plans to introduce the HIV character to American audiences, but the debate over whether they should is being heard in hospitals.

DR. ALAN MANEVITZ, FAMILY PSYCHIATRIST: I think it's again laudatory that educational programs are trying to introduce children in a way that makes it open and safe and non-scary for children.

CARROLL: In media circles.

BRENT BOZELL, PRESIDENT, PARENTS TELEVISION COUNCIL: Sesame Street has always provided innocence. It's now going to rob them of that.

CARROLL: And on playgrounds. Mark Fitch is the father of a 3- year-old.

MARK FITCH, FATHER of THREE-YEAR-OLD: Do we need to take it to that next level? I mean you know not on a children's show, maybe an older age group.

JULIE COLA-CARDELLO, PARENT: I think it's wonderful to introduce it.

HEATHER MCMASTER, PARENT: I just don't know if you need to introduce so many complex elements to children on a television show that's meant to be fun.

CARROLL (on camera): The folks at Sesame Street say the point of introducing this character to their South African audience is to de- stigmatize the disease, and bring about discussion. It's unclear what impact this character will have, but if it's discussion they want, they've got it.

Jason Carroll CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: The federal government reports that America's children are healthier and wealthier. It doesn't say much about "wise." The National Institute of Child Health and Human development issued its sixth annual report card on children in the United States today.

It says they are healthier and more economically secure than they have been in years, maybe ever. Infant mortality is down. The percentage of kids with a full-time working parent is climbing. More family members are reading to children, but there are no new data on academic achievement.

Births to teenagers are at a record low. Far fewer eighth and tenth graders are smoking, but high school seniors are drinking alcohol at the same rate as last year. The report also covered diversity among American children. Nineteen percent have a parent born outside the United States.

"US News & World Report" is out with its annual ranking of the nation's best hospitals. Coming in at number one is Johns Hopkins Medical Center in Baltimore, with a rating every bit as grand as it looks. Coming in just behind Johns Hopkins on the honor roll are Minnesota's Mayo Clinic, the Cleveland Clinic, Massachusetts General Hospital, and the UCLA medical center.

Are wedding bells in the air for Charles and Camilla? The church says it's possible. Find out what the happy couple has to say, when we come back. Also, an orphaned orca stranded a long way from home; the rescue effort that hit rough waters.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: The Anglican Church has a new policy on divorce and remarriage and its fueling speculation about a possible royal wedding.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): The decision by the Church of England this week could put Prince Charles and his long-time lady friend, Camilla Parker-Bowles one step closer to marriage. The church rules that divorcees can remarry, even if a former spouse is still living. This has not been an issue for Charles since the death of his former wife Princess Diana in a car crash five years ago.

But, Camilla Parker-Bowles former husband is still alive, a fact that before this week, could have blocked Charles and Camilla from walking down the aisle. The two have had a tumultuous and very public relationship that dates back to well before Charles met the young lady then known as Diana Spencer.

Since their first meeting at a polo match, Charles and Camilla have kept their friendship mostly private, not easy because both have gone through marriage, heartache, and divorce under the stifling media spotlight. Their affair in the mid-1980s led Princess Diana to call Camilla a Rottweiler (ph). Diana complained in a TV interview that there were three people in her marriage, and supporters of Diana even pelted Camilla with bread once in a supermarket.

But Camilla Parker-Bowles has gained more support since Diana's death. Charles' sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, have appeared in public with her, and Queen Elizabeth II, who reportedly refused even to acknowledge Camilla's existence after the breakup of Charles' marriage, has since met with Camilla and even allowed her to attend a concert at the Queen's 50th Jubilee this summer.

Last year, Charles said he wouldn't rule out remarrying, after insisting for years he'd never tie the knot again. But most observers say the issue of Charles marrying Camilla, and what happens after that, may boil down to what the public thinks. Polls in Britain show most people want the couple to marry, but do not want her to be named Queen Camilla anytime in the future.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: So, is a royal wedding likely? Joining us now to discuss that possibility is the biographer and the historian Robert Lacey, who's written extensively about Britain's royal family. He's in London tonight. Mr. Lacey, as usual, thanks for joining us. Does this indeed potentially set the stage for this kind of wedding?

ROBERT LACEY, AUTHOR "MONARCH": Potentially, clearly it does, but while the church appears to have given with one hand to Camilla and Charles, it has in another sense taken away with the other, because there is a list of conditions whereby the church wants to make sure that if there is a remarriage, these conditions must be met.

One of these conditions is that the new marriage must not be the cause of hostile public comment or scandal. Well, as you have just said, the marriage of Charles and Camilla is very much a talking point in Britain.

The other objection is that remarriage should not be permitted if the new marriage is tantamount to consecrating an old infidelity. That's to say did this new relationship that the couple is asking to be blessed, actually cause the break up of one or two previous marriages? And certainly, as the gain as you've just said, Princess Diana was in no doubt at all that Camilla was at the root of the trouble. So, they're not out of the woods yet.

BLITZER: So, in other words, if there might have been an adulterous relationship, that could negate the possibility, according to the church, of a wedding, is that what you're saying?

LACEY: Yes. The big thing that's happened this week is the declaration in principle that the church is willing to bless remarriage. This wasn't the case in the past, and ministers would remarry at their own discretion, but frowned on by the church.

Now that position is reversed, but the ministers are supposed to satisfy themselves that these two conditions have been met. In the case of an ordinary couple, it would be a question of going to their local vicar and seeing what he thinks. Will it cause scandal? Am I being asked to bless a previous adultery?

In the case of Charles and Camilla, it will involve going to the Archbishop of Canterbury himself, and here we have a new question mark in the picture, because we're about to get a new Archbishop of Canterbury. It hasn't been officially announced, but it's been leaked that it's a very interesting man, currently the Archbishop of Wales, who is known as a liberal thinker, but also a very pious man. So as a liberal thinker, he might say, well the time has come to forgive and forget. But as a pious and traditional Anglican, he may feel that this is a case where he would not want precedent to be broken.

BLITZER: Why did the church come up with these rules now? Am I just being overly suspicious that it has something to do with Prince Charles and Camilla, or is that way off?

LACEY: A very healthy instinct, Wolf, but I think you can say that the Church of England is actually rather belatedly trying to address a reality of modern life, and I myself think that when historians come to look back on these broken marriages of the royal children that people have found so scandalous, they will see them in a context of a society, where certainly in Britain marriage has been less respected.

And, the problem for the church is how to bless and consecrate people who, having made mistakes, want to make a fresh start. The feeling in the church that the church should tackle this issue is pretty strong among churchgoers and really has nothing to do with the royal family.

BLITZER: Robert Lacey, as usual, thanks for helping us understand the royal family. No one understands it as well as you do, appreciate it very much.

And most hunt wild game or birds, but Steve Irwin chooses crocodiles. "The Crocodile Hunter" joins us live in our studio to talk about his new movie. If you have questions for him, call us right now, 1-888-CNN-0561.

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BLITZER: Earlier we asked: What does the word "bitzer" mean in the land down under? No, it's not a bearded news anchor. A "bitzer" is a mongrel dog. Known to many as the host of the cable series "The Crocodile Hunter," Steve Irwin is coming to the big screen. His movie "The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course" opens today. Steve joins us now live from New York. He's going to answering your questions. We've got phone calls coming in, 1-888-CNN-0561.

Steve, thanks for joining us. To our viewers who may not be familiar with you, and there probably are some, why do you look for crocodiles?

STEVE IRWIN, CROCODILE EXPERT: Well, mate, I've been rescuing crocodiles since I was a small boy. In fact, I jumped and caught my first crocodile bare hand when I was 9 years of age.

You see, there's this conflict between man and crocs. As the East Coast of Australia populates, you know people are pushing further and further into croc habitat, and so I'm called on to rescue them.

BLITZER: But you really are an expert in this area, too. You're not just a comedian, even though you're a funny guy.

IRWIN: Yes, no, mate, I'm not a comedian. That's certainly not my forte. My forte is crocs, and I reckon I'm a product of my parents and my environment, you know. Dad started the Australian Zoo in 1970, and that zoo was established on the basis of wildlife rescue. So, I'm virtually a wildlife warrior, and I try and work the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) face where there's you know conflict between man and beast you know rescuing kangaroos, wallabies, wombats. Crocodiles is my forte and venomous snakes.

BLITZER: What's the new movie that's coming out today? What's it all about?

IRWIN: Yes, mate, the "The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course" is all about these two particular crocodiles that I had to rescue; only they shot them with movie camera. This big male croc that I go in and finally wear him out and grab him -- and then these poachers, Wolf, these poachers walk up on the scene and they're trying to kill my croc. And you know what, I hate poachers. They're criminals, you know. They shouldn't be doing that kind of stuff, and I don't like anyone mucking with my crocs. I had this big battle in shoes in Outback Australia, and I don't carry a gun or anything. So, I use venomous snakes to sort them out.

BLITZER: Let's take a caller. We got a lot of callers who want to ask you a question. We have one, in fact, from St. Louis. Go ahead, ask Steve Irwin your question.

CALLER: Yes, hi, it's great to be on with the croc hunter and the Wolf Blitzer. Mr. Irwin, I have two questions. I was wondering first, have you ever wanted to diversify and go after some alligators?

And also, I was wondering if you were offended by the movie, "Romancing the Stone," where Michael Douglas actually kills a croc and makes a pair of boots out of them. Just wondering your thoughts.

IRWIN: If I could answer that I've already caught a few alligators, you know. I've worked down in Louisiana and Florida. I caught a couple of alligators at the Elgin Air Force Base at Pensacola. The alligator is an ever-increasing problem. You know, the population's expanding down there, and that's not going to go away in a hurry. There are some people that do sincerely believe that, you know, the alligator numbers will actually, you know, sort themselves out if left alone. But when you get a potentially threatening animal like that, it's really hard to work it out. And, as for killing the crocodile in "Romancing the Stone," mate, that's all fiction, you know. They're animatronic. They weren't real crocodiles, and you know, if that had a been a real poacher killing a croc and turning it into boots, you can bet I'd be angry, mate. I'd take him out.

BLITZER: All right, let's take another caller from White House, Tennessee. Go ahead, Tennessee.

CALLER: Hello.

IRWIN: Good day.

CALLER: Oh, I'm so excited to talk to you guys.

IRWIN: Thanks.

CALLER: For starters, I'd like to say thank you for risking your life to entertain us. That's nice of you.

IRWIN: Pleasure.

CALLER: And you teach me and my son so much, but I wanted to know, do you carry anti venom with you when you're running around chasing all these snakes? What about your staff? And thank you so much from the bottom of our heart for entertaining me and my son.

IRWIN: Thank you. You make me very proud. And no, I never take anti venom with me anywhere. You know, I catch the most venomous snakes in the world in Africa, of course in Australia the top 10 most deadly snakes, the United States of America, Southeast Asia, all over the place. Mate, I'm playing with cobras, black mambas, taipans.

The trick, the secret that I use, is don't get bitten. I have never been bitten by a venomous snake, never been hospitalized, never needed anti venom, and it's because of my techniques, you know.

I'm a product of my dad's herpetological skills. He was the greatest wild snake wrangler in the world. They used to do scientific study on him. He used to collect snakes so they could milk them for the anti venom for anti venom, and, by crikey, he taught me well.

He taught me that if you love the snake and if you sincerely, you know, love it like it will ooze out through your hands, and when you grab it, if you can avoid getting hit in the first 30 seconds, pretty soon the snake will understand that you're not trying to kill it, and then they'll settle down and you're able to bag them up or get them off the road, whatever you want to do.

BLITZER: All right. Let's take a quick caller from Wisconsin. Go ahead, Wisconsin.

CALLER: First of all, I'd like to say we really admire your parents a lot and they did a nice job.

IRWIN: Me, too. CALLER: And secondly, we really admire Terry.

IRWIN: Yes.

CALLER: There aren't many ladies that would crawl through the mud. And the question we have is how old is Binky (ph) and are there any more children?

IRWIN: Isn't my wife the most drop dead gorgeous (UNINTELLIGIBLE) in the world? And when we were catching alligators down in Pensacola, she got mud all over herself and she was breast feeding at the time.

And so, she'd come out and she smelled like a swamp thing, and Binky was only this big, and there's no way that she'd nurse off her, and, oh, we had to try and find water to wash her down. And Binky's going to be 4 in 22 days, and she's virtually a movie baby. This movie we've just done, it's been two years in the making, and she's been on set the whole time. You know, the family that catches crocs together lives together.

BLITZER: All right, Steve Irwin, thanks for joining us. The new movie, "The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course." Good luck with the movie. Thanks for coming on. We'll have you back.

IRWIN: Hey, thanks, Wolf. Mate, any chance I get.

BLITZER: Thank you, Steve Irwin.

IRWIN: Thank you.

BLITZER: Let's go to New York and get a preview of Lou Dobbs MONEYLINE. That begins right at the top of the hour. Jan Hopkins is sitting in tonight for Lou.

JAN HOPKINS, MONEYLINE ANCHOR: Thanks, Wolf, coming up...

BLITZER: Can you top that, Jan?

HOPKINS: Thanks, Wolf. Coming up on "MONEYLINE," another steep sell off on Wall Street, the Dow closes out one of its worst weeks ever. Merrill Lynch Dick McCabe will be my guest. Enron's task force has yet to indict a single Enron employee. How will the president's latest task force compare? We'll have a special report.

And, the White House says the federal deficit will be worse than it first expected. We'll tell you why the stock market is getting some blame for that news. And, our weekly Editor's Circle, we'll talk with three of the nation's top business magazines about the president's speech and the market, all of that and a lot more ahead. Wolf, back to you and you can ask your question again.

BLITZER: I take it -- I don't think you can answer it. I don't think you can top Steve Irwin.

HOPKINS: No, I don't think I can either. BLITZER: We'll be watching "MONEYLINE" as we do every day. This is Friday. It's late in the day yet we want our viewers to go home with a good thought on their mind. Only two minutes left to weigh in on our question of the day. Are the news media paying too much attention to the Elizabeth Smart case and not enough to other missing children? The results when we return. Go to my Web page cnn.com/wolf. That's where you can vote.

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BLITZER: Updating you on a story we told you about earlier, John Walker Lindh, who allegedly took up arms for the Taliban, has subpoenaed the freelance CNN contributor who interviewed him in Afghanistan last year. Our national correspondent Bob Franken joins us now live from just outside the courthouse in Alexandria, Virginia. What's the latest, Bob?

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, the latest is that at least for now the judge has brushed aside any claims of a First Amendment privilege. He says there is no First Amendment privilege for reporters and has refused for now to quash the subpoena, to block the subpoena, which would compel Robert Pelton to testify. The judge said even if there was a First Amendment concern, which he doubted, the Sixth Amendment right to a fair trial would trump that.

So, at least for the moment, Robert Pelton is going to have to testify next week. But, the judge said he could possibly revisit the issue if, in fact, he decided that the testimony was not necessary. So, that would be decided on another matter.

So, he flew in the face of claims made by media that the very fact there was a subpoena, "threatens to endanger the physical safety of American war correspondents throughout the world." The judge said he's not unsympathetic to that danger but the danger does not come from the subpoenas.

Of course, this was an interview that was conducted on December 1. Defense attorneys say they want to get to the circumstances surrounding that interview -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Bob Franken, thanks for that update, appreciate it very much. And here's your chance to weigh in on our web question of the day. Earlier we asked: Are the media paying too much attention to the Elizabeth Smart case and not enough to other missing children? Look at the answers. Eighty-eight percent of you say yes, twelve percent say no. Remember, this is not a scientific poll.

Finally, this sad personal note, John Wallach a highly respected diplomatic correspondent for the Hurst Newspaper chain and a good friend of mine for almost 30 years has died. We covered many stories together, including the Camp David summit in 1977.

In recent years, after leaving journalism, John devoted his life to building the organization Seeds for Peace. Every summer, he'd bring together Israeli and Palestinian kids in a beautiful camp in Maine. He also would bring them to Washington to experience democracy in action. Indeed, they'll be coming here next week. The hope was always to convince a new generation that peace was indeed possible. The organization later expanded to include kids from the Balkans, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Cyprus.

For John, it was always truly a labor of love, a wonderful journalist, a great American, a good friend. John's life was cut short this week by cancer at the age of 59. To his wife, Janet, and sons Michael and David and the entire family, our deepest condolences. John Wallach will be missed.

That's all the time we have today. I'll see you Sunday on "LATE EDITION" the last word in Sunday talk. Among my guests, Senators John Edwards and Orrin Hatch, that's Sunday at noon Eastern. Until then, thanks very much for watching. I'm Wolf Blitzer in Washington. "LOU DOBBS MONEYLINE" begins right now.

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