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CNN Live Today
Islamists Blamed for Baghdad Bombing; Horrors of War Take Toll on Troops' Mental Health; Hearing Delayed as Mass Murder Suspect Seeks New Lawyer; Tennessee County Considers Banning Gays
Aired March 18, 2004 - 11:00 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.
DARYN KAGAN, ANCHOR: We are hitting 11 a.m. on the East Coast, right on the dot, 8 a.m. on the West Coast. From CNN Center in Atlanta, good morning once again. I'm Daryn Kagan.
Up first on CNN, Iraq on edge. Tomorrow marking the one-year anniversary since the start of the war, this morning there are reminders of the violence that still plagues the country.
In Baghdad, U.S. officials say the hotel bombing that killed seven people was a suicide attack.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRIG. GEN. MARK KIMMETT, U.S. ARMY: At this point, it's not definitive whether the hotel was the target, because we -- it is unclear why the bomber would not have driven the car closer to the hotel and exploded the bomb right next to the hotel for more damage.
Given that's in the middle of the street, there is a chance, and there's a likelihood that this might not have been the target, that the vehicle may have prematurely detonated or may have been hit by another vehicle, rear-ended, causing the detonation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: Now more on the aftermath of the Baghdad bombing. Our senior international correspondent, Walter Rodgers, filed this report from the scene of the attack.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WALTER RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The acrid smell of smoke hung over much of Baghdad, even when the sun came up, 12 hours after a car bomb destroyed a mixed residential and commercial neighborhood.
The destruction and visions of death will remain long after the scorched smell is washed away.
Many people are listed as having been killed, over 40 injured in Wednesday night's blast, said to have been caused by 1,000 pounds of plastic explosives packed into a vehicle.
U.S. military authorities believe the explosives may also have detonated a large artillery shell in the car. As far as a kilometer away, buildings rumbled on their foundations.
At the site of the vehicle bomb, outside the Mount Lebanon Hotel, a deep crater has now filled with water from fire trucks trying to extinguish the blaze ignited by the blast.
Reportedly, it took fire trucks half an hour to reach the scene. Iraqi police seemed to have lacked discipline and did not have a recovery plan, according to one eyewitness.
When U.S. soldiers came to help, raging Iraqis at first tried to drag them off. The Arab street needed someone to blame, and the U.S. soldiers were convenient.
American authorities responsible for security in Baghdad now believe the murderous car bomb was the work of Islamist militants, out to thwart American efforts to establish order and a civil society.
The fingers all seem to point at Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's group or another Islamist group, Ansar al-Islam.
Predictably, I overhead one Iraqi at the bombsite this morning blaming the Israelis.
The neighborhood seemed an unlikely target for an attack. It is a mixed Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish area.
(on camera) This bombing does not bode well for the coming weeks and months in Iraq, especially with U.S. officials now openly predicting the violence will be repeated and is likely to increase.
Walter Rodgers, CNN, Baghdad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: Coalition officials say the Baghdad bombing is an attack to derail Iraqi strides toward Democracy. Rehd al-Rahim is senior Iraqi representative to the U.S., and she's joining us once again from Washington.
Ms. Al-Rahim, thank you for being us. We appreciate it.
REHD AL-RAHIM, IRAQI REPRESENTATIVE TO U.S.: My pleasure.
KAGAN: What do you make of the two bombings in the last 24 hours in your home country?
AL-RAHIM: Well, obviously, this is very sad news, and it's -- we have been receiving repeated shocks within Iraqi society.
The only thing that can be said is that there are extremists out there, outside Iraq, some unfortunately inside Iraq, who are giving them comfort and aid who simply do not want to see Iraq succeed, who feel that any progress towards democracy, pluralism, any embrace of Iraq by the international community, is contrary to their interests and therefore they want to thwart this and derail it. Unfortunately, most of the casualties that are happening now are Iraqis. And in fact, these bombings are attacking Iraqis. They're targeting Iraqis, because they want to deter Iraqis from moving forward with their country.
KAGAN: Well, it is, as you point out, unfortunately, the every day man and woman on the street just trying to live their life who are bearing the brunt of these attacks.
But I think it's hard for Americans to understand Iraqi frustration. They don't -- the resent the American occupation, and yet when something happens, especially like what happened at the hotel yesterday in Baghdad, they resent the Americans for not providing more security.
How do you explain that -- those two different conflicting opinions?
AL-RAHIM: Well, the level of emotion in reacting to these attacks is perfectly understandable. And everybody wants to turn around and point a finger at somebody.
People feel that somebody has to be responsible for this, and because the U.S. and the coalition are the occupying powers, still, in Iraq, then the feel is they should be providing the security.
This may not be a rational feeling. But you can understand what it's like when -- when people see this damage, the deaths, the casualties. They need somebody to blame. They need to feel somebody is responsible, and they're turning around and groping for a sense of responsibility for this.
It's an irrational sentiment, but probably understandable.
KAGAN: Well, and it was sentiments like that that had such a huge impact in Spain last week in light of the bombings of the train stations. You saw an entire election and an entire government change hands.
Do you think it could have the same power as the attacks, if they continue in your country, to chance the direction of where Iraq is going?
AL-RAHIM: No, I don't think so, because I believe firmly that it is only a very small group of people who are doing this and that there is a lot of outside interference by external groups, whether Zarqawi or groups like that.
Iraqis are determined to move forward. And I can tell you that every time there is a bombing like this, there are casualties, Iraqi leaders, community leaders political leaders, have always come out and said, "We will not allow this to derail our progress. We are determined to move forward."
And Iraqis are determined not to relinquish before the face of terrorism. This is what the terrorists want. And I think Iraqis are absolutely determined not to succumb to this.
KAGAN: Rend al-Rahim, thank you for your time today, madam.
AL-RAHIM: Thank you.
KAGAN: We appreciate it.
AL-RAHIM: Thank you.
KAGAN: A U.S.-funded Arabic television station actually captured the Baghdad bombing on tape. Take a look at this. The blasts went off as an Iraqi woman was about to be interviewed. This is about a half mile from the scene.
You could see the massive fireball exploding in the distance, followed by the sound of that explosion. That footage was recorded by al-Hurra, the al-Hurra television station.
Spanish police have arrested four more people in connection with the bombs attack -- the bomb attacks on Madrid's rail network. State radio describing the suspects as North African.
Six other suspects are already in custody. Most are making an initial court appearance today. Police have linked at least one of the suspects to al Qaeda. Two hundred and one people died in the Madrid terror attack.
A Maryland woman is denying that she served as an Iraqi intelligence agent, and she says she was just trying to help prevent the war. Susan Lindauer faces up to 25 years in police if she's convicted of acting as an Iraqi agent. Lindauer says she's being punished for getting involved in U.S. foreign policy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SUSAN LINDAUER, ACCUSED IRAQI AGENT: This is surreal for me. This is the FBI coming into my living room, monitoring my conversations. This is what you would expect in a totalitarian government.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: Lindauer says she was trying to persuade Iraq to allow weapons inspections before the war.
Some American troops that are coming home from Iraq are having a hard time dealing with the horrors of war. Let's talk to our correspondent at the Pentagon, Barbara Starr, about that -- Barbara.
BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning to you, Daryn.
And indeed, the U.S. Army has now completed what you would call a mental health survey of the troops in Iraq, trying to find out if they've been doing over the last year, how much stress they're suffering, and how they're dealing with it. By one account, about 15 percent of the troops on the front line report they would seek mental health help if it was available to them.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
STARR (voice-over): Marine Corps Lance Corporal Mike Hoffman remembers a very bad day on the road to Baghdad when he and his buddies came across burning vehicles and an awful smell.
LANCE CPL. MIKE HOFFMAN, U.S. MARINE CORPS: The people that were inside that were still in there is what we were really smelling, what that was.
STARR: Months later, nightmares, flashbacks, and a memory that would not go away.
HOFFMAN: I remember I was on my way to work, actually, and I was just a zombie the entire day. Everything was just a blur to me.
STARR: After the horrors of the Vietnam War, for some veterans there was anxiety, nightmares, and even suicide. Back then, the Pentagon understood little about that type of suffering.
Now, the Defense Department says it's a top health priority to make sure the troops who need help will feel comfortable asking for it and will get it.
DR. WILLIAM WINKENWERDER, ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: We have a number of outreach efforts. There are stress teams; there are mental health management teams.
STARR: Wayne Smith councils Iraqi vets.
WAYNE SMITH, VIETNAM VETERANS OF AMERICA: I've talked to a number of veterans, some who have been hospitalized, some with severe wounds, others with more of the kind of emotional disturbances.
Especially those that have not been hospitalized talk about stress reactions in the form of depression, disturbances in sleep, nightmares, anxiety, and a kind of general discomfort.
STARR: Since the war began 645 troops have been evacuated from the theater for psychiatric reasons. The Army says its in line with previous deployments.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
STARR: As a result of this survey of this work that has just been completed, the Army is now sending more mental health experts to the front line, where they believe they are needed.
But veterans' groups remain very concerned, and they say they will be watching closely to make sure this really happens -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Barbara Starr, thank you for the update on that. Appreciate it. A judge gives the man accused of killing nine people in Fresno a warning: come back with a lawyer to court today, or else. The latest is coming up on CNN LIVE TODAY.
And she is charged with killing one of her twins by not following her doctor's orders. Now a startling new detail about this mother's past is coming to life.
And a county in Tennessee says it wants to ban gays. We're not talking gay marriage. We're talking gay people altogether.
CNN LIVE TODAY is coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(STOCK REPORT)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: Suspected highway sniper Charles McCoy Jr. faces an extradition hearing tomorrow or Monday in Las Vegas. He'll be sent back to Ohio. That's where he faces charges related to two dozen sniper shootings around I-270 in Columbus. One person was killed in the nine-month spree. McCoy was turned in by a citizen tipster who shared pizza with the suspect.
Marcus Wesson will be back in a California courtroom on arraignment for nine murder counts today. Our Kimberly Osias reports from Fresno.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KIMBERLY OSIAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He appeared unsure at first, but then Marcus Wesson took charge, asking for another attorney in a move that postponed his arraignment until Thursday.
ELIZABETH EGAN, DISTRICT ATTORNEY: The court revoked the defendant's bail. He is being held in custody without bail by the Fresno County sheriff.
OSIAS: An electric moment in the courtroom as his son, Marcus Wesson Jr., waved his hand to speak. "I love you, Dad. I love you, Dad," he said. He then was escorted out by deputies.
Earlier this week, another son of Wesson, Serafino, spoke out.
SERAFINO WESSON, MARCUS WESSON'S SON: I find it hard to believe. He's the best dad anybody could ever have.
OSIAS: Marcus Wesson is accused of shooting to death nine of his other children. Authorities say it's possible some of the younger victims were offspring of an incestuous relationship between Wesson and one or two of his own daughters.
Police have not shed light on any motive in the case. Monday night, authorities removed 12 empty caskets from Wesson's home, coffins Wesson had purchased from an antique store.
ERIC HICKEY, CRIMONOLOGIST: I think that he had plans for a long time. Once he got those coffins, he knew that at some point they were all going to die. And he may well have been planning his own death, as well.
OSIAS (on camera): Marcus Wesson says he wants to find his own legal counsel.
As for the district attorney, no word yet as to whether they'll seek the death penalty in this case.
Kimberly Osias, CNN, Fresno, California.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: There's new information today about Melissa Rowland. She is that Utah mother charged with murder, because she allegedly refused a C-section to save her twins, one of whom was still born.
A Pittsburgh newspaper reported Saturday that Rowland was convicted of assault and endangerment four years ago. The paper says she was arrested at a supermarket where her daughter picked up and ate a candy bar. Witnesses are quoted as saying that Rowland punched the girl in the face and screamed, "You ate the candy bar, and now I can't buy cigarettes."
Well, it will be no "Armageddon," or even a "Deep Impact," but it will be the closest brush on record for planet Earth. A close encounter with an asteroid is coming up next.
And the latest on a Tennessee county that doesn't want to just outlaw gay marriage; it wants to outlaw gay people. That story is just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: Earthlings, get ready for a close encounter with an asteroid tonight. NASA says the rock will zoom within 26,000 miles of Earth. That's the closest flyby on record.
The asteroid is called 2004 FH. It should be visible with binoculars across Europe and Asia.
(WEATHER REPORT)
KAGAN: Now to the rural county in Tennessee which wants to ban gays and lesbians. We're not talking about the marriage; we're talking about the actual gays and lesbians.
The law would say they would have to leave or face criminal charges.
Reporter Brian Hahn from Chattanooga affiliate WDEF looks at the controversy.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE
BRIAN HAHN, WDEF CORRESPONDENT: Rhea County commissioners want to make homosexuality a crime. They'll ask state legislators to give them the option of charging gay people with crimes against nature.
Some Rhea County residents support the idea.
GARY CAGLE, RHEA COUNTY RESIDENT: I don't think it's morally right. I think their rights end where my rights begin, and I think it offends me if I did something to offend everybody in the community.
HAHN: Commissioner J.C. Fugate was quoted by a local paper saying, "We need to keep them out of here." Fugate offered the motion to county commissioners.
PAULA SMITH, RHEA COUNTY RESIDENT: I really agreed with them. All I know is, you know, I try and live right and do right, and according to the Bible it's not right.
HAHN: Reverend Matt Nevels was outraged by his comments.
REV. MATT NEVELS, FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF LESBIANS AND GAYS: Pray tell, what are they going to do, line them up and shoot them like a bunch of dogs? Pray tell. You know, what's next?
HAHN: Others share the reverend's sentiments. They're embarrassed by Monday night's meeting.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a narrow-minded community.
ROSETTE GOHENNESSEI, RHEA COUNTY RESIDENT: It's pushing the clock back 100 years ago. It's like going back to Oscar Wilde's time.
KEITH ADAMS, RHEA COUNTY RESIDENT: I don't believe they should run them out of town. They're just like us, regular people. There's other kind of people they should run out of town, worse than...
HAHN: In Rhea County, Brian Hahn, News 12.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: As for Rhea County commissioners, they may be having second thoughts. A special meeting is scheduled tonight to reconsider that anti-gay motion.
The United Methodist Church has put an openly lesbian pastor on trial in Washington state. A church panel will determine whether the Reverend Karen Dammann will continue her ministry or be defrocked.
Several protesters were arrested when they tried to block the trial. Dammann is currently on leave. She married her partner of nine years last week in Oregon.
A religious expert called to testify warned the church not to replicate the crucifixion of Jesus.
President Bush is getting ready to address the troops. Coming up, we'll have a preview from Fort Campbell, Kentucky, plus all the day's political news.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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Toll on Troops' Mental Health; Hearing Delayed as Mass Murder Suspect Seeks New Lawyer; Tennessee County Considers Banning Gays>
Aired March 18, 2004 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, ANCHOR: We are hitting 11 a.m. on the East Coast, right on the dot, 8 a.m. on the West Coast. From CNN Center in Atlanta, good morning once again. I'm Daryn Kagan.
Up first on CNN, Iraq on edge. Tomorrow marking the one-year anniversary since the start of the war, this morning there are reminders of the violence that still plagues the country.
In Baghdad, U.S. officials say the hotel bombing that killed seven people was a suicide attack.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRIG. GEN. MARK KIMMETT, U.S. ARMY: At this point, it's not definitive whether the hotel was the target, because we -- it is unclear why the bomber would not have driven the car closer to the hotel and exploded the bomb right next to the hotel for more damage.
Given that's in the middle of the street, there is a chance, and there's a likelihood that this might not have been the target, that the vehicle may have prematurely detonated or may have been hit by another vehicle, rear-ended, causing the detonation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: Now more on the aftermath of the Baghdad bombing. Our senior international correspondent, Walter Rodgers, filed this report from the scene of the attack.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WALTER RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The acrid smell of smoke hung over much of Baghdad, even when the sun came up, 12 hours after a car bomb destroyed a mixed residential and commercial neighborhood.
The destruction and visions of death will remain long after the scorched smell is washed away.
Many people are listed as having been killed, over 40 injured in Wednesday night's blast, said to have been caused by 1,000 pounds of plastic explosives packed into a vehicle.
U.S. military authorities believe the explosives may also have detonated a large artillery shell in the car. As far as a kilometer away, buildings rumbled on their foundations.
At the site of the vehicle bomb, outside the Mount Lebanon Hotel, a deep crater has now filled with water from fire trucks trying to extinguish the blaze ignited by the blast.
Reportedly, it took fire trucks half an hour to reach the scene. Iraqi police seemed to have lacked discipline and did not have a recovery plan, according to one eyewitness.
When U.S. soldiers came to help, raging Iraqis at first tried to drag them off. The Arab street needed someone to blame, and the U.S. soldiers were convenient.
American authorities responsible for security in Baghdad now believe the murderous car bomb was the work of Islamist militants, out to thwart American efforts to establish order and a civil society.
The fingers all seem to point at Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's group or another Islamist group, Ansar al-Islam.
Predictably, I overhead one Iraqi at the bombsite this morning blaming the Israelis.
The neighborhood seemed an unlikely target for an attack. It is a mixed Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish area.
(on camera) This bombing does not bode well for the coming weeks and months in Iraq, especially with U.S. officials now openly predicting the violence will be repeated and is likely to increase.
Walter Rodgers, CNN, Baghdad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: Coalition officials say the Baghdad bombing is an attack to derail Iraqi strides toward Democracy. Rehd al-Rahim is senior Iraqi representative to the U.S., and she's joining us once again from Washington.
Ms. Al-Rahim, thank you for being us. We appreciate it.
REHD AL-RAHIM, IRAQI REPRESENTATIVE TO U.S.: My pleasure.
KAGAN: What do you make of the two bombings in the last 24 hours in your home country?
AL-RAHIM: Well, obviously, this is very sad news, and it's -- we have been receiving repeated shocks within Iraqi society.
The only thing that can be said is that there are extremists out there, outside Iraq, some unfortunately inside Iraq, who are giving them comfort and aid who simply do not want to see Iraq succeed, who feel that any progress towards democracy, pluralism, any embrace of Iraq by the international community, is contrary to their interests and therefore they want to thwart this and derail it. Unfortunately, most of the casualties that are happening now are Iraqis. And in fact, these bombings are attacking Iraqis. They're targeting Iraqis, because they want to deter Iraqis from moving forward with their country.
KAGAN: Well, it is, as you point out, unfortunately, the every day man and woman on the street just trying to live their life who are bearing the brunt of these attacks.
But I think it's hard for Americans to understand Iraqi frustration. They don't -- the resent the American occupation, and yet when something happens, especially like what happened at the hotel yesterday in Baghdad, they resent the Americans for not providing more security.
How do you explain that -- those two different conflicting opinions?
AL-RAHIM: Well, the level of emotion in reacting to these attacks is perfectly understandable. And everybody wants to turn around and point a finger at somebody.
People feel that somebody has to be responsible for this, and because the U.S. and the coalition are the occupying powers, still, in Iraq, then the feel is they should be providing the security.
This may not be a rational feeling. But you can understand what it's like when -- when people see this damage, the deaths, the casualties. They need somebody to blame. They need to feel somebody is responsible, and they're turning around and groping for a sense of responsibility for this.
It's an irrational sentiment, but probably understandable.
KAGAN: Well, and it was sentiments like that that had such a huge impact in Spain last week in light of the bombings of the train stations. You saw an entire election and an entire government change hands.
Do you think it could have the same power as the attacks, if they continue in your country, to chance the direction of where Iraq is going?
AL-RAHIM: No, I don't think so, because I believe firmly that it is only a very small group of people who are doing this and that there is a lot of outside interference by external groups, whether Zarqawi or groups like that.
Iraqis are determined to move forward. And I can tell you that every time there is a bombing like this, there are casualties, Iraqi leaders, community leaders political leaders, have always come out and said, "We will not allow this to derail our progress. We are determined to move forward."
And Iraqis are determined not to relinquish before the face of terrorism. This is what the terrorists want. And I think Iraqis are absolutely determined not to succumb to this.
KAGAN: Rend al-Rahim, thank you for your time today, madam.
AL-RAHIM: Thank you.
KAGAN: We appreciate it.
AL-RAHIM: Thank you.
KAGAN: A U.S.-funded Arabic television station actually captured the Baghdad bombing on tape. Take a look at this. The blasts went off as an Iraqi woman was about to be interviewed. This is about a half mile from the scene.
You could see the massive fireball exploding in the distance, followed by the sound of that explosion. That footage was recorded by al-Hurra, the al-Hurra television station.
Spanish police have arrested four more people in connection with the bombs attack -- the bomb attacks on Madrid's rail network. State radio describing the suspects as North African.
Six other suspects are already in custody. Most are making an initial court appearance today. Police have linked at least one of the suspects to al Qaeda. Two hundred and one people died in the Madrid terror attack.
A Maryland woman is denying that she served as an Iraqi intelligence agent, and she says she was just trying to help prevent the war. Susan Lindauer faces up to 25 years in police if she's convicted of acting as an Iraqi agent. Lindauer says she's being punished for getting involved in U.S. foreign policy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SUSAN LINDAUER, ACCUSED IRAQI AGENT: This is surreal for me. This is the FBI coming into my living room, monitoring my conversations. This is what you would expect in a totalitarian government.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: Lindauer says she was trying to persuade Iraq to allow weapons inspections before the war.
Some American troops that are coming home from Iraq are having a hard time dealing with the horrors of war. Let's talk to our correspondent at the Pentagon, Barbara Starr, about that -- Barbara.
BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning to you, Daryn.
And indeed, the U.S. Army has now completed what you would call a mental health survey of the troops in Iraq, trying to find out if they've been doing over the last year, how much stress they're suffering, and how they're dealing with it. By one account, about 15 percent of the troops on the front line report they would seek mental health help if it was available to them.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
STARR (voice-over): Marine Corps Lance Corporal Mike Hoffman remembers a very bad day on the road to Baghdad when he and his buddies came across burning vehicles and an awful smell.
LANCE CPL. MIKE HOFFMAN, U.S. MARINE CORPS: The people that were inside that were still in there is what we were really smelling, what that was.
STARR: Months later, nightmares, flashbacks, and a memory that would not go away.
HOFFMAN: I remember I was on my way to work, actually, and I was just a zombie the entire day. Everything was just a blur to me.
STARR: After the horrors of the Vietnam War, for some veterans there was anxiety, nightmares, and even suicide. Back then, the Pentagon understood little about that type of suffering.
Now, the Defense Department says it's a top health priority to make sure the troops who need help will feel comfortable asking for it and will get it.
DR. WILLIAM WINKENWERDER, ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: We have a number of outreach efforts. There are stress teams; there are mental health management teams.
STARR: Wayne Smith councils Iraqi vets.
WAYNE SMITH, VIETNAM VETERANS OF AMERICA: I've talked to a number of veterans, some who have been hospitalized, some with severe wounds, others with more of the kind of emotional disturbances.
Especially those that have not been hospitalized talk about stress reactions in the form of depression, disturbances in sleep, nightmares, anxiety, and a kind of general discomfort.
STARR: Since the war began 645 troops have been evacuated from the theater for psychiatric reasons. The Army says its in line with previous deployments.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
STARR: As a result of this survey of this work that has just been completed, the Army is now sending more mental health experts to the front line, where they believe they are needed.
But veterans' groups remain very concerned, and they say they will be watching closely to make sure this really happens -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Barbara Starr, thank you for the update on that. Appreciate it. A judge gives the man accused of killing nine people in Fresno a warning: come back with a lawyer to court today, or else. The latest is coming up on CNN LIVE TODAY.
And she is charged with killing one of her twins by not following her doctor's orders. Now a startling new detail about this mother's past is coming to life.
And a county in Tennessee says it wants to ban gays. We're not talking gay marriage. We're talking gay people altogether.
CNN LIVE TODAY is coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(STOCK REPORT)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: Suspected highway sniper Charles McCoy Jr. faces an extradition hearing tomorrow or Monday in Las Vegas. He'll be sent back to Ohio. That's where he faces charges related to two dozen sniper shootings around I-270 in Columbus. One person was killed in the nine-month spree. McCoy was turned in by a citizen tipster who shared pizza with the suspect.
Marcus Wesson will be back in a California courtroom on arraignment for nine murder counts today. Our Kimberly Osias reports from Fresno.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KIMBERLY OSIAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He appeared unsure at first, but then Marcus Wesson took charge, asking for another attorney in a move that postponed his arraignment until Thursday.
ELIZABETH EGAN, DISTRICT ATTORNEY: The court revoked the defendant's bail. He is being held in custody without bail by the Fresno County sheriff.
OSIAS: An electric moment in the courtroom as his son, Marcus Wesson Jr., waved his hand to speak. "I love you, Dad. I love you, Dad," he said. He then was escorted out by deputies.
Earlier this week, another son of Wesson, Serafino, spoke out.
SERAFINO WESSON, MARCUS WESSON'S SON: I find it hard to believe. He's the best dad anybody could ever have.
OSIAS: Marcus Wesson is accused of shooting to death nine of his other children. Authorities say it's possible some of the younger victims were offspring of an incestuous relationship between Wesson and one or two of his own daughters.
Police have not shed light on any motive in the case. Monday night, authorities removed 12 empty caskets from Wesson's home, coffins Wesson had purchased from an antique store.
ERIC HICKEY, CRIMONOLOGIST: I think that he had plans for a long time. Once he got those coffins, he knew that at some point they were all going to die. And he may well have been planning his own death, as well.
OSIAS (on camera): Marcus Wesson says he wants to find his own legal counsel.
As for the district attorney, no word yet as to whether they'll seek the death penalty in this case.
Kimberly Osias, CNN, Fresno, California.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: There's new information today about Melissa Rowland. She is that Utah mother charged with murder, because she allegedly refused a C-section to save her twins, one of whom was still born.
A Pittsburgh newspaper reported Saturday that Rowland was convicted of assault and endangerment four years ago. The paper says she was arrested at a supermarket where her daughter picked up and ate a candy bar. Witnesses are quoted as saying that Rowland punched the girl in the face and screamed, "You ate the candy bar, and now I can't buy cigarettes."
Well, it will be no "Armageddon," or even a "Deep Impact," but it will be the closest brush on record for planet Earth. A close encounter with an asteroid is coming up next.
And the latest on a Tennessee county that doesn't want to just outlaw gay marriage; it wants to outlaw gay people. That story is just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: Earthlings, get ready for a close encounter with an asteroid tonight. NASA says the rock will zoom within 26,000 miles of Earth. That's the closest flyby on record.
The asteroid is called 2004 FH. It should be visible with binoculars across Europe and Asia.
(WEATHER REPORT)
KAGAN: Now to the rural county in Tennessee which wants to ban gays and lesbians. We're not talking about the marriage; we're talking about the actual gays and lesbians.
The law would say they would have to leave or face criminal charges.
Reporter Brian Hahn from Chattanooga affiliate WDEF looks at the controversy.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE
BRIAN HAHN, WDEF CORRESPONDENT: Rhea County commissioners want to make homosexuality a crime. They'll ask state legislators to give them the option of charging gay people with crimes against nature.
Some Rhea County residents support the idea.
GARY CAGLE, RHEA COUNTY RESIDENT: I don't think it's morally right. I think their rights end where my rights begin, and I think it offends me if I did something to offend everybody in the community.
HAHN: Commissioner J.C. Fugate was quoted by a local paper saying, "We need to keep them out of here." Fugate offered the motion to county commissioners.
PAULA SMITH, RHEA COUNTY RESIDENT: I really agreed with them. All I know is, you know, I try and live right and do right, and according to the Bible it's not right.
HAHN: Reverend Matt Nevels was outraged by his comments.
REV. MATT NEVELS, FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF LESBIANS AND GAYS: Pray tell, what are they going to do, line them up and shoot them like a bunch of dogs? Pray tell. You know, what's next?
HAHN: Others share the reverend's sentiments. They're embarrassed by Monday night's meeting.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a narrow-minded community.
ROSETTE GOHENNESSEI, RHEA COUNTY RESIDENT: It's pushing the clock back 100 years ago. It's like going back to Oscar Wilde's time.
KEITH ADAMS, RHEA COUNTY RESIDENT: I don't believe they should run them out of town. They're just like us, regular people. There's other kind of people they should run out of town, worse than...
HAHN: In Rhea County, Brian Hahn, News 12.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: As for Rhea County commissioners, they may be having second thoughts. A special meeting is scheduled tonight to reconsider that anti-gay motion.
The United Methodist Church has put an openly lesbian pastor on trial in Washington state. A church panel will determine whether the Reverend Karen Dammann will continue her ministry or be defrocked.
Several protesters were arrested when they tried to block the trial. Dammann is currently on leave. She married her partner of nine years last week in Oregon.
A religious expert called to testify warned the church not to replicate the crucifixion of Jesus.
President Bush is getting ready to address the troops. Coming up, we'll have a preview from Fort Campbell, Kentucky, plus all the day's political news.
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Toll on Troops' Mental Health; Hearing Delayed as Mass Murder Suspect Seeks New Lawyer; Tennessee County Considers Banning Gays>
