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CNN Live Saturday

Interview With Miss USA; U.S. Troops Canvas Afghanistan For Osama bin Laden

Aired April 17, 2004 - 18:30   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 LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, it's been more than two years since U.S. forces began scouring Afghanistan for Osama bin Laden. And in that time, he has released a number of taped messages. One this week offers a truce with European countries if they pull out of the war on terror.
Now U.S. soldiers are going village to village, determined to find him. And our Nic Robertson rides along on these dangerous hunts.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In the minutes before a remote mountainside raid, company Commander Antony Gibbs explains why the repeat visit.

COMMANDER ANTONY GIBBS: Oh, he's the guy that everyone in this area says responsible for the ID attacks along this road.

ROBERTSON: Soon clear, the man they hold responsible for the roadside bombs, Kalin Gul, has fled.

GIBBS: He hasn't killed any Americans. He's only killed Afghanis.

ROBERTSON: The suspect's father giving the U.S. troops no help.

GIBBS: Now the story is we don't have a brother named Kalin Gul. It's Sadeh Gul and he runs a welding machine in Kabul.

ROBERTSON: Gibbs pulls his men out. His three day mission to deny al Qaeda and their supporters territory moves on.

(on camera): This hunt is going deep into the Afghan mountains, up some of the most remote valleys, where there's no running water, very little electricity, and even less law and order.

(voice-over): But the mission here a few days' walk from the Pakistan border, is not just to round up bad guys.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If it's starting from scratch no one's been here, then want to ask them about things that they need and show concern for them, hopefully build rapport. And they might be able to give us information in turn.

ROBERTSON: Gibbs' platoon leader Jonas Anisgasty (ph) beings the painstaking process.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How many students go there?

ROBERTSON: Questions about schools, mosques, and health clinics. Slowly coming around to al Qaeda.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How is the enemy? How does he think that they operate in this area without us seeing them or without them seeing them?

ROBERTSON: Building a detailed picture of villages and tribal affiliations now seen as critical in the defeating of anti-coalition forces or ACM.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a level one insurgency that we're fighting. And so, the bigger part of the battle on a day to day basis is winning the support of the people, because when we win the support of the people, they no longer have -- the ACMs no longer have sanctuary here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, they say that now I don't have anything to say, but (UNINTELLIGIBLE) all the time here, many kind of people, different kind of people come here to (UNINTELLIGIBLE). They're talking together. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and find out.

ROBERTSON: In another village, Gibbs' other platoon commander tries a different technique to get information.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where's that radio?

ROBERTSON: A radio given to a storekeeper, his identity hidden to guard against retribution.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, you're not necessarily giving them a radio to try to get information. You hope that he wants to give you information based on own his merits and to help his country out.

ROBERTSON: Over cross legged lunches like this and visits to villages, Gibbs says he is making progress, but with more resources might be closer to bin Laden.

GIBBS: You look up in these mountains and you realize how many places there are to hide.

ROBERTSON (on camera): Catching Saddam Hussein took timely accurate intelligence. And so it is here in Afghanistan with Osama bin Laden. Even with high tech electronic eavesdropping equipment, it is likely missions like this that will turn up the information necessary to capture the al Qaeda leader.

Nic Robertson, CNN, the Surrano Valley, Afghanistan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: And good news, today is homecoming day for some U.S. troops. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can't believe we're here. Yes, it's like you said, it's been a very long time and like we're actually -- stays here. So it's great.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: Awesome. Still to come, a year of duty, how they narrowly escaped a longer deployment in Iraq. But first, a sexual predator walks free from a California jail. How did it happen? The effort to find him, up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: More news ahead, but first a look at the latest news developments. Palestinian officials promised to hold Israel accountable for today's assassination of Gaza Hamas leader Abdel Aziz Rantisi. He and two others were killed when an Israeli air strike struck his car in Gaza City. Israel says Rantisi was killed to prevent future terrorist attacks. Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat has condemned the assassination.

Rantisi's assassination followed a Palestinian suicide bombing. That blast happened at a northern Gaza border crossing. One Israeli border guard was killed. Three others were wounded. Hamas' military wing is one of two groups claiming responsibility.

The family of Dru Sjodin is struggling to come to terms with her death. The body of the 22-year old college student was discovered today. She disappeared nearly five months ago from a North Dakota mall. Convicted sex offender Alfonso Rodriguez has pleaded not guilty to her kidnapping. He remains in jail.

All right, authorities in Washington state are looking for a serial sexual predator. Edward Stokes was released from prison just 10 days ago. Even his sister calls him dangerous.

CNN's Miguel Marquez has more details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Five time convicted child sex offender and self-admitted monster Edward Harvey Stokes out of prison just over 10 days after his case was overturned on appeal. Authorities in Washington state have issued arrest warrants for perjury and forgery after he applied for a driver's license and listed this Vancouver, Washington home as his address. A surprise to the home's current resident.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Don't know him. Wouldn't know what he looked like. We just know that he probably did live here at some point in time in the past.

MARQUEZ: Stokes was let out of prison after serving eight years of a 19 year to life sentence for the sexual battery of a 16 year old boy. The boy killed himself shortly before trial. And a California appellate court ruled Stokes was denied his constitutional right to confront and cross-examine his accuser.

In the 1990s, while serving a different sentence on molestation charges in Colorado, Stokes wrote a statement to a prison therapist, admitting to having 212 victims over 28 years.

The Orange County district attorney who's office tried Stokes says because of his targets, 14 to 19 year old runaway boys, his victims were reluctant to come forward and hard to find.

TONY RACKAUCKUS, ORANGE COUNTY D.A.: He uses drugs to get control of them and force his sexual acts on them.

MARQUEZ: Authorities in Clark and King Counties in Washington state know Stokes was released April 7th from prison in Orange County, California. Three days later, April 10th, he applied for a driver's license in Hazel Dell, Washington. On April 13th, he rented a 2003 white Ryder rental van in Portland, Oregon. And later that day, he was spotted 2.5 hours north at a Costco in Tukwila, Washington and in another store driving his van in Renton, Washington.

Both places are suburbs of Seattle, the city where for many years, he targeted and preyed on homeless boys.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MARQUEZ: Now the sheriffs department in Clark County says Stokes also goes by the aliases of Ned Stokes and Ed Powell. He may also have access, they say, to a 1978 Tritone Brown motor home. The sheriff's office in King County, Washington says their office was alerted about Stokes when his sister by adoption sent an e-mail to Washington's governor, telling him that Stokes was a predator and think what he would do if let out on the streets.

Well, authorities had no idea where he was 'til a Costco employee realized that Stokes had applied for a Costco card. That employee told one investigator Stokes was buying candy -- Carol?

LIN: Miguel, any heads going to roll over this?

MARQUEZ: Well, it's not -- heads where? There's nothing they can do. The accuser in the case against Stokes died. The attorney here in Orange County was not able to retry the case because the main victim was dead. The Supreme Court -- the appeals court to overturn the ruling in the California Supreme Court refused to hear the case. It's a done deal -- Carol?

LIN: All right, thank you very much, Miguel Marquez.

Meanwhile, police in Augusta, Georgia are searching for a missing pregnant woman. They say she may have been abducted during a burglary at her mother's house. The 29-year old woman is identified as Tamara Dunston. She was last seen Thursday night. Her family is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to her return.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FAYE CONDEY, TAMARA DUNSTON'S MOTHER: Please, please let us know something. We'll do anything.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: Some other stories now across America. St. Louis Blues hockey player Mike Danson is facing charges in an alleged murder for hire scheme. He's accused of trying to have an acquaintance killed. Court records say he feared the man would talk to team management and ruin his career.

In New York, a tragic fire. Five people died and 12 more were injured as flames swept through a three story apartment building in Brooklyn. Three firefighters were among those injured. Investigators suspect arson.

And in Charleston, South Carolina, thousands gathered for what's being called the last confederate funeral. It's for the crew of the HL Hunley, which was the first sub in history to sink another warship. It went down off the South Carolina coast during the Civil War and was found nine years ago.

Now we go to a long awaited homecoming in Fort Dix, New Jersey. Members of a National Guard unit that spent a year in Iraq received a hero's welcome today.

CNN's Adaora Udoji reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ADAORA UDOJI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Families came early to Fort Dix. Thrilled and overjoyed, they came so ready to welcome their soldiers home from Iraq.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My heart's a racing. Tears are coming already. I'm just excited.

UDOJI: Armed with signs for the troops, even messages from the family dog.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's see them home.

UDOJI: It was a day of great celebration for the return of 160 New Jersey National Guard Reservists, as part of a rotation of 137,000 troops there.

Some family members could barely express their emotions. Some like Buffy Hinckler.

BUFFY HINCKLER, WIFE OF RETURNING SOLDIER: I'm kind of speechless now, which doesn't happen very often. I'm just happy to have him home.

UDOJI: Much has changed in the year the troops have been gone.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: See this one. You got very much bigger.

UDOJI: The soldiers of the 253rd Transportation company considered themselves fortunate they came back whole. Not one of them suffered any serious injury.

(on camera): For now, these reunions will only be lasting for a couple of hours. And that's because these soldiers will be staying on this base to begin what the military calls "the demobilization process."

(voice-over): For up to two weeks, they will hand over equipment, update their records before discharge.

Do you think this day would ever come?

NICOLA HARVEY. RETURNING SOLDIER: Oh, God, for a minute, no.

UDOJI: Nicola Harvey knows the Pentagon has postponed scheduled departures of roughly 20,000 soldiers in Iraq, but relatives in this room, while sending prayers to those families, feel so fortunate their loved ones have come home.

Adaora Udoji, CNN, Fort Dix, New Jersey.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Well, it's not the usual beauty pageant tale. A lover of fast food takes home the crown.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ...South Carolina. That means the new Miss U.S.A. is Missouri Shandi Finnessey.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: Still to come, Ms. U.S.A. 2004. There she is. She's going to join us live. Plus, these high school students are butting their brains in high tech competition. What is at stake? $4.5 million.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you want to build it, Caterpillar will come. The world's number one maker of industrial equipment also leads the industry on this year's Fortune 500 list. A global economic recovery and growing construction demands in overseas markets like China have Caterpillar paving its way towards future growth. In addition to its familiar mustard yellow cat machines, a third of Caterpillar sales come from the company's gas engines, which are used in emergency vehicles, school buses, delivery trucks, and RVs. But like others in its industry, Caterpillar is looking to cut costs in order to offset increasing pension and healthcare expenses.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: 2004, Miss U.S.A. 2004. There she is in all her crown and glory. 25 year old Shandi Finnessey won the title Monday and is going to go on to represent the U.S. in the Miss Universe Pageant in June. And believe it or not, the 5 foot 11 blond says she loves fast food and once wrestled a grease pig in a mud pit.

Shandi Finnessey joins us to tell us what it's like to be the new Miss U.S.A.

Shandi, that must have been just an amazing moment for you?

SHANDI FINNESSEY, MISS USA 2004: It was. It truly, truly was. And I don't really think that words can actually put into description how amazing it truly was.

LIN: Well, it looks like, you know, just the surprise on your face was worth it for your parents to see in all the moments of your childhood leading up to that.

You know, pageants like Miss U.S.A. really were reality TV before reality TV ever existed, huh?

FINNESSEY: Yes, that's very true. And it was truly -- I think it showed on my face when I was jumping, the accomplishment that I had made. And when I was able to look out -- I'm sorry, this think keeps popping out.

LIN: Yes, I'm sorry. Maybe someone can help you.

FINNESSEY: When I was able to look out into the audience and see my parents jumping up and down as much as I was and the excitement on their face, it was actually a moment of wow, we did it.

LIN: Yes.

FINNESSEY: It wasn't just me. It was a truly -- a culmination of all of our efforts.

LIN: Yes. Well, obviously, you're exhibiting grace under pressure here with your ear piece falling out, but...

FINNESSEY: Thank you.

LIN: ...hey listen, well just like in reality TV, the best moments, frankly, are when you get to -- the audience gets to separate fact from fiction. All right? So I got to ask you a couple of questions about the pageant itself. We have some sources close to the pageant and one who actually overheard a director of the pageant literally saying that this year's Miss U.S.A. had to be a blond, that they were looking for a certain type, and that when you look at the last 15 finalists, sure enough, everybody's blond. Do you think that there is more going into the competition, the actual selection of the winner than is apparent?

FINNESSEY: Definitely not. Definitely not. I think the reason that there was so many blonds in the top 15 is if you look at the 51 girls that competed, the 50 states and then including District of Columbia, there was a large percentage that were blond. I was actually just speaking with someone a second ago about how this year, everyone was over like 5 foot 10, 5'11. It was a very, very tall year. And there were a lot of blonds that competed.

So you -- I mean when you pull out 15 out of a large number of blonds, a large percentage of that will be blond.

LIN: Obviously everybody gets to exhibit some of their God-given talents in a competition like this. But you know, Shandi frankly, everybody always kind of wonders -- I mean, is it common for contestants to have plastic surgery in order to become a winner?

FINNESSEY: Definitely not. Obviously it's still called a beauty pageant per se, but there's so much more that goes into it because it is a full time job.

Right now, I've become a national spokesperson for breast and ovarian cancer research, education and awareness. And I think that if all that I had going for me was what you saw on the outside, I wouldn't be able to stand an entire 24 hour day job for this year in with breast and ovarian cancer.

And so, yes, to some degree you do want to look presentable in a swimsuit, so to speak.

LIN: No lipo, no nose jobs, no breast jobs?

FINNESSEY: No. I mean, granted I mean -- I'm sure some of the girls in the pageant have, just in any sample that you would take out of a normal population, there's going to be someone who's had cosmetic altering.

However, what you really need is a strong mind to be able to withstand the pressures that the job has to offer.

LIN: Yes, strong mind because frankly, 51 young women living side by side for three incredibly competitive...

FINNESSEY: Yes.

LIN: ...tense weeks cannot be...

FINNESSEY: Absolutely right.

LIN: ...a pretty experience?

FINNESSEY: Actually, you'd be surprised because we get along so well. A lot of people have misconceptions, thinking that we're cat fighting back stage, but when you're there for that long of three weeks, you really have to kind of let your shield down and be friendly with each other. Otherwise, it's going to be a miserable time.

But I -- we all actually had a really good time. And it's sad to see it end.

LIN: Yes.

FINNESSEY: Three weeks actually do fly by. And it's sad to see it end, but you do need help and stamina in order to get through it.

LIN: Right.

FINNESSEY: And there's a cliche saying that pretty much the last one standing with the smile in the end...

LIN: All right, so obviously, the report that I heard from our source within the pageant of a contestant saying "Ubi, get off my f- ing train" is not true? Language like that does not exist in pageant world?

FINNESSEY: Now I hadn't heard that. Well, you know, some of the dresses can be pretty costly.

LIN: Yes.

FINNESSEY: So maybe...

LIN: Maybe.

FINNESSEY: Maybe it was an expensive dress. But no, I had not heard that. And I mean, just with normal life, you make your friends with the people who are most similar to you. And Miss Oklahoma, who was second runner-up -- or third runner-up, her and I became incredible friends. She was my roommate. And so ones that have similar personalities to you, you end up spending most of your time with while you're there.

And all the girls that I hung out with were really amazing, very intelligent, very beautiful, great personalities.

LIN: Well, Shandi, congratulations. We understand that you are looking forward to a career in counseling. And we wish you well in your endeavors as Miss U.S.A.

FINNESSEY: Thank you so much. I also wanted to mention real quick I'll be leaving in about three weeks now for Quito, Ecuador, which is where the Miss Universe pageant will be held.

LIN: You bet, we'll be watching.

FINNESSEY: Televised nationally on June 3rd or 1st.

LIN: You'll wear the title well. Thank you very much.

FINNESSEY: Thank you so much.

LIN: Shandi Finnessey.

Well, sometimes second place does pay off. Kwame Jackson, the guy who finished second in "The Apprentice" already has some job offers on the table. KFC has offered Jackson a one week salary of $25,000 and a year's supply of chicken to help launch a new line for the restaurant. Jackson may also be getting a tasty offer from Dallas Mavericks owner and HDTV magnet Mark Cuban. And that's it for us. Coming up next on "THE CAPITAL GANG," we're going to be looking at the impact of today's killing of Hamas leader Abdel Rantisi and the relationship between President Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

Then at 8:00 Eastern on "CNN PRESENTS," hope and fear, the occupation in Iraq. At 9:00 Eastern, Larry King is off, but tonight, the legendary Paul Neumann joins guest host Lady Heather Mills McCartney to talk about his career and personal passion. Then at 10:00 Eastern on "CNN SATURDAY NIGHT," an HIV outbreak in the adult movie industry, is it the price of doing business? I'm going to be talking with one of the world's top porn stars.

But right now, Mark Shields is with us to tell us what the gang has -- Mark?

MARK SHIELDS, CO-HOST, "CAPITAL GANG": Carol, "THE CAPITAL GANG" will look at President Bush's news conference and its impact on the presidential race and the war in Iraq. Attorney General Ashcroft versus the 9/11 Commission, and Arnold Schwarzenegger's first six months as California governor. All that and much more right here next on CNN.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com


Aired April 17, 2004 - 18:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, it's been more than two years since U.S. forces began scouring Afghanistan for Osama bin Laden. And in that time, he has released a number of taped messages. One this week offers a truce with European countries if they pull out of the war on terror.
Now U.S. soldiers are going village to village, determined to find him. And our Nic Robertson rides along on these dangerous hunts.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In the minutes before a remote mountainside raid, company Commander Antony Gibbs explains why the repeat visit.

COMMANDER ANTONY GIBBS: Oh, he's the guy that everyone in this area says responsible for the ID attacks along this road.

ROBERTSON: Soon clear, the man they hold responsible for the roadside bombs, Kalin Gul, has fled.

GIBBS: He hasn't killed any Americans. He's only killed Afghanis.

ROBERTSON: The suspect's father giving the U.S. troops no help.

GIBBS: Now the story is we don't have a brother named Kalin Gul. It's Sadeh Gul and he runs a welding machine in Kabul.

ROBERTSON: Gibbs pulls his men out. His three day mission to deny al Qaeda and their supporters territory moves on.

(on camera): This hunt is going deep into the Afghan mountains, up some of the most remote valleys, where there's no running water, very little electricity, and even less law and order.

(voice-over): But the mission here a few days' walk from the Pakistan border, is not just to round up bad guys.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If it's starting from scratch no one's been here, then want to ask them about things that they need and show concern for them, hopefully build rapport. And they might be able to give us information in turn.

ROBERTSON: Gibbs' platoon leader Jonas Anisgasty (ph) beings the painstaking process.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How many students go there?

ROBERTSON: Questions about schools, mosques, and health clinics. Slowly coming around to al Qaeda.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How is the enemy? How does he think that they operate in this area without us seeing them or without them seeing them?

ROBERTSON: Building a detailed picture of villages and tribal affiliations now seen as critical in the defeating of anti-coalition forces or ACM.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a level one insurgency that we're fighting. And so, the bigger part of the battle on a day to day basis is winning the support of the people, because when we win the support of the people, they no longer have -- the ACMs no longer have sanctuary here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, they say that now I don't have anything to say, but (UNINTELLIGIBLE) all the time here, many kind of people, different kind of people come here to (UNINTELLIGIBLE). They're talking together. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and find out.

ROBERTSON: In another village, Gibbs' other platoon commander tries a different technique to get information.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where's that radio?

ROBERTSON: A radio given to a storekeeper, his identity hidden to guard against retribution.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, you're not necessarily giving them a radio to try to get information. You hope that he wants to give you information based on own his merits and to help his country out.

ROBERTSON: Over cross legged lunches like this and visits to villages, Gibbs says he is making progress, but with more resources might be closer to bin Laden.

GIBBS: You look up in these mountains and you realize how many places there are to hide.

ROBERTSON (on camera): Catching Saddam Hussein took timely accurate intelligence. And so it is here in Afghanistan with Osama bin Laden. Even with high tech electronic eavesdropping equipment, it is likely missions like this that will turn up the information necessary to capture the al Qaeda leader.

Nic Robertson, CNN, the Surrano Valley, Afghanistan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: And good news, today is homecoming day for some U.S. troops. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can't believe we're here. Yes, it's like you said, it's been a very long time and like we're actually -- stays here. So it's great.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: Awesome. Still to come, a year of duty, how they narrowly escaped a longer deployment in Iraq. But first, a sexual predator walks free from a California jail. How did it happen? The effort to find him, up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: More news ahead, but first a look at the latest news developments. Palestinian officials promised to hold Israel accountable for today's assassination of Gaza Hamas leader Abdel Aziz Rantisi. He and two others were killed when an Israeli air strike struck his car in Gaza City. Israel says Rantisi was killed to prevent future terrorist attacks. Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat has condemned the assassination.

Rantisi's assassination followed a Palestinian suicide bombing. That blast happened at a northern Gaza border crossing. One Israeli border guard was killed. Three others were wounded. Hamas' military wing is one of two groups claiming responsibility.

The family of Dru Sjodin is struggling to come to terms with her death. The body of the 22-year old college student was discovered today. She disappeared nearly five months ago from a North Dakota mall. Convicted sex offender Alfonso Rodriguez has pleaded not guilty to her kidnapping. He remains in jail.

All right, authorities in Washington state are looking for a serial sexual predator. Edward Stokes was released from prison just 10 days ago. Even his sister calls him dangerous.

CNN's Miguel Marquez has more details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Five time convicted child sex offender and self-admitted monster Edward Harvey Stokes out of prison just over 10 days after his case was overturned on appeal. Authorities in Washington state have issued arrest warrants for perjury and forgery after he applied for a driver's license and listed this Vancouver, Washington home as his address. A surprise to the home's current resident.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Don't know him. Wouldn't know what he looked like. We just know that he probably did live here at some point in time in the past.

MARQUEZ: Stokes was let out of prison after serving eight years of a 19 year to life sentence for the sexual battery of a 16 year old boy. The boy killed himself shortly before trial. And a California appellate court ruled Stokes was denied his constitutional right to confront and cross-examine his accuser.

In the 1990s, while serving a different sentence on molestation charges in Colorado, Stokes wrote a statement to a prison therapist, admitting to having 212 victims over 28 years.

The Orange County district attorney who's office tried Stokes says because of his targets, 14 to 19 year old runaway boys, his victims were reluctant to come forward and hard to find.

TONY RACKAUCKUS, ORANGE COUNTY D.A.: He uses drugs to get control of them and force his sexual acts on them.

MARQUEZ: Authorities in Clark and King Counties in Washington state know Stokes was released April 7th from prison in Orange County, California. Three days later, April 10th, he applied for a driver's license in Hazel Dell, Washington. On April 13th, he rented a 2003 white Ryder rental van in Portland, Oregon. And later that day, he was spotted 2.5 hours north at a Costco in Tukwila, Washington and in another store driving his van in Renton, Washington.

Both places are suburbs of Seattle, the city where for many years, he targeted and preyed on homeless boys.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MARQUEZ: Now the sheriffs department in Clark County says Stokes also goes by the aliases of Ned Stokes and Ed Powell. He may also have access, they say, to a 1978 Tritone Brown motor home. The sheriff's office in King County, Washington says their office was alerted about Stokes when his sister by adoption sent an e-mail to Washington's governor, telling him that Stokes was a predator and think what he would do if let out on the streets.

Well, authorities had no idea where he was 'til a Costco employee realized that Stokes had applied for a Costco card. That employee told one investigator Stokes was buying candy -- Carol?

LIN: Miguel, any heads going to roll over this?

MARQUEZ: Well, it's not -- heads where? There's nothing they can do. The accuser in the case against Stokes died. The attorney here in Orange County was not able to retry the case because the main victim was dead. The Supreme Court -- the appeals court to overturn the ruling in the California Supreme Court refused to hear the case. It's a done deal -- Carol?

LIN: All right, thank you very much, Miguel Marquez.

Meanwhile, police in Augusta, Georgia are searching for a missing pregnant woman. They say she may have been abducted during a burglary at her mother's house. The 29-year old woman is identified as Tamara Dunston. She was last seen Thursday night. Her family is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to her return.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FAYE CONDEY, TAMARA DUNSTON'S MOTHER: Please, please let us know something. We'll do anything.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: Some other stories now across America. St. Louis Blues hockey player Mike Danson is facing charges in an alleged murder for hire scheme. He's accused of trying to have an acquaintance killed. Court records say he feared the man would talk to team management and ruin his career.

In New York, a tragic fire. Five people died and 12 more were injured as flames swept through a three story apartment building in Brooklyn. Three firefighters were among those injured. Investigators suspect arson.

And in Charleston, South Carolina, thousands gathered for what's being called the last confederate funeral. It's for the crew of the HL Hunley, which was the first sub in history to sink another warship. It went down off the South Carolina coast during the Civil War and was found nine years ago.

Now we go to a long awaited homecoming in Fort Dix, New Jersey. Members of a National Guard unit that spent a year in Iraq received a hero's welcome today.

CNN's Adaora Udoji reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ADAORA UDOJI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Families came early to Fort Dix. Thrilled and overjoyed, they came so ready to welcome their soldiers home from Iraq.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My heart's a racing. Tears are coming already. I'm just excited.

UDOJI: Armed with signs for the troops, even messages from the family dog.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's see them home.

UDOJI: It was a day of great celebration for the return of 160 New Jersey National Guard Reservists, as part of a rotation of 137,000 troops there.

Some family members could barely express their emotions. Some like Buffy Hinckler.

BUFFY HINCKLER, WIFE OF RETURNING SOLDIER: I'm kind of speechless now, which doesn't happen very often. I'm just happy to have him home.

UDOJI: Much has changed in the year the troops have been gone.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: See this one. You got very much bigger.

UDOJI: The soldiers of the 253rd Transportation company considered themselves fortunate they came back whole. Not one of them suffered any serious injury.

(on camera): For now, these reunions will only be lasting for a couple of hours. And that's because these soldiers will be staying on this base to begin what the military calls "the demobilization process."

(voice-over): For up to two weeks, they will hand over equipment, update their records before discharge.

Do you think this day would ever come?

NICOLA HARVEY. RETURNING SOLDIER: Oh, God, for a minute, no.

UDOJI: Nicola Harvey knows the Pentagon has postponed scheduled departures of roughly 20,000 soldiers in Iraq, but relatives in this room, while sending prayers to those families, feel so fortunate their loved ones have come home.

Adaora Udoji, CNN, Fort Dix, New Jersey.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Well, it's not the usual beauty pageant tale. A lover of fast food takes home the crown.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ...South Carolina. That means the new Miss U.S.A. is Missouri Shandi Finnessey.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: Still to come, Ms. U.S.A. 2004. There she is. She's going to join us live. Plus, these high school students are butting their brains in high tech competition. What is at stake? $4.5 million.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you want to build it, Caterpillar will come. The world's number one maker of industrial equipment also leads the industry on this year's Fortune 500 list. A global economic recovery and growing construction demands in overseas markets like China have Caterpillar paving its way towards future growth. In addition to its familiar mustard yellow cat machines, a third of Caterpillar sales come from the company's gas engines, which are used in emergency vehicles, school buses, delivery trucks, and RVs. But like others in its industry, Caterpillar is looking to cut costs in order to offset increasing pension and healthcare expenses.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: 2004, Miss U.S.A. 2004. There she is in all her crown and glory. 25 year old Shandi Finnessey won the title Monday and is going to go on to represent the U.S. in the Miss Universe Pageant in June. And believe it or not, the 5 foot 11 blond says she loves fast food and once wrestled a grease pig in a mud pit.

Shandi Finnessey joins us to tell us what it's like to be the new Miss U.S.A.

Shandi, that must have been just an amazing moment for you?

SHANDI FINNESSEY, MISS USA 2004: It was. It truly, truly was. And I don't really think that words can actually put into description how amazing it truly was.

LIN: Well, it looks like, you know, just the surprise on your face was worth it for your parents to see in all the moments of your childhood leading up to that.

You know, pageants like Miss U.S.A. really were reality TV before reality TV ever existed, huh?

FINNESSEY: Yes, that's very true. And it was truly -- I think it showed on my face when I was jumping, the accomplishment that I had made. And when I was able to look out -- I'm sorry, this think keeps popping out.

LIN: Yes, I'm sorry. Maybe someone can help you.

FINNESSEY: When I was able to look out into the audience and see my parents jumping up and down as much as I was and the excitement on their face, it was actually a moment of wow, we did it.

LIN: Yes.

FINNESSEY: It wasn't just me. It was a truly -- a culmination of all of our efforts.

LIN: Yes. Well, obviously, you're exhibiting grace under pressure here with your ear piece falling out, but...

FINNESSEY: Thank you.

LIN: ...hey listen, well just like in reality TV, the best moments, frankly, are when you get to -- the audience gets to separate fact from fiction. All right? So I got to ask you a couple of questions about the pageant itself. We have some sources close to the pageant and one who actually overheard a director of the pageant literally saying that this year's Miss U.S.A. had to be a blond, that they were looking for a certain type, and that when you look at the last 15 finalists, sure enough, everybody's blond. Do you think that there is more going into the competition, the actual selection of the winner than is apparent?

FINNESSEY: Definitely not. Definitely not. I think the reason that there was so many blonds in the top 15 is if you look at the 51 girls that competed, the 50 states and then including District of Columbia, there was a large percentage that were blond. I was actually just speaking with someone a second ago about how this year, everyone was over like 5 foot 10, 5'11. It was a very, very tall year. And there were a lot of blonds that competed.

So you -- I mean when you pull out 15 out of a large number of blonds, a large percentage of that will be blond.

LIN: Obviously everybody gets to exhibit some of their God-given talents in a competition like this. But you know, Shandi frankly, everybody always kind of wonders -- I mean, is it common for contestants to have plastic surgery in order to become a winner?

FINNESSEY: Definitely not. Obviously it's still called a beauty pageant per se, but there's so much more that goes into it because it is a full time job.

Right now, I've become a national spokesperson for breast and ovarian cancer research, education and awareness. And I think that if all that I had going for me was what you saw on the outside, I wouldn't be able to stand an entire 24 hour day job for this year in with breast and ovarian cancer.

And so, yes, to some degree you do want to look presentable in a swimsuit, so to speak.

LIN: No lipo, no nose jobs, no breast jobs?

FINNESSEY: No. I mean, granted I mean -- I'm sure some of the girls in the pageant have, just in any sample that you would take out of a normal population, there's going to be someone who's had cosmetic altering.

However, what you really need is a strong mind to be able to withstand the pressures that the job has to offer.

LIN: Yes, strong mind because frankly, 51 young women living side by side for three incredibly competitive...

FINNESSEY: Yes.

LIN: ...tense weeks cannot be...

FINNESSEY: Absolutely right.

LIN: ...a pretty experience?

FINNESSEY: Actually, you'd be surprised because we get along so well. A lot of people have misconceptions, thinking that we're cat fighting back stage, but when you're there for that long of three weeks, you really have to kind of let your shield down and be friendly with each other. Otherwise, it's going to be a miserable time.

But I -- we all actually had a really good time. And it's sad to see it end.

LIN: Yes.

FINNESSEY: Three weeks actually do fly by. And it's sad to see it end, but you do need help and stamina in order to get through it.

LIN: Right.

FINNESSEY: And there's a cliche saying that pretty much the last one standing with the smile in the end...

LIN: All right, so obviously, the report that I heard from our source within the pageant of a contestant saying "Ubi, get off my f- ing train" is not true? Language like that does not exist in pageant world?

FINNESSEY: Now I hadn't heard that. Well, you know, some of the dresses can be pretty costly.

LIN: Yes.

FINNESSEY: So maybe...

LIN: Maybe.

FINNESSEY: Maybe it was an expensive dress. But no, I had not heard that. And I mean, just with normal life, you make your friends with the people who are most similar to you. And Miss Oklahoma, who was second runner-up -- or third runner-up, her and I became incredible friends. She was my roommate. And so ones that have similar personalities to you, you end up spending most of your time with while you're there.

And all the girls that I hung out with were really amazing, very intelligent, very beautiful, great personalities.

LIN: Well, Shandi, congratulations. We understand that you are looking forward to a career in counseling. And we wish you well in your endeavors as Miss U.S.A.

FINNESSEY: Thank you so much. I also wanted to mention real quick I'll be leaving in about three weeks now for Quito, Ecuador, which is where the Miss Universe pageant will be held.

LIN: You bet, we'll be watching.

FINNESSEY: Televised nationally on June 3rd or 1st.

LIN: You'll wear the title well. Thank you very much.

FINNESSEY: Thank you so much.

LIN: Shandi Finnessey.

Well, sometimes second place does pay off. Kwame Jackson, the guy who finished second in "The Apprentice" already has some job offers on the table. KFC has offered Jackson a one week salary of $25,000 and a year's supply of chicken to help launch a new line for the restaurant. Jackson may also be getting a tasty offer from Dallas Mavericks owner and HDTV magnet Mark Cuban. And that's it for us. Coming up next on "THE CAPITAL GANG," we're going to be looking at the impact of today's killing of Hamas leader Abdel Rantisi and the relationship between President Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

Then at 8:00 Eastern on "CNN PRESENTS," hope and fear, the occupation in Iraq. At 9:00 Eastern, Larry King is off, but tonight, the legendary Paul Neumann joins guest host Lady Heather Mills McCartney to talk about his career and personal passion. Then at 10:00 Eastern on "CNN SATURDAY NIGHT," an HIV outbreak in the adult movie industry, is it the price of doing business? I'm going to be talking with one of the world's top porn stars.

But right now, Mark Shields is with us to tell us what the gang has -- Mark?

MARK SHIELDS, CO-HOST, "CAPITAL GANG": Carol, "THE CAPITAL GANG" will look at President Bush's news conference and its impact on the presidential race and the war in Iraq. Attorney General Ashcroft versus the 9/11 Commission, and Arnold Schwarzenegger's first six months as California governor. All that and much more right here next on CNN.

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