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CNN Live Today
Massive Explosion Results From Train Collision in North Korea
Aired April 22, 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, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to begin the hour with a developing story out of reclusive North Korea. Reports saying that trains carrying highly flamable materials collided today near the Chinese border. The massive inferno has apparently left scores of people dead or injured. Our correspondent Sohn Jie-Ae joins us on the phone. She is in Seoul, South Korea where the media reports of the disasters have originated -- Jie-Ae.
SOHN JIE-AE, CNN SEOUL BUREAU CHIEF: Yes, Daryn. South Korean media are still reporting very sketchy and preliminary reports out of North Korea are quoting witnesses talking to relatives and friends in China as well as South Korea government. Unidentified government sources confirming there was a major explosion in North Korea in the station of Ryongchon.
Now this is about 50 kilometers south of the border between North Korea and China. It is northwest of the North Korean capital of Pyongyang.
They're saying it is a train collision of trains carrying oil and liquefied petroleum gas, that it was a huge explosion and devastated the area around the region, which supposedly is a very major transportation hub in North Korea. That is why they say the casualty numbers may be quite high, even in the number of thousands.
Now, one of the reasons the South Korean authorities are looking at this very closely is the incident happened apparently about 8 to 9 hours after the North Korean leader Kim Jong Il passed by this very station on his way back to the North Korean capital of Pyongyang to visit with China.
Although authorities have made no direct connection to with this incident and North Korean leader's travel this is one of the reasons authorities are looking at this very closely -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Sohn Jie-Ae, bringing us the latest from Seoul.
Now, back here in this country to Texas a big party is actually underway for the 4th Infantry Division. After almost a year, the soldiers are home from the war in Iraq. Our Keith Oppenheim is at the army post to tell us more about that. Keith, good morning.
KEITH OPPENHEIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Daryn. I'm surrounded by a lot of folks right now because the festivities are expected to begin pretty soon. The opening ceremony should begin in just a few minutes. You have military families that are getting ready for an opening ceremony for a 14-hour celebration today. The beginning should be a combination of both somber as well as celebratory, because they will be honoring those who died, as well as welcoming home all those who are back here.
We're here now to take a little time to talk to one of the women who served overseas in Iraq. Her name is Private First Class Dinita Scott. She's 21-years-old. She has been with the Army for 2 1/2 years and in Iraq for a year. And you told me you were serving in both Tikrit and Ba'qubah. Can you give us a sense, before we talk about coming home, about what the experience was like for you there?
PFC. DINITA SCOTT, U.S. ARMY: It was really definitely a challenging experience. One I will always keep with me and remember. I wouldn't change anything, you know, if they if I was asked if I would do it all over again, I definitely would. It was pretty hard.
OPPENHEIM: Had a strong effect on you, I can tell. Part of that is it sounds like the connection you made with other soldiers, but also it sounds like you went through some tough experiences. Were you under attack a lot?
SCOTT: Yes.
OPPENHEIM: That's hard. Talk about coming home. What does it mean to you to be back on U.S. soil?
SCOTT: It feels great. It feels like I've been given a second chance I should say I'm very fortunate and I'm sorry for those who have fallen and I will always keep them in my prayers and their families.
OPPENHEIM: When you say second chance, you're very aware that you're lucky and we appreciate that. Thank you for your time.
That's just one of the stories, Daryn, that you could hear out of 16,000 that are taking place here today. A total of 50,000 people, when you include the military families, are expected to be taking part in this 14-hour concert with a lot of varied acts. As you can hear from what PFC Dinita Scott said there are mixed emotions on this day.
KAGAN: Absolutely a well deserved break for those soldiers and their families. Keith, thank you.
Other military news now two major contractors in Iraq are reported to be suspending operations due to the ongoing violence. "The New York Times" says the move by General Electric and Siemens is delaying work on two dozen electrical plants. Other companies with large work forces in Iraq, Halliburton Bechtel are reportedly curtailing their employee travel.
Let's check the bottom line here the insurgency is pushing the projected cost of the Iraq war way over budget. Time to crunch some numbers now with our Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr. Barbara, good morning. BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn. Clearly, the price tag of the war is going up. The question now facing both the White House and the Pentagon is when will they ask congress for more money? Maybe as much as $50 or $60 billion more.
Will they ask for it before or after the presidential election? One reason the price tag is going up, 20,000 extra troops staying in Iraq for 90 days perhaps, to deal with that insurgency. A lot of questions facing top military leaders on Capitol Hill.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEN. RICHARD MYERS, CHAIRMAN, JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF: Additional time in Iraq is going to cost us more money. We estimate right now we're working those estimates now, let me say that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR: General Myers went on to say actually his assessment for the price tag for those 20,000 troops about $700 million dollars. What's the war costing without that? Here at the Pentagon, they call that the burn rate. The current burn rate, $4.7 billion dollars month to run the war as it currently is going on -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Barbara, lets focus a little bit on Fallujah and that standoff, part of the push there, to try to get the insurgents to give up their arms and that doesn't seem to be happening in a quick fashion.
STARR: Not very optimistic at this point. Either here in the Pentagon or out in Iraq. Officials at both places saying it's very tenuous this cease-fire, at the moment. They are not getting the type of turnover of heavy weapons that they wanted, as part of the agreement.
Now, of course, it's turning out to be the end of week three of this insurgency, and the standoff, the situation in Fallujah. The Marines do remain outside the city. We are told by Pentagon officials there was heavy fighting last night in the northwest section so heavy that they had to stop allowing humanitarian assistance convoys into the city.
So the question of course is just how long is this going to go on? Officials saying it area matter of days, not weeks -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Barbara Starr at the Pentagon.
Now latest from the British military. An official with the British military says it's too early to blame al Qaeda for the horrific suicide bombings that took place in Basra. But no matter who is responsible the city is in mourning today for the dozens who died, especially the children. Details now from CNN's Jim Clancy.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JIM CLANCY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Teachers hung their heads and mourned for the children who will never return to their classrooms, four young lives snuffed out in a fiery instant by suicide car bombs. While Basra mourned, some demonstrated against the U.S.- led occupation.
Supporters of radical Shi'a leader Muqtada al Sadr exploited the grief for political gain. Al Sadr is locked in a struggle with the coalition to avoid arrest on murder charges and hold on to his paid militia, the al Mehdi army, many of the young men marching wore the trademark black of al Sadr's militiamen.
Wednesday's attacks were the most devastating suffered by the people of Basra since the U.S.-led coalition launched its invasion more than a year ago. Washington put the blame on terrorists associated with Abu Zarqawi, whose strategy of trying to incite civil war appeared the most likely explanation for the savagery of the attacks. But no group has yet claimed responsibility.
Jim Clancy, CNN, Baghdad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: Late developments on Iraq anytime you're away from your television. Log on to cnn.com/iraq. You can also sign up for breaking news e-mail alerts on the situation as well.
London is burning -- over CBS actually. CBS' controversial decision to air photos of Princess Diana after her fatal car crash. Well have a live report on that.
Later this hour, the President is in Maine where he'll deliver a speech on Earth Day. We'll bring you that live in about 30 minutes from now.
Also this is ahead.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tonight, this is our bottom three Fantasia, Jennifer Hudson, and Latoya London, America.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: Did you watch "AMERICAN IDOL" last night? Can you believe who was voted off? "Idol" worshipers are buzzing about the dramatic downfall.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: There is outrage in Britain this morning after CBS news aired paparazzi photographs of a dying princess Diana. To London now and our correspondent Guy Raz -- Guy.
GUY RAZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn. I think what could best be described as a fire storm of criticism in Britain today. Let me show you a couple of the tabloid headlines this morning. "Fury at TV photo of Diana." We also have another one from "The Daily Mirror." This is a tabloid. Effectively, the editorial saying in the daily mirror saying CBS is cashing in on this tragedy. In fact, we've also heard from the Prime Minister himself, Tony Blair, calling it distasteful.
We've also heard from Mohammad al Fayed yesterday, the father of Dodi al Fayed, the man who was killed in that auto crash with Diana in 1997, calling it devastating. CBS of course is defending its decision to show those pictures, saying in no way was it exploiting the death or the memory -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Guy, seems kind of ironic to see the Brits and the tabloids there be all upset. Because what they seem to do seems so much more exploitive than what you see here in the U.S.
RAZ: And, Daryn, that's the great irony about it. Many of the newspapers here are accusing CBS of cashing in on Diana's death. In fact, many of these newspapers cashed in on her life. The tabloid press in this country is notorious in the past three weeks. The main topic of discussion has been an allegedly salacious affair carried out between a famous soccer player, David Beckham, and several women.
Royal scandals are nothing new to the newspapers in this country. But when it comes to Diana, there's a red line a sort of distinctive kind of respect for her memory. In part because of what the tabloid editors believe might be the impact on her sons, William and Harry. Of course these two young princes, no doubt about it will be devastated by this news coming out of the United States -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Guy Raz, with the latest on that from London thank you. Another scandal here in the U.S. lawyers for basketball star Kobe Bryant lose a legal skirmish over his accuser's medical records. The judge says the woman's medical and psychological history are not admissible during the trial.
Bryant is charged with felony sexual assault. He was having sex with the woman at a Colorado resort where she works He says the sex was consensual. Closed door hearings are set to begin next week on whether his accuser's sexual history can be used at trial.
And there's more legal trouble for pop star Michael Jackson. He's been indicted by a grand jury investigating the allegations of child molestation against him. Our Miguel Marquez is in Santa Barbara with details on that. Miguel, good morning.
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning. More and more trouble for Michael Jackson. For 13 days, a grand jury heard and saw testimony and evidence against him concerning molestation allegations against Mr. Jackson. They did return an indictment.
The question we don't have the answer for what exactly that indictment is. We know that twelve of the nineteen grand jurors had to agree on every single count the prosecutor asked for, and they had to agree based on a strong suspicion of guilt, sort of the legal standard they had to cross there. So we don't know what the charges are, but they are likely to track similar to or be exactly the same to be the same as those already brought against Mr. Jackson that were brought back in January in a criminal complaint process. He was then charged with seven counts of lewd and lascivious acts against a minor under 14 and two counts of giving a minor an intoxicating agent.
Now Mr. Jackson's lawyers wasting no time in fact they may have even worked out this statement before the indictment was even handed down and a sanctioned by the judge they say in part, Michael Jackson, like any other person accused of a crime is presumed to be innocent.
In this case, Mr. Jackson is not just presumed to be innocent, but is, in fact, innocent. And Mr. Jackson, on April 30, two Fridays from now will proclaim his innocence once again when those charges are officially read in a courtroom. Mr. Jackson will be present for that, must be present for that and he will plead not guilty, say his lawyers -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Miguel, as I understand it, that big zoo we saw so many months ago in San Maria what happens with this indictment that's basically the key, does this start the process over again?
MARQUEZ: Well it doesn't really start the process over again there were a lot of issues that these lawyers were going through already gone through in any event. What it does eliminates the need for a preliminary hearing which is sort of the last stop before trial.
So Mr. Jackson, the trial for him may start somewhat sooner, although it's not clear it will. His defense team has already said they may try to have some or all of the counts the grand jury has brought against him thrown out -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Miguel Marquez in downtown Santa Barbara. A day after a deadly tornado taking stock of the damage done. We'll also have a look at where that storm system could be headed next. And world famous ocean explorer Jean-Michel Cousteau joins to talk about Earth Day and parts of the sea no one has seen before. Keep watching CNN LIVE TODAY.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: Federal officials today will get a firsthand look at the devastation from tornadoes that ripped across north central Illinois. They're going to tour the heart of the worst hit counties to determine whether the area qualifies for federal disaster aide the death toll from Tuesday's tornadoes rose to eight after more bodies were found in the rubble of the collapsed building. One man who was inside the milestone tavern left minutes before the tornado hit.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEREMY THORSON, TORNADO SURVIVOR: I knew I just wanted to get out of there. I wanted to get as far away as I could. The building was solid as a rock. It was an all-rock building. And, very true, one of the patrons actually said this is going to be one of the strongest buildings in Utica.
But I just I got out. As soon as I walked out the front door, I could hear the warning siren coming from the distance of LaSalle. It wasn't yet in Utica. And I left. By the time I got home, I called the milestone. I just felt I should call. And there was no answer. It was a busy signal.
It's still settling in, it really is. As far as realizing if I would have taken 10 more minutes, sat down and waited out the storm what could have happened, inevitably, what would have happened? Leaving, coming back in to Utica today, it's, that was difficult. That was difficult, seeing the town, driving in with no traffic. Very just heartbreaking, disturbing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: Some of the survivors were pulled from the building within hours of the collapse.
(WEATHER REPORT)
KAGAN: We are talking an "Idol" shocker.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: George, I said step into the top group. You're in the wrong group. Please step over here. Because tonight, this is our bottom three. Fantasia, Jennifer Hudson, and Latoya London, America.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: And in the end, it was Jennifer Hudson who was voted out. She and fellow divas Fantasia and Latoya received the fewest vote after this week's competition. The upside down vote prompted the judges to scold the fans, they say "American Idol" is a talent contest with emphasis on talent, and not popularity.
Stay tuned. We'll see if the viewers get the message, or if they're trying to rig this to get the least talented person to win? We'll be watching. We're also watching earth day 2004. President Bush is in Maine.
He will be making a speech about his environmental policies. We will bring that to you live in about 15 minutes. Also a look at the under water world of the future with the ocean expert Jean Cousteau. This is CNN LIVE TODAY.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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 22, 2004 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to begin the hour with a developing story out of reclusive North Korea. Reports saying that trains carrying highly flamable materials collided today near the Chinese border. The massive inferno has apparently left scores of people dead or injured. Our correspondent Sohn Jie-Ae joins us on the phone. She is in Seoul, South Korea where the media reports of the disasters have originated -- Jie-Ae.
SOHN JIE-AE, CNN SEOUL BUREAU CHIEF: Yes, Daryn. South Korean media are still reporting very sketchy and preliminary reports out of North Korea are quoting witnesses talking to relatives and friends in China as well as South Korea government. Unidentified government sources confirming there was a major explosion in North Korea in the station of Ryongchon.
Now this is about 50 kilometers south of the border between North Korea and China. It is northwest of the North Korean capital of Pyongyang.
They're saying it is a train collision of trains carrying oil and liquefied petroleum gas, that it was a huge explosion and devastated the area around the region, which supposedly is a very major transportation hub in North Korea. That is why they say the casualty numbers may be quite high, even in the number of thousands.
Now, one of the reasons the South Korean authorities are looking at this very closely is the incident happened apparently about 8 to 9 hours after the North Korean leader Kim Jong Il passed by this very station on his way back to the North Korean capital of Pyongyang to visit with China.
Although authorities have made no direct connection to with this incident and North Korean leader's travel this is one of the reasons authorities are looking at this very closely -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Sohn Jie-Ae, bringing us the latest from Seoul.
Now, back here in this country to Texas a big party is actually underway for the 4th Infantry Division. After almost a year, the soldiers are home from the war in Iraq. Our Keith Oppenheim is at the army post to tell us more about that. Keith, good morning.
KEITH OPPENHEIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Daryn. I'm surrounded by a lot of folks right now because the festivities are expected to begin pretty soon. The opening ceremony should begin in just a few minutes. You have military families that are getting ready for an opening ceremony for a 14-hour celebration today. The beginning should be a combination of both somber as well as celebratory, because they will be honoring those who died, as well as welcoming home all those who are back here.
We're here now to take a little time to talk to one of the women who served overseas in Iraq. Her name is Private First Class Dinita Scott. She's 21-years-old. She has been with the Army for 2 1/2 years and in Iraq for a year. And you told me you were serving in both Tikrit and Ba'qubah. Can you give us a sense, before we talk about coming home, about what the experience was like for you there?
PFC. DINITA SCOTT, U.S. ARMY: It was really definitely a challenging experience. One I will always keep with me and remember. I wouldn't change anything, you know, if they if I was asked if I would do it all over again, I definitely would. It was pretty hard.
OPPENHEIM: Had a strong effect on you, I can tell. Part of that is it sounds like the connection you made with other soldiers, but also it sounds like you went through some tough experiences. Were you under attack a lot?
SCOTT: Yes.
OPPENHEIM: That's hard. Talk about coming home. What does it mean to you to be back on U.S. soil?
SCOTT: It feels great. It feels like I've been given a second chance I should say I'm very fortunate and I'm sorry for those who have fallen and I will always keep them in my prayers and their families.
OPPENHEIM: When you say second chance, you're very aware that you're lucky and we appreciate that. Thank you for your time.
That's just one of the stories, Daryn, that you could hear out of 16,000 that are taking place here today. A total of 50,000 people, when you include the military families, are expected to be taking part in this 14-hour concert with a lot of varied acts. As you can hear from what PFC Dinita Scott said there are mixed emotions on this day.
KAGAN: Absolutely a well deserved break for those soldiers and their families. Keith, thank you.
Other military news now two major contractors in Iraq are reported to be suspending operations due to the ongoing violence. "The New York Times" says the move by General Electric and Siemens is delaying work on two dozen electrical plants. Other companies with large work forces in Iraq, Halliburton Bechtel are reportedly curtailing their employee travel.
Let's check the bottom line here the insurgency is pushing the projected cost of the Iraq war way over budget. Time to crunch some numbers now with our Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr. Barbara, good morning. BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn. Clearly, the price tag of the war is going up. The question now facing both the White House and the Pentagon is when will they ask congress for more money? Maybe as much as $50 or $60 billion more.
Will they ask for it before or after the presidential election? One reason the price tag is going up, 20,000 extra troops staying in Iraq for 90 days perhaps, to deal with that insurgency. A lot of questions facing top military leaders on Capitol Hill.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEN. RICHARD MYERS, CHAIRMAN, JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF: Additional time in Iraq is going to cost us more money. We estimate right now we're working those estimates now, let me say that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR: General Myers went on to say actually his assessment for the price tag for those 20,000 troops about $700 million dollars. What's the war costing without that? Here at the Pentagon, they call that the burn rate. The current burn rate, $4.7 billion dollars month to run the war as it currently is going on -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Barbara, lets focus a little bit on Fallujah and that standoff, part of the push there, to try to get the insurgents to give up their arms and that doesn't seem to be happening in a quick fashion.
STARR: Not very optimistic at this point. Either here in the Pentagon or out in Iraq. Officials at both places saying it's very tenuous this cease-fire, at the moment. They are not getting the type of turnover of heavy weapons that they wanted, as part of the agreement.
Now, of course, it's turning out to be the end of week three of this insurgency, and the standoff, the situation in Fallujah. The Marines do remain outside the city. We are told by Pentagon officials there was heavy fighting last night in the northwest section so heavy that they had to stop allowing humanitarian assistance convoys into the city.
So the question of course is just how long is this going to go on? Officials saying it area matter of days, not weeks -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Barbara Starr at the Pentagon.
Now latest from the British military. An official with the British military says it's too early to blame al Qaeda for the horrific suicide bombings that took place in Basra. But no matter who is responsible the city is in mourning today for the dozens who died, especially the children. Details now from CNN's Jim Clancy.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JIM CLANCY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Teachers hung their heads and mourned for the children who will never return to their classrooms, four young lives snuffed out in a fiery instant by suicide car bombs. While Basra mourned, some demonstrated against the U.S.- led occupation.
Supporters of radical Shi'a leader Muqtada al Sadr exploited the grief for political gain. Al Sadr is locked in a struggle with the coalition to avoid arrest on murder charges and hold on to his paid militia, the al Mehdi army, many of the young men marching wore the trademark black of al Sadr's militiamen.
Wednesday's attacks were the most devastating suffered by the people of Basra since the U.S.-led coalition launched its invasion more than a year ago. Washington put the blame on terrorists associated with Abu Zarqawi, whose strategy of trying to incite civil war appeared the most likely explanation for the savagery of the attacks. But no group has yet claimed responsibility.
Jim Clancy, CNN, Baghdad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: Late developments on Iraq anytime you're away from your television. Log on to cnn.com/iraq. You can also sign up for breaking news e-mail alerts on the situation as well.
London is burning -- over CBS actually. CBS' controversial decision to air photos of Princess Diana after her fatal car crash. Well have a live report on that.
Later this hour, the President is in Maine where he'll deliver a speech on Earth Day. We'll bring you that live in about 30 minutes from now.
Also this is ahead.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tonight, this is our bottom three Fantasia, Jennifer Hudson, and Latoya London, America.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: Did you watch "AMERICAN IDOL" last night? Can you believe who was voted off? "Idol" worshipers are buzzing about the dramatic downfall.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: There is outrage in Britain this morning after CBS news aired paparazzi photographs of a dying princess Diana. To London now and our correspondent Guy Raz -- Guy.
GUY RAZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn. I think what could best be described as a fire storm of criticism in Britain today. Let me show you a couple of the tabloid headlines this morning. "Fury at TV photo of Diana." We also have another one from "The Daily Mirror." This is a tabloid. Effectively, the editorial saying in the daily mirror saying CBS is cashing in on this tragedy. In fact, we've also heard from the Prime Minister himself, Tony Blair, calling it distasteful.
We've also heard from Mohammad al Fayed yesterday, the father of Dodi al Fayed, the man who was killed in that auto crash with Diana in 1997, calling it devastating. CBS of course is defending its decision to show those pictures, saying in no way was it exploiting the death or the memory -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Guy, seems kind of ironic to see the Brits and the tabloids there be all upset. Because what they seem to do seems so much more exploitive than what you see here in the U.S.
RAZ: And, Daryn, that's the great irony about it. Many of the newspapers here are accusing CBS of cashing in on Diana's death. In fact, many of these newspapers cashed in on her life. The tabloid press in this country is notorious in the past three weeks. The main topic of discussion has been an allegedly salacious affair carried out between a famous soccer player, David Beckham, and several women.
Royal scandals are nothing new to the newspapers in this country. But when it comes to Diana, there's a red line a sort of distinctive kind of respect for her memory. In part because of what the tabloid editors believe might be the impact on her sons, William and Harry. Of course these two young princes, no doubt about it will be devastated by this news coming out of the United States -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Guy Raz, with the latest on that from London thank you. Another scandal here in the U.S. lawyers for basketball star Kobe Bryant lose a legal skirmish over his accuser's medical records. The judge says the woman's medical and psychological history are not admissible during the trial.
Bryant is charged with felony sexual assault. He was having sex with the woman at a Colorado resort where she works He says the sex was consensual. Closed door hearings are set to begin next week on whether his accuser's sexual history can be used at trial.
And there's more legal trouble for pop star Michael Jackson. He's been indicted by a grand jury investigating the allegations of child molestation against him. Our Miguel Marquez is in Santa Barbara with details on that. Miguel, good morning.
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning. More and more trouble for Michael Jackson. For 13 days, a grand jury heard and saw testimony and evidence against him concerning molestation allegations against Mr. Jackson. They did return an indictment.
The question we don't have the answer for what exactly that indictment is. We know that twelve of the nineteen grand jurors had to agree on every single count the prosecutor asked for, and they had to agree based on a strong suspicion of guilt, sort of the legal standard they had to cross there. So we don't know what the charges are, but they are likely to track similar to or be exactly the same to be the same as those already brought against Mr. Jackson that were brought back in January in a criminal complaint process. He was then charged with seven counts of lewd and lascivious acts against a minor under 14 and two counts of giving a minor an intoxicating agent.
Now Mr. Jackson's lawyers wasting no time in fact they may have even worked out this statement before the indictment was even handed down and a sanctioned by the judge they say in part, Michael Jackson, like any other person accused of a crime is presumed to be innocent.
In this case, Mr. Jackson is not just presumed to be innocent, but is, in fact, innocent. And Mr. Jackson, on April 30, two Fridays from now will proclaim his innocence once again when those charges are officially read in a courtroom. Mr. Jackson will be present for that, must be present for that and he will plead not guilty, say his lawyers -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Miguel, as I understand it, that big zoo we saw so many months ago in San Maria what happens with this indictment that's basically the key, does this start the process over again?
MARQUEZ: Well it doesn't really start the process over again there were a lot of issues that these lawyers were going through already gone through in any event. What it does eliminates the need for a preliminary hearing which is sort of the last stop before trial.
So Mr. Jackson, the trial for him may start somewhat sooner, although it's not clear it will. His defense team has already said they may try to have some or all of the counts the grand jury has brought against him thrown out -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Miguel Marquez in downtown Santa Barbara. A day after a deadly tornado taking stock of the damage done. We'll also have a look at where that storm system could be headed next. And world famous ocean explorer Jean-Michel Cousteau joins to talk about Earth Day and parts of the sea no one has seen before. Keep watching CNN LIVE TODAY.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: Federal officials today will get a firsthand look at the devastation from tornadoes that ripped across north central Illinois. They're going to tour the heart of the worst hit counties to determine whether the area qualifies for federal disaster aide the death toll from Tuesday's tornadoes rose to eight after more bodies were found in the rubble of the collapsed building. One man who was inside the milestone tavern left minutes before the tornado hit.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEREMY THORSON, TORNADO SURVIVOR: I knew I just wanted to get out of there. I wanted to get as far away as I could. The building was solid as a rock. It was an all-rock building. And, very true, one of the patrons actually said this is going to be one of the strongest buildings in Utica.
But I just I got out. As soon as I walked out the front door, I could hear the warning siren coming from the distance of LaSalle. It wasn't yet in Utica. And I left. By the time I got home, I called the milestone. I just felt I should call. And there was no answer. It was a busy signal.
It's still settling in, it really is. As far as realizing if I would have taken 10 more minutes, sat down and waited out the storm what could have happened, inevitably, what would have happened? Leaving, coming back in to Utica today, it's, that was difficult. That was difficult, seeing the town, driving in with no traffic. Very just heartbreaking, disturbing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: Some of the survivors were pulled from the building within hours of the collapse.
(WEATHER REPORT)
KAGAN: We are talking an "Idol" shocker.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: George, I said step into the top group. You're in the wrong group. Please step over here. Because tonight, this is our bottom three. Fantasia, Jennifer Hudson, and Latoya London, America.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: And in the end, it was Jennifer Hudson who was voted out. She and fellow divas Fantasia and Latoya received the fewest vote after this week's competition. The upside down vote prompted the judges to scold the fans, they say "American Idol" is a talent contest with emphasis on talent, and not popularity.
Stay tuned. We'll see if the viewers get the message, or if they're trying to rig this to get the least talented person to win? We'll be watching. We're also watching earth day 2004. President Bush is in Maine.
He will be making a speech about his environmental policies. We will bring that to you live in about 15 minutes. Also a look at the under water world of the future with the ocean expert Jean Cousteau. This is CNN LIVE TODAY.
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