Return to Transcripts main page
American Morning
Update on Situation Inside Najaf; Latest Developments in Child Molestation Case Against Michael Jackson
Aired April 30, 2004 - 08:00 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.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Inside Fallujah after the siege, new pictures of the destruction after weeks of fighting.
Another Iraqi city on the brink -- can U.S. troops use the same strategy in Najaf that's providing hope for Fallujah?
The president's mission accomplished speech to U.S. troops -- one year later, more Americans dying in Iraq than at any other time.
And this is Michael Jackson's arraignment last January. What will happen today, when fans and the king of pop flock to the barricaded courthouse?
Those stories are all ahead on this "American Morning."
ANNOUNCER: From the CNN broadcast center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING with Bill Hemmer and Soledad O'Brien.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: All right, good morning.
Eight o'clock here.
Welcome back to AMERICAN MORNING.
Yesterday, we told you some of the results from the new polling, the CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll in Iraq getting opinions about American troops there. Today there are opinions about Saddam Hussein and about what Iraqis want to see happen to him eventually. We'll get back to that in a moment here; intriguing numbers, too.
O'BRIEN: Also this morning, are parents trying too hard to get everything just perfect when they're bringing up baby? I gave up on that so long ago.
HEMMER: Yes, really.
O'BRIEN: This morning we talk to the woman who wrote the book on what expectant mothers can expect. And Sanjay Gupta is going to jus to talk about multiple births. This will be interesting, because I'm already overwhelmed.
HEMMER: Yes. There you go.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's a zero sum game, you know, I think. You can't get there from here.
O'BRIEN: Four kids, two parents.
CAFFERTY: Yes.
O'BRIEN: You've lost already.
CAFFERTY: Coming up in the Cafferty File, a significant number of British men turn to their mothers for health care. Maybe it's cheaper, I don't know.
And the latest retirement haven for Americans -- the good news is the cost of living is a real steal. The bad news is your next door neighbor could be a former Sandinista. That's in The File, coming up.
HEMMER: Got it.
O'BRIEN: All right, let's go to our top stories first this morning.
Pop star Michael Jackson facing arraignment hearing today, where he will find out the specifics of a felony indictment against him. The entertainer back in court in Santa Maria, California. It could potentially be another media circus. The police department is taking extra precautions and security plans include 900 feet of six foot high fencing and double barricades. We're going to have more on the legal perspective from this case coming up.
An historic session before the 9/11 Commission being described as somewhat predictable, but productive by Commission sources. President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney appeared before the 10 member panel for some three hours in the Oval Office yesterday. Sources also said that the president noted that most of the intelligence leading up to 9/11 suggested that al Qaeda was planning attacks on U.S. interests overseas.
A planned "Nightline" tribute to fallen soldiers is being kept off air in several cities. Sinclair Broadcasting Group has ordered its seven ABC affiliate stations not to broadcast tonight's program. In a statement, Sinclair says reading the names of more than 500 soldiers killed in Iraq is "contrary to public interest." ABC News asserts that the broadcast is an expression of respect. And that's Jack's Question of the Day this morning, as well.
A close call for the military cargo plane forced to land in Minneapolis. The plane made it to the ground after its landing gear failed. But after touching down, the plane tilted, causing an explosion along one of its wings. All four people on board made it safely off the plane, though. They'd been on a training mission for the National Guard.
HEMMER: That's one way to get down, huh?
O'BRIEN: Yes, no question about that.
HEMMER: Not the recommended way either.
O'BRIEN: No, no question about that. HEMMER: Good to see everybody is OK there, though.
We'll get to Chad Myers in a moment here on this Friday.
We're checking the weather for the weekend for you.
Back to that in a moment.
First, though, we want to go straight to Iraq.
U.S. Marines plan to pull back from Fallujah as a result of talks that led to a tentative agreement to transfer power from Marines to Iraqi forces. Videotape in just about 20 minutes ago showing some of the devastation inside of that town. U.S. fighter jets bombing that city yesterday. A group of former Iraqi generals ordering to build an Iraqi security force that would move into the city called the Fallujah Protective Army.
Fighting continued yesterday between troops and insurgents there, Marines launching an offensive in Fallujah after numerous attacks, they say, on U.S. forces.
Also, insurgents opened fire on U.S. troops at a checkpoint near Najaf yesterday, as a CNN crew was standing nearby. One soldier was slightly wounded. The Shiite cleric, Muqtada al-Sadr, holed up at a holy site in the city with many of his supporters. Photographer Rick Hall capturing that exclusive videotape for CNN.
The U.S. military trying to bring together the leaders of Najaf to broker a deal that would allow the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps to control that city. An agreement in Najaf could be similar to the tentative deal in the Sunni stronghold of Fallujah.
A bit earlier today, I talked with Soraya Nelson, a reporter with Knight Ridder inside that town.
She told us about a surprise visit today during prayers in Najaf.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SORAYA SARHADDI NELSON, KNIGHT RIDDER REPORTER: Muqtada al-Sadr showed up, much to many people's surprise. Even his supporters were saying he's in our hearts if he's not here. There was fear that the Americans would try to take action against them because they've been ratcheting up their visibility over the past few days, culminating yesterday with a convoy hurling past the Kufa Mosque, where he preaches.
The convoy, this was something that eyewitnesses reported. I did not see it firsthand. But there was no sign of them by evening. And there were a lot of gunmen out today. They had also made themselves scarce over the past few days because of the American presence. But they were out in force again today with a very defiant Muqtada al-Sadr urging them on.
HEMMER: Soraya, what does it say that he showed up today, number one? And number two, what was his message that he was preaching there?
NELSON: What it shows is that the Americans are going to have to increase their tactics if they plan on ending the stand-off. He was very defiant. His message was no different than it's been in the past in terms of telling Muslims that it's their duty to do something about this occupation, that sitting by and standing still and asking nicely is not going to work.
He specifically tried to appeal to their, the macho culture that exists here in Najaf. He spoke about the fact that Americans are looking to take away the hejab or the headdress or the covering that women wear. From here, it's a head to toe avaya in addition to a scarf and a long coat that they would put over their dress. He spoke about the fact that there was a poll or some sort of questioning going on with reference to whether men should be allowed to only marry one wife instead of four, as described by the Koran.
So he was appealing to their visceral instincts. It was an obvious intention of inciting and he did a very successful job based on the packed mosques that were shouting his name and making lots of noise, you know, during the speech.
HEMMER: There is word of negotiations.
Where are those talks at this point, Soraya?
NELSON: They are -- they seem to be -- well, the negotiations with the United States are completely at a dead end, from what I have been able to ascertain. However, there was supposed to be a meeting today between tribal leaders, the police and al-Sadr people about potentially turning over control to forces other than the Mahdi militia, which, of course, America wants disbanded.
My understanding of what's happening with these speeches is that Muqtada is looking more to draw other people into his fight. In other words, if he's, if his patrol is standing side by side with the Iraqi police and side by side with the other -- or with the more legitimate holy men in this city, then it's going to make it very much more difficult for the Americans to come in and arrest him and disband border militia. It will become a war against the Shiites rather than a war against Muqtada.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: Again, Soraya Nelson reporting for Knight Ridder. She's been in Najaf for several days now describing the situation there. Today, as quoted, very scary. Also, the emphasis there and the headline from that interview, again, Muqtada al-Sadr showed up today for Friday prayers. And his message just as stern as before, to get the coalition forces out of that country -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Tomorrow, May 1, is one year to the day since President Bush declared major combat operations over in Iraq. Mr. Bush made that declaration after a dramatic jet arrival on the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln. Since the speech, nearly 600 Americans have died in Iraq, including more than 420 from hostile fire. The anniversary of the mission accomplished speech did not go unnoticed in Washington.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. EDWARD KENNEDY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: Iraq has become a quagmire. It may well go down as the worst blunder in the entire history of American foreign policy.
SCOTT MCCLELLAN, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: There are still certainly combat operations and dangers that remain in Iraq. And our troops are doing an outstanding job there, performing brilliantly in their efforts to bring about a free and peaceful Iraq.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: The White House may be heartened by some of the results of a new CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll of Iraqis. An example, an overwhelming number of Iraqis say their local area will be better off in the future because of the U.S. invasion.
With some of the other results from that poll, here's Judy Woodruff.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: For years, they held their tongues. But now that Saddam Hussein has fallen, Iraqis have clear plans for their deposed leader. By an overwhelming margin, they want him to stand trial. The CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll of Iraqis shows a majority of Saddam's countrymen think he'll get a fair hearing in his homeland.
That said, they've all but convicted him in their own minds. Is he guilty of murder? 84 percent say probably. Of torture? Another big majority. War crimes? Gassing Iraqi civilians, and Iranian soldiers? Same story.
If Saddam Hussein is tried and convicted, six out of ten Iraqis want him to die for his crimes. 21 percent would give the former leader life in prison, with only 5 percent supporting a lesser sentence.
Iraqis have a clear vision for the post-Saddam era. By vast majorities they want a government that protects freedom of speech, and of religion. A slight majority of Iraqis believe the U.S. won't allow them to craft their own political future.
Before violence erupted anew this month, Iraqis were able to see past the chaos of the past year. Two-thirds told our pollsters their country will be a better place in five years. Hope, fighting for survival in the war zone. Judy Woodruff, CNN, reporting.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: Fifty-five percent of those questioned said they had an unfavorable opinion of the United States.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HEMMER: In a moment, Michael Jackson is back in court today. Is another media circus in the offing in California? We'll get to that in a moment.
O'BRIEN: And there may be more riding on the Kentucky Derby than just a few wagers. We'll explain, just ahead.
HEMMER: Also, what to expect when you're expecting -- some words of wisdom about getting ready for the big arrival.
O'BRIEN: From Bill Hemmer. HEMMER: That's true. I'm learning a lot on this job.
Back in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Authorities in Santa Barbara County, California are taking extra security measures ahead of this morning's court appearance by Michael Jackson. You can see some of it going on right there. Nine hundred feet of chain link fencing has been put up around the courthouse. One hundred law enforcement officials will be on hand to control expected crowds.
Jackson will be arraigned on an indictment brought by a grand jury that investigated the child molestation case against him. He's expected to plead not guilty.
Joining us this morning to talk about the pop star's day in court is former sex-crimes prosecutor and the author of the best selling book "The Kills," Linda Fairstein.
Nice to see you, as always.
Thanks for being with us.
LINDA FAIRSTEIN, FORMER SEX-CRIMES PROSECUTOR, AUTHOR, "THE KILLS": Sure, Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Extraordinary secrecy. I mean you were sort of shaking your head, I saw, when you saw the chain link fence being put up around. How -- in your experience, have you seen anything like that before?
FAIRSTEIN: No. I understand that the defense team, or at least Jackson's people, have invited fans, are bussing in people to come, I think to, as a show of support. So we've all seen high profile trials in New York and we've seen the sawhorses keeping crowds back. But I've never known them to be invited in and bussed in to require this.
O'BRIEN: So multiply the media circus that we see here...
FAIRSTEIN: Many times. O'BRIEN: ... maybe for the other celebrity trials times 20 or something.
Walk me through what's going to happen today. The grand jury has now come back with an indictment.
FAIRSTEIN: That's right.
O'BRIEN: What are the chances that that indictment will match directly what the prosecutors came to the grand jury with in the first place?
FAIRSTEIN: It will be at least the charges that the prosecutors announced and arrested Jackson for. And the grand jury may have more charges, as would be normal in the course of a lengthy investigation like this, where they've gone in, done a search warrant, come out with other evidence, have explored with the witness more of the events that happened.
It could be additional charges. I wouldn't expect fewer.
O'BRIEN: What happens today? He comes in. I mean is it a long -- does it take a long time? Does it take a short time? Does he basically come in -- everyone's expecting that he's going to say not guilty, your honor and then get out of there. Is that basically what happens?
FAIRSTEIN: It's a pretty short proceeding. It could be done just in minutes, where the indictment is technically unsealed, the defendant is arraigned on the charges, he's told what the charges are now formally and all he has to say is guilty or not guilty. We presume, as you've said, not guilty.
O'BRIEN: Michael Jackson has a new defense attorney. Thomas Mesereau, Jr. is his -- replacing his other, the top of his other defense team. He's sort of made the point that his team stays the same with the exception of the top lawyer.
What kind of complications, if any, does this add?
FAIRSTEIN: It shouldn't add a lot at this point. Mesereau is a really fine attorney. I assume he's followed some of this. He was approached originally by the defense to handle this case. Today the sort of housekeeping begins. The other thing that happens in the court is a motions schedule is set, a schedule to determine what evidentiary proceedings there are going to be as the weeks progress. And I think that Mesereau will get himself up to speed very quickly.
O'BRIEN: Do you think -- and this is total speculation, so -- but Mesereau comes in, the Nation of Islam as a security force around Michael Jackson out.
Do you think those two things are a coincidence or do you think that Thomas Mesereau sort of said -- I mean not knowing him at all as an attorney, from my perspective -- said, you know, this is how it's going to run if I'm going to be your lead attorney? FAIRSTEIN: That would seem to be the case. I mean either the last team started to put that in place or Mesereau made it very clear that there's going to be some control. And the defendant, we'll see today, is not going to walk out of the courthouse and dance on the top of a car, I would hope.
O'BRIEN: Well, you know -- you never know because, of course, that's what happened the last time.
If there is a spectacle like that, does that have an impact on the judge or, you know, is it sort of, if your fans go nutty and the defendant is dancing on the top of a car, that's just the way it is and it doesn't really affect the case in any way?
FAIRSTEIN: It shouldn't affect the case. I mean what it does to the judge, what it causes the judge to think about a defendant who's probably been advised by his legal team not to do such outrageous things leaving a court proceeding -- we know the fans can't be controlled, but you'd expect the demeanor to, of the defendant, to be a little more serious. And I think that has to have an impact internally on the judge. And that can always affect decisions that are made throughout the case, whether they're articulated or not.
O'BRIEN: So better not to do it just because you don't know how it's going to affect the judge?
FAIRSTEIN: Better not. Right. Precisely.
O'BRIEN: Linda Fairstein, as always, thanks.
We'll see how it goes today.
FAIRSTEIN: Thank you, Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Bill?
HEMMER: Soledad, jurors in the Jayson Williams manslaughter trial are back at work this morning. They say they have reached decisions now on six of eight charges. But the judge yesterday ordered them to continue deliberating on the remaining two. The jury wants to rehear testimony on what happened from the time the witnesses entered Williams' study to when the fatal shot was fired in the adjacent bedroom.
In a moment here, the latest pictures from Fallujah. Marines begin to pull back to rural areas. Scenes of destruction in the city after weeks of fighting there. Will the deal for a transfer of power now hold? Critical questions remain.
Back in a moment after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Army Ranger and former NFL player Pat Tillman promoted posthumously. Tillman was killed in Afghanistan on April 22 when his patrol was ambushed near the Afghan-Pakistan border. Tillman was the defensive back for the Arizona Cardinals. His rank now shifts from specialist to corporal, a nearly lateral move that will not affect any benefits his family receives. An Army spokesperson saying: "The promotion is essentially saying he would have been a fine leader."
O'BRIEN: That's a nice honor.
CAFFERTY: Yes.
O'BRIEN: Time to check in with Jack and the Question of the Day.
CAFFERTY: He got another promotion, too, to that of being a really cool guy.
HEMMER: Yes.
CAFFERTY: Yes.
Anyway, the Question of the Day, one media company, Sinclair Broadcasting, is preempting ABC's "Nightline" tonight on seven of its stations around the country. Ted Koppel is going to read the names of all the U.S. troops who have died in the war in Iraq. Sinclair says the "Nightline" program is politically motivated. Four of Sinclair's top executives have given the maximum contribution to President Bush's reelection campaign. Coincidence? Probably not.
ABC says the program "seeks to honor those who have laid down their lives for this country."
So the question is, is the "Nightline" special a tribute, is it a political statement or is it both? And I suppose in the mix someplace is the question of whether or not it ought to be blacked out in seven cities around the country.
Natalie in Mount Lookout, West Virginia: "We won't know if it's a political statement or not until the show is broadcast. Of course, since I live in a battleground state and Sinclair owns the ABC affiliate in this market, I won't be able to form that opinion. You see, corporate slime balls have decided that I'm too ignorant to be allowed to form my own opinion."
I love when they write in and use phrases like corporate slime balls.
HEMMER: They're listening to you.
CAFFERTY: Yes.
O'BRIEN: Your kind of gal.
CAFFERTY: J.A. in Farmington Hills, Michigan: "Koppel's plan to read the names of the soldiers killed in action in Iraq is pure grandstanding. Every newspaper in the country publishes these names at least on a weekly basis, so his pronouncements will not be news. This is a cynical attempt to boost ratings."
Stuart in New York: "I think Ted Koppel's intentions are honorable, as were those of the woman who took the photos of the flag- draped coffins being shipped home from Kuwait. These are legitimate news stories being reported by responsible journalists. Sinclair is a company that has benefited by the Bush administration's deregulation of television station ownership rules."
And George in Piney Creek, North Carolina: "Tributes meant as such will be few and far between until after November. After all, this is an election year. Pure politics."
Am@cnn.com if you have thoughts on this.
It's kind of a sticky wicket, as they say across the pond.
O'BRIEN: Oh, that's right.
HEMMER: You see the front page of "USA Today" today?
CAFFERTY: Yes, I did.
HEMMER: Yes. A lot of pictures, a lot of names from the month of April only.
O'BRIEN: Interesting.
All right, we'll listen then to what other people have to say.
Are you getting a lot of e-mail on this?
CAFFERTY: Yes, an awful lot.
O'BRIEN: Yes, that's what I would have guessed.
CAFFERTY: And opinions all over the lot. There's not like -- sometimes, you know, it's sort of a ground ball. You can predict how the responses are going to come in.
O'BRIEN: Or if the question is phrased in a certain way.
CAFFERTY: Yes. Well, I mean that's an accident when that happens.
But this is, we're getting a wide representation of points of view.
O'BRIEN: All right, a story out of NASA now to talk about. Here's one way to bring a NASA probe back to Earth. Hollywood stunt pilots practicing for a midair grab of a space capsule carrying priceless micrograms gathered from the solar wind. Their plan is to snatch the fragile payload before it hits the ground. Some pretty cool pictures.
The Genesis spacecraft was launched three years ago. It is due to fly over the Utah desert in September. And so far, all the practice runs have been successful. That's pretty amazing.
CAFFERTY: Yes, it is. O'BRIEN: They're going to drop the probe, they're going to go out there and just snatch it out of the air.
HEMMER: Well, successful so far.
O'BRIEN: That's true.
CAFFERTY: Pretty cool.
HEMMER: Keep it up.
In a moment here, one year after what looked like a triumph, a difficult and deadly April this past month for U.S. forces in Iraq.
Give Me A Minute today weighing in on that and a few other topics, right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Get the latest news every morning in your e-mail. Sign up for AMERICAN MORNING quick news at cnn.com/am.
Still to come this morning, allegations of Americans torturing Iraqis beginning to spread across the Arab world. A look at that is ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
Stay with us.
(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 30, 2004 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Inside Fallujah after the siege, new pictures of the destruction after weeks of fighting.
Another Iraqi city on the brink -- can U.S. troops use the same strategy in Najaf that's providing hope for Fallujah?
The president's mission accomplished speech to U.S. troops -- one year later, more Americans dying in Iraq than at any other time.
And this is Michael Jackson's arraignment last January. What will happen today, when fans and the king of pop flock to the barricaded courthouse?
Those stories are all ahead on this "American Morning."
ANNOUNCER: From the CNN broadcast center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING with Bill Hemmer and Soledad O'Brien.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: All right, good morning.
Eight o'clock here.
Welcome back to AMERICAN MORNING.
Yesterday, we told you some of the results from the new polling, the CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll in Iraq getting opinions about American troops there. Today there are opinions about Saddam Hussein and about what Iraqis want to see happen to him eventually. We'll get back to that in a moment here; intriguing numbers, too.
O'BRIEN: Also this morning, are parents trying too hard to get everything just perfect when they're bringing up baby? I gave up on that so long ago.
HEMMER: Yes, really.
O'BRIEN: This morning we talk to the woman who wrote the book on what expectant mothers can expect. And Sanjay Gupta is going to jus to talk about multiple births. This will be interesting, because I'm already overwhelmed.
HEMMER: Yes. There you go.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's a zero sum game, you know, I think. You can't get there from here.
O'BRIEN: Four kids, two parents.
CAFFERTY: Yes.
O'BRIEN: You've lost already.
CAFFERTY: Coming up in the Cafferty File, a significant number of British men turn to their mothers for health care. Maybe it's cheaper, I don't know.
And the latest retirement haven for Americans -- the good news is the cost of living is a real steal. The bad news is your next door neighbor could be a former Sandinista. That's in The File, coming up.
HEMMER: Got it.
O'BRIEN: All right, let's go to our top stories first this morning.
Pop star Michael Jackson facing arraignment hearing today, where he will find out the specifics of a felony indictment against him. The entertainer back in court in Santa Maria, California. It could potentially be another media circus. The police department is taking extra precautions and security plans include 900 feet of six foot high fencing and double barricades. We're going to have more on the legal perspective from this case coming up.
An historic session before the 9/11 Commission being described as somewhat predictable, but productive by Commission sources. President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney appeared before the 10 member panel for some three hours in the Oval Office yesterday. Sources also said that the president noted that most of the intelligence leading up to 9/11 suggested that al Qaeda was planning attacks on U.S. interests overseas.
A planned "Nightline" tribute to fallen soldiers is being kept off air in several cities. Sinclair Broadcasting Group has ordered its seven ABC affiliate stations not to broadcast tonight's program. In a statement, Sinclair says reading the names of more than 500 soldiers killed in Iraq is "contrary to public interest." ABC News asserts that the broadcast is an expression of respect. And that's Jack's Question of the Day this morning, as well.
A close call for the military cargo plane forced to land in Minneapolis. The plane made it to the ground after its landing gear failed. But after touching down, the plane tilted, causing an explosion along one of its wings. All four people on board made it safely off the plane, though. They'd been on a training mission for the National Guard.
HEMMER: That's one way to get down, huh?
O'BRIEN: Yes, no question about that.
HEMMER: Not the recommended way either.
O'BRIEN: No, no question about that. HEMMER: Good to see everybody is OK there, though.
We'll get to Chad Myers in a moment here on this Friday.
We're checking the weather for the weekend for you.
Back to that in a moment.
First, though, we want to go straight to Iraq.
U.S. Marines plan to pull back from Fallujah as a result of talks that led to a tentative agreement to transfer power from Marines to Iraqi forces. Videotape in just about 20 minutes ago showing some of the devastation inside of that town. U.S. fighter jets bombing that city yesterday. A group of former Iraqi generals ordering to build an Iraqi security force that would move into the city called the Fallujah Protective Army.
Fighting continued yesterday between troops and insurgents there, Marines launching an offensive in Fallujah after numerous attacks, they say, on U.S. forces.
Also, insurgents opened fire on U.S. troops at a checkpoint near Najaf yesterday, as a CNN crew was standing nearby. One soldier was slightly wounded. The Shiite cleric, Muqtada al-Sadr, holed up at a holy site in the city with many of his supporters. Photographer Rick Hall capturing that exclusive videotape for CNN.
The U.S. military trying to bring together the leaders of Najaf to broker a deal that would allow the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps to control that city. An agreement in Najaf could be similar to the tentative deal in the Sunni stronghold of Fallujah.
A bit earlier today, I talked with Soraya Nelson, a reporter with Knight Ridder inside that town.
She told us about a surprise visit today during prayers in Najaf.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SORAYA SARHADDI NELSON, KNIGHT RIDDER REPORTER: Muqtada al-Sadr showed up, much to many people's surprise. Even his supporters were saying he's in our hearts if he's not here. There was fear that the Americans would try to take action against them because they've been ratcheting up their visibility over the past few days, culminating yesterday with a convoy hurling past the Kufa Mosque, where he preaches.
The convoy, this was something that eyewitnesses reported. I did not see it firsthand. But there was no sign of them by evening. And there were a lot of gunmen out today. They had also made themselves scarce over the past few days because of the American presence. But they were out in force again today with a very defiant Muqtada al-Sadr urging them on.
HEMMER: Soraya, what does it say that he showed up today, number one? And number two, what was his message that he was preaching there?
NELSON: What it shows is that the Americans are going to have to increase their tactics if they plan on ending the stand-off. He was very defiant. His message was no different than it's been in the past in terms of telling Muslims that it's their duty to do something about this occupation, that sitting by and standing still and asking nicely is not going to work.
He specifically tried to appeal to their, the macho culture that exists here in Najaf. He spoke about the fact that Americans are looking to take away the hejab or the headdress or the covering that women wear. From here, it's a head to toe avaya in addition to a scarf and a long coat that they would put over their dress. He spoke about the fact that there was a poll or some sort of questioning going on with reference to whether men should be allowed to only marry one wife instead of four, as described by the Koran.
So he was appealing to their visceral instincts. It was an obvious intention of inciting and he did a very successful job based on the packed mosques that were shouting his name and making lots of noise, you know, during the speech.
HEMMER: There is word of negotiations.
Where are those talks at this point, Soraya?
NELSON: They are -- they seem to be -- well, the negotiations with the United States are completely at a dead end, from what I have been able to ascertain. However, there was supposed to be a meeting today between tribal leaders, the police and al-Sadr people about potentially turning over control to forces other than the Mahdi militia, which, of course, America wants disbanded.
My understanding of what's happening with these speeches is that Muqtada is looking more to draw other people into his fight. In other words, if he's, if his patrol is standing side by side with the Iraqi police and side by side with the other -- or with the more legitimate holy men in this city, then it's going to make it very much more difficult for the Americans to come in and arrest him and disband border militia. It will become a war against the Shiites rather than a war against Muqtada.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: Again, Soraya Nelson reporting for Knight Ridder. She's been in Najaf for several days now describing the situation there. Today, as quoted, very scary. Also, the emphasis there and the headline from that interview, again, Muqtada al-Sadr showed up today for Friday prayers. And his message just as stern as before, to get the coalition forces out of that country -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Tomorrow, May 1, is one year to the day since President Bush declared major combat operations over in Iraq. Mr. Bush made that declaration after a dramatic jet arrival on the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln. Since the speech, nearly 600 Americans have died in Iraq, including more than 420 from hostile fire. The anniversary of the mission accomplished speech did not go unnoticed in Washington.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. EDWARD KENNEDY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: Iraq has become a quagmire. It may well go down as the worst blunder in the entire history of American foreign policy.
SCOTT MCCLELLAN, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: There are still certainly combat operations and dangers that remain in Iraq. And our troops are doing an outstanding job there, performing brilliantly in their efforts to bring about a free and peaceful Iraq.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: The White House may be heartened by some of the results of a new CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll of Iraqis. An example, an overwhelming number of Iraqis say their local area will be better off in the future because of the U.S. invasion.
With some of the other results from that poll, here's Judy Woodruff.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: For years, they held their tongues. But now that Saddam Hussein has fallen, Iraqis have clear plans for their deposed leader. By an overwhelming margin, they want him to stand trial. The CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll of Iraqis shows a majority of Saddam's countrymen think he'll get a fair hearing in his homeland.
That said, they've all but convicted him in their own minds. Is he guilty of murder? 84 percent say probably. Of torture? Another big majority. War crimes? Gassing Iraqi civilians, and Iranian soldiers? Same story.
If Saddam Hussein is tried and convicted, six out of ten Iraqis want him to die for his crimes. 21 percent would give the former leader life in prison, with only 5 percent supporting a lesser sentence.
Iraqis have a clear vision for the post-Saddam era. By vast majorities they want a government that protects freedom of speech, and of religion. A slight majority of Iraqis believe the U.S. won't allow them to craft their own political future.
Before violence erupted anew this month, Iraqis were able to see past the chaos of the past year. Two-thirds told our pollsters their country will be a better place in five years. Hope, fighting for survival in the war zone. Judy Woodruff, CNN, reporting.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: Fifty-five percent of those questioned said they had an unfavorable opinion of the United States.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HEMMER: In a moment, Michael Jackson is back in court today. Is another media circus in the offing in California? We'll get to that in a moment.
O'BRIEN: And there may be more riding on the Kentucky Derby than just a few wagers. We'll explain, just ahead.
HEMMER: Also, what to expect when you're expecting -- some words of wisdom about getting ready for the big arrival.
O'BRIEN: From Bill Hemmer. HEMMER: That's true. I'm learning a lot on this job.
Back in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Authorities in Santa Barbara County, California are taking extra security measures ahead of this morning's court appearance by Michael Jackson. You can see some of it going on right there. Nine hundred feet of chain link fencing has been put up around the courthouse. One hundred law enforcement officials will be on hand to control expected crowds.
Jackson will be arraigned on an indictment brought by a grand jury that investigated the child molestation case against him. He's expected to plead not guilty.
Joining us this morning to talk about the pop star's day in court is former sex-crimes prosecutor and the author of the best selling book "The Kills," Linda Fairstein.
Nice to see you, as always.
Thanks for being with us.
LINDA FAIRSTEIN, FORMER SEX-CRIMES PROSECUTOR, AUTHOR, "THE KILLS": Sure, Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Extraordinary secrecy. I mean you were sort of shaking your head, I saw, when you saw the chain link fence being put up around. How -- in your experience, have you seen anything like that before?
FAIRSTEIN: No. I understand that the defense team, or at least Jackson's people, have invited fans, are bussing in people to come, I think to, as a show of support. So we've all seen high profile trials in New York and we've seen the sawhorses keeping crowds back. But I've never known them to be invited in and bussed in to require this.
O'BRIEN: So multiply the media circus that we see here...
FAIRSTEIN: Many times. O'BRIEN: ... maybe for the other celebrity trials times 20 or something.
Walk me through what's going to happen today. The grand jury has now come back with an indictment.
FAIRSTEIN: That's right.
O'BRIEN: What are the chances that that indictment will match directly what the prosecutors came to the grand jury with in the first place?
FAIRSTEIN: It will be at least the charges that the prosecutors announced and arrested Jackson for. And the grand jury may have more charges, as would be normal in the course of a lengthy investigation like this, where they've gone in, done a search warrant, come out with other evidence, have explored with the witness more of the events that happened.
It could be additional charges. I wouldn't expect fewer.
O'BRIEN: What happens today? He comes in. I mean is it a long -- does it take a long time? Does it take a short time? Does he basically come in -- everyone's expecting that he's going to say not guilty, your honor and then get out of there. Is that basically what happens?
FAIRSTEIN: It's a pretty short proceeding. It could be done just in minutes, where the indictment is technically unsealed, the defendant is arraigned on the charges, he's told what the charges are now formally and all he has to say is guilty or not guilty. We presume, as you've said, not guilty.
O'BRIEN: Michael Jackson has a new defense attorney. Thomas Mesereau, Jr. is his -- replacing his other, the top of his other defense team. He's sort of made the point that his team stays the same with the exception of the top lawyer.
What kind of complications, if any, does this add?
FAIRSTEIN: It shouldn't add a lot at this point. Mesereau is a really fine attorney. I assume he's followed some of this. He was approached originally by the defense to handle this case. Today the sort of housekeeping begins. The other thing that happens in the court is a motions schedule is set, a schedule to determine what evidentiary proceedings there are going to be as the weeks progress. And I think that Mesereau will get himself up to speed very quickly.
O'BRIEN: Do you think -- and this is total speculation, so -- but Mesereau comes in, the Nation of Islam as a security force around Michael Jackson out.
Do you think those two things are a coincidence or do you think that Thomas Mesereau sort of said -- I mean not knowing him at all as an attorney, from my perspective -- said, you know, this is how it's going to run if I'm going to be your lead attorney? FAIRSTEIN: That would seem to be the case. I mean either the last team started to put that in place or Mesereau made it very clear that there's going to be some control. And the defendant, we'll see today, is not going to walk out of the courthouse and dance on the top of a car, I would hope.
O'BRIEN: Well, you know -- you never know because, of course, that's what happened the last time.
If there is a spectacle like that, does that have an impact on the judge or, you know, is it sort of, if your fans go nutty and the defendant is dancing on the top of a car, that's just the way it is and it doesn't really affect the case in any way?
FAIRSTEIN: It shouldn't affect the case. I mean what it does to the judge, what it causes the judge to think about a defendant who's probably been advised by his legal team not to do such outrageous things leaving a court proceeding -- we know the fans can't be controlled, but you'd expect the demeanor to, of the defendant, to be a little more serious. And I think that has to have an impact internally on the judge. And that can always affect decisions that are made throughout the case, whether they're articulated or not.
O'BRIEN: So better not to do it just because you don't know how it's going to affect the judge?
FAIRSTEIN: Better not. Right. Precisely.
O'BRIEN: Linda Fairstein, as always, thanks.
We'll see how it goes today.
FAIRSTEIN: Thank you, Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Bill?
HEMMER: Soledad, jurors in the Jayson Williams manslaughter trial are back at work this morning. They say they have reached decisions now on six of eight charges. But the judge yesterday ordered them to continue deliberating on the remaining two. The jury wants to rehear testimony on what happened from the time the witnesses entered Williams' study to when the fatal shot was fired in the adjacent bedroom.
In a moment here, the latest pictures from Fallujah. Marines begin to pull back to rural areas. Scenes of destruction in the city after weeks of fighting there. Will the deal for a transfer of power now hold? Critical questions remain.
Back in a moment after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Army Ranger and former NFL player Pat Tillman promoted posthumously. Tillman was killed in Afghanistan on April 22 when his patrol was ambushed near the Afghan-Pakistan border. Tillman was the defensive back for the Arizona Cardinals. His rank now shifts from specialist to corporal, a nearly lateral move that will not affect any benefits his family receives. An Army spokesperson saying: "The promotion is essentially saying he would have been a fine leader."
O'BRIEN: That's a nice honor.
CAFFERTY: Yes.
O'BRIEN: Time to check in with Jack and the Question of the Day.
CAFFERTY: He got another promotion, too, to that of being a really cool guy.
HEMMER: Yes.
CAFFERTY: Yes.
Anyway, the Question of the Day, one media company, Sinclair Broadcasting, is preempting ABC's "Nightline" tonight on seven of its stations around the country. Ted Koppel is going to read the names of all the U.S. troops who have died in the war in Iraq. Sinclair says the "Nightline" program is politically motivated. Four of Sinclair's top executives have given the maximum contribution to President Bush's reelection campaign. Coincidence? Probably not.
ABC says the program "seeks to honor those who have laid down their lives for this country."
So the question is, is the "Nightline" special a tribute, is it a political statement or is it both? And I suppose in the mix someplace is the question of whether or not it ought to be blacked out in seven cities around the country.
Natalie in Mount Lookout, West Virginia: "We won't know if it's a political statement or not until the show is broadcast. Of course, since I live in a battleground state and Sinclair owns the ABC affiliate in this market, I won't be able to form that opinion. You see, corporate slime balls have decided that I'm too ignorant to be allowed to form my own opinion."
I love when they write in and use phrases like corporate slime balls.
HEMMER: They're listening to you.
CAFFERTY: Yes.
O'BRIEN: Your kind of gal.
CAFFERTY: J.A. in Farmington Hills, Michigan: "Koppel's plan to read the names of the soldiers killed in action in Iraq is pure grandstanding. Every newspaper in the country publishes these names at least on a weekly basis, so his pronouncements will not be news. This is a cynical attempt to boost ratings."
Stuart in New York: "I think Ted Koppel's intentions are honorable, as were those of the woman who took the photos of the flag- draped coffins being shipped home from Kuwait. These are legitimate news stories being reported by responsible journalists. Sinclair is a company that has benefited by the Bush administration's deregulation of television station ownership rules."
And George in Piney Creek, North Carolina: "Tributes meant as such will be few and far between until after November. After all, this is an election year. Pure politics."
Am@cnn.com if you have thoughts on this.
It's kind of a sticky wicket, as they say across the pond.
O'BRIEN: Oh, that's right.
HEMMER: You see the front page of "USA Today" today?
CAFFERTY: Yes, I did.
HEMMER: Yes. A lot of pictures, a lot of names from the month of April only.
O'BRIEN: Interesting.
All right, we'll listen then to what other people have to say.
Are you getting a lot of e-mail on this?
CAFFERTY: Yes, an awful lot.
O'BRIEN: Yes, that's what I would have guessed.
CAFFERTY: And opinions all over the lot. There's not like -- sometimes, you know, it's sort of a ground ball. You can predict how the responses are going to come in.
O'BRIEN: Or if the question is phrased in a certain way.
CAFFERTY: Yes. Well, I mean that's an accident when that happens.
But this is, we're getting a wide representation of points of view.
O'BRIEN: All right, a story out of NASA now to talk about. Here's one way to bring a NASA probe back to Earth. Hollywood stunt pilots practicing for a midair grab of a space capsule carrying priceless micrograms gathered from the solar wind. Their plan is to snatch the fragile payload before it hits the ground. Some pretty cool pictures.
The Genesis spacecraft was launched three years ago. It is due to fly over the Utah desert in September. And so far, all the practice runs have been successful. That's pretty amazing.
CAFFERTY: Yes, it is. O'BRIEN: They're going to drop the probe, they're going to go out there and just snatch it out of the air.
HEMMER: Well, successful so far.
O'BRIEN: That's true.
CAFFERTY: Pretty cool.
HEMMER: Keep it up.
In a moment here, one year after what looked like a triumph, a difficult and deadly April this past month for U.S. forces in Iraq.
Give Me A Minute today weighing in on that and a few other topics, right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Get the latest news every morning in your e-mail. Sign up for AMERICAN MORNING quick news at cnn.com/am.
Still to come this morning, allegations of Americans torturing Iraqis beginning to spread across the Arab world. A look at that is ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
Stay with us.
(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
