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CNN Live At Daybreak

Terror Threat; More Inmates Released From Abu Ghraib Prison; Coffey Talk: On Docket

Aired May 28, 2004 - 06:30   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.


BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: And apparently the public is concerned, too. During the first 24 hours after that warning and the release of pictures of terror suspects, the FBI received 2,000 tips from the public, and those were just on the agency's Web site, tips.FIB.gov. It's not known how many tips were phoned in.
You can learn more about this terrorism threat on "AMERICAN MORNING" coming up at 7:00 Eastern. Terrorism analyst Sajjan Gohel talks with our Bill Hemmer and Soledad O'Brien.

Time now for this hour's situation report on Iraq.

In the holy city of Najaf, U.S. forces have come under fire just one day after a peace deal was supposedly reached with the radical Shiite cleric, Muqtada al-Sadr.

Near Baghdad, sweet freedom. The U.S. military releases several hundred more Iraqi prisoners from Abu Ghraib prison. Several buses filled with newly-freed Iraqis left the prison earlier today. This is the third mass release since the abuse scandal broke last month.

South of Baghdad, two Japanese journalists are feared dead after being attacked. An official at the Japanese embassy says two severely burned bodies were taken to a hospital.

And the coalition releases more prisoners from Iraq's notorious Abu Ghraib prison today. For more on that, we turn to our senior international editor, Eli Flournoy.

Thanks for joining us.

ELI FLOURNOY, SENIOR INTERNATIONAL EDITOR: Yes, that's right. We've got 500 to 600 more prisoners being released. We've seen the video coming out throughout the day today, overnight, tonight, Eastern Time.

We don't know exactly who all these prisoners are or what they were charged with. That's something we've been trying to find out over time with all of the releases of prisoners. What were these people held for? That's something, of course, the U.S. military has not been willing to talk to us about.

But, obviously, they're very happy to be released, and family members, you can see there, are all around them.

NGUYEN: Very happy, but there's a bit of a problem this morning. We understand that some of those busloads came under fire?

FLOURNOY: That's right. There was a report from the Associated Press, whose video we're seeing here. They witnessed one of the buses came under fire. The bus had to stop, and then it was over, and they were able to continue on. Apparently, it doesn't appear that there were any injuries as a result of that, but it's just another illustration of how dangerous it is out there and the high, high emotions that are going on as a result of the whole Abu Ghraib situation.

NGUYEN: And speaking of the prisoner situation, let's talk about the case. What's next?

FLOURNOY: Well, we've got the next court-martial hearing is coming up June 21, so we'll be looking ahead towards that and looking to see if there are anymore indictments, if anymore U.S. military personnel are charged or going to be brought to trial with regard to that.

And, of course, almost daily we're hearing more updates about more pictures or more incidents. And, of course, the investigators are still taking a look at all of the video and the pictures that are out there to see if there was anybody else involved beyond the seven who have been charged so far.

So, we'll be looking ahead to that, and also we have to see what is going to happen to the prison itself.

NGUYEN: Itself, exactly, because the president had mentioned possibly tearing it down during his speech this week.

FLOURNOY: That's right. President Bush mentioned that the U.S. would like to tear it down. Of course, that would be up to the Iraqis to make their final decision about that. Some Iraqis are saying that they would like to see it become a museum. So, we'll see whether that happens.

The U.S. military has said recently, though, that they are in the process of turning the prison over as a functioning prison, turning it over to Iraqi authorities. So, that may be an interim step before actually destroying it or turning it into a museum. We just don't know yet.

NGUYEN: We'll wait to see on that and a lot more of the issues there in Iraq. All right, thank you, Eli Flournoy.

FLOURNOY: OK.

Appreciate that.

Stories across America this Friday.

In Baltimore, veteran police officers say they've never seen anything like it. Three children -- two 9-year-old girls and a 10- year-old boy -- were found decapitated in a Baltimore apartment. Their mother found the bodies, and she directed police to man who was taken into custody a few blocks from the crime scene. That man is being questioned, but no charges have been filed.

Six men and six women have been seated to try the Scott Peterson double murder trial. The diverse jury includes a former police officer, a Teamster once accused of violating a restraining order, and a woman who married her husband after he was convicted of murder. Opening statements are set for Tuesday.

Michael Jackson won't be there, but a hearing is scheduled today in his child molestation case. The defense wants Jackson's $3 million bail reduced. Prosecutors object, though, saying Jackson might leave the country. The defense is also asking for access to about 400 items and witness interview transcripts being held by prosecutors.

On the docket, a jury is now seated in the Laci Peterson murder case, and an important hearing for Michael Jackson, but don't expect to see throngs of fans outside the courthouse today.

Our legal analyst, Kendall Coffey, joins us live from our Miami bureau.

Thanks for being here.

KENDALL COFFEY, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Hey, good morning, Betty.

NGUYEN: Well, let's talk about Michael Jackson. That hearing is today. Do we expect them to release that information?

COFFEY: No. The information isn't going to come out yet. This is standard squabbling over documents between defense and prosecution in a high-profile case. What they're looking for is the contents in the materials that were seized during that massive search of Neverland and other places. Sooner or later, the defense is going to get their hands on that, but in the meanwhile they'll be in court fighting and bickering over it.

NGUYEN: Now, this is very important, because, I mean, if they don't get that information, could it possibly delay the trial?

COFFEY: Well, certainly until it's resolved, it is going to delay the trial. Meanwhile, they'll be addressing whether Michael Jackson's $3 million bail bond gets reduced. And to put that into context, Kobe Bryant's bond for sexual assault, $25,000. Robert Blake accused of murdering his wife, half of the $3 million Michael Jackson is putting up.

Obviously, they think a lot of his fan base in Europe and are suggesting that he might take off and actually have a career over in Europe and avoid ever facing charges in California.

NGUYEN: All right, that's on the issue today. Let's talk about Kobe Bryant as well. It was a big day in court yesterday.

COFFEY: Well, it was a good day for Kobe Bryant, because he's starting to chip away and keep chipping away at the prosecution. He's going to get the text messages and some of the communications involving the alleged victim's former boyfriend. Meanwhile, the letters, DNA, Betty, are spelling some trouble for the prosecution, because there appears to be DNA evidence placing other males having physical intimate contact with the alleged victim shortly before the alleged assault by Kobe Bryant and within hours after he allegedly assaulted her. It's going to be a big issue, a big controversy. We'll see if Colorado's rape shield law keeps all of this evidence out.

NGUYEN: And quickly, let's talk about the Scott Peterson trial. This is an interesting mix of jurors.

COFFEY: Interesting mix of jurors. And what they're going to hear Tuesday from the prosecution is a connect-the-dots circumstantial evidence kind of case. Meanwhile, what the defense is going to say is that this is a bungling, stumbling investigation, which locked in on Scott Peterson like a heat-seeking missile, and it basically ignored all of the real evidence that would have enabled the prosecutors to find out who the real murderers were of Laci Peterson and her unborn son.

NGUYEN: CNN legal analyst, Kendall Coffey, we thank you for joining us from Miami this morning.

COFFEY: Thanks, Betty.

NGUYEN: From D-Day to the Korean War, this woman remembers it all. One of the most decorated women in U.S. military history shares her memories next on DAYBREAK.

And later this hour, are you in the mood for a movie this weekend? Find out what's worth your money.

Plus, which part of the hippo can protect you from the sun? No, this is a real question. The answer is sweat if you are brave enough to put it on.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: It's time now for a little business buzz. Those whopping oil prices are putting the airline industry in a tailspin. It seems the only solution is to pass the charges on to you, of course.

Carrie Lee has that story and much more. She joins us now from the Nasdaq Marketsite in New York.

Good morning.

CARRIE LEE, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS: Hi, Betty.

And that's exactly what the airlines are doing, once again, raising prices for flights. The latest fuel surcharge hike being led by United Airlines. United adding the fuel surcharge that it already has in place by $10 per round trip. So, we're talking a total of $30 now on all North American flights for fuel surcharges. American Airlines, by the way, matched that. Also, America West is raising most of its fares by 5 percent for travel between mid-June and mid- August. And then, earlier in the week, remember, Southwest added a surcharge, upping round-trip tickets by about $4, so as much as $4.

So, we're seeing these hikes once again.

Keep in mind, though, the airlines have had to try to add dollars to the prices four times already this year. Northwest usually is the carrier not going along with the hikes, and then they've had to repeal. So, we'll see if they stick this time around.

Keep in mind, though, fuel is one of the biggest costs for airlines, and prices are up 55 percent from the year-ago period. But by some estimates, Betty, this is an industry set to lose $3 billion this year, and the big reason is the rising prices for fuel.

So, that's the latest from the airlines.

It's looking like a flat to slightly lower open for Wall Street this morning. We'll see what happens at the 9:30 opening bell.

Back to you.

NGUYEN: Carrie Lee in New York, thank you.

Fifty-nine years after the war ended, the World War II Memorial will be dedicated tomorrow on the National Mall in Washington. It will be especially meaningful to Captain Lillian Keil, one of the most decorated women in U.S. military history. Captain Keil was a flight nurse in both World War II and the Korean War, and she joins us now to talk about that.

Good morning to you.

LILLIAN KINKELA KEIL, WORLD WAR II VET: Good morning.

NGUYEN: I see you have all of your medals on, most decorated female. Tell us about those experiences. What do you remember most?

KEIL: I remember mostly, you know, United Airlines, when I first started with them, I never realized that with the experience that I had United that I would be going into the military with all of the experiences that was required of a flight nurse in the Air Force.

And first, I went into Europe. I was there on D-Day, following the glider pilots through the initial invasion. And the glider pilots would land, and many of them would be destroyed, and the glider pilots would generally be wounded. And carrying them back on my C-47 was a fabulous way of actually just start being a part of the war effort, and taking those patients, the wounded back, and taking them back to the rear echelon hospitals in England and dispersing them, depending upon what their wounds would be, whether they were amputated or amputated limbs or burns or frostbite. It was a fabulous experience.

NGUYEN: It must have made you feel just so warm inside, knowing that you were helping save lives. KEIL: Well, it was. To think that I did have 425 evacuation missions and I never lost a patient through all of that. But 250 of those missions were from Europe. And it was a wonderful thing, because I never lost a patient, and I guess that's my claim to fame.

NGUYEN: And as we look forward to the World War II Memorial dedication, how important is this to you?

KEIL: Well, when I saw it for the firs time yesterday I couldn't believe what I saw. It was just so exciting, and to think that on the left side I saw Pacific, and I did realize -- I thought that was an extreme exhibit. And then when I looked over to the other side and it was Atlantic, I couldn't believe that there was such a huge monument, and then to see Lincoln Memorial. What a wonderful place to have put our D-Day monument. I was very, very impressed.

And it did send shivers through me to think that they were honoring us, the veterans of World War II. I was very, very pleased, and very, very happy that the World War II Veterans Committee invited me here, and Mr. Roberts I thought it was wonderful that I could even be here for this dedication. Absolutely.

NGUYEN: Captain Keil, quickly, a lot of people think it's been a long time coming. Do you agree?

KEIL: Absolutely. I mean, that's a lot of years that went by. I cannot believe -- it's very sad that so many of the men that would be very pleased with this monument for them are not here anymore.

NGUYEN: All right, Captain Lillian...

KEIL: But I've been so pleased that I was a part of this.

NGUYEN: We thank you for your time.

KEIL: Thank you.

NGUYEN: We'll have live coverage of the World War II Memorial dedication tomorrow afternoon at 2:00 Eastern. It will be hosted by CNN's Paula Zahn.

Your news, money, weather and sports. The time right now is 6:45. Here's what's all new this morning.

A shaky truce in Iraq lasts less than a day. Insurgents fired on U.S. forces in Najaf today. The military base just outside the city was hit with at least nine mortars.

The weather forecast is anything but favorable for flood devastated Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Hundreds are dead or missing. Homes are washed away or under water. And three more inches of rain is predicted.

In money, Yahoo! debuts its anti-spy software. A toolbar feature helps you keep your Web surfing private. Yahoo!'s software helps you purge your computer of so-called spyware. The spyware monitors Web sites visited and is downloaded to personal computers without the owner's knowledge.

In sports, a veritable slug fest in Baltimore. Eight runs in one inning and six in another and the Yankees take the Orioles 18-5. A- Rod's contribution? A two-run homer.

In culture, Abercrombie & Fitch calls its new summer catalog a "photo essay." The black and white photos aren't quite as racy, following the backlash over suggestive ads in the past (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

(WEATHER BREAK)

NGUYEN: Let's check in now with Anderson and Soledad in New York for a look at what's coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING."

Hi there.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, good morning to you.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning.

O'BRIEN: Some of the headlines making news this morning on "AMERICAN MORNING," we're talking about Abu Hamza. He's been arrested in London. We're going to take you live to London to talk about that with a terrorism expert who's been tracking Hamza's activities for years. The big question, of course, who is he? And why arrest him now? He's been living in London for years.

COOPER: We'll be looking into that. Also, the Jackson hearing, what is going to happen today in court? We'll get analysis from Jeffrey Toobin.

O'BRIEN: Also this morning, summer politics, a long, hot political season has been predicted.

COOPER: Yes.

O'BRIEN: And, of course, the question is: Could the presidential landscape change by Labor Day? The answer? Yes, I believe so.

COOPER: Do you think so?

O'BRIEN: Jeff Greenfield, though, is going to chat with us about that this morning. That, and much, much more all ahead in just about 12 minutes.

Back to you.

NGUYEN: All right, looking forward to it.

Well, when it comes to love, chemistry may not be the right word anymore. Instead, think equations and statistics. Puzzled? Well, we'll introduce you to a compatibility patent. That's next on DAYBREAK.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Well, Chad, you don't have to worry about this so much, because you're married.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Correct.

NGUYEN: But there are a lot of folks out there who are having a hard time finding Mr. or Ms. Right.

MYERS: You know what? But this online thing seems to be working. I even have a friend who met someone online.

NGUYEN: So do I.

MYERS: And it's amazing. They have really figured this out. Now, they're patenting...

NGUYEN: Yes.

MYERS: ... how they're putting people together.

NGUYEN: And they're saying that there is a specific formula in which, you know, if you have a certain characteristic and what-not, then that relates to somebody else. And if you don't go by this formula, your marriage isn't going to stick.

MYERS: Well, you know, I did it wrong the first time, and then I got it right the second time, because I knew what I wanted the second time.

NGUYEN: So, you found the formula, didn't you?

MYERS: I found my formula. And eHarmony has done an awful lot of work on this. I'll be really honest. They really talked to a lot of happy couples. What's making you happy? And they figured out how they can make other people happy. Here you go. There's their Web site right there, the love site if you will, I guess.

NGUYEN: And you just type in your information, and they match you up. Like you said, you know a friend who has been matched up.

MYERS: Yes.

NGUYEN: I have a friend, and she's ready to walk down the aisle with this guy.

MYERS: No kidding? Really? And how fast was that?

NGUYEN: It took no time at all.

MYERS: Really?

NGUYEN: About maybe six months.

MYERS: See, what they're doing is they're taking your compatibility index, is basically what they're making here. They're doing some kind of what are you looking for? What are you looking for? And they can put these two people together. And obviously it's geographical, too, because they're not going to put somebody in L.A....

NGUYEN: In Alaska and, you know, somewhere in Florida.

MYERS: Even though your perfect mate may be in Miami, if you're in L.A., they're not going to put you together.

NGUYEN: Right, but if they're out there, you've got to find them somehow.

MYERS: That's right.

NGUYEN: And possibly, this is a way to do it.

MYERS: That's great.

NGUYEN: All right.

Well, lots of you may be thinking of catching a movie this Memorial Day weekend, and we're going to try to make it easier for you to choose what's worth your money.

Joining me now is movie guru Tom O'Neil, a senior editor of "In Touch Weekly."

Good morning to you.

TOM O'NEIL, SENIOR EDITOR, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": Good morning, Betty.

NGUYEN: All right, so what's worth our money?

O'NEIL: Well, we talked about it last week, so we won't go into much detail here. But "The Day After Tomorrow" opens tonight. It's a great global warming disaster movie, and it's just that great popcorn flick. But we've got several smaller films out there, too.

NGUYEN: Like "Raising Helen," right?

O'NEIL: Well, this is, unfortunately, I have bad news for you about this. Everybody expected this to be such a great movie. This comes from Gary Marshall, the director who gave us "Pretty Woman" and "Runaway Bride." It stars Kate Hudson, right?

NGUYEN: Right.

O'NEIL: But she has not quite become famous since getting that Oscar nomination for "Almost Famous." And here she plays a hard- partying career girl, who suddenly becomes a parent when her sister dies in a car crash. You know what, Betty? It just doesn't work. A good Gary Marshall movie leaves you with this inner glow, and this movie just leaves you cold.

NGUYEN: And even if it's supposedly a chick flick? Even the females are not going to enjoy this?

O'NEIL: Well, nobody loves chick flicks more than this sappy- hearted guy right here. And this doesn't work because it's just too obvious. The kids rebel against mommy. Mommy rebels against the kids. She has a tyrannical boss played by Helen Mirren. And the thing about this movie is that it's got an A-list cast that even, by the way, includes a cameo from Paris Hilton.

NGUYEN: Oh, she's in everything these days. But, I kind of doubt she's in "Saved!," right?

O'NEIL: "Saved!," boy, is this a controversial movie. But it's a terrific film, I must say. It is produced by Michael Stipe from R.E.M., who gave us such edgy movies as "Being John Malcovich." And this is a movie that dares to poke fun at religious extremism that takes place at a Baptist school, where on student finds out she's pregnant. And it's very, very bitchily funny, this movie is. For example, when she finds out that she's either pregnant or has cancer, she prays, let it be cancer, let it be cancer.

This movie is stolen by Mandy Moore, who plays the super Jesus freak villain here, who says, you know, I'm prepared to -- I'm saving myself for marriage, and I'm prepared to use violence. But what is so good about this movie is not only does it give us some insights into an important subject, it doesn't make fun of religion. It makes fun of people who take religion too far.

NGUYEN: And, quickly, we don't have much time. But "Soul Plane" is coming out.

O'NEIL: This is a booty-licious (ph) guilty pleasure. Boy, everybody is panning this movie, but it really is kind of fun. It's a black twist on "Airplane." It's about the first, you know, all-black airline...

NGUYEN: Right.

O'NEIL: ... in the world, and it's got a casino and a dance club.

NGUYEN: And spinners on the airplane no less. All right, Tom O'Neil, we thank you for those movie picks.

O'NEIL: Sure thing.

NGUYEN: And, Chad, do we have a winner for the mug?

MYERS: We do. We'll get to that right now or next? After the break?

NGUYEN: I think when we come back.

MYERS: When we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: It's time now for the winner of the coffee mug.

MYERS: Yes. A lot of great answers from yesterday, and 300 of them were actually right. So, here we go.

Here are the questions we asked yesterday: What's the name of the new movie depicting the global warming and its disastrous effect? That, obviously, "The Day After Tomorrow," and it opens this weekend. And Mantill Williams with AAA talked about three ways to deal with high gas prices. What's the best way to actually save some money here? Choose the shortest and most efficient route, drive a more fuel-efficient vehicle, and make sure your vehicle is well-maintained.

The winner from Thursday is Brent Lightner from Washington, D.C. Good morning and happy day, Brent Lightner, from Washington, D.C.

Now here are your questions for today.

In the safe drilling segment, Julie Vallese mentioned that the internal temperature of hamburger needs to be what temperature? You poke a thermometer in, what does it have to be for a safe burger?

And what was Lillian Keil's occupation during World War II and the Korean War? She was that lady we had on with all of those medals and badges and all of those things.

NGUYEN: Hey, I can answer those. Do I get a mug?

MYERS: No. You have to buy one.

NGUYEN: I'll try to phone in under an assumed name.

MYERS: Fair enough. E-mail at Daybreak@CNN.com.

NGUYEN: All right, well that wraps it up for us from the CNN global headquarters in Atlanta. Nice working with you this morning.

MYERS: Thanks for waking up so early. She got a late call yesterday.

NGUYEN: Yes, I did.

MYERS: "AMERICAN MORNING" is now. Bye.

NGUYEN: Bye.

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 May 28, 2004 - 06:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: And apparently the public is concerned, too. During the first 24 hours after that warning and the release of pictures of terror suspects, the FBI received 2,000 tips from the public, and those were just on the agency's Web site, tips.FIB.gov. It's not known how many tips were phoned in.
You can learn more about this terrorism threat on "AMERICAN MORNING" coming up at 7:00 Eastern. Terrorism analyst Sajjan Gohel talks with our Bill Hemmer and Soledad O'Brien.

Time now for this hour's situation report on Iraq.

In the holy city of Najaf, U.S. forces have come under fire just one day after a peace deal was supposedly reached with the radical Shiite cleric, Muqtada al-Sadr.

Near Baghdad, sweet freedom. The U.S. military releases several hundred more Iraqi prisoners from Abu Ghraib prison. Several buses filled with newly-freed Iraqis left the prison earlier today. This is the third mass release since the abuse scandal broke last month.

South of Baghdad, two Japanese journalists are feared dead after being attacked. An official at the Japanese embassy says two severely burned bodies were taken to a hospital.

And the coalition releases more prisoners from Iraq's notorious Abu Ghraib prison today. For more on that, we turn to our senior international editor, Eli Flournoy.

Thanks for joining us.

ELI FLOURNOY, SENIOR INTERNATIONAL EDITOR: Yes, that's right. We've got 500 to 600 more prisoners being released. We've seen the video coming out throughout the day today, overnight, tonight, Eastern Time.

We don't know exactly who all these prisoners are or what they were charged with. That's something we've been trying to find out over time with all of the releases of prisoners. What were these people held for? That's something, of course, the U.S. military has not been willing to talk to us about.

But, obviously, they're very happy to be released, and family members, you can see there, are all around them.

NGUYEN: Very happy, but there's a bit of a problem this morning. We understand that some of those busloads came under fire?

FLOURNOY: That's right. There was a report from the Associated Press, whose video we're seeing here. They witnessed one of the buses came under fire. The bus had to stop, and then it was over, and they were able to continue on. Apparently, it doesn't appear that there were any injuries as a result of that, but it's just another illustration of how dangerous it is out there and the high, high emotions that are going on as a result of the whole Abu Ghraib situation.

NGUYEN: And speaking of the prisoner situation, let's talk about the case. What's next?

FLOURNOY: Well, we've got the next court-martial hearing is coming up June 21, so we'll be looking ahead towards that and looking to see if there are anymore indictments, if anymore U.S. military personnel are charged or going to be brought to trial with regard to that.

And, of course, almost daily we're hearing more updates about more pictures or more incidents. And, of course, the investigators are still taking a look at all of the video and the pictures that are out there to see if there was anybody else involved beyond the seven who have been charged so far.

So, we'll be looking ahead to that, and also we have to see what is going to happen to the prison itself.

NGUYEN: Itself, exactly, because the president had mentioned possibly tearing it down during his speech this week.

FLOURNOY: That's right. President Bush mentioned that the U.S. would like to tear it down. Of course, that would be up to the Iraqis to make their final decision about that. Some Iraqis are saying that they would like to see it become a museum. So, we'll see whether that happens.

The U.S. military has said recently, though, that they are in the process of turning the prison over as a functioning prison, turning it over to Iraqi authorities. So, that may be an interim step before actually destroying it or turning it into a museum. We just don't know yet.

NGUYEN: We'll wait to see on that and a lot more of the issues there in Iraq. All right, thank you, Eli Flournoy.

FLOURNOY: OK.

Appreciate that.

Stories across America this Friday.

In Baltimore, veteran police officers say they've never seen anything like it. Three children -- two 9-year-old girls and a 10- year-old boy -- were found decapitated in a Baltimore apartment. Their mother found the bodies, and she directed police to man who was taken into custody a few blocks from the crime scene. That man is being questioned, but no charges have been filed.

Six men and six women have been seated to try the Scott Peterson double murder trial. The diverse jury includes a former police officer, a Teamster once accused of violating a restraining order, and a woman who married her husband after he was convicted of murder. Opening statements are set for Tuesday.

Michael Jackson won't be there, but a hearing is scheduled today in his child molestation case. The defense wants Jackson's $3 million bail reduced. Prosecutors object, though, saying Jackson might leave the country. The defense is also asking for access to about 400 items and witness interview transcripts being held by prosecutors.

On the docket, a jury is now seated in the Laci Peterson murder case, and an important hearing for Michael Jackson, but don't expect to see throngs of fans outside the courthouse today.

Our legal analyst, Kendall Coffey, joins us live from our Miami bureau.

Thanks for being here.

KENDALL COFFEY, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Hey, good morning, Betty.

NGUYEN: Well, let's talk about Michael Jackson. That hearing is today. Do we expect them to release that information?

COFFEY: No. The information isn't going to come out yet. This is standard squabbling over documents between defense and prosecution in a high-profile case. What they're looking for is the contents in the materials that were seized during that massive search of Neverland and other places. Sooner or later, the defense is going to get their hands on that, but in the meanwhile they'll be in court fighting and bickering over it.

NGUYEN: Now, this is very important, because, I mean, if they don't get that information, could it possibly delay the trial?

COFFEY: Well, certainly until it's resolved, it is going to delay the trial. Meanwhile, they'll be addressing whether Michael Jackson's $3 million bail bond gets reduced. And to put that into context, Kobe Bryant's bond for sexual assault, $25,000. Robert Blake accused of murdering his wife, half of the $3 million Michael Jackson is putting up.

Obviously, they think a lot of his fan base in Europe and are suggesting that he might take off and actually have a career over in Europe and avoid ever facing charges in California.

NGUYEN: All right, that's on the issue today. Let's talk about Kobe Bryant as well. It was a big day in court yesterday.

COFFEY: Well, it was a good day for Kobe Bryant, because he's starting to chip away and keep chipping away at the prosecution. He's going to get the text messages and some of the communications involving the alleged victim's former boyfriend. Meanwhile, the letters, DNA, Betty, are spelling some trouble for the prosecution, because there appears to be DNA evidence placing other males having physical intimate contact with the alleged victim shortly before the alleged assault by Kobe Bryant and within hours after he allegedly assaulted her. It's going to be a big issue, a big controversy. We'll see if Colorado's rape shield law keeps all of this evidence out.

NGUYEN: And quickly, let's talk about the Scott Peterson trial. This is an interesting mix of jurors.

COFFEY: Interesting mix of jurors. And what they're going to hear Tuesday from the prosecution is a connect-the-dots circumstantial evidence kind of case. Meanwhile, what the defense is going to say is that this is a bungling, stumbling investigation, which locked in on Scott Peterson like a heat-seeking missile, and it basically ignored all of the real evidence that would have enabled the prosecutors to find out who the real murderers were of Laci Peterson and her unborn son.

NGUYEN: CNN legal analyst, Kendall Coffey, we thank you for joining us from Miami this morning.

COFFEY: Thanks, Betty.

NGUYEN: From D-Day to the Korean War, this woman remembers it all. One of the most decorated women in U.S. military history shares her memories next on DAYBREAK.

And later this hour, are you in the mood for a movie this weekend? Find out what's worth your money.

Plus, which part of the hippo can protect you from the sun? No, this is a real question. The answer is sweat if you are brave enough to put it on.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: It's time now for a little business buzz. Those whopping oil prices are putting the airline industry in a tailspin. It seems the only solution is to pass the charges on to you, of course.

Carrie Lee has that story and much more. She joins us now from the Nasdaq Marketsite in New York.

Good morning.

CARRIE LEE, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS: Hi, Betty.

And that's exactly what the airlines are doing, once again, raising prices for flights. The latest fuel surcharge hike being led by United Airlines. United adding the fuel surcharge that it already has in place by $10 per round trip. So, we're talking a total of $30 now on all North American flights for fuel surcharges. American Airlines, by the way, matched that. Also, America West is raising most of its fares by 5 percent for travel between mid-June and mid- August. And then, earlier in the week, remember, Southwest added a surcharge, upping round-trip tickets by about $4, so as much as $4.

So, we're seeing these hikes once again.

Keep in mind, though, the airlines have had to try to add dollars to the prices four times already this year. Northwest usually is the carrier not going along with the hikes, and then they've had to repeal. So, we'll see if they stick this time around.

Keep in mind, though, fuel is one of the biggest costs for airlines, and prices are up 55 percent from the year-ago period. But by some estimates, Betty, this is an industry set to lose $3 billion this year, and the big reason is the rising prices for fuel.

So, that's the latest from the airlines.

It's looking like a flat to slightly lower open for Wall Street this morning. We'll see what happens at the 9:30 opening bell.

Back to you.

NGUYEN: Carrie Lee in New York, thank you.

Fifty-nine years after the war ended, the World War II Memorial will be dedicated tomorrow on the National Mall in Washington. It will be especially meaningful to Captain Lillian Keil, one of the most decorated women in U.S. military history. Captain Keil was a flight nurse in both World War II and the Korean War, and she joins us now to talk about that.

Good morning to you.

LILLIAN KINKELA KEIL, WORLD WAR II VET: Good morning.

NGUYEN: I see you have all of your medals on, most decorated female. Tell us about those experiences. What do you remember most?

KEIL: I remember mostly, you know, United Airlines, when I first started with them, I never realized that with the experience that I had United that I would be going into the military with all of the experiences that was required of a flight nurse in the Air Force.

And first, I went into Europe. I was there on D-Day, following the glider pilots through the initial invasion. And the glider pilots would land, and many of them would be destroyed, and the glider pilots would generally be wounded. And carrying them back on my C-47 was a fabulous way of actually just start being a part of the war effort, and taking those patients, the wounded back, and taking them back to the rear echelon hospitals in England and dispersing them, depending upon what their wounds would be, whether they were amputated or amputated limbs or burns or frostbite. It was a fabulous experience.

NGUYEN: It must have made you feel just so warm inside, knowing that you were helping save lives. KEIL: Well, it was. To think that I did have 425 evacuation missions and I never lost a patient through all of that. But 250 of those missions were from Europe. And it was a wonderful thing, because I never lost a patient, and I guess that's my claim to fame.

NGUYEN: And as we look forward to the World War II Memorial dedication, how important is this to you?

KEIL: Well, when I saw it for the firs time yesterday I couldn't believe what I saw. It was just so exciting, and to think that on the left side I saw Pacific, and I did realize -- I thought that was an extreme exhibit. And then when I looked over to the other side and it was Atlantic, I couldn't believe that there was such a huge monument, and then to see Lincoln Memorial. What a wonderful place to have put our D-Day monument. I was very, very impressed.

And it did send shivers through me to think that they were honoring us, the veterans of World War II. I was very, very pleased, and very, very happy that the World War II Veterans Committee invited me here, and Mr. Roberts I thought it was wonderful that I could even be here for this dedication. Absolutely.

NGUYEN: Captain Keil, quickly, a lot of people think it's been a long time coming. Do you agree?

KEIL: Absolutely. I mean, that's a lot of years that went by. I cannot believe -- it's very sad that so many of the men that would be very pleased with this monument for them are not here anymore.

NGUYEN: All right, Captain Lillian...

KEIL: But I've been so pleased that I was a part of this.

NGUYEN: We thank you for your time.

KEIL: Thank you.

NGUYEN: We'll have live coverage of the World War II Memorial dedication tomorrow afternoon at 2:00 Eastern. It will be hosted by CNN's Paula Zahn.

Your news, money, weather and sports. The time right now is 6:45. Here's what's all new this morning.

A shaky truce in Iraq lasts less than a day. Insurgents fired on U.S. forces in Najaf today. The military base just outside the city was hit with at least nine mortars.

The weather forecast is anything but favorable for flood devastated Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Hundreds are dead or missing. Homes are washed away or under water. And three more inches of rain is predicted.

In money, Yahoo! debuts its anti-spy software. A toolbar feature helps you keep your Web surfing private. Yahoo!'s software helps you purge your computer of so-called spyware. The spyware monitors Web sites visited and is downloaded to personal computers without the owner's knowledge.

In sports, a veritable slug fest in Baltimore. Eight runs in one inning and six in another and the Yankees take the Orioles 18-5. A- Rod's contribution? A two-run homer.

In culture, Abercrombie & Fitch calls its new summer catalog a "photo essay." The black and white photos aren't quite as racy, following the backlash over suggestive ads in the past (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

(WEATHER BREAK)

NGUYEN: Let's check in now with Anderson and Soledad in New York for a look at what's coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING."

Hi there.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, good morning to you.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning.

O'BRIEN: Some of the headlines making news this morning on "AMERICAN MORNING," we're talking about Abu Hamza. He's been arrested in London. We're going to take you live to London to talk about that with a terrorism expert who's been tracking Hamza's activities for years. The big question, of course, who is he? And why arrest him now? He's been living in London for years.

COOPER: We'll be looking into that. Also, the Jackson hearing, what is going to happen today in court? We'll get analysis from Jeffrey Toobin.

O'BRIEN: Also this morning, summer politics, a long, hot political season has been predicted.

COOPER: Yes.

O'BRIEN: And, of course, the question is: Could the presidential landscape change by Labor Day? The answer? Yes, I believe so.

COOPER: Do you think so?

O'BRIEN: Jeff Greenfield, though, is going to chat with us about that this morning. That, and much, much more all ahead in just about 12 minutes.

Back to you.

NGUYEN: All right, looking forward to it.

Well, when it comes to love, chemistry may not be the right word anymore. Instead, think equations and statistics. Puzzled? Well, we'll introduce you to a compatibility patent. That's next on DAYBREAK.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Well, Chad, you don't have to worry about this so much, because you're married.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Correct.

NGUYEN: But there are a lot of folks out there who are having a hard time finding Mr. or Ms. Right.

MYERS: You know what? But this online thing seems to be working. I even have a friend who met someone online.

NGUYEN: So do I.

MYERS: And it's amazing. They have really figured this out. Now, they're patenting...

NGUYEN: Yes.

MYERS: ... how they're putting people together.

NGUYEN: And they're saying that there is a specific formula in which, you know, if you have a certain characteristic and what-not, then that relates to somebody else. And if you don't go by this formula, your marriage isn't going to stick.

MYERS: Well, you know, I did it wrong the first time, and then I got it right the second time, because I knew what I wanted the second time.

NGUYEN: So, you found the formula, didn't you?

MYERS: I found my formula. And eHarmony has done an awful lot of work on this. I'll be really honest. They really talked to a lot of happy couples. What's making you happy? And they figured out how they can make other people happy. Here you go. There's their Web site right there, the love site if you will, I guess.

NGUYEN: And you just type in your information, and they match you up. Like you said, you know a friend who has been matched up.

MYERS: Yes.

NGUYEN: I have a friend, and she's ready to walk down the aisle with this guy.

MYERS: No kidding? Really? And how fast was that?

NGUYEN: It took no time at all.

MYERS: Really?

NGUYEN: About maybe six months.

MYERS: See, what they're doing is they're taking your compatibility index, is basically what they're making here. They're doing some kind of what are you looking for? What are you looking for? And they can put these two people together. And obviously it's geographical, too, because they're not going to put somebody in L.A....

NGUYEN: In Alaska and, you know, somewhere in Florida.

MYERS: Even though your perfect mate may be in Miami, if you're in L.A., they're not going to put you together.

NGUYEN: Right, but if they're out there, you've got to find them somehow.

MYERS: That's right.

NGUYEN: And possibly, this is a way to do it.

MYERS: That's great.

NGUYEN: All right.

Well, lots of you may be thinking of catching a movie this Memorial Day weekend, and we're going to try to make it easier for you to choose what's worth your money.

Joining me now is movie guru Tom O'Neil, a senior editor of "In Touch Weekly."

Good morning to you.

TOM O'NEIL, SENIOR EDITOR, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": Good morning, Betty.

NGUYEN: All right, so what's worth our money?

O'NEIL: Well, we talked about it last week, so we won't go into much detail here. But "The Day After Tomorrow" opens tonight. It's a great global warming disaster movie, and it's just that great popcorn flick. But we've got several smaller films out there, too.

NGUYEN: Like "Raising Helen," right?

O'NEIL: Well, this is, unfortunately, I have bad news for you about this. Everybody expected this to be such a great movie. This comes from Gary Marshall, the director who gave us "Pretty Woman" and "Runaway Bride." It stars Kate Hudson, right?

NGUYEN: Right.

O'NEIL: But she has not quite become famous since getting that Oscar nomination for "Almost Famous." And here she plays a hard- partying career girl, who suddenly becomes a parent when her sister dies in a car crash. You know what, Betty? It just doesn't work. A good Gary Marshall movie leaves you with this inner glow, and this movie just leaves you cold.

NGUYEN: And even if it's supposedly a chick flick? Even the females are not going to enjoy this?

O'NEIL: Well, nobody loves chick flicks more than this sappy- hearted guy right here. And this doesn't work because it's just too obvious. The kids rebel against mommy. Mommy rebels against the kids. She has a tyrannical boss played by Helen Mirren. And the thing about this movie is that it's got an A-list cast that even, by the way, includes a cameo from Paris Hilton.

NGUYEN: Oh, she's in everything these days. But, I kind of doubt she's in "Saved!," right?

O'NEIL: "Saved!," boy, is this a controversial movie. But it's a terrific film, I must say. It is produced by Michael Stipe from R.E.M., who gave us such edgy movies as "Being John Malcovich." And this is a movie that dares to poke fun at religious extremism that takes place at a Baptist school, where on student finds out she's pregnant. And it's very, very bitchily funny, this movie is. For example, when she finds out that she's either pregnant or has cancer, she prays, let it be cancer, let it be cancer.

This movie is stolen by Mandy Moore, who plays the super Jesus freak villain here, who says, you know, I'm prepared to -- I'm saving myself for marriage, and I'm prepared to use violence. But what is so good about this movie is not only does it give us some insights into an important subject, it doesn't make fun of religion. It makes fun of people who take religion too far.

NGUYEN: And, quickly, we don't have much time. But "Soul Plane" is coming out.

O'NEIL: This is a booty-licious (ph) guilty pleasure. Boy, everybody is panning this movie, but it really is kind of fun. It's a black twist on "Airplane." It's about the first, you know, all-black airline...

NGUYEN: Right.

O'NEIL: ... in the world, and it's got a casino and a dance club.

NGUYEN: And spinners on the airplane no less. All right, Tom O'Neil, we thank you for those movie picks.

O'NEIL: Sure thing.

NGUYEN: And, Chad, do we have a winner for the mug?

MYERS: We do. We'll get to that right now or next? After the break?

NGUYEN: I think when we come back.

MYERS: When we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: It's time now for the winner of the coffee mug.

MYERS: Yes. A lot of great answers from yesterday, and 300 of them were actually right. So, here we go.

Here are the questions we asked yesterday: What's the name of the new movie depicting the global warming and its disastrous effect? That, obviously, "The Day After Tomorrow," and it opens this weekend. And Mantill Williams with AAA talked about three ways to deal with high gas prices. What's the best way to actually save some money here? Choose the shortest and most efficient route, drive a more fuel-efficient vehicle, and make sure your vehicle is well-maintained.

The winner from Thursday is Brent Lightner from Washington, D.C. Good morning and happy day, Brent Lightner, from Washington, D.C.

Now here are your questions for today.

In the safe drilling segment, Julie Vallese mentioned that the internal temperature of hamburger needs to be what temperature? You poke a thermometer in, what does it have to be for a safe burger?

And what was Lillian Keil's occupation during World War II and the Korean War? She was that lady we had on with all of those medals and badges and all of those things.

NGUYEN: Hey, I can answer those. Do I get a mug?

MYERS: No. You have to buy one.

NGUYEN: I'll try to phone in under an assumed name.

MYERS: Fair enough. E-mail at Daybreak@CNN.com.

NGUYEN: All right, well that wraps it up for us from the CNN global headquarters in Atlanta. Nice working with you this morning.

MYERS: Thanks for waking up so early. She got a late call yesterday.

NGUYEN: Yes, I did.

MYERS: "AMERICAN MORNING" is now. Bye.

NGUYEN: Bye.

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