Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Today

U.S. Military Judge Refusing to Order New Article 32 Hearing for Man Accused in Prison Abuse Scandal; Claim of Success Fading Under Some New Casualty Counts

Aired June 22, 2004 - 10:30   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.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Daryn Kagan. Let's check the top stories at this hour. A Senate panel is holding a hearing today on same-sex marriage. A live picture there. There's the governor of Massachusetts. Governor Mitt Romney opposes gay marriages. He is testifying. The Senate is expected to vote next month on a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.
Martha Stewart says she misses her old job terribly, and that past year has been fraught with real sorrow. Stewart's words came in an address to Martha Stewart Living shareholders. Stewart resigned as chief creative officer and board member of the company after her conviction for lying about a stock sale.

A smoky wildfire shrouds the mountains of northwestern British Columbia. An evacuation alert has been issued for hundreds of residents in the area. Officials say the fire was started by a lightning strike. Crews are using helicopters and tankers to drop water and fire retardant.

And good news for motorists. Gas prices have slipped to the lowest level since May 3rd. OPEC'S plan to increase production quotas has reduced crude oil prices, but a gallon of gas is still 44 cents more than it was a year ago.

And we're getting this word out of Baghdad, a U.S. military judge is refusing to order a new article 32 hearing for one of the men accused in the prison abuse scandal. That's Sergeant Ivan "Chip" Fredericks II. His lawyer, his civilian lawyer, Gary Meyers, is on the phone with us right now from New Hampshire.

Thank you for being with us.

GARY MYERS, FREDERICKS' ATTY.: You're welcome.

KAGAN: You're just getting off the phone, I understand, with Sergeant Fredericks?

MYERS: That's correct.

KAGAN: And what did you learn about what took place in Baghdad?

MYERS: Well, as expected, we were denied our motion for a new article 32 proceeding. It was virtually identical to the one that was argued yesterday in the Davis case, and it was our only motion in these proceedings. And it lasted about 35, 40 minutes. KAGAN: For those not familiar with military law, an article 32 hearing means what?

MYERS: It's a preliminary investigation.

KAGAN: And by not getting this new hearing, what does that mean for your client?

MYERS: Well, we felt, and still feel, that the initial article 32 investigation that occurred was far too cursory, and did not provide for us the witnesses or documentary evidence that we thought was appropriate. And when that occurred, we filed a motion for a new article 32, which was denied today, as I said.

KAGAN: So what does that mean now, the next step for your client?

MYERS: That means we go on to more motions practice, involving change of venue, principally from our perspective.

KAGAN: And how is this going to work? Can you explain to us why so many of the people implicated in the scandal have hired civilian lawyers back in the U.S.? Why is that necessary?

MYERS: Well, I don't know that it's necessary. My practice is exclusively a military law practice. We do bring a little more experience, in some cases a lot more experience, to the table than a younger military counsel might. And that, of course, is helpful in many cases that involve severe matters, such as this.

KAGAN: And yet you're going to do this from New Hampshire and he's going to be in Baghdad?

MYERS: Well, motions practice, you see, is very much different than a trial. Motions practice, we submit written briefs. Frequently there are no witnesses. Sometimes there are. But when they aren't, we really just have argument on the existing briefs. So we're not talking about any significant deprivation. And in addition to that, the venue, as I have tried to point out on multiple occasions in multiple forums, is simply inappropriate for a trial like this.

KAGAN: So you're trying to get the venue moved. But in the meantime, he'll remain in Baghdad, you're here in the States. As I said, you just got off the phone with him. What's his state of mind?

MYERS: Well, he is submitting, Chip, to see if he can get some leave. We had a discussion with the judge this morning about the leave. And I'm ever hopeful that he will be able to come to the United States, along with military counsel, Captain Robert Shuck, so that we can sit in an environment that allows for more relaxed discussion, at least.

KAGAN: And that would be your next step and your next hope for your client?

MYERS: That would be the next step and the next hope, yes. KAGAN: Gary Myers, attorney for Sergeant Chip Frederick. Thank you.

MYERS: Thank you very much.

KAGAN: Thank you for your time. Appreciate that.

We're at 34 minutes past the hour. Winning the war on terror is a key goal for the administration. But a claim of success is fading under some new casualty counts. Our Dana Bash is at the White House with that story.

Dana, Good morning.

DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.

That's right. That is something that is probably going to be released over at the State Department, some new information about a report on terror attacks that they put out in April. They revised some of the numbers that they admitted over that they were embarrassed about because they were incorrect.

But interestingly, here there is some other news that we are expecting today. We heard this morning from Kathleen Koch at the Pentagon that they're expecting to see some memos by and to Donald Rumsfeld, the defense secretary, trying to clear up what exactly was approved there, in terms of torture and interrogation techniques of suspected terrorists. Well, CNN has learned that we're likely to see some memos coming from here, from the White House, with the same goal. And that goal is to show what the president actually approved and did not approve in terms of torture techniques for suspected terrorists after September 11.

Now in order to try to clear that up, we're told we're likely to see some documents here, briefing perhaps by the White House counsel's office later today, including memos generated by and about some of these issues after September 11.

Now, the national security adviser Condoleezza Rice told CNN a couple of weeks ago that she understands that there was a lot of academic memos going around, that there were some opinion pieces written, a lot of people trying to figure out how to deal with what officials here called unchartered territory after September 11, in how to deal with the laws in interrogation after September 11, in terms of the war on terrorism.

But she said what's important to note is that the president did not approve anything that bent the Geneva Convention or any international law, and certainly what we understand is they hope to clear that up by releasing some documents later today, and we're going to look to see exactly what is in those documents.

KAGAN: Dana, different topic. Just wondering, with the Clinton book being the big buzz, especially today in New York City, I wouldn't imagine it was at the top of the summer reading list for the folks at the White House. But are people there even talking about it? BASH: Not openly. No, they're not talking about it at all, as you can imagine. That is something they like to say that book reviews, movie reviews, TV reviews, they leave to other people. So no official comment on that -- Daryn.

KAGAN: So if anybody's reading it, it's probably in a brown bag somewhere.

Dana Bash at the White House, thank you.

BASH: Thank you.

KAGAN: Coming up on CNN live today, a warning for children and pregnant women: You might be drinking milk that's been tainted with jet fuel. We'll tell you where in our coast-to-coast report.

And getting your hand on a piece of rock history, one of the items up for grabs, Elvis' cape. Now if you have some rock 'n' roll history in your attic, why don't you tell us about it. We have an expert here that can probably tell you how much it's worth. Send the information to livetoday@cnn.com. We'll have it for you in just a few minutes. You're watching CNN LIVE TODAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Let's look at some of the news making headlines coast to coast. Police in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin now believe suicide is to blame for the death of a Chicago man and his sons, ages six and three. The bodies were found along the Lake Michigan shoreline, bound with rope and tied to sandbags. Police say the father had been depressed over financial struggles and the family's pending eviction from their apartment.

There are health concerns this morning for milk coming from California cows. A study by the Environmental Working group says that young children and pregnant women could be exposed to unsafe levels of a toxic chemical that's found in rocket fuel. A California dairy group says the milk in California is safe.

He lost one hand in marriage, but a winning hand in poker. He has won, Ben Affleck, the California State Poker Championship. The actor has been somewhat less visible after his breakup with Jennifer Lopez. He outlast 89 other players. That earns him a seat in next year's World Poker Tour Championship.

From a winning hand to the long arm of the law, or more accurately the heavy foot, some police officers in Rome have a license to thrill, thanks to a patrol car that sets hearts racing.

Our Rome bureau chief takes a ride along with a Lamborghini patrol.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALESSIO VINCI, CNN ROME BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): Speeding on Italian highways may no longer be as fun these days because you may end up being chased by one of these. A $165,000 brand new Lamborghini Gallardo, donated to the Italian police by the car manufacturer, fully equipped, flashing blue light and a siren included. Top speed over 300 kilometers or 180 miles per hour.

(on camera): This must be the best job in the world, huh?

JOSEPHI DECOSTA (ph), ITALIAN POLICE: Yes.

VINCI: Right, seat belt, of course, we are the police.

DECOSTA: Yes, seat belt.

VINCI: I have to wear a seat belt.

DECOSTA: Ready to go.

VINCI (voice-over): Josephi DeCosta is one of eight newly trained Lamborghini Patrol drivers, clearly having some fun himself.

(on camera): I like it. I'll drive like this if I am driving myself in my own car, right, the police will stop me.

DECOSTA: No.

VINCI: No?

DECOSTA: You just stay on the limit.

VINCI (voice-over): Which is easier said than done. With a car like this, you hardly go unnoticed.

DECOSTA: Thank you guys. You want to go find -- you want to make a race with me?

VINCI (on camera): OK, let's do it man.

DECOSTA: No, no, no, no, no, no, go slowly.

VINCI (voice-over): At a traffic light, a group of teenagers, usually wary of the police, solicit some attention.

DECOSTA: Arrest them. You serious, you heard them, arrest me, arrest me. They are saying please arrest me for 10 minutes. I want to go make a ride with you in your car.

VINCI (on camera): Really?

DECOSTA: Yes, I'm serious.

VINCI (voice-over): But this Lamborghini is not just a toy, it is equipped with a $40,000 camera and computer system that records traffic violations and sends them back to headquarters in real time. In fact, the car is being used for real emergencies. For example, it has been fitted with a specially designed cooler compartment to transport organs for transplants. And unlike most other police cars, it has a state-of-the-art defibrillator, although just the sound of its engine should be enough to make your heartbeat jump.

Alessio Vinci, CNN, Rome.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: I don't think I've ever seen Alessio enjoy an assignment more.

Thank you, Alessio, for that story.

It looks like there are a lot of rock 'n' roll fans out there watching this morning. We are talking a rock 'n' roll auction, memorabilia from the past. That includes a water color painting by John Lennon and a poster of the Beatles' Shea Stadium concert. We're going to tell you how to get your hands on those goods straight ahead.

And apparently, a lot of you do have some rock 'n' roll history in your attic. If you do, tell us about it. We have an expert here next hour to tell you how much it might be worth. Send the information to livetoday@cnn.com.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: OK. The song sounds like "Purple Haze," but green is the resounding in chorus for fans of Jimmy Hendrix and other rock 'n' roll immortals. You'll probably never going to see the stage yourself, thrash wildy on an electric guitar or throw yourself into a ravenous throng of groupies, but you can still indulge those rock 'n' roll fantasies with the highest bid.

Our guest, Marc Zakarin, tells about some 1,500 items, ranging from Elvis to Hendrix to Madonna to the Beatles, that are going on the Internet auction block. He's joining us this morning from New York City.

Marc, good morning. Great to have you back here with us.

MARC ZAKARIN, ROCK MEMORABILIA COLLECTOR: Hi. How are you? It's great to be back.

KAGAN: I'm doing great.

Let's -- quickly tell us about the auction. It's going to happen online.

ZAKARIN: Yes, it's online right now, and you can go to itsonlyrocknroll.com, and there are 1,300 lots, and you can -- they are bidding right as we speak, and it closes on Tuesday, June 29th.

KAGAN: OK, let's look at some of the stuff. First, the Woodstock bus sign. ZAKARIN: Yes, an actual Woodstock bus sign that adorned the New York City buses in June of 1969. They came out on the buses. And if you were lucky enough to pull one off a bus, you'll be lucky to have one or buy it in our auction.

KAGAN: How much do you think it's going to go for?

ZAKARIN: Five-thousand dollars to $8,000.

KAGAN: Oh, that's some sign.

ZAKARIN: It begins at $2,000.

KAGAN: Madonna's MTV Moon Award.

ZAKARIN: Yes.

KAGAN: This wasn't from when she was doing the kissing thing with Britney Spears or anything?

ZAKARIN: No, this is an MTV Award. It's one of the more contemporary awards that are given every year for a lot of different things, and this one was presented to Madonna for the directing of one of her videos.

KAGAN: How much?

ZAKARIN: Figure again, $7,000 to $10,000. It's already got bids. I think it's about $4,500 at the moment.

KAGAN: OK, now we have a ton of rock 'n' roll fans from the audience, because they've been sending in their e-mails. So I'm going to just throw these at you, and you tell me what you think something like this might be worth, OK?

ZAKARIN: Absolutely.

KAGAN: This one is from Kenny. He says he has a complete set of all the Beatles cards that came in bubble gum packs, just like the baseball cards. He collected all the black and white ones, and then he got the color ones when they came out.

ZAKARIN: Well, without wrappers, the black and white set and the color set, all the different sets, sell between about $100 and $150. The "Hard Days' Night" set being the hardest.

KAGAN: OK, this one from Lee Simmons. He has a Mint USA telecaster signed by Fran Beecher, who is the lead guitarists for Bill Haley and the Comets. What's that worth?

ZAKARIN: Very good. I saw those guys in concert recently, and they're still rocking pretty hard.

KAGAN: They're still playing?

ZAKARIN: It's amazing at their age. A regular telecaster, if it wasn't when he played onstage, and it's just signed by him, the value is probably more like $750 to $1,500. If it was one he played onstage and you can photo I.D. it, which is of course the most important thing, to photo I.D. something, then it probably would be $5,000 to $10,000.

KAGAN: Ooh, that makes it go up quite a bit.

ZAKARIN: Yes.

KAGAN: Let's get back to more of your stuff, to the Beatles. The Beatles "Sergeant Pepper" album signed by all four.

ZAKARIN: Yes, one of the classic albums, and Beatles on an album is the hardest way to get a set of autographs and the most valuable. They begin at about $15,000 and end at about $75,000. "Sergeant Pepper," of course, being the toughest of all Beatles albums to get, and here's one signed by...

KAGAN: Exactly. And how much do you think this one is going to go for?

ZAKARIN: This one starts at $60,000.

KAGAN: Oh, my goodness.

ZAKARIN: We also have a "Hard Days' Night"-signed album that's already got bids around $12,000, and I expect to end at around $30,000. Depends on which album. There have only been a few "Sergeant Peppers" that have ever surfaced.

KAGAN: Looking to forward to seeing how much that one goes for. Now, I recently made my third by pilgrimage to Graceland, believe it or not. So I'm interested in the Elvis items.

ZAKARIN: Great.

KAGAN: Elvis' cape?

ZAKARIN: Yes, we have a cape here. A gal named Jeannie Green (ph) was one of Elvis' backup singers. She sang on "In the Ghetto (ph)," and "Suspicious Mind," and she was kind enough to consign this. Elvis being the generous fellow he is gave this to her as a gift when they were recording a song called "Help Me" in Memphis in 1973.

KAGAN: And how much do you think that's going to go for?

ZAKARIN: I think it starts at around $3,000, and usually an Elvis cape like this will sell for $5,000 to $10,000, or even more if somebody can photo I.D. it.

KAGAN: One more from our viewer. It is an Elvis item. She has two pictures of Elvis taken at Fort Chappy (ph) when he was inducted into the Army.

ZAKARIN: Candid photos are very collectible, depending on what they looked like. It's probably valued about $100, $150. KAGAN: OK, probably more precious memories.

Real quickly, John Kerry was in a rock band when he was in college. You have the actual album.

ZAKARIN: Yes, it's a really cool item, especially with the times currently. And John Kerry was the base player in 1962. I don't know if you can see a little photo of him there. But he was in this band called the Electras, and it's a very collectible album. It should sell for $3,000.

KAGAN: And maybe his wife will be online trying to get it for a surprise birthday present or something.

ZAKARIN: Very cool.

KAGAN: Marc, good luck with the auction. Once again, tell everyone the Web site so they can bid if they want.

ZAKARIN: OK, itsonlyrocknroll.com.

KAGAN: The letter 'n.'

ZAKARIN: Yes, and they can also purchase a catalog if they like, and they can check all this out online.

KAGAN: Excellent. Marc Zakarin, thanks for coming back.

ZAKARIN: Thank you for having me. I enjoyed it.

KAGAN: Appreciate it. Our viewers love getting your feedback.

ZAKARIN: Thank you.

KAGAN: You can keep your eye on entertainment 24/7 by pointing your Internet browser to CNN.com/entertainment. We are back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

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 June 22, 2004 - 10:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Daryn Kagan. Let's check the top stories at this hour. A Senate panel is holding a hearing today on same-sex marriage. A live picture there. There's the governor of Massachusetts. Governor Mitt Romney opposes gay marriages. He is testifying. The Senate is expected to vote next month on a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.
Martha Stewart says she misses her old job terribly, and that past year has been fraught with real sorrow. Stewart's words came in an address to Martha Stewart Living shareholders. Stewart resigned as chief creative officer and board member of the company after her conviction for lying about a stock sale.

A smoky wildfire shrouds the mountains of northwestern British Columbia. An evacuation alert has been issued for hundreds of residents in the area. Officials say the fire was started by a lightning strike. Crews are using helicopters and tankers to drop water and fire retardant.

And good news for motorists. Gas prices have slipped to the lowest level since May 3rd. OPEC'S plan to increase production quotas has reduced crude oil prices, but a gallon of gas is still 44 cents more than it was a year ago.

And we're getting this word out of Baghdad, a U.S. military judge is refusing to order a new article 32 hearing for one of the men accused in the prison abuse scandal. That's Sergeant Ivan "Chip" Fredericks II. His lawyer, his civilian lawyer, Gary Meyers, is on the phone with us right now from New Hampshire.

Thank you for being with us.

GARY MYERS, FREDERICKS' ATTY.: You're welcome.

KAGAN: You're just getting off the phone, I understand, with Sergeant Fredericks?

MYERS: That's correct.

KAGAN: And what did you learn about what took place in Baghdad?

MYERS: Well, as expected, we were denied our motion for a new article 32 proceeding. It was virtually identical to the one that was argued yesterday in the Davis case, and it was our only motion in these proceedings. And it lasted about 35, 40 minutes. KAGAN: For those not familiar with military law, an article 32 hearing means what?

MYERS: It's a preliminary investigation.

KAGAN: And by not getting this new hearing, what does that mean for your client?

MYERS: Well, we felt, and still feel, that the initial article 32 investigation that occurred was far too cursory, and did not provide for us the witnesses or documentary evidence that we thought was appropriate. And when that occurred, we filed a motion for a new article 32, which was denied today, as I said.

KAGAN: So what does that mean now, the next step for your client?

MYERS: That means we go on to more motions practice, involving change of venue, principally from our perspective.

KAGAN: And how is this going to work? Can you explain to us why so many of the people implicated in the scandal have hired civilian lawyers back in the U.S.? Why is that necessary?

MYERS: Well, I don't know that it's necessary. My practice is exclusively a military law practice. We do bring a little more experience, in some cases a lot more experience, to the table than a younger military counsel might. And that, of course, is helpful in many cases that involve severe matters, such as this.

KAGAN: And yet you're going to do this from New Hampshire and he's going to be in Baghdad?

MYERS: Well, motions practice, you see, is very much different than a trial. Motions practice, we submit written briefs. Frequently there are no witnesses. Sometimes there are. But when they aren't, we really just have argument on the existing briefs. So we're not talking about any significant deprivation. And in addition to that, the venue, as I have tried to point out on multiple occasions in multiple forums, is simply inappropriate for a trial like this.

KAGAN: So you're trying to get the venue moved. But in the meantime, he'll remain in Baghdad, you're here in the States. As I said, you just got off the phone with him. What's his state of mind?

MYERS: Well, he is submitting, Chip, to see if he can get some leave. We had a discussion with the judge this morning about the leave. And I'm ever hopeful that he will be able to come to the United States, along with military counsel, Captain Robert Shuck, so that we can sit in an environment that allows for more relaxed discussion, at least.

KAGAN: And that would be your next step and your next hope for your client?

MYERS: That would be the next step and the next hope, yes. KAGAN: Gary Myers, attorney for Sergeant Chip Frederick. Thank you.

MYERS: Thank you very much.

KAGAN: Thank you for your time. Appreciate that.

We're at 34 minutes past the hour. Winning the war on terror is a key goal for the administration. But a claim of success is fading under some new casualty counts. Our Dana Bash is at the White House with that story.

Dana, Good morning.

DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.

That's right. That is something that is probably going to be released over at the State Department, some new information about a report on terror attacks that they put out in April. They revised some of the numbers that they admitted over that they were embarrassed about because they were incorrect.

But interestingly, here there is some other news that we are expecting today. We heard this morning from Kathleen Koch at the Pentagon that they're expecting to see some memos by and to Donald Rumsfeld, the defense secretary, trying to clear up what exactly was approved there, in terms of torture and interrogation techniques of suspected terrorists. Well, CNN has learned that we're likely to see some memos coming from here, from the White House, with the same goal. And that goal is to show what the president actually approved and did not approve in terms of torture techniques for suspected terrorists after September 11.

Now in order to try to clear that up, we're told we're likely to see some documents here, briefing perhaps by the White House counsel's office later today, including memos generated by and about some of these issues after September 11.

Now, the national security adviser Condoleezza Rice told CNN a couple of weeks ago that she understands that there was a lot of academic memos going around, that there were some opinion pieces written, a lot of people trying to figure out how to deal with what officials here called unchartered territory after September 11, in how to deal with the laws in interrogation after September 11, in terms of the war on terrorism.

But she said what's important to note is that the president did not approve anything that bent the Geneva Convention or any international law, and certainly what we understand is they hope to clear that up by releasing some documents later today, and we're going to look to see exactly what is in those documents.

KAGAN: Dana, different topic. Just wondering, with the Clinton book being the big buzz, especially today in New York City, I wouldn't imagine it was at the top of the summer reading list for the folks at the White House. But are people there even talking about it? BASH: Not openly. No, they're not talking about it at all, as you can imagine. That is something they like to say that book reviews, movie reviews, TV reviews, they leave to other people. So no official comment on that -- Daryn.

KAGAN: So if anybody's reading it, it's probably in a brown bag somewhere.

Dana Bash at the White House, thank you.

BASH: Thank you.

KAGAN: Coming up on CNN live today, a warning for children and pregnant women: You might be drinking milk that's been tainted with jet fuel. We'll tell you where in our coast-to-coast report.

And getting your hand on a piece of rock history, one of the items up for grabs, Elvis' cape. Now if you have some rock 'n' roll history in your attic, why don't you tell us about it. We have an expert here that can probably tell you how much it's worth. Send the information to livetoday@cnn.com. We'll have it for you in just a few minutes. You're watching CNN LIVE TODAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Let's look at some of the news making headlines coast to coast. Police in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin now believe suicide is to blame for the death of a Chicago man and his sons, ages six and three. The bodies were found along the Lake Michigan shoreline, bound with rope and tied to sandbags. Police say the father had been depressed over financial struggles and the family's pending eviction from their apartment.

There are health concerns this morning for milk coming from California cows. A study by the Environmental Working group says that young children and pregnant women could be exposed to unsafe levels of a toxic chemical that's found in rocket fuel. A California dairy group says the milk in California is safe.

He lost one hand in marriage, but a winning hand in poker. He has won, Ben Affleck, the California State Poker Championship. The actor has been somewhat less visible after his breakup with Jennifer Lopez. He outlast 89 other players. That earns him a seat in next year's World Poker Tour Championship.

From a winning hand to the long arm of the law, or more accurately the heavy foot, some police officers in Rome have a license to thrill, thanks to a patrol car that sets hearts racing.

Our Rome bureau chief takes a ride along with a Lamborghini patrol.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALESSIO VINCI, CNN ROME BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): Speeding on Italian highways may no longer be as fun these days because you may end up being chased by one of these. A $165,000 brand new Lamborghini Gallardo, donated to the Italian police by the car manufacturer, fully equipped, flashing blue light and a siren included. Top speed over 300 kilometers or 180 miles per hour.

(on camera): This must be the best job in the world, huh?

JOSEPHI DECOSTA (ph), ITALIAN POLICE: Yes.

VINCI: Right, seat belt, of course, we are the police.

DECOSTA: Yes, seat belt.

VINCI: I have to wear a seat belt.

DECOSTA: Ready to go.

VINCI (voice-over): Josephi DeCosta is one of eight newly trained Lamborghini Patrol drivers, clearly having some fun himself.

(on camera): I like it. I'll drive like this if I am driving myself in my own car, right, the police will stop me.

DECOSTA: No.

VINCI: No?

DECOSTA: You just stay on the limit.

VINCI (voice-over): Which is easier said than done. With a car like this, you hardly go unnoticed.

DECOSTA: Thank you guys. You want to go find -- you want to make a race with me?

VINCI (on camera): OK, let's do it man.

DECOSTA: No, no, no, no, no, no, go slowly.

VINCI (voice-over): At a traffic light, a group of teenagers, usually wary of the police, solicit some attention.

DECOSTA: Arrest them. You serious, you heard them, arrest me, arrest me. They are saying please arrest me for 10 minutes. I want to go make a ride with you in your car.

VINCI (on camera): Really?

DECOSTA: Yes, I'm serious.

VINCI (voice-over): But this Lamborghini is not just a toy, it is equipped with a $40,000 camera and computer system that records traffic violations and sends them back to headquarters in real time. In fact, the car is being used for real emergencies. For example, it has been fitted with a specially designed cooler compartment to transport organs for transplants. And unlike most other police cars, it has a state-of-the-art defibrillator, although just the sound of its engine should be enough to make your heartbeat jump.

Alessio Vinci, CNN, Rome.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: I don't think I've ever seen Alessio enjoy an assignment more.

Thank you, Alessio, for that story.

It looks like there are a lot of rock 'n' roll fans out there watching this morning. We are talking a rock 'n' roll auction, memorabilia from the past. That includes a water color painting by John Lennon and a poster of the Beatles' Shea Stadium concert. We're going to tell you how to get your hands on those goods straight ahead.

And apparently, a lot of you do have some rock 'n' roll history in your attic. If you do, tell us about it. We have an expert here next hour to tell you how much it might be worth. Send the information to livetoday@cnn.com.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: OK. The song sounds like "Purple Haze," but green is the resounding in chorus for fans of Jimmy Hendrix and other rock 'n' roll immortals. You'll probably never going to see the stage yourself, thrash wildy on an electric guitar or throw yourself into a ravenous throng of groupies, but you can still indulge those rock 'n' roll fantasies with the highest bid.

Our guest, Marc Zakarin, tells about some 1,500 items, ranging from Elvis to Hendrix to Madonna to the Beatles, that are going on the Internet auction block. He's joining us this morning from New York City.

Marc, good morning. Great to have you back here with us.

MARC ZAKARIN, ROCK MEMORABILIA COLLECTOR: Hi. How are you? It's great to be back.

KAGAN: I'm doing great.

Let's -- quickly tell us about the auction. It's going to happen online.

ZAKARIN: Yes, it's online right now, and you can go to itsonlyrocknroll.com, and there are 1,300 lots, and you can -- they are bidding right as we speak, and it closes on Tuesday, June 29th.

KAGAN: OK, let's look at some of the stuff. First, the Woodstock bus sign. ZAKARIN: Yes, an actual Woodstock bus sign that adorned the New York City buses in June of 1969. They came out on the buses. And if you were lucky enough to pull one off a bus, you'll be lucky to have one or buy it in our auction.

KAGAN: How much do you think it's going to go for?

ZAKARIN: Five-thousand dollars to $8,000.

KAGAN: Oh, that's some sign.

ZAKARIN: It begins at $2,000.

KAGAN: Madonna's MTV Moon Award.

ZAKARIN: Yes.

KAGAN: This wasn't from when she was doing the kissing thing with Britney Spears or anything?

ZAKARIN: No, this is an MTV Award. It's one of the more contemporary awards that are given every year for a lot of different things, and this one was presented to Madonna for the directing of one of her videos.

KAGAN: How much?

ZAKARIN: Figure again, $7,000 to $10,000. It's already got bids. I think it's about $4,500 at the moment.

KAGAN: OK, now we have a ton of rock 'n' roll fans from the audience, because they've been sending in their e-mails. So I'm going to just throw these at you, and you tell me what you think something like this might be worth, OK?

ZAKARIN: Absolutely.

KAGAN: This one is from Kenny. He says he has a complete set of all the Beatles cards that came in bubble gum packs, just like the baseball cards. He collected all the black and white ones, and then he got the color ones when they came out.

ZAKARIN: Well, without wrappers, the black and white set and the color set, all the different sets, sell between about $100 and $150. The "Hard Days' Night" set being the hardest.

KAGAN: OK, this one from Lee Simmons. He has a Mint USA telecaster signed by Fran Beecher, who is the lead guitarists for Bill Haley and the Comets. What's that worth?

ZAKARIN: Very good. I saw those guys in concert recently, and they're still rocking pretty hard.

KAGAN: They're still playing?

ZAKARIN: It's amazing at their age. A regular telecaster, if it wasn't when he played onstage, and it's just signed by him, the value is probably more like $750 to $1,500. If it was one he played onstage and you can photo I.D. it, which is of course the most important thing, to photo I.D. something, then it probably would be $5,000 to $10,000.

KAGAN: Ooh, that makes it go up quite a bit.

ZAKARIN: Yes.

KAGAN: Let's get back to more of your stuff, to the Beatles. The Beatles "Sergeant Pepper" album signed by all four.

ZAKARIN: Yes, one of the classic albums, and Beatles on an album is the hardest way to get a set of autographs and the most valuable. They begin at about $15,000 and end at about $75,000. "Sergeant Pepper," of course, being the toughest of all Beatles albums to get, and here's one signed by...

KAGAN: Exactly. And how much do you think this one is going to go for?

ZAKARIN: This one starts at $60,000.

KAGAN: Oh, my goodness.

ZAKARIN: We also have a "Hard Days' Night"-signed album that's already got bids around $12,000, and I expect to end at around $30,000. Depends on which album. There have only been a few "Sergeant Peppers" that have ever surfaced.

KAGAN: Looking to forward to seeing how much that one goes for. Now, I recently made my third by pilgrimage to Graceland, believe it or not. So I'm interested in the Elvis items.

ZAKARIN: Great.

KAGAN: Elvis' cape?

ZAKARIN: Yes, we have a cape here. A gal named Jeannie Green (ph) was one of Elvis' backup singers. She sang on "In the Ghetto (ph)," and "Suspicious Mind," and she was kind enough to consign this. Elvis being the generous fellow he is gave this to her as a gift when they were recording a song called "Help Me" in Memphis in 1973.

KAGAN: And how much do you think that's going to go for?

ZAKARIN: I think it starts at around $3,000, and usually an Elvis cape like this will sell for $5,000 to $10,000, or even more if somebody can photo I.D. it.

KAGAN: One more from our viewer. It is an Elvis item. She has two pictures of Elvis taken at Fort Chappy (ph) when he was inducted into the Army.

ZAKARIN: Candid photos are very collectible, depending on what they looked like. It's probably valued about $100, $150. KAGAN: OK, probably more precious memories.

Real quickly, John Kerry was in a rock band when he was in college. You have the actual album.

ZAKARIN: Yes, it's a really cool item, especially with the times currently. And John Kerry was the base player in 1962. I don't know if you can see a little photo of him there. But he was in this band called the Electras, and it's a very collectible album. It should sell for $3,000.

KAGAN: And maybe his wife will be online trying to get it for a surprise birthday present or something.

ZAKARIN: Very cool.

KAGAN: Marc, good luck with the auction. Once again, tell everyone the Web site so they can bid if they want.

ZAKARIN: OK, itsonlyrocknroll.com.

KAGAN: The letter 'n.'

ZAKARIN: Yes, and they can also purchase a catalog if they like, and they can check all this out online.

KAGAN: Excellent. Marc Zakarin, thanks for coming back.

ZAKARIN: Thank you for having me. I enjoyed it.

KAGAN: Appreciate it. Our viewers love getting your feedback.

ZAKARIN: Thank you.

KAGAN: You can keep your eye on entertainment 24/7 by pointing your Internet browser to CNN.com/entertainment. We are back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

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