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Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees

Baby 81's Parents Identified; Celebrities May Testify on Michael Jackson's Behalf

Aired February 14, 2005 - 19:00   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.


ANDERSON COOPER, HOST: Good evening from New York. I'm Anderson Cooper.
A happy ending for a baby swept away in raging waters. Baby 81, a number no longer, his parents and his identity no longer a mystery.

360 starts now.

Baby 81, anonymous no longer. The tsunami infant claimed by multiple parents is finally identified. His real mom and dad are alive and well. Tonight, a Valentine story of love lost and found.

Michael Jackson in court, his defense announces potential witnesses, Kobe Bryant, Elizabeth Taylor, Stevie Wonder. Why is the pop star naming his celebrity friends? Tonight, we take you inside the courtroom.

The Zoloft murder trial goes to the jury after dramatic closing statements.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One went in his mouth, one went into her head.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: Was it cold-blooded murder, or did Zoloft make him do it?

Giving diamonds on Valentine's Day? Thousands do. But does it really matter where you get them? Tonight, the truth and lies about buying diamonds. What you need to know before paying big bucks for bling bling.

And who let these dogs out? A new breed of pooch struts the catwalk at the most famous dog show in the world. Tonight, we take you behind the scenes, the big dogs and the special breed who love them.

ANNOUNCER: Live from the CNN Broadcast Center in New York, this is ANDERSON COOPER 360.

COOPER: Good evening. We begin tonight on this Valentine's Day with a story about love, a mother and a father's love for their baby, a story that has a very happy ending tonight.

We didn't know this baby's name until today. We only knew his number, baby 81, found alive amid bodies and debris in Sri Lanka after the tsunami's waves washed ashore.

Nine different couples claimed the boy, grieving parents wanting, perhaps even believing, the baby was theirs. All this time, his real name, his real parents, haven't been known. But today DNA testing gave him and his parents his life back.

Baby 81 is Abilassh Jeyarajah, lost, now found.

ITN's Jason Farrell has this story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JASON FARRELL, ITV NEWS (voice-over): He was the 81st person admitted to his local hospital on the day of the tsunami and became known as baby 81. That eight families claimed him as their own demonstrated the loss and desperation of so many in the wake of the killer waves.

But Jenita and Murugupillai Jeyarajah were the only couple to file a custody claim. They had no documents. The tsunami had taken them. The only thing left that could link them to the child was their DNA.

The legal process has at times been frustrating. The Jeyarajahs, distraught after being told to wait for genetic tests, returned to the hospital and tried to take the baby home. The mother was eventually forced to give her child back to a nurse. After weeks apart, it was a lot to ask.

Now, after an agonizing wait, the DNA tests have come back, conclusively proving the Jeyarajahs as rightful parents.

Baby 81 will be reunited with them after formal court proceedings in two days' time. And incidentally, he does have a real name, Abilassh. He was born on October the 19th. It's been an eventful first four months of life.

Jason Farrell, ITV News.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Let's hope his life becomes much less eventful from here on in.

This Valentine's Day could have been a day of terrible endings for many families on the West Coast of the United States, if a man on the Internet did what he's accused of trying to do. His name is Gerald Krein, and he's now been indicted in Oregon on one count of solicitation to commit murder, four of solicitation to commit manslaughter.

Now, police say he tried to entice people online, on the Internet, women mostly, to agree to kill themselves, all at the same time today, on Valentine's Day.

CNN's Kimberly Osias has the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you have anything to say?

KIMBERLY OSIAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Authorities say 26-year-old Gerald Krein has been targeting women on the Internet for years, soliciting sex and suicide. Most recently, a group plan that started back in December on a Yahoo! site called Suicide Party 2005.

Investigators are beginning to connect the dots. They noticed a common theme. Krein targeted mostly women, and instant-messaged them about the specifics of the suicides, hanging themselves on Valentine's Day naked.

When Internet chat turned towards murder, four female tipsters contacted police.

JAMIE, CHAT ROOM PARTICIPANT: When he started talking about the woman and her kids is what freaked me out and made me wonder if he was telling the truth. And then he started getting into, like, really grave details.

OSIAS: At least 32 women spanning several states, Canada, and England are believed to be involved.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's definitely not a hoax. I mean, I suppose inside everybody's minds they could have said, Ha, ha, ha, we weren't really going to do this. But it's not a hoax. It's there on black and white.

OSIAS: Black-and-white photocopies with Krein's instant message conversation with one woman. "Do you want to hang?" "No." "Do you want to die in the nude?" "No." Then she says, "This sounds more perverted than anything."

TIM EVINGER, KLAMATH COUNTY SHERIFF: He identifies women in the chat rooms and starts to targeting them, is what it appears. And also indicates that he would like them to do maybe some sex acts or something and maybe for his own gratification.

OSIAS (on camera): Gerald Krein has been charged with solicitation to commit murder. In addition, today a Klamath County grand jury handed down four charges of manslaughter in the second degree.

Krein remains behind bars in the Klamath County jail. His attorney does not have any kind of comment. Ironically, he remains on a suicide watch.

Kimberly Osias, CNN, Klamath County, Oregon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Well, deliberations began today in the South Carolina murder trial of a teenager accused of shooting his grandparents to death when he was 12 years old. In closing arguments, the defense said the antidepressant Zoloft drove the boy to kill.

The prosecutor had a much different theory for the jury, and to tell it, he used the barrel of a gun. Dramatic testimony today.

Medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen is following the case.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Chris Pittman may have been only 12 when he killed his grandparents, but the prosecution argued the boy, now 15, did so out of, quote, "malice, meanness, wickedness."

BARNEY GIESE, PROSECUTOR: Now, either he shot Grandma first or Grandpa first. We don't know. But we know one went in his mouth, and one went into her head. And by his statement, he pumped it again, fired another shot, pumped it again, he fired a fourth shot.

Now, ladies and gentlemen, I don't care how old he is. The state submits that is as malicious a killing and murder as you're ever going to find.

COHEN: The defense blame the antidepressant drug Zoloft for sending the child's mind spinning out of control.

PAUL WALOWER, DEFENSE LAWYER: In this community, in this state, and in this country, we do not convict children for murder when they've been ambushed by chemicals that have destroyed their ability to reason.

COHEN: Prosecutors called the Zoloft defense a smokescreen. It's been tried before in other murder cases and always failed. But never has there been a case with a defendant this young.

The trial judge defined the issue this way in a law school class.

JUDGE DANIEL PIPPER, TRIAL JUDGE: An act does not make one guilty unless the mind is guilty.

COHEN: The jury got no clearcut help from a parade of psychiatrists. Defense experts supported the defense.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The drug has caused the problem.

COHEN: Prosecution experts favored the prosecution.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Very angry.

COHEN: No matter what the jury verdict, it may never answer exactly why Chris Pittman did kill the two people he says he loved most in his life. The defense insisted his grandparents would forgive him.

WALOWER: This is my beloved grandson. Pray for him, and do right by him.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COHEN: The jurors deliberated for about four hours, and then just moments ago, they sent a note to the judge saying they wanted to wrap up for the evening, and they have to come back at 9:30 tomorrow morning and continue their deliberations, Anderson.

COOPER: Elizabeth Cohen, thanks very much.

Twenty-four-year-old Robert Bonelli was arraigned today in Kingston, New York, on charges that he opened fire with an assault rifle in crowded shopping mall there yesterday. Now, the mall is still closed. Police are continuing to search for evidence. But we've learned a great deal more about the alleged gunman, a man seemingly obsessed with the Columbine massacre.

CNN's Jason Carroll takes us behind the headlines.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Early Sunday, authorities say Robert Bonelli went to this Wal-Mart in upstate New York, bought 60 rounds of ammunition, and began to carry out the plan he had been plotting for some time.

They believe he headed to a park, loaded his semiautomatic assault rifle, went to the Best Buy's parking lot at a mall in the town of Ulster, and opened fire, shooting three rounds into the store's glass doors, the fragments injuring a customer.

Bonelli fired more shots once in the store, reloaded, and headed inside the mall.

ANTHONY BLACK, MALL EMPLOYEE: I saw somebody coming out of Best Buy holding -- it's unmistakable what it was. It was a, you know, an assault weapon.

COHEN: Anthony Black works at Dick's Sporting Goods. His family was in the mall during the shooting. So instead of running away from Bonelli, Black followed him, watched as he shot one man, then stopped.

BLACK: The gun goes down to the side.

CARROLL (on camera): So he throws the gun down.

BLACK: Off to the side. His arms started to go up. I don't know what he's -- I don't know what he's going to do. I came behind him, grabbed his arms, brought them up behind his back, and forcibly put him to the floor.

CARROLL (voice-over): Black and two others held Bonelli for several minutes until help came.

BLACK: My first and only thought this entire time, I wanted to make sure that my family -- that this guy could not hurt my family or anybody else.

CARROLL: After his arrest, investigators headed to Bonelli's home, where they found what they described as Columbine memorabilia. After interviews with Bonelli, they learned he had respect for the two students who killed 13 people and themselves in the high school shooting in 1999.

DONALD WILLIAMS, ULSTER COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY: And had an interest that I think can best be described as a lurid fascination with the details of what occurred. Now, whether or not that specifically entered into the operation of his mind when he did this indiscriminate shooting, I simply will not speculate.

CARROLL: Black can't understand why anyone would do what Bonelli did, nor does he think of himself as a hero for his actions. He does, however, think about Bonelli's last words before police took him away.

BLACK: The only other thing he said was, Did I kill anybody?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CARROLL: Despite firing some 60 rounds, just two people were hurt during the shooting, a man who has severe injuries to his leg. We're also told that Bonelli lived at home. He was 24 years old. His father says that his son is a good person deep down inside. He was just crying out for help, Anderson.

COOPER: Jason Carroll, thanks.

360 next, a daring river rescue in Los Angeles caught on tape. A teen caught in the rapids. You're going to hear from him and the firefighter who struggled to save his life.

Also tonight, Michael Jackson is on trial. He was in court today. You thought it was a media circus so far, well, today the defense announced their witness list, Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, even Kobe Bryant, all listed as potential witnesses. Will they show, and why? We'll talk about that ahead.

Plus, shopping for the perfect diamond. On this Valentine's Day, probably a lot of people are hoping to get some diamonds. But is there really a difference between the diamonds you can buy at Tiffany or at Sam's Club? Look at facts behind bling bling.

All that ahead. First, let's take a look at your picks, the most popular stories on CNN.dot-bling-bling.com.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Well, that was the image on Friday. A teenage boy who'd fallen into a fast-moving river had to hold on for his life until this man came to rescue him. News crews caught it all on tape, the boy being pulled inch by inch from the Los Angeles River. We saw it all happening live.

Tonight, the boy is fine, although a little embarrassed, and both he and the firefighter who brought him to safety are telling the story of what was really a race against time.

CNN's Thelma Gutierrez has it.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

THELMA GUTIERREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For 14-year- old Michael Garcia, it was a horrifying experience, holding on for life as the waters raged around him.

It was Michael's frantic friend who called 911.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's on a ledge right above the river.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But a rescue is under way...

GUTIERREZ: Within minutes, Los Angeles firefighters from Station 17 came to the rescue.

AL HERNANDEZ, LOS ANGELES FIREFIGHTER: We made our way up this. We were able to spot him over the side.

GUTIERREZ: Firefighter Al Hernandez knew he had to get to the boy quickly.

HERNANDEZ I stood up here, and I stepped over the side in a full harness.

GUTIERREZ: As Al rappelled 40 feet down the slippery wall of the Los Angeles River, Michael managed to wedge himself into a gap. The rain-swollen river was already up to his chest.

HERNANDEZ: The water was extremely cold, very rough. There was a lot of debris floating by.

GUTIERREZ: Al says Michael had been carried downstream about a mile and was frightened.

HERNANDEZ: His legs were very cold, numb. He was feeling weak. It was just a matter of time before he probably would have swept down the river and probably perished.

GUTIERREZ: But Al was able to secure Michael. As they were pulled to safety, Al worried this piece of steel would fall on them, but they made it.

Michael admits he and his friend got too close to the river's edge when the earth gave way. MICHAEL GARCIA, RESCUED FROM RIVER: I was just trying to go back for where we fell in. But as we kept going, the current got stronger and stronger, so we decided to go with the current.

MARIBEL GARCIA, SON RESCUED FROM RIVER: It's a very dangerous place, but I couldn't, I can't -- I couldn't be upset with him, you know. I'm just thankful to God that he's OK.

GUTIERREZ: Firefighter Al Hernandez says he's thankful too.

HERNANDEZ: He was extremely lucky. There was a lot of things that were in his favor.

GUTIERREZ: Michael says he's learned his lesson.

MICHAEL GARCIA: So I thought it was kind of embarrassing because of all the cameras. And a little horrifying.

GUTIERREZ: A lesson that almost cost him his life.

Thelma Gutierrez, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Well, when Vioxx, Celebrex, and other popular painkillers known as COX-2 inhibitors first hit the market, a lot of people called them wonder drugs. Now, however, an FDA advisory panel is set to debate just this week whether these drugs are safe enough to stay on the market.

CNN senior medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta updates us now. One woman's family already has all the evidence it needs.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Anita Glover suffered with arthritis, and, like 20 million other Americans, her doctors prescribed Vioxx. Vioxx, along with Celebrex and Vextra, make up a class of pain drugs called COX-2 inhibitors. They came on the scene in the late '90s, and many people considered them to be miracle drugs. They stopped the pain, didn't bother your stomach, and in the meantime, made millions of dollars for drug companies.

But Robert Glover, Anita's son, believes Vioxx is behind a tragic day in 2001 that he says he'll never forget.

ROBERT GLOVER, MOTHER TOOK VIOXX: She collapsed in the hallway on the floor, was having trouble breathing, was in real distress. And at that point we called 911, and we had the ambulance show up. And they took her to emergency. And she passed away of a heart attack.

GUPTA: And it's just this kind of story that an FDA committee will be investigating this week as evidence mounts that the COX-2 drugs may do more harm than good. GLOVER: She read all the drug warnings. She felt that, you know, everything -- all the research had been done on it, and it was a safe drug for her.

GUPTA: But medical community insiders have been worried about this problem since the drugs came out.

DR. LAWRENCE SPERLING, EMORY UNIVERSITY CARDIOLOGIST: Initially, about four years ago or so, there were questions related to the possible heart side effects of these medications.

GUPTA: And now fast-forward to the fall of 2004.

RAYMOND GILMARTIN, CEO, MERCK AND COMPANY: The risk of a cardiovascular event did increase among those on Vioxx. Accordingly, we are voluntarily withdrawing Vioxx, effective today.

GUPTA: Then, just three months after Vioxx was pulled from the market over heart attack concerns, the National Cancer Institute halted a study using a similar drug, saying it found the same increased heart risk in those taking Celebrex.

Pfizer, the makers of Celebrex, said that these results were inconsistent with data in other clinical trials, and decided to keep the drug on the market. But both Pfizer and the FDA warned doctors to consider all of the risks before prescribing it to their patients.

We spoke with one doctor who heeded their warning.

SPERLING: Right now, with our available information, I would say that I'd be a little wary of prescribing Celebrex to you right now.

GUPTA: Four days after problems with Celebrex were announced, another trial was halted over similar heart concerns. This time, the drug in question was naprosen, the active ingredient in the over-the- counter pain reliever Aleve. But the drug's manufacturer, Bayer, says Aleve is safe when used as directed.

While these concerns are just being brought to the public's attention, Robert Glover has been aware of the problems with Vioxx since his mother's death in 2001.

GLOVER: Unfortunately, she took the drug thinking that, you know, it was going to help her, but she didn't think it would hurt her.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Well, mother-to-be -- (UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- Oh, hey, Sanjay. I'm sorry, I didn't actually see you there. What are people going to do, I mean, if these drugs are, if these COX-2 drugs are taken off, people who are in serious pain, what are they going to do?

GUPTA: Yes, you know, the thing about it is that the drugs were originally designed to not only relieve pain but also not also hurt your stomach. What's going to happen in the short term, Anderson, is that there are other pain relievers available. In addition to taking those medications, people will also take medications that protect their stomach at the same time.

FDA hearings begin on Wednesday. As part of those hearings, there may be some other options as well. We'll bring those to you.

COOPER: Great, we'll update that in the middle of the week. Thanks, Sanjay.

GUPTA: All right, thank you.

COOPER: Mother-to-be fights back against an imposter who may have been trying to steal her baby. That story tops our look at what's happening right now cross-country.

We take you to Fort Mitchell, Kentucky. A pregnant woman says she believes it was maternal instinct that helped her fight off and kill a woman who police say may have been after her unborn child. Investigators say the attacker, Katherine Smith, this woman, attacked Sarah Brady with a knife and was passing herself off as pregnant, though she wasn't. They're still investigating.

Off Alaska's Aleutian Islands now, turns out that that cargo ship that ran aground, split in two, and dumped fuel oil into the Bering Sea in December, well, it turns out it ranks as the biggest spill since the 1989 "Exxon Valdez" disaster. Just one measure of the disaster, the spill killed 1,600 birds.

New York City, can anything save what little remains of the pro hockey season? Maybe the real question is, does anyone really care? The NHL commissioner will reportedly officially cancel the season tomorrow after last-ditch talks toward a new agreement went nowhere this weekend. We'll keep you updated.

That's a look at stories right now cross-country.

Coming up next on 360, a Valentine's question. Does a good deal mean a bad cut on a diamond? Well, you may be surprised. We're going to put diamonds to the ultimate test.

Plus, a teacher's love, once forbidden, will soon become eternal. Mary Kay Letourneau, well, she's getting married to the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) the young man she raped as a child.

All that ahead.

Also tonight, an all-star cast for the witness stand. We're going to tell you who could make a guest appearance at the Michael Jackson trial.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: All right, so it's Valentine's Day, and maybe, just maybe, you're hoping to get a diamond, or hoping you can afford to buy one for maybe yourself or someone you love. Now, the common beliefs is -- belief is, if you go to a pricier store, like Tiffany's, and you buy a Tiffany's diamond, well, you'd think it has greater value than, say, a Sam's Club diamond.

We wanted to see if that's actually true. Tonight, CNN's Randi Kaye takes a hard look at the truth behind those expensive shiny rocks.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): How much do you really need to spend on a diamond? We asked jewelry appraiser Steve Turner to help us find out.

(on camera): How does that one look to you?

STEVE TURNER, JEWELRY APPRAISER: This is also a very-well cut stone, very bright. A few more obvious inclusions than the first one we looked at, but also a very pretty stone.

KAYE: Yes, tell me what I'm looking at.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right.

KAYE (voice-over): We took our hidden camera and bought four diamond rings from four different merchants -- Tiffany's, Mayors, Shane and Company, and Sam's Club. They're all similar in size and quality to make a fair comparison. The prices are the big difference.

Tiffany's cost us the most cash, $3,610. At Mayors, the ring was nearly $1,000 less. We spent just under three grand at Shane and Company, just under $2,000 at Sam's.

(on camera): But if the diamond's about the same, how do you justify so much more money, say, at a Tiffany's versus a wholesale club?

TURNER: In the end, a diamond is a diamond is a diamond. It's a commodity.

KAYE (voice-over): In looking at weight, color, clarity, and how well the diamond is cut, Steve didn't find much of a difference between an expensive retailer like Tiffany and Sam's Club.

TURNER: All of these are in what is known as the near-colorless range. Most consumers would not be able to make a distinction between them.

KAYE (on camera): While color and clarity are important, comfort may be the real key when it comes to deciding where to shop. Some consumers may prefer to buy their diamonds at a high-end mall like this one, while others are willing to give a little on service and atmosphere for a better deal.

(voice-over): Those looking to save a little cash may not be coming up short, at least not where we shopped.

TURNER: The value exists in both places, from what our appraisals have told us. You do save money here. KAYE: While Sam's ring is slightly lower in quality, Steve says the difference is unnoticeable to the naked eye.

(on camera): So the question is, did we get what we paid for?

TURNER: Absolutely. In (UNINTELLIGIBLE), in my opinion, in every case, you did.

KAYE (voice-over): But even that's not enough to satisfy some women.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'd dump the boyfriend.

KAYE: Even on Valentine's Day.

Randi Kaye, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Well, a massive explosion killed a former prime minister in Lebanon. That story tops our look at global stories right now in the uplink.

The blast rocked Beirut's downtown, killing at least 10 people, including the former prime minister, Rafik Hariri. He had stepped down last year amid a power struggle of Lebanon's pro-Syrian government. Opposition leaders are blaming the governments of Lebanon and Syria for his assassination. But a previously unknown group claimed responsibility for the bombing, calling it a martyrdom attack, and promises more.

Madrid, Spain, charred building is going to come down. The city's mayor say the 32-story Windsor Building, which was gutted in a rapid fire Saturday night, will be demolished. Well, engineers have to wait a couple more days before they can go inside, figure out how to do it, exactly. Cause of the fire unknown at this point. No deaths were reported.

Take you to Venice, Italy. Gondoliers on strike. They've stopped ferrying tourists around the city to protest a ban on early hour boating. The strike has hurt plans for many lovers, though today a skeleton crew reportedly escorted several around town. It is after all Valentine's Day. That's a quick look at tonight's "Uplink."

Michael Jackson in court. His defense announces potential witnesses. Kobe Bryant? Elizabeth Taylor? Stevie Wonder? Why is the pop star naming his celebrity friends? Tonight we take you inside the courtroom.

And who let these dogs out? A new breed of pooch struts the catwalk at the most famous dog show in the world. Tonight we take you behind the scenes. The big dogs and the special breed who love them. 360 continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) COOPER: In "Justice Served" tonight the Michael Jackson child molestation trial, jury selection resumed today in a Santa Maria California courtroom. Michael Jackson was there. The list of prospective jurors is extensive. We've talked about it but it's not nearly as surprising as the witness list which was released today. The names of those who may be called to testify were listed. Well, among them Kobe Bryant, Elizabeth Taylor, even a professional spoon bender and I think a former Backstreet Boy. CNN's Ted Rowlands has the details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The star-studded list of potential defense witnesses in the Michael Jackson case includes Liz Taylor, Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, Larry King, and Kobe Bryant. Also on the list, Jackson's children, Paris and Prince Michael, plus their mother, Jackson's ex-wife, Debbie Rowe. The prosecution list includes both of Jackson's former attorneys, Mark Geragos and Benjamin Brafman. Also family members of the alleged victim in a 1993 allegation of child molestation against Jackson.

Kobe Bryant, according to court documents obtained by CNN, was identified as a friend by the mother of the accuser in the current case against Jackson. In a 2001 interview with Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services, she said of Bryant and Jackson, quote, "they shower us with love. We see them very often. They come to our house. We go to their house. We go places together and eat together."

Michael Jackson arrived early this morning to cheers from a handful of fans outside the courthouse. Inside, Jackson stood up and smiled and waved to the courtroom full of potential jurors.

LINDA DEUTSCH, AP CORRESPONDENT: Michael Jackson was dressed for the occasion. He was every inch the star.

ROWLANDS: One juror has been dismissed. 81-year-old Ralph Marks had a note from his doctor and was let go.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Would you have liked to have served on this jury?

RALPH MARKS, DISMISSED JUROR: Well, yes and no. I think it's going to be very interesting, time-consuming, and that's one reason that the doctor got me off.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROWLANDS: Mr. Marks, the only one to be let go today. It's expected more will be let go tomorrow as they try to pare it down to 12 jurors and 8 alternates. As for the witness list, there are over or about 400 potential witnesses in this case but they are potential witnesses. We don't know which of these celebrities will actually end up taking the stand in the case -- Anderson.

COOPER: Any sense how long this jury selection process could take? I know the judge is trying to move things along quickly.

ROWLANDS: He is. We should get a much better indication of that tomorrow when we see how many of these potential jurors the judge is willing to let go after the defense and prosecution asks for it. By then we'll get a good feel for how this process is going to go. After that, the judge says expect it to last -- the trial itself -- about five months.

COOPER: All right. Ted Rowlands, thanks very much.

We like to look at all sides of a story, different angles of course. Court TV anchor Lisa Bloom and from Miami tonight defense attorney Jayne Weintraub covering the trial for us. Thanks both of you for being with us.

Lisa, they name all these big names, Elizabeth Taylor, Kobe Bryant, Larry King is on there. Are they actually going to be called to testify...

LISA BLOOM, COURT TV: Is this the witness list or the Grammy lineup for across the universe? Come on, Anderson, there's no way all of these people are going to come in and testify.

COOPER: So why name them?

BLOOM: What would they have to say? This is only the prospective witness list at this point. Attorneys typically pile on all kinds of names. What are these people going to say? That they knew Michael Jackson, that he was good to children, that they never saw him molest a child. Especially in the case of Stevie Wonder, you have got to wonder how valuable this testimony is, Anderson. Child molestation happens in private. You don't do it in front of your friends. There's no way the judge is going to allow these people.

COOPER: Jayne, why are they doing it?

JAYNE WEINTRAUB, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: They're doing it for several reasons. One, there's a discovery rule that says if they don't list witnesses and they want to call them later they won't be able to unless they're on the list. That's the procedural answer. The second answer is because they have relevant things to say if they're able to testify. For example, he won't call them as character witnesses because if he calls in character witnesses, a traditional person, then the prosecutor could crossexamine them, to ask anything that they've ever heard or seen or know about his prior life and any accusations.

COOPER: So it's a double-edged sword?

WEINTRAUB: It is a double-edged sword and that's why he won't call them as character witnesses. I think strategically what he will do, just what Lisa was talking about is say, for example, Kobe Bryant knows the accuser's family. He's seen Michael Jackson with these children. Kobe Bryant has observed things in the home. And don't forget Kobe Bryant also, he was falsely accused. His case was dismissed... BLOOM: What does that got to do with this case? And by the way he apologized for his behavior in the hotel room so I don't know if we could say he was falsely accused. But look, the defense has two strategies here, Anderson. Number one, attack the media. That's why you have talk show hosts, presumably...

(CROSSTALK)

WEINTRAUB: They were at Neverland, Lisa. That's why they were listed. The people that were...

BLOOM: I don't know if Larry King was at Neverland and I think...

COOPER: Let me just jump in here. Isn't part of this though to try to influence the jury, to impress the jury that all these big- named people will line up behind Michael Jackson?

BLOOM: Well, maybe. But Mesereau already today we know from the questions he was asking potential jurors is going to go after the media. His theory is the media has already convicted Michael Jackson. That's why we see media people on the list. And he's going to attack the family. That's why we see people like Kobe Bryant.

COOPER: Jayne, what about the -- they have called -- the prosecution has called the boy -- well, then a boy who accused Michael Jackson of molestation back in '93 as a potential witness. I thought there were all sorts of confidentiality agreements. Did that subpoena trump anything in a civil agreement?

WEINTRAUB: That's exactly the word that I've used. It does trump it because you can't circumvent a court subpoena in criminal court. That's a court order. Two people can't agree confidentially THAT they'll never be able to disclose the truth in a criminal investigation done by the government or a state agency. It's illegal. So all they can do is say that they won't do it barring a subpoena. And that's exactly what's happened here. But the judge has not ruled that it's admissible or relevant evidence yet. That's a big hurdle (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

COOPER: Do you think the boy will be called?

BLOOM: I think he will. I think at the end of the prosecution's case the judge will rule. And I think under the new California law enacted after the '93 accusation the judge has to allow it. I think it will be explosive and make a big difference in the outcome of the case.

COOPER: We're going to leave it there.

WEINTRAUB: It will because it's going to be introduced just for what it's forbidden to introduce. If he did it before, he did it now. That's the danger.

BLOOM: As many as seven other allegations potentially.

COOPER: Jayne Weintraub, Lisa Bloom, thank you very much. Can't agree but it's good to have all sides represented.

Many of the celebrities on the witness list haven't spoken out about the case, at least not publicly, but some have. And given the amount of press coverage so far, perhaps more will follow. CNN's Rusty Dornin reports on the many famous friends of Michael Jackson.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Handcuffed and charged with child molestation. The latest accusations prompted at least one former supporter to reconsider his relationship with Michael Jackson.

Actor Corey Feldman was 13 when he became friends with Jackson. Feldman has previously said Jackson never molested him.

In this segment, on ABC's "20/20," Feldman has said he's had second thoughts about Jackson's behavior. He was asked if he was ever shown inappropriate images by Jackson.

COREY FELDMAN, ACTOR: If you consider it inappropriate for a man to look at a book of naked pictures with a child that's 13 or 14 years old, then your answer would be yes.

DORNIN: But Feldman has been listed as a possible witness for the defense.

One of his staunchest supporters, actress Elizabeth Taylor, has not commented on the case since his arrest when she issued a statement saying, "I know he's innocent. I hope they all eat crow."

Another friend, Uri Geller, today was surprised to learn he could be called as a defense witness. Geller, an author, also known for claiming to bend spoons with his mind, became friends with Jackson five years ago. Geller says he hasn't spoken with him since the release of this documentary. In it, Jackson admits to sleeping with young boys in his bedroom. Geller says he convinced Jackson it was OK to do the documentary, and now the star may blame him for what has happened. Geller says he wants to believe that Jackson is innocent, but...

URI GELLER, FRIEND OF MICHAEL JACKSON: I can't help it, but there is this streak of suspicion seeping into my mind and telling me, now hang on, Uri, you know, maybe you are wrong.

DORNIN: No comment now from actor Macaulay Culkin. When he was 11, he says he spent the night in Jackson's bedroom, and later came to realize now how that situation could be misconstrued.

Many of Jackson's former pals refuse to talk about the superstar. Geller says he's not surprised.

GELLER: The reason Michael's friends are having a tough time is because they are putting out -- they're risking their necks. They're putting their reputations on the line. DORNIN: But some of his friends may be forced to, called upon by the prosecution or the defense to tell the court what they know about Jackson's behavior.

Rusty Dornin, CNN, San Francisco.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: 360 next, Mary Kay Letourneau and Vili Fualaau, once teacher and student, rapist and victim, soon to be husband and wife. They have registered for wedding gifts and even picked out the china pattern.

Also tonight, every dog has his day, even big wrinkly ones that drool a lot. We're going to show you who let these big dogs in the Westminster Dog Show.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Mary Kay Letourneau always talked about her relationship to Vili Fualaau as a story of young love. In the eyes of the law, however, it was a crime. Her then student was so young her relationship was statutory rape, and she spent nearly eight years in jail.

That is all water under the bridge now for the couple. The lady is out of the big house. Her young man waited for her all that time, and now, at long last, the china pattern has been picked. How quickly we forget.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER (voice-over): Mary Kay Letourneau and Vili Fualaau have set a wedding date. That's right, the former grade schoolteacher and the boy she spent 7 1/2 years in prison for raping will walk down the aisle April 16th, to be exact. The news was leaked when the couple did what soon-to-be-wed couples do, registered for their wedding gifts. They picked out their china patterns. Let's just say the bride-to-be is very big on Villeroy & Boch.

And you can't say Mary Kay isn't considerate. Nearly all of the 33 gifts on her list are on sale.

If the road to romance is often rocky, Mary Kay and Vili's was, well, rockier than most.

MARY KAY LETOURNEAU: I did something that I had no right to do, morally or legally.

COOPER: We first encountered Mary Kay Letourneau in court. She was charged with raping Vili when he was her sixth grade student, just 13 years old when their relationship began. She was the 34-year-old married mother of four.

She served six months in prison, but just a month after she was released police found them again -- in a parked car, no less. She became pregnant again, and was sent to serve out her sentence.

When Mary Kay was released last August, she and Vili, who is now 22, picked up pretty much where they left off, except for the TV tour they did to explain their past.

They also told the world about their reconciliation on "Larry Elders."

VILI FUALAAU: I was asked and I was like, well, first of all, how do I know that she's you? And she says, can you feel my energy?

COOPER: Now they'll marry, friends say in a Seattle area church. Their two children are being raised by Vili's mother. The blushing bride is a registered sex offender, after all.

How quickly we forget.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Well, some far lighter stuff now. Move over, petite pooches, there is some new and kind of a big and slobbering -- that's a little slobber -- there's the big one. There you go. Competition at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.

Also ahead on this Valentine's Day, our new favorite crooner sings a song of love all alone on the Internet. I guarantee you he's going to put a smile on your face this Valentine's Day. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: A question for you. What weighs as much as a high school football player, makes a prune look smooth skin in buff and yet still causes anyone who catches sight of it automatically to go argh, or at least me. Two clues, first it's time again for the Westminster dog show. Second, this is a piece from Jeanne Moos.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): All the Botox in the world couldn't cure Belaggio. A sucker for wrinkles...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Not on me.

MOOS: The new breed at Westminster will leave you drooling.

(on camera): Yes, that is some man-size drool.

Let it fly.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Got to have a drool rag. It's like an American Express. You can never leave home without one.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What is he?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hippopotamus, right? MOOS (voice-over): Hippo, no. Neo, yes.

Short neapolitan mastiff, his name is Belaggio.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, wow, Belaggio.

MOOS (voice-over): The girls are swooning over half-brothers, Belaggio and Sirius.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Lets get serious.

MOOS: Two of only three Neapolitan Mastiff competing for the first time ever at Westminster.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm going to make him flap his cheeks.

MOOS (on camera): Woah!

(voice-over): In the time of the Roman emperors, a dog like this was used as...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A canine gladiator.

MOOS: Belaggio's handler, Harry Booker, says they fought lions and tigers at the coliseum. Their loose, wrinkly skin, makes it hard for an opponent to grab.

JIM DEPPEN, SIRIUS OWNER: He can literally turn in the skin. I can't literally restrain this dog.

MOOS (on camera): You like those wrinkles?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. I just said I'll look like this in 30 years.

MOOS: Twenty.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, you're a sweetheart, aren't you?

MOOS (voice-over): Though they were bred to be guard dogs, they're gentle when trained from puppyhood. This is Sirius' son, seriously irresistible. Belaggio's so well trained, we had to use him a treat to entice him to jump up on me.

(on camera): I can't find his mouth.

(voice-over): Maybe you've seen the breed before.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What?

MOOS: In "Harry Potter."

(voice-over): Is this what happens all the time when you bring him out?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Constantly, the barrage of people MOOS: Amid all the acclaim, what's a little slobber on your pants. Best in breed went to Belaggio, despite comments like hey, mister, someone let the air out of your dogs. Maybe slimmer dogs can slip by.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He can't get through he's so big. We've got to go around. He's the biggest dog in the show.

MOOS: At least he got the biggest laugh.

Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Man, yes.

All right, let's find out what's coming up at the top of the hour on "PAULA ZAHN NOW."

PAULA ZAHN, HOST "PAULA ZAHN NOW": Major jowls going on there. Thanks, Anderson. We're going to be talking about Michael Jackson. When it comes to world famous celebrities, he was the very definition of a superstar. Tonight a look at his early years, singing with his brothers as part of his brothers as Jackson Five, and his incredible success as a solo performer. And of course we'll talk a little bit about jury selection today. We'll also have some little known facts that separate the man from the myth. There will be no quiz at the end of the interview, Anderson.

COOPER: All right, Paula Zahn, thanks very much. That's in about 6 minutes from now. 360 next, a special 360 Valentine. That's right, our favorite Web crooner is back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Because it is Valentine's Day we at "360" want to give you, our viewers, a special gift. This is our Valentine to you. We don't know his name, but when singing a Romanian love song all alone on your Web cam, frankly, who needs names?

Finally tonight, taking love to "The Nth Degree." So this is the day and this is the guy, maybe. There seem actually to have been three saints named Valentine. Almost nothing is known about the two who were martyred near Rome around the year 270 A.D. And nothing -- whatever is known about the third except that he died in Africa. Whichever one he was, Valentine is now not only the patron saint of lovers but also of bee keepers. And as the fellow you pray to for relief from fainting spells.

Well, sure, love stings and makes you swoon. And then February 14th was once upon a time thought to be the day birds chose their mates. So the feast of a beaten and beheaded martyr got conflated with long among birds, and that's why, nowadays, we line up to buy billions of dollars worth of cards trimmed with lace, chocolates in heart shaped boxes, floral potpourris of many scents, pillows embroidered with poems of the roses are red, violets are blue variety. Anything at all that can be made to look romantic by wrapping a red ribbon behind it.

Lets see, it's origins are mysterious. Attempts to explain it just make it sound silly. You think sensible people would see through the whole thing. How much more, like love itself could Valentines Day be?

I'm Anderson Cooper, thanks for watching 360. Prime time coverage continues right now with Paula Zahn -- Paula.

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 February 14, 2005 - 19:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, HOST: Good evening from New York. I'm Anderson Cooper.
A happy ending for a baby swept away in raging waters. Baby 81, a number no longer, his parents and his identity no longer a mystery.

360 starts now.

Baby 81, anonymous no longer. The tsunami infant claimed by multiple parents is finally identified. His real mom and dad are alive and well. Tonight, a Valentine story of love lost and found.

Michael Jackson in court, his defense announces potential witnesses, Kobe Bryant, Elizabeth Taylor, Stevie Wonder. Why is the pop star naming his celebrity friends? Tonight, we take you inside the courtroom.

The Zoloft murder trial goes to the jury after dramatic closing statements.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One went in his mouth, one went into her head.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: Was it cold-blooded murder, or did Zoloft make him do it?

Giving diamonds on Valentine's Day? Thousands do. But does it really matter where you get them? Tonight, the truth and lies about buying diamonds. What you need to know before paying big bucks for bling bling.

And who let these dogs out? A new breed of pooch struts the catwalk at the most famous dog show in the world. Tonight, we take you behind the scenes, the big dogs and the special breed who love them.

ANNOUNCER: Live from the CNN Broadcast Center in New York, this is ANDERSON COOPER 360.

COOPER: Good evening. We begin tonight on this Valentine's Day with a story about love, a mother and a father's love for their baby, a story that has a very happy ending tonight.

We didn't know this baby's name until today. We only knew his number, baby 81, found alive amid bodies and debris in Sri Lanka after the tsunami's waves washed ashore.

Nine different couples claimed the boy, grieving parents wanting, perhaps even believing, the baby was theirs. All this time, his real name, his real parents, haven't been known. But today DNA testing gave him and his parents his life back.

Baby 81 is Abilassh Jeyarajah, lost, now found.

ITN's Jason Farrell has this story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JASON FARRELL, ITV NEWS (voice-over): He was the 81st person admitted to his local hospital on the day of the tsunami and became known as baby 81. That eight families claimed him as their own demonstrated the loss and desperation of so many in the wake of the killer waves.

But Jenita and Murugupillai Jeyarajah were the only couple to file a custody claim. They had no documents. The tsunami had taken them. The only thing left that could link them to the child was their DNA.

The legal process has at times been frustrating. The Jeyarajahs, distraught after being told to wait for genetic tests, returned to the hospital and tried to take the baby home. The mother was eventually forced to give her child back to a nurse. After weeks apart, it was a lot to ask.

Now, after an agonizing wait, the DNA tests have come back, conclusively proving the Jeyarajahs as rightful parents.

Baby 81 will be reunited with them after formal court proceedings in two days' time. And incidentally, he does have a real name, Abilassh. He was born on October the 19th. It's been an eventful first four months of life.

Jason Farrell, ITV News.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Let's hope his life becomes much less eventful from here on in.

This Valentine's Day could have been a day of terrible endings for many families on the West Coast of the United States, if a man on the Internet did what he's accused of trying to do. His name is Gerald Krein, and he's now been indicted in Oregon on one count of solicitation to commit murder, four of solicitation to commit manslaughter.

Now, police say he tried to entice people online, on the Internet, women mostly, to agree to kill themselves, all at the same time today, on Valentine's Day.

CNN's Kimberly Osias has the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you have anything to say?

KIMBERLY OSIAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Authorities say 26-year-old Gerald Krein has been targeting women on the Internet for years, soliciting sex and suicide. Most recently, a group plan that started back in December on a Yahoo! site called Suicide Party 2005.

Investigators are beginning to connect the dots. They noticed a common theme. Krein targeted mostly women, and instant-messaged them about the specifics of the suicides, hanging themselves on Valentine's Day naked.

When Internet chat turned towards murder, four female tipsters contacted police.

JAMIE, CHAT ROOM PARTICIPANT: When he started talking about the woman and her kids is what freaked me out and made me wonder if he was telling the truth. And then he started getting into, like, really grave details.

OSIAS: At least 32 women spanning several states, Canada, and England are believed to be involved.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's definitely not a hoax. I mean, I suppose inside everybody's minds they could have said, Ha, ha, ha, we weren't really going to do this. But it's not a hoax. It's there on black and white.

OSIAS: Black-and-white photocopies with Krein's instant message conversation with one woman. "Do you want to hang?" "No." "Do you want to die in the nude?" "No." Then she says, "This sounds more perverted than anything."

TIM EVINGER, KLAMATH COUNTY SHERIFF: He identifies women in the chat rooms and starts to targeting them, is what it appears. And also indicates that he would like them to do maybe some sex acts or something and maybe for his own gratification.

OSIAS (on camera): Gerald Krein has been charged with solicitation to commit murder. In addition, today a Klamath County grand jury handed down four charges of manslaughter in the second degree.

Krein remains behind bars in the Klamath County jail. His attorney does not have any kind of comment. Ironically, he remains on a suicide watch.

Kimberly Osias, CNN, Klamath County, Oregon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Well, deliberations began today in the South Carolina murder trial of a teenager accused of shooting his grandparents to death when he was 12 years old. In closing arguments, the defense said the antidepressant Zoloft drove the boy to kill.

The prosecutor had a much different theory for the jury, and to tell it, he used the barrel of a gun. Dramatic testimony today.

Medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen is following the case.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Chris Pittman may have been only 12 when he killed his grandparents, but the prosecution argued the boy, now 15, did so out of, quote, "malice, meanness, wickedness."

BARNEY GIESE, PROSECUTOR: Now, either he shot Grandma first or Grandpa first. We don't know. But we know one went in his mouth, and one went into her head. And by his statement, he pumped it again, fired another shot, pumped it again, he fired a fourth shot.

Now, ladies and gentlemen, I don't care how old he is. The state submits that is as malicious a killing and murder as you're ever going to find.

COHEN: The defense blame the antidepressant drug Zoloft for sending the child's mind spinning out of control.

PAUL WALOWER, DEFENSE LAWYER: In this community, in this state, and in this country, we do not convict children for murder when they've been ambushed by chemicals that have destroyed their ability to reason.

COHEN: Prosecutors called the Zoloft defense a smokescreen. It's been tried before in other murder cases and always failed. But never has there been a case with a defendant this young.

The trial judge defined the issue this way in a law school class.

JUDGE DANIEL PIPPER, TRIAL JUDGE: An act does not make one guilty unless the mind is guilty.

COHEN: The jury got no clearcut help from a parade of psychiatrists. Defense experts supported the defense.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The drug has caused the problem.

COHEN: Prosecution experts favored the prosecution.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Very angry.

COHEN: No matter what the jury verdict, it may never answer exactly why Chris Pittman did kill the two people he says he loved most in his life. The defense insisted his grandparents would forgive him.

WALOWER: This is my beloved grandson. Pray for him, and do right by him.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COHEN: The jurors deliberated for about four hours, and then just moments ago, they sent a note to the judge saying they wanted to wrap up for the evening, and they have to come back at 9:30 tomorrow morning and continue their deliberations, Anderson.

COOPER: Elizabeth Cohen, thanks very much.

Twenty-four-year-old Robert Bonelli was arraigned today in Kingston, New York, on charges that he opened fire with an assault rifle in crowded shopping mall there yesterday. Now, the mall is still closed. Police are continuing to search for evidence. But we've learned a great deal more about the alleged gunman, a man seemingly obsessed with the Columbine massacre.

CNN's Jason Carroll takes us behind the headlines.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Early Sunday, authorities say Robert Bonelli went to this Wal-Mart in upstate New York, bought 60 rounds of ammunition, and began to carry out the plan he had been plotting for some time.

They believe he headed to a park, loaded his semiautomatic assault rifle, went to the Best Buy's parking lot at a mall in the town of Ulster, and opened fire, shooting three rounds into the store's glass doors, the fragments injuring a customer.

Bonelli fired more shots once in the store, reloaded, and headed inside the mall.

ANTHONY BLACK, MALL EMPLOYEE: I saw somebody coming out of Best Buy holding -- it's unmistakable what it was. It was a, you know, an assault weapon.

COHEN: Anthony Black works at Dick's Sporting Goods. His family was in the mall during the shooting. So instead of running away from Bonelli, Black followed him, watched as he shot one man, then stopped.

BLACK: The gun goes down to the side.

CARROLL (on camera): So he throws the gun down.

BLACK: Off to the side. His arms started to go up. I don't know what he's -- I don't know what he's going to do. I came behind him, grabbed his arms, brought them up behind his back, and forcibly put him to the floor.

CARROLL (voice-over): Black and two others held Bonelli for several minutes until help came.

BLACK: My first and only thought this entire time, I wanted to make sure that my family -- that this guy could not hurt my family or anybody else.

CARROLL: After his arrest, investigators headed to Bonelli's home, where they found what they described as Columbine memorabilia. After interviews with Bonelli, they learned he had respect for the two students who killed 13 people and themselves in the high school shooting in 1999.

DONALD WILLIAMS, ULSTER COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY: And had an interest that I think can best be described as a lurid fascination with the details of what occurred. Now, whether or not that specifically entered into the operation of his mind when he did this indiscriminate shooting, I simply will not speculate.

CARROLL: Black can't understand why anyone would do what Bonelli did, nor does he think of himself as a hero for his actions. He does, however, think about Bonelli's last words before police took him away.

BLACK: The only other thing he said was, Did I kill anybody?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CARROLL: Despite firing some 60 rounds, just two people were hurt during the shooting, a man who has severe injuries to his leg. We're also told that Bonelli lived at home. He was 24 years old. His father says that his son is a good person deep down inside. He was just crying out for help, Anderson.

COOPER: Jason Carroll, thanks.

360 next, a daring river rescue in Los Angeles caught on tape. A teen caught in the rapids. You're going to hear from him and the firefighter who struggled to save his life.

Also tonight, Michael Jackson is on trial. He was in court today. You thought it was a media circus so far, well, today the defense announced their witness list, Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, even Kobe Bryant, all listed as potential witnesses. Will they show, and why? We'll talk about that ahead.

Plus, shopping for the perfect diamond. On this Valentine's Day, probably a lot of people are hoping to get some diamonds. But is there really a difference between the diamonds you can buy at Tiffany or at Sam's Club? Look at facts behind bling bling.

All that ahead. First, let's take a look at your picks, the most popular stories on CNN.dot-bling-bling.com.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Well, that was the image on Friday. A teenage boy who'd fallen into a fast-moving river had to hold on for his life until this man came to rescue him. News crews caught it all on tape, the boy being pulled inch by inch from the Los Angeles River. We saw it all happening live.

Tonight, the boy is fine, although a little embarrassed, and both he and the firefighter who brought him to safety are telling the story of what was really a race against time.

CNN's Thelma Gutierrez has it.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

THELMA GUTIERREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For 14-year- old Michael Garcia, it was a horrifying experience, holding on for life as the waters raged around him.

It was Michael's frantic friend who called 911.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's on a ledge right above the river.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But a rescue is under way...

GUTIERREZ: Within minutes, Los Angeles firefighters from Station 17 came to the rescue.

AL HERNANDEZ, LOS ANGELES FIREFIGHTER: We made our way up this. We were able to spot him over the side.

GUTIERREZ: Firefighter Al Hernandez knew he had to get to the boy quickly.

HERNANDEZ I stood up here, and I stepped over the side in a full harness.

GUTIERREZ: As Al rappelled 40 feet down the slippery wall of the Los Angeles River, Michael managed to wedge himself into a gap. The rain-swollen river was already up to his chest.

HERNANDEZ: The water was extremely cold, very rough. There was a lot of debris floating by.

GUTIERREZ: Al says Michael had been carried downstream about a mile and was frightened.

HERNANDEZ: His legs were very cold, numb. He was feeling weak. It was just a matter of time before he probably would have swept down the river and probably perished.

GUTIERREZ: But Al was able to secure Michael. As they were pulled to safety, Al worried this piece of steel would fall on them, but they made it.

Michael admits he and his friend got too close to the river's edge when the earth gave way. MICHAEL GARCIA, RESCUED FROM RIVER: I was just trying to go back for where we fell in. But as we kept going, the current got stronger and stronger, so we decided to go with the current.

MARIBEL GARCIA, SON RESCUED FROM RIVER: It's a very dangerous place, but I couldn't, I can't -- I couldn't be upset with him, you know. I'm just thankful to God that he's OK.

GUTIERREZ: Firefighter Al Hernandez says he's thankful too.

HERNANDEZ: He was extremely lucky. There was a lot of things that were in his favor.

GUTIERREZ: Michael says he's learned his lesson.

MICHAEL GARCIA: So I thought it was kind of embarrassing because of all the cameras. And a little horrifying.

GUTIERREZ: A lesson that almost cost him his life.

Thelma Gutierrez, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Well, when Vioxx, Celebrex, and other popular painkillers known as COX-2 inhibitors first hit the market, a lot of people called them wonder drugs. Now, however, an FDA advisory panel is set to debate just this week whether these drugs are safe enough to stay on the market.

CNN senior medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta updates us now. One woman's family already has all the evidence it needs.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Anita Glover suffered with arthritis, and, like 20 million other Americans, her doctors prescribed Vioxx. Vioxx, along with Celebrex and Vextra, make up a class of pain drugs called COX-2 inhibitors. They came on the scene in the late '90s, and many people considered them to be miracle drugs. They stopped the pain, didn't bother your stomach, and in the meantime, made millions of dollars for drug companies.

But Robert Glover, Anita's son, believes Vioxx is behind a tragic day in 2001 that he says he'll never forget.

ROBERT GLOVER, MOTHER TOOK VIOXX: She collapsed in the hallway on the floor, was having trouble breathing, was in real distress. And at that point we called 911, and we had the ambulance show up. And they took her to emergency. And she passed away of a heart attack.

GUPTA: And it's just this kind of story that an FDA committee will be investigating this week as evidence mounts that the COX-2 drugs may do more harm than good. GLOVER: She read all the drug warnings. She felt that, you know, everything -- all the research had been done on it, and it was a safe drug for her.

GUPTA: But medical community insiders have been worried about this problem since the drugs came out.

DR. LAWRENCE SPERLING, EMORY UNIVERSITY CARDIOLOGIST: Initially, about four years ago or so, there were questions related to the possible heart side effects of these medications.

GUPTA: And now fast-forward to the fall of 2004.

RAYMOND GILMARTIN, CEO, MERCK AND COMPANY: The risk of a cardiovascular event did increase among those on Vioxx. Accordingly, we are voluntarily withdrawing Vioxx, effective today.

GUPTA: Then, just three months after Vioxx was pulled from the market over heart attack concerns, the National Cancer Institute halted a study using a similar drug, saying it found the same increased heart risk in those taking Celebrex.

Pfizer, the makers of Celebrex, said that these results were inconsistent with data in other clinical trials, and decided to keep the drug on the market. But both Pfizer and the FDA warned doctors to consider all of the risks before prescribing it to their patients.

We spoke with one doctor who heeded their warning.

SPERLING: Right now, with our available information, I would say that I'd be a little wary of prescribing Celebrex to you right now.

GUPTA: Four days after problems with Celebrex were announced, another trial was halted over similar heart concerns. This time, the drug in question was naprosen, the active ingredient in the over-the- counter pain reliever Aleve. But the drug's manufacturer, Bayer, says Aleve is safe when used as directed.

While these concerns are just being brought to the public's attention, Robert Glover has been aware of the problems with Vioxx since his mother's death in 2001.

GLOVER: Unfortunately, she took the drug thinking that, you know, it was going to help her, but she didn't think it would hurt her.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Well, mother-to-be -- (UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- Oh, hey, Sanjay. I'm sorry, I didn't actually see you there. What are people going to do, I mean, if these drugs are, if these COX-2 drugs are taken off, people who are in serious pain, what are they going to do?

GUPTA: Yes, you know, the thing about it is that the drugs were originally designed to not only relieve pain but also not also hurt your stomach. What's going to happen in the short term, Anderson, is that there are other pain relievers available. In addition to taking those medications, people will also take medications that protect their stomach at the same time.

FDA hearings begin on Wednesday. As part of those hearings, there may be some other options as well. We'll bring those to you.

COOPER: Great, we'll update that in the middle of the week. Thanks, Sanjay.

GUPTA: All right, thank you.

COOPER: Mother-to-be fights back against an imposter who may have been trying to steal her baby. That story tops our look at what's happening right now cross-country.

We take you to Fort Mitchell, Kentucky. A pregnant woman says she believes it was maternal instinct that helped her fight off and kill a woman who police say may have been after her unborn child. Investigators say the attacker, Katherine Smith, this woman, attacked Sarah Brady with a knife and was passing herself off as pregnant, though she wasn't. They're still investigating.

Off Alaska's Aleutian Islands now, turns out that that cargo ship that ran aground, split in two, and dumped fuel oil into the Bering Sea in December, well, it turns out it ranks as the biggest spill since the 1989 "Exxon Valdez" disaster. Just one measure of the disaster, the spill killed 1,600 birds.

New York City, can anything save what little remains of the pro hockey season? Maybe the real question is, does anyone really care? The NHL commissioner will reportedly officially cancel the season tomorrow after last-ditch talks toward a new agreement went nowhere this weekend. We'll keep you updated.

That's a look at stories right now cross-country.

Coming up next on 360, a Valentine's question. Does a good deal mean a bad cut on a diamond? Well, you may be surprised. We're going to put diamonds to the ultimate test.

Plus, a teacher's love, once forbidden, will soon become eternal. Mary Kay Letourneau, well, she's getting married to the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) the young man she raped as a child.

All that ahead.

Also tonight, an all-star cast for the witness stand. We're going to tell you who could make a guest appearance at the Michael Jackson trial.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: All right, so it's Valentine's Day, and maybe, just maybe, you're hoping to get a diamond, or hoping you can afford to buy one for maybe yourself or someone you love. Now, the common beliefs is -- belief is, if you go to a pricier store, like Tiffany's, and you buy a Tiffany's diamond, well, you'd think it has greater value than, say, a Sam's Club diamond.

We wanted to see if that's actually true. Tonight, CNN's Randi Kaye takes a hard look at the truth behind those expensive shiny rocks.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): How much do you really need to spend on a diamond? We asked jewelry appraiser Steve Turner to help us find out.

(on camera): How does that one look to you?

STEVE TURNER, JEWELRY APPRAISER: This is also a very-well cut stone, very bright. A few more obvious inclusions than the first one we looked at, but also a very pretty stone.

KAYE: Yes, tell me what I'm looking at.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right.

KAYE (voice-over): We took our hidden camera and bought four diamond rings from four different merchants -- Tiffany's, Mayors, Shane and Company, and Sam's Club. They're all similar in size and quality to make a fair comparison. The prices are the big difference.

Tiffany's cost us the most cash, $3,610. At Mayors, the ring was nearly $1,000 less. We spent just under three grand at Shane and Company, just under $2,000 at Sam's.

(on camera): But if the diamond's about the same, how do you justify so much more money, say, at a Tiffany's versus a wholesale club?

TURNER: In the end, a diamond is a diamond is a diamond. It's a commodity.

KAYE (voice-over): In looking at weight, color, clarity, and how well the diamond is cut, Steve didn't find much of a difference between an expensive retailer like Tiffany and Sam's Club.

TURNER: All of these are in what is known as the near-colorless range. Most consumers would not be able to make a distinction between them.

KAYE (on camera): While color and clarity are important, comfort may be the real key when it comes to deciding where to shop. Some consumers may prefer to buy their diamonds at a high-end mall like this one, while others are willing to give a little on service and atmosphere for a better deal.

(voice-over): Those looking to save a little cash may not be coming up short, at least not where we shopped.

TURNER: The value exists in both places, from what our appraisals have told us. You do save money here. KAYE: While Sam's ring is slightly lower in quality, Steve says the difference is unnoticeable to the naked eye.

(on camera): So the question is, did we get what we paid for?

TURNER: Absolutely. In (UNINTELLIGIBLE), in my opinion, in every case, you did.

KAYE (voice-over): But even that's not enough to satisfy some women.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'd dump the boyfriend.

KAYE: Even on Valentine's Day.

Randi Kaye, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Well, a massive explosion killed a former prime minister in Lebanon. That story tops our look at global stories right now in the uplink.

The blast rocked Beirut's downtown, killing at least 10 people, including the former prime minister, Rafik Hariri. He had stepped down last year amid a power struggle of Lebanon's pro-Syrian government. Opposition leaders are blaming the governments of Lebanon and Syria for his assassination. But a previously unknown group claimed responsibility for the bombing, calling it a martyrdom attack, and promises more.

Madrid, Spain, charred building is going to come down. The city's mayor say the 32-story Windsor Building, which was gutted in a rapid fire Saturday night, will be demolished. Well, engineers have to wait a couple more days before they can go inside, figure out how to do it, exactly. Cause of the fire unknown at this point. No deaths were reported.

Take you to Venice, Italy. Gondoliers on strike. They've stopped ferrying tourists around the city to protest a ban on early hour boating. The strike has hurt plans for many lovers, though today a skeleton crew reportedly escorted several around town. It is after all Valentine's Day. That's a quick look at tonight's "Uplink."

Michael Jackson in court. His defense announces potential witnesses. Kobe Bryant? Elizabeth Taylor? Stevie Wonder? Why is the pop star naming his celebrity friends? Tonight we take you inside the courtroom.

And who let these dogs out? A new breed of pooch struts the catwalk at the most famous dog show in the world. Tonight we take you behind the scenes. The big dogs and the special breed who love them. 360 continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) COOPER: In "Justice Served" tonight the Michael Jackson child molestation trial, jury selection resumed today in a Santa Maria California courtroom. Michael Jackson was there. The list of prospective jurors is extensive. We've talked about it but it's not nearly as surprising as the witness list which was released today. The names of those who may be called to testify were listed. Well, among them Kobe Bryant, Elizabeth Taylor, even a professional spoon bender and I think a former Backstreet Boy. CNN's Ted Rowlands has the details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The star-studded list of potential defense witnesses in the Michael Jackson case includes Liz Taylor, Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, Larry King, and Kobe Bryant. Also on the list, Jackson's children, Paris and Prince Michael, plus their mother, Jackson's ex-wife, Debbie Rowe. The prosecution list includes both of Jackson's former attorneys, Mark Geragos and Benjamin Brafman. Also family members of the alleged victim in a 1993 allegation of child molestation against Jackson.

Kobe Bryant, according to court documents obtained by CNN, was identified as a friend by the mother of the accuser in the current case against Jackson. In a 2001 interview with Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services, she said of Bryant and Jackson, quote, "they shower us with love. We see them very often. They come to our house. We go to their house. We go places together and eat together."

Michael Jackson arrived early this morning to cheers from a handful of fans outside the courthouse. Inside, Jackson stood up and smiled and waved to the courtroom full of potential jurors.

LINDA DEUTSCH, AP CORRESPONDENT: Michael Jackson was dressed for the occasion. He was every inch the star.

ROWLANDS: One juror has been dismissed. 81-year-old Ralph Marks had a note from his doctor and was let go.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Would you have liked to have served on this jury?

RALPH MARKS, DISMISSED JUROR: Well, yes and no. I think it's going to be very interesting, time-consuming, and that's one reason that the doctor got me off.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROWLANDS: Mr. Marks, the only one to be let go today. It's expected more will be let go tomorrow as they try to pare it down to 12 jurors and 8 alternates. As for the witness list, there are over or about 400 potential witnesses in this case but they are potential witnesses. We don't know which of these celebrities will actually end up taking the stand in the case -- Anderson.

COOPER: Any sense how long this jury selection process could take? I know the judge is trying to move things along quickly.

ROWLANDS: He is. We should get a much better indication of that tomorrow when we see how many of these potential jurors the judge is willing to let go after the defense and prosecution asks for it. By then we'll get a good feel for how this process is going to go. After that, the judge says expect it to last -- the trial itself -- about five months.

COOPER: All right. Ted Rowlands, thanks very much.

We like to look at all sides of a story, different angles of course. Court TV anchor Lisa Bloom and from Miami tonight defense attorney Jayne Weintraub covering the trial for us. Thanks both of you for being with us.

Lisa, they name all these big names, Elizabeth Taylor, Kobe Bryant, Larry King is on there. Are they actually going to be called to testify...

LISA BLOOM, COURT TV: Is this the witness list or the Grammy lineup for across the universe? Come on, Anderson, there's no way all of these people are going to come in and testify.

COOPER: So why name them?

BLOOM: What would they have to say? This is only the prospective witness list at this point. Attorneys typically pile on all kinds of names. What are these people going to say? That they knew Michael Jackson, that he was good to children, that they never saw him molest a child. Especially in the case of Stevie Wonder, you have got to wonder how valuable this testimony is, Anderson. Child molestation happens in private. You don't do it in front of your friends. There's no way the judge is going to allow these people.

COOPER: Jayne, why are they doing it?

JAYNE WEINTRAUB, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: They're doing it for several reasons. One, there's a discovery rule that says if they don't list witnesses and they want to call them later they won't be able to unless they're on the list. That's the procedural answer. The second answer is because they have relevant things to say if they're able to testify. For example, he won't call them as character witnesses because if he calls in character witnesses, a traditional person, then the prosecutor could crossexamine them, to ask anything that they've ever heard or seen or know about his prior life and any accusations.

COOPER: So it's a double-edged sword?

WEINTRAUB: It is a double-edged sword and that's why he won't call them as character witnesses. I think strategically what he will do, just what Lisa was talking about is say, for example, Kobe Bryant knows the accuser's family. He's seen Michael Jackson with these children. Kobe Bryant has observed things in the home. And don't forget Kobe Bryant also, he was falsely accused. His case was dismissed... BLOOM: What does that got to do with this case? And by the way he apologized for his behavior in the hotel room so I don't know if we could say he was falsely accused. But look, the defense has two strategies here, Anderson. Number one, attack the media. That's why you have talk show hosts, presumably...

(CROSSTALK)

WEINTRAUB: They were at Neverland, Lisa. That's why they were listed. The people that were...

BLOOM: I don't know if Larry King was at Neverland and I think...

COOPER: Let me just jump in here. Isn't part of this though to try to influence the jury, to impress the jury that all these big- named people will line up behind Michael Jackson?

BLOOM: Well, maybe. But Mesereau already today we know from the questions he was asking potential jurors is going to go after the media. His theory is the media has already convicted Michael Jackson. That's why we see media people on the list. And he's going to attack the family. That's why we see people like Kobe Bryant.

COOPER: Jayne, what about the -- they have called -- the prosecution has called the boy -- well, then a boy who accused Michael Jackson of molestation back in '93 as a potential witness. I thought there were all sorts of confidentiality agreements. Did that subpoena trump anything in a civil agreement?

WEINTRAUB: That's exactly the word that I've used. It does trump it because you can't circumvent a court subpoena in criminal court. That's a court order. Two people can't agree confidentially THAT they'll never be able to disclose the truth in a criminal investigation done by the government or a state agency. It's illegal. So all they can do is say that they won't do it barring a subpoena. And that's exactly what's happened here. But the judge has not ruled that it's admissible or relevant evidence yet. That's a big hurdle (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

COOPER: Do you think the boy will be called?

BLOOM: I think he will. I think at the end of the prosecution's case the judge will rule. And I think under the new California law enacted after the '93 accusation the judge has to allow it. I think it will be explosive and make a big difference in the outcome of the case.

COOPER: We're going to leave it there.

WEINTRAUB: It will because it's going to be introduced just for what it's forbidden to introduce. If he did it before, he did it now. That's the danger.

BLOOM: As many as seven other allegations potentially.

COOPER: Jayne Weintraub, Lisa Bloom, thank you very much. Can't agree but it's good to have all sides represented.

Many of the celebrities on the witness list haven't spoken out about the case, at least not publicly, but some have. And given the amount of press coverage so far, perhaps more will follow. CNN's Rusty Dornin reports on the many famous friends of Michael Jackson.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Handcuffed and charged with child molestation. The latest accusations prompted at least one former supporter to reconsider his relationship with Michael Jackson.

Actor Corey Feldman was 13 when he became friends with Jackson. Feldman has previously said Jackson never molested him.

In this segment, on ABC's "20/20," Feldman has said he's had second thoughts about Jackson's behavior. He was asked if he was ever shown inappropriate images by Jackson.

COREY FELDMAN, ACTOR: If you consider it inappropriate for a man to look at a book of naked pictures with a child that's 13 or 14 years old, then your answer would be yes.

DORNIN: But Feldman has been listed as a possible witness for the defense.

One of his staunchest supporters, actress Elizabeth Taylor, has not commented on the case since his arrest when she issued a statement saying, "I know he's innocent. I hope they all eat crow."

Another friend, Uri Geller, today was surprised to learn he could be called as a defense witness. Geller, an author, also known for claiming to bend spoons with his mind, became friends with Jackson five years ago. Geller says he hasn't spoken with him since the release of this documentary. In it, Jackson admits to sleeping with young boys in his bedroom. Geller says he convinced Jackson it was OK to do the documentary, and now the star may blame him for what has happened. Geller says he wants to believe that Jackson is innocent, but...

URI GELLER, FRIEND OF MICHAEL JACKSON: I can't help it, but there is this streak of suspicion seeping into my mind and telling me, now hang on, Uri, you know, maybe you are wrong.

DORNIN: No comment now from actor Macaulay Culkin. When he was 11, he says he spent the night in Jackson's bedroom, and later came to realize now how that situation could be misconstrued.

Many of Jackson's former pals refuse to talk about the superstar. Geller says he's not surprised.

GELLER: The reason Michael's friends are having a tough time is because they are putting out -- they're risking their necks. They're putting their reputations on the line. DORNIN: But some of his friends may be forced to, called upon by the prosecution or the defense to tell the court what they know about Jackson's behavior.

Rusty Dornin, CNN, San Francisco.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: 360 next, Mary Kay Letourneau and Vili Fualaau, once teacher and student, rapist and victim, soon to be husband and wife. They have registered for wedding gifts and even picked out the china pattern.

Also tonight, every dog has his day, even big wrinkly ones that drool a lot. We're going to show you who let these big dogs in the Westminster Dog Show.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Mary Kay Letourneau always talked about her relationship to Vili Fualaau as a story of young love. In the eyes of the law, however, it was a crime. Her then student was so young her relationship was statutory rape, and she spent nearly eight years in jail.

That is all water under the bridge now for the couple. The lady is out of the big house. Her young man waited for her all that time, and now, at long last, the china pattern has been picked. How quickly we forget.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER (voice-over): Mary Kay Letourneau and Vili Fualaau have set a wedding date. That's right, the former grade schoolteacher and the boy she spent 7 1/2 years in prison for raping will walk down the aisle April 16th, to be exact. The news was leaked when the couple did what soon-to-be-wed couples do, registered for their wedding gifts. They picked out their china patterns. Let's just say the bride-to-be is very big on Villeroy & Boch.

And you can't say Mary Kay isn't considerate. Nearly all of the 33 gifts on her list are on sale.

If the road to romance is often rocky, Mary Kay and Vili's was, well, rockier than most.

MARY KAY LETOURNEAU: I did something that I had no right to do, morally or legally.

COOPER: We first encountered Mary Kay Letourneau in court. She was charged with raping Vili when he was her sixth grade student, just 13 years old when their relationship began. She was the 34-year-old married mother of four.

She served six months in prison, but just a month after she was released police found them again -- in a parked car, no less. She became pregnant again, and was sent to serve out her sentence.

When Mary Kay was released last August, she and Vili, who is now 22, picked up pretty much where they left off, except for the TV tour they did to explain their past.

They also told the world about their reconciliation on "Larry Elders."

VILI FUALAAU: I was asked and I was like, well, first of all, how do I know that she's you? And she says, can you feel my energy?

COOPER: Now they'll marry, friends say in a Seattle area church. Their two children are being raised by Vili's mother. The blushing bride is a registered sex offender, after all.

How quickly we forget.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Well, some far lighter stuff now. Move over, petite pooches, there is some new and kind of a big and slobbering -- that's a little slobber -- there's the big one. There you go. Competition at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.

Also ahead on this Valentine's Day, our new favorite crooner sings a song of love all alone on the Internet. I guarantee you he's going to put a smile on your face this Valentine's Day. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: A question for you. What weighs as much as a high school football player, makes a prune look smooth skin in buff and yet still causes anyone who catches sight of it automatically to go argh, or at least me. Two clues, first it's time again for the Westminster dog show. Second, this is a piece from Jeanne Moos.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): All the Botox in the world couldn't cure Belaggio. A sucker for wrinkles...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Not on me.

MOOS: The new breed at Westminster will leave you drooling.

(on camera): Yes, that is some man-size drool.

Let it fly.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Got to have a drool rag. It's like an American Express. You can never leave home without one.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What is he?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hippopotamus, right? MOOS (voice-over): Hippo, no. Neo, yes.

Short neapolitan mastiff, his name is Belaggio.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, wow, Belaggio.

MOOS (voice-over): The girls are swooning over half-brothers, Belaggio and Sirius.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Lets get serious.

MOOS: Two of only three Neapolitan Mastiff competing for the first time ever at Westminster.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm going to make him flap his cheeks.

MOOS (on camera): Woah!

(voice-over): In the time of the Roman emperors, a dog like this was used as...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A canine gladiator.

MOOS: Belaggio's handler, Harry Booker, says they fought lions and tigers at the coliseum. Their loose, wrinkly skin, makes it hard for an opponent to grab.

JIM DEPPEN, SIRIUS OWNER: He can literally turn in the skin. I can't literally restrain this dog.

MOOS (on camera): You like those wrinkles?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. I just said I'll look like this in 30 years.

MOOS: Twenty.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, you're a sweetheart, aren't you?

MOOS (voice-over): Though they were bred to be guard dogs, they're gentle when trained from puppyhood. This is Sirius' son, seriously irresistible. Belaggio's so well trained, we had to use him a treat to entice him to jump up on me.

(on camera): I can't find his mouth.

(voice-over): Maybe you've seen the breed before.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What?

MOOS: In "Harry Potter."

(voice-over): Is this what happens all the time when you bring him out?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Constantly, the barrage of people MOOS: Amid all the acclaim, what's a little slobber on your pants. Best in breed went to Belaggio, despite comments like hey, mister, someone let the air out of your dogs. Maybe slimmer dogs can slip by.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He can't get through he's so big. We've got to go around. He's the biggest dog in the show.

MOOS: At least he got the biggest laugh.

Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Man, yes.

All right, let's find out what's coming up at the top of the hour on "PAULA ZAHN NOW."

PAULA ZAHN, HOST "PAULA ZAHN NOW": Major jowls going on there. Thanks, Anderson. We're going to be talking about Michael Jackson. When it comes to world famous celebrities, he was the very definition of a superstar. Tonight a look at his early years, singing with his brothers as part of his brothers as Jackson Five, and his incredible success as a solo performer. And of course we'll talk a little bit about jury selection today. We'll also have some little known facts that separate the man from the myth. There will be no quiz at the end of the interview, Anderson.

COOPER: All right, Paula Zahn, thanks very much. That's in about 6 minutes from now. 360 next, a special 360 Valentine. That's right, our favorite Web crooner is back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Because it is Valentine's Day we at "360" want to give you, our viewers, a special gift. This is our Valentine to you. We don't know his name, but when singing a Romanian love song all alone on your Web cam, frankly, who needs names?

Finally tonight, taking love to "The Nth Degree." So this is the day and this is the guy, maybe. There seem actually to have been three saints named Valentine. Almost nothing is known about the two who were martyred near Rome around the year 270 A.D. And nothing -- whatever is known about the third except that he died in Africa. Whichever one he was, Valentine is now not only the patron saint of lovers but also of bee keepers. And as the fellow you pray to for relief from fainting spells.

Well, sure, love stings and makes you swoon. And then February 14th was once upon a time thought to be the day birds chose their mates. So the feast of a beaten and beheaded martyr got conflated with long among birds, and that's why, nowadays, we line up to buy billions of dollars worth of cards trimmed with lace, chocolates in heart shaped boxes, floral potpourris of many scents, pillows embroidered with poems of the roses are red, violets are blue variety. Anything at all that can be made to look romantic by wrapping a red ribbon behind it.

Lets see, it's origins are mysterious. Attempts to explain it just make it sound silly. You think sensible people would see through the whole thing. How much more, like love itself could Valentines Day be?

I'm Anderson Cooper, thanks for watching 360. Prime time coverage continues right now with Paula Zahn -- Paula.

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