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CNN Live At Daybreak
Effects of Steroids on Young People; Fallout from Atlanta Courthouse Shootings
Aired March 18, 2005 - 06:00 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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Teenagers getting pumped up to play. The effects of steroids on young people. We'll talk to a doctor who deals with the effects every day.
Also, the fallout from the Atlanta courthouse shooting. It's being felt in the pulpit and at the bookstore.
And he stunned "American Idol" fans by bowing out. We'll get the lowdown on Mario.
It is Friday, March 18.
You are watching DAYBREAK.
And good morning to you.
From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.
Now in the news, it's being called an extraordinary Congressional maneuver. A U.S. House committee plans to issue a subpoena today that would effectively prevent the removal of a feeding tube for a Florida brain damaged woman. It's coming after the Supreme Court turned down an appeal by Terri Schiavo's parents. We'll talk about these developments with our legal analyst, Kendall Coffey, in just a moment.
President Bush hits the road today, hoping to build support for his plans to reform Social Security. He'll be in Pensacola and in Orlando. Next week, he'll push for reform in three Western states.
You might not recognize the name, but George Kennan was a key architect of U.S. policy dealing with the Soviet Union after World War 2. Kennan died last night. He was 101 years old.
And I don't even think I need to tell you this. Gas prices hit a record high. AAA says the average price for a gallon of unleaded regular is now $2.055. And it's not even the peak summer driving season yet. Want to take a few bets -- Chad?
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: No.
COSTELLO: I think it's going to go up to $2.15.
MYERS: Oh, easy. Oh, without even trying. It was $3.05. We had a picture of it yesterday in San Diego, $3.05 for regular.
COSTELLO: Insane.
MYERS: But they have some of those ignition laws, so that gas is going to be a little bit higher out there anyway. But oh my goodness.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: Seven hours and counting, that's how much time is left until the feeding tube keeping Terri Schiavo alive can be removed. In an unusual session, members of Congress met late into the night, trying to find a way to keep that feeding tube intact. And they came up with this. A House committee will issue a subpoena today to stop doctors from removing the tube. The U.S. Senate also weighed in, passing a bill that would give federal courts jurisdiction in this case.
Here's Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BILL FRIST (R-TN), SENATE MAJORITY LEADER: At this juncture, I don't see any justification in removing hydration and nutrition. Prudence and caution and respect for the dignity of life must be the under girding principles in this case.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: President Bush is also weighing in.
Here's what he had to say, and I quote: "The case of Terri Schiavo raises complex issues. Yet in instances like this one, there are serious questions and substantial doubts. Our society, our laws and our courts should have a presumption in favor of life. Those who live at the mercy of others deserve our special care and concern."
Let's go live now to our legal analyst, Kendall Coffey.
He's in Miami this morning to help us figure this all out -- good morning, Kendall.
KENDALL COFFEY, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Hi, Carol.
COSTELLO: So the Florida legislature has refused to act. Countless courts have turned down Schiavo's appeals. And now the Feds are involved.
What's behind this?
COFFEY: Well, it's extraordinary, and clearly there is some effort to get a little more time at some level to see if either the Florida legislature can come up with a bill or the U.S. Congress can come up with a bill. And the one thing that the House, the Senate can do quickly is issue a subpoena, as everyone in baseball knows right now. So at this point they are relying on their authority to issue a Congressional subpoena in hope that somehow that will keep 1:00 p.m. from being the end of feeding and hydration for Terri Schiavo.
COSTELLO: But let's say that the subpoena doesn't come through in time.
Won't doctors be afraid to remove the feeding tube anyway?
COFFEY: Well, I think it's certainly going to create a big question mark. And the other question mark is what can a subpoena really do here, Carol? A subpoena is a limited process. It's not a court order that can tell somebody to do this or do that. It simply tells people to show up and testify and bring documents.
So until we see what this document is that they're going to issue, it's not clear at all how that is going to be able to dictate to doctors or medical professionals whether or not to withdraw life support.
COSTELLO: There have been cases like this before, Kendall.
Has the U.S. government, U.S. Congress ever gotten involved in those cases?
COFFEY: Very difficult to recall cases like this. There's really no case like this. One sort of strange seeming precedent might be the case of Elian where, as you recall, there were efforts to keep him in the country. A House subpoena was issued to Elian way back when -- and, of course, they discussed legislation to keep him in the country. None of that ever materialized. And one of the profound things about this country is the view that it is judges, not legislators, judges that are supposed to decide the individual rights of human beings and individual cases.
COSTELLO: Interesting.
We'll see what happens later today.
Kendall Coffey live from Miami this morning.
It was an emotional day on Capitol Hill. Beefy home run king Mark McGwire was in tears. And baseball's commissioner was combative, promising Congress under oath that the game has a new zero tolerance policy toward using steroids.
Bud Selig testified, along with a line of baseball's past and present heavy hitters.
Congress is looking for some concrete proof that players are not using illegal drugs.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BUD SELIG, COMMISSIONER, MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL: It is my responsibility. And I take it very, very seriously and I have throughout my entire life.
However, having said that, the fact of the matter is that's the only way to finally get to the root problem here and solve it, is through the toughest kind of testing program, doing all the other things that I've heard here today. I agree with that -- education, everything else.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Lawmakers at the hearing said a major area of concern for them is that steroid usage among professional athletes is being imitated by kids. That struck an emotional chord with slugger Mark McGwire, who never said he did not take steroids. But he did say he cared about kids taking them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARK MCGWIRE, FORMER MAJOR LEAGUE PLAYER: My heart goes out to every parent whose son or daughter were victims of steroid use. I hope that these hearings can prevent other families from suffering. I admire the parents who had the courage to appear before the committee and warn the dangers of steroid use. My heart goes out to them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Of course, he's talking about the most moving testimony of the day. It came from the father of a boy who committed suicide after taking steroids. He called ball players cowards for not admitting to steroid use.
We're going to have a live guest soon, Eric Braverman. He's running a little late this morning. He treats kids who use steroids. He's here in New York. And hopefully he will join us on the set in just a moment.
Let's talk about the deadly Atlanta courthouse shootings now.
The parents of suspected killer Brian Nichols have sent a sympathy statement from Tanzania, saying their thoughts and prayers are with all the shooting spree victims and their loved ones. The condolences came on the day Judge Rowland Barnes was buried outside of Atlanta, and Immigration and Customs Agent David Wilhelm was buried in Salisbury, North Carolina. Today, Deputy Sergeant Hoyt Teasley will be laid to rest in Atlanta.
His best-selling book, "The Purpose Driven Life," by Rick Warren, is getting new attention in the wake of the Atlanta shootings. That's because hostage turned hero Ashley Smith read a passage from it to Brian Nichols. And that may have been a turning point. The book is now number two on Amazon.com even though it was published back in 2002.
A Louisiana judge is crediting his staff for preventing a possible courthouse tragedy. A burglary suspect had been ordered back to jail in New Orleans. The suspect then shoved a female deputy aside and scrambled over benches before being tackled by an investigator and an assistant district attorney. The judge says no weapons are allowed in court and the deputies arrested the suspect.
In the meantime, in Iowa, authorities are investigating threatening letters sent to two judges. The letters warned Linn County judges "be aware, be fair." The threatening letters also included copies of news stories about last month's shooting deaths of a federal judge's husband and mother in Illinois.
All right, our guest is here now, Dr. Braverman.
Thanks for joining us.
And we're talking about steroids in baseball.
We've been talking a lot about the Congressional hearings about steroids in baseball.
We heard moving testimony from the father of a boy who took steroids. He says that steroids caused his son's depression and his son eventually committed suicide.
Dr. Braverman, you deal with kids and steroids every day.
Did you watch the hearings?
DR. ERIC BRAVERMAN, AUTHOR, "THE EDGE EFFECT": I saw a little bit of them.
COSTELLO: A little bit of it.
The testimony from the baseball players, will this resonate with kids?
BRAVERMAN: I don't think so in particular, in the sense that kids don't make a decision always based on modeling baseball players. Kids use drugs and steroids because they have mood disorders or they're -- they want to be big and they feel low self-esteem. And so the individuals that commit suicide frequently are bipolar or they had a tendency to be a manic-depressive individual. And...
COSTELLO: So if this testimony, though, won't resonate with kids who take steroids, why is everybody saying oh, it's so important to hold these Congressional hearings?
BRAVERMAN: Well, it resonates in the long run. It doesn't -- its impact is gradual. And so you take away the modeling that it's great at any stage. And then you still have to deal with the brain health checkup. I mean, look, our kids are on ADD, Ritalin, the young ones. The middle aged, you know, the teenagers are using Ecstasy. They're using steroids, which basically function as cocaine in the brain.
You're not going to change that unless you have a whole environment in medicine where you do brain health checkups. Kids have to be checked for narcissism or too much ego drive so they think they can get away with anything. They have to be checked for mood disorders.
I mean you have to get psychological and medical screening of the brain involved at every stage of growth in a kid's life.
COSTELLO: Interesting.
BRAVERMAN: Yes.
COSTELLO: You know, the "Dallas Morning News" did a four month investigation on kids using steroids. They interviewed 100 kids and found most of them had taken steroids or knew someone who did take steroids. And they came up with some interesting findings. They say that -- and I hope we have those right now -- they say, "Many teenagers find it easy to get steroids."
BRAVERMAN: Oh, absolutely. First of all, there's all types. And they're scheduled -- they're over the counter, DHEA and androstenedione. But they don't do that much. Other steroids are available because parents are taking Androgel and you can just get a gel and rub it on. That's in the house now. And other kids can get steroids because they're sold easily. In fact, there are certain vitamins that are harder to get than there are steroids.
And the problem with steroids is they come out of the system quickly, so they're hard to measure. But usually they show up three or four days later with moody, irritable, can't sleep. Basically it makes a kid a little manicky, up and down. And if you're already up and down, you're in trouble.
The key is finding out and testing kids so you know what's called pre-morbid or what they're like before they start using steroids and counseling them. That's what leads to a good future.
COSTELLO: Well, let's talk about that, because coaches say they notice these kids getting bigger, but they're afraid to tell the parents or anyone else because they're afraid of lawsuits.
What is that about?
BRAVERMAN: Well, I don't know. I mean everybody should be noticing kids getting bigger. The issue is, is they look out of proportion. And the majority of the kids are going to get bigger anyway because their own testosterone levels go through the roof at 16 and 18 years old. Even when we supplement older Americans with testosterone, we never bring them back to the level they had at 18.
So their testosterone is up already and I think that the key point is that it's the behavioral change more than the size that they get. That's the problem. And everyone saw the story of Ken Caminiti, who had problems with both drugs, steroids, and cross-addiction. They use not just steroids, but then they go to cocaine. They go from testosterones to nicotine, marijuana at night to calm down from the steroids. Really, there's a lot more where it becomes a domino. The brain problem becomes a domino in every aspect of life.
COSTELLO: Fascinating.
BRAVERMAN: Yes.
COSTELLO: Your book?
BRAVERMAN: My book is "The Edge Effect." And it describes how brain chemistry is affected by steroids and how brain chemistry has to be checked every day of your life.
COSTELLO: So parents should read that if they want to know more?
BRAVERMAN: Yes.
COSTELLO: Thank you, Dr. Braverman, for joining DAYBREAK this morning.
Still to come on DAYBREAK, Martha Stewart spent part of her Saint Patrick's Day in the courtroom. Hear what she said on her way out.
Also, the cost of gas already got you fuming this morning? Well, now B.P. might stand for some big payout.
And "Idol" chatter for you while you're waking up. Mario's early departure from America's favorite singing competition has people talking. Why did he leave?
And later, advice for a familiar team on the March madness scene from an adoring star.
But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Friday morning.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Your news, money, weather and sports.
It's 6:17 Eastern.
Here's what's all new this morning.
Congress is about to make a dramatic last ditch effort to keep Terri Schiavo alive. A House committee says it will issue a subpoena today to stop doctors from removing the brain damaged woman's feeding tube. A court has ordered the tube to be removed eight hours from now.
Guilty -- rapper Lil' Kim has been convicted of lying to a federal grand jury to protect friends involved in a shootout outside of a New York City radio station. She could get 20 years in prison.
In money news, Castro is furious that "Forbes" magazine listed him among the world's richest people, with a net worth of $550 million. The Cuban president says the magazine committed the infamy of speaking about his fortune.
In culture, books or TV? A new study says college students watch an average of three hours, 41 minutes of TV each day, and it's interrupting time that could be spent cramming for exams. Oh my!
In sports, No. 11 seed Alabama/Birmingham scores an upset in the NCAA tournament. UAB knocked off 6 seed Louisiana State 82-68 last night -- Chad.
MYERS: Yes, but the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee also played a great game, another upset. And they both happened in Chicago.
Good morning, Carol.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: Martha Stewart's jail time may be over, but her court time isn't done yet. Lawyers for the domestic diva are moving ahead with an appeal of her conviction on charges she lied about a stock deal. Stewart left the court amid a crush of media and was ready to get home and plant her garden.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
QUESTION: What are you doing for Saint Patty's Day?
MARTHA STEWART: I planted my potatoes.
QUESTION: Where's your green?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Did you hear that? She planted her potatoes. And, of course, Stewart is now serving five months of house arrest. But her story is far from over. A TV movie based on the last six years of her life is now in pre-production. And guess what? Actress Sybil Shepherd, who played Stewart in a movie on the first part of her life, will star in the second part of her life. No word yet if -- actually, there are rumors around that Sybil Shepherd is going to land this gig, but it's not based in fact yet. But, oh, we'll keep you posted.
Why did an "Idol" favorite call it quits and what's one of the judges saying about Mario's early departure from the contest? We'll dig into some "Idol" gossip.
And later, if you were a Hollywood starlet, would you give advice to a college basketball team? Ashley Judd is not holding back when her team hits the hardwood, when DAYBREAK continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Time now for a little "Business Buzz."
An oil company gets fined for polluting.
Chris Huntington joins us with that story.
There's been a slight adjustment. He was just telling me that. So tell me what the adjustment is.
CHRIS HUNTINGTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's OK.
Technically, B.P., formerly known as British Petroleum, did not get fined. They agreed to pay a fine.
COSTELLO: Oh. HUNTINGTON: They settled a big lawsuit that the State of California brought against B.P. for pollution coming from the Carson refinery. This is the biggest oil refinery in California. It's located right, pretty much in the heart of Los Angeles, sort of equidistant between, if you're familiar with L.A. territory, between Compton and Palos Verde. So it hits all strata, if you will.
But the folks in Carson, particularly the school kids there, had been suffering for decades asthma and other types of respiratory problems. So a suit was brought by air quality folks in California. The settlement, $81 million. It's far and away the biggest amount of money to ever take...
COSTELLO: $81 million?
HUNTINGTON: Yes, that's a big chunk of change. But, frankly, for an oil company, you know...
COSTELLO: It's not.
HUNTINGTON: ... spread over several years, it's not. But it is significant because it's more than ever paid before. So under the agreement, British Petroleum will take steps, B.P. will take steps to fix problems at the refinery. They will engage in community outreach programs. They're going to make, for instance, mobile first aid labs available around the schools for any kids that are suffering from asthmas.
COSTELLO: Interesting.
HUNTINGTON: I found an unfortunate coincidence. The Department of Energy's kids energy page has a feature explaining how oil is refined. And they used the Carson refinery as an example. And they even talking about taking a field trip to the Carson refinery. Perhaps the DOE will change that.
But B.P. on the record now with the biggest agreed to fine. A B.P. spokesman saying we thought we had good legal defenses, but we were not interested in a protracted legal battle. So they settled.
COSTELLO: Interesting.
All right, Chris Huntington, thank you.
Coming up on DAYBREAK, problems on the set? Hear what Paula Abdul says about a controversy on "American Idol." It's a pretty serious one, too.
And back to the hard-hitting story on Capitol Hill, as some of baseball's biggest sluggers find creative ways to sound off about steroids.
That's when DAYBREAK continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) COSTELLO: It's a pop culture mystery and everyone seems to be talking about it, even though in the greater world it means absolutely nothing. We're talking about Mario Vazquez, the "American Idol" contestant who suddenly quit. Vazquez is everywhere, even on "The David Letterman Show." He had him in his Top Ten List. Did you hear about this?
Tom O'Neil from "In-Touch Weekly" joins us now to try to unravel this mystery.
TOM O'NEIL, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": There are personal reasons behind-the-scenes that Mario doesn't want to talk about that has precipitated this. But there are also professional reasons. If Mario had continued on into the final 10 of "Idol," he would have had to sign a contract that would have given away several years of his life and 50 percent of his earnings.
COSTELLO: Wow!
O'NEIL: Well, today he announced to the Associated Press that he has signed a deal with the lawyer who got Clay Aiken out of his "American Idol" contract. And if you go to the "American Idol" Web site right now, it's as if Clay never existed.
COSTELLO: Oh.
O'NEIL: Clay got screwed in the final event. So then he turned around and screwed them and got out of this weasel contract.
Well, Mario got out of it before he went into the home stretch. And now he's got this rebel thing going on. Now they're saying good for you.
COSTELLO: Oh, that's interesting.
So he probably did sign with a record company then?
O'NEIL: No. There are some new disclosures, the fact that he is featured on an Argentinean album. You can hear him singing. He sang backup vocals for Michael Jackson. But, you know, Fantasia had sung some gospel recordings before. So this is kind of a gray area.
They're trying to grasp some things to get on Mario now. In fact, he has what Clay Aiken always had, this powerful romantic ache in his voice. This is a superstar. And he's a stud, unlike the geek that Clay was. He's going to go far and he's going to be able to keep his own money.
COSTELLO: You know what's beautiful about this? He used "American Idol."
O'NEIL: Yes, yes.
COSTELLO: And, you know, they're so mean to those poor singers who don't sing quite up to par. I think this is great for Mario.
O'NEIL: I do, too. And I think every...
COSTELLO: Go, Mario!
O'NEIL: Yes, I'm on your side.
COSTELLO: I'm loving that.
O'NEIL: Go.
COSTELLO: Tom O'Neil, thank you for joining us this morning.
We appreciate it.
What they said and what baseball players did not say spoke volumes at the House hearings on steroids. We have that story coming up.
And Congress enters the legal fray in the Terri Schiavo case. We'll have a live report for you.
You are watching DAYBREAK.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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Aired March 18, 2005 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Teenagers getting pumped up to play. The effects of steroids on young people. We'll talk to a doctor who deals with the effects every day.
Also, the fallout from the Atlanta courthouse shooting. It's being felt in the pulpit and at the bookstore.
And he stunned "American Idol" fans by bowing out. We'll get the lowdown on Mario.
It is Friday, March 18.
You are watching DAYBREAK.
And good morning to you.
From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.
Now in the news, it's being called an extraordinary Congressional maneuver. A U.S. House committee plans to issue a subpoena today that would effectively prevent the removal of a feeding tube for a Florida brain damaged woman. It's coming after the Supreme Court turned down an appeal by Terri Schiavo's parents. We'll talk about these developments with our legal analyst, Kendall Coffey, in just a moment.
President Bush hits the road today, hoping to build support for his plans to reform Social Security. He'll be in Pensacola and in Orlando. Next week, he'll push for reform in three Western states.
You might not recognize the name, but George Kennan was a key architect of U.S. policy dealing with the Soviet Union after World War 2. Kennan died last night. He was 101 years old.
And I don't even think I need to tell you this. Gas prices hit a record high. AAA says the average price for a gallon of unleaded regular is now $2.055. And it's not even the peak summer driving season yet. Want to take a few bets -- Chad?
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: No.
COSTELLO: I think it's going to go up to $2.15.
MYERS: Oh, easy. Oh, without even trying. It was $3.05. We had a picture of it yesterday in San Diego, $3.05 for regular.
COSTELLO: Insane.
MYERS: But they have some of those ignition laws, so that gas is going to be a little bit higher out there anyway. But oh my goodness.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: Seven hours and counting, that's how much time is left until the feeding tube keeping Terri Schiavo alive can be removed. In an unusual session, members of Congress met late into the night, trying to find a way to keep that feeding tube intact. And they came up with this. A House committee will issue a subpoena today to stop doctors from removing the tube. The U.S. Senate also weighed in, passing a bill that would give federal courts jurisdiction in this case.
Here's Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BILL FRIST (R-TN), SENATE MAJORITY LEADER: At this juncture, I don't see any justification in removing hydration and nutrition. Prudence and caution and respect for the dignity of life must be the under girding principles in this case.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: President Bush is also weighing in.
Here's what he had to say, and I quote: "The case of Terri Schiavo raises complex issues. Yet in instances like this one, there are serious questions and substantial doubts. Our society, our laws and our courts should have a presumption in favor of life. Those who live at the mercy of others deserve our special care and concern."
Let's go live now to our legal analyst, Kendall Coffey.
He's in Miami this morning to help us figure this all out -- good morning, Kendall.
KENDALL COFFEY, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Hi, Carol.
COSTELLO: So the Florida legislature has refused to act. Countless courts have turned down Schiavo's appeals. And now the Feds are involved.
What's behind this?
COFFEY: Well, it's extraordinary, and clearly there is some effort to get a little more time at some level to see if either the Florida legislature can come up with a bill or the U.S. Congress can come up with a bill. And the one thing that the House, the Senate can do quickly is issue a subpoena, as everyone in baseball knows right now. So at this point they are relying on their authority to issue a Congressional subpoena in hope that somehow that will keep 1:00 p.m. from being the end of feeding and hydration for Terri Schiavo.
COSTELLO: But let's say that the subpoena doesn't come through in time.
Won't doctors be afraid to remove the feeding tube anyway?
COFFEY: Well, I think it's certainly going to create a big question mark. And the other question mark is what can a subpoena really do here, Carol? A subpoena is a limited process. It's not a court order that can tell somebody to do this or do that. It simply tells people to show up and testify and bring documents.
So until we see what this document is that they're going to issue, it's not clear at all how that is going to be able to dictate to doctors or medical professionals whether or not to withdraw life support.
COSTELLO: There have been cases like this before, Kendall.
Has the U.S. government, U.S. Congress ever gotten involved in those cases?
COFFEY: Very difficult to recall cases like this. There's really no case like this. One sort of strange seeming precedent might be the case of Elian where, as you recall, there were efforts to keep him in the country. A House subpoena was issued to Elian way back when -- and, of course, they discussed legislation to keep him in the country. None of that ever materialized. And one of the profound things about this country is the view that it is judges, not legislators, judges that are supposed to decide the individual rights of human beings and individual cases.
COSTELLO: Interesting.
We'll see what happens later today.
Kendall Coffey live from Miami this morning.
It was an emotional day on Capitol Hill. Beefy home run king Mark McGwire was in tears. And baseball's commissioner was combative, promising Congress under oath that the game has a new zero tolerance policy toward using steroids.
Bud Selig testified, along with a line of baseball's past and present heavy hitters.
Congress is looking for some concrete proof that players are not using illegal drugs.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BUD SELIG, COMMISSIONER, MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL: It is my responsibility. And I take it very, very seriously and I have throughout my entire life.
However, having said that, the fact of the matter is that's the only way to finally get to the root problem here and solve it, is through the toughest kind of testing program, doing all the other things that I've heard here today. I agree with that -- education, everything else.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Lawmakers at the hearing said a major area of concern for them is that steroid usage among professional athletes is being imitated by kids. That struck an emotional chord with slugger Mark McGwire, who never said he did not take steroids. But he did say he cared about kids taking them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARK MCGWIRE, FORMER MAJOR LEAGUE PLAYER: My heart goes out to every parent whose son or daughter were victims of steroid use. I hope that these hearings can prevent other families from suffering. I admire the parents who had the courage to appear before the committee and warn the dangers of steroid use. My heart goes out to them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Of course, he's talking about the most moving testimony of the day. It came from the father of a boy who committed suicide after taking steroids. He called ball players cowards for not admitting to steroid use.
We're going to have a live guest soon, Eric Braverman. He's running a little late this morning. He treats kids who use steroids. He's here in New York. And hopefully he will join us on the set in just a moment.
Let's talk about the deadly Atlanta courthouse shootings now.
The parents of suspected killer Brian Nichols have sent a sympathy statement from Tanzania, saying their thoughts and prayers are with all the shooting spree victims and their loved ones. The condolences came on the day Judge Rowland Barnes was buried outside of Atlanta, and Immigration and Customs Agent David Wilhelm was buried in Salisbury, North Carolina. Today, Deputy Sergeant Hoyt Teasley will be laid to rest in Atlanta.
His best-selling book, "The Purpose Driven Life," by Rick Warren, is getting new attention in the wake of the Atlanta shootings. That's because hostage turned hero Ashley Smith read a passage from it to Brian Nichols. And that may have been a turning point. The book is now number two on Amazon.com even though it was published back in 2002.
A Louisiana judge is crediting his staff for preventing a possible courthouse tragedy. A burglary suspect had been ordered back to jail in New Orleans. The suspect then shoved a female deputy aside and scrambled over benches before being tackled by an investigator and an assistant district attorney. The judge says no weapons are allowed in court and the deputies arrested the suspect.
In the meantime, in Iowa, authorities are investigating threatening letters sent to two judges. The letters warned Linn County judges "be aware, be fair." The threatening letters also included copies of news stories about last month's shooting deaths of a federal judge's husband and mother in Illinois.
All right, our guest is here now, Dr. Braverman.
Thanks for joining us.
And we're talking about steroids in baseball.
We've been talking a lot about the Congressional hearings about steroids in baseball.
We heard moving testimony from the father of a boy who took steroids. He says that steroids caused his son's depression and his son eventually committed suicide.
Dr. Braverman, you deal with kids and steroids every day.
Did you watch the hearings?
DR. ERIC BRAVERMAN, AUTHOR, "THE EDGE EFFECT": I saw a little bit of them.
COSTELLO: A little bit of it.
The testimony from the baseball players, will this resonate with kids?
BRAVERMAN: I don't think so in particular, in the sense that kids don't make a decision always based on modeling baseball players. Kids use drugs and steroids because they have mood disorders or they're -- they want to be big and they feel low self-esteem. And so the individuals that commit suicide frequently are bipolar or they had a tendency to be a manic-depressive individual. And...
COSTELLO: So if this testimony, though, won't resonate with kids who take steroids, why is everybody saying oh, it's so important to hold these Congressional hearings?
BRAVERMAN: Well, it resonates in the long run. It doesn't -- its impact is gradual. And so you take away the modeling that it's great at any stage. And then you still have to deal with the brain health checkup. I mean, look, our kids are on ADD, Ritalin, the young ones. The middle aged, you know, the teenagers are using Ecstasy. They're using steroids, which basically function as cocaine in the brain.
You're not going to change that unless you have a whole environment in medicine where you do brain health checkups. Kids have to be checked for narcissism or too much ego drive so they think they can get away with anything. They have to be checked for mood disorders.
I mean you have to get psychological and medical screening of the brain involved at every stage of growth in a kid's life.
COSTELLO: Interesting.
BRAVERMAN: Yes.
COSTELLO: You know, the "Dallas Morning News" did a four month investigation on kids using steroids. They interviewed 100 kids and found most of them had taken steroids or knew someone who did take steroids. And they came up with some interesting findings. They say that -- and I hope we have those right now -- they say, "Many teenagers find it easy to get steroids."
BRAVERMAN: Oh, absolutely. First of all, there's all types. And they're scheduled -- they're over the counter, DHEA and androstenedione. But they don't do that much. Other steroids are available because parents are taking Androgel and you can just get a gel and rub it on. That's in the house now. And other kids can get steroids because they're sold easily. In fact, there are certain vitamins that are harder to get than there are steroids.
And the problem with steroids is they come out of the system quickly, so they're hard to measure. But usually they show up three or four days later with moody, irritable, can't sleep. Basically it makes a kid a little manicky, up and down. And if you're already up and down, you're in trouble.
The key is finding out and testing kids so you know what's called pre-morbid or what they're like before they start using steroids and counseling them. That's what leads to a good future.
COSTELLO: Well, let's talk about that, because coaches say they notice these kids getting bigger, but they're afraid to tell the parents or anyone else because they're afraid of lawsuits.
What is that about?
BRAVERMAN: Well, I don't know. I mean everybody should be noticing kids getting bigger. The issue is, is they look out of proportion. And the majority of the kids are going to get bigger anyway because their own testosterone levels go through the roof at 16 and 18 years old. Even when we supplement older Americans with testosterone, we never bring them back to the level they had at 18.
So their testosterone is up already and I think that the key point is that it's the behavioral change more than the size that they get. That's the problem. And everyone saw the story of Ken Caminiti, who had problems with both drugs, steroids, and cross-addiction. They use not just steroids, but then they go to cocaine. They go from testosterones to nicotine, marijuana at night to calm down from the steroids. Really, there's a lot more where it becomes a domino. The brain problem becomes a domino in every aspect of life.
COSTELLO: Fascinating.
BRAVERMAN: Yes.
COSTELLO: Your book?
BRAVERMAN: My book is "The Edge Effect." And it describes how brain chemistry is affected by steroids and how brain chemistry has to be checked every day of your life.
COSTELLO: So parents should read that if they want to know more?
BRAVERMAN: Yes.
COSTELLO: Thank you, Dr. Braverman, for joining DAYBREAK this morning.
Still to come on DAYBREAK, Martha Stewart spent part of her Saint Patrick's Day in the courtroom. Hear what she said on her way out.
Also, the cost of gas already got you fuming this morning? Well, now B.P. might stand for some big payout.
And "Idol" chatter for you while you're waking up. Mario's early departure from America's favorite singing competition has people talking. Why did he leave?
And later, advice for a familiar team on the March madness scene from an adoring star.
But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Friday morning.
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COSTELLO: Your news, money, weather and sports.
It's 6:17 Eastern.
Here's what's all new this morning.
Congress is about to make a dramatic last ditch effort to keep Terri Schiavo alive. A House committee says it will issue a subpoena today to stop doctors from removing the brain damaged woman's feeding tube. A court has ordered the tube to be removed eight hours from now.
Guilty -- rapper Lil' Kim has been convicted of lying to a federal grand jury to protect friends involved in a shootout outside of a New York City radio station. She could get 20 years in prison.
In money news, Castro is furious that "Forbes" magazine listed him among the world's richest people, with a net worth of $550 million. The Cuban president says the magazine committed the infamy of speaking about his fortune.
In culture, books or TV? A new study says college students watch an average of three hours, 41 minutes of TV each day, and it's interrupting time that could be spent cramming for exams. Oh my!
In sports, No. 11 seed Alabama/Birmingham scores an upset in the NCAA tournament. UAB knocked off 6 seed Louisiana State 82-68 last night -- Chad.
MYERS: Yes, but the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee also played a great game, another upset. And they both happened in Chicago.
Good morning, Carol.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: Martha Stewart's jail time may be over, but her court time isn't done yet. Lawyers for the domestic diva are moving ahead with an appeal of her conviction on charges she lied about a stock deal. Stewart left the court amid a crush of media and was ready to get home and plant her garden.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
QUESTION: What are you doing for Saint Patty's Day?
MARTHA STEWART: I planted my potatoes.
QUESTION: Where's your green?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Did you hear that? She planted her potatoes. And, of course, Stewart is now serving five months of house arrest. But her story is far from over. A TV movie based on the last six years of her life is now in pre-production. And guess what? Actress Sybil Shepherd, who played Stewart in a movie on the first part of her life, will star in the second part of her life. No word yet if -- actually, there are rumors around that Sybil Shepherd is going to land this gig, but it's not based in fact yet. But, oh, we'll keep you posted.
Why did an "Idol" favorite call it quits and what's one of the judges saying about Mario's early departure from the contest? We'll dig into some "Idol" gossip.
And later, if you were a Hollywood starlet, would you give advice to a college basketball team? Ashley Judd is not holding back when her team hits the hardwood, when DAYBREAK continues.
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COSTELLO: Time now for a little "Business Buzz."
An oil company gets fined for polluting.
Chris Huntington joins us with that story.
There's been a slight adjustment. He was just telling me that. So tell me what the adjustment is.
CHRIS HUNTINGTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's OK.
Technically, B.P., formerly known as British Petroleum, did not get fined. They agreed to pay a fine.
COSTELLO: Oh. HUNTINGTON: They settled a big lawsuit that the State of California brought against B.P. for pollution coming from the Carson refinery. This is the biggest oil refinery in California. It's located right, pretty much in the heart of Los Angeles, sort of equidistant between, if you're familiar with L.A. territory, between Compton and Palos Verde. So it hits all strata, if you will.
But the folks in Carson, particularly the school kids there, had been suffering for decades asthma and other types of respiratory problems. So a suit was brought by air quality folks in California. The settlement, $81 million. It's far and away the biggest amount of money to ever take...
COSTELLO: $81 million?
HUNTINGTON: Yes, that's a big chunk of change. But, frankly, for an oil company, you know...
COSTELLO: It's not.
HUNTINGTON: ... spread over several years, it's not. But it is significant because it's more than ever paid before. So under the agreement, British Petroleum will take steps, B.P. will take steps to fix problems at the refinery. They will engage in community outreach programs. They're going to make, for instance, mobile first aid labs available around the schools for any kids that are suffering from asthmas.
COSTELLO: Interesting.
HUNTINGTON: I found an unfortunate coincidence. The Department of Energy's kids energy page has a feature explaining how oil is refined. And they used the Carson refinery as an example. And they even talking about taking a field trip to the Carson refinery. Perhaps the DOE will change that.
But B.P. on the record now with the biggest agreed to fine. A B.P. spokesman saying we thought we had good legal defenses, but we were not interested in a protracted legal battle. So they settled.
COSTELLO: Interesting.
All right, Chris Huntington, thank you.
Coming up on DAYBREAK, problems on the set? Hear what Paula Abdul says about a controversy on "American Idol." It's a pretty serious one, too.
And back to the hard-hitting story on Capitol Hill, as some of baseball's biggest sluggers find creative ways to sound off about steroids.
That's when DAYBREAK continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) COSTELLO: It's a pop culture mystery and everyone seems to be talking about it, even though in the greater world it means absolutely nothing. We're talking about Mario Vazquez, the "American Idol" contestant who suddenly quit. Vazquez is everywhere, even on "The David Letterman Show." He had him in his Top Ten List. Did you hear about this?
Tom O'Neil from "In-Touch Weekly" joins us now to try to unravel this mystery.
TOM O'NEIL, "IN TOUCH WEEKLY": There are personal reasons behind-the-scenes that Mario doesn't want to talk about that has precipitated this. But there are also professional reasons. If Mario had continued on into the final 10 of "Idol," he would have had to sign a contract that would have given away several years of his life and 50 percent of his earnings.
COSTELLO: Wow!
O'NEIL: Well, today he announced to the Associated Press that he has signed a deal with the lawyer who got Clay Aiken out of his "American Idol" contract. And if you go to the "American Idol" Web site right now, it's as if Clay never existed.
COSTELLO: Oh.
O'NEIL: Clay got screwed in the final event. So then he turned around and screwed them and got out of this weasel contract.
Well, Mario got out of it before he went into the home stretch. And now he's got this rebel thing going on. Now they're saying good for you.
COSTELLO: Oh, that's interesting.
So he probably did sign with a record company then?
O'NEIL: No. There are some new disclosures, the fact that he is featured on an Argentinean album. You can hear him singing. He sang backup vocals for Michael Jackson. But, you know, Fantasia had sung some gospel recordings before. So this is kind of a gray area.
They're trying to grasp some things to get on Mario now. In fact, he has what Clay Aiken always had, this powerful romantic ache in his voice. This is a superstar. And he's a stud, unlike the geek that Clay was. He's going to go far and he's going to be able to keep his own money.
COSTELLO: You know what's beautiful about this? He used "American Idol."
O'NEIL: Yes, yes.
COSTELLO: And, you know, they're so mean to those poor singers who don't sing quite up to par. I think this is great for Mario.
O'NEIL: I do, too. And I think every...
COSTELLO: Go, Mario!
O'NEIL: Yes, I'm on your side.
COSTELLO: I'm loving that.
O'NEIL: Go.
COSTELLO: Tom O'Neil, thank you for joining us this morning.
We appreciate it.
What they said and what baseball players did not say spoke volumes at the House hearings on steroids. We have that story coming up.
And Congress enters the legal fray in the Terri Schiavo case. We'll have a live report for you.
You are watching DAYBREAK.
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