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CNN Live Today
Congress Intervenes Further in the Schiavo Case; Man Questioned in Missing Florida Girl; Officials Probe Lapse of Time in Courthouse Shootings
Aired March 18, 2005 - 10:00 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.
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN CO-ANCHOR: We have a couple of big news conferences we're going to be following for you, one coming out of Atlanta. The other one coming out of that situation with that little girl in Florida that's been missing for some time. We're going to be all over that for you.
Here is what's happening right now, though, in the news.
Three hours from now, health workers are to remove the feeding tube of Terri Schiavo, the Florida woman at the center of that bitter right-to-die battle that's been going on for quite some time now.
But in Washington, House Republican leaders want to issue a subpoena possibly in her name, to be defined down later as we follow, as we follow this story. That would prevent removal from taking place. Now, that maneuver would in effect bar significant action in her case and allow for more possible intervention by the courts.
Now, a deadline in Indonesia is going to come and go with little notice. The government there has announced it will ignore its March 26 deadline for international groups to end their tsunami relief efforts. Those groups will now have two more months to work in Aceh Province, where more than 226,000 people were killed.
The U.S. Senate has passed a budget that seems to set a battle with both the House and the White House. The Senate's $2.6 trillion budget largely erases President Bush's cuts in Medicaid, school aid and community development. It also conflicts with similar cutbacks that were endorsed by the House. We're going to have more on that.
Oh, and this. President Bush, he's if Florida this hour. He's going to be campaigning for his proposed Social Security reforms. That's a live picture you're looking at right now. He's going to be in Pensacola. He's delivering his call for privatization first to younger Americans. He's on the campus, in fact, of Pensacola Junior College. And later he's going to meet with seniors and families in Orlando.
Hi again, everybody. I'm Rick Sanchez. Daryn is of today.
This is the big story. A court battle over a severely brain damaged woman's right to life has lasted for years now. But it could end. Well, in a matter of hours, three to be more specific, or possibly not. The deadline is to remove the feeding tube of Terri Schiavo. And it might be impacted suddenly if several House Republicans have their way.
CNN's congressional correspondent Joe Johns is covering that angle of the story for us from Capitol Hill. And we should also tell you, as you see on the bottom of your screen there, that Carol Lin is going to be covering the story outside the Schiavo hospice in Clearwater, Florida. Let's go to Joe, first, though, because there may be some developments on this story, which are somewhat confusing.
Joe, have they subpoenaed or have they not subpoenaed?
JOE JOHNS, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, a subpoena, we are told, is going to be issued in the Schiavo case on the House side. This, of course, would be a subpoena for the preservation of certain things relating to Terri Schiavo. Implicit in that an understanding that she herself would be able to keep that feeding tube in, while the Congress continues to work its will on this case.
Meanwhile, on the Senate side, an invitation being issued to Terri Schiavo and her husband to appear before a committee here on Capitol Hill on March 28. Of course, the House majority leader putting out a statement just a little while ago, indicating that persons who have been called to testify before the Congress have certain protections.
And that, of course carries with it also an implication that she herself should be preserved in this case. Now, of course, it is not clear at all how all of this will be handled by lawyers and the families in Florida.
Meanwhile, we do have to mention to you this morning the House of Representatives issued a statement. We have a graphic of that in part to tell you what they're trying to do.
Later this morning, they said, "We will issue a subpoena which will require hospice administrators and attending physicians to preserve nutrition and hydration for Terri Schiavo to allow Congress to fully understand the procedures and practices that are currently keeping her alive. This inquiry should give hope to Terri, her parents and friends, and the millions of people throughout the world who are praying for her safety."
This fight is not over. Clearly, the Congress moving now to try to preserve their right of inquiry into this case, by preserving Terri Schiavo herself. This, of course, has caught the attention of the White House. The White House spokesman speaking with reporters earlier today, saying in part the president appreciates Congress' attempts to defend life.
Rick, back to you.
SANCHEZ: I guess, Joe, here is the key question on this. We know that the state Supreme Court in Florida and the highest court of the land, the Supreme Court of the United States have both said they're not going to stop this. Does this legislative or political action override that decision? JOHNS: It's a very interesting question. And I think you have gotten to the heart of the matter. You have the courts saying one thing. Very specifically, we're not going to jump in. Now you have the Congress of the United States trying to jump in and insert its own will. It's a fairly unique situation even in the question of congressional inquires. And I can tell you frankly right now I can't answer that.
One thing you can say is that the Congress of the United States historically and in the law has great power in its power of inquiry. It can do a lot of things that people are sometimes surprised about -- Rick.
SANCHEZ: All right. Joe Johns following that part of the story. At least it appears there is going to be some sort of delay in this.
Let's go over to Carol Lin. She's following the story from Florida to get reaction. What's the expectation there, Carol, given what we're hearing this morning?
CAROL LIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT : Well, the expectation is that they are expecting to receive a subpoena, but they have not received a subpoena yet. A short time ago, I spoke with the community coordinator of the hospice who was trying to answer a lot of the media questions. He says the hospice administrators are meeting at this moment to try to figure out where they're going to be served. Will it be here at the hospice where Terri Schiavo lying? Will it be served in Congress? Will they eve get the subpoena in time?
All the hospice would say at this point is they will comply with the law. But the question is by which order? The 1:00 court ordered to disconnect the tube? Or the subpoena that they have yet to receive?
Behind me right now is a news conference going on. Terri Schiavo's father is over there surrounded by a group of supporters of right to life issues including Operation Rescue. And what these folks are saying is that this 11- hour subpoena by the House could be their saving grace. And what it would be would be to buy them some time.
Rick, you've got to understand what Joe Johns just said is that there are members of Congress who think that Terri Schiavo should be able to make an appearance before congressional members, a congressional panel or possibly even a federal magistrate. So far, there has not been that federal authority to do so. They want to assess her condition for themselves. And this is really extraordinary.
And the hospice folks, I have to tell you, are struggling with this. They want to comply with the law. They just don't know whether the subpoena is going to arrive in time. And that leaves them with a question mark as to what they will do at 1:00 Eastern -- Rick.
SANCHEZ: We should mention, Carol, and maybe you can brief us on this if you would, that there might be a news conference coming from Florida. It's going to be from the attorney for Bob and Mary Schindler. Now, those would be the parents of Schiavo, correct?
LIN: Right. Correct. Correct. You have to understand it's been a week of -- well, it has been a decade of legal maneuvering. But this week has been extraordinary. I mean they lost an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court claiming that their daughter's religious rights were violated, because she as a devout Catholic would not want to be disconnected.
They have gone to the state legislature...
SANCHEZ: Hey, Carol. I've going to interrupt you for just a moment.
LIN: Mm-hmm. OK.
SANCHEZ: Because the very thing that we were just talking about is taking place. This is David Gibbs. He's the attorney for Bob and Mary Schindler. Let's go ahead and dip into that and see what he has to say.
DAVID GIBBS, SCHINDLER FAMILY ATTORNEY: That we would be talking about the United States of America starving to death an otherwise healthy person. We need to remember Terri is not terminal. If we feed Terri, if we give Terri water, she will live another 30 to 40 years with expected life expectancy. So Terri is as alive as you and I.
And we are very pleased on behalf of the family. Bob and Mary Schindler have been praying to God for a miracle to save their daughter. And we believe right now the miracle may come from the middle district, the federal court here in Tampa. The miracle may be these actions taken by the United States Congress.
But we believe Terri is a life worth living. We believe she should be protected under the law. And we are very pleased that these different courts and government officials are acting and reviewing this situation.
I would open to any questions if there or any on the legal or the strategy?
(UNINTELLIGIBLE)
GIBBS: I'm sorry.
(UNINTELLIGIBLE)
GIBBS: Yes, we've been informed by lawyers for the United States House of Representatives that U.S. Marshals will be serving the hospice.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you in contact with those marshals?
GIBBS: Not me personally. They're under the direction of the lawyers in Washington, D.C.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Who will they serve?
GIBBS: Let me -- you guessed it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ms. Schiavo's physical condition, is it possible for her to travel to Washington? If so, how?
GIBBS: Absolutely. Absolutely. If -- she would need a wheelchair. And Terri Schiavo could come out here with all of you today. I was back in the room with Terri today. She is in condition -- she's disabled and many disabled people travel. We would certainly want to make sure that all precautions are taken where she travels safely, where she travels comfortably. But Terri could travel to Washington. And the family is perfectly excited about the prospect of their daughter going before the United States Congress, for the entire world to see how alive Terri Schiavo is.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And you don't feel that this threatens her condition in any way?
GIBBS: We would certainly want medical doctors to be sure that she is safe to travel. But no, we're fairly confident that -- Terri if she had a wheelchair, we could bring her out here right now. And Terri is disabled. The only medical support that she's receiving at this point is food and water, hydration and nourishment. And so we need to realize there are no other physical conditions that would prohibit her from traveling just like any other disabled individual.
You had a question?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Who will physically be served with the subpoena? And will anybody else -- will the doctors who would be in charge of removing the feeding tube, would they also be subpoenaed? What do you know about that?
GIBBS: I can't speak for who will be subpoenaed to appear before the United States Congress. I do know that the subpoenas are being noticed to all appropriate health care officials, as well as hospice, and any other persons that should receive them. That's within the discretion of the U.S. House of Representatives and the lawyers that are handling that.
Again, I'm sharing with you what we have received as word that the U.S. Marshals will be delivering them. They are anticipated here at hospice some time around noon.
SANCHEZ: That is David Gibbs. Just to bring you up to date here on what's going on. He represents Bob and Mary Schindler, who are the parents of Terri Schiavo. They want the feeding tubes kept in. They do not want her to be taken off the feeding tubes.
Now, interesting choice of words. He kept referring to her as disabled. However, we should also let you know that two lower courts have pronounced that she's in fact in a persistent vegetative state. So it may be a matter of semantics. It may be something that has to be hammered out further by courts. Let's go back to Carol Lin now to get her reaction on what we just heard from that news conference and where we are now, if these indeed -- if indeed, Carol, these subpoenas are served on that hospice where you're filing this story from.
LIN: Well, they're cutting it pretty close. I mean noon is one hour before the court ordered deadline to remove Terri Schiavo's tube. Also, we have yet to hear from Michael Schiavo or his attorney today. Because he is the legal guardian. So it will be interesting to see how the subpoena is worded.
But I think it's directed specifically at the hospital administrators and the doctors, that they allow or assist Terri Schiavo in making this potential appearance before Congress. Which Rick, would be extraordinary.
SANCHEZ: It certainly would. Carol Lin following that story for us. As you can see there's a lot of developments on this story.
Here's what we're going to do. We're going to try and bring in Kendall Coffey in the next couple of hours to try and get his reaction. As you can see, there are developments going on in this case that really have more to do with the specifics of the law. And that would probably be something that Kendall would be able to offer up for us. So we'll do that for you as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, there's another case in Florida that's gained some national attention. Investigators are following leads in the disappearance of 9-year-old Jessica Marie Lunsford. Right now, authorities are questioning a man that they describe, and you've heard this term before, "A person of interest."
CNN's Susan Candiotti. She is in Augusta, Georgia with the story of this particular man. Susan joins us now live.
Susan, what's the situation there? I know he's been interviewed. Have we learned anything at this point?
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, at this hour, we're finding out that Couey is supposed to be meeting with a magistrate at the jail right here in Augusta, this jail over my shoulder. And the D.A. tells us that this is a face-to-face meeting with the judge and he'll be asked if he wants to return to Florida voluntarily. If he doesn't, then a hearing would be rescheduled for next week.
Now remember, Couey is being called a person of interest in the disappearance of Jessica Lunsford. He is not charged with her disappearance. And police say the convicted sex offender was living and staying with relatives who live practically across the street from the Lunsford family.
Now this morning, I spoke with Florida investigators including from the Citrus County Sheriff's Office and the FBI, as they arrive to continue their meeting with Couey.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CANDIOTTI (on camera): You're back here today to do what?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, to talk to Mr. Couey.
CANDIOTTI: All right. And how would you characterize his level of cooperation so far?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's very cooperative and talking to us about everything we've been asking him about.
CANDIOTTI: Is it possible that you might go further with it today? In terms of putting him on a polygraph, like the other people in Florida? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I can't talk about exactly everything we're going to do as far as the investigation or interviewing him. But he's been very cooperative.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CANDIOTTI: Couey spent almost four hours with these same investigators yesterday. You will recall he was picked up after he left a homeless shelter here in Augusta yesterday. And police said he was on his way to Tennessee.
Now, Jessica Lunsford's father Mark says he is at this point not jumping to any conclusions.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARK LUNSFORD, JESSICA'S FATHER: Because I've gotten excited over some things in the last three weeks and it's been a letdown. This time I've decided I'm just going to continue with my search. And I'm not going to buy into anything until the sheriff tells me himself.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CANDIOTTI: Lunsford has said that he does not know Couey and does not recognize him. Now remember, Couey is not charged in the disappearance of Jessica Lunsford. He is charged with probation violations and essentially for leaving Florida without telling authorities.
The sheriff's office says no matter what happens today, that Couey will not be heading back to Florida this day -- Rick.
SANCHEZ: Susan Candiotti, thanks so much for breaking that down for us.
Now, here is another story. Exactly one week ago almost to the minute, we were reporting of a courthouse-shooting rampage here in the city of Atlanta. In the hours and days since the killings of the three people there and another person in North Atlanta, there have been serious questions over law enforcement response and whether critical mistakes were, in fact made.
Just within the last hour Atlanta authorities held a news conference, in fact, to address some of those concerns.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICHARD PENNINGTON, CHIEF, ATLANTA POLICE: Look at all the radio transmissions. Look at the 911 calls that came into our department. Look at the calls that came into the sheriff's department, and the calls that went out. And then meet with Sheriff Freeman and try to find out what went right and what went wrong. We are not at that point yet. But we know there were some time lapses between us responding to the scene. And so that's why it's important for us to really do a complete and thorough investigation to find out exactly what transpired.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: CNN's investigative reporter Drew Griffin is good enough to break this down with us. And I think we have got something we can put up on the screen to show people exactly what we're talking about, as far as this timeline that these officials are talking about: 9:05 officer down is heard; 9:06 Atlanta police arrive; 9:11, the Atlanta Fire Department arrives; 9:30 Atlanta police find the judge and the court reporter shot; 9:45, the Atlanta police take control of the scene.
Drew, some people would look at this and wonder why so much time elapsed between all those intervals.
DREW GRIFFIN, CNN INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT: The news conference today with the Atlanta police chief and the mayor of Atlanta was to deflect, I think, and defend some of the criticism while the chief investigates what did happen. But he did release this timeline, which shows some glaring gaps in communication.
I mean when have you an officer down at 9:05 and then the Atlanta Police Department doesn't find out that there are two people dead in the courthouse until 25 minutes later, that is a serious gaffe, considering that we know who the suspect was at that point. The sheriff's department knew. They knew this guy ran out of the building. They knew this officer was down.
And then what we don't have on the timeline is that at 9:50, the Atlanta police chief says today that 9:50 we now have a clear picture of what happened.
SANCHEZ: We've followed a lot of these. So have I. Do you start to see a jurisdictional problem beginning to develop between Fulton County, which is in charge of the jail itself, and the Atlanta Police Department, which was called in to consider the crime scene?
GRIFFIN: Jurisdictional and communication, which is the big thing. The sheriff's radio is probably buzzing with information, description. You know, the judge was shot. The court reporter was shot.
SANCHEZ: But somebody is not talking...
GRIFFIN: None of that is getting to the Atlanta P.D. All they know at this point is that there's an officer down on the street.
SANCHEZ: There is also one big issue that seems to be getting a lot of ink, as well Drew. And I don't know what you can share about this. But it might have something to do with it. Apparently they did have cameras that were recording everything going on in the courthouse and everything going on in some of the cells as well.
And despite the fact that there was somebody being recorded, including the officer who assaulted the prison guard, that information was never passed on. Nobody ever said, look what I'm watching here. Is it because there were too many monitors? How does something like that happen?
GRIFFIN: Well, I talked to the fellow who put together the surveillance system in that courtroom -- and he -- in the courthouse. And he says there are always two officers watching the cameras. And he said for them not to see that kind of activity, where a suspect turns around and slams a deputy, they must not have been looking.
And that is Sheriff Myron Freeman is looking into that. Why weren't those people assigned to watch the security cameras...
SANCHEZ: They should have been the very first ones to say hey, looks what's going on. Bang the...
GRIFFIN: Absolutely. Is it happening on the eighth floor? Lock it down.
SANCHEZ: But it never happened.
GRIFFIN: No.
SANCHEZ: Drew Griffin, we thank you for sharing.
Still ahead, more judges could be in harm's way. And we're going to bring you an investigation into some threatening letters.
Also, some alternative ways to save at the pumps when gas prices are skyrocketing.
And never mind how much you have to pay. If you stop here to fill her up, you'll be treated like a king or a queen.
These stories and more as CNN live rolls on.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: And we welcome you back.
Have you noticed the price of gas has been going up just a wee bit? Well, this is a financial matter that hits home every time we top off the gas tank. In fact, U.S. prices have hit an all-time high this week. And analysts say that you better buckle up for a summer of surging costs.
Our personal finance editor Gerri Willis is here to try and save the day, although she's really got her work cut out for her on this one.
Hey, Gerri. Thanks so much for joining us. I guess we should start to forget the idea that we should be loyal to a certain company, right? Just look for the best gas anywhere, right?
GERRI WILLIS, CNN-FN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: Yes. You bet. If you are usually going to Bubba's for your gas, you better start shopping around because you can probably get a good deal somewhere else. You want to make the comparisons. It is time to forget customer loyalty. In fact, Rick, there could be as much as a 20-cent a gallon difference if you do shop around.
I've got a couple of great Webs ites here you'd want to check out. Gasbuddy.com and gaspricewatch.com will help you figure out the absolute cheapest place to fill her up.
SANCHEZ: Can we drive differently to, to perhaps avoid using so much gas?
WILLIS: You know, this is such a great tip because we're going to keep people from doing things that drive you crazy anyway. You know those people who accelerate very quickly and then jam on the brakes.
SANCHEZ: They make me crazy.
WILLIS: Yes. Yes. They make me nutty too. And guess what? They're wasting gas. As much as -- you can improve your gas mileage by as much as a third or 70-cents a gallon if you stop driving like a mad man.
SANCHEZ: Probably we should think about when we do that we mess up the engine too, not to mention the transmission. So we should go in for a tune-up. How about that?
WILLIS: Yes, absolutely. You can save lots of money by keep your car in tiptop condition. Think about it. You can improve gas mileage by as much as 4 percent. All the maintenance on the car helps your car to drive more efficiently use less gas. If you keep the air filters clean, make sure your tires are properly inflated. And using the recommended grade of oil, you can save as much as 15 percent.
SANCHEZ: Now I'm wondering, Gerri, about something else. I'm wondering if perhaps the type of gas that we put in our gas tank could affect how much we use?
WILLIS: Well, you know, Rick. You may like premium ice cream and premium coffee, but your car does not need premium gas necessarily. You want to check it out and look in your owner's manual to find out. But most do not. So you're paying extra money for something that has no real payoff for you.
SANCHEZ: Gerri, that confused look on my face was the producer telling us that we have breaking news. So we're going to let you go.
This is investigator Ronnie Strength. He's in Augusta, Georgia. He's talking about the interview they've been doing with John Evander Couey. Let's take a listen.
RONNIE STRENGTH, SHERIFF, RICHMOND COUNTY, GEORGIA: Here are the reasons we never discuss the movement of prisoners. I cannot give you a date that he will be moved. That be worked out between my folks and Florida folks. The investigators that are here today from Florida will be leaving shortly. But will not be making any comment to the media until they get back to Florida and brief their sheriff on what their findings were here in Augusta.
And at that point, I assume the sheriff down there will be making a news release to the media.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sheriff, can you confirm the report "America's Most Wanted" is reporting on its Web site that Mr. Couey is no longer going to be a person of interest. Can you confirm that?
STRENGTH: I cannot. That would definitely have to come from Florida authorities.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Have you figured out why he came to Augusta?
STRENGTH: I'm sorry?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How will he be transported to Florida? When and if that happens, in terms of will it be Florida people coming here? Or will it be Georgia people taking him there?
STRENGTH: They'll send their folks up here on an undetermined date. And then they'll move him back to Florida. They'll come up. They'll move him back.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sheriff, I know you had your investigators looking into where he may have spent his time when he was here in Augusta. Have you been able to trace his steps? Any concerns about any activity he may have been involved while he was here?
STRENGTH: We feel pretty confident that we know his whereabouts, why he was here and his involvement in any type of criminal activity. We have absolutely nothing to show he was involved in anything while in Augusta.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Was there polygraph activities today or yesterday?
STRENGTH: We don't have any comment on what -- what we've done here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Would you characterize Mr. Couey -- were you in on the meeting with the magistrate?
STRENGTH: I was not. I did not attend the hearing.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sheriff, we heard from somebody that Mr. Couey was spotted in north Augusta while he was in our area. Can you confirm that? STRENGTH: I can confirm that we did get a telephone call from someone in North Augusta that they thought they had seen him over there. We've got been able to confirm that at this point. But we did receive that telephone call.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Any idea why he came to Augusta?
STRENGTH: Just passing through. Like I said yesterday, this was a stop. He was en route to Tennessee.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is he represented by an attorney? Is that right?
STRENGTH: He waived that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did he say why he was going to Tennessee?
STRENGTH: I'd rather not get into anything that -- that we got during the interview.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can you characterize whether or not he's been cooperative?
STRENGTH: He's been very cooperative.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How so? Can you explain that? Has he been talking about his whereabouts and his...
STRENGTH: Let's leave it that he has been very cooperative.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Will we get to speak to Judge Baxter as he comes out?
STRENGTH: Well, that's up to the judge. That wouldn't be my call there.
RICK SANCHEZ, CO-HOST: There you have it. The information coming in from Sheriff Ronnie Strength, Sheriff Ronnie Strength there in Augusta, Georgia, saying that the -- the person in custody in this particular case, John Evander Couey, has indeed waived extradition.
That means that man you see right there on your screen will eventually be making his way to Citrus County in the state of Florida, where Jessica Marie Lunsford disappeared.
However, we should add at this point he is still just a person of interest, has not been removed from that particular classification. And it's still not determined whether this 46-year-old man with a long criminal record had any link at all to the disappearance of Jessica Marie Lunsford. That's what officials in Citrus County, Florida, are trying to find out. A story that we will no doubt continue to follow for you.
We've got a lot more news. We're going to take a break. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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Aired March 18, 2005 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN CO-ANCHOR: We have a couple of big news conferences we're going to be following for you, one coming out of Atlanta. The other one coming out of that situation with that little girl in Florida that's been missing for some time. We're going to be all over that for you.
Here is what's happening right now, though, in the news.
Three hours from now, health workers are to remove the feeding tube of Terri Schiavo, the Florida woman at the center of that bitter right-to-die battle that's been going on for quite some time now.
But in Washington, House Republican leaders want to issue a subpoena possibly in her name, to be defined down later as we follow, as we follow this story. That would prevent removal from taking place. Now, that maneuver would in effect bar significant action in her case and allow for more possible intervention by the courts.
Now, a deadline in Indonesia is going to come and go with little notice. The government there has announced it will ignore its March 26 deadline for international groups to end their tsunami relief efforts. Those groups will now have two more months to work in Aceh Province, where more than 226,000 people were killed.
The U.S. Senate has passed a budget that seems to set a battle with both the House and the White House. The Senate's $2.6 trillion budget largely erases President Bush's cuts in Medicaid, school aid and community development. It also conflicts with similar cutbacks that were endorsed by the House. We're going to have more on that.
Oh, and this. President Bush, he's if Florida this hour. He's going to be campaigning for his proposed Social Security reforms. That's a live picture you're looking at right now. He's going to be in Pensacola. He's delivering his call for privatization first to younger Americans. He's on the campus, in fact, of Pensacola Junior College. And later he's going to meet with seniors and families in Orlando.
Hi again, everybody. I'm Rick Sanchez. Daryn is of today.
This is the big story. A court battle over a severely brain damaged woman's right to life has lasted for years now. But it could end. Well, in a matter of hours, three to be more specific, or possibly not. The deadline is to remove the feeding tube of Terri Schiavo. And it might be impacted suddenly if several House Republicans have their way.
CNN's congressional correspondent Joe Johns is covering that angle of the story for us from Capitol Hill. And we should also tell you, as you see on the bottom of your screen there, that Carol Lin is going to be covering the story outside the Schiavo hospice in Clearwater, Florida. Let's go to Joe, first, though, because there may be some developments on this story, which are somewhat confusing.
Joe, have they subpoenaed or have they not subpoenaed?
JOE JOHNS, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, a subpoena, we are told, is going to be issued in the Schiavo case on the House side. This, of course, would be a subpoena for the preservation of certain things relating to Terri Schiavo. Implicit in that an understanding that she herself would be able to keep that feeding tube in, while the Congress continues to work its will on this case.
Meanwhile, on the Senate side, an invitation being issued to Terri Schiavo and her husband to appear before a committee here on Capitol Hill on March 28. Of course, the House majority leader putting out a statement just a little while ago, indicating that persons who have been called to testify before the Congress have certain protections.
And that, of course carries with it also an implication that she herself should be preserved in this case. Now, of course, it is not clear at all how all of this will be handled by lawyers and the families in Florida.
Meanwhile, we do have to mention to you this morning the House of Representatives issued a statement. We have a graphic of that in part to tell you what they're trying to do.
Later this morning, they said, "We will issue a subpoena which will require hospice administrators and attending physicians to preserve nutrition and hydration for Terri Schiavo to allow Congress to fully understand the procedures and practices that are currently keeping her alive. This inquiry should give hope to Terri, her parents and friends, and the millions of people throughout the world who are praying for her safety."
This fight is not over. Clearly, the Congress moving now to try to preserve their right of inquiry into this case, by preserving Terri Schiavo herself. This, of course, has caught the attention of the White House. The White House spokesman speaking with reporters earlier today, saying in part the president appreciates Congress' attempts to defend life.
Rick, back to you.
SANCHEZ: I guess, Joe, here is the key question on this. We know that the state Supreme Court in Florida and the highest court of the land, the Supreme Court of the United States have both said they're not going to stop this. Does this legislative or political action override that decision? JOHNS: It's a very interesting question. And I think you have gotten to the heart of the matter. You have the courts saying one thing. Very specifically, we're not going to jump in. Now you have the Congress of the United States trying to jump in and insert its own will. It's a fairly unique situation even in the question of congressional inquires. And I can tell you frankly right now I can't answer that.
One thing you can say is that the Congress of the United States historically and in the law has great power in its power of inquiry. It can do a lot of things that people are sometimes surprised about -- Rick.
SANCHEZ: All right. Joe Johns following that part of the story. At least it appears there is going to be some sort of delay in this.
Let's go over to Carol Lin. She's following the story from Florida to get reaction. What's the expectation there, Carol, given what we're hearing this morning?
CAROL LIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT : Well, the expectation is that they are expecting to receive a subpoena, but they have not received a subpoena yet. A short time ago, I spoke with the community coordinator of the hospice who was trying to answer a lot of the media questions. He says the hospice administrators are meeting at this moment to try to figure out where they're going to be served. Will it be here at the hospice where Terri Schiavo lying? Will it be served in Congress? Will they eve get the subpoena in time?
All the hospice would say at this point is they will comply with the law. But the question is by which order? The 1:00 court ordered to disconnect the tube? Or the subpoena that they have yet to receive?
Behind me right now is a news conference going on. Terri Schiavo's father is over there surrounded by a group of supporters of right to life issues including Operation Rescue. And what these folks are saying is that this 11- hour subpoena by the House could be their saving grace. And what it would be would be to buy them some time.
Rick, you've got to understand what Joe Johns just said is that there are members of Congress who think that Terri Schiavo should be able to make an appearance before congressional members, a congressional panel or possibly even a federal magistrate. So far, there has not been that federal authority to do so. They want to assess her condition for themselves. And this is really extraordinary.
And the hospice folks, I have to tell you, are struggling with this. They want to comply with the law. They just don't know whether the subpoena is going to arrive in time. And that leaves them with a question mark as to what they will do at 1:00 Eastern -- Rick.
SANCHEZ: We should mention, Carol, and maybe you can brief us on this if you would, that there might be a news conference coming from Florida. It's going to be from the attorney for Bob and Mary Schindler. Now, those would be the parents of Schiavo, correct?
LIN: Right. Correct. Correct. You have to understand it's been a week of -- well, it has been a decade of legal maneuvering. But this week has been extraordinary. I mean they lost an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court claiming that their daughter's religious rights were violated, because she as a devout Catholic would not want to be disconnected.
They have gone to the state legislature...
SANCHEZ: Hey, Carol. I've going to interrupt you for just a moment.
LIN: Mm-hmm. OK.
SANCHEZ: Because the very thing that we were just talking about is taking place. This is David Gibbs. He's the attorney for Bob and Mary Schindler. Let's go ahead and dip into that and see what he has to say.
DAVID GIBBS, SCHINDLER FAMILY ATTORNEY: That we would be talking about the United States of America starving to death an otherwise healthy person. We need to remember Terri is not terminal. If we feed Terri, if we give Terri water, she will live another 30 to 40 years with expected life expectancy. So Terri is as alive as you and I.
And we are very pleased on behalf of the family. Bob and Mary Schindler have been praying to God for a miracle to save their daughter. And we believe right now the miracle may come from the middle district, the federal court here in Tampa. The miracle may be these actions taken by the United States Congress.
But we believe Terri is a life worth living. We believe she should be protected under the law. And we are very pleased that these different courts and government officials are acting and reviewing this situation.
I would open to any questions if there or any on the legal or the strategy?
(UNINTELLIGIBLE)
GIBBS: I'm sorry.
(UNINTELLIGIBLE)
GIBBS: Yes, we've been informed by lawyers for the United States House of Representatives that U.S. Marshals will be serving the hospice.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you in contact with those marshals?
GIBBS: Not me personally. They're under the direction of the lawyers in Washington, D.C.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Who will they serve?
GIBBS: Let me -- you guessed it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ms. Schiavo's physical condition, is it possible for her to travel to Washington? If so, how?
GIBBS: Absolutely. Absolutely. If -- she would need a wheelchair. And Terri Schiavo could come out here with all of you today. I was back in the room with Terri today. She is in condition -- she's disabled and many disabled people travel. We would certainly want to make sure that all precautions are taken where she travels safely, where she travels comfortably. But Terri could travel to Washington. And the family is perfectly excited about the prospect of their daughter going before the United States Congress, for the entire world to see how alive Terri Schiavo is.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And you don't feel that this threatens her condition in any way?
GIBBS: We would certainly want medical doctors to be sure that she is safe to travel. But no, we're fairly confident that -- Terri if she had a wheelchair, we could bring her out here right now. And Terri is disabled. The only medical support that she's receiving at this point is food and water, hydration and nourishment. And so we need to realize there are no other physical conditions that would prohibit her from traveling just like any other disabled individual.
You had a question?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Who will physically be served with the subpoena? And will anybody else -- will the doctors who would be in charge of removing the feeding tube, would they also be subpoenaed? What do you know about that?
GIBBS: I can't speak for who will be subpoenaed to appear before the United States Congress. I do know that the subpoenas are being noticed to all appropriate health care officials, as well as hospice, and any other persons that should receive them. That's within the discretion of the U.S. House of Representatives and the lawyers that are handling that.
Again, I'm sharing with you what we have received as word that the U.S. Marshals will be delivering them. They are anticipated here at hospice some time around noon.
SANCHEZ: That is David Gibbs. Just to bring you up to date here on what's going on. He represents Bob and Mary Schindler, who are the parents of Terri Schiavo. They want the feeding tubes kept in. They do not want her to be taken off the feeding tubes.
Now, interesting choice of words. He kept referring to her as disabled. However, we should also let you know that two lower courts have pronounced that she's in fact in a persistent vegetative state. So it may be a matter of semantics. It may be something that has to be hammered out further by courts. Let's go back to Carol Lin now to get her reaction on what we just heard from that news conference and where we are now, if these indeed -- if indeed, Carol, these subpoenas are served on that hospice where you're filing this story from.
LIN: Well, they're cutting it pretty close. I mean noon is one hour before the court ordered deadline to remove Terri Schiavo's tube. Also, we have yet to hear from Michael Schiavo or his attorney today. Because he is the legal guardian. So it will be interesting to see how the subpoena is worded.
But I think it's directed specifically at the hospital administrators and the doctors, that they allow or assist Terri Schiavo in making this potential appearance before Congress. Which Rick, would be extraordinary.
SANCHEZ: It certainly would. Carol Lin following that story for us. As you can see there's a lot of developments on this story.
Here's what we're going to do. We're going to try and bring in Kendall Coffey in the next couple of hours to try and get his reaction. As you can see, there are developments going on in this case that really have more to do with the specifics of the law. And that would probably be something that Kendall would be able to offer up for us. So we'll do that for you as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, there's another case in Florida that's gained some national attention. Investigators are following leads in the disappearance of 9-year-old Jessica Marie Lunsford. Right now, authorities are questioning a man that they describe, and you've heard this term before, "A person of interest."
CNN's Susan Candiotti. She is in Augusta, Georgia with the story of this particular man. Susan joins us now live.
Susan, what's the situation there? I know he's been interviewed. Have we learned anything at this point?
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, at this hour, we're finding out that Couey is supposed to be meeting with a magistrate at the jail right here in Augusta, this jail over my shoulder. And the D.A. tells us that this is a face-to-face meeting with the judge and he'll be asked if he wants to return to Florida voluntarily. If he doesn't, then a hearing would be rescheduled for next week.
Now remember, Couey is being called a person of interest in the disappearance of Jessica Lunsford. He is not charged with her disappearance. And police say the convicted sex offender was living and staying with relatives who live practically across the street from the Lunsford family.
Now this morning, I spoke with Florida investigators including from the Citrus County Sheriff's Office and the FBI, as they arrive to continue their meeting with Couey.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CANDIOTTI (on camera): You're back here today to do what?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, to talk to Mr. Couey.
CANDIOTTI: All right. And how would you characterize his level of cooperation so far?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's very cooperative and talking to us about everything we've been asking him about.
CANDIOTTI: Is it possible that you might go further with it today? In terms of putting him on a polygraph, like the other people in Florida? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I can't talk about exactly everything we're going to do as far as the investigation or interviewing him. But he's been very cooperative.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CANDIOTTI: Couey spent almost four hours with these same investigators yesterday. You will recall he was picked up after he left a homeless shelter here in Augusta yesterday. And police said he was on his way to Tennessee.
Now, Jessica Lunsford's father Mark says he is at this point not jumping to any conclusions.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARK LUNSFORD, JESSICA'S FATHER: Because I've gotten excited over some things in the last three weeks and it's been a letdown. This time I've decided I'm just going to continue with my search. And I'm not going to buy into anything until the sheriff tells me himself.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CANDIOTTI: Lunsford has said that he does not know Couey and does not recognize him. Now remember, Couey is not charged in the disappearance of Jessica Lunsford. He is charged with probation violations and essentially for leaving Florida without telling authorities.
The sheriff's office says no matter what happens today, that Couey will not be heading back to Florida this day -- Rick.
SANCHEZ: Susan Candiotti, thanks so much for breaking that down for us.
Now, here is another story. Exactly one week ago almost to the minute, we were reporting of a courthouse-shooting rampage here in the city of Atlanta. In the hours and days since the killings of the three people there and another person in North Atlanta, there have been serious questions over law enforcement response and whether critical mistakes were, in fact made.
Just within the last hour Atlanta authorities held a news conference, in fact, to address some of those concerns.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICHARD PENNINGTON, CHIEF, ATLANTA POLICE: Look at all the radio transmissions. Look at the 911 calls that came into our department. Look at the calls that came into the sheriff's department, and the calls that went out. And then meet with Sheriff Freeman and try to find out what went right and what went wrong. We are not at that point yet. But we know there were some time lapses between us responding to the scene. And so that's why it's important for us to really do a complete and thorough investigation to find out exactly what transpired.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: CNN's investigative reporter Drew Griffin is good enough to break this down with us. And I think we have got something we can put up on the screen to show people exactly what we're talking about, as far as this timeline that these officials are talking about: 9:05 officer down is heard; 9:06 Atlanta police arrive; 9:11, the Atlanta Fire Department arrives; 9:30 Atlanta police find the judge and the court reporter shot; 9:45, the Atlanta police take control of the scene.
Drew, some people would look at this and wonder why so much time elapsed between all those intervals.
DREW GRIFFIN, CNN INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT: The news conference today with the Atlanta police chief and the mayor of Atlanta was to deflect, I think, and defend some of the criticism while the chief investigates what did happen. But he did release this timeline, which shows some glaring gaps in communication.
I mean when have you an officer down at 9:05 and then the Atlanta Police Department doesn't find out that there are two people dead in the courthouse until 25 minutes later, that is a serious gaffe, considering that we know who the suspect was at that point. The sheriff's department knew. They knew this guy ran out of the building. They knew this officer was down.
And then what we don't have on the timeline is that at 9:50, the Atlanta police chief says today that 9:50 we now have a clear picture of what happened.
SANCHEZ: We've followed a lot of these. So have I. Do you start to see a jurisdictional problem beginning to develop between Fulton County, which is in charge of the jail itself, and the Atlanta Police Department, which was called in to consider the crime scene?
GRIFFIN: Jurisdictional and communication, which is the big thing. The sheriff's radio is probably buzzing with information, description. You know, the judge was shot. The court reporter was shot.
SANCHEZ: But somebody is not talking...
GRIFFIN: None of that is getting to the Atlanta P.D. All they know at this point is that there's an officer down on the street.
SANCHEZ: There is also one big issue that seems to be getting a lot of ink, as well Drew. And I don't know what you can share about this. But it might have something to do with it. Apparently they did have cameras that were recording everything going on in the courthouse and everything going on in some of the cells as well.
And despite the fact that there was somebody being recorded, including the officer who assaulted the prison guard, that information was never passed on. Nobody ever said, look what I'm watching here. Is it because there were too many monitors? How does something like that happen?
GRIFFIN: Well, I talked to the fellow who put together the surveillance system in that courtroom -- and he -- in the courthouse. And he says there are always two officers watching the cameras. And he said for them not to see that kind of activity, where a suspect turns around and slams a deputy, they must not have been looking.
And that is Sheriff Myron Freeman is looking into that. Why weren't those people assigned to watch the security cameras...
SANCHEZ: They should have been the very first ones to say hey, looks what's going on. Bang the...
GRIFFIN: Absolutely. Is it happening on the eighth floor? Lock it down.
SANCHEZ: But it never happened.
GRIFFIN: No.
SANCHEZ: Drew Griffin, we thank you for sharing.
Still ahead, more judges could be in harm's way. And we're going to bring you an investigation into some threatening letters.
Also, some alternative ways to save at the pumps when gas prices are skyrocketing.
And never mind how much you have to pay. If you stop here to fill her up, you'll be treated like a king or a queen.
These stories and more as CNN live rolls on.
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SANCHEZ: And we welcome you back.
Have you noticed the price of gas has been going up just a wee bit? Well, this is a financial matter that hits home every time we top off the gas tank. In fact, U.S. prices have hit an all-time high this week. And analysts say that you better buckle up for a summer of surging costs.
Our personal finance editor Gerri Willis is here to try and save the day, although she's really got her work cut out for her on this one.
Hey, Gerri. Thanks so much for joining us. I guess we should start to forget the idea that we should be loyal to a certain company, right? Just look for the best gas anywhere, right?
GERRI WILLIS, CNN-FN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: Yes. You bet. If you are usually going to Bubba's for your gas, you better start shopping around because you can probably get a good deal somewhere else. You want to make the comparisons. It is time to forget customer loyalty. In fact, Rick, there could be as much as a 20-cent a gallon difference if you do shop around.
I've got a couple of great Webs ites here you'd want to check out. Gasbuddy.com and gaspricewatch.com will help you figure out the absolute cheapest place to fill her up.
SANCHEZ: Can we drive differently to, to perhaps avoid using so much gas?
WILLIS: You know, this is such a great tip because we're going to keep people from doing things that drive you crazy anyway. You know those people who accelerate very quickly and then jam on the brakes.
SANCHEZ: They make me crazy.
WILLIS: Yes. Yes. They make me nutty too. And guess what? They're wasting gas. As much as -- you can improve your gas mileage by as much as a third or 70-cents a gallon if you stop driving like a mad man.
SANCHEZ: Probably we should think about when we do that we mess up the engine too, not to mention the transmission. So we should go in for a tune-up. How about that?
WILLIS: Yes, absolutely. You can save lots of money by keep your car in tiptop condition. Think about it. You can improve gas mileage by as much as 4 percent. All the maintenance on the car helps your car to drive more efficiently use less gas. If you keep the air filters clean, make sure your tires are properly inflated. And using the recommended grade of oil, you can save as much as 15 percent.
SANCHEZ: Now I'm wondering, Gerri, about something else. I'm wondering if perhaps the type of gas that we put in our gas tank could affect how much we use?
WILLIS: Well, you know, Rick. You may like premium ice cream and premium coffee, but your car does not need premium gas necessarily. You want to check it out and look in your owner's manual to find out. But most do not. So you're paying extra money for something that has no real payoff for you.
SANCHEZ: Gerri, that confused look on my face was the producer telling us that we have breaking news. So we're going to let you go.
This is investigator Ronnie Strength. He's in Augusta, Georgia. He's talking about the interview they've been doing with John Evander Couey. Let's take a listen.
RONNIE STRENGTH, SHERIFF, RICHMOND COUNTY, GEORGIA: Here are the reasons we never discuss the movement of prisoners. I cannot give you a date that he will be moved. That be worked out between my folks and Florida folks. The investigators that are here today from Florida will be leaving shortly. But will not be making any comment to the media until they get back to Florida and brief their sheriff on what their findings were here in Augusta.
And at that point, I assume the sheriff down there will be making a news release to the media.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sheriff, can you confirm the report "America's Most Wanted" is reporting on its Web site that Mr. Couey is no longer going to be a person of interest. Can you confirm that?
STRENGTH: I cannot. That would definitely have to come from Florida authorities.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Have you figured out why he came to Augusta?
STRENGTH: I'm sorry?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How will he be transported to Florida? When and if that happens, in terms of will it be Florida people coming here? Or will it be Georgia people taking him there?
STRENGTH: They'll send their folks up here on an undetermined date. And then they'll move him back to Florida. They'll come up. They'll move him back.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sheriff, I know you had your investigators looking into where he may have spent his time when he was here in Augusta. Have you been able to trace his steps? Any concerns about any activity he may have been involved while he was here?
STRENGTH: We feel pretty confident that we know his whereabouts, why he was here and his involvement in any type of criminal activity. We have absolutely nothing to show he was involved in anything while in Augusta.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Was there polygraph activities today or yesterday?
STRENGTH: We don't have any comment on what -- what we've done here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Would you characterize Mr. Couey -- were you in on the meeting with the magistrate?
STRENGTH: I was not. I did not attend the hearing.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sheriff, we heard from somebody that Mr. Couey was spotted in north Augusta while he was in our area. Can you confirm that? STRENGTH: I can confirm that we did get a telephone call from someone in North Augusta that they thought they had seen him over there. We've got been able to confirm that at this point. But we did receive that telephone call.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Any idea why he came to Augusta?
STRENGTH: Just passing through. Like I said yesterday, this was a stop. He was en route to Tennessee.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is he represented by an attorney? Is that right?
STRENGTH: He waived that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did he say why he was going to Tennessee?
STRENGTH: I'd rather not get into anything that -- that we got during the interview.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can you characterize whether or not he's been cooperative?
STRENGTH: He's been very cooperative.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How so? Can you explain that? Has he been talking about his whereabouts and his...
STRENGTH: Let's leave it that he has been very cooperative.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Will we get to speak to Judge Baxter as he comes out?
STRENGTH: Well, that's up to the judge. That wouldn't be my call there.
RICK SANCHEZ, CO-HOST: There you have it. The information coming in from Sheriff Ronnie Strength, Sheriff Ronnie Strength there in Augusta, Georgia, saying that the -- the person in custody in this particular case, John Evander Couey, has indeed waived extradition.
That means that man you see right there on your screen will eventually be making his way to Citrus County in the state of Florida, where Jessica Marie Lunsford disappeared.
However, we should add at this point he is still just a person of interest, has not been removed from that particular classification. And it's still not determined whether this 46-year-old man with a long criminal record had any link at all to the disappearance of Jessica Marie Lunsford. That's what officials in Citrus County, Florida, are trying to find out. A story that we will no doubt continue to follow for you.
We've got a lot more news. We're going to take a break. We'll be right back.
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