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American Morning
Life or Death Decision for Terri Schiavo; New Details in Jessica Lunsford Case
Aired March 21, 2005 - 07:29 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.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: God morning. Welcome back, everybody. It's just about half past the hour on this AMERICAN MORNING.
Coming up, everyone is waiting to see what a federal judge is going to do in the battle over Terri Schiavo. Congress and the president have intervened now to keep her alive. We're going to take a look at what's happening this morning.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Also from the state of Florida, a lot of unanswered questions in the Jessica Lunsford case. How long was she held, and whether or not some neighbors could be considered accomplices in her murder? The sheriff leading that investigation is our guest in a moment. What a sad break over the weekend there, too. Wow!
O'BRIEN: Oh, terrible. Just an absolutely heartbreaking story and that family's pain. Gosh, you can't even imagine.
Let's get right to the other stories that are making headlines this morning. Carol Costello in for us.
Good morning.
HEMMER: Good morning.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Good morning to all of you.
"Now in the News."
Another U.S. soldier has been killed in the line of duty in Iraq. Military sources say the soldier was taking part in security and stability operations in the Al Anbar province west of Baghdad. In the meantime, U.S. and coalition troops killed more than two dozen insurgents south of Baghdad. The clash is among the largest since the January 30 elections.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is heading home after a whirlwind tour of Asia. Secretary Rice met with her Chinese counterpart in Beijing earlier today. She's asking for help in getting North Korea to resume nuclear talks and hinted at possible international sanctions against Korea. Rice also brought up the escalating tensions between China and Taiwan.
U.S. Secretary-General Kofi Annan is calling for major changes in the way the U.N. does business. Among them, expanding the Security Council from 15 to 24 countries. The secretary-general is set to present his report to other members of the U.N. at the New York headquarters in a little over two hours. We'll keep you posted.
And guess what? Baseball players will no longer have to pay out if they're caught using steroids. Owners and players agreed to drop possible financial penalties after congressmen criticized the option during last week's hearing on Capitol Hill. See, it wasn't all for naught. The decision means players can only be punished for steroid use with suspensions. So we await other changes, because you know they're coming.
HEMMER: Throw a little more water on that penalty, huh, Carol?
COSTELLO: Yes.
HEMMER: Thank you.
The fate of Terri Schiavo is now in the hands of a federal judge in Florida. President Bush signed a law just after 1:00 this morning sending the controversial case to the federal court system.
Schiavo is the 41-year-old woman who suffered heart failure and severe brain damage 15 years ago. Her parents and her husband have been arguing for years about whether or not to remove her feeding tube.
Bob Franken this morning is live in Pinellas Park, Florida, in front of the hospice where Terri Schiavo is now being cared for.
Bob -- good morning.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.
And she is still here. There had been hopes raised by the attorney for the Schindler family, the parents and blood relatives of Terri Schiavo who have fought so hard to get the tube reconnected. There had been hopes raised by him that a judge would rule overnight that she should be taken by ambulance from this building and taken to a hospital. But it has not yet occurred.
David Gibbs has gone through the various court procedures. A judge has been assigned. The matter has still not been resolved. As we heard in an interview Soledad did a short while ago with Michael Schiavo, he is going to make the fight in court and fight against connecting the tube -- reconnecting the tube.
And, of course, this is a bitter family fight. But for the Schindlers, after Congress made its decision last night, it was a rare moment of happiness. They went in to visit Terri Schiavo. And then the father said that it was a very warm, warm and intimate encounter.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BOB SCHINDLER, SR., TERRI SCHIAVO'S FATHER: I asked her if she was ready to take a little ride. And I told her that we were going to take her for a little trip and take her outside and get her some breakfast. And that got a big smile out of her face, so help me God. So, she seemed to be very pleased. And we're pleased and we're very thankful for both the House and the Senate for passing this bill and saving -- literally saving Terri's life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FRANKEN: This has been a battle that has been fought for so many years. Now, because of the legislation passed by Congress, the new turf will be the federal court system -- Bill.
HEMMER: Bob, thanks for that in Pinellas Park, Florida -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Well, almost from the time Schiavo suffered brain damage back in 1990, her parents and her husband have waged a bitter legal battle over her fate. And last week that battle became political with an unprecedented response from Congress.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN (voice over): On Friday morning, a state judge temporarily blocks the removal of Terri Schiavo's feeding tube. The Florida circuit court judge, who has been handling the Schiavo case for years, overrules that decision.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The judge heard arguments about our motion.
O'BRIEN: Then, lawmakers in Washington decide to get involved. They issued subpoenas aimed at keeping Schiavo's food and water supply connected.
But on Friday afternoon, at approximately 1:45 Eastern Time, doctors removed Terri Schiavo's feeding tube at the direction of her husband, Michael, and the Florida courts.
By Friday night, the U.S. Supreme Court is involved and denies an emergency request from Congress to reinsert Terri Schiavo's feeding tube.
On Saturday, congressional leaders reach a compromise on legislation that would put the power to reinsert Schiavo's feeding tube into the hands of a federal court. Protesters, sympathetic to Terri Schiavo's parents, maintained their presence outside the hospice where she's being cared for.
On Sunday, more than 48 hours after Terri Schiavo has been disconnected from food and water, the House and Senate convene a special session. It's a race to pass the Schiavo Bill.
REP. BARNEY FRANK (D), MASSACHUSETTS: This is a terribly difficult decision, which we are institutionally totally incompetent to make.
REP. BBO BEAUPREZ (R), COLORADO: If we're going to make mistakes, let's err on the side of life, not denying life, but granting life.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: After signing the bill, the president said in a statement that courts should -- quote -- "have a presumption in favor of life in cases like Terri Schiavo's" -- Bill.
HEMMER: It's about 25 minutes now before the hour. There are chilling new details about the abduction and killing of Jessica Lunsford. Authorities are saying evidence indicates the 9-year-old was snatched from her home and later sexually assaulted by a convicted sex offender living nearby. John Evander Couey is now in custody.
And on Sunday, Jessica's fathered had this to say about the crime.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARK LUNSFORD, JESSICA LUNSFORD'S FATHER: I think they got him here real quickly, and we need to prosecute him. And I need everybody's support on pushing the death penalty upon this man. He is scum. And anybody that acts like him or even resembles him is scum. And you do not deserve to be amongst us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: The sheriff in Citrus County is Jeff Dawsy. He's back with us this morning. He has led this investigation.
Sheriff, thank you for your time. Given the developments over the weekend, we appreciate you spending it with us here. But Jessica's body was apparently found just 150 yards from her home. Was that area thoroughly searched in the past three weeks?
SHERIFF JEFF DAWSY, CITRUS COUNTY, FLORIDA: Yes, it was.
HEMMER: How did searchers miss her body, Sheriff?
DAWSY: Well, I can't go into the specifics of the case. I hope you understand that. And all I can tell you is that we are as remorseful, and it's a tragic set of events that have occurred here.
HEMMER: Can you tell us, without getting too graphic this morning, how her body was discovered?
DAWSY: Well, as we all have surmised -- and, again, you have to understand I'm within guidelines from the state attorney general's office, so I am very guarded in what I can tell you and what I can't. We were able to unearth her and bring her home to her family.
HEMMER: Was Couey talking? Did he give you that information?
DAWSY: Yes, he did.
HEMMER: Apparently, according to some reports and the word we're getting out of Florida, is that he was under the influence of drugs and possibly more than that. How much of his story, Sheriff, do you believe?
DAWSY: Well, I believe some of it. I don't believe everything he has told us. I think he was in a drug-induced haze for a portion of the time. He has a long history and an admission that that's what he's about.
HEMMER: Sheriff, how long was Jessica held before she was murdered?
DAWSY: Well, I don't know. And, you know, honestly, it goes back to this case. But I could tell you, you know, we may never have a true timeline. There were two people that knew: Jessica, who is gone, and this individual, Couey. And because of his state with drugs, he's all over the place.
HEMMER: His half-sister and two others living nearby, they have been charged with obstruction at this point. Do you have any evidence that indicates that they knew of the crime before he confessed to it?
DAWSY: Well, not at this time. And that's the reason why they've only been charged with obstruction. But let me assure you and everyone else that's watching this that if I can prove that, I will charge them very quickly.
HEMMER: Are you saying that's a possibility, Sheriff?
DAWSY: No, I'm just saying that the investigation continues. We have a job to do for Jessica, and I'm going to make sure that everybody that had any part in this is thoroughly investigated and charged with the most severe crime I can charge them with.
HEMMER: Sheriff, how did he get inside that home?
DAWSY: Well, our understanding and his admission is that the back door was unsecured, and he entered through there.
HEMMER: Is that what he told you?
DAWSY: That's correct.
HEMMER: When will he be charged, Sheriff?
DAWSY: We believe very quickly. It could be today, but most likely the early part of this week.
HEMMER: And charges would be what?
DAWSY: There's an array of them, and we have not finalized all of them. But I can tell you one of them is capital murder, and we will seek the death penalty on this individual.
HEMMER: Sheriff, thank you. Jeff Dawsy, Citrus County, Florida.
DAWSY: Thank you.
HEMMER: All right. Tune in later tonight here on CNN, "Protecting Our Children," a special edition of "NEWSNIGHT WITH AARON BROWN." That comes your way tonight, Monday night, 10:00 Eastern here on CNN, 7:00 on the West Coast -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: It's time to get another check of the weather.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HEMMER: We are waiting for word from a federal judge at this hour. Will Terri Schiavo's feeding tube be put back? We're watching that story. Back to it in a moment here.
O'BRIEN: Also this morning, Sunday's episode of "The Contender" featured a boxer who committed suicide after the series finished taping. Did NBC handle it in good taste? A look at that ahead as we continue here on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: A large-scale reform of the U.N. proposed today. Secretary-General Kofi Annan is expected to recommend, rather, changes, trying to restore confidence in the United Nations. Those reforms include two plans to expand the Security Council from 15 to 24 members. Veto power would remain with the original five permanent member nations. Redefining terrorism and replacing the Human Rights Commission. Washington has been especially critical of that commission since it was kicked off back in 1991. Libya, Sudan and Syria all given seats on that commission. Internal oversight would be strengthened to prevent abuses like the oil-for-food scandal. All of that's happening today at the U.N. We will follow that for you here in New York City -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Jack is back this morning with the "Question of the Day."
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Thank you, Soledad.
Congress passed a bill early this morning transferring jurisdiction of the Terri Schiavo case to the U.S. district court for a federal judge to review; this, after 19 judges in six state courts over seven years have reviewed this case. Nevertheless, Congress felt it must get involved.
This follows Thursday's roundup of Major League Baseball players for heated hearings on steroids.
The question is this: Should Congress be dealing with Schiavo and steroids when there's a war in Iraq and record deficits?
Debbie in Virginia writes: "I wonder why Tom DeLay didn't step in and stop me from putting my mother in hospice last year, removing her IV hydration and taking her home to die? Why this case?"
Amy in North Carolina: "For the first time in my life, I'm embarrassed to be a Republican. Instead of worrying about the economy, our dependence on foreign oil, the war and crazy pedophiles on the loose, they hold a late-night session to deal with a family's private turmoil. This disgusts me."
Cheryl in California: "I find it appalling Congress would cut short their vacation for the Schiavo case and not do the same to act on the 9/11 Commission recommendations."
Dean in New Jersey: "Yes. Issues such as steroids and Schiavo are what Congress excels at. When Congress gets too involved in such complicated issues as the war in Iraq or a record deficit, they usually end up mucking things up and resolving nothing."
And Mel writes from New York: "What a system. The president thinks he's the Congress and able to declare war. Congress thinks it's a federal court passing a special-interest bill, which they swear will not set any precedents. Want to bet? The courts have to hand these clowns a copy of their job descriptions and tell them to get back to work."
O'BRIEN: I don't think the court's going to rule on that, though. I think the court will just make it...
CAFFERTY: I mean, the Supreme Court of the United States twice refused to get involved in this case. They had kicked it all the way up to the Supreme Court, and they refused to hear the case without comment.
HEMMER: Medically speaking, what happens? Does she start starving at this point, I mean, if she goes without food and water?
O'BRIEN: Yes, it takes...
HEMMER: What happens? And that process, does it last a couple days?
O'BRIEN: No, it lasts a month.
HEMMER: Is it a week or two?
O'BRIEN: It lasts a while. It lasts a while.
HEMMER: Sanjay is coming up in a moment on that, too. So, we'll put the questions to him.
O'BRIEN: Yes. He'll give us some insight on that. It's all political at this point, right, Jack?
CAFFERTY: That's right. It's all about politics. It has nothing to do with Terri Schiavo. This is all about the abortion debate and right to life and the right wing of the Republican Party. And it's all cloaked in some, you know, mantle that says, oh, we're worried about this woman's life. Baloney!
O'BRIEN: Well, we'll hear what the courts have to say later on, sometime soon.
CAFFERTY: Yes.
O'BRIEN: Thank you, Jack.
You guys see some pictures? I mean, it's kind of tough to move to this.
ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: I can't wait.
O'BRIEN: But let me show you some pictures that we -- something we did over the weekend. See this lovely lady here on the right? That is Toure's new bride.
HEMMER: God bless her from this day forward.
O'BRIEN: It says Toure is taken. It's actually, Rita is taken, I believe, because Toure and Rita got hitched at the Raleigh Hotel in Miami Beach over the weekend. It was beautiful. The Reverend Run DMC, you can see in the picture there, he's standing next to me. He was the celebrant. It was amazing, and fabulous weather, and lots of their friends came. And the highlight was this belly dancer, who performed with a giant sword that she balanced on her hip while she's doing all of this stuff.
HEMMER: Not easy.
O'BRIEN: And then on her head. No, no, not easy would be the understatement of the year. It was cool. It was great. It was a wonderful wedding.
HEMMER: Well, congratulations to both Toure and Rita.
O'BRIEN: Yes.
Well, ahead this morning, NBC is hoping to recapture its must-see TV heyday. Find out what changes are under way at the peacock network. Also, what's in store for some former ratings toppers. "90- Second Pop" is up next right here on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Welcome back, everybody. It's time for another edition of "90-Second Pop" with our pop stars this morning. Christopher John Farley, he's the senior editor for "TIME" magazine. Jessica Shaw of "Entertainment Weekly." And B.J. Sigesmund, staff editor for "US Weekly."
Good morning. Hope everybody had a fabulous weekend.
JESSICA SHAW, "ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Good morning.
O'BRIEN: Hot 97, the radio station, is back in the news, because they continue to be incredibly inappropriate. First, there were those nasty tsunami lyrics, right? Totally over the top or a new low, you might say. 50 Cent shot...
CHRISTOPHER JOHN FARLEY, SR. EDITOR, "TIME" MAGAZINE: Right.
O'BRIEN: ... or shots fired when he's in the radio station. And now they've got something called smack-fest, which is possibly a new low. What is it?
FARLEY: Smack-fest has been around for a while. It's where people slap each other on the air and money is given...
SHAW: Well, women slap each other.
FARLEY: Right. And then they get money depending on the loudest slap or how it's judged. But here's the thing. You know, there's a lot of great hip-hop out there, but hip-hop for some time has been like pro wrestling. And that's part of the problem here, where they're promoting not the music, but they're promoting really the violence and the chaos and the misogyny around music. And, you know, people have to try to take the music back. Like, there's a campaign that "Essence" magazine is helping to push, take the music back, take back the music to try to get some more emphasis on the political and social content of the lyrics themselves.
O'BRIEN: What does women smacking each other has anything to do with hip-hop?
SHAW: That's the thing. I mean, I'm not sure it's appropriate to blame them for shootings and to blame the radio station for the shootings. But, I mean, women slapping each other, you know, is like the height of misogyny and the tsunami song which is so racist.
O'BRIEN: And winning money, $5,000.
SHAW: Right.
B.J. SIGESMUND, STAFF EDITOR, "US WEEKLY": Right. And the thing that I don't really get is hearing a slap is so much less impactful than seeing a slap.
O'BRIEN: It's like radio stations should not be doing this.
SIGESMUND: Yes. I'm not going to tune into Hot 97 to listen to a slap.
FARLEY: So, what's the original title of "Million Dollar Baby?" Slap-Fest 05? I mean, it works in other contexts, but I think here it's wrong, because I think they're perverting hip-hop. Hip-hop is better than this, and Hot 97 can be better than this.
O'BRIEN: Oh, well, lord knows they're trying hard to be worse each and every day.
SHAW: Right.
O'BRIEN: Maybe they'll change their tune.
All right, let's talk about NBC. Remember back in the day when NBC always won in primetime?
SHAW: Oh.
O'BRIEN: Now they're hauling out the oldies, but oldies in order to see if they can revamp their primetime lineup. What's staying?
SHAW: Well, "ER" is staying. "West Wing" is staying. "Crossing Jordan." The "Medium" show has done incredible well. "Las Vegas." Yes, you know, this is the time when the networks say, like, these are the pilots we're going to do, and then in May they will announce their lineups. NBC is in trouble. You know, last year they were No. 1. They had "Friends." They had "Frazier." This year, not so much, No. 4.
SIGESMUND: Well, the "West Wing," I mean, it's lost, like, 30 or 40 percent of its viewers. And they're in a new presidential administration now. You know, Bartlett is going to be out, and they're going to have a new one. And they're hoping that they can bring new energy.
O'BRIEN: Can it work?
SHAW: Boring.
O'BRIEN: Do you think it's foreign? Or can they sort of re- launch the old versions?
FARLEY: I feel like Bartlett has been around since the Truman administration. The fact is I tend to watch cable more. I end up watching like the "L" word and not the things on network. I think a lot of my friends are the same way.
O'BRIEN: So, things that are pushing the envelope a little bit, be more creative.
SHAW: Which is what NBC is trying to do. You know, they've already announced some of their new shows, like "The Book of Daniel," which is about a pill-popping Episcopalian minister who hangs out with the kind of hip and cool Jesus.
O'BRIEN: OK. The guy who is the head of NBC Entertainment said this: "It's slightly provocative." This is an Episcopalian minister who has a dependence on prescription drugs.
SHAW: Yes.
SIGESMUND: And who hangs out with Jesus.
SHAW: Right.
O'BRIEN: Slightly provocative.
FARLEY: And hangs out at Hot 97, right? So it all comes together, I think.
O'BRIEN: All right.
SHAW: But you know what? You can't ignore the success of movies like "The Passion" and even "Medium," which is about sort of other worldly things has done incredibly well. O'BRIEN: Or the failures historically of similar things they've tried to do that pushed the envelope a little too far. People didn't want to see it.
Let's talk about "The Contender." That's a reality TV show about boxing. One of the guys who was in the show, a guy named Najai Turpin (ph), he committed suicide. And still, they went ahead to run the segment that had him in it. How did that come off.
SIGESMUND: Yes. Actually, Soledad, I thought it was very moving and very well done. You know, "The Contender," unlike other reality shows, actually spends a lot of time getting to know the back stories behind a lot of the boxers, why they ended up on this show. And so, last night, you got to know not Najai (ph), but also his long-time girlfriend and his really cute baby daughter.
And it was particularly moving, considering that we all know that he killed himself in February, just a month and a half ago, a few months after this show was shot. And, in fact in one incredible bit of foreshadowing in the show, he says, "If I were to die today or tomorrow, my family would have nothing, so I'm here to build a better life for ourselves."
SHAW: The thing I didn't get about that, though, is that, you know, like, at the end they said that he had passed away. But no one said that he had committed suicide.
SIGESMUND: Yes.
SHAW: What a great opportunity they would have had to say here's a hotline for people contemplating suicide. And they totally dropped the ball.
FARLEY: I couldn't watch it. I feel like, you know, you have snuff films. This is kind of a snuff series. I couldn't finish watching it. It was too just much. I ended up watching a tape of "The OC" instead. I just didn't want to do it.
O'BRIEN: Wow! You really didn't want to watch it.
FARLEY: I didn't want to deal with it.
O'BRIEN: Well, it's nice to hear that you think that they pulled it off well. You guys, as always, we're out of time. It's nice to chat with you, though. Appreciate it. And we should mention that we're going talk with Mark Burnett about "The Contender" in our final hour. That's at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time right here on AMERICAN MORNING -- Bill.
HEMMER: Soledad, thanks.
It's three minutes before the hour. In a moment, top stories are coming your way. Also, gas prices all the way across the country are soaring now to record levels. In a moment, tips on how to get more miles to the gallon no matter what kind of car you drive. That's up in a moment here on AMERICAN MORNING. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Aired March 21, 2005 - 07:29 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: God morning. Welcome back, everybody. It's just about half past the hour on this AMERICAN MORNING.
Coming up, everyone is waiting to see what a federal judge is going to do in the battle over Terri Schiavo. Congress and the president have intervened now to keep her alive. We're going to take a look at what's happening this morning.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Also from the state of Florida, a lot of unanswered questions in the Jessica Lunsford case. How long was she held, and whether or not some neighbors could be considered accomplices in her murder? The sheriff leading that investigation is our guest in a moment. What a sad break over the weekend there, too. Wow!
O'BRIEN: Oh, terrible. Just an absolutely heartbreaking story and that family's pain. Gosh, you can't even imagine.
Let's get right to the other stories that are making headlines this morning. Carol Costello in for us.
Good morning.
HEMMER: Good morning.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Good morning to all of you.
"Now in the News."
Another U.S. soldier has been killed in the line of duty in Iraq. Military sources say the soldier was taking part in security and stability operations in the Al Anbar province west of Baghdad. In the meantime, U.S. and coalition troops killed more than two dozen insurgents south of Baghdad. The clash is among the largest since the January 30 elections.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is heading home after a whirlwind tour of Asia. Secretary Rice met with her Chinese counterpart in Beijing earlier today. She's asking for help in getting North Korea to resume nuclear talks and hinted at possible international sanctions against Korea. Rice also brought up the escalating tensions between China and Taiwan.
U.S. Secretary-General Kofi Annan is calling for major changes in the way the U.N. does business. Among them, expanding the Security Council from 15 to 24 countries. The secretary-general is set to present his report to other members of the U.N. at the New York headquarters in a little over two hours. We'll keep you posted.
And guess what? Baseball players will no longer have to pay out if they're caught using steroids. Owners and players agreed to drop possible financial penalties after congressmen criticized the option during last week's hearing on Capitol Hill. See, it wasn't all for naught. The decision means players can only be punished for steroid use with suspensions. So we await other changes, because you know they're coming.
HEMMER: Throw a little more water on that penalty, huh, Carol?
COSTELLO: Yes.
HEMMER: Thank you.
The fate of Terri Schiavo is now in the hands of a federal judge in Florida. President Bush signed a law just after 1:00 this morning sending the controversial case to the federal court system.
Schiavo is the 41-year-old woman who suffered heart failure and severe brain damage 15 years ago. Her parents and her husband have been arguing for years about whether or not to remove her feeding tube.
Bob Franken this morning is live in Pinellas Park, Florida, in front of the hospice where Terri Schiavo is now being cared for.
Bob -- good morning.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.
And she is still here. There had been hopes raised by the attorney for the Schindler family, the parents and blood relatives of Terri Schiavo who have fought so hard to get the tube reconnected. There had been hopes raised by him that a judge would rule overnight that she should be taken by ambulance from this building and taken to a hospital. But it has not yet occurred.
David Gibbs has gone through the various court procedures. A judge has been assigned. The matter has still not been resolved. As we heard in an interview Soledad did a short while ago with Michael Schiavo, he is going to make the fight in court and fight against connecting the tube -- reconnecting the tube.
And, of course, this is a bitter family fight. But for the Schindlers, after Congress made its decision last night, it was a rare moment of happiness. They went in to visit Terri Schiavo. And then the father said that it was a very warm, warm and intimate encounter.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BOB SCHINDLER, SR., TERRI SCHIAVO'S FATHER: I asked her if she was ready to take a little ride. And I told her that we were going to take her for a little trip and take her outside and get her some breakfast. And that got a big smile out of her face, so help me God. So, she seemed to be very pleased. And we're pleased and we're very thankful for both the House and the Senate for passing this bill and saving -- literally saving Terri's life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FRANKEN: This has been a battle that has been fought for so many years. Now, because of the legislation passed by Congress, the new turf will be the federal court system -- Bill.
HEMMER: Bob, thanks for that in Pinellas Park, Florida -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Well, almost from the time Schiavo suffered brain damage back in 1990, her parents and her husband have waged a bitter legal battle over her fate. And last week that battle became political with an unprecedented response from Congress.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN (voice over): On Friday morning, a state judge temporarily blocks the removal of Terri Schiavo's feeding tube. The Florida circuit court judge, who has been handling the Schiavo case for years, overrules that decision.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The judge heard arguments about our motion.
O'BRIEN: Then, lawmakers in Washington decide to get involved. They issued subpoenas aimed at keeping Schiavo's food and water supply connected.
But on Friday afternoon, at approximately 1:45 Eastern Time, doctors removed Terri Schiavo's feeding tube at the direction of her husband, Michael, and the Florida courts.
By Friday night, the U.S. Supreme Court is involved and denies an emergency request from Congress to reinsert Terri Schiavo's feeding tube.
On Saturday, congressional leaders reach a compromise on legislation that would put the power to reinsert Schiavo's feeding tube into the hands of a federal court. Protesters, sympathetic to Terri Schiavo's parents, maintained their presence outside the hospice where she's being cared for.
On Sunday, more than 48 hours after Terri Schiavo has been disconnected from food and water, the House and Senate convene a special session. It's a race to pass the Schiavo Bill.
REP. BARNEY FRANK (D), MASSACHUSETTS: This is a terribly difficult decision, which we are institutionally totally incompetent to make.
REP. BBO BEAUPREZ (R), COLORADO: If we're going to make mistakes, let's err on the side of life, not denying life, but granting life.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: After signing the bill, the president said in a statement that courts should -- quote -- "have a presumption in favor of life in cases like Terri Schiavo's" -- Bill.
HEMMER: It's about 25 minutes now before the hour. There are chilling new details about the abduction and killing of Jessica Lunsford. Authorities are saying evidence indicates the 9-year-old was snatched from her home and later sexually assaulted by a convicted sex offender living nearby. John Evander Couey is now in custody.
And on Sunday, Jessica's fathered had this to say about the crime.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARK LUNSFORD, JESSICA LUNSFORD'S FATHER: I think they got him here real quickly, and we need to prosecute him. And I need everybody's support on pushing the death penalty upon this man. He is scum. And anybody that acts like him or even resembles him is scum. And you do not deserve to be amongst us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: The sheriff in Citrus County is Jeff Dawsy. He's back with us this morning. He has led this investigation.
Sheriff, thank you for your time. Given the developments over the weekend, we appreciate you spending it with us here. But Jessica's body was apparently found just 150 yards from her home. Was that area thoroughly searched in the past three weeks?
SHERIFF JEFF DAWSY, CITRUS COUNTY, FLORIDA: Yes, it was.
HEMMER: How did searchers miss her body, Sheriff?
DAWSY: Well, I can't go into the specifics of the case. I hope you understand that. And all I can tell you is that we are as remorseful, and it's a tragic set of events that have occurred here.
HEMMER: Can you tell us, without getting too graphic this morning, how her body was discovered?
DAWSY: Well, as we all have surmised -- and, again, you have to understand I'm within guidelines from the state attorney general's office, so I am very guarded in what I can tell you and what I can't. We were able to unearth her and bring her home to her family.
HEMMER: Was Couey talking? Did he give you that information?
DAWSY: Yes, he did.
HEMMER: Apparently, according to some reports and the word we're getting out of Florida, is that he was under the influence of drugs and possibly more than that. How much of his story, Sheriff, do you believe?
DAWSY: Well, I believe some of it. I don't believe everything he has told us. I think he was in a drug-induced haze for a portion of the time. He has a long history and an admission that that's what he's about.
HEMMER: Sheriff, how long was Jessica held before she was murdered?
DAWSY: Well, I don't know. And, you know, honestly, it goes back to this case. But I could tell you, you know, we may never have a true timeline. There were two people that knew: Jessica, who is gone, and this individual, Couey. And because of his state with drugs, he's all over the place.
HEMMER: His half-sister and two others living nearby, they have been charged with obstruction at this point. Do you have any evidence that indicates that they knew of the crime before he confessed to it?
DAWSY: Well, not at this time. And that's the reason why they've only been charged with obstruction. But let me assure you and everyone else that's watching this that if I can prove that, I will charge them very quickly.
HEMMER: Are you saying that's a possibility, Sheriff?
DAWSY: No, I'm just saying that the investigation continues. We have a job to do for Jessica, and I'm going to make sure that everybody that had any part in this is thoroughly investigated and charged with the most severe crime I can charge them with.
HEMMER: Sheriff, how did he get inside that home?
DAWSY: Well, our understanding and his admission is that the back door was unsecured, and he entered through there.
HEMMER: Is that what he told you?
DAWSY: That's correct.
HEMMER: When will he be charged, Sheriff?
DAWSY: We believe very quickly. It could be today, but most likely the early part of this week.
HEMMER: And charges would be what?
DAWSY: There's an array of them, and we have not finalized all of them. But I can tell you one of them is capital murder, and we will seek the death penalty on this individual.
HEMMER: Sheriff, thank you. Jeff Dawsy, Citrus County, Florida.
DAWSY: Thank you.
HEMMER: All right. Tune in later tonight here on CNN, "Protecting Our Children," a special edition of "NEWSNIGHT WITH AARON BROWN." That comes your way tonight, Monday night, 10:00 Eastern here on CNN, 7:00 on the West Coast -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: It's time to get another check of the weather.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HEMMER: We are waiting for word from a federal judge at this hour. Will Terri Schiavo's feeding tube be put back? We're watching that story. Back to it in a moment here.
O'BRIEN: Also this morning, Sunday's episode of "The Contender" featured a boxer who committed suicide after the series finished taping. Did NBC handle it in good taste? A look at that ahead as we continue here on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: A large-scale reform of the U.N. proposed today. Secretary-General Kofi Annan is expected to recommend, rather, changes, trying to restore confidence in the United Nations. Those reforms include two plans to expand the Security Council from 15 to 24 members. Veto power would remain with the original five permanent member nations. Redefining terrorism and replacing the Human Rights Commission. Washington has been especially critical of that commission since it was kicked off back in 1991. Libya, Sudan and Syria all given seats on that commission. Internal oversight would be strengthened to prevent abuses like the oil-for-food scandal. All of that's happening today at the U.N. We will follow that for you here in New York City -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Jack is back this morning with the "Question of the Day."
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Thank you, Soledad.
Congress passed a bill early this morning transferring jurisdiction of the Terri Schiavo case to the U.S. district court for a federal judge to review; this, after 19 judges in six state courts over seven years have reviewed this case. Nevertheless, Congress felt it must get involved.
This follows Thursday's roundup of Major League Baseball players for heated hearings on steroids.
The question is this: Should Congress be dealing with Schiavo and steroids when there's a war in Iraq and record deficits?
Debbie in Virginia writes: "I wonder why Tom DeLay didn't step in and stop me from putting my mother in hospice last year, removing her IV hydration and taking her home to die? Why this case?"
Amy in North Carolina: "For the first time in my life, I'm embarrassed to be a Republican. Instead of worrying about the economy, our dependence on foreign oil, the war and crazy pedophiles on the loose, they hold a late-night session to deal with a family's private turmoil. This disgusts me."
Cheryl in California: "I find it appalling Congress would cut short their vacation for the Schiavo case and not do the same to act on the 9/11 Commission recommendations."
Dean in New Jersey: "Yes. Issues such as steroids and Schiavo are what Congress excels at. When Congress gets too involved in such complicated issues as the war in Iraq or a record deficit, they usually end up mucking things up and resolving nothing."
And Mel writes from New York: "What a system. The president thinks he's the Congress and able to declare war. Congress thinks it's a federal court passing a special-interest bill, which they swear will not set any precedents. Want to bet? The courts have to hand these clowns a copy of their job descriptions and tell them to get back to work."
O'BRIEN: I don't think the court's going to rule on that, though. I think the court will just make it...
CAFFERTY: I mean, the Supreme Court of the United States twice refused to get involved in this case. They had kicked it all the way up to the Supreme Court, and they refused to hear the case without comment.
HEMMER: Medically speaking, what happens? Does she start starving at this point, I mean, if she goes without food and water?
O'BRIEN: Yes, it takes...
HEMMER: What happens? And that process, does it last a couple days?
O'BRIEN: No, it lasts a month.
HEMMER: Is it a week or two?
O'BRIEN: It lasts a while. It lasts a while.
HEMMER: Sanjay is coming up in a moment on that, too. So, we'll put the questions to him.
O'BRIEN: Yes. He'll give us some insight on that. It's all political at this point, right, Jack?
CAFFERTY: That's right. It's all about politics. It has nothing to do with Terri Schiavo. This is all about the abortion debate and right to life and the right wing of the Republican Party. And it's all cloaked in some, you know, mantle that says, oh, we're worried about this woman's life. Baloney!
O'BRIEN: Well, we'll hear what the courts have to say later on, sometime soon.
CAFFERTY: Yes.
O'BRIEN: Thank you, Jack.
You guys see some pictures? I mean, it's kind of tough to move to this.
ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: I can't wait.
O'BRIEN: But let me show you some pictures that we -- something we did over the weekend. See this lovely lady here on the right? That is Toure's new bride.
HEMMER: God bless her from this day forward.
O'BRIEN: It says Toure is taken. It's actually, Rita is taken, I believe, because Toure and Rita got hitched at the Raleigh Hotel in Miami Beach over the weekend. It was beautiful. The Reverend Run DMC, you can see in the picture there, he's standing next to me. He was the celebrant. It was amazing, and fabulous weather, and lots of their friends came. And the highlight was this belly dancer, who performed with a giant sword that she balanced on her hip while she's doing all of this stuff.
HEMMER: Not easy.
O'BRIEN: And then on her head. No, no, not easy would be the understatement of the year. It was cool. It was great. It was a wonderful wedding.
HEMMER: Well, congratulations to both Toure and Rita.
O'BRIEN: Yes.
Well, ahead this morning, NBC is hoping to recapture its must-see TV heyday. Find out what changes are under way at the peacock network. Also, what's in store for some former ratings toppers. "90- Second Pop" is up next right here on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Welcome back, everybody. It's time for another edition of "90-Second Pop" with our pop stars this morning. Christopher John Farley, he's the senior editor for "TIME" magazine. Jessica Shaw of "Entertainment Weekly." And B.J. Sigesmund, staff editor for "US Weekly."
Good morning. Hope everybody had a fabulous weekend.
JESSICA SHAW, "ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Good morning.
O'BRIEN: Hot 97, the radio station, is back in the news, because they continue to be incredibly inappropriate. First, there were those nasty tsunami lyrics, right? Totally over the top or a new low, you might say. 50 Cent shot...
CHRISTOPHER JOHN FARLEY, SR. EDITOR, "TIME" MAGAZINE: Right.
O'BRIEN: ... or shots fired when he's in the radio station. And now they've got something called smack-fest, which is possibly a new low. What is it?
FARLEY: Smack-fest has been around for a while. It's where people slap each other on the air and money is given...
SHAW: Well, women slap each other.
FARLEY: Right. And then they get money depending on the loudest slap or how it's judged. But here's the thing. You know, there's a lot of great hip-hop out there, but hip-hop for some time has been like pro wrestling. And that's part of the problem here, where they're promoting not the music, but they're promoting really the violence and the chaos and the misogyny around music. And, you know, people have to try to take the music back. Like, there's a campaign that "Essence" magazine is helping to push, take the music back, take back the music to try to get some more emphasis on the political and social content of the lyrics themselves.
O'BRIEN: What does women smacking each other has anything to do with hip-hop?
SHAW: That's the thing. I mean, I'm not sure it's appropriate to blame them for shootings and to blame the radio station for the shootings. But, I mean, women slapping each other, you know, is like the height of misogyny and the tsunami song which is so racist.
O'BRIEN: And winning money, $5,000.
SHAW: Right.
B.J. SIGESMUND, STAFF EDITOR, "US WEEKLY": Right. And the thing that I don't really get is hearing a slap is so much less impactful than seeing a slap.
O'BRIEN: It's like radio stations should not be doing this.
SIGESMUND: Yes. I'm not going to tune into Hot 97 to listen to a slap.
FARLEY: So, what's the original title of "Million Dollar Baby?" Slap-Fest 05? I mean, it works in other contexts, but I think here it's wrong, because I think they're perverting hip-hop. Hip-hop is better than this, and Hot 97 can be better than this.
O'BRIEN: Oh, well, lord knows they're trying hard to be worse each and every day.
SHAW: Right.
O'BRIEN: Maybe they'll change their tune.
All right, let's talk about NBC. Remember back in the day when NBC always won in primetime?
SHAW: Oh.
O'BRIEN: Now they're hauling out the oldies, but oldies in order to see if they can revamp their primetime lineup. What's staying?
SHAW: Well, "ER" is staying. "West Wing" is staying. "Crossing Jordan." The "Medium" show has done incredible well. "Las Vegas." Yes, you know, this is the time when the networks say, like, these are the pilots we're going to do, and then in May they will announce their lineups. NBC is in trouble. You know, last year they were No. 1. They had "Friends." They had "Frazier." This year, not so much, No. 4.
SIGESMUND: Well, the "West Wing," I mean, it's lost, like, 30 or 40 percent of its viewers. And they're in a new presidential administration now. You know, Bartlett is going to be out, and they're going to have a new one. And they're hoping that they can bring new energy.
O'BRIEN: Can it work?
SHAW: Boring.
O'BRIEN: Do you think it's foreign? Or can they sort of re- launch the old versions?
FARLEY: I feel like Bartlett has been around since the Truman administration. The fact is I tend to watch cable more. I end up watching like the "L" word and not the things on network. I think a lot of my friends are the same way.
O'BRIEN: So, things that are pushing the envelope a little bit, be more creative.
SHAW: Which is what NBC is trying to do. You know, they've already announced some of their new shows, like "The Book of Daniel," which is about a pill-popping Episcopalian minister who hangs out with the kind of hip and cool Jesus.
O'BRIEN: OK. The guy who is the head of NBC Entertainment said this: "It's slightly provocative." This is an Episcopalian minister who has a dependence on prescription drugs.
SHAW: Yes.
SIGESMUND: And who hangs out with Jesus.
SHAW: Right.
O'BRIEN: Slightly provocative.
FARLEY: And hangs out at Hot 97, right? So it all comes together, I think.
O'BRIEN: All right.
SHAW: But you know what? You can't ignore the success of movies like "The Passion" and even "Medium," which is about sort of other worldly things has done incredibly well. O'BRIEN: Or the failures historically of similar things they've tried to do that pushed the envelope a little too far. People didn't want to see it.
Let's talk about "The Contender." That's a reality TV show about boxing. One of the guys who was in the show, a guy named Najai Turpin (ph), he committed suicide. And still, they went ahead to run the segment that had him in it. How did that come off.
SIGESMUND: Yes. Actually, Soledad, I thought it was very moving and very well done. You know, "The Contender," unlike other reality shows, actually spends a lot of time getting to know the back stories behind a lot of the boxers, why they ended up on this show. And so, last night, you got to know not Najai (ph), but also his long-time girlfriend and his really cute baby daughter.
And it was particularly moving, considering that we all know that he killed himself in February, just a month and a half ago, a few months after this show was shot. And, in fact in one incredible bit of foreshadowing in the show, he says, "If I were to die today or tomorrow, my family would have nothing, so I'm here to build a better life for ourselves."
SHAW: The thing I didn't get about that, though, is that, you know, like, at the end they said that he had passed away. But no one said that he had committed suicide.
SIGESMUND: Yes.
SHAW: What a great opportunity they would have had to say here's a hotline for people contemplating suicide. And they totally dropped the ball.
FARLEY: I couldn't watch it. I feel like, you know, you have snuff films. This is kind of a snuff series. I couldn't finish watching it. It was too just much. I ended up watching a tape of "The OC" instead. I just didn't want to do it.
O'BRIEN: Wow! You really didn't want to watch it.
FARLEY: I didn't want to deal with it.
O'BRIEN: Well, it's nice to hear that you think that they pulled it off well. You guys, as always, we're out of time. It's nice to chat with you, though. Appreciate it. And we should mention that we're going talk with Mark Burnett about "The Contender" in our final hour. That's at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time right here on AMERICAN MORNING -- Bill.
HEMMER: Soledad, thanks.
It's three minutes before the hour. In a moment, top stories are coming your way. Also, gas prices all the way across the country are soaring now to record levels. In a moment, tips on how to get more miles to the gallon no matter what kind of car you drive. That's up in a moment here on AMERICAN MORNING. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
