Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live At Daybreak

New Developments in Terri Schiavo Case; Sex Offender Bill; Quake Survivor

Aired March 31, 2005 - 06:29   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.


KELLY WALLACE, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to DAYBREAK. Kelly Wallace in for Carol Costello.
The brother of Terri Schiavo turned away at her hospice. He's trying to see her as she enters her 14th day without food or water. A live report just ahead.

And tracking registered sex offenders. Florida lawmakers want to ensure your family's safety.

It is Thursday, March 31, and you are watching DAYBREAK.

And good morning again. From the Time Warner center in New York, I'm Kelly Wallace, in today for Carol Costello.

Topping the news this morning, the Terri Schiavo case. The family drama surrounding Terri Schiavo has become so familiar to most of us, but this morning we've got some images you haven't seen before.

Our Sean Callebs is following the Schiavo story from outside her hospice in Pinellas Park, Florida.

Good morning, Sean, again. What's the latest from there?

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you talked about it just a moment ago. Bobby Schindler, Terri's brother, I'd say within the past 15 minutes made his way down that asphalt walkway that leads up to the hospice. He had two of his religious advisers with him. They approached the police officers. He made a plea to go in and be able to see Terri Schiavo. He was turned away.

The Schindler family cannot go in and visit Terri, cannot spend any time with Terri while Michael Schiavo is in the hospice. And as in the case in many facilities like this, there is a bed set up. If Michael Schiavo wants to spend the night there and spend time with her, he is allowed to do that.

And that was just a microcosm of what the Schindler family has gone through basically this entire night. Bobby telling us that he has tried for the past six hours to go in and spend some time with Terri. He has been turned away repeatedly.

And one of the religious advisers told us that right now, Terri Schiavo's breathing is more rapid, it is more short, and her face is starting to show some distress. That's the word that he used. As we all know, Kelly, the physicians said that once the feeding tube was removed, Terri could live somewhere between 7 and 14 days. So, really, the very end of that window is closing in. Time clearly of the essence, and this frustration, disappointment, anxiety is really showing on the faces of the Schindler family.

WALLACE: OK, Sean Callebs, we appreciate it. We'll be checking in with you again throughout the morning, reporting from Pinellas Park, Florida.

Well, do you know if a convicted sex offender lives in your neighborhood? It's this uncertainly that has the Florida legislature debating the Jessica Lunsford Act. It would require electronic tracking of registered sex offenders who are on probation.

Nine-year-old Jessica was abducted and killed, and police arrested registered sex offender John Couey, who was on probation and living across the street.

"The Miami Herald" investigated. And reporter Mark Caputo tells us now what he has learned.

Mark Caputo, thanks for joining us here on DAYBREAK.

MARK CAPUTO, REPOTER, "THE MIAMI HERALD": Hi. Thanks for having us.

WALLACE: The first question, you know, your newspaper is reporting that 1,800 sex offenders are missing out of some 30,000 registered sex offenders in the state of Florida, that authorities have lost track of them. I mean, viewers might find that somewhat incredible. What is the story there?

CAPUTO: Well, the state tracks sex offenders, and essentially requires them to report within 48 hours of moving to a new address. And some obviously don't do it. And we obtained the database from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, random numbers, did some spot checking and then some harder checking and found that indeed 1,800 of these folks just couldn't be found.

The Web site is easily obtainable, you know, just by a Google search, and you can find out -- you can do a search by zip code or a search by name. And you can find out how many sex offenders live in your neighborhood. But like any database, it's only as good as the data that's filled into it. And, again, this requires a certain amount of self-reporting by some sex offenders, and there's a certain block that apparently aren't following the law.

WALLACE: What you also found there is John Couey, the man who confessed to killing Jessica, wasn't even listed as one of the missing sex offenders, because no one knew he wasn't living at his reported address and was staying near the Lunsfords. Again, some outrage, I'm sure, on the part of the public about this.

CAPUTO: Yes, there is. But, you know, most of these folks obviously -- or all of the folks have been convicted of a crime. So, you know, they haven't shown a propensity for following the law. The majority of them have. As I said, you know, it's only 1,800 out of 30,000.

But of the 1,800 that are missing, 800 are on probation. Again, Couey just upped and moved and didn't tell anybody, and then Jessica went missing. And then she was found March 19 when Couey allegedly confessed to the killing and showed police where she was buried, which was less than 150 yards from her home.

But the law that they're debating now would essentially put a GPS, a global positioning system, tracking bracelet or anklet on these offenders if they're on probation. And this stuff could provide near real-time information as to where these people are. And that way, authorities, if something happens, can do a search and find out who was where. And they hope that this obviously won't happen again.

You know, the bill or the act wouldn't be retroactive. So, it would be forward-looking. Anyone convicted after the act is passed and put on probation after the act is passed would be tracked. But there's a possibility that Couey, you know, who was convicted long ago, it wouldn't have applied to him.

But nevertheless, they measured it would be about 1,700 people, and it would cost about $13 million a year for Floridians. And most lawmakers say that's an investment that well worth the price.

WALLACE: All right, Mark Caputo with "The Miami Herald," we have to leave it there. But that act you're talking about is moving very quickly through the Florida legislature. We'll be following that.

It's time now to check in with CNN's Bill Hemmer for a look at what is coming up next on "AMERICAN MORNING."

And, Bill, you will, I'm sure, have a very busy morning indeed.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Indeed we are. It's kicking in already, Kelly. If you've seen these new videotapes, newly-released, regarding Terri Schiavo, they go back to July of 2002. To this point, Kelly, we have only seen parts of these videotapes. But now, 9 of the 11 are public. We can see and we can hear Terri Schiavo. We're going to try this morning to figure out what we can honestly gauge about her condition. Sanjay will help us go through these tapes, and we'll have that for you at the top of the hour.

Also on the legal side, Kelly, the options. What is left now for the Schiavo (sic) family? Is there any hope now that the U.S. Supreme Court refused this case? There was a spokesperson and an attorney for the family last night here on CNN, saying all hope is now gone because of it. However, there is still a chance, apparently, if you follow the law in Florida that perhaps the state house could make a move. Is that possible? All of those questions are coming up for Jeff Toobin as well as we examine the legal side of this -- Kelly.

WALLACE: All right. And you have a new partner there today.

HEMMER: Yes, we do. Kyra Phillips is working today here. WALLACE: Our pal, Kyra Phillips, in there for you.

HEMMER: Yes, she found her way through the door here, and she's going to be right here with me.

WALLACE: I'm looking forward to seeing her.

HEMMER: It's great to have her here.

WALLACE: OK, Bill, thanks so much.

HEMMER: Bye-bye.

WALLACE: We'll see you at the top of the hour.

HEMMER: OK.

WALLACE: Protecting America's borders. One group says the Department of Homeland Security isn't doing enough. So, its members are volunteering to help. A new border battle just ahead.

Before that, though, here's a look at what else is making news this Thursday morning.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALLACE: The international markets are all looking brighter this morning. The Nikkei up 103 points. London's FTSE higher by 24 points. And Germany's DAX up nearly 19 points.

Well, it's time now for a little "Business Buzz." If you ever stay in a hotel and fear you'll sleep through that hotel alarm clock, or if you just want to listen to MP3s in your room, you're going to love Hilton's new alarm clock.

Carrie Lee here to tell us all about it. It sounds good.

CARRIE LEE, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS CORRESPONDENT: It does sound good. And I'll tell you, I'm personally relieved to hear this, because I thought it was only me. You go to a hotel. You're going on a business trip, and you can't figure out the alarm clock.

WALLACE: Never.

LEE: It doesn't make you feel very confident.

WALLACE: You're not the only one.

LEE: So, I'm not the only one. OK, good. Well, Hilton has conducted its own survey that showed more than -- about half of business travelers do worry about sleeping through their alarms, and only 20 percent actually trusts that hotel alarm.

So, now Hilton is installing a quarter-million new alarm clocks in about 1,000 of its hotels over the next couple of months. The new clocks are easy to set. It takes only three steps. And the instructions are printed right on the clock.

Of course, we're now in the MP3 age, so the clocks will have built-in speakers as well as a jack and cable to connect to an MP3 player or a CD player. The clocks will be made by Timex, and they have preset buttons offering different types of music.

WALLACE: Oh, great.

LEE: And, Kelly, here's just a quick look at what one looks like. It's pretty hip, pretty sleek, and, as you can see, instructions are right here.

WALLACE: It still looks complicated, Carrie.

LEE: They're doing what they can to make it as easy as possible.

WALLACE: For all of us.

LEE: Give them kudos for that, right?

WALLACE: All right. And how are futures looking on this day?

LEE: Looking pretty flat actually. We have a lot of economic news, unemployment, manufacturing. Continental Airlines could be a good stock to watch. They've worked out some deals with their workers to save over $400 million. Yesterday, of course, a very nice day on a strong oil inventory report. The Dow saw its nicest one-day finish of the year, its best day of the year, up 135 points. Once these reports come out, we'll probably get some direction this morning.

WALLACE: We'll see. We'll see if the bulls are happy today.

LEE: That's right.

WALLACE: OK, Carrie. Carrie Lee, thanks so much for the "Business Buzz" of this Thursday.

Well, anchored over a dangerous situation. Straight ahead, surfing through an earthquake and living to tell about it. One survival story next on DAYBREAK.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALLACE: Well, an Australian surfer was sailing near the epicenter of the latest Indonesian earthquake, and he lived to tell about it. Marcus Keeshan joins us live from Medan, Indonesia, with his amazing experience.

Thanks so much for joining us. Set the stage for us. Tell us what you were doing and what it felt like when that earthquake took place.

MARCUS KEESHAN, EARTHQUAKE SURVIVOR: Well, at the time of the quake, it was 11:30 at night. We had the boat anchored off of a small island in the Banack (ph). And I was watching a movie with my partner and my friend. And the three of us were downstairs, and we felt a very violent shake of the boat at regular intervals for about two minutes. So, it was like a bang, bang, bang. It felt like the boat may have been on a reef. We had no idea what was going on.

And we went out to confirm with the crew there, my local crew, and they confirmed that we just experienced an earthquake.

And then, 20 minutes later is when everything started happening. The water started rushing with an incredible force one direction. Then it changed direction. It changed direction three times, the current running possibly 10 or 15 knots. And this occurred over a period of about two hours.

And we were pretty apprehensive at the time. I wouldn't say we were frightened. We were just not -- just didn't know what to expect. Of course, we were thinking a tsunami was coming our way.

WALLACE: Yes, I want to jump in there, because I saw you quoted. You said, we were all thinking tsunami, but none of us wanted to say it. So, you must have been very concerned about that.

KEESHAN: Oh, absolutely. I mean, a tsunami was just on all our minds. We were just all looking at the sea, and my crew was praying out aloud. And we were just waiting to be hit by a tsunami basically. We didn't know whether to move, whether to stay, and just we had to change the position of the boat three times. Yes, it was quite a frightening experience to say the least, yes.

WALLACE: Give us a sense of what you've been seeing in terms of the scope of the damage. And I know you are on hand to try and help out as much as you can.

KEESHAN: Yes. Well, the scope of the damage, I mean, basically when we sail into ports early in the morning, as we were approaching port, the first thing we saw was an empty fishing boat floating out to sea. And then I saw a 50-ton oil container. A huge oil container like the size of a wheat silo was drifting out to sea, which I used as a landmark, that container. And then we saw a lot of debris, boats on the beach. I saw a mosque actually collapse. And I pulled out my camera and started recording everything. It was -- yes, it was pretty amazing footage.

And then we got into the shore. And that's when I could see the scope of the damage, and it was evident that there had been a big quake, also a tsunami. And then we were able to see where the houses had been lifted up by the tsunami and deposited on the roads and on the other side of the roads. Telephone poles down. Yes, it was mayhem.

But there was nobody around. It was quite surreal. Everybody had run.

WALLACE: OK. Well, we appreciate you joining us on DAYBREAK. And we know you are now using your boat to try and deliver some aid to Indonesian islanders. Marcus Keeshan from Medan, Indonesia joining us now with your story. Thank you so much. Your news, money, weather and sports. It's about 56 -- 46 minutes -- excuse me -- after the hour. And here is what is all new this morning.

We are entering the 14th day without food or water for Terri Schiavo. Late last night, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear an emergency appeal by her parents. Her feeding tube was removed on March 18.

In just a few hours, a presidential commission reports on intelligence failures regarding Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. The panel also will recommend how to improve the nation's intelligence agencies.

In money, Wal-Mart is hoping to lure serious music lovers with the help of Quincy Jones. "The Wall Street Journal" says Jones is helping the retailer design a high-end sound system to knock your socks off for just about 500 bucks.

In culture, Robert Redford's production company is teaming up to produce a film based on the life of Jackie Robinson. Redford will also play the part of Branch Rickey, the Dodgers executive who signed Robinson to play in the major leagues.

And in sports, Phoenix Suns guard Steve Nash notched a triple double in leading his team to a 29-point lead over the Philadelphia 76ers. The win clinches the Pacific division title for the Suns, their first in a decade.

Well, we want to check in again with CNN's Bill Hemmer to find out what's coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING" in just about -- oh, excuse me. First, the weather.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WALLACE: We'll go now to Bill Hemmer to check on what's coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING," in just about 12 minutes from now.

Good morning again -- Bill.

HEMMER: Hey, Kelly, good morning to you as well.

We're talking about these videotapes that were released yesterday. The public is now getting a first real chance to see and hear Terri Schiavo and at much greater length than we have in the past. Nine newly-released tapes of Terri from the summer of 2002, it was July that month. Sanjay will go over the tapes with us and tell us what they say about Schiavo's condition as best as we can discern now by looking and listening. So, we'll have that for you.

Also, we'll talk with one of the Schindler family's strongest supporters. Father Frank Pavone (ph) had some blistering comments for the U.S. Supreme Court, the state house in Tallahassee, the governor of Florida, but he also had a chance yesterday to visit with Terri Schiavo inside that hospice. He's among the many guests we'll have on this story at the top of the hour, Kelly. So, we'll see you then. And Kyra Phillips is in the house.

WALLACE: All right.

HEMMER: In fact, if I reach...

WALLACE: We saw her in this house for a little bit of time.

HEMMER: If I reach this far, I can see her, Kelly.

WALLACE: Yes, OK, good.

HEMMER: Do we have camera there?

WALLACE: Send her my hello, and I'll see her in a few minutes.

HEMMER: I guess we don't.

WALLACE: OK.

HEMMER: See you.

WALLACE: Thank you. "AMERICAN MORNING" 10 minutes from now.

More on DAYBREAK just ahead. Don't go away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALLACE: A beautiful day here in New York City. It's about 52 minutes after the hour. And here is what will be making news today.

It has been almost two full weeks since Terri Schiavo's feeding tube was removed. And after the Supreme Court once again refuses to hear her parents' appeal, it appears the legal moves in the case may be over.

A former high-ranking official with the Boy Scouts of America has pleaded guilty to receiving and distributing child pornography. Douglas Smith's plea means he'll face a minimum of five years, but no more than 20 years in prison.

A hospital outside Pittsburgh is trying to track about 200 patients who may have been exposed to hepatitis or AIDS. The hospital says instruments used during colonoscopies may not have been completely disinfected. But the hospital says the chance of infection is low.

Well, new emphasis is being placed on border control. In Arizona, more than 500 extra agents are being sent in to beef up border security. But are extra agents enough to stem the tide of illegal immigrants and possibly even terrorists?

CNN's homeland security correspondent Jeanne Meserve has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN HOMELAND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Just seven minutes into flight, a Border Patrol helicopter finds what it is looking for.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I've got bodies.

MESERVE: Illegal aliens hiding in the desert scrub.

Border Patrol agent Brad Rubenoff (ph) jumps from the hovering chopper to round them up.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. Brad is away.

MESERVE: There are nine, including three women. They say they crossed the border two nights ago. They have walked almost 50 miles into the United States before being detected. After processing, they will be taken back.

JOHN KIMMEL, BORDER PATROL AGENT: They'll probably be back in Mexico by 4:00 or 5:00 this evening. It's now 12:00.

MESERVE (on camera): And then when will they try to cross the border again?

KIMMEL: Probably this evening.

MESERVE (voice-over): With about half of the country's illegal immigration coming across the Arizona border, homeland security is injecting new resources into its year-old Arizona Border Control Initiative, or ABCI. Wednesday, the department announced a nearly 25- percent increase in the number of permanently assigned Border Patrol agents and the temporary deployment of 23 additional aircraft.

ROBERT BONNER, U.S. CUSTOMS & BORDER PROTECTION: The Department of Homeland Security is determined to gain control of our borders. And we're going to do it, and we're going to keep at it until we get the job done.

T.J. BONNER, PRESIDENT, NATIONAL BORDER PATROL COUNCIL: I think it largely is a publicity stunt by the government. Sorry to say that, but I think the government is trying to pull a fast one on the public.

MESERVE (on camera): Though the Department of Homeland Security vehemently denies it, some believe that ABCI being augmented now to counter potential bad publicity from a protest action beginning Friday: the Minuteman Project.

(voice-over) Based in the legendary town of Tombstone, organizers expect as many as 1,500 volunteers. Stationed at intervals along 50 miles of the Mexico/Arizona border, they will attempt to detect and report anyone crossing illegally, to highlight what they perceive as the inadequacy of current border protection efforts.

CHRIS SIMCOX, MINUTEMAN PROJECT: We're a neighborhood watch group. Nothing more than a neighborhood watch group, who are doing nothing but what the president and the Department of Homeland Security ask Americans to do. You can't find any more suspicious illegal activity in this country than coming across this border through our backyards.

MESERVE: Though even critics like the Minutemen welcome the bolstering of ABCI, they believe it will push illegal immigration elsewhere and divert Border Patrol resources at a time when the president's budget funds only 210 new agents for the entire country.

BONNER: They're essentially robbing Peter to pay Paul at a time when they should be hiring as many people as possible.

MESERVE: But Border Patrol pilot John Kimmel is more optimistic.

KIMMEL: I've done as much as one pilot can do. So I -- all of us are doing our parts, and it is making a difference.

MESERVE: Kimmel believes more agents will mean more arrests and more progress against the tide of illegal immigration.

For CNN's American bureau, Jeanne Meserve, over the southern Arizona desert.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALLACE: This is DAYBREAK for a Thursday morning. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MYERS: Kelly, we're short on time.

WALLACE: Chad, it's that time. Go ahead.

MYERS: OK. Let's get to the DAYBREAK coffee mug quiz. The answers from yesterday were correctly answered by Daniel Medress of Oakland, California. Congratulations. The DAYBREAK coffee mug is in the mail to you.

Now the questions for today. And these were just done. We just had these stories on. What country did Laura Bush, First Lady Laura Bush, visit a couple of days ago? And in what state are normal citizens volunteering to protect the borders?

Submit your answers to CNN.com/daybreak. The questions will be there in just a few minutes. The old questions are still there for now, though.

WALLACE: All right, Chad.

MYERS: Answer these questions.

WALLACE: You have a great Thursday.

MYERS: OK, you, too. WALLACE: We'll see you tomorrow, Friday. From the Time Warner center in New York, I'm Kelly Wallace, in today for Carol Costello. Thanks for joining us. "AMERICAN MORNING" starts right now.

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 31, 2005 - 06:29   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to DAYBREAK. Kelly Wallace in for Carol Costello.
The brother of Terri Schiavo turned away at her hospice. He's trying to see her as she enters her 14th day without food or water. A live report just ahead.

And tracking registered sex offenders. Florida lawmakers want to ensure your family's safety.

It is Thursday, March 31, and you are watching DAYBREAK.

And good morning again. From the Time Warner center in New York, I'm Kelly Wallace, in today for Carol Costello.

Topping the news this morning, the Terri Schiavo case. The family drama surrounding Terri Schiavo has become so familiar to most of us, but this morning we've got some images you haven't seen before.

Our Sean Callebs is following the Schiavo story from outside her hospice in Pinellas Park, Florida.

Good morning, Sean, again. What's the latest from there?

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you talked about it just a moment ago. Bobby Schindler, Terri's brother, I'd say within the past 15 minutes made his way down that asphalt walkway that leads up to the hospice. He had two of his religious advisers with him. They approached the police officers. He made a plea to go in and be able to see Terri Schiavo. He was turned away.

The Schindler family cannot go in and visit Terri, cannot spend any time with Terri while Michael Schiavo is in the hospice. And as in the case in many facilities like this, there is a bed set up. If Michael Schiavo wants to spend the night there and spend time with her, he is allowed to do that.

And that was just a microcosm of what the Schindler family has gone through basically this entire night. Bobby telling us that he has tried for the past six hours to go in and spend some time with Terri. He has been turned away repeatedly.

And one of the religious advisers told us that right now, Terri Schiavo's breathing is more rapid, it is more short, and her face is starting to show some distress. That's the word that he used. As we all know, Kelly, the physicians said that once the feeding tube was removed, Terri could live somewhere between 7 and 14 days. So, really, the very end of that window is closing in. Time clearly of the essence, and this frustration, disappointment, anxiety is really showing on the faces of the Schindler family.

WALLACE: OK, Sean Callebs, we appreciate it. We'll be checking in with you again throughout the morning, reporting from Pinellas Park, Florida.

Well, do you know if a convicted sex offender lives in your neighborhood? It's this uncertainly that has the Florida legislature debating the Jessica Lunsford Act. It would require electronic tracking of registered sex offenders who are on probation.

Nine-year-old Jessica was abducted and killed, and police arrested registered sex offender John Couey, who was on probation and living across the street.

"The Miami Herald" investigated. And reporter Mark Caputo tells us now what he has learned.

Mark Caputo, thanks for joining us here on DAYBREAK.

MARK CAPUTO, REPOTER, "THE MIAMI HERALD": Hi. Thanks for having us.

WALLACE: The first question, you know, your newspaper is reporting that 1,800 sex offenders are missing out of some 30,000 registered sex offenders in the state of Florida, that authorities have lost track of them. I mean, viewers might find that somewhat incredible. What is the story there?

CAPUTO: Well, the state tracks sex offenders, and essentially requires them to report within 48 hours of moving to a new address. And some obviously don't do it. And we obtained the database from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, random numbers, did some spot checking and then some harder checking and found that indeed 1,800 of these folks just couldn't be found.

The Web site is easily obtainable, you know, just by a Google search, and you can find out -- you can do a search by zip code or a search by name. And you can find out how many sex offenders live in your neighborhood. But like any database, it's only as good as the data that's filled into it. And, again, this requires a certain amount of self-reporting by some sex offenders, and there's a certain block that apparently aren't following the law.

WALLACE: What you also found there is John Couey, the man who confessed to killing Jessica, wasn't even listed as one of the missing sex offenders, because no one knew he wasn't living at his reported address and was staying near the Lunsfords. Again, some outrage, I'm sure, on the part of the public about this.

CAPUTO: Yes, there is. But, you know, most of these folks obviously -- or all of the folks have been convicted of a crime. So, you know, they haven't shown a propensity for following the law. The majority of them have. As I said, you know, it's only 1,800 out of 30,000.

But of the 1,800 that are missing, 800 are on probation. Again, Couey just upped and moved and didn't tell anybody, and then Jessica went missing. And then she was found March 19 when Couey allegedly confessed to the killing and showed police where she was buried, which was less than 150 yards from her home.

But the law that they're debating now would essentially put a GPS, a global positioning system, tracking bracelet or anklet on these offenders if they're on probation. And this stuff could provide near real-time information as to where these people are. And that way, authorities, if something happens, can do a search and find out who was where. And they hope that this obviously won't happen again.

You know, the bill or the act wouldn't be retroactive. So, it would be forward-looking. Anyone convicted after the act is passed and put on probation after the act is passed would be tracked. But there's a possibility that Couey, you know, who was convicted long ago, it wouldn't have applied to him.

But nevertheless, they measured it would be about 1,700 people, and it would cost about $13 million a year for Floridians. And most lawmakers say that's an investment that well worth the price.

WALLACE: All right, Mark Caputo with "The Miami Herald," we have to leave it there. But that act you're talking about is moving very quickly through the Florida legislature. We'll be following that.

It's time now to check in with CNN's Bill Hemmer for a look at what is coming up next on "AMERICAN MORNING."

And, Bill, you will, I'm sure, have a very busy morning indeed.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Indeed we are. It's kicking in already, Kelly. If you've seen these new videotapes, newly-released, regarding Terri Schiavo, they go back to July of 2002. To this point, Kelly, we have only seen parts of these videotapes. But now, 9 of the 11 are public. We can see and we can hear Terri Schiavo. We're going to try this morning to figure out what we can honestly gauge about her condition. Sanjay will help us go through these tapes, and we'll have that for you at the top of the hour.

Also on the legal side, Kelly, the options. What is left now for the Schiavo (sic) family? Is there any hope now that the U.S. Supreme Court refused this case? There was a spokesperson and an attorney for the family last night here on CNN, saying all hope is now gone because of it. However, there is still a chance, apparently, if you follow the law in Florida that perhaps the state house could make a move. Is that possible? All of those questions are coming up for Jeff Toobin as well as we examine the legal side of this -- Kelly.

WALLACE: All right. And you have a new partner there today.

HEMMER: Yes, we do. Kyra Phillips is working today here. WALLACE: Our pal, Kyra Phillips, in there for you.

HEMMER: Yes, she found her way through the door here, and she's going to be right here with me.

WALLACE: I'm looking forward to seeing her.

HEMMER: It's great to have her here.

WALLACE: OK, Bill, thanks so much.

HEMMER: Bye-bye.

WALLACE: We'll see you at the top of the hour.

HEMMER: OK.

WALLACE: Protecting America's borders. One group says the Department of Homeland Security isn't doing enough. So, its members are volunteering to help. A new border battle just ahead.

Before that, though, here's a look at what else is making news this Thursday morning.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALLACE: The international markets are all looking brighter this morning. The Nikkei up 103 points. London's FTSE higher by 24 points. And Germany's DAX up nearly 19 points.

Well, it's time now for a little "Business Buzz." If you ever stay in a hotel and fear you'll sleep through that hotel alarm clock, or if you just want to listen to MP3s in your room, you're going to love Hilton's new alarm clock.

Carrie Lee here to tell us all about it. It sounds good.

CARRIE LEE, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS CORRESPONDENT: It does sound good. And I'll tell you, I'm personally relieved to hear this, because I thought it was only me. You go to a hotel. You're going on a business trip, and you can't figure out the alarm clock.

WALLACE: Never.

LEE: It doesn't make you feel very confident.

WALLACE: You're not the only one.

LEE: So, I'm not the only one. OK, good. Well, Hilton has conducted its own survey that showed more than -- about half of business travelers do worry about sleeping through their alarms, and only 20 percent actually trusts that hotel alarm.

So, now Hilton is installing a quarter-million new alarm clocks in about 1,000 of its hotels over the next couple of months. The new clocks are easy to set. It takes only three steps. And the instructions are printed right on the clock.

Of course, we're now in the MP3 age, so the clocks will have built-in speakers as well as a jack and cable to connect to an MP3 player or a CD player. The clocks will be made by Timex, and they have preset buttons offering different types of music.

WALLACE: Oh, great.

LEE: And, Kelly, here's just a quick look at what one looks like. It's pretty hip, pretty sleek, and, as you can see, instructions are right here.

WALLACE: It still looks complicated, Carrie.

LEE: They're doing what they can to make it as easy as possible.

WALLACE: For all of us.

LEE: Give them kudos for that, right?

WALLACE: All right. And how are futures looking on this day?

LEE: Looking pretty flat actually. We have a lot of economic news, unemployment, manufacturing. Continental Airlines could be a good stock to watch. They've worked out some deals with their workers to save over $400 million. Yesterday, of course, a very nice day on a strong oil inventory report. The Dow saw its nicest one-day finish of the year, its best day of the year, up 135 points. Once these reports come out, we'll probably get some direction this morning.

WALLACE: We'll see. We'll see if the bulls are happy today.

LEE: That's right.

WALLACE: OK, Carrie. Carrie Lee, thanks so much for the "Business Buzz" of this Thursday.

Well, anchored over a dangerous situation. Straight ahead, surfing through an earthquake and living to tell about it. One survival story next on DAYBREAK.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALLACE: Well, an Australian surfer was sailing near the epicenter of the latest Indonesian earthquake, and he lived to tell about it. Marcus Keeshan joins us live from Medan, Indonesia, with his amazing experience.

Thanks so much for joining us. Set the stage for us. Tell us what you were doing and what it felt like when that earthquake took place.

MARCUS KEESHAN, EARTHQUAKE SURVIVOR: Well, at the time of the quake, it was 11:30 at night. We had the boat anchored off of a small island in the Banack (ph). And I was watching a movie with my partner and my friend. And the three of us were downstairs, and we felt a very violent shake of the boat at regular intervals for about two minutes. So, it was like a bang, bang, bang. It felt like the boat may have been on a reef. We had no idea what was going on.

And we went out to confirm with the crew there, my local crew, and they confirmed that we just experienced an earthquake.

And then, 20 minutes later is when everything started happening. The water started rushing with an incredible force one direction. Then it changed direction. It changed direction three times, the current running possibly 10 or 15 knots. And this occurred over a period of about two hours.

And we were pretty apprehensive at the time. I wouldn't say we were frightened. We were just not -- just didn't know what to expect. Of course, we were thinking a tsunami was coming our way.

WALLACE: Yes, I want to jump in there, because I saw you quoted. You said, we were all thinking tsunami, but none of us wanted to say it. So, you must have been very concerned about that.

KEESHAN: Oh, absolutely. I mean, a tsunami was just on all our minds. We were just all looking at the sea, and my crew was praying out aloud. And we were just waiting to be hit by a tsunami basically. We didn't know whether to move, whether to stay, and just we had to change the position of the boat three times. Yes, it was quite a frightening experience to say the least, yes.

WALLACE: Give us a sense of what you've been seeing in terms of the scope of the damage. And I know you are on hand to try and help out as much as you can.

KEESHAN: Yes. Well, the scope of the damage, I mean, basically when we sail into ports early in the morning, as we were approaching port, the first thing we saw was an empty fishing boat floating out to sea. And then I saw a 50-ton oil container. A huge oil container like the size of a wheat silo was drifting out to sea, which I used as a landmark, that container. And then we saw a lot of debris, boats on the beach. I saw a mosque actually collapse. And I pulled out my camera and started recording everything. It was -- yes, it was pretty amazing footage.

And then we got into the shore. And that's when I could see the scope of the damage, and it was evident that there had been a big quake, also a tsunami. And then we were able to see where the houses had been lifted up by the tsunami and deposited on the roads and on the other side of the roads. Telephone poles down. Yes, it was mayhem.

But there was nobody around. It was quite surreal. Everybody had run.

WALLACE: OK. Well, we appreciate you joining us on DAYBREAK. And we know you are now using your boat to try and deliver some aid to Indonesian islanders. Marcus Keeshan from Medan, Indonesia joining us now with your story. Thank you so much. Your news, money, weather and sports. It's about 56 -- 46 minutes -- excuse me -- after the hour. And here is what is all new this morning.

We are entering the 14th day without food or water for Terri Schiavo. Late last night, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear an emergency appeal by her parents. Her feeding tube was removed on March 18.

In just a few hours, a presidential commission reports on intelligence failures regarding Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. The panel also will recommend how to improve the nation's intelligence agencies.

In money, Wal-Mart is hoping to lure serious music lovers with the help of Quincy Jones. "The Wall Street Journal" says Jones is helping the retailer design a high-end sound system to knock your socks off for just about 500 bucks.

In culture, Robert Redford's production company is teaming up to produce a film based on the life of Jackie Robinson. Redford will also play the part of Branch Rickey, the Dodgers executive who signed Robinson to play in the major leagues.

And in sports, Phoenix Suns guard Steve Nash notched a triple double in leading his team to a 29-point lead over the Philadelphia 76ers. The win clinches the Pacific division title for the Suns, their first in a decade.

Well, we want to check in again with CNN's Bill Hemmer to find out what's coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING" in just about -- oh, excuse me. First, the weather.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WALLACE: We'll go now to Bill Hemmer to check on what's coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING," in just about 12 minutes from now.

Good morning again -- Bill.

HEMMER: Hey, Kelly, good morning to you as well.

We're talking about these videotapes that were released yesterday. The public is now getting a first real chance to see and hear Terri Schiavo and at much greater length than we have in the past. Nine newly-released tapes of Terri from the summer of 2002, it was July that month. Sanjay will go over the tapes with us and tell us what they say about Schiavo's condition as best as we can discern now by looking and listening. So, we'll have that for you.

Also, we'll talk with one of the Schindler family's strongest supporters. Father Frank Pavone (ph) had some blistering comments for the U.S. Supreme Court, the state house in Tallahassee, the governor of Florida, but he also had a chance yesterday to visit with Terri Schiavo inside that hospice. He's among the many guests we'll have on this story at the top of the hour, Kelly. So, we'll see you then. And Kyra Phillips is in the house.

WALLACE: All right.

HEMMER: In fact, if I reach...

WALLACE: We saw her in this house for a little bit of time.

HEMMER: If I reach this far, I can see her, Kelly.

WALLACE: Yes, OK, good.

HEMMER: Do we have camera there?

WALLACE: Send her my hello, and I'll see her in a few minutes.

HEMMER: I guess we don't.

WALLACE: OK.

HEMMER: See you.

WALLACE: Thank you. "AMERICAN MORNING" 10 minutes from now.

More on DAYBREAK just ahead. Don't go away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALLACE: A beautiful day here in New York City. It's about 52 minutes after the hour. And here is what will be making news today.

It has been almost two full weeks since Terri Schiavo's feeding tube was removed. And after the Supreme Court once again refuses to hear her parents' appeal, it appears the legal moves in the case may be over.

A former high-ranking official with the Boy Scouts of America has pleaded guilty to receiving and distributing child pornography. Douglas Smith's plea means he'll face a minimum of five years, but no more than 20 years in prison.

A hospital outside Pittsburgh is trying to track about 200 patients who may have been exposed to hepatitis or AIDS. The hospital says instruments used during colonoscopies may not have been completely disinfected. But the hospital says the chance of infection is low.

Well, new emphasis is being placed on border control. In Arizona, more than 500 extra agents are being sent in to beef up border security. But are extra agents enough to stem the tide of illegal immigrants and possibly even terrorists?

CNN's homeland security correspondent Jeanne Meserve has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN HOMELAND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Just seven minutes into flight, a Border Patrol helicopter finds what it is looking for.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I've got bodies.

MESERVE: Illegal aliens hiding in the desert scrub.

Border Patrol agent Brad Rubenoff (ph) jumps from the hovering chopper to round them up.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. Brad is away.

MESERVE: There are nine, including three women. They say they crossed the border two nights ago. They have walked almost 50 miles into the United States before being detected. After processing, they will be taken back.

JOHN KIMMEL, BORDER PATROL AGENT: They'll probably be back in Mexico by 4:00 or 5:00 this evening. It's now 12:00.

MESERVE (on camera): And then when will they try to cross the border again?

KIMMEL: Probably this evening.

MESERVE (voice-over): With about half of the country's illegal immigration coming across the Arizona border, homeland security is injecting new resources into its year-old Arizona Border Control Initiative, or ABCI. Wednesday, the department announced a nearly 25- percent increase in the number of permanently assigned Border Patrol agents and the temporary deployment of 23 additional aircraft.

ROBERT BONNER, U.S. CUSTOMS & BORDER PROTECTION: The Department of Homeland Security is determined to gain control of our borders. And we're going to do it, and we're going to keep at it until we get the job done.

T.J. BONNER, PRESIDENT, NATIONAL BORDER PATROL COUNCIL: I think it largely is a publicity stunt by the government. Sorry to say that, but I think the government is trying to pull a fast one on the public.

MESERVE (on camera): Though the Department of Homeland Security vehemently denies it, some believe that ABCI being augmented now to counter potential bad publicity from a protest action beginning Friday: the Minuteman Project.

(voice-over) Based in the legendary town of Tombstone, organizers expect as many as 1,500 volunteers. Stationed at intervals along 50 miles of the Mexico/Arizona border, they will attempt to detect and report anyone crossing illegally, to highlight what they perceive as the inadequacy of current border protection efforts.

CHRIS SIMCOX, MINUTEMAN PROJECT: We're a neighborhood watch group. Nothing more than a neighborhood watch group, who are doing nothing but what the president and the Department of Homeland Security ask Americans to do. You can't find any more suspicious illegal activity in this country than coming across this border through our backyards.

MESERVE: Though even critics like the Minutemen welcome the bolstering of ABCI, they believe it will push illegal immigration elsewhere and divert Border Patrol resources at a time when the president's budget funds only 210 new agents for the entire country.

BONNER: They're essentially robbing Peter to pay Paul at a time when they should be hiring as many people as possible.

MESERVE: But Border Patrol pilot John Kimmel is more optimistic.

KIMMEL: I've done as much as one pilot can do. So I -- all of us are doing our parts, and it is making a difference.

MESERVE: Kimmel believes more agents will mean more arrests and more progress against the tide of illegal immigration.

For CNN's American bureau, Jeanne Meserve, over the southern Arizona desert.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALLACE: This is DAYBREAK for a Thursday morning. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MYERS: Kelly, we're short on time.

WALLACE: Chad, it's that time. Go ahead.

MYERS: OK. Let's get to the DAYBREAK coffee mug quiz. The answers from yesterday were correctly answered by Daniel Medress of Oakland, California. Congratulations. The DAYBREAK coffee mug is in the mail to you.

Now the questions for today. And these were just done. We just had these stories on. What country did Laura Bush, First Lady Laura Bush, visit a couple of days ago? And in what state are normal citizens volunteering to protect the borders?

Submit your answers to CNN.com/daybreak. The questions will be there in just a few minutes. The old questions are still there for now, though.

WALLACE: All right, Chad.

MYERS: Answer these questions.

WALLACE: You have a great Thursday.

MYERS: OK, you, too. WALLACE: We'll see you tomorrow, Friday. From the Time Warner center in New York, I'm Kelly Wallace, in today for Carol Costello. Thanks for joining us. "AMERICAN MORNING" starts right now.

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