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American Morning
Jackson Verdict Watch; Search for Natalee; Strike at Insurgents
Aired June 07, 2005 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. The Michael Jackson jury resumes deliberations in only a matter of hours. A live report from the courthouse in a moment, where the singer's fans are loudly declaring their verdict already.
New developments today in the search for a missing Alabama girl in Aruba and the two men at the center of the investigation.
And only on CNN. U.S. troops on a new mission to defeat the insurgents in western Iraq.
All ahead on this AMERICAN MORNING.
ANNOUNCER: From the CNN Broadcast Center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING with Bill Hemmer and Soledad O'Brien.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Welcome back, everybody.
Also ahead this morning, the Supreme Court has ruled and the federal government has won the right to prosecute people who grow or use medical marijuana.
HEMMER: We'll talk to one of the women at the -- who took her case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Finding out why she says no way will she stop using medical marijuana. We'll get to that story in a matter of minutes.
O'BRIEN: That's a tough "Question of the Day."
Good morning again.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: People always ask it, how come we never report any good news? Well, we've got a little good news.
Murder and violent crime declined in this country rather significantly in the last year, as opposed to the previous three years, when those things were on the rise. What's behind the drop in murder and violent crime? AM@CNN.com. Your thoughts.
What happened? Where did we go there?
O'BRIEN: To black briefly. But we're back.
CAFFERTY: I take that kind of stuff personally. I feel as though the things I do here are fairly compelling and worthy of at least being left on the air while I do them. I mean, it's too early for that. You know what I'm saying?
(LAUGHTER)
O'BRIEN: Do you want to repeat anything -- want to repeat anything we may have missed?
CAFFERTY: No, ma'am.
HEMMER: Thanks, Jack.
To the headlines. Here's Carol Costello with those.
What's happening.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Oh, I wanted that to keep going to see what next came out of Jack's mouth.
CAFFERTY: It went far enough.
COSTELLO: Yes, yes, I think so.
Good morning, everyone.
"Now in the News," President Bush is expected to offer $674 million in aid to Africa today. The announcement is expected as the president welcomes British Prime Minister Tony Blair to the White House. The two leaders also expected to discuss global warming.
CNN will have live coverage for you. There'll be a joint news conference this afternoon starting around 4:45 Eastern.
Three major airlines being grilled over their pension plans. The heads of United, Northwest and Delta are due to appear before the Senate Finance Committee in the next hour. Last month, a federal bankruptcy judge allowed United Airlines to terminate its employee pension plans, clearing the way for the largest corporate pension default in American history.
Citigroup is telling millions of its customers that their personal information may be at risk. Citigroup says computer tapes with data on almost four million customers were lost by UPS while in transit to a credit bureau. The company says, we're sorry, and says starting next month it will encrypt the data and send it electronically.
And in a record-breaking journey around the world, this 71-year- old Japanese man is said to be the oldest to sail solo around the world. He docked his yacht late last night, 244 days after he left. The previous record, by the way, was set by the very same man back in 1995, when he was 65 years old.
And I could spend that much time on a yacht.
O'BRIEN: Alone?
COSTELLO: Well, maybe not alone. That would be a drag. O'BRIEN: It didn't look like a really big yacht. It looked like...
COSTELLO: But they called it -- they called it a yacht. He's just a very small man.
O'BRIEN: Carol, thanks.
In just about two-and-a-half hours from now, the jury in the Michael Jackson child molestation case are going to resume deliberations. Earlier on AMERICAN MORNING, criminal defense attorney Anne Bremner gave us her impression of the jury foreperson.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANNE BREMNER, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: He's been one of the most serious jurors and he takes a lot of notes. He seems -- you know, when people are all laughing about things, if the judge cracks a joke, or even with Leno, he laughs, but he's probably the most subdued of this entire jury.
So I think he's a perfect foreperson. He's been serious, he's been paying attention, he's taken a lot of notes, and he seems to get along with all the jurors, from what I've seen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: CNN's Chris Lawrence is at the courthouse in Santa Maria, California. He's covering the trial.
Chris, good morning to you. Another day of work for the jury today, right?
CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. And that foreman that you just mentioned, that Anne mentioned, he is a retired man. He's married with two grown sons. And in just a few hours, he will be leading the jury into their third day of deliberations.
Now, the eight women and four men who are in the jury room will be considering hundreds of exhibits and testimony from more than 140 witnesses. On Monday, they did pass a note to the judge, but the content of that note is not being made public.
Meantime, Michael Jackson is back resting at his Neverland Ranch, about a half an hour away from here. He'll probably stay there until he gets a call from the court letting him know that a jury has reached a verdict. He'll have about one hour to get back here to the courthouse, and CNN will broadcast a live audio feed of that verdict so we'll all hear the jury's decision at the same time -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Everybody's waiting on that. You know, I don't have to tell you that many times this atmosphere has been kind of like a circus in this trial. How is it right now?
LAWRENCE: Right this minute it's very quiet. But that's not unusual for 6:00 in the morning here. The people usually start getting here about an hour before the court session usually starts. But if you just take a look at what it was like yesterday, once it gets past about 8:30, 9:00 here, the crowd just swells. I mean, you've got people standing up on ladders, shouting at people as they walk into the courtroom. People holding up signs.
I'd say 95 percent of them are mostly Jackson supporters who come out here. People from all over the world, actually, who have taken time off of work just to stand out here, and for them as well, they say the waiting game right now is the hardest.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARGIE DEFARIA, JACKSON SUPPORTER: You could cut the tension in this crowd with a knife. That's how bad it is. It's been like that all of the weekend. It's been like on a roller coaster ride. Our feelings are up one minute and down the next.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAWRENCE: Yes, and it was a little bit of a crazy scene almost yesterday. Joe Jackson, Michael Jackson's father, caused a bit of a stir when he just walked right through the crowd of supporters.
They ran after him as he walk towards the courthouse. He walked up to a bailiff and asked the bailiff, "Where is my son?" The bailiff looked a little puzzled and said, you know, "I'm sorry, sir, your son's not here. We believe he's at home."
But what we believe happened is that someone had moved the car. Joe Jackson saw the car gone, thought maybe perhaps there had been a verdict and Michael had gone to the courthouse or had been taken to the courthouse. But again, it just shows how things can go from very quiet to very raucous here in just a matter of minutes.
O'BRIEN: Yes, you could see that in the videotape. Chris Lawrence for us this morning. Chris, thanks -- Bill.
HEMMER: Now in Aruba, police there say the two men they have in custody are not cooperating in the case of this missing Alabama high school student. This morning, CNN has learned that the security guards, one of them seen here, will not appear before a judge today.
We thought that would happen today. It won't happen. Perhaps tomorrow they will be before that judge.
Meanwhile, 18-year-old Natalee Holloway last seen more than a week ago leaving a nightclub in -- Aruba, rather, with three men. She was visiting that island with classmates on a high school senior trip. And on Monday, the government in Aruba gave 4,000 employees a half-day off from work to help in that search.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: Paul Reynolds is Natalee Holloway's uncle. He joins me now from Palm Beach, in Aruba.
Sir, what did you learn about these two men being held for questioning?
PAUL, REYNOLDS, NATALEE HOLLOWAY'S UNCLE: We don't have a lot of information from the individuals. We're relying on the authorities to complete their investigation. We're waiting to hear, just like everyone else, what those results are.
HEMMER: Paul, will you and the rest of Natalee's family be in court today?
REYNOLDS: We have not decided that yet.
HEMMER: You were among hundreds searching yesterday in a certain part of Aruba. Did that search turn up much for you?
REYNOLDS: I believe there was some piece of evidence that they may have found. The search was an extraordinary event. The government allowed the employees to leave early yesterday in order to assist with the search. There were hundreds of searchers, busloads of people involved. The people were searching, the military, helicopters, four-wheelers, an amazing outpouring of support.
HEMMER: You mentioned something there in your answer. Can you speak today, Paul, of any new leads?
REYNOLDS: We don't have any information of that nature yet.
HEMMER: So at this point there are no new leads. Is that what you're saying?
REYNOLDS: Not that we're aware of. But we're confident the police are following every lead available.
HEMMER: How are you and the rest of the family holding up?
REYNOLDS: We're doing well. It's an overwhelming outpouring of support and concern from the island, everyone in the States, the authorities. It's an amazing series of events, and we're just touched as to how Natalee has reached people's lives.
HEMMER: I'm certain of that.
One more thing, back to these two men being held for questioning, and that comes down to the issue as to whether or not you believe they had anything to do with her disappearance. Do you believe that?
REYNOLDS: We're not speculating. We're confident the authorities will complete the investigation. We're awaiting to hear their conclusions and results.
HEMMER: Paul, my best to you and the family down there. Paul Reynolds, my guest from Aruba. Thank you, sir, and good luck.
REYNOLDS: Thank you. (END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Overseas now, there has been a coordinated series of suicide car bombs today in Iraq to tell you about. Four bombs went off within seven minutes in areas north and south of Kirkuk. At least six Iraqi soldiers were killed, a dozen other people were injured.
To the south, in Baghdad, another car bomb aimed at a police patrol injured at least 28 people. One American has been killed today in a major new counterinsurgent strike. U.S. and Iraqi forces are now operating in Telafar, near the Syrian border in northwestern Iraq.
Now with a report you can only see here on CNN, Jane Arraf, who is embedded with the U.S. troops in the area and reporting by videophone.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JANE ARRAF, CNN SR. BAGHDAD CORRESPONDENT: At dawn, U.S. and Iraqi troops, tanks and Bradley fighting vehicles rolled into the troubled city of Telafar. That city is about 60 kilometers, 40 miles from the Syrian border. And military officials say it has become an insurgent stronghold, the scene of frequent attacks against Iraqi police, against tribes there, against U.S. soldiers.
And this morning's operation meant to show the presence of the Iraqi military, as well as U.S. forces in the region. They rolled into those streets, very narrow streets, the worst kind of urban warfare. And as they came in, gunfire rang around us.
Scattered gunfire as the hours went on, as well as a couple of mortar rounds that fell. One U.S. soldier was killed. Three suspected insurgents killed, as well, when they returned fire.
The U.S. military says that they have detained 28 suspected insurgents. Most of them on their target list. All of this in an effort to bolster the Iraqi army in that neighborhood, in that city, and to disrupt the operations of insurgents.
Jane Arraf, CNN, reporting from near Telafar, Iraq.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: Thanks, Jane, for that.
Twelve minutes now past the hour. Here in the U.S., we're looking at another hot, sunny day in the Northeast. Not a bad thing, but boy, it came quickly.
Also, a far cry from the violent storms that blew through last night. Upstate New York, this is Endicott, New York, powerful winds ripping off the roof of a school. The storms also caused widespread power outages, too. That same system caused massive flooding in parts of central Pennsylvania. East of Lancaster, there were reports of nickel-sized hail there.
Also further west, in Michigan, severe storms knocking down trees and hundreds of power lines. More than 180,000 utility customers lost power in Saginaw County.
A check of the weather today. Here's Chad Myers.
(WEATHER REPORT)
O'BRIEN: Still to come this morning, the fallout from the Supreme Court's ruling on medical marijuana. We're going to hear from one of the drug's most outspoken advocates, Montel Williams, just ahead.
HEMMER: Also, stunning proof that ID thieves don't have to be so high-tech. All it takes is patience and a willingness to get a bit dirty.
O'BRIEN: And Peggy Lipton joins us live in the studio. The former "Mod Squad" star talks about her new book and dishes on her high-profile affairs. That's a little bit later on AMERICAN MORNING.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Patients using marijuana for pain can now be arrested by federal drug agents. The Supreme Court on Monday decided a government ban on medical marijuana trumps state laws that allow it.
Those are fighting words to talk show host Montel Williams. He's devoted his life to protecting marijuana users like himself from prosecution.
Montel Williams joins us.
Nice to see you. Thanks for talking with us.
MONTEL WILLIAMS, "THE MONTEL WILLIAMS SHOW": Thanks for having me.
O'BRIEN: You have chronic pain from Multiple Sclerosis. Can you describe for me what it's like.
WILLIAMS: I've been suffering from Multiple Sclerosis probably for over 25 years, diagnosed in the last five. And in the last five years, I've developed what is called neuralgic pain from my shins, down. More on the left side than the right.
And it's literally -- it's indescribable unless you can get to it. But if I took a fire poker and stuck it in for a fire for 20 minutes, and stick it up in your heel and just screwing it around in your shin, I feel that 24 hours a day. Depending on how I get pain relief, I can lessen that from a 10 to a six to a four.
But I'm in pain right now while I'm sitting here. The bottom line is, the decision that was made yesterday really, really is confusing, I think, to this nation.
O'BRIEN: It is confusing.
WILLIAMS: Confusing to me.
O'BRIEN: Then let's talk a little bit more about this decision.
WILLIAMS: Sure.
O'BRIEN: What's changed from the day before yesterday?
WILLIAMS: Nothing. Nothing has changed.
This is exactly what the federal government has had the right to do all along. They can bust anybody from using any drug that they claim to be illegal. But the difference is, is that this Supreme Court made this decision yesterday, but a year ago it upheld a decision that said that doctors could recommend marijuana for use and that the states could not prosecute or persecute them for that.
So doctors can still prescribe it and recommend it, but then the feds can step in and bust you. And the states can still pass laws to allow medicinal marijuana to be used.
O'BRIEN: So can you be prosecuted for -- how often do you smoke pot?
WILLIAMS: I don't necessarily -- this is the problem. Everybody's got all caught up in their '60s memory of their own use. Let's start talking about the truth.
O'BRIEN: All right. I was young in the '60s.
WILLIAMS: OK. But, you know, I mean, not just you, but everybody. Even the president, he said it himself, he used it, OK?
O'BRIEN: OK, but...
WILLIAMS: But the truth is, you can eat it, you can drink it. And I use it every single day.
I am a taxpayer of this country, I spent 26 years in the military -- 22 years in the military supporting and defending this Constitution of the United States. And right now our Constitution is being stepped on by this decision.
O'BRIEN: OK. So can you be arrested for using medical marijuana?
WILLIAMS: Of course. Of course.
O'BRIEN: And you always could? WILLIAMS: Of course. All along.
O'BRIEN: Could your doctor?
WILLIAMS: No. My doctor can't be arrested because the Supreme Court said last year that a doctor can recommend the use of marijuana to his patients. This is what's so crazy. And what's even more crazy, Soledad, is that right now on the 17th of this month, the United States of America with a USDA stamp of approval on it will send marijuana out from the University of Mississippi to seven patients in this country. And, of course, because I'm bringing it up today, they're going to try to stop the program and bring more pain to some more people.
O'BRIEN: That's a research program that's been going on for a long time.
WILLIAMS: For 25 years. If these people haven't studied this in 25 years with our taxpayer dollars, everybody on this program should have been fired.
O'BRIEN: So you don't seem to feel like this is a devastating loss, this Supreme Court decision?
WILLIAMS: No, because the state of New York, the state that I live in, Senator Leibell put forth a bill, and I understand yesterday, because of pressure, he has now backed out of this bill. But I'm going to tell you, the state of New York can still vote. Every single poll that comes up around this country says 74 percent of the people in America want their loved ones who are in pain to have access to the medication that a doctor can recommend.
There's two ways to fix this. One, Congress can change the bill. Two, the DEA can change the status of marijuana from a schedule one drug to schedule two.
Put it in the same category as cocaine. Allow doctors to prescribe it.
O'BRIEN: So legally, what kind of implication would that have?
WILLIAMS: A doctor can prescribe it. Then our government can do what we pay them to do, to control it. That's their responsibility.
O'BRIEN: Do you think that's ever going to happen?
WILLIAMS: No, because we have ignorant people out here who don't understand. Even the Supreme Court justice himself yesterday stated in his decision that they know that marijuana is -- the efficacy of marijuana as a pain reliever, and also for certain diseases. They know it as a fact.
And they've now suggested that we go to Congress and do something about it. So guess what? We're going to Congress. Because you know what? It's time. The American public has spoken. And, you know, I'm sick and tired of the fact that we all are rolling over and playing dead in this society right now as if it's politically incorrect to state your case.
O'BRIEN: Going back to Congress.
WILLIAMS: Let's go to Congress.
O'BRIEN: Montel Williams, thanks for talking with us.
WILLIAMS: You got it.
O'BRIEN: Appreciate it.
WILLIAMS: Thanks.
HEMMER: Twenty-one minutes past the hour now.
The relationship between British Prime Minister Tony Blair and George Bush put to test today. Live to the White House. There is a significant meeting that will take place there. Then the two men are going to come out and talk about it. And so will we after the break here on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Welcome back, everyone. "Question of the Day" with Jack.
CAFFERTY: We have good news about violent crime. It's on the decline in this country.
The sharpest declines, according to the FBI, occurring in large cities and rural areas last year. This follows three years of increases in things like the murder rate.
The FBI numbers, murders dropped 7.1 percent in cities with populations over one million; 12.2 percent in towns of fewer than 10,000 people. The question we are mulling over is, what's behind the decline in violent crime?
D.W. in California writes, "The crime rates have been going down while the prison population" -- we're through with that part now. I'm taking all of this personally. I'm very offended by this.
(LAUGHTER)
CAFFERTY: The camera's not working?
O'BRIEN: A technical glitch.
CAFFERTY: Maybe it's my -- maybe it's my face that has broken it.
"The crime rate's been going down while the prison population has been increasing." There are five other cameras in the studio. Any chance we can use one of those? "It sounds like more criminals are getting caught due to increased police activity."
Hey, there's a good idea. We'll try this one.
Hello.
CAFFERTY: Patricia...
HEMMER: Ladies and Gentlemen, Jack Cafferty.
CAFFERTY: Patricia in California writes, "I would guess DNA is the answer. There's no perfect crime anymore. Something that you forgot to do or something you forgot not to do will get you caught every time."
R. in Wyoming writes this: "All the prisons that have been built and stocked with criminals are starting to pay off."
And Anne in Pennsylvania, "Is the decrease in murders really a decrease, or has the ability of the medical establishment to save shooting or stabbing victims increased? What are the results for the crime of attempted murder?"
O'BRIEN: Interesting theories people are putting forth.
CAFFERTY: I have no idea.
O'BRIEN: I have to say, though, I agree with Hemmer on this one, which is it's really an economic issue.
HEMMER: So much is tied to that, you're right.
O'BRIEN: I would think.
HEMMER: Are you doing OK? Got the camera working. You were discombobulated over there, buddy. I don't normally see you that way.
CAFFERTY: The studio has, like -- how many cameras, one, two, three, four, five, which means there are options if one of them breaks. Just trying to help.
You know, I'm going to go home and fix my screen door after this and make my wife happy.
O'BRIEN: Thanks, Jack.
Still to come this morning, "Mod Squad" actress Peggy Lipton opens up about a troubled childhood and her wild life in Hollywood, including which famous men she had affairs with. That's ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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Aired June 7, 2005 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. The Michael Jackson jury resumes deliberations in only a matter of hours. A live report from the courthouse in a moment, where the singer's fans are loudly declaring their verdict already.
New developments today in the search for a missing Alabama girl in Aruba and the two men at the center of the investigation.
And only on CNN. U.S. troops on a new mission to defeat the insurgents in western Iraq.
All ahead on this AMERICAN MORNING.
ANNOUNCER: From the CNN Broadcast Center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING with Bill Hemmer and Soledad O'Brien.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Welcome back, everybody.
Also ahead this morning, the Supreme Court has ruled and the federal government has won the right to prosecute people who grow or use medical marijuana.
HEMMER: We'll talk to one of the women at the -- who took her case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Finding out why she says no way will she stop using medical marijuana. We'll get to that story in a matter of minutes.
O'BRIEN: That's a tough "Question of the Day."
Good morning again.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: People always ask it, how come we never report any good news? Well, we've got a little good news.
Murder and violent crime declined in this country rather significantly in the last year, as opposed to the previous three years, when those things were on the rise. What's behind the drop in murder and violent crime? AM@CNN.com. Your thoughts.
What happened? Where did we go there?
O'BRIEN: To black briefly. But we're back.
CAFFERTY: I take that kind of stuff personally. I feel as though the things I do here are fairly compelling and worthy of at least being left on the air while I do them. I mean, it's too early for that. You know what I'm saying?
(LAUGHTER)
O'BRIEN: Do you want to repeat anything -- want to repeat anything we may have missed?
CAFFERTY: No, ma'am.
HEMMER: Thanks, Jack.
To the headlines. Here's Carol Costello with those.
What's happening.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Oh, I wanted that to keep going to see what next came out of Jack's mouth.
CAFFERTY: It went far enough.
COSTELLO: Yes, yes, I think so.
Good morning, everyone.
"Now in the News," President Bush is expected to offer $674 million in aid to Africa today. The announcement is expected as the president welcomes British Prime Minister Tony Blair to the White House. The two leaders also expected to discuss global warming.
CNN will have live coverage for you. There'll be a joint news conference this afternoon starting around 4:45 Eastern.
Three major airlines being grilled over their pension plans. The heads of United, Northwest and Delta are due to appear before the Senate Finance Committee in the next hour. Last month, a federal bankruptcy judge allowed United Airlines to terminate its employee pension plans, clearing the way for the largest corporate pension default in American history.
Citigroup is telling millions of its customers that their personal information may be at risk. Citigroup says computer tapes with data on almost four million customers were lost by UPS while in transit to a credit bureau. The company says, we're sorry, and says starting next month it will encrypt the data and send it electronically.
And in a record-breaking journey around the world, this 71-year- old Japanese man is said to be the oldest to sail solo around the world. He docked his yacht late last night, 244 days after he left. The previous record, by the way, was set by the very same man back in 1995, when he was 65 years old.
And I could spend that much time on a yacht.
O'BRIEN: Alone?
COSTELLO: Well, maybe not alone. That would be a drag. O'BRIEN: It didn't look like a really big yacht. It looked like...
COSTELLO: But they called it -- they called it a yacht. He's just a very small man.
O'BRIEN: Carol, thanks.
In just about two-and-a-half hours from now, the jury in the Michael Jackson child molestation case are going to resume deliberations. Earlier on AMERICAN MORNING, criminal defense attorney Anne Bremner gave us her impression of the jury foreperson.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANNE BREMNER, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: He's been one of the most serious jurors and he takes a lot of notes. He seems -- you know, when people are all laughing about things, if the judge cracks a joke, or even with Leno, he laughs, but he's probably the most subdued of this entire jury.
So I think he's a perfect foreperson. He's been serious, he's been paying attention, he's taken a lot of notes, and he seems to get along with all the jurors, from what I've seen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: CNN's Chris Lawrence is at the courthouse in Santa Maria, California. He's covering the trial.
Chris, good morning to you. Another day of work for the jury today, right?
CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. And that foreman that you just mentioned, that Anne mentioned, he is a retired man. He's married with two grown sons. And in just a few hours, he will be leading the jury into their third day of deliberations.
Now, the eight women and four men who are in the jury room will be considering hundreds of exhibits and testimony from more than 140 witnesses. On Monday, they did pass a note to the judge, but the content of that note is not being made public.
Meantime, Michael Jackson is back resting at his Neverland Ranch, about a half an hour away from here. He'll probably stay there until he gets a call from the court letting him know that a jury has reached a verdict. He'll have about one hour to get back here to the courthouse, and CNN will broadcast a live audio feed of that verdict so we'll all hear the jury's decision at the same time -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Everybody's waiting on that. You know, I don't have to tell you that many times this atmosphere has been kind of like a circus in this trial. How is it right now?
LAWRENCE: Right this minute it's very quiet. But that's not unusual for 6:00 in the morning here. The people usually start getting here about an hour before the court session usually starts. But if you just take a look at what it was like yesterday, once it gets past about 8:30, 9:00 here, the crowd just swells. I mean, you've got people standing up on ladders, shouting at people as they walk into the courtroom. People holding up signs.
I'd say 95 percent of them are mostly Jackson supporters who come out here. People from all over the world, actually, who have taken time off of work just to stand out here, and for them as well, they say the waiting game right now is the hardest.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARGIE DEFARIA, JACKSON SUPPORTER: You could cut the tension in this crowd with a knife. That's how bad it is. It's been like that all of the weekend. It's been like on a roller coaster ride. Our feelings are up one minute and down the next.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAWRENCE: Yes, and it was a little bit of a crazy scene almost yesterday. Joe Jackson, Michael Jackson's father, caused a bit of a stir when he just walked right through the crowd of supporters.
They ran after him as he walk towards the courthouse. He walked up to a bailiff and asked the bailiff, "Where is my son?" The bailiff looked a little puzzled and said, you know, "I'm sorry, sir, your son's not here. We believe he's at home."
But what we believe happened is that someone had moved the car. Joe Jackson saw the car gone, thought maybe perhaps there had been a verdict and Michael had gone to the courthouse or had been taken to the courthouse. But again, it just shows how things can go from very quiet to very raucous here in just a matter of minutes.
O'BRIEN: Yes, you could see that in the videotape. Chris Lawrence for us this morning. Chris, thanks -- Bill.
HEMMER: Now in Aruba, police there say the two men they have in custody are not cooperating in the case of this missing Alabama high school student. This morning, CNN has learned that the security guards, one of them seen here, will not appear before a judge today.
We thought that would happen today. It won't happen. Perhaps tomorrow they will be before that judge.
Meanwhile, 18-year-old Natalee Holloway last seen more than a week ago leaving a nightclub in -- Aruba, rather, with three men. She was visiting that island with classmates on a high school senior trip. And on Monday, the government in Aruba gave 4,000 employees a half-day off from work to help in that search.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: Paul Reynolds is Natalee Holloway's uncle. He joins me now from Palm Beach, in Aruba.
Sir, what did you learn about these two men being held for questioning?
PAUL, REYNOLDS, NATALEE HOLLOWAY'S UNCLE: We don't have a lot of information from the individuals. We're relying on the authorities to complete their investigation. We're waiting to hear, just like everyone else, what those results are.
HEMMER: Paul, will you and the rest of Natalee's family be in court today?
REYNOLDS: We have not decided that yet.
HEMMER: You were among hundreds searching yesterday in a certain part of Aruba. Did that search turn up much for you?
REYNOLDS: I believe there was some piece of evidence that they may have found. The search was an extraordinary event. The government allowed the employees to leave early yesterday in order to assist with the search. There were hundreds of searchers, busloads of people involved. The people were searching, the military, helicopters, four-wheelers, an amazing outpouring of support.
HEMMER: You mentioned something there in your answer. Can you speak today, Paul, of any new leads?
REYNOLDS: We don't have any information of that nature yet.
HEMMER: So at this point there are no new leads. Is that what you're saying?
REYNOLDS: Not that we're aware of. But we're confident the police are following every lead available.
HEMMER: How are you and the rest of the family holding up?
REYNOLDS: We're doing well. It's an overwhelming outpouring of support and concern from the island, everyone in the States, the authorities. It's an amazing series of events, and we're just touched as to how Natalee has reached people's lives.
HEMMER: I'm certain of that.
One more thing, back to these two men being held for questioning, and that comes down to the issue as to whether or not you believe they had anything to do with her disappearance. Do you believe that?
REYNOLDS: We're not speculating. We're confident the authorities will complete the investigation. We're awaiting to hear their conclusions and results.
HEMMER: Paul, my best to you and the family down there. Paul Reynolds, my guest from Aruba. Thank you, sir, and good luck.
REYNOLDS: Thank you. (END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Overseas now, there has been a coordinated series of suicide car bombs today in Iraq to tell you about. Four bombs went off within seven minutes in areas north and south of Kirkuk. At least six Iraqi soldiers were killed, a dozen other people were injured.
To the south, in Baghdad, another car bomb aimed at a police patrol injured at least 28 people. One American has been killed today in a major new counterinsurgent strike. U.S. and Iraqi forces are now operating in Telafar, near the Syrian border in northwestern Iraq.
Now with a report you can only see here on CNN, Jane Arraf, who is embedded with the U.S. troops in the area and reporting by videophone.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JANE ARRAF, CNN SR. BAGHDAD CORRESPONDENT: At dawn, U.S. and Iraqi troops, tanks and Bradley fighting vehicles rolled into the troubled city of Telafar. That city is about 60 kilometers, 40 miles from the Syrian border. And military officials say it has become an insurgent stronghold, the scene of frequent attacks against Iraqi police, against tribes there, against U.S. soldiers.
And this morning's operation meant to show the presence of the Iraqi military, as well as U.S. forces in the region. They rolled into those streets, very narrow streets, the worst kind of urban warfare. And as they came in, gunfire rang around us.
Scattered gunfire as the hours went on, as well as a couple of mortar rounds that fell. One U.S. soldier was killed. Three suspected insurgents killed, as well, when they returned fire.
The U.S. military says that they have detained 28 suspected insurgents. Most of them on their target list. All of this in an effort to bolster the Iraqi army in that neighborhood, in that city, and to disrupt the operations of insurgents.
Jane Arraf, CNN, reporting from near Telafar, Iraq.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: Thanks, Jane, for that.
Twelve minutes now past the hour. Here in the U.S., we're looking at another hot, sunny day in the Northeast. Not a bad thing, but boy, it came quickly.
Also, a far cry from the violent storms that blew through last night. Upstate New York, this is Endicott, New York, powerful winds ripping off the roof of a school. The storms also caused widespread power outages, too. That same system caused massive flooding in parts of central Pennsylvania. East of Lancaster, there were reports of nickel-sized hail there.
Also further west, in Michigan, severe storms knocking down trees and hundreds of power lines. More than 180,000 utility customers lost power in Saginaw County.
A check of the weather today. Here's Chad Myers.
(WEATHER REPORT)
O'BRIEN: Still to come this morning, the fallout from the Supreme Court's ruling on medical marijuana. We're going to hear from one of the drug's most outspoken advocates, Montel Williams, just ahead.
HEMMER: Also, stunning proof that ID thieves don't have to be so high-tech. All it takes is patience and a willingness to get a bit dirty.
O'BRIEN: And Peggy Lipton joins us live in the studio. The former "Mod Squad" star talks about her new book and dishes on her high-profile affairs. That's a little bit later on AMERICAN MORNING.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Patients using marijuana for pain can now be arrested by federal drug agents. The Supreme Court on Monday decided a government ban on medical marijuana trumps state laws that allow it.
Those are fighting words to talk show host Montel Williams. He's devoted his life to protecting marijuana users like himself from prosecution.
Montel Williams joins us.
Nice to see you. Thanks for talking with us.
MONTEL WILLIAMS, "THE MONTEL WILLIAMS SHOW": Thanks for having me.
O'BRIEN: You have chronic pain from Multiple Sclerosis. Can you describe for me what it's like.
WILLIAMS: I've been suffering from Multiple Sclerosis probably for over 25 years, diagnosed in the last five. And in the last five years, I've developed what is called neuralgic pain from my shins, down. More on the left side than the right.
And it's literally -- it's indescribable unless you can get to it. But if I took a fire poker and stuck it in for a fire for 20 minutes, and stick it up in your heel and just screwing it around in your shin, I feel that 24 hours a day. Depending on how I get pain relief, I can lessen that from a 10 to a six to a four.
But I'm in pain right now while I'm sitting here. The bottom line is, the decision that was made yesterday really, really is confusing, I think, to this nation.
O'BRIEN: It is confusing.
WILLIAMS: Confusing to me.
O'BRIEN: Then let's talk a little bit more about this decision.
WILLIAMS: Sure.
O'BRIEN: What's changed from the day before yesterday?
WILLIAMS: Nothing. Nothing has changed.
This is exactly what the federal government has had the right to do all along. They can bust anybody from using any drug that they claim to be illegal. But the difference is, is that this Supreme Court made this decision yesterday, but a year ago it upheld a decision that said that doctors could recommend marijuana for use and that the states could not prosecute or persecute them for that.
So doctors can still prescribe it and recommend it, but then the feds can step in and bust you. And the states can still pass laws to allow medicinal marijuana to be used.
O'BRIEN: So can you be prosecuted for -- how often do you smoke pot?
WILLIAMS: I don't necessarily -- this is the problem. Everybody's got all caught up in their '60s memory of their own use. Let's start talking about the truth.
O'BRIEN: All right. I was young in the '60s.
WILLIAMS: OK. But, you know, I mean, not just you, but everybody. Even the president, he said it himself, he used it, OK?
O'BRIEN: OK, but...
WILLIAMS: But the truth is, you can eat it, you can drink it. And I use it every single day.
I am a taxpayer of this country, I spent 26 years in the military -- 22 years in the military supporting and defending this Constitution of the United States. And right now our Constitution is being stepped on by this decision.
O'BRIEN: OK. So can you be arrested for using medical marijuana?
WILLIAMS: Of course. Of course.
O'BRIEN: And you always could? WILLIAMS: Of course. All along.
O'BRIEN: Could your doctor?
WILLIAMS: No. My doctor can't be arrested because the Supreme Court said last year that a doctor can recommend the use of marijuana to his patients. This is what's so crazy. And what's even more crazy, Soledad, is that right now on the 17th of this month, the United States of America with a USDA stamp of approval on it will send marijuana out from the University of Mississippi to seven patients in this country. And, of course, because I'm bringing it up today, they're going to try to stop the program and bring more pain to some more people.
O'BRIEN: That's a research program that's been going on for a long time.
WILLIAMS: For 25 years. If these people haven't studied this in 25 years with our taxpayer dollars, everybody on this program should have been fired.
O'BRIEN: So you don't seem to feel like this is a devastating loss, this Supreme Court decision?
WILLIAMS: No, because the state of New York, the state that I live in, Senator Leibell put forth a bill, and I understand yesterday, because of pressure, he has now backed out of this bill. But I'm going to tell you, the state of New York can still vote. Every single poll that comes up around this country says 74 percent of the people in America want their loved ones who are in pain to have access to the medication that a doctor can recommend.
There's two ways to fix this. One, Congress can change the bill. Two, the DEA can change the status of marijuana from a schedule one drug to schedule two.
Put it in the same category as cocaine. Allow doctors to prescribe it.
O'BRIEN: So legally, what kind of implication would that have?
WILLIAMS: A doctor can prescribe it. Then our government can do what we pay them to do, to control it. That's their responsibility.
O'BRIEN: Do you think that's ever going to happen?
WILLIAMS: No, because we have ignorant people out here who don't understand. Even the Supreme Court justice himself yesterday stated in his decision that they know that marijuana is -- the efficacy of marijuana as a pain reliever, and also for certain diseases. They know it as a fact.
And they've now suggested that we go to Congress and do something about it. So guess what? We're going to Congress. Because you know what? It's time. The American public has spoken. And, you know, I'm sick and tired of the fact that we all are rolling over and playing dead in this society right now as if it's politically incorrect to state your case.
O'BRIEN: Going back to Congress.
WILLIAMS: Let's go to Congress.
O'BRIEN: Montel Williams, thanks for talking with us.
WILLIAMS: You got it.
O'BRIEN: Appreciate it.
WILLIAMS: Thanks.
HEMMER: Twenty-one minutes past the hour now.
The relationship between British Prime Minister Tony Blair and George Bush put to test today. Live to the White House. There is a significant meeting that will take place there. Then the two men are going to come out and talk about it. And so will we after the break here on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Welcome back, everyone. "Question of the Day" with Jack.
CAFFERTY: We have good news about violent crime. It's on the decline in this country.
The sharpest declines, according to the FBI, occurring in large cities and rural areas last year. This follows three years of increases in things like the murder rate.
The FBI numbers, murders dropped 7.1 percent in cities with populations over one million; 12.2 percent in towns of fewer than 10,000 people. The question we are mulling over is, what's behind the decline in violent crime?
D.W. in California writes, "The crime rates have been going down while the prison population" -- we're through with that part now. I'm taking all of this personally. I'm very offended by this.
(LAUGHTER)
CAFFERTY: The camera's not working?
O'BRIEN: A technical glitch.
CAFFERTY: Maybe it's my -- maybe it's my face that has broken it.
"The crime rate's been going down while the prison population has been increasing." There are five other cameras in the studio. Any chance we can use one of those? "It sounds like more criminals are getting caught due to increased police activity."
Hey, there's a good idea. We'll try this one.
Hello.
CAFFERTY: Patricia...
HEMMER: Ladies and Gentlemen, Jack Cafferty.
CAFFERTY: Patricia in California writes, "I would guess DNA is the answer. There's no perfect crime anymore. Something that you forgot to do or something you forgot not to do will get you caught every time."
R. in Wyoming writes this: "All the prisons that have been built and stocked with criminals are starting to pay off."
And Anne in Pennsylvania, "Is the decrease in murders really a decrease, or has the ability of the medical establishment to save shooting or stabbing victims increased? What are the results for the crime of attempted murder?"
O'BRIEN: Interesting theories people are putting forth.
CAFFERTY: I have no idea.
O'BRIEN: I have to say, though, I agree with Hemmer on this one, which is it's really an economic issue.
HEMMER: So much is tied to that, you're right.
O'BRIEN: I would think.
HEMMER: Are you doing OK? Got the camera working. You were discombobulated over there, buddy. I don't normally see you that way.
CAFFERTY: The studio has, like -- how many cameras, one, two, three, four, five, which means there are options if one of them breaks. Just trying to help.
You know, I'm going to go home and fix my screen door after this and make my wife happy.
O'BRIEN: Thanks, Jack.
Still to come this morning, "Mod Squad" actress Peggy Lipton opens up about a troubled childhood and her wild life in Hollywood, including which famous men she had affairs with. That's ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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