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CNN Live Today

Missing in Aruba; Michael Jackson Acquittal; Mission of Mercy

Aired June 14, 2005 - 11:00   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.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: And we start by taking a look at what's happening "Now in the News."
Two security guards in Aruba are out of jail this morning, released after more than a week in custody. They were arrested in the case of missing Alabama teenager Natalee Holloway. Authorities are still holding three other men. We'll go live to Aruba just ahead.

Pop star Michael Jackson is back home at his Neverland ranch this morning, cleared of all charges. Jurors are speaking out about their decision to acquit Jackson in his child molestation trial. We'll have reaction from jurors, the D.A., and from Jackson's defense attorney.

Insurgent attacks killed two dozens people and wounded scores more in Iraq today. In Kirkuk, a suicide bomber blew himself up in a busy market. Nineteen people there died. Most were waiting outside a bank for their paychecks. In Baquba, a car bomb and mortar attack killed five people.

President Bush is on the road today. He's in Pennsylvania, attending a fund-raising luncheon for Senator Rick Santorum. Later today, the president makes another push for his Social Security reform plan.

Keeping you informed, CNN is the most trusted name in news.

Good morning. I'm Daryn Kagan. Welcome back to CNN LIVE TODAY.

8:00 a.m. in Los Olivos, California, very close to where Michael Jackson's ranch is; 11:00 a.m. here in Atlanta, Georgia; and 7:00 p.m. in Baghdad. From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I am Daryn Kagan.

Up first this hour, they insisted they were innocent, now two security guards in Aruba have been freed. They were arrested in the disappearance of an Alabama teen who has been missing for more than two weeks.

Our John Zarrella is in Palm Beach, Aruba, with the latest on the Natalee Holloway mystery.

Good morning.

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.

Well, I guess the question is whether this brings anyone here closer to resolving this mystery, but at least for the two security guards, they are home. We had expected that today there would be a hearing into that very matter, whether to release them. But late last night, prosecutors here on the island decided to go ahead and release the two security guards, which they did.

The two men had been maintaining since they were arrested on June 5 that they had nothing to do with Natalee Holloway's disappearance and nothing to do, had never seen the girl, in fact. One of the two security guards told CNN last night during -- just after his release, that the three boys who are still being held now for questioning in the disappearance, that one of those three told him while they were in jail that he had actually lied. He admitted lying about fingering the two security guards.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICKEY JOHN, SECURITY GUARD: He told me he's sorry. Of course now he's sorry because he's turned a lie into a mess.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But he's innocent? He told you he's innocent?

JOHN: He told me he's innocent because he dropped the Dutch guy with the missing girl closer to Marriott.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZARRELLA: Now, the three young men, the two Surinamese youths and the one boy, other boy here, the three of them have been formally accused of murder, manslaughter and the kidnapping with fatal results of Natalee Holloway. But that is not -- not charges.

That's just an accusation, which is basically the same accusations that were leveled initially against the two security guards. But clearly, the focus now is on those three young men who remain, at this point, in custody. And we are told by the prosecutor's office, that the questioning of those three, the interrogations will be continuing today -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Well, and even from the beginning, once those two security guards were picked up, John, there were accusations of race and class, that these three boys that have since been picked up, that they were being protected because they were from some prominent families there on Aruba.

ZARRELLA: Well, that's right. The one Dutch boy is from a prominent family here in Aruba. But the prime minister has maintained, right from the beginning, that no favoritism would be had here on the island, and that whoever is responsible for the disappearance will be brought to justice.

But, in fact, one of the security guards -- of course the two security guards are black -- one of them did tell CNN last night that he felt that, in his opinion, anyway, that race was involved in his arrest and that that's why he was -- he was fingered. But his attorney, on the other hand, said that he did not believe that race played any part in the initial arrest of the two security guards -- Daryn. KAGAN: In any case, I bet they're relieved to be free this morning as the search for Natalee Holloway still goes on.

ZARRELLA: Yes, indeed.

KAGAN: Thank you, John.

Now on to pop star Michael Jackson. He's back at Neverland Ranch after a 14-week ordeal that was anything but a fairytale. It ended with his acquittal on all charges in his child molestation trial.

Chris Lawrence begins our coverage this hour from outside Jackson's ranch in Los Olivos, California.

Good morning.

CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.

A few fans have started to arrive here at the gates to leave a few items there at the front. But overall, it's a fairly quiet start to the morning here at Neverland.

His defense attorney says Michael Jackson hasn't been eating or sleeping very much lately. But he did wake up here at home this morning, relieved and very, very much exhausted.

Now, if we take a look back just a day ago, Michael Jackson wiped his eye as the verdict was read. His family was there in the courtroom with him. Several of them got choked up.

And as he walked out of court, didn't show very much emotion at all. He kind of didn't smile very much, just kind of looked straight ahead. He nodded a little bit and gave a slight wave to some of the fans who had showed up to show their support.

His brother Tito Jackson tells CNN that the entire family feels vindicated against the prosecutor's accusations.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TITO JACKSON, MICHAEL JACKSON'S BROTHER: It would be hard on anyone, you know. Michael kept his strength, and he hung in there. And he didn't do any of this. And I think it was a very personal thing on Tom Sneddon's part.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAWRENCE: Now, the jurors definitely sent a clear message. They did not buy the argument that the prosecutors laid out, not guilty on molesting a child, not guilty on the conspiracy charge, not guilty on providing alcohol to a minor. But there was some testimony that suggested prior acts of molestation. And some of the jurors said they did find some of that evidence credible, just not enough to convict in this case.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) RAYMOND HULTMAN, JUROR NUMBER ONE: I feel that Michael Jackson probably has molested boys. I cannot believe that -- after some of the testimony was offered, I can't believe that this man could sleep in the same bedroom for 365 straight days and not do something more than just watch television and eat popcorn.

I mean, that doesn't make sense to me, but that doesn't make him guilty of the charges that were presented in this case. And that's where we had to make our decision.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAWRENCE: And now that he's been acquitted, Michael Jackson will, at some point, have to move on and start to rebuild his image. Just this morning, Tom Mesereau said he'll never put himself in such a vulnerable position again -- Daryn.

KAGAN: All right. Chris Lawrence, live from Los Olivos. Thank you

Well, jurors are speaking out about their decision to find Jackson not guilty. Some say they were troubled about the revelations the pop star allowed boys to share his bed. You just heard from that juror in Chris Lawrence's piece.

Many questioned, though, the credibility of the witnesses in this case, especially the accuser's mother. In the end, the jurors say it came down to the evidence.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HULTMAN: We actually challenged one another in the deliberation room. I mean, it wasn't -- I don't want to give the impression that this was a really slam dunk deal, where you just go in to a room and 12 people agree. I don't think 12 people can agree on anything except that the sun might come up tomorrow morning. And beyond that, you've got to talk about it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What mother in her right mind would allow that to happen? You know, just freely volunteer your child, you know, to sleep with someone. And not so much Michael Jackson, but any person, for that matter

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I disliked it intensely when she snapped her fingers at us. That's when I thought, "Don't snap your fingers at me, lady."

(LAUGHTER)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I felt that there was enough reasonable doubt there.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We expected probably better evidence, you know, something that was a little more convincing. And it just wasn't there.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think I got acquainted with Rolaids, Pepto- Bismol, you name it. I think it's...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everyday routine that's going to be a little different, but it's worth it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I am so proud to live here, because in leaving here on Friday, I knew whatever the answer was, it was going to be the right decision. That these people here are all good people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Michael Jackson's lead defense attorney says justice was done when jurors acquitted the pop star. That verdict was a stinging defeat for the district attorney, Tom Sneddon. Sneddon would not rule out bringing another case against Jackson if he felt it was justified

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

THOMAS SNEDDON, SANTA BARBARA COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY: We'd review it like any other case we review in our office, just like we reviewed this one.

QUESTION: You wouldn't shy from it now?

SNEDDON: Well, the answer to the question truthfully is, I probably would if it was a good case. But I think we all learned some lessons here that we thought we had a good case this time. And we thought we did a conscientious job, and the sheriff's department did a remarkable job of investigating.

But, no, the people in this county elected me to do a job. And I've tried to do that conscientiously. And I'll continue to do that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

THOMAS MESEREAU, JACKSON DEFENSE ATTORNEY: I think their entire case, they being the prosecution, was built on nonsense. It was not built on the truth. Michael Jackson is innocent, and they tried to make something out of nothing, and they failed.

Michael Jackson has not molested anyone. He's been too nice to a lot of people that took advantage of him. And he didn't just let boys in his room. He let families come in and out of his room. He let them play and stay over, and basically he was just too open and too nice to too many people. And that will change.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: You can hear more from Jackson attorney Tom Mesereau tonight on CNN. He's a guest on "LARRY KING LIVE," 9:00 p.m. Eastern, 6:00 Pacific.

In Iraq, chaos and more casualties.

First, to Kirkuk, where a suicide bomber straps explosives around his waist and detonates his bombs. At least 19 people are dead and 89 hurt. It happened in a bustling square as many gathered outside a bank to get their monthly paychecks.

Earlier, near Baquba, five died after a car bombing and a mortar attack in the town of Kanan. The coordinated attacks happened just minutes apart and targeted a police station. Among the dead, members of the Iraqi army and police. At least four others are hurt.

About two hours from now, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld will hold a news conference at the Pentagon. CNN will bring you live coverage when that happens.

Now to other news from overseas.

In Afghanistan, four members of the U.S. military and their interpreter were hurt after a roadside bomb exploded near Ghazni. The group was traveling in a U.S. military Humvee on a routine patrol. Officials say none of the wounds were life-threatening.

In Chile this morning, crews are still assessing the devastation after a magnitude 7.9 earthquake rocked a rural northern area on Monday. At least eight people are dead, and there's said to be widespread damage to many homes across several mountain villages.

And British Prime Minister Tony Blair met with French President Jacques Chirac in Paris today. One issue they discussed, a possible showdown over the European Union's budget. A deal on the EU's long- term finances is said to be fading.

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan also met with the two leaders. He talked about an upcoming U.N. conference which promotes human rights, good labor practices and ethical practices for companies.

A floating ship of mercy, literally. The hospital ship USNS Mercy treated thousands in Banda Aceh after the December tsunami and again after the March earthquake. She's back home now in San Diego. I'll talk with her captain about the crew's six-month journey.

Also, get ready to see and find out more about the ancient, spooky, fascinating world of Egypt's King Tut. A live interview with the exhibit's co-curator is coming up.

And from the king of Egypt to the king of pop, Michael Jackson's biggest legal battle is over. But can he get his career back on track?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Looking for a story about people doing good in the world? Well, stay tuned for this one.

The U.S. naval ship Mercy lived up to its name during a just- completed mission to Indonesia. The crew of the hospital ship spent months treating thousands who survived the massive tsunami disaster in south Asia.

The Mercy left port in January, if we follow our map. It headed for Banda Aceh, Indonesia. The ship was headed home in March, called back to help treat victims of another powerful earthquake. Last week, the Mercy and its crew finally arrived back at the naval station in San Diego, mission completed.

And joining me now from San Diego is the ship's commanding officer, Captain Mark Llewellyn.

Captain, good morning

CAPT. MARK LLEWELLYN, USNS MERCY: Good morning, Daryn. It's an honor and a privilege to be here this morning, and it was an honor and privilege to be part of America's ongoing response to the disasters in Indonesia.

KAGAN: I was going to say, talk about an honor and privilege, that really must have been something. I was looking at some of the statistics, six months, as we said, 466 operations?

LLEWELLYN: Absolutely. Our surgeons were very busy. And it's important to say that our surgeons were a team of Navy and civilian volunteer surgeons. Absolutely.

KAGAN: And the majority of the surgery that needed to take place, orthopedic surgery.

LLEWELLYN: That was one of the major problems there. There were a lot of people that had injuries from the earthquake and from the tsunami that needed the orthopedic surgeons. So they were the number one.

KAGAN: And I understand another challenge that you face, the amount of time that had lapsed between the initial injury and when the surgeries were able to take place. Sometimes as long as a month and a half.

LLEWELLYN: Absolutely. But our surgeons worked the miracles that were needed there.

KAGAN: We're looking at some pictures of you and your crew interacting with folks on the ground. What would you say were the biggest challenges you faced?

LLEWELLYN: Well, the biggest challenges we faced were how to fit into an ongoing system there, because there was an international response that was already in place. We had sent some ships there, the Bonhomme Richard, the Abraham Lincoln were there doing wonderful things.

We came in, of course, you know, almost five to six weeks later with a big hospital that could help out a lot of people. So the challenges were fitting into what was already going, offering the services that we had and helping out those that were already doing great things there.

KAGAN: And really, a ship like yours and this type of operation is really set for a war zone. That's what it's designed for, not necessarily humanitarian work.

LLEWELLYN: Absolutely, because the ship's primary mission is designed for combat trauma. But its secondary mission is the humanitarian assistance and disaster relief mission.

KAGAN: And what about the human side of this, the people, the Indonesian people that you met and helped?

LLEWELLYN: Ma'am, it is hard to even think about it without crying, so please excuse me if I do, because right from the start, that human factor hit us home. The first patient that we took on board the ship was a little boy with appendicitis. Now, normally, that's something that could be taken care of easily, but the system there in Indonesia was (INAUDIBLE) by that tsunami.

So this little boy that came to us initially, brought by his father, the rest of the family was dead. And so the father brought this terribly ill child to us, you know, with his whole hopes there in his arms. And our surgeons from Project Hope and the United States Navy were able to save that boy's life and did other miracles along the way.

KAGAN: You know, you bring up a point that, such a big part of the whole tsunami story has been the children.

LLEWELLYN: Oh, absolutely, ma'am. And, you know, the children seemed to be disproportionately affected in this, I think, playing by the ocean, by the beach, swept out to sea.

You know, we had another young lad who had been swept out to sea and was rescued later that day and brought to one of the internally displaced camps, eventually found by an uncle, because most of the rest of his family had been killed. And he ended up getting an infection in his lung and was on board our ship for many weeks, near death. And, again, was able to walk off the ship, leaving a lasting impression on us.

That's one of the real miracles of this, is the impressions that they left on us of goodwill, and I hope that we left on them of goodwill.

KAGAN: And that's my final question to you, the pride that comes with being the face of America in this, in parts of the world where America is not seen as being as compassionate as what your ship would have represented.

LLEWELLYN: No, absolutely. Our team of civilian mariners who run the ship -- actually, the captain who drives the ship is a civilian mariner under the military sea lift command. And I command the hospital.

Our public health service people, our Project Hope, we represented the face of America and the true compassionate heart of America. And it was such an honor and privilege for us to be able to do that.

KAGAN: Well, let me be among the many to say, job well done.

LLEWELLYN: Thank you very much. We're very proud

KAGAN: And welcome home. Captain Mark Llewellyn from the USNS Mercy.

LLEWELLYN: Thank you, ma'am.

KAGAN: Thank you, sir.

From Asia on to Egypt -- well, almost. Actually, Egypt is coming here. You're going to get to see a lot of treasures of King Tut coming closer to home. We're going to learn some of the secrets of the tomb later this hour when I speak to the King Tut exhibit co- curator.

And the Michael Jackson molestation case made news around the globe. What does the rest of the world think about the verdict? A live report from London is coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Things are heating up. Just ask Jacqui Jeras.

(WEATHER REPORT)

KAGAN: He's been called the king of pop, but can Michael Jackson regain his throne? A look at his show biz future and what comes right after that after a break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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Aired June 14, 2005 - 11:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: And we start by taking a look at what's happening "Now in the News."
Two security guards in Aruba are out of jail this morning, released after more than a week in custody. They were arrested in the case of missing Alabama teenager Natalee Holloway. Authorities are still holding three other men. We'll go live to Aruba just ahead.

Pop star Michael Jackson is back home at his Neverland ranch this morning, cleared of all charges. Jurors are speaking out about their decision to acquit Jackson in his child molestation trial. We'll have reaction from jurors, the D.A., and from Jackson's defense attorney.

Insurgent attacks killed two dozens people and wounded scores more in Iraq today. In Kirkuk, a suicide bomber blew himself up in a busy market. Nineteen people there died. Most were waiting outside a bank for their paychecks. In Baquba, a car bomb and mortar attack killed five people.

President Bush is on the road today. He's in Pennsylvania, attending a fund-raising luncheon for Senator Rick Santorum. Later today, the president makes another push for his Social Security reform plan.

Keeping you informed, CNN is the most trusted name in news.

Good morning. I'm Daryn Kagan. Welcome back to CNN LIVE TODAY.

8:00 a.m. in Los Olivos, California, very close to where Michael Jackson's ranch is; 11:00 a.m. here in Atlanta, Georgia; and 7:00 p.m. in Baghdad. From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I am Daryn Kagan.

Up first this hour, they insisted they were innocent, now two security guards in Aruba have been freed. They were arrested in the disappearance of an Alabama teen who has been missing for more than two weeks.

Our John Zarrella is in Palm Beach, Aruba, with the latest on the Natalee Holloway mystery.

Good morning.

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.

Well, I guess the question is whether this brings anyone here closer to resolving this mystery, but at least for the two security guards, they are home. We had expected that today there would be a hearing into that very matter, whether to release them. But late last night, prosecutors here on the island decided to go ahead and release the two security guards, which they did.

The two men had been maintaining since they were arrested on June 5 that they had nothing to do with Natalee Holloway's disappearance and nothing to do, had never seen the girl, in fact. One of the two security guards told CNN last night during -- just after his release, that the three boys who are still being held now for questioning in the disappearance, that one of those three told him while they were in jail that he had actually lied. He admitted lying about fingering the two security guards.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICKEY JOHN, SECURITY GUARD: He told me he's sorry. Of course now he's sorry because he's turned a lie into a mess.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But he's innocent? He told you he's innocent?

JOHN: He told me he's innocent because he dropped the Dutch guy with the missing girl closer to Marriott.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZARRELLA: Now, the three young men, the two Surinamese youths and the one boy, other boy here, the three of them have been formally accused of murder, manslaughter and the kidnapping with fatal results of Natalee Holloway. But that is not -- not charges.

That's just an accusation, which is basically the same accusations that were leveled initially against the two security guards. But clearly, the focus now is on those three young men who remain, at this point, in custody. And we are told by the prosecutor's office, that the questioning of those three, the interrogations will be continuing today -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Well, and even from the beginning, once those two security guards were picked up, John, there were accusations of race and class, that these three boys that have since been picked up, that they were being protected because they were from some prominent families there on Aruba.

ZARRELLA: Well, that's right. The one Dutch boy is from a prominent family here in Aruba. But the prime minister has maintained, right from the beginning, that no favoritism would be had here on the island, and that whoever is responsible for the disappearance will be brought to justice.

But, in fact, one of the security guards -- of course the two security guards are black -- one of them did tell CNN last night that he felt that, in his opinion, anyway, that race was involved in his arrest and that that's why he was -- he was fingered. But his attorney, on the other hand, said that he did not believe that race played any part in the initial arrest of the two security guards -- Daryn. KAGAN: In any case, I bet they're relieved to be free this morning as the search for Natalee Holloway still goes on.

ZARRELLA: Yes, indeed.

KAGAN: Thank you, John.

Now on to pop star Michael Jackson. He's back at Neverland Ranch after a 14-week ordeal that was anything but a fairytale. It ended with his acquittal on all charges in his child molestation trial.

Chris Lawrence begins our coverage this hour from outside Jackson's ranch in Los Olivos, California.

Good morning.

CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.

A few fans have started to arrive here at the gates to leave a few items there at the front. But overall, it's a fairly quiet start to the morning here at Neverland.

His defense attorney says Michael Jackson hasn't been eating or sleeping very much lately. But he did wake up here at home this morning, relieved and very, very much exhausted.

Now, if we take a look back just a day ago, Michael Jackson wiped his eye as the verdict was read. His family was there in the courtroom with him. Several of them got choked up.

And as he walked out of court, didn't show very much emotion at all. He kind of didn't smile very much, just kind of looked straight ahead. He nodded a little bit and gave a slight wave to some of the fans who had showed up to show their support.

His brother Tito Jackson tells CNN that the entire family feels vindicated against the prosecutor's accusations.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TITO JACKSON, MICHAEL JACKSON'S BROTHER: It would be hard on anyone, you know. Michael kept his strength, and he hung in there. And he didn't do any of this. And I think it was a very personal thing on Tom Sneddon's part.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAWRENCE: Now, the jurors definitely sent a clear message. They did not buy the argument that the prosecutors laid out, not guilty on molesting a child, not guilty on the conspiracy charge, not guilty on providing alcohol to a minor. But there was some testimony that suggested prior acts of molestation. And some of the jurors said they did find some of that evidence credible, just not enough to convict in this case.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) RAYMOND HULTMAN, JUROR NUMBER ONE: I feel that Michael Jackson probably has molested boys. I cannot believe that -- after some of the testimony was offered, I can't believe that this man could sleep in the same bedroom for 365 straight days and not do something more than just watch television and eat popcorn.

I mean, that doesn't make sense to me, but that doesn't make him guilty of the charges that were presented in this case. And that's where we had to make our decision.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAWRENCE: And now that he's been acquitted, Michael Jackson will, at some point, have to move on and start to rebuild his image. Just this morning, Tom Mesereau said he'll never put himself in such a vulnerable position again -- Daryn.

KAGAN: All right. Chris Lawrence, live from Los Olivos. Thank you

Well, jurors are speaking out about their decision to find Jackson not guilty. Some say they were troubled about the revelations the pop star allowed boys to share his bed. You just heard from that juror in Chris Lawrence's piece.

Many questioned, though, the credibility of the witnesses in this case, especially the accuser's mother. In the end, the jurors say it came down to the evidence.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HULTMAN: We actually challenged one another in the deliberation room. I mean, it wasn't -- I don't want to give the impression that this was a really slam dunk deal, where you just go in to a room and 12 people agree. I don't think 12 people can agree on anything except that the sun might come up tomorrow morning. And beyond that, you've got to talk about it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What mother in her right mind would allow that to happen? You know, just freely volunteer your child, you know, to sleep with someone. And not so much Michael Jackson, but any person, for that matter

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I disliked it intensely when she snapped her fingers at us. That's when I thought, "Don't snap your fingers at me, lady."

(LAUGHTER)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I felt that there was enough reasonable doubt there.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We expected probably better evidence, you know, something that was a little more convincing. And it just wasn't there.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think I got acquainted with Rolaids, Pepto- Bismol, you name it. I think it's...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everyday routine that's going to be a little different, but it's worth it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I am so proud to live here, because in leaving here on Friday, I knew whatever the answer was, it was going to be the right decision. That these people here are all good people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Michael Jackson's lead defense attorney says justice was done when jurors acquitted the pop star. That verdict was a stinging defeat for the district attorney, Tom Sneddon. Sneddon would not rule out bringing another case against Jackson if he felt it was justified

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

THOMAS SNEDDON, SANTA BARBARA COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY: We'd review it like any other case we review in our office, just like we reviewed this one.

QUESTION: You wouldn't shy from it now?

SNEDDON: Well, the answer to the question truthfully is, I probably would if it was a good case. But I think we all learned some lessons here that we thought we had a good case this time. And we thought we did a conscientious job, and the sheriff's department did a remarkable job of investigating.

But, no, the people in this county elected me to do a job. And I've tried to do that conscientiously. And I'll continue to do that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

THOMAS MESEREAU, JACKSON DEFENSE ATTORNEY: I think their entire case, they being the prosecution, was built on nonsense. It was not built on the truth. Michael Jackson is innocent, and they tried to make something out of nothing, and they failed.

Michael Jackson has not molested anyone. He's been too nice to a lot of people that took advantage of him. And he didn't just let boys in his room. He let families come in and out of his room. He let them play and stay over, and basically he was just too open and too nice to too many people. And that will change.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: You can hear more from Jackson attorney Tom Mesereau tonight on CNN. He's a guest on "LARRY KING LIVE," 9:00 p.m. Eastern, 6:00 Pacific.

In Iraq, chaos and more casualties.

First, to Kirkuk, where a suicide bomber straps explosives around his waist and detonates his bombs. At least 19 people are dead and 89 hurt. It happened in a bustling square as many gathered outside a bank to get their monthly paychecks.

Earlier, near Baquba, five died after a car bombing and a mortar attack in the town of Kanan. The coordinated attacks happened just minutes apart and targeted a police station. Among the dead, members of the Iraqi army and police. At least four others are hurt.

About two hours from now, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld will hold a news conference at the Pentagon. CNN will bring you live coverage when that happens.

Now to other news from overseas.

In Afghanistan, four members of the U.S. military and their interpreter were hurt after a roadside bomb exploded near Ghazni. The group was traveling in a U.S. military Humvee on a routine patrol. Officials say none of the wounds were life-threatening.

In Chile this morning, crews are still assessing the devastation after a magnitude 7.9 earthquake rocked a rural northern area on Monday. At least eight people are dead, and there's said to be widespread damage to many homes across several mountain villages.

And British Prime Minister Tony Blair met with French President Jacques Chirac in Paris today. One issue they discussed, a possible showdown over the European Union's budget. A deal on the EU's long- term finances is said to be fading.

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan also met with the two leaders. He talked about an upcoming U.N. conference which promotes human rights, good labor practices and ethical practices for companies.

A floating ship of mercy, literally. The hospital ship USNS Mercy treated thousands in Banda Aceh after the December tsunami and again after the March earthquake. She's back home now in San Diego. I'll talk with her captain about the crew's six-month journey.

Also, get ready to see and find out more about the ancient, spooky, fascinating world of Egypt's King Tut. A live interview with the exhibit's co-curator is coming up.

And from the king of Egypt to the king of pop, Michael Jackson's biggest legal battle is over. But can he get his career back on track?

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KAGAN: Looking for a story about people doing good in the world? Well, stay tuned for this one.

The U.S. naval ship Mercy lived up to its name during a just- completed mission to Indonesia. The crew of the hospital ship spent months treating thousands who survived the massive tsunami disaster in south Asia.

The Mercy left port in January, if we follow our map. It headed for Banda Aceh, Indonesia. The ship was headed home in March, called back to help treat victims of another powerful earthquake. Last week, the Mercy and its crew finally arrived back at the naval station in San Diego, mission completed.

And joining me now from San Diego is the ship's commanding officer, Captain Mark Llewellyn.

Captain, good morning

CAPT. MARK LLEWELLYN, USNS MERCY: Good morning, Daryn. It's an honor and a privilege to be here this morning, and it was an honor and privilege to be part of America's ongoing response to the disasters in Indonesia.

KAGAN: I was going to say, talk about an honor and privilege, that really must have been something. I was looking at some of the statistics, six months, as we said, 466 operations?

LLEWELLYN: Absolutely. Our surgeons were very busy. And it's important to say that our surgeons were a team of Navy and civilian volunteer surgeons. Absolutely.

KAGAN: And the majority of the surgery that needed to take place, orthopedic surgery.

LLEWELLYN: That was one of the major problems there. There were a lot of people that had injuries from the earthquake and from the tsunami that needed the orthopedic surgeons. So they were the number one.

KAGAN: And I understand another challenge that you face, the amount of time that had lapsed between the initial injury and when the surgeries were able to take place. Sometimes as long as a month and a half.

LLEWELLYN: Absolutely. But our surgeons worked the miracles that were needed there.

KAGAN: We're looking at some pictures of you and your crew interacting with folks on the ground. What would you say were the biggest challenges you faced?

LLEWELLYN: Well, the biggest challenges we faced were how to fit into an ongoing system there, because there was an international response that was already in place. We had sent some ships there, the Bonhomme Richard, the Abraham Lincoln were there doing wonderful things.

We came in, of course, you know, almost five to six weeks later with a big hospital that could help out a lot of people. So the challenges were fitting into what was already going, offering the services that we had and helping out those that were already doing great things there.

KAGAN: And really, a ship like yours and this type of operation is really set for a war zone. That's what it's designed for, not necessarily humanitarian work.

LLEWELLYN: Absolutely, because the ship's primary mission is designed for combat trauma. But its secondary mission is the humanitarian assistance and disaster relief mission.

KAGAN: And what about the human side of this, the people, the Indonesian people that you met and helped?

LLEWELLYN: Ma'am, it is hard to even think about it without crying, so please excuse me if I do, because right from the start, that human factor hit us home. The first patient that we took on board the ship was a little boy with appendicitis. Now, normally, that's something that could be taken care of easily, but the system there in Indonesia was (INAUDIBLE) by that tsunami.

So this little boy that came to us initially, brought by his father, the rest of the family was dead. And so the father brought this terribly ill child to us, you know, with his whole hopes there in his arms. And our surgeons from Project Hope and the United States Navy were able to save that boy's life and did other miracles along the way.

KAGAN: You know, you bring up a point that, such a big part of the whole tsunami story has been the children.

LLEWELLYN: Oh, absolutely, ma'am. And, you know, the children seemed to be disproportionately affected in this, I think, playing by the ocean, by the beach, swept out to sea.

You know, we had another young lad who had been swept out to sea and was rescued later that day and brought to one of the internally displaced camps, eventually found by an uncle, because most of the rest of his family had been killed. And he ended up getting an infection in his lung and was on board our ship for many weeks, near death. And, again, was able to walk off the ship, leaving a lasting impression on us.

That's one of the real miracles of this, is the impressions that they left on us of goodwill, and I hope that we left on them of goodwill.

KAGAN: And that's my final question to you, the pride that comes with being the face of America in this, in parts of the world where America is not seen as being as compassionate as what your ship would have represented.

LLEWELLYN: No, absolutely. Our team of civilian mariners who run the ship -- actually, the captain who drives the ship is a civilian mariner under the military sea lift command. And I command the hospital.

Our public health service people, our Project Hope, we represented the face of America and the true compassionate heart of America. And it was such an honor and privilege for us to be able to do that.

KAGAN: Well, let me be among the many to say, job well done.

LLEWELLYN: Thank you very much. We're very proud

KAGAN: And welcome home. Captain Mark Llewellyn from the USNS Mercy.

LLEWELLYN: Thank you, ma'am.

KAGAN: Thank you, sir.

From Asia on to Egypt -- well, almost. Actually, Egypt is coming here. You're going to get to see a lot of treasures of King Tut coming closer to home. We're going to learn some of the secrets of the tomb later this hour when I speak to the King Tut exhibit co- curator.

And the Michael Jackson molestation case made news around the globe. What does the rest of the world think about the verdict? A live report from London is coming up.

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KAGAN: Things are heating up. Just ask Jacqui Jeras.

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KAGAN: He's been called the king of pop, but can Michael Jackson regain his throne? A look at his show biz future and what comes right after that after a break.

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