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CNN Live Sunday

Interview with Tim Dicus; Steve Croes, Paul Van der Sloot To Be Released From Aruban Prison

Aired June 26, 2005 - 16:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: A deadly shark attack strikes fear into a popular beach resort in the Florida panhandle.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was really aggressive. I've been here a long time, and I've never seen a shark get that aggressive.

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WHTIFIELD: An interview with a man who tried to rescue the girl and the futile battle to save her life.

Also, the fight for Iraq. The new targets for insurgents and what the top U.S. general in Iraq has to say about the bombing campaign.

Later, the south Asia tsunami: six months and $7 billion in aid pledged. What is the latest in the situation in Aceh, Indonesia?

Hello and welcome to CNN LIVE SUNDAY. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. All that and more after a look at the headlines.

More shaking in California. A magnitude 4.8 earthquake hits just outside Lake Tahoe. The quake took place a little more than an hour ago in the mountains near Truckee, California. Tremors were felt as far away as Reno and Sacramento. It's the latest in a series of quakes to hit California in the past two weeks.

After two months of decline, gas prices are heading in a familiar direction: upwards. The Lundberg Survey puts the average national price of self-serve regular at $2.21 a gallon. That's an 8 cent increase over the last two weeks and only 7 cents a gallon below the all-time high.

U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says the winner of Iran's presidential election is, quote, no friend of democracy. Rumsfeld is calling the election won by ultraconservative Tehranian mayor Mahmoud Amadinejad invalid. For his part, the new president-elect says his government will represent diverse factions and cooperate with all other countries.

Get the power of CNN video on your computer. Log on to CNN.com, click on the video link and browse for the video you want to see. What you want when you want free at CNN.com. Swim at your own risk. That advice is being heeded along the Florida panhandle today after a deadly shark attack. A 14-year-old girl was killed yesterday while swimming with a friend about 200 yards offshore near Ft. Walton beach. Reporter Dan Thomas from CNN affiliate WEAR joins us now from nearby Miramar Beach with some reaction.

DAN THOMAS, WEAR CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, today is really like a normal day that you'd see out on the beach for a normal Sunday. Hundreds people are lined up on the beach. Let's go ahead and take a look at it out here.

One thing that we're not seeing that you might normally see is people far out in the water. That's because county officials here are telling people to stay closer to the shore. They say the closer you are to the shore, of course, the safer.

Yesterday, Jamie Daigle was out boogie boarding with her 14-year- old friend Felicia Vendable (ph). They were camping on the beach about a mile from where we're at right now. That's when the shark attacked.

They were, as you said, about 200 yards out in the Gulf. That's a considerable distance from the people that we see out here today. Out there, once you get out that far, you're really getting into some territory that is really infested with sharks. Anybody who lives out here knows that these waters can be very dangerous. Locals take extreme precaution when going out in these waters.

But earlier today, we saw home video of somebody who took video of a shark that was just about five feet from the shore line, which scared a lot of people. We've had a lot of reports of shark sightings today as well. We'll try to bring you that video a little bit later in the show.

Fredricka, back to you.

WHITFIELD: Now Dan, what about lifeguards in the beach area where you are? I understand where the attack took place, there were no lifeguards. And so sometimes lifeguards can help in the spotting of any kind of shark activity. What's the situation where you are?

THOMAS: Well, absolutely. Lifeguards are really essential in spotting sharks near the shore. Unfortunately, here in Walton County, the county does not employ any lifeguards. So if there are lifeguards on these beaches, they would have to be privately employed by the condominiums out here. Where she was, that area does not have any lifeguards, and there are no lifeguards we see out here.

However, the sheriff's department does have what they call a beach patrol. They're deputies who are trained in water rescue. We're told that they have double the amount of beach patrol out patrolling the shores today.

WHITFIELD: All right. Dan Thomas, thanks so much for that report from Miramar Beach, Florida. Well, a local surfer made a desperate attempt to save the girl. Earlier, he gave CNN's Drew Griffin a firsthand account of what happens.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Tim, you tried to rescue her. You tried to go and take care of that shark and take care of the girl.

TIM DICUS, TRIED TO SAVE SHARK VICTIM: Yes. I was about 200 yards out just past the second sandbar. And when I heard the scream, I turned around and saw one of the girls swimming towards the beach frantically. And the other one had disappeared. And there was a big dark spot where she used to be in the water.

GRIFFIN: You went with your -- you have a long surf board, a 9 fight long surf board. You went right to the blood pool to find her?

DICUS: Yes.

GRIFFIN: When you brought her up, what condition was she in?

DICUS: She was unconscious when I good to the blood pool. So I pulled her from the water, I tried to pull her from the water. The shark had made an attack during when I was trying to get her out of the water. But it gave me enough time to get her onto the board once he came back around to make another attack.

So, I got her onto the board. And he proceeded to continue to attack all the way from the outer bar to the beach.

GRIFFIN: Your feeling is this shark was actually feeding or biting continuously?

DICUS: Yes. He was really aggressive. I've been here a long time, and I had never seen a shark get that aggressive.

GRIFFIN: Tell me about how far they were out?

DICUS: Way too far. It was at least 200 yards out, probably, from here.

GRIFFIN: And you had warned other people not to be out that far for this reason?

DICUS: Exactly this reason.

GRIFFIN: This is where the sharks are. This is where the bait fish is?

DICUS: That's right.

GRIFFIN: You got her to shore. You saw the injuries. Tell me what you saw.

DICUS: She was hurt really bad. It looked like she had -- she was going to at least lose her leg. The damage on her left leg was really extensive. And I didn't know whether she had gone into shock. But she pretty much stopped bleeding by the time I got her to the beach. So, I didn't know how we were going to save her.

GRIFFIN: At any time did you think you were in danger, or the other rescuers that came out into the water were in danger?

DICUS: The only time I really felt like I was in danger when I was in the blood pool. Because I had no idea where it was, but I knew it knew exactly where I was. So that was the scariest part. Till I got out of the blood pool, it was really spooky.

GRIFFIN: And the other fellows, they came out into the water to help you?

DICUS: Yes. They were -- they were as nervy as I was because they got waist deep out there him. So, at least I was up on a surf board, and they were in there with him.

GRIFFIN: Quickly, you've been here surfing since '88. Have you ever seen a shark that big that close?

DICUS: Yes.

GRIFFIN: It was about 11 foot they're telling us?

DICUS: I'd say 8 feet, but yes, I've seen them 9, 9 to 10-foot sharks out here.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: In recent years, there has been a steady decline in shark attacks off the Florida coast. 2000 -- the year 2000 saw the most attacks as of recently with 37 attacks. Last year that number fell to 12.

Well, does this attack say anything about the potential shark activity off the Florida coast, especially for this summer? Bob Hueter is a senior scientist at the Moat Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, Florida. He joins us now from Tampa. Good to see you, Bob.

BOB HUETER, MOAT MARINE LABORATORY: Well, I would say nice to be here, but this is a very tragic set of circumstances for sure.

WHITFIELD: Yes, tough circumstances. But let's, you know, go forward here and try to understand.

HUETER: Sure.

WHITFIELD: What kind of shark might this have been that carried out the attack?

HUETER: This sounds very consistent with a bull shark, which is probably pound for pound our most dangerous spark species in the southeast U.S. And everything that surfer said -- his story is incredible and very believable -- everything he said is consistent with this being a probably 8 to 9-foot bull shark.

WHITFIELD:: Because was aggressiveness that Tim Dicus described even after trying to execute the rescue?

HUETER: Yes. Because most of the incidents we have are single bites, bite and release, a little bit of tissue loss but not anything like this. This was a large shark going after this girl probably as prey.

WHITFIELD: Now, is this an area, this panhandle section of the Gulf coast, is this an area that's accustomed to bull sharks?

HUETER: Well, bull sharks, yes, certainly do live in this area. But interestingly, the number of attacks in this particular part of Florida is not -- are not that great. Everybody remembers back 2001, the little boy, Jesse Arbogast, who was attacked and his arm was removed, that was by a bull shark. His life was saved through really medical miracle. But that could have easily been a fatality.

But since then, we haven't really had a fatal attack in Florida since 2001.

WHITFIELD:: So what does this tell you, if anything, this latest attack about the potential shark activity for this summer?

HUETER: Well, it doesn't tell me much. I've been studying sharks for 30 years, and I know the sharks are there. Just because we have one attack doesn't mean that lightning is going to strike again and twice in the same area. So, I don't think it tells us anything yet. But it certainly should tell people to be wary as swimmers. Know the sharks are there.

These girls were out pretty far. We don't want to blame them for that. But they could have probably gone out there 100 times and never had a problem. But it's pretty a good idea to stay a little closer to the beaches.

WHITFIELD: Now, what about the water temperature? Does that indicate anything or influence shark activity?

HUETER: Well, it does influence it in the sense that sharks are cold-blooded animals. And their body temperature, their metabolism is geared toward the water temperature. So in the summer, they're more active, they're feeding more often, and we have more sharks in Florida in the summer. So it's just a time to be wary.

And 4th of July is coming up. There will be a lot of people in the water. People need to be cautious.

WHITFIELD: All right. Bob Hueter, senior scientist at the Moat Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, Florida. Thanks so much for being with us. And hopefully next time under better circumstances, as you mentioned.

HUETER: As you say.

WHITFIELD: Well, you can find more details and reaction to yesterday's shark attack on our Web site, CNN.com.

In Aruba, new developments in the case of Natalee Holloway. One of the suspects held in connection with her disappearance, Steve Croes, is to be released. Croes and four other suspects appeared in court today.

For the latest now, we go To Palm Beach, Aruba. And that's where we find Karl Penhaul.

Karl? Karl, if you can hear me OK. Now. All right. It looks like we're having problems with the audio there. We'll try to get Karl Penhaul in a moment.

Meantime, on now to Iraq. A deadly day there. Four suicide bombings in barely 18 hours. We'll bring you the details from Iraq.

Plus, it's been six months since that massive tsunami devastated south Asia. What has happened since then to the littlest victims?

And an ailing evangelist's last crusade in the U.S. We're going live to Flushing Meadows for this final evening of Billy Graham's New York revival.

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WHITFIELD: Now back to Aruba. After a day of hearings, one of five suspects being held in relation to the case of Natalee Holloway is soon to be released. Let's go back now to Karl Penhaul for the latest -- Karl.

KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, the five suspects appeared in court around 9:30 this morning. And in total, they spent between four and four-and-a-half hours in court as the judge heard them individually and listened to prosecutors lay out the evidence against each of the suspects.

Now, the judge has been flown in from neighboring Curacao to ensure that this case, high profile as it is, is dealt with as impartially as possible.

After his deliberations, the judge decided that one of the suspects, the party boat deejay Steve Croes, could be released because there's not enough evidence to justify his continued detention.

As he emerged from the court, we saw him break into a big wide smile. And as his car, the police car that was taking him back to the police station left the court compound, his ex-wife and mother were waving and blowing kisses to him.

A police chief has told us that he expects that Steve Croes could be released as soon as soon as sometime today. But certainly by 1:00 p.m. tomorrow, he must be released.

Nevertheless, for the four other suspects in this case, it was back to detention for them for at least another eight days. Three of the youngest suspects, Joran Van der Sloot and the two Kalpoe brothers were taken back to prison on the east end of the island.

Meanwhile, Judge Paul Van der Sloot, he's the father of Joran Van der Sloot, was taken back to the police station in the north of the island. The judge is there, obviously ruling that there is enough evidence to continue to hold these four suspects in the case of Natalee's disappearance, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD:: All right, Karl Penhaul, thanks so much for that update out of Palm Beach, Aruba.

It's been a bloody day in Iraq. A trio of suicide bombings in Mosul has left dozens dead or wounded. Baghdad was also hit by an onslaught of violence.

CNN's Jennifer Eccleston wraps up developments from the capital city.

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JENNIFER ECCLESTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Three suicide attacks against Iraqi security forces and civilians around the northern city of Mosul and other assaults here in Baghdad have killed at least two dozen people today, this Sunday. This is according to Iraqi police and the U.S. military who both have differing accounts of the number of dead and wounded.

Now, the latest attack was at Mosul's general hospital in its emergency room where casualties from earlier attacks were being treated. A suicide bomber detonated explosives and killed between three and five people, including those police that were actually guarding the hospital up to a dozen people were wounded.

And earlier at an Iraqi army base outside of Mosul, witnesses say a suicide driver drove into a crowd outside of the base, and detonated his explosives. Five to 16 people were killed, and several were wounded. Many of those victims were Iraqi construction workers.

And to another suicide event, a driver aimed his watermelon truck at a police station in Mosul and set off a devastating explosion. Between five and 13 police were killed and also two civilians died.

Here this Baghdad, a mortar round struck a home and killed a woman and two children. And gunman killed a high-ranking police officer in a separate attack here in the capital.

And the U.S. military also announced today a roadside bomb killed one American soldier and wounded two others.

Jennifer Eccleston, CNN, Baghdad.

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WHITFIELD: The commander of U.S. forces in Iraq says American and Iraqi troops will ultimately prevail against the insurgency. General John Abizaid talked to CNN's Wolf Blitzer today about the battle and why it would be a mistake to pull U.S. troops out of Iraq anytime soon.

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GEN. JOHN ABIZAID, U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND: There's only one way for the insurgents to win, that's to drive us out before the Iraqis are ready to assume the battle space. If that's what happens, they could win.

But it's very, very clear to me that we're going to stay the course. That we're going to build Iraqi security capacity. That the Iraqis are serious about being a partner in this effort. And they're very serious about taking over the effort. The insurgents can't win.

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WHITFIELD: President Bush is hoping to shore up public support for the Iraq war in a prime-time speech scheduled for Tuesday night.

The south Asia tsunami took their parents. Now, how the littlest victims are coping six months later.

Plus, followers are gathering for the last night of what could be Billy Graham's last crusade. We're going live to Flushing meadows in New York next on CNN LIVE SUNDAY.

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WHITFIELD: Back now to one of our top stories. After the shark- biting death of a 14-year-old yesterday, a local surfer who heard the girl's cry for help made that desperate attempt to help save her life, that surfer, Tim Dicus, joins us now with the remarkable story.

And Tim, thanks so much for being with us. And you were incredibly brave for trying to retrieve this young girl after being bitten by what some experts -- one expert we talked to earlier believes may have been a bull shark.

Take me back to what was taking place when you were on your surfboard at sea. What did you notice and hear?

DICUS: I've been out -- I've been out surfing for about an hour and a half, and it was getting close to noon, it was about 11:00 a.m. And the two girls in question had paddled out past me just outside the outer bar, the sandbar. I caught one wave, went, just outside the outer bar -- the sand bar.

And I caught one wave. And then went back out. And I saw a fin go by. And a couple of minutes later, I heard a scream from the general direction of the girls. And when I turned, one of the girls was swimming frantically for the beach. And the other one was gone. And there was a dark stain in the water where she was.

WHITFIELD: And what possessed you to make your way toward that dark stain, which ended up being that pool of blood?

DICUS: Well, I knew that there was one more girl out there. And I couldn't see her. So I knew someone out there need my help. So I paddled out to sea to see what I could do for her.

WHITFIELD: And how frightening was that being in that dark spot, not knowing where the shark might be? What could have possibly happened next?

DICUS: The worst -- that was the worst part of the whole experience was going into the blood pool, because I knew he knew where I was. But I couldn't tell where the shark was. So it really put me at a disadvantage.

As soon as I got into the blood pool and got to her -- she was face down in the water and unconscious, appeared to be unconscious -- as I reached for her, the shark surfaced right next to her. And I could see it was about four, four and a half feet between his dorsal and his tail fin. So, that would probably make him about eight feet long.

WHITFIELD: And so you remained on your board as you were trying to pull her onto your surfboard?

DICUS: Yes, ma'am. She was completely unconscious. So it was kind of difficult to get her up on the board. It was a little bit of a struggle. It took me ten, 15 seconds to get her up on the board.

Fortunately, the shark was confused by the surfboard and he didn't really know how to take the situation right of way, so he was kind enough to leave me alone for a few seconds.

WHITFIELD: How fearful were you about trying to paddle on your board since we hear so many accounts of surfers being attacked by sharks because oftentimes the sharks may see a surfboard and a swimmer, thinking that it looks like a seal from down below looking up?

DICUS: I don't think that was much of my concern as the shark was already feeding. I think that was really the imminent danger was he was already in feed mode. And he decided what he wanted for lunch. And he was going to come after it.

WHITFIELD: And then once you finally got on shore, describe what happened next.

DICUS: A couple of really brave men got into the water with a raft and a boogie board and managed to fend off the shark with the boogie board. We got her into the raft. And as soon as we got her out of the water and into the raft, the blood trail from her leg stopped, and the shark broke off the attack. And turned on me.

WHITFIELD: Wow! And what did you do?

DICUS: He made a real fast, violent attack on me. And so I hit him once more on the nose, and he went under my board and disappeared.

WHITFIELD:: And then once you narrowly escaped that, there were, obviously, a lot of people on, you know, on land who were trying to figure out what happened, et cetera. Did you see the other young 14- year-old girl, you know, in her frantic swim to shore? Did you get a chance to with her at all?

DICUS: No. When I got out of the water, I was pretty well exhausted. I had already been out surfing for an hour-and-a-half. So I had pretty well already worn myself out. And then trying to get her through -- get her to shore, fend off the shark and keep her on the board was about all I had left.

So, I got her -- I got her to the raft. And all I was really able to do was, like I said, at the last part there was to -- as they got her into the boat, I splashed and kicked to keep the shark keep the shark from biting to the two guys that were getting her in the raft.

WHITFIELD: Wow. Well, your heroic attempts were just phenomenal. Tim Dicus, thanks so much for being with us. And we really appreciate it. And I'm sure the families appreciate your efforts as well.

DICUS: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: Well, on now to some big decisions. Hanging in the balance: What can we possibly expect from the nation's highest court this week? A live update from the Supreme Court coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Our top stories, beaches in northwest Florida have reopened, but most swimmers are staying away because of a fatal shark attack near Destin Beach yesterday. The 14-year-old victim and a friend had been swimming and using boogie boards about 200 yards offshore when one of the girls was pulled under.

A Rome-bound American Airlines flight has taken to the air again. It was forced to return to Chicago O'Hare Airport yesterday because of a small knife found on board. An airline spokesman says a passenger on flight 110 discovered the knife inside an airline-provided package about an hour into yesterday's flight.

Four suicide attacks have rocked the northern Iraqi city of Mosul killing at least 19 people and wounding 27 others. The attacks happened in an 18-hour span. Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and commander of all U.S. forces in Iraq, general John Abizaid, are appealing for the American public backing, that is, support for the war is at an all-time low.

Steve Croes, the 26-year-old deejay arrested in connection with the disappearance of Natalee Holloway will soon be a free man. His attorney says authorities in Aruba will release him tomorrow due to a lack of evidence. Four other suspects had their detentions extended today.

Experience the power of CNN video on your personal computer. Log on to cnn.com and click on the video link and browse for the video you want to see. Watch what you want when you want free at cnn.com.

It's billed as his last big tent revival. The man some Americans call the America's pastor. Billy Graham is set to take the pulpit again tonight, speaking to the crowds in Flushing Meadows in New York. It could be an emotional farewell. Our Alina Cho is there with a preview -- Alina.

ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, it is certainly an emotional moment for the people who are here to see Billy Graham today. I can tell you from where we stand, it appears on this final day, that every single one of the 70,000 seats is filled. Indeed, it is standing room only today. As we take a live look at the stage, I can tell you that this weekend revival has been and continues to be prayer part sermon. And as you can hear, part song.

Among the acts performing today, the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir and one of America's best known Christian singers, Michael W. Smith. Reverend graham will deliver his final sermon of the weekend about 30 minutes from now. Yesterday Graham's good friends, the Clintons, were here. And former President Clinton took some time to address the crowd.

BILL CLINTON, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT (video clip): When I was a young man and he came to Little Rock, we had just had a terrible crisis. And the schools were closed over school integration. And all the powerful white people tried to get Billy Graham to speak to a segregated audience. And he said Jesus doesn't want me to speak to a segregated audience. I'm not coming unless everybody can come to my crusade.

And I was just a little boy. And I never forgot it. I've loved him ever since. And Hillary and I are honored to be here tonight with you. God bless you, friend.

CHO: Reverend Graham has preached to more than 210 million people and 185 countries. He said he has always known he would come back to New York. He says he loves New York and prays for New York and knew that this would be his final crusade in America. Fredricka?

WHITFIELD: Alina Cho, thanks so much from flushing meadows. A whole lot of folks have come out to wait for the possibly last sermon this evening. These programming notes now, PEOPLE IN THE NEWS takes an in-depth news at the life and ministry of Billy Graham tonight at 7:00 Eastern. Then at 9:00, LARRY KING LIVE devotes the full hour to his interview with the legendary evangelist.

The U.S. Supreme Court will wrap up its term tomorrow with several high-profile cases still pending on the docket. But those legal issues have paled in comparison recently to the ultimate high court mystery. Will any of the justices be calling it quits? Kimberly Osias has more now from the Supreme Court. Kimberly?

KIMBERLY OSIAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, that is certainly the buzz inside the Beltway, the subject of a lot of water- cooler conversation, but nobody really knows for sure. There are still big decisions yesterday to be handed down. Among them, one on the power of domestic restraining orders. Also on Internet file sharing. Probably the most anticipated decision yet, that of the Ten Commandments. However, all that may well be eclipsed if the chief justice steps down.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

OSIAS (voice-over): He's been on the bench since March following months of cancer treatment. Last week was no different. The 80-year- old chief justice leaned on a cane, but walked to the high court on his own. Trachea tube still in place, the chief justice has been weighing in on final court opinions. Although nothing publicly has been said, speculation swirls around whether he'll stay or go. Court insiders say it all boils down to his health.

TOM GOLDSTEIN, SUPREME COURT ANALYST: The chief justice definitely will stay, I think, as long as his health will permit. He likes his job. Liberals, conservatives, everybody agrees, he's incredibly good at his job. The question is, will his health permit him to stay?

OSIAS: Little is known publicly about his thyroid cancer. Whether it's in remission or whether it's more aggressive. But those close to the White House say the president isn't waiting for a vacancy.

CHIEF JUSTICE WILLIAM REHNQUIST, CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE UNITED STATES: I, William H. Rehnquist ...

OSIAS: In fact, the list may be short, with about five possibilities.

GOLDSTEIN: I think this president likes to make clear that he's decisive. So I expect that he would follow the model of his father who had two appointments to the Supreme Court, both named within a couple days. So if the chief justice is to retire relatively early in the week, it would surprise me if we went beyond the end of the week before we had a named nominee.

OSIAS: With several possible court openings during the president's second term, the white house has been gathering dossiers and vetting potential candidates for years. The replacement of Rehnquist with another conservative justice won't likely change the ideological makeup of the high court. But with such hot-button issues like gay marriage, abortion and affirmative action, the drumbeat over a possible vacancy is starting. Some lawmakers going on the record.

SEN. EDWARD KENNEDY, (D) MA: Those who want the senate to be a rubber stamp for a White House nominee to the Supreme Court will undoubtedly try to rush us through our duty. But if we are to do our job for the American people in good faith, the process of considering a Supreme Court nominee cannot be rushed.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

OSIAS (on camera): The retirement announcement could come from the bench on Monday. However, court insiders don't believe that will happen because this chief is intensely focused on the business of the court and wouldn't want anything to detract from that. Fredricka?

WHITFIELD: Meantime, Kimberly, there are high-profile cases that folks are hoping to hear a decision on from the Supreme Court justices before they leave for break. Among them, the Ten Commandments.

OSIAS: Yes, that's exactly right, Fredricka. Actually, a pair of cases, one out of Kentucky and one out of Texas, we may get sort of a split ruling in favor of one when the Ten Commandments is along with other documents, other more secular documents, the Gettysburg address, that sort of thing, and maybe different when it stands alone. So we'll all be watching tomorrow.

WHITFIELD: All right, Kimberly Osias thanks so much at the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington.

Well, there's a new man set to take the helm at the NAACP. The group's board of directors selected 59-year-old businessman Bruce Gordon to guide the civil rights organization. He's expected to be confirmed next month. Our Tony Harris had a chance to speak with Gordon about the considerable undertaking.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: There are going to be people who are going to be surprised, Bruce Gordon. I know about him as a businessman. I don't know much about him in terms of his civil rights credentials. And they're going to wonder, is he the right man for the job?

BRUCE GORDON, NEW NAACP PRESIDENT: Mmm-hm.

HARRIS: How would you respond to that?

GORDON: The proof will be in the pudding. They're going to find out I'm the right man for the job. I'm confident, by the way, that I am. Doors were pushed open by the civil rights activists in the '50s and '60s so I could walk in. And I walked into corporate America. It would have been foolish to pass up that opportunity after people made sacrifices to get me in.

Having gotten in, within that arena, I was a civil rights activist. And I suspect that in 2005 and beyond, it might just be my kind of corporate civil rights activism that will be most effective in bringing about change in this country.

HARRIS: How do you build a bridge -- do you want to build a bridge, is it necessary to build a bridge between this organization and the presidency and the White House, and does that bridge need to be built both ways?

GORDON: I intend to build a bridge. I think that there absolutely has to be a relationship between the White house and the NAACP. We will never, ever agree on every issue. I don't expect it. And the White House won't expect it either. I'd like to think -- I don't know this because I have not spoken to the president. But I'd like to think that regardless of the history of the relationship, that he would prefer to have a constructive relationship than not having a relationship at all. I'm banking on that. Six months from now, the question will be, has Bruce Gordon sat down with the president? And that's the first step.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Bruce Gordon succeeds former Congressman Kweisi Mfume who resigned from the post last December.

It's been six months. How South Asians are dealing with the tsunami that tore their world apart.

Plus, the tsunami took only -- took away her only surviving parent. Now this orphaned child is rebuilding her life. Her story coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Today marks a somber milestone for survivors in Southeast Asia and for people around the world. Exactly six months ago on the day after Christmas last year, the tsunami disaster struck. It claimed more than 178,000 lives, another 50,000 people are still missing.

When the wall of water subsided, some 2.2 million survivors were left homeless or displaced.

Indonesia was hit hardest by the tsunami disaster with 168,000 people dead or missing in the Aceh province on Sumatra's northern tip. But there are signs of healing, though the process has been daunting and slow-going. Our Atika Shubert talked to the newly appointed head of the rebuilding effort there.

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ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Dancing amid the ruins to mark six months since the tsunami struck. Their linked arms form a wave, but the song calls for strength in the face of adversity. The message is not lost on the Kuntoro Mangkusubroto, the man responsible for rebuilding Aceh. Appointed little more than a month ago, he now has the massive task of reconstructing more than 173,000 hectares of land.

(on camera): Progress has been slow six months after the disaster, many are still living in tents. Hopes are high that he'll be able to deliver aid and begin building houses here as soon as possible before another six months go by.

Kuntoro's first priority, housing. More than half a million are homeless. Kuntoro makes daily field visits to hear their complaints from leaky tents to fears of corruption.

Something survivors have in common with donors. Indonesia is ranked among the top five most corrupt nations in the world, according to Transparency International. With more than $7 billion pledged to Aceh from international donors, it is Contoro's job to make sure that none of it gets into the wrong hands.

KUNTORO MANGKUSUBROTO, AGENCY FOR RECONSTRUCTION: Corruption is our number one enemy. We have to eradicate that. We have to be accountable for those who donated the money.

CHO: And accountable to nose who need it most. Saiful lost his mother and everything he owned in the tsunami. He now lives with three others in this tent, determined to rebuild on his land. He is hopeful, but wary that Kuntoro can deliver.

"He seems sincere," Saiful says. But he can only promise. He says he will help, but he doesn't say when. And all we can do is wait. Kuntoro is promising Aceh not just a return to normal, but to a better life. He has moved his family here and become an Aceh resident. His mission should last four years, but he says he won't leave till the job is done.

MANGKUSUBROTO: We have to build back better. Such that we have a stronger foundation for the people of Ahenias (ph) to be a part with other communities in Indonesia as well as the world.

SHUBERT: Words that Aceh wants to hear and hopes will come true. Atika Shubert, CNN, Banda Aceh.

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WHITFIELD: This weekend, Asian nations are mourning those who perished in the tsunami. Members of an international investigation team held a service on Thailand's Phuket Island. They prayed, sang hymns and laid a wreath at the wall of remembrance there.

In Thailand alone, the tsunami left more than 1,000 children without one or both of their parents. Some are still waiting to find a place to call home. Others were placed in the care of surviving family members. Our Aneesh Raman has the agonizing story of one of those children.

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ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Eight-year-old Janjera (ph) is all smiles today, laughing alongside her classmates, she no longer stands out, the scars left by her recent past hidden away, at least for the moment. One question for her grandmother and it all comes back

CHATCHADA KRUAKAEW, TSUMANI SURVIVOR (through translator): Do you know what happened to your mother?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): She's dead, killed by the wave. I miss her.

RAMAN: On the morning of December 26th, Janjera's (ph) mother was working at a hotel along Thailand's southern coast this. This photo is now all that remains, all that Janjera can cling to. The wave took her only parent, her father died years ago. And in its aftermath, robbed a little girl of childhood innocence.

KRUAKAEW (through translator): She used to be naughty (ph), fun, never be at home during the daytime. Once her mother died, she became speechless, vacant, not talking to anyone.

RAMAN: Adopted by her grandmother, Janjera is in some sense lucky. Familiar family to help her cope with the life of loss.

(on camera): For others, recovery is a community affair. Janjera one of hundreds of children orphaned by the tsunami in Phangnga alone. In the weeks after, this is where many of them found hope, at this still active crisis center. On this day, survivors jockey for a small amount of money, being given out to help in rebuilding their lives. But a few feet away is where the children like Janjera came to terms with the tsunami through painting. Chatchada Kruakaew runs the art therapy program.

AREE PRIBPAN, TSUNAMI VOLUNTEER: The flood is all they are painting about. The tsunami in paintings (ph).

RAMAN (voice-over): Those images still hang, the impact powerful, waves devouring land, the hand of god reaching down from above. Today children are starting to paint other things. Everyone trying to move on. And at home, Janjera is as well, confident that her mother is watching.

KRUAKAEW: She always looks at the stars and asks which one is my mother.

RAMAN: This is the region's new reality. Grandmothers are now mothers, granddaughters now daughters. For any child, six months can be an eternity. For those orphaned by the tsunami, it's been an agonizing process, learning to restart their lives.

Aneesh Raman, CNN, Phangnga, Thailand.

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WHITFIELD: And we'll be right back.

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WHITFIELD: This just is. This is the photograph of the young lady, the 14-year-old girl, her name is Jamie Marie Daigle, who died yesterday from that tragic shark attack incident in Walton County Beach, Florida. She's from Gonzales, Louisiana. She was vacationing with her family. She was out about 200 yards offshore in the waters, swimming with her other 14-year-old friend when, what one expert we talked to earlier today believes could have been a bull shark, apparently attacked her, biting her leg and then a surfer who was nearby, Tim Dicus, you've heard his story all day long. He was on his surf board. He had already mentioned to the young girls they were out a bit too far.

Well, after the shark attack, he braved going toward the girls into the pool of blood, and then retrieving this young girl, Jamie Marie Daigle, putting her on his surf board and then making his way back to the shore.

Folks on the beach tried to revive the girl, but they were futile efforts. She died later at a hospital. So once again, that's the 14- year-old girl who was killed yesterday. And we'll be right back.

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WHITFIELD: Coming up this hour, Iraq again wracked by deadly bombings even as U.S. officials say defeating the insurgency is just a matter of time.

Also ahead ...

TIM DICUS, TRIED TO RESCUE GIRL FROM SHARK (video clip): I got around to the board and he proceeded to continue to attack all the way from the outer bar to the beach.

WHITFIELD: A beast on the hunt turns calm Gulf waters into a death zone. You'll hear from the man who raced to aid a young swimmer as the shark moved in for the kill.

And later, the long struggle to rebuild shattered lives six months after the tsunami. Some survivors now say the dead were the lucky ones.

Hello and welcome to CNN LIVE SUNDAY. I am Fredricka Whitfield. All that and more after a look at the headlines.

An earthquake rattles parts of Nevada and California. At this hour, there are no reports of significant damage from the small quake centered west of Reno. The preliminary magnitude, 4.8

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