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American Morning

California Wildfires; Coming Home; Judith Miller to Testify

Aired September 30, 2005 - 8:59   ET

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

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Some new pictures this morning. Massive wildfires climbing deeper into the hills of southern California. Hundreds of homes at risk. We're live on the scene. And we'll tell you what firefighters hope will be their big breakthrough today.
Coming home to New Orleans and discovering a city covered in mold. Difficult to look at, really. Much harder to breathe. Is the city at risk for a health crisis?

And "New York Times" reporter Judith Miller, she's out of jail, prepared to testify in that CIA leak probe today. A top member of the vice president's staff could be named on this AMERICAN MORNING.

ANNOUNCER: From the CNN Broadcast Center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING with Soledad O'Brien and Miles O'Brien.

O'BRIEN: Good morning to you as you look at the Hudson River and the George Washington Bridge. I'm Miles O'Brien. Glad to have you with us. Soledad is off this morning.

We'll get right out to southern California and an update on those fires burning there near Los Angeles in just a moment. But before we do, let's say hello to Elizabeth Cohen, who is in New Orleans this morning.

Good morning, Elizabeth.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Miles.

I'm here on the flight deck of the USNS Comfort. We're here on the Mississippi River. And what a view we have.

If you see right here, I'm going to start -- you can see there are two Carnival Cruise Lines. Usually they're taking people on vacation, but now they're housing about 2,500 emergency personnel each, the Ecstasy and the Sensation.

Then you move on, you can see the central business district and the French Quarter. And then on the other side of the ship, this is the Biwater area. And then further down is St. Bernard Parish.

Now, St. Bernard Parish, where I've spent the past two days, the devastation is still incredible. Debris everywhere. Houses that people just can't live in. It's really quite an incredible site.

Now, here aboard the Comfort, this is the only fully functioning trauma center in New Orleans Parish. They started to get their very first patients today. They are up and open for business -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: All right. Thank you very much, Elizabeth Cohen. Back with you in just a moment.

Now to that developing story in southern California. Some 3,000 firefighters are making progress on a massive wildfire on the northwestern edge of L.A. County. The fire is now 20 percent contained. The blaze already has charred 17,000 acres near the town of Chatsworth, as you see there.

Dan Simon is near the fire line. He is in the town of West Hills.

Dan, the weather looks better today. Firefighters making progress?

DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, they are, Miles. As you can see, it's still dark here in Los Angeles, but we're just getting word that the weather conditions are supposed to be ideal today. I can already tell you the temperatures definitely feel lower than they did yesterday, and the winds remain calm. But you can still see flames in some parts of the area.

You're looking at an area called the Santa Susanna Pass. And it has really lit up this morning.

That's a rural area, so no homes are really threatened there. It's certainly unlike yesterday, when the flames came dangerously close to many neighborhoods, which forced about 1,500 residents to evacuate.

And Miles, if it's not the flames, it's the smoke. The smoke has drifted many miles. As a matter of fact, I can smell it in my house this morning about 30 miles away in Los Angeles. And officials are saying that some people might experience some health problems, especially if you have asthma -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Thank you very much, Dan Simon.

Let's move to New Orleans now. About a third of New Orleans half-million residents can begin moving back today into parts of the city that were spared major flooding. People who live in the zip codes you're about to see on your screen will be allowed to return to their homes beginning this morning. There they are.

Dan Lothian is uptown. He's at 70115 on the zip code meter there.

Dan, depending on that zip code, people are going to have very different arrivals as they come home.

DAN LOTHIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. And not only the zip codes, Miles, but also which side of the street you live on.

You look behind me, there's still a let of debris here. These are branches that have been chopped up, moved off the street. Eventually, they'll be taken away.

The homes here pretty much intact. The doors and windows have been boarded up. But just take a look across the street here.

We're told that this house was being renovated, it was gutted. And obviously during the storm it collapsed. So, depending on not only within the different zip codes, but on the same street you might find a house that is standing that has no damage whatsoever. You'll have another house that has to be completely rebuilt.

Now, right about now, folks can start legally coming back into this neighborhood, although we've spoken to a number of folks here in this neighborhood who came back a few days ago. They said they were able to use other credentials or just sneak back in.

They wanted to get back into their homes and to assess the damage. One man telling us that he has extensive roof damage and he's concerned that the roof could collapse.

Another big concern for officials, of course, health concerns, because of the issues you were talking about earlier, Miles, mold. Not only in some of the businesses that we took a look at a few days ago as business owners were returning to clean up and get back on line, but in some of the homes they might have the mold problem.

The mayor warning everyone that not only do they have to clean out their homes from mold, but also they have to make sure that their homes are structurally sound. The roofs could collapse, the foundations could shift. So, there are a lot of health concerns not only in those areas, but also about the environment, what's in the ground, what's in the air, what's in the water.

The water right now, we're told, is safe to take a shower in, but not yet safe to drink. So, these are all the issues that people have to deal with as they return to take a look at their homes for the first time -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: All right, Dan. I tell you, looking at that mold makes my stomach turn. Or it looks like a Jackson Pollock piece or something. I don't know what it is. But coming back to that...

LOTHIAN: Not a pretty sight.

O'BRIEN: ... that would be tough. Tell me about the security presence there, military, police. What sort of, you know, perimeter has been established? And will there be support for people who need it?

LOTHIAN: There will be support. And there certainly is the presence, the military presence that we have seen just from the time that we've been out here for the last few hours this morning.

You see these -- these patrols that come by, usually three vehicles of troops driving around the neighborhoods, slowly, driving around the neighborhoods. So, they are here. They can assist. But, you know, it brings back this other issue that we talked about in the last hour, Miles, is how long will the folks actually stay here? Some may just come back to assess the damage but won't actually be able to move in. They still have to do a lot of work before they can call this home again -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Well, certainly if your home is the one directly behind you, that's obvious. But then there are less...

LOTHIAN: That's right.

O'BRIEN: There are more subtle reasons that they won't be able to stay. Dan Lothian, thank you very much.

Free from jail and free to talk. "New York Times" reporter Judith Miller is expected to testify today before a federal grand jury. National Correspondent Bob Franken is outside the U.S. District Courthouse in Washington.

Bob, what can we expect to hear from Miller today?

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, we are told that after the grand jury has heard from her that she will be coming out and telling us about her 85 days in jail. The last time she came to this building, she left in handcuffs.

She is back in the building now, went in a back entrance in a car, avoiding reporters. She is expected to appear before the grand jury within the next hour, hour and a half, talking to the jury that is investigating the leak of information, including the name of Valerie Plame, the wife of Joseph Wilson, the CIA operative. Wilson had been a critic of the administration's weapons of mass destruction policy.

At any case, she refused to testify July 6, went to prison. She has now named, according to a variety of sources, the source that was the one in question here.

He is Scooter Libby, who is the vice president's chief of staff. According to her, she had never received a direct -- direct permission from Scooter Libby to give his name out, to divulge him as source. And as a result, she spent 85 days in jail.

Now, according to her attorney, Joseph Tate -- to his attorney, rather, Scooter Libby's attorney, this could all have been avoided. She says that she would not do a lawyer-to-lawyer conversation, so over Labor Day, according to information given to CNN White House Correspondent Dana Bash, there were conversations between her attorney, Bob Bennett, and his attorney, Joseph Tate, and then Libby himself and Judy Miller.

And the result was that she has agreed to testify and was released from prison. Leaving the attorney to say, "My reaction was, why didn't somebody call us 80 days ago?"

Well, she has put out a statement saying that this was a matter of principle. Judy Miller says, "I went to jail to preserve the time- honored principle that a journalist must respect a promise not to reveal the identity of a confidential resource. I chose to take the consequences, 85 days in prison, rather than violate that promise. The principle was more important to uphold than my personal freedom."

And there are already questions whether this all could have been avoided. But there is some talk now that with her testimony, the investigation by special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald may soon be over. And whether the law was broken or not in the matter of the leaks will be decided.

We're hopeful with a grand jury investigation, it will decide if the law has been broken and, if so, by whom. There are some large names involved, the vice president's chief of staff, Scooter Libby, and also a name we've heard frequently in this investigation, Karl Rove, who is the president's chief political adviser and deputy chief of staff -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: All right. So, let me get this straight, Bob. She had an opportunity before she went to jail to pick up the phone and call Scooter Libby and get it direct from him that it's OK to members his name. And she did not?

FRANKEN: Well, according to her lawyer -- or, rather, Scooter Libby's lawyer, there was never the conversation that she says would have cleared things up. That it was only lawyer to lawyer. According to Joseph Tate -- he is Scooter Libby's lawyer -- that could have been done 80 days ago, but for whatever reason was not.

O'BRIEN: OK. So, presumably, he would have taken her call if she called? It's kind of mystifying at this point the way this has all unfolded. Bob Franken, thanks very much.

Let's check headlines now with Kelly Wallace.

Good morning, Kelly.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, Miles.

And hello again, everyone.

Here are some of the stories "Now in the News."

The Supreme Court beginning its term Monday with a new chief justice. John Roberts was sworn in Thursday after winning support for more than three-quarters of the Senate. The White House ceremony was witnessed by President Bush, seven justices, and Roberts' family. The president could name his pick for retiring justice Sandra Day O'Connor as early as today, but he is likely to wait until after the weekend.

Overseas now. More violence in Iraq ahead of next month's vote on a new constitution.

At least seven people have been killed in a car bomb at a vegetable market in Hilla. Women and children were among the casualties. The bombing coming a day after insurgents in Balad, north of Baghdad, launched a string of car bombings. An Iraq hospital official tells CNN at least 80 people were killed in those attacks, some 120 others wounded.

General Richard Myers is stepping down today as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. General Myers has been with the military, including its top post, for nearly 44 years. There will be a retirement ceremony for General Myers in the next hour. He spoke with Miles earlier this morning, and he said retirement is going to be a bit of a change, but expects that his wife and three children will give him some suggestions on what to do now.

And preparations for what would be the largest-ever study of American children. Researchers want to take a closer look at a possible link between diseases and children's environments. The goal, tracking 100,000 children from the time they are born until they turn 21 years old. Study topics will include the effects of chemicals, diet and even television.

Well, it's time now to get another check of the forecast. Bonnie Schneider in today for Chad Myers.

Bonnie, of course, it's Friday. So we want to know what's the weather going to be like today and the weekend.

BONNIE SCHNEIDER, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Kelly, most of the country is getting ready for a beautiful weekend.

(WEATHER REPORT)

O'BRIEN: Bonnie Schneider. Thank you very much.

Still to come, a police investigation. Were some New Orleans cops too busy looting to serve and protect in Katrina's aftermath? We'll take a look at that.

And later, a more uplifting look at life in New Orleans post- Katrina. One long-time resident who you know by now, Julia Reed, will show us how the city is slowly, ever so slowly, coming back to life. That's ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: Four New Orleans police officers have been suspended, eight more under investigation. There are allegations that they either looted items in the chaos following Katrina, or just stood by as the looting went on.

Eddie Jordan is the district attorney for New Orleans. He joins us from Baton Rouge.

Mr. Jordan, good to have you with us. Are you planning to file charges against any of these officers?

EDDIE JORDAN, NEW ORLEANS DISTRICT ATTORNEY: Good morning, Miles. Well, actually, the investigation has just been initiated by the Louisiana attorney general's office. We expect the attorney general to conduct an investigation, complete its investigation, and submit its findings to the district attorney's office. And at that time we will make a decision whether to bring charges against any police officers.

O'BRIEN: All right. Well, what's your sense of it? These were absolutely times of ultimate duress, but what you've seen thus far, do you think there are some cases out there?

JORDAN: Well, I think it's inappropriate for me to discuss the factual details of this case. And, of course, the only information that I have at this time is the information that I've seen in the newspapers and on television. And that is not always accurate information.

O'BRIEN: All right. We understand that. And that's why we wanted to talk to you and try to get what we could.

Tell us this, the superintendent who just stepped down, Eddie Compass, is -- was that in any way linked to this ongoing investigation?

JORDAN: Not to the best of my knowledge. I haven't had any contact with Superintendent Compass. It's unclear to me what -- what the reasons were for his decision to resign, other than the information that he provided to the public.

O'BRIEN: OK. What we've been hearing, though, from some people inside and outside of this department is that, even prior to Katrina, there were a lot of bad apples in that bunch.

JORDAN: There's no question that the police department has had challenges with its personnel. And my office has indicted some police officers during the course of my administration. But, of course, the vast majority of police officers are good and honest people. But, of course, a handful of bad police officers is far too many.

O'BRIEN: Well, yes. I think -- and I think we wouldn't want to give anybody the impression we think the rank and file in general was doing this. But a few bad apples can really make for a bad name.

One of the allegations is that officers were riding around in requisition, or stolen, depending on which way you look at it, Cadillacs in the wake of Katrina. What do you know about that?

JORDAN: Just from what I've read in the newspaper about that, it certainly does have some signs of certainly impropriety. But we have to look at all the facts. And, of course, the exigent circumstances would be something that we would take a look at, as well as any -- any proof of authorization from some higher authority.

Those are all of the -- those are part of the factual circumstances that we will have to examine in making our determination whether the law was broken. O'BRIEN: Let me actually -- let me shift gears with you and talk a little bit about the Superdome. Back and forth we have gone on what really transpired there. And there was a lot of hyperbolic statements by Mr. Compass and the mayor about rapes and murders ongoing there. And then that sort of - people have come off those statements.

What is your sense of it? First of all, do you have any concrete evidence in your office and any cases that you are pursuing related to what happened at the Superdome after Katrina?

JORDAN: Apparently, the police did not make a number of arrests in connection with the activities at the Superdome or the convention center. But my initial findings and visiting the coroner's operation at the St. Gabriel Morgue site, is that there were only four murders in the time period immediately after the storm. And only one of those murders was in connection with the Superdome, and one was in connection with the convention center.

At least those bodies were found in those areas. The other two were found on the streets of the city. That suggests to me that the claims that there were lots of killings at the two major shelters were exaggerated.

O'BRIEN: And what about those rape charges? Particularly the ones leveled that the children were being raped?

JORDAN: At this time I have not received any reports of rape from any sources whatsoever. And, of course, rape is a special category of crime. It's notoriously underreported. And therefore, it may be impossible for us to ever know for certain whether there were a number of rapes at the Superdome or the convention center.

But, of course, we would -- if we get that kind of information, we would be eager to investigate it and to prosecute it if we have sufficient evidence.

O'BRIEN: All right. Well, keep us posted, please.

New Orleans district attorney Eddie Jordan.

Thanks for your time this morning.

JORDAN: Thank you.

O'BRIEN: Monday on AMERICAN MORNING, the Louisiana attorney general will be our guest. We'll continue asking these questions in the wake of Katrina.

Back to you, Elizabeth.

COHEN: Miles, still to come on AMERICAN MORNING, a doctor trapped in his New Orleans hospital for five days, forced to take care of patients under horrendous conditions. We return with him, to his hospital, for the first time.

Stay with us on AMERICAN MORNING. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COHEN: Welcome back to AMERICAN MORNING. I'm Elizabeth Cohen, on the bridge of the USNS Comfort.

Now, all around us is the city of New Orleans. And to some extent, it is a city that is beginning to function again. It's hard to recall in some ways now that it was really less than a month ago that doctors faced horrible trials inside the hospitals. We spent the day yesterday with one of those doctors who came back to his hospital for the first time.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COHEN (voice over): Dr. Albert Barrocas often wears a mask and gloves when he's performing surgery at Methodist Hospital in east New Orleans. But there are no patients here today. He's wearing the mask and gloves to protect himself against mold and dirt, remnants of Hurricane Katrina.

On his first visit since Katrina struck, Dr. Barrocas, chief medical director here, finds a shell of a building, a remnant of the place he's worked at for 30 years.

DR. ALBERT BARROCAS, METHODIST HOSPITAL: Going there and not seeing the patients and the movement, it's somewhat depressing.

COHEN: Hurricane Katrina battered Methodist Hospital.

BARROCAS: We were surrounded by water to this level here. I don't know where the water line here is, but here you can see it up to here. And that's all you can see it from the ceiling (ph).

We were trapped, communications was a big issue. The fact that we could not bring family and patients together, a lot of them were separated. The majority were separated. We did not even know where these people were going to.

COHEN: After five days with no fuel left and drinking water almost gone, the 19 doctors and some 600 others, including patients, were all finally rescued. Now crews, many of them out-of-work shrimp fishermen, work 16-hour days to clean up the mess.

BARROCAS: The problem now is, when will it open? And when it opens, who's going to be our constituency? I see a lot of devastation here.

COHEN: Also devastated, his house in the New Orleans suburb of Metairie.

BARROCAS: On the wall is just black and white mold, and some of it is gray and is raised. They're, you know, somewhat round -- round and -- yes, fuzzy. Most of those are pretty much destroyed. What my wife is trying to decide is whether or not there's anything at all that can be salvaged.

This is all trash in here? I'm putting the date and basically saying this has already been examined. Whatever is there is no good.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They're going to have to gut the whole bottom. All of this has got to come out.

COHEN: They hope the house will be repaired within the next year. Meanwhile, they're living in Atlanta near their daughter and other relatives.

BARROCAS: I'm still in limbo. My heart is in -- at Methodist and in New Orleans. My family, cousins, brothers, sisters are in Atlanta. There's a big pull there.

COHEN: Like many people in this city, so much is uncertain for the Barrocas family.

BARROCAS: Right now we are hopeful that we can return to a better New Orleans.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COHEN: Now, for the short term, Dr. Barrocas will be returning to be with his family in Atlanta.

Up next on AMERICAN MORNING, we'll be talking to a nurse on board the USNS Comfort, where we are right now, preparing to take in civilians who need their help.

That's next on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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