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American Morning

New Orleans Beating Victim to Appear in Court; Houston School Unites Katrina Evacuees; Angelina Jolie Wins Humanitarian Award

Aired October 12, 2005 - 08:30   ET

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

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back, everybody. What are you reading so intently?
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: I'm fascinated by these Martha homes.

(CROSSTALK)

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, pay attention to us.

M. O'BRIEN: "Wall Street Journal." I'm sorry. I'm sorry, dears. Marketplace section, Martha homes. Get this. You can buy a house now -- KB Homes has teamed up with Martha, Martha, Martha. Can you say it just once? You have to say all three, right?

S. O'BRIEN: Absolutely.

M. O'BRIEN: To build homes, homes, homes in North Carolina, inspired by her little -- what do they call them? Turkey Trot and Skylands (ph) and Lily Pond and all of her...

COSTELLO: Are they as expensive as her own real estate?

M. O'BRIEN: No, no, that's the thing. It's, you know, it's pennies on the dollar version. It's like Martha lite.

S. O'BRIEN: What is it, like...

M. O'BRIEN: There's the New Bedford home, which is...

S. O'BRIEN: $200,000 and $400,000?

M. O'BRIEN: Yes, this New Bedford deal there -- or just Bedford, not New Bedford. New Bedford's in Massachusetts. They don't have homes like that in New Bedford. Bedford is this home, supposedly. And I don't see how that is that. Look at this. Can you zoom in on that, Mark (ph)?

COSTELLO: That's the rinky dinky version of that home.

M. O'BRIEN: That's the rinky dink version.

S. O'BRIEN: That's $400,000 we're talking about.

M. O'BRIEN: The only question is, does it come with the ankle bracelet?

S. O'BRIEN: You two!

M. O'BRIEN: Or is it maybe a built-in electric fence for the people?

S. O'BRIEN: Does it come with K-Mart furnishings and beddings?

M. O'BRIEN: KB and K-Mart coming together. Now that is brilliant.

S. O'BRIEN: Hey, listen...

M. O'BRIEN: You should go work for OmniMedia.

S. O'BRIEN: Say what you want, Martha -- Martha has some good taste.

M. O'BRIEN: No, she does. She does. It's a pretty house. I'm not -- you know, don't get me wrong. I'm just pointing it out.

COSTELLO: Hey, guess what, I have other news.

S. O'BRIEN: Well, please get to it.

M. O'BRIEN: Bring it on.

COSTELLO: All right. Good morning, everyone.

Now in the news, a deadly suicide bombing outside an army and police recruiting center to tell you about in Iraq. The attack leaving at least 24 people dead near Tal Afar. That's in northwestern Iraq. Iraqi and U.S. officials had predicted an uptick in violence ahead of a vote on Iraq's constitution.

In the meantime, a new deal may help get that constitution approved in this weekend's election. The deal would make the constitution temporary to be re-evaluated and voted on again next year. Iraq's national assembly is now considering that proposal.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says the U.S. will likely provide more aid to Pakistan in its hour of need. The U.S. has already pledged $50 million to release efforts after Saturday's deadly earthquake. Federal officials say the death toll has reached at least 20,000, but local officials say it could be more than 41,000. Relief supplies have been trickling into the devastated parts of South Asia.

Al Qaeda is apparently concerned that it's losing the public support in Iraq. U.S. intelligence have released a translated version of a letter apparently from Osama bin Laden's deputy to terrorist leader Abu Musab al Zarqawi. It warns against videotaped beheadings of hostages and mass attacks, saying violent acts could lose a quote, "media battle for the hearts and minds of Muslims."

"New York Times" reporter Judith Miller will make a second appearance before a grand jury today. The grand jury is investigating the leak of a CIA operative's identity. Miller first testified two weeks ago after spending 85 days in jail for refusing to reveal her source. That source was identified as Vice President Cheney's chief of staff, Lewis Scooter Libby.

And this just in, CNN has confirmed that White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove will testify on Friday. He'll testify before the grand jury and without that get out of jail free card. So he could be indicted. Who knows. We'll be following that story, of course.

And get ready to pay more for heating your home. The Energy Department is set to release its report today on winter fuels. It's likely to include a breakdown on expected heating costs. Some experts are predicting heating bills will jump as much as 50 percent this year -- 50 percent. And it could be a very cold winter. It's already getting chilly outside.

(WEATHER REPORT)

M. O'BRIEN: Beating victim Robert Davis will be in court today to answer charges, including drunkenness and resisting arrest in the city of New Orleans. The New Orleans police officers seen hitting him in a videotape have already been to municipal court and they pleaded not guilty to battery. They are Lance Schilling, Robert Evangelist and Stewart Smith. More serious charges could lie ahead, however, if the parish attorney decides it has a case, the district attorney for the parish, that is.

Eddie Jordan is the district attorney for the parish. Mr. Jordan, good to have you with us. First of all, do you think it's likely...

EDDIE JORDAN, NEW ORLEANS DISTRICT ATTORNEY: Good morning, Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: ... that your office will take up the case against these officers?

JORDAN: I think there's a strong likelihood that we will prosecute these individuals. We're still conducting our investigation and we, of course, have the videotape, but we would like to talk to witnesses as well.

M. O'BRIEN: Yes. The -- I keep asking this question. I'm curious. In talking to the police union yesterday, they said, well, a lot of things happened before the tape rolled. And, you know, my response is, I can't think of anything that would justify what I see on tape, no matter what happened before the tape rolled and no matter how much stress there is, which I do understand. What are your thoughts on that?

JORDAN: Absolutely not, frustration or fatigue justify the kind of conduct that was depicted in this videotape. I think at this time, we need police officers to be courteous and professional and responsible, even more so than before the storm.

M. O'BRIEN: Well, yes, I think so. And I think you have to ask the question, are we asking too much of these officers? Of course, that's a little bit beyond your jurisdiction. But just based on what you see on the tape, you have a fairly strong case for more serious charges, it seems to me.

JORDAN: I think the tape speaks volumes. I think the tape is very, very strong evidence of the use of excessive force. And it would certainly, I think, meet all of the requirements for a violation of state law, either simple battery or second-degree battery, depending upon the severity of the injuries sustained by Mr. Davis.

M. O'BRIEN: A couple thoughts here. Yesterday, we were talking to someone who is involved in this, who said they felt that the officer on horseback who tried to block the camera's view, should be suspended as well and should be implicated. What are your thoughts on that?

JORDAN: Well, my investigation is certainly going to take a look at all of the individuals who were there at the scene, who were involved directly or indirectly. And we're not ruling out charges against any particular individual.

M. O'BRIEN: What about the FBI agents? There were two FBI agents on the scene there. They weren't seen delivering any blows, but they were clearly in the mix.

JORDAN: We'd certainly have an interest in talking to them, as well.

M. O'BRIEN: There's also a report out this morning that some immigration officers, ICE guys, as they call them these days, according to the allegation, roughed up some bystanders in the midst of all of this. Would that be a part of your investigation, as well?

JORDAN: Well, this is the first time that I'm hearing of that. Our focus was really going to be on the beating incident and the incident involving the Associated Press reporter. But, of course, if other information comes to our attention, we will take a look at that.

M. O'BRIEN: All right, let's put this into the larger picture here. A lot of people from outside New Orleans would have a perception of the New Orleans Police Department which may have been born 10 years or so ago of a very corrupt police department. Their former police officers from New Orleans on death row after being convicted of murder and a long pattern there of impropriety by the police department. Is that -- is what we see there in that tape, does that indicate to you that things haven't changed?

JORDAN: What it indicates to me is that we still have a way to go to correct the problems in the police department. I think the police department has made progress over the years, but there's no question that there are far too many police officers who are willing to engage in criminal conduct.

But the fact of the matter is that we do have a number of good police officers. My prosecutors would not be able to present good cases without the good police officers on the force, and, of course, we had a lot of good police officers during the storm and after the storm who did great things for our community. But the fact of the matter is that we got too many police officers who are one step removed from criminals and thugs.

M. O'BRIEN: And clearly, because here we are in this bad apple syndrome. It completely sullies the heroic efforts of what you were talking about, all the other officers.

JORDAN: It's no question about it. It erodes the confidence of the community, and the police department as a whole when we observe this kind of activity on videotape and when we are aware of the fact that police officers have gotten involved in selling drugs and other kinds of violent criminal activity, killing private citizens and so on.

M. O'BRIEN: Eddie Jordan is the Orleans Parish district attorney. Thanks for your time this morning, sir -- Soledad.

JORDAN: Thank you, Miles.

S. O'BRIEN: Actress Angelina Jolie picked up a major award this week. No, it wasn't some big Hollywood award, but a reward for her real life role as the goodwill ambassador for the U.N. High Commission on Refugees. It's called the Global Humanitarian Action Award. She got it on Tuesday.

Senior U.N. correspondent Richard Roth asked Jolie relief efforts in Pakistan.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANGELINA JOLIE, U.N. GOODWILL AMBASSADOR: I think I'm like everybody, just seems like one natural disaster after another, and I think we're all just in shock. And I mean, with that specifically, I immediately had been to the northwest frontier a few months ago, and I called to see if the people I knew were OK, and I haven't gotten word back on a lot of them at the moment. I talked to UNHCR about what they're doing, and they're clearing out their stockrooms for anything that they may have to distribute. They have over 800,000 refugees that are in certain camps in that area.

ROTH: Does this award and others you've received ease the anxieties? I've read many interviews where you talked about you were worried about how you would be perceived as an adult woman, that you were a punk kid.

JOLIE: I'm still a punk kid. I've got my tattoos covered!

ROTH: What a shame. But you were very worried growing up how you would be perceived, and that is this why you're still doing it? When is enough? Or is this when you go up to the stage, is this old hat now?

JOLIE: I think, well, a night like tonight, to be honest, I'm here, in essence, to bring attention to the United Nations Association for the U.S. I think it's a great program, and that's really why I'm here. It's kind -- it's not really about my receiving an award; it's really about their programs and global classroom and bringing attention to them. That's why I decided to come. So, but, yes, any time there's -- it all feels very official these nights, but, you know, I would prefer to be out there just doing stuff and hanging out with people in another part of the world and I do feel more comfortable there, and I'll always feel uncomfortable in the middle of New York and Washington all dressed up, and I'll always feel a bit like a punk kid, yes.

ROTH: Do you deserve this award?

JOLIE: Nobody deserves an award for doing humanitarian work, because it really is something we all should just be doing, and that's it. You know? We shouldn't -- but like I said, it's more to be associated with something that's a great organization like this tonight and to be able to talk about what they're doing and to encourage other people to do more and, if anything, gives me a moment to speak about refugees, and that's nice.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

M. O'BRIEN: Such a shame. Such a shame.

S. O'BRIEN: What's such a shame?

M. O'BRIEN: The tattoo thing!

Did you see the way her eyes sparkled? What is that?

S. O'BRIEN: Yes, I did, because she's fabulously beautiful.

M. O'BRIEN: She's fabulously magical.

S. O'BRIEN: And clearly committed to the issues facing refugees. If you want more information about her award, you can go to the U.N. Association of America Web site, which is www.unausa.org, one word. And more pictures of Angelina on that Web site.

M. O'BRIEN: There you go. Yet another reason to go.

Still to come, more on AMERICAN MORNING. You'll meet a group of students from New Orleans now trying to rebuild their lives far away from home. A lot of ups and downs, as you might expect, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. We'll tell you about them.

S. O'BRIEN: Also, could owning a home become less tax friendly? "Minding Your Business" ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

M. O'BRIEN: Well, they're calling it New Orleans West, even though it's a long way from the Crescent City. It's a school in Houston, Texas where every one of the students and teachers is an evacuee from New Orleans.

Gary Tuchman found the kids there glad to be starting new lives, learning far from home in a school of their own.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The skyline of Houston, Texas, as viewed through the school bus window. Another day for students in exile.

(on camera): Do you guys miss new Orleans?

CHILDREN ON BUS: Yes!

TUCHMAN (voice-over): The Texas flag may fly outside their school, but the name of the school is New Orleans West. A place specifically for Louisiana children evacuated for Hurricane Katrina.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sixth grade, what year are you going to college?

CHILDREN IN CLASSROOM: 2012.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Seventh grade, what year are you going to college?

CHILDREN IN CLASSROOM: 2011,

TUCHMAN: This K-8 charter school is run in conjunction with the Houston school district, but it's part of the national, Knowledge is Power program, which emphasizes structure.

CHILDREN: You got to read, baby, read.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We knew it would be a good thing for the kids of New Orleans to be together in one school, with teachers that were actually teaching them in New Orleans. So the idea sounded great.

TUCHMAN (on camera): So you started this school from scratch?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We started this school from scratch.

TUCHMAN (voice-over): In addition to the academics, these youngsters, almost all of whom lost their homes, deal with what they have been through, by writing their thoughts about what they saw back home, and reading essays about their experiences.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A bully (ph) killed a man in the Superdome. The guard -- I mean, the man took the gun out the guard hand, shot him in the leg.

TUCHMAN: This 11-year-old boy wanted to tell us about his 30- year-old cousin.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was trying to save a little boy out in a hurricane, and, the boy was saying, help. And he went in the water.

TUCHMAN (on camera): Your cousin?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And he has drowned. TUCHMAN (voice-over): It's not just the children who have lost their homes. It is also many of the teachers, and the principal, whose school in New Orleans was also destroyed.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just being around the kids and the teachers, it's made it much easier.

TUCHMAN (on camera): This school was built in 1926, but was shut down last year due to declining enrollment. These children of New Orleans, starting their new lives, have brought this Houston school back to life.

(voice-over): But it's only supposed to stay this way for a year. It's expected the students will return to New Orleans.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hey, (INAUDIBLE). How was y'all's day?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Fine.

TUCHMAN: Angela Banks and her children are in a temporary apartment in Houston. Angela likes the atmosphere at New Orleans West she doesn't want it to ever close.

ANGELA BANKS: I love the school. It is the dream school.

TUCHMAN (on camera): All of the things that happened during the hurricane and after the hurricane made you feel very sad about New Orleans?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

TUCHMAN: And made you not want to go back there?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

TUCHMAN: And now you want to stay in Houston?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You have it right.

TUCHMAN: I have it right?

(voice-over): The students of New Orleans West are being taught they can rely on their teachers for help, and the teachers are relying on them right back.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

M. O'BRIEN: Wow. That is a picture of harmony. Not quite the harmony we expected. You know, I can't say it enough. The people of Houston have been so incredible to the people of New Orleans and Southern Louisiana. I mean, you know, I hope that that school can stay in place. Here is the interesting stat, though, that Gary gives us. Twenty thousand pupils are expected not to return to the schools of New Orleans. They had an enrollment of 55,000. So almost half the school system. S. O'BRIEN: There's nothing to return to at this point. Those poor kids. You know that under it all, there's just a lot, a lot to get through, a lot to get over.

M. O'BRIEN: Yes.

S. O'BRIEN: A short break and we're back in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

S. O'BRIEN: Welcome back, everybody. If you're a homeowner, listen to this. There are some possible changes, huge changes that could affect your income tax in a very big way, regarding your mortgage. Gerri Willis is in for Andy Serwer. She's "Minding Your Business." This is huge.

GERRI WILLIS, CNN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: Soledad...

S. O'BRIEN: Potentially.

WILLIS: I cannot tell you how huge this is. Listen up if you're one of the 70 percent of Americans who owns your own home. The federal government is mulling possible changes to the mortgage deduction. That's probably the biggest tax benefit you have.

Could hurt you badly. Here's how. Right now, the president's advisory panel on federal tax reform is suggesting that instead of being able to deduct $1 million worth of mortgage debt interest on your taxes, they think maybe it would be better if you could only deduct the mortgage interest on up to $350,000 of mortgage debt. This is big news for Americans in some of the markets where prices have gone out of control.

Now, to be sure, this group of people says, this tax advisory panel says, that this will help low-income Americans trying to get into those markets where prices have gone very high, very fast.

S. O'BRIEN: How does that help? Can you explain that?

WILLIS: I wish I understood. I don't think it makes sense. I actually think it's going to hurt people who have gotten into these homes by the skin of their teeth and...

S. O'BRIEN: Well, some of the people who have the high mortgages...

WILLIS: And could lease money.

S. O'BRIEN: ... are going to be hurt. Because they don't get the deduction on their taxes.

WILLIS: Let me tell you...

S. O'BRIEN: I don't know how it would help anybody.

WILLIS: I don't understand their logic. I don't think it's very consistent. Remember, this is a panel that is trying to simplify the tax code. So let me tell you a little bit about who gets hurt most here.

S. O'BRIEN: OK.

WILLIS: And certainly if you live in California, you're in for big hurt because the median price there is $569,000. So just the average home, Soledad, there, these people would be affected. And take a look at some of these prices, median prices in some of the markets that have gone through the roof. San Francisco. Little Norwalk, Connecticut. Washington, D.C. Miami. Your mortgage deduction would be hurt with this change.

Got to keep an eye on this. There's a deadline by the end of the month. Treasury Department is going to consider this. I hope Americans -- make sure you're aware of the changes for you.

S. O'BRIEN: Wow, yes, that's huge. All right, Gerri, thanks.

WILLIS: You're welcome.

S. O'BRIEN: Miles?

M. O'BRIEN: In a moment, a startling prediction from a scientist out west. Is the U.S. prepared for a major earthquake like the one we just saw in Pakistan? We'll take a look at that ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

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