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American Morning
Internet Sex Sting Nabs Very Big Fish; Floodwaters in California Force Hundreds to Flee
Aired April 05, 2006 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.
I'm Miles O'Brien.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Soledad O'Brien.
An Internet sex sting nabs a very big fish. Now, a high ranking official at the Department of Homeland Security waits in a jail cell on charges that he tried to entice a 14-year-old girl into online sex.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE). I want to come home. If I've got to die, let me die in New Orleans.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
M. O'BRIEN: More than seven months after Katrina, some New Orleans residents forcing their way back home, not without controversy.
S. O'BRIEN: Floodwaters in California force hundreds of people to flee. And there really is no relief in sight. We're going to check the forecast for you just ahead this morning.
M. O'BRIEN: And more and more people are filing their taxes online. Hopefully on time this year, I might add. But is it a wise move? We'll take a closer look in our first part of our tax series.
That's ahead on this AMERICAN MORNING.
A shocking arrest let's listen to tell you about. It involves a high ranking official at the Department of Homeland Security. Deputy Press Secretary Brian Doyle, obviously a visible face of that agency, charged with trying to seduce a minor over the Internet.
CNN homeland security correspondent Jeanne Meserve live now from Washington -- Jeanne, I know you know him.
A big surprise, huh?
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Stunning to everybody who knew Brian Doyle, who I've spoken to. Doyle, a deputy secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, is expected to be put on administrative leave today, a Department official says. Doyle has confessed to trying to seduce what he thought was a 14-year-old girl on the Internet.
According to the Polk County sheriff, the girl was actually an undercover detective.
The sheriff, earlier on AMERICAN MORNING, said Doyle had been trying persuade the girl to get a Web cam so he could see live pictures of her and that played a part in his arrest at his Maryland home last night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERIFF GRADY JUDD, POLK COUNTY, FLORIDA: He was obsessed with this 14-year-old having a Web cam and sending photographs of herself. So we told him yesterday at work that we had a Web cam. Mom wasn't going to be home. And he said well, that's great. I'll rush home about 7:00 p.m. At 7:45, when we knocked on his front door, he was chatting with our undercover detectives on the computer.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MESERVE: Doyle's conversations with the so-called girl allegedly began on March 12th. And the sheriff says Doyle immediately identified himself and his position, and sent the girl a photo of himself wearing his Department of Homeland Security I.D.
The sheriff calls Doyle's conversations with the girl "hard core, perverse, explicit" and says he believes Doyle was grooming her for a sexual encounter -- Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: It's -- what's stunning -- it's stunning on a lot of fronts. But this -- this is the part that gets me. Phone calls made from his office, phone calls made on the DHS provided cell phone. He made no bones about his affiliation with the agency. As a matter of fact, almost used it as bragging rights.
What does the Department say about all this?
MESERVE: The Department is saying very little at this point in time. Last night, Russ Knocke, the Department spokesman, issued a statement saying: "We take these allegations very seriously and we will cooperate fully with the ongoing investigation."
People inside the Department with whom I've spoken absolutely shocked at these developments and part of it that's so disturbing is that the Department itself, as part of immigration and customs enforcement has a program called Operation Predator. Its intent? To find child predators -- Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: All right, thank you.
We will end it on that bit of sad irony.
Thank you, Jeanne Meserve in Washington.
Just hours before that arrest, a victim of Internet predators told his story on Capitol Hill, coincidentally. In about 30 minutes, we'll hear the shocking account of just how easy it was for pedophiles to get online with what was then a 13-year-old boy -- Soledad.
S. O'BRIEN: Some new fireworks to tell you about this morning at the Saddam Hussein trial. One of his lawyers thrown out of court.
Let's get right to Aneesh Raman.
He's on the phone from the courthouse in Baghdad -- hey, Aneesh, good morning.
What happened?
ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Soledad, good morning.
A lawyer for Saddam Hussein, as you say, just about 20 minutes ago, physically dragged from the courtroom. It happened after she held up large photos showing the abuse at Abu Ghraib Prison by U.S. troops of Iraqi prisoners there -- the naked pyramid, the infamous photos. She held up three of them as she screamed: "This is what America has done to Iraqis!"
Now, what prompted the outburst, a short time after the court reconvened after lunch recess, the prosecutors put forth a video. In the video, a young Saddam Hussein is seen making statements saying that if they were 2,000 or 5,000 executed, it would not mind me. If people died in interrogation, I wouldn't care, because they are traitors.
Now, after the video aired, Saddam Hussein asked when it was shot?
The prosecution had no idea, didn't give any specific date; also said that the statements made in the video were not being made relative to the case at hand, the case of Dujail, where Saddam survived an assassination attempt in July 1982.
Well, Saddam's defense team stood up, said that this was all being taken out of context. Saddam said in the video he is seen wearing a suit, that from 1980 to 1988, during the Iran-Iraq War, he only wore military uniforms. So clearly this was much before the 1982 incident at hand.
That is what prompted the lawyer to stand up and begin screaming.
She has been dragged out of the courtroom and the judge essentially saying they could file criminal charges against her -- Soledad.
S. O'BRIEN: Let's talk about his testimony today. It's the first time he's been cross-examined.
What did we learn?
RAMAN: Well, essentially today was consumed with Saddam's signature. He went through a number of documents that the prosecutors put forward, verifying his signature on some, saying he didn't recognize the authenticity of others. But a dramatic moment came when Saddam was asked about the execution of children. Among the some 140 men and boys that were killed after the assassination attempt, executed by Saddam's regime, the prosecutors contend upwards of 30 of them were teenagers, some as young as 12.
They also put forth I.D. cards, photos of the teenagers. Saddam somberly sat in his docks and looked at the screen showing these photos as they went through -- Soledad.
S. O'BRIEN: Aneesh Raman in Baghdad.
And, thanks, Aneesh.
Later, we're going to talk to a law professor who helped train some of the judges who are now presiding over the trial. We'll get their take on what happened today.
First, though, a check of the headlines.
Carol has got that in the newsroom -- hey, Carol.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, Soledad.
Good morning to all of you.
Staying in Iraq now, there is violence to tell you about. These are new pictures coming into us. They're attacks in Baghdad. A pair of car bombs going off within 20 minutes of each other. At least three people have been killed.
A Delaware schoolteacher charged with 28 counts -- 28 counts -- of raping a minor. Police say 34-year-old Rachel Holt had a sexual relationship with a 13-year-old student. She also allegedly allowed a 12-year-old to watch and gave both boys beer. Police say they started investigating after being tipped off by the victim's father. Holt is now on leave from her teaching job.
Well, this has been floating around for some time and now it is in print. The "New York Times" reporting Treasury Secretary John Snow may be leaving in the next couple of months. The newspaper cites several prominent Republicans, saying President Bush's new chief of staff was interested in someone who could convey the president's economic message more strongly. So, the shake up that the president's men say is not a shake up, appears to be ongoing.
And the grapevine certainly proved accurate on this one. After 15 years, "Today" show anchor Katie Couric says she is leaving. She's going to go to CBS and she'll take over as the anchor of the "Evening News." She'll also have a spot on "60 Minutes."
And a spring soaking for parts of California. Rescuers got this young man in time in Reseda. He was hanging onto a bridge column near a flood control channel. You see him there. And the record rainfall in Northern California leading to some levee breaks. Some residents were forced to leave their homes and there is threat of landslides now. In Merced, up to 18 inches of water poured through a mobile home park.
That's a look at the headlines this morning.
Back to you -- Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: Thank you very much, Carol Costello.
Let's get to Chad Myers -- Chad, that rain in Northern California just keeps coming and any end in sight?
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, today.
M. O'BRIEN: Oh, excellent. Boy, just like that.
MYERS: Just like that.
M. O'BRIEN: Chad Myers takes care of it.
It's over.
MYERS: But there's another storm for Friday.
M. O'BRIEN: Oh, all right.
MYERS: Yes, I know.
Yes, today it's over. This is the last of it, really, a couple of light rain showers, not the heavy rain, from about, oh, Monterrey right on up tomorrow San Jose yesterday. Some of the numbers, like five and six inches of rainfall.
Now we take a look at the future cast and the green here, another half inch of rain and higher elevation snows. But notice it's all blue, not like the reds and the whites sometimes that we see. When there's white, that means the forecast for the next 48 hours is for three inches of rain to come down. That is not the forecast because the storm moves into the Rocky Mountains.
(WEATHER REPORT)
S. O'BRIEN: Fats Domino -- he's back home. Can't stay though, at least not yet. The music legend returned to New Orleans' 9th Ward to see his heavily damaged home. Reconstruction is now underway and his friends say that's going to take about three months.
Fats says he is planning to perform at the New Orleans Jazz Fest come May.
And Fats Domino is not alone in wanting to come home. Some of New Orleans' less famous residents had to fight their way back in.
Let's get more now from Jonathan Betz.
He's with our affiliate WWL in New Orleans.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What do we want?
UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTERS: Our homes!
JONATHAN BETZ, WWL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Tensions clashing at the gates of a public housing complex.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We want justice. Let them in.
BETZ: Former residents overran police to storm the St. Bernard Development, trying to get back to their homes. But police pushed back, saying the buildings weren't safe.
(CROSSTALK)
GLORIA IRVING, NEW ORLEANS RESIDENT: I'm 70 years old. I want to come home. If I've got to die, let me die in New Orleans.
BETZ: Officers eventually gave in and let all residents inside, including Chantel Young. Now living in Baton Rouge, she returned to her old home to find looters had gotten there first.
CHANTEL YOUNG, NEW ORLEANS RESIDENT: Look at my room. I never lived like this before. I could cry when I look at this place. This place looks horrible.
BETZ: She, like many, want the Saint Bernard Housing Development reopened. It's been the only home Rose Guy has ever known.
ROSE GUY: This is where I love and this is the only place I want to be.
BETZ: The housing authority says most buildings are badly damaged and contaminated. It's not clear when or if they'll come back online.
ADONIS EXPOSE, NEW ORLEANS HOUSING AUTHORITY: Oh, we were focusing on our least damaged developments right now, trying to get those open, to get those residents back.
BETZ: Critics see the hurricane as an opportunity to clean up the city's public housing, a place, some say, that allowed many residents to abuse taxpayer money.
ALPHONSO JACKSON, HUD SECRETARY: I think anyone who is physically capable should get a job.
BETZ: The U.S. housing secretary made it clear much of the city's public housing should be redeveloped into newer, mixed income neighborhoods like the River Garden. But activists say those neighborhoods shut out too many of the poor and are years down the road.
BILL QUICKLEY, HOUSING ACTIVIST: And the government ought to welcome them home rather than put up fences to keep them out.
UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTERS: We ain't taking no more.
BETZ: Because for many, this is a home they're willing to fight for.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
S. O'BRIEN: That report comes from Jonathan Betz.
He's with our New Orleans affiliate WWL.
So far, more than one out of every seven HUD apartments h reopened in New Orleans.
Coming up this morning, should repeat sex offenders face the death penalty? It could be the case in South Carolina. We're going to talk to the governor about that just ahead this morning.
M. O'BRIEN: We'll also have more on today's fireworks in the Saddam Hussein trial. Hussein's lawyer thrown out of court. We'll look at this latest ripple and see how it might affect the trial.
S. O'BRIEN: Plus, our special tax series, "A.M. Tax Guide."
Today, we're going to take a look at whether filing online is the right choice for u.
That's ahead.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
S. O'BRIEN: With news this morning that a federal official is now charged with trying to seduce a child through computer contacts, a young man -- you heard him telling Congress yesterday how he was lured into Web pornography by a ring of pedophiles.
Well, South Carolina's governor is backing a law that would make child sex offenders eligible for the death penalty in his state.
Governor Mark Sanford joins us from Columbia in South Carolina.
Nice to see you, Governor.
Thanks for talking with us.
We appreciate it.
GOV. MARK SANFORD (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: A pleasure to be with you.
S. O'BRIEN: Let's run through the expansion of Jessica's Law, which is what this is -- this legislation is based on.
First, a second offense could trigger the death option for sex offenders. Also, victims would have to be under the age of 11. Their offenders would have to face a minimum of 25 years sentence and also there's a provision for a lifetime electronic monitoring.
There are those, as you well know, Governor, who say this goes too far, to put someone to death when a -- when there's been no murder committed is not the right thing to do.
How do you respond to them?
SANFORD: Well, I'd say, first of all, you've got to realize there's 16 states out there and the federal government itself that now impose the death penalty for a variety of different wrongs that do not include death itself, ranging from kidnapping to being a drug kingpin to treason; even in Missouri, bombs in a public place.
So I think we've already crossed that line. And the question about this statute is are we dealing with one of those lines that, from a societal standpoint, it's just absolutely not acceptable to cross? Because what we're talking about here is not first offense, but second offense of raping a child 10 or under.
S. O'BRIEN: This comes amid a very high profile case in South Carolina, as you well know, which involves a convicted sex offender. His name is Kenneth Hinson. And he's now charged with, I guess, assaulting to teenage girls. He was released in 2000 after serving nine years for raping an 11-year-old. I mean the details of this case are literally absolutely horrific.
How much is this specific case driving what you're doing now, Governor?
SANFORD: I would say that this is not a reaction to that particular case over in Darlington County. It highlights, I think, the pattern that you oftentimes see with these kinds of offenses, which is this was a contemplated crime. This guy basically dug a dungeon in the backyard, so to speak. I mean very -- I mean well thought out from the standpoint of a sick, sick crime. Dug this dungeon, had the kids down there, raped them and, again, what is important to remember is he was out after having basically committed a similar type crime years before.
S. O'BRIEN: The threat of the death penalty, do you think that actually is going to stop someone who is a child predator?
SANFORD: Well, that remains to be seen. What we do know is that Louisiana has now passed this same kind of statute for first offense. We do know that this -- this -- the statute that we've proposed in South Carolina is now being contemplated in a number of other states. And what we know is that there's been a 30 year debate on the validity of the death penalty.
I think that most people -- most people out there, most Americans would say, in terms of just plain common sense, that there are certain crimes wherein the death penalty does fit, that it can make a difference in terms of people's behavior and, more to the point, it fits the crime. And this is one of those crimes that we think it certainly fits, when you've gone out and raped a child not once, but twice, been convicted by a jury of your peers, we think that this fits.
S. O'BRIEN: Do you expect to have legal challenges on this?
SANFORD: Again, the attorney general has come out and very strongly said he supports this particular statute that's now passed the senate and it's on its way to the house. He says he will gladly defend, to the highest levels, this particular statute. So I suspect there may well be court challenges, but that goes with any of the different laws or regulations that are so often passed, either at the state or the federal level.
S. O'BRIEN: Well, we'll be watching it.
South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford joining us this morning.
Governor, thank you for talking with us.
SANFORD: My pleasure.
S. O'BRIEN: Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: Coming up on AMERICAN MORNING, our special series, "A.M. Tax Guide."
Today, we look at e-filing. It's supposed to be fast. It's supposed to be convenient. But is it for everyone? We'll ask that question.
And later, the great American water taste test. We'll talk to one of the judges and find out who or where is the best tasting tap water in America.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
M. O'BRIEN: These are taxing times. Now less than two weeks to go before the day of reckoning with Uncle Sam. But the familiar rush to the post office on deadline day is a changing. The times they are a changing, folks.
Increasingly, the rush to file happens in cyberspace. More than 68 million taxpayers filed e-returns -- that's online -- last year.
Cybele Weisser from "Money" magazine joining us to walk us through this particular thicket.
Good to have you with us.
CYBELE WEISSER, "MONEY" MAGAZINE: Thank you.
Thank you.
M. O'BRIEN: Is this for everybody?
WEISSER: You know, it's really for most people. The IRS is pushing hard to get everybody to file, to do the e-filing. They say they want to get 80 percent of taxpayers next year doing e-filing. It's good for them. Less paper to process.
M. O'BRIEN: Yes, that's -- what, it's like 10 bucks a head? So they're making a few extra bucks on the deal.
WEISSER: Exactly.
M. O'BRIEN: Why -- I've always wondered, you know, you can do the $0.37 stamp or if you want to do a registered return, a little more.
WEISSER: Right.
M. O'BRIEN: Or you have to pay upwards of $10 to file online. You would think they'd give you a discount.
WEISSER: You would. It seems a little unfair. However, you do save a lot of time. So if you consider your time money...
M. O'BRIEN: So time is money.
WEISSER: Time is money. And you also lower your chance of errors. People who do e-filing have a much lower chance of errors than people who file on paper.
M. O'BRIEN: And if you get -- you're due for a refund, you're going to get it quicker, aren't you?
WEISSER: And, yes, you're going to get it much quicker. I mean a couple of weeks as opposed to four to six weeks with the paper filing.
M. O'BRIEN: And there's your incentive right there, folks.
WEISSER: That's right.
M. O'BRIEN: So listen up.
Now...
WEISSER: Take out your wallet.
M. O'BRIEN: ... so there's, one way to do it is just go to the IRS site, right?
WEISSER: Right.
M. O'BRIEN: Explain how that works.
WEISSER: The IRS site will actually link you to various tax providers and then you can do this online or you can download their software, whichever you prefer. What you're going to pay depends on your income as well as what you choose to do as far as the filing, how complex your return is.
M. O'BRIEN: All right.
Or you can do, if you wanted to go with some of the software providers out there, which you might get directed to anyway if you go to the IRS...
WEISSER: Right.
M. O'BRIEN: ... would be Turbo Tax, H&R Block, all the biggies in the...
WEISSER: Tax Cut.
M. O'BRIEN: Tax Cut.
WEISSER: Tax Back, right.
M. O'BRIEN: They're all providing pretty much the same kind of service.
Do you -- is there much difference?
WEISSER: Well, you know, we've picked our favorites for various categories. But, you know, yes, the experience is pretty similar.
M. O'BRIEN: Who's your favorite?
WEISSER: It depends on what kind of tax filer you are.
M. O'BRIEN: Ah!
WEISSER: If it's very simple, if you're somebody who would use the 1040EZ Form, Tax Act is the cheapest and it's just, you know, simple, quick...
M. O'BRIEN: Straightforward. (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
WEISSER: Straightforward. Down and dirty. If it's a little bit more complicated, Turbo Tax is a good choice. They have a nice -- It's Deductible program that highlights deductions.
And then if your return is more complex, we've suggested the H&R Block's Tax Cut package, because they, for the most, $80, they give you access to an adviser for a year.
M. O'BRIEN: Yes, here's the thing, that's the one thing I've discovered about Turbo Tax. You know, I check it and recheck it. But at a certain point I want to hear somebody say it's OK, you can do that. Or you shouldn't do that.
WEISSER: Right.
M. O'BRIEN: It's kind of nice to have a human in the mix.
WEISSER: It is. And if you pay a little extra, you can get that. It's certainly cheaper than going to an accountant.
M. O'BRIEN: Yes. Yes, well, that's true.
Now, accountants these days, of course, they're -- they're e- filing for you, right?
WEISSER: Yes, in many cases they're actually required to do so.
M. O'BRIEN: Interesting.
Why is that?
WEISSER: Again, because the IRS wants to eliminate the paper. They want to make it faster. They want to make it more accurate. So, you know, increasingly they're asking -- they're requiring accountants to do e-filing.
M. O'BRIEN: All right, let's go through these again.
Taxact.com, once again, good if it's straightforward, simple. That's kind of the bare bones operation.
WEISSER: Right.
M. O'BRIEN: Kind of the economy vehicle of this.
WEISSER: Exactly.
M. O'BRIEN: The mid-sized, Turbo Tax, good if you itemize, good if you're self-employed. The price for that one is upwards of $100.
And then, finally, as you say, H&R Block with the Tax Cut, is for the -- the more complicated.
WEISSER: It's for more complicated. If you think you're probably going to need to talk to an adviser, if you're worried about being audited, because they'll also offer auditing support for a year, in case that happens to you.
M. O'BRIEN: All right, a lot of people, I think, still have -- maybe not so much anymore, but they still have somewhat of a hang-up about, you know, transacting online, especially something as important as their taxes.
WEISSER: Sensitive information, yes.
M. O'BRIEN: All right. So, should we be worried about it? Is it all encrypted? Is it protected in every way it can be?
WEISSER: You know, the e-filing is really well encrypted and protected. I mean the IRS is, you know, has stringent rules and they say nobody has ever been hacked. So, you know, you don't really have much to worry about there.
As far as using the software, downloading software versus doing it online, on the provider's Web site, if you think your Internet connection isn't secure, then maybe you should download the software and keep it on your computer. But, you know, just hit that return button and send it off into cyberspace.
M. O'BRIEN: Have you sent -- have you put your return in yet?
WEISSER: I have. I have. I'm a good girl.
M. O'BRIEN: Wow!
Did you hear that, Soledad?
M. O'BRIEN: Cybele...
S. O'BRIEN: I'm almost done.
M. O'BRIEN: Cybele Weisser...
S. O'BRIEN: Miles, you're the one...
M. O'BRIEN: You're almost done? You are not.
S. O'BRIEN: Yes, I am.
WEISSER: Cybele Weisser has done her taxes.
M. O'BRIEN: Oh, is this going to be a race?
S. O'BRIEN: God, you go, girl.
M. O'BRIEN: We're going to have to work on that.
Cybele Weisser has done her taxes. She's from "Money" magazine.
Thanks for the good advice.
And for more tax tips, go to cnn.com/am.
Tomorrow in our second part of this series, Beverly Goodman from "Smart Money" will walk us through some deductions we just might have missed, kind of the last minute stuff. So stay with us on this -- Soledad.
S. O'BRIEN: All right, thanks, Miles.
Another bizarre turn in the Saddam Hussein trial to talk about. More angry tirades. Plus, one of his lawyers gets literally hauled out of court. We're going to take a look at how all of that is going to affect the trial this morning.
Plus, a victim of child pornographers speaks out before Congress. His shocking story of how online pedophiles seduced him into a life of exploitation is just ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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