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American Morning
Facing Justice; Nuke Showdown Coming?; Virginia Manhunt Over; Ford Gets A Pacemaker; London Terror Suspects
Aired August 22, 2006 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to tell you what's being done to break the cycle of this horrific abuse.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: And tracking terror right into your wall. The government's waiting to take a look at your e-mail account and your credit cards too. Those stories and much more ahead on this AMERICAN MORNING.
Welcome back, everybody. I'm Soledad O'Brien.
SANCHEZ: And I'm Rick Sanchez.
O'BRIEN: We begin with the suspect in the JonBenet Ramsey murder case. He could be soon heading to Colorado. John Mark Karr has an extradition hearing today in L.A. CNN's Drew Griffin is outside the courthouse where Karr's going to appear.
Hey, Drew. Good morning.
DREW GRIFFIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.
This could be a very, very brief visit to court for John Karr before he does go to Colorado. It's an extradition hearing. Basically you show up. And if you don't contest the fact that your name is John Karr, you, John Karr, are going to be sent to Colorado to face the much more serious charges that he's facing there.
One of the big questions is, who will represent this man. He was in jail. Spent a whole day in jail here in Los Angeles yesterday after being deported from Thailand on that bizarre and long 15-hour flight. He was visited by several attorneys we're told. By some public defenders here in Los Angeles and also by his old attorney from a northern California case. Her name is Patricia Van Zant (ph). And it is somewhat unclear but she may represent him here in the California extradition hearing and also up in Colorado. I should say her name is Patience Van Zant (ph).
But again, the hearing this morning should be very brief. John Karr not expected to challenge any extradition. And he should be heading soon, either today or the next day, to Boulder, Colorado, where he is accused in the murder, kidnapping and sexual assault of six-year-old JonBenet Ramsey.
Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Drew Griffin for us with an update on what's happening there. Drew, thanks.
The father of JonBenet Ramsey isn't talking directly to the media about John Karr, his attorney is, though, on his behalf. Lin Wood tells CNN's Larry King that John Ramsey is urging the public to go slowly.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LIN WOOD, RAMSEY FAMILY ATTORNEY: John wants the public to be patient, not to rush to judgment and not to engage in the type of speculation and rumor and gossip and hearsay against this man that, unfortunately, people engaged in with respect to him and his wife and tragically, even at times, his son.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: The University of Colorado Professor Michael Tracey, who led prosecutors to Karr, was also on Larry King last night. He agreed there should be no rush to judgment. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL TRACEY, CORRESPONDED WITH KARR: He really does have a right to be presumed innocent. There's a kind of curious kind of art to this that we have a situation where John Ramsey himself is sort of saying, he deserves to be presumed innocent. And John Ramsey, more than any other person on the planet, knows what it's like to be presumed guilty.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: Karr is being held on a warrant for suspicion of first degree murder. He has not officially been charged.
Rick.
SANCHEZ: A critical decision is expected in just about 90 minutes on Iran's nuclear program. Iran face a self-imposed deadline to decide whether to stop enriching uranium. In a type of carrot and stick strategy, the U.N. Security Council has threatened sanctions, while some of the Security Council nations are offering an incentive package of aid to influence that final decision.
Well, ending enrichment is unlikely, especially given the response of Iran's supreme leader who is vowing a forceful response to any move on the country's nuclear program. CNN's Aneesh Raman is the only U.S. television reporter who's able to follow this story directly from inside the country. He's joining us now from Tehran, the capital, and he's there live.
Aneesh, what is the situation there now?
ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Rick, good morning.
As you say, in about an hour and a half we expect a "comprehensive reply" from Iranian officials, a written reply, to be handed by the country's chief nuclear negotiator to representatives in Tehran from Russia, China, France, Germany, Britain and the Swiss who represent U.S. interests here given that the U.S. has no diplomatic ties with Iran. That reply will be lengthy.
It will likely be from officials I've been speaking with. Something that calls for further negotiations. Iran has said it is willing to talk about its nuclear program, but it cannot be a precondition for talk that Iran suspend that program. Of course the U.N. is mandating they do that by the end of the month.
Now, as you mention, this is a self-imposed deadline today. The U.N. deadline comes at the end of the month. There's still about a week before that. It could be that Iran is posturing, trying to open up dialogue again. And we can tell you as well that late yesterday Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, announced next week he will hold a rare news conference. And so it could be this is not, today, the final word.
As you mentioned, yesterday, though, a clear indication of what to expect this morning. Iran's supreme leader, the top official in the country, saying that Iran will continue to pursue its program towards nuclear energy.
And among the people I've been talking to, a couple of months ago I was here as they face that first U.N. mandate. The people were, all of them, supporting this program. They feel it is for nuclear energy, not for nuclear weapons. They believe the government's denial. And they feel a great sense of nationalist pride that they were able to figure out this enrichment of uranium on their own.
But these days, when you talk to them, there is fear creeping in, especially among the moderates, not the conservatives, who are worried that the pursuit of this nuclear energy will bring about very hard economic times for Iran soon to come.
Rick.
SANCHEZ: Of course, the difficult part here would be the verification process. Whether it's being used for energy and not for any type of weapons making. Certainly a story we'll stay on top of.
Soledad, over to you.
O'BRIEN: Thanks, Rick.
Classes back on this morning at Virginia Tech. The school, the surrounding community of Blacksburg, were under a lockdown yesterday as police hunted for 24-year-old William Charles Morva, an escaped prisoner who's now accused of killing two people. Morva was finally captured last night not far from the campus. He could be in court as early as today to face charges. CNN's Kathleen Koch has our report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): It was a tense 36-hour manhunt and students on their first day of class at Virginia Tech were caught in the middle.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We were in class for about 15 minutes then the S.W.A.T. guys came in with their machine guns and told us to exit the building as quickly as possible.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And I was like, what's going on? He's like, some killer's on the loose. I was like, all right, I'll stay in. Don't worry about it.
KOCH: But by 3:30 in the afternoon, 24-year-old suspect William Charles Morva had been caught. Police say officers found Morva along a trail near campus hiding in a brier patch with a gun wearing only a pair of gym shorts.
KIM CRANNIS, INTERIM CHIEF, BLACKSBURG POLICE: It's very thick through there and they came upon Mr. Morva underneath some brush. He was challenged. He did not resist coming out from under the brush.
KOCH: Police say Morva was hiding just 150 yards from where Sheriff's Deputy Corporal Eric Sutphin had been shot to death. Morva had escaped from authority Sunday morning when he was transferred from jail to a local hospital for treatment of a leg wound. Police say Morva overpowered the deputy, took his gun and shot to death the hospital security guard who tried to prevent his escape. Authorities promised security during prisoner transfers is being tightened.
SHERIFF TOMMY WHITT, MONTGOMERY COUNTY, VIRGINIA: This is a very tragic, tragic incident and we have to learn from it. Even if it's a simple shift in a direction of travel, we have to learn from it.
KOCH: Among the charges, Morva now face capital murder, assault on a law enforcement officer and felonious escape.
Kathleen Koch, CNN, Blacksburg, Virginia.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: The sheriff's deputy who was killed in the shooting, 40-year-old Corporal Eric Sutphin, was a highly decorated officer. He had been awarded the 2004 Virginia Sheriff Association Valor Award and the governor Medal of Valor. Virginia Governor Timothy Kaine had this to say.
"Corporal Eric Sutphin exemplified the highest traditions of law enforcement, and his 13-years of service with the Montgomery County Sheriff's Department saw countless acts of courage and bravery."
A big loss there.
SANCHEZ: Yes.
In America this morning, western Missouri where the investigation goes on in the case against Michael Shaver. The 33-year-old says that he killed seven men and spread the remains all over his yard. So far officials have found about 50 bone fragments less than an inch in size there. A hatchet is also being processed by police. In Georgia, officials say that a Jackson County inmate is in critical condition this morning after being shot while trying to escape. The inmate was being returned to jail in chains and leg iron when he grabbed a deputy's gun and shot him in a county courthouse. The inmate was then shot by other deputies as he tried to drive away in a police van.
A record methamphetamine bust in Atlanta suburbs. U.S. drug enforcement agency officials say they found 187.5 pounds of suspected meth and 90 pounds of suspected cocaine. This was in Buford last week.
Foie gras and its fans in Chicago will have to do without. The city's goose liver ban is now in effect, but gourmet food lovers are plotting to challenge that ban in a court sometime later today. Supporters of the foie gras ban say the force-feeding of geese to produce the delicacy is simply inhumane.
Let us check in now with Chad Myers. He's stand by at the CNN Center in Atlanta to bring us the very latest on what's going on with the weather and a look at the tropics from time to time as well, although relatively quiet, huh, so far?
(WEATHER REPORT)
O'BRIEN: Gerald Ford is recuperating this morning after doctor's at the Mayo Clinic implanted a cardiac pacemaker in him. Senior medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, is at the CNN Center with more on pacemakers and how the president might be doing today.
Hey, Sanjay. Good morning.
SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey. Good morning, Soledad.
You know, that's right, pacemakers used to be considered a novelty, but they become much more common. A lot of people learned about pacemakers when the vice president, Vice President Cheney, had one implanted. Now about 600,000 people around the world do get these pacemakers. The vast majority of people are 60 years or older. As you know, former President Gerald Ford 93 years old.
A couple of things about him. Most recently he was admitted in Colorado for shortness of breath and then again most recently to the Mayo Clinic on August 15th. Had the pacemaker put in. We're hearing not too many details about that. But specifically, to try and improve his heart's performance was a specific quote given by his office.
There are a few reasons, Soledad, why people get pacemakers. One of the common ones is a condition known as Bradycardia. That's just when your heart is beating too slowly. The pacemaker give a little bit of jolt to sort of speeding up the heart rate a bit. Quicken it up. There's also something known as Atrial Fibrillation. Instead of the heart beating at a nice, coordinated fashion, it tends to be in an uncoordinated fashion. The pacemaker tends to help regulate that.
Also when the heart is just not working as well, there's a certain degree of heart failure. The pacemaker may improve the heart's conduction, as well.
Also there's a condition sometimes where the sort of electrical rhythm of the heart gets wildly out of control and the pacemaker might actually give it a shock to sort of shock it back into control. These are some of the typical reason.
Like I said, some of the details out of President Ford's office a little bit sketchy but most likely falls into one of these categories. Remember, Soledad, a healthy heart, your and my heart, beats about 100,000 time as day. What a pacemaker does is actually implanted just underneath the collarbone. Some electrical wires actually going to the heart. The heart is, after all, a big electrical organ and it just sort of regulates that electrical rhythm. That's basically how it works.
Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Yes, but, you know, a lot of people, as we both know, get this procedure, get a pacemaker implanted. But you're talking about a guy who's 93 years old, who's had a lot of medical problems certainly of late. How risky is this for someone in his condition, Sanjay?
GUPTA: Yes, you know, we talked to a cardiologist about this and, well, it gets more unusual as you get advanced in years. Ninety- three is a little bit on the older side certainly for pacemakers. But again, the vast majority of people who are getting these operations are older.
There are always risks to be concerned about whenever you're thinking about these operations. Bleed is a risk of any operation. Swell or bruising underneath the skin. Blood clot. Especially if someone's on blood thinners already is a big concern. Infection. And then damage to blood vessels themselves.
So I think you're right, Soledad, there's a saying in surgery, there's no such thing as a simple operation, just a simple surgeon. In the spectrum of things, this is a more simple operation. But, you know, I think doctors are always worried about a 93-year-old.
O'BRIEN: I never heard that saying before, Sanjay.
Let me ask you a serious question, though. Can it really improve the quality of life for someone who's 93-years-old with a history of serious medical problems?
GUPTA: Yes, you know, it's interesting, Soledad, you know, we sort of dissected a little bit of his medical history most recently -- shortness of breath, pneumonia, things like that. Those can both be linked to the heart just not working that well. Fluid would starts to build up in the lungs. That can cause pneumonia and shortness of breath. If you can regulate the heart's function, the better, so there's more output of the heart, so fluid is not building up in other parts of the body. It can improve not only some of their illnesses, recovery from those illnesses, but also their overall feeling of just being robust and things like that as well. O'BRIEN: Sanjay Gupta at the CNN Center for us this morning. Sanjay, thanks, as always.
GUPTA: Thank you.
O'BRIEN: Rick.
SANCHEZ: At 93 he looks pretty good, wouldn't you say?
O'BRIEN: Yes, he looks all right for 93.
SANCHEZ: A little health problems.
Still to come, the first charges in the alleged plot to blow up planes over the Atlantic. We're going to have that and a look at the evidence against the suspects.
O'BRIEN: Also, big brother might know a whole lot more about you the next time you fly. We're going to tell you about a proposal for a giant database.
SANCHEZ: And then later, a horrible crime against the elderly that usually goes unreported. One woman's painful ordeal. That's ahead right here on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: A CNN "Security Watch" this morning. The investigation into the alleged airline terror plot is taking a big step forward. Eleven suspects charged are appearing in court today. CNN European political editor Robin Oakley is in London for us this morning.
Hey, Robin. Good morning. What's the latest?
ROBIN OAKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.
Well, this is the biggest development yet. In the efforts to investigate the plot which police authorities here have described as an effort to commit murder on an unimaginable scale.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
OAKLEY, (voice over): Nearly half the 23 suspects held since a plot to blow up airliners on their way from Britain to the United States was revealed on August 10th, have now been charged with terrorist offenses and are facing a first court hearing.
SUSAN HEMMING, COUNTER-TERRORISM PROSECUTING CHIEF: Eight are currently being charged with two offenses relating to the alleged plot to manufacture and smuggle the component parts of improvised explosive devices onto aircraft and assemble and detonate them onboard. Those individuals are being charged with conspiracy to murder and the new offense of preparing acts of terrorism contrary to section five of the Terrorism Act 2006.
OAKLEY: Along with the eight individuals facing that double count, three others have been charged with possessing materials useful to terrorists or failing to disclose information which might have prevented a terrorist attack. Eleven more suspects are still being held without charge and one has been released.
Scotland Yard's anti-terrorism chief has outlined the kind of evidence the police have.
PETER CLARKE, DEPUTY ASSISTANT COMMANDER, SCOTLAND YARD: This includes important, indeed highly significant video and audio recordings. I can also tell you that since the 10th of August, we have found bomb-making equipment. There are chemicals, including hydrogen peroxide, electrical components, documents and other items. We've also found a number of video recordings. These are sometimes referred to as martyrdom videos.
OAKLEY: Investigators have so far searched 69 houses, flats, business premises and vehicles. Four hundred computers and 200 mobile phones have been seized and investigators say it will take many months to examine all the material.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
OAKLEY: Police are saying there's a long road still ahead. This is an investigation on an immense scale and its span is worldwide. But in the court behind me here, just a few minutes ago the first three of those suspects being charged with conspiracy to murder appeared before a judge and we will find what happens in today's proceedings a little later.
Soledad.
O'BRIEN: All right. We're all watching that. Robin Oakley for us this morning in London. Thanks, Robin.
Governments may soon get to know more about you even before you get on a plane. The U.S. and its European counterparts want access to a bigger passenger database in order to get a broader look at possible terrorist threats. The database is detailed information on all travelers, including credit card information, e-mail addresses, hotel and car reservations. We'll update you on this story as it moves forward.
And, of course, you want to stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.
SANCHEZ: Here's what we're going to have for you coming up. Is Bill Gates getting into the newspaper business? We're going to be "Minding Your Business."
And if you want your kids focused on studying, a new poll says this isn't the college for them. The number one party school in America. Where is it? Ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, known for all its work in global health, is now lending money to a newspaper deal. Carrie Lee's "Minding Your Business" this morning.
That's an interesting one. What deal?
CARRIE LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It really is.
Well, Bill Gates, of course founder of Microsoft, so you could say high end tech kind of helping the lower end publishing business here. The Foundation, one of several dozens that has loaned $350 million to a company called Media News Group. Media News buying four papers, including the "San Jose Mercury News" and "The Contra Coasta Times."
Now why is the foundation doing this? Well, it's actually managed by an external investment team. And just like any other company, they need to manage their endowment. So this external team thought that this would be a good place to loan money. The Foundation, by the way, is the world's largest philanthropy with $30 billion in its endowment. So that is the latest on Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Meanwhile, Melinda Gates, who of course co-chairs the foundation with her husband, is resigning from the board of directors of Drugstore.com. She's been on the board since 1999. The company says she wants to spend more time on her foundation's work. Makes sense. And she does say she remain as strong supporter and plans to be a long-term shareholders in drugstore.com.
And then finally, Warren Buffett. You know in the past he's put up auction for lunches and things like that on eBay.
O'BRIEN: Yes, Andy Serwer bought one of those. He did. He got it - remember, Andy always talks about how he lunched with Warren Buffett. He paid money at like an auction.
LEE: He actually won or he and a group won.
O'BRIEN: He won.
LEE: That's pretty exciting.
O'BRIEN: No, he won. I think it was going for less back then. Now it's really . . .
LEE: I was going to say, they usually go in the six figures. So nice for him.
Well, anyway, Warren Buffett now putting a 2001 Lincoln Towncar up for auction. This to benefit a non-profit group called Girls Inc. It's based in Omaha, which is where he is.
O'BRIEN: I love Girls.
LEE: Yes, this is a great organization, educational, recreation program for young women and girls. And the Towncar has 14,000 miles on it. He said he quit driving this about three months ago. He bought a Cadillac DTS instead. So here's a look at it. And the auction will start on September 12th, run for 10 days and he's keeping his license plate which says Thrifty. So, you know, Buffett, despite the fact of being the world's second richest man, very low key.
O'BRIEN: How much more money could he get if he sold the license plate too?
LEE: But now he's starting to give it away. You know, ironically, he gave a lot of money to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
O'BRIEN: Right. Right.
LEE: So bringing it all full circle here.
SANCHEZ: Well done. Putting it all together.
LEE: That's right.
SANCHEZ: Thanks, Carrie.
LEE: OK.
SANCHEZ: Our top stories are straight ahead. In about an hour, Iran responds to demands to shut down its nuclear program. We're going to take a look at what happens if Iran refuses.
And then later, a tragically familiar story for millions of elderly Americans. Abused by their own families. So why's it so rarely reported. One woman's ordeal is ahead right here on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Happening this morning.
John Karr, is suspect in the JonBenet Ramsey murder cases, faces an extradition hearing in Los Angeles today. Reports say he is not expected to fight extradition to Boulder, Colorado.
Former President Gerald Ford is resting at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, this morning. The 93-year-old Ford had a pacemaker inserted to help his heart.
A massive manhunt near Virginia Tech's campus is over with the capture of an escaped inmate. Police say 24-year-old William Morva shot and killed an unarmed security guard during a hospital visit. They say he also killed a sheriff's deputy.
Welcome back, everybody. I'm Soledad O'Brien.
SANCHEZ: And I'm Rick Sanchez.
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