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Hearing Under Way on Where Anna Nicole Smith Will be Buried; Prince Harry to be Deployed to Iraq; Clinton vs. Obama
Aired February 22, 2007 - 10:59 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning, everyone. You're with CNN. You're informed.
I'm Tony Harris.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Fredricka Whitfield, in for Heidi Collins.
HARRIS: Developments keep coming in to the NEWSROOM on this Thursday morning. It is February 22nd.
Here's what's on the rundown.
WHITFIELD: The mother versus the lovers in the battle over the body. Another day of testimony right now in the strange saga of Anna Nicole Smith.
HARRIS: Harry to the danger zone. The British prince deployed soon to Iraq. He is looking at a six-month tour of duty.
WHITFIELD: "The Departed" -- his sixth nomination for best director. Will Martin Scorsese get an Oscar shout-out shutout this weekend? Good fellow waiting in the NEWSROOM.
HARRIS: And quickly now, we want to get you to the skies over Los Angeles, where we have reports of a plane in trouble. Clearly, we don't know if this is the plane. If that's the plane, it's a happy ending to this story, but we don't know that at this point.
The FAA in Los Angeles reporting that a Continental Boeing 737 is currently coming into LAX with some mechanical issues, specifically a flap problem. We understand 94 passengers are on board this particular flight. But officials are calling this a precautionary landing at this time.
We will get more information from you. Just watching it right now. Again, described as a precautionary landing. And we will get more information for you and bring you further updates.
WHITFIELD: Also happening right now in south Florida, you're looking at live pictures right now of the courtroom drama -- you're hearing the judge right now talking to the legal authorities there in the case. And apparently just to his left is the ex-boyfriend of Anna Nicole Smith, Larry Birkhead. He has been testifying all morning long.
This is a very emotional and what has also become a rather explosive tug-of-war over Anna Nicole Smith's body.
Our Susan Candiotti is outside the Broward County Courthouse, where antics inside and a few antics outside, since so many folks have been parading in and out of the doors to testify, or at least witness this very bizarre hearing -- Susan.
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's true. And, Fredricka, just moments ago, as you saw the judge, he was making a very animated -- let's say gestures and comments, saying that in his view, Anna, he said, was a woman with virtually no support system.
This following testimony within the last couple of days that she was a woman who allegedly took prescription drugs, possibly others, with no one able to stop her. There was testimony that Stern said he tried to. Stern claimed that her son, who is now dead, tried to stop her. Larry Birkhead said he tried to stop her as well.
But the judge indicating that she was apparently away from her mother for such a long period of time, she wasn't able to get the kind of help she needed for a length of time.
Now, within one minute after court started today, there was also a very intriguing exchange between the judge and a lawyer representing Howard K. Stern, making an accusation against the lawyer representing Smith's ex-boyfriend, Larry Birkhead.
Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: An event happened yesterday, and it was all over the news. And I'm just concerned about it. There was video and reporting that Ms. Barth (ph) removed my client's drinking cup from the stand. And I would just like to know what that was about.
JUDGE LARRY SEIDLIN: I'll tell you what, I'm not getting into this. I'm not getting into this.
I've just been impressed -- I've been impressed by the conduct of the attorneys in this case. I want to keep this dignified with decorum and respect. I'm not getting into it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CANDIOTTI: Now, what does all this mean? Now, this is the lawyer representing Larry Birkhead accusing Howard Stern's lawyer of removing a cup that Larry Birkhead supposedly had been drinking from, a water cup on the defense -- on the table there. And the meaning behind that seems to be that for a long time, lawyers for Larry Birkhead have been trying to obtain a sample, not from Birkhead's table -- excuse me, from Howard Stern -- they have been trying to get a DNA sample from Howard Stern to try to prove whether or not he is the biological father of Anna Nicole Smith's baby.
Remember, Birkhead says, "I'm the father." But so far they've been able to get a blood test from Howard K. Stern. So that's what that is all about.
And as you heard the judge say, "I don't want to deal with it. I don't want to deal with it."
WHITFIELD: Right, because this whole paternity matter taking place actually in a California courtroom, but that has yet to really play out completely.
So back to Florida now, this judge is saying, I'm trying to get some kind of control over this very out-of-control hearing.
CANDIOTTI: Right. Well, he maintains that he is in control.
He's heard people calling it a circus. He's -- you know, he hears what's being said about all this, but he maintains that he is getting the job done.
He has said that he intends to make a decision, announce it by tomorrow, and that by day's end, he wants a recommendation from attorneys representing all sides here, even a lawyer who is representing the interest of Dannielynn, the baby involved here, as to how they think this whole thing should be solved. And then he said he will take that into consideration before he makes his decision tomorrow.
WHITFIELD: Susan Candiotti, thanks so much, out of Fort Lauderdale.
HARRIS: And we want to update you on a story from just a few moments ago at the top of this hour. We showed you a picture, and we can do that again right now, of a Continental plane safely on the ground at LAX.
We can tell you now that that particular plane that you see right here on final approach into LAX did, in fact, and was in fact the plane that was reporting some problems, some mechanical issues, specifically a flap problem. You will see most of this landing.
The pilots reporting the need to make what was described as a precautionary landing. And you will see the touchdown here in just a moment.
The landing, as you can see, went well. The plane is on the ground safely. And the assumption is that everyone on board is just fine.
That happening just moments ago at LAX in Los Angeles. Just wanted to give you a quick update on that.
And also, we've been getting some details this morning of the IAEA report on Iran that was turned in yesterday to the United Nations. The report indicating that Iran failed to suspend uranium enrichment by February 21st, yesterday, ignoring a U.N. mandate from the Security Council to do that, to end that work.
Now, the West is concerned, has fears that the enrichment activity could ultimately lead Tehran to developing an atomic weapon. This report exposes Tehran to a wider sanctions program. The question now is, how will the international community, how will the world respond to this report?
We will continue to follow this.
The White House calling this a disappointing result, a disappointing finding.
We will continue to follow this story and update this for you in the NEWSROOM.
WHITFIELD: Mixing chemicals with explosives may be a new weapon of choice for insurgents in Iraq. Twelve people have been killed and more than 200 hospitalized this week in two poison gas attacks.
Officials say insurgents detonated a car bomb packed with chlorine gas near a Baghdad hospital yesterday. There was a similar blast in Taji on Tuesday. A third chlorine bomb attack took place last month in Ramadi.
Britain's Prince Harry gets his marching orders. The third in line to the throne is heading to Iraq. Confirmation coming this morning.
Details now from reporter Bridgid Nzekwu in London.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIDGID NZEKWU, REPORTER (voice over): Prince Harry on exercises, but soon real action in Iraq will replace the war games. He made it clear on his 21st birthday he intended to serve in the front lines.
PRINCE HARRY, UNITED KINGDOM: If they said, "No, you can't go front line," then I wouldn't -- I wouldn't drag my sorry ass through Sandhurst and I wouldn't -- I wouldn't be where I am now, because the last thing I want to do is have my soldiers sent away to Iraq, or wherever, like that, and for me to be held back home twiddling my thumbs thinking, well, what about (INAUDIBLE), what about Derrick (ph)? You know.
NZEKWU: His birthday wish is now granted. A statement from the Ministry of Defense confirming the deployment of Harry's regiment, saying, "For the majority, their deployment to theatre will commence in May and most will serve on operations for six to seven months, although some may have shorter tours."
Speaking yesterday, the defense secretary had hinted as much when referring to princes William and Harry.
DES BROWNE, BRITISH DEFENSE SECRETARY: These young men have very appropriately decided to have careers in the services, which is a great tradition of their family and the past.
NZEKWU: The last royal to see active service was Harry's uncle, Prince Andrew, who served in Falkland War as a helicopter pilot. That involved the dangerous task of acting as a decoy for excess (ph) missiles.
His nephew has showed interest in military life from an early age and began his training in 2005 after being accepted into the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst to train as an officer. Former members of the armed forces say it's absolutely right that he should serve in Iraq.
JOHN NICHOL, FMR. PRISONER OF WAR: There's a possibility that he may be in more danger himself and ergo his colleagues might be in more danger as well. But if that is the argument, then surely we should have said, Prince Harry can't serve in the armed forces. If you're in the armed forces, you can't have special treatment. No matter who you are, you should go with your men, you should serve alongside them.
NZEKWU: Concerns that Harry's position as second in line to the throne might make him a specific target have been dismissed by one former army commander.
COL. TIM COLLINS, FMR. ARMY COMMANDER IN IRAQ: He's no more a danger as a troop leader as any other troop leader who's -- they'll be immensely proud that he's with them. He'll be their troop leader, and they'll look after him just as they would any other troop leader.
And as I say, the danger can only come from somebody being really unhelpful and saying exactly where he is. And I hope that that will not happen.
Marching in front of the queen in April 2006 at his graduation from Sandhurst was a proud moment for Prince Harry. He'll now be able to top that by serving queen and country on the battlefield.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: And we want to take you right back to south Florida, back to that Broward County courtroom where the former boyfriend of Anna Nicole Smith is back on the witness stand.
Let's listen in.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
BIRKHEAD: ... she probably would have. And I said no, and that's -- I'm here today. I don't have my daughter, I don't have anything.
BIRKHEAD: Let me ask you a question. Is there a time in your heart that you feel you can develop a relationship if it comes out down the road who the father is, that you can -- let's say you're the father. Do you think you can develop a relationship with Mr. Stern to work something where everybody gets to enjoy and improve the life of Dannielynn?
BIRKHEAD: I'm not selfish, but, you know, I have -- there's a lot of hurt and heartache. I missed the delivery of my child. SEIDLIN: I'm sorry. I didn't mean to...
BIRKHEAD: I missed the delivery of my child. I've had to pay $4.99 for magazines to see what my child looks like.
I've had to call and send gifts, FedEx Christmas gifts, for my child. And I've missed everything that you can't get back. So maybe some day, maybe. I'm not going to say yes today. But the more he fights me and the more it takes, the less likely he's likely to get anything.
SEIDLIN: Well, obviously I can't fashion a remedy concerning that issue, who the father is. I tried to push you guys against the wall on it, but I would have lost some people here, because I told you up front I wanted you here at least for me -- to help me decide on where her body should be placed. And I didn't want to lose anybody.
So let's make that clear, that the court allowed you to bring Mr. Stern here and Larry here in order to help the court decide where to place Ms. Smith's body. And I told you up front that I really want to know who the father is.
I thought I could get you to your knees on it, but I just haven't been able to. But I made a deal. A deal is a deal. I made a deal. I stick by a deal. And I said you will not have to submit, anyone, at this point in time, to DNA testing.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Judge, may I mack a comment on behalf of Mr. Birkhead?
SEIDLIN: No, no. We're right now on a different point.
I can't fashion a remedy, because I don't know who the father is. But we know there's a very strong likelihood that it's either of these two gentlemen. It's been brought out, you guys have told me several times. And we're going to move on.
You can ask your next question.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you, Your Honor.
Finally, with the same line, Mr. Birkhead, did you ever pick up any prescription medication?
BIRKHEAD: No, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you ever ask her or give her any information with regard -- strike that. Did you ever ask her if she would go to a rehabilitation center?
BIRKHEAD: Yes, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you ever do any homework as to locate rehabilitation centers?
BIRKHEAD: I knew of some, so I didn't have to do homework. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Were the ones that you knew of, were they residential facilities or out facilities?
BIRKHEAD: I've heard of both in California. It's common.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And did ask you if she would attend any of those or live in any of those facilities?
BIRKHEAD: Yes, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And what was her response?
BIRKHEAD: She said, "I'm not a drug addict and quit calling me one." She said, "These are prescriptions." And I said, "You're not taking them properly."
And she always said -- it was her contention because there was a doctor's name on the bottle, that there was nothing wrong with whatever she could take.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.
I'm going to switch hats -- or subject matter.
Yesterday we asked some questions about remuneration.
BIRKHEAD: Yes, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And I don't remember exactly where we stopped. And actually, I left my notes from that portion in my office. And I believe I asked the questions about your accepting any sums of money...
BIRKHEAD: Yes, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... for any photographs, interviews or media or press since the death of Daniel.
BIRKHEAD: Yes, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And I'm characterizing you -- correct me if I'm wrong -- that you said that the only thing you had received were royalties from archived photos with regard to Daniel and his demise.
BIRKHEAD: And file photos. And some individuals since then have asked me for permission to use them in ways that I didn't originally give permission to allow, and I've either agreed or disagreed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. So let me -- I'm not familiar with your industry. I think everyone here has learned that. I don't know clearly about it, and you said a couple of things I have to follow up on.
BIRKHEAD: Sure.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One is, they weren't just archived, they were file photos. What does a file photo mean?
BIRKHEAD: Well, anything that's an archived file.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Pardon?
BIRKHEAD: I meant it in the same sense that, on file, with -- you know, with an agency or...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. Are those photos that would be out in the public domain that they would then have to pay you for because they're copyrighted and they've been used, or are they files, photos that would you then release to someone from previously?
BIRKHEAD: It could be one or both. But it could be that they were on file from years back.
WHITFIELD: A strange hearing in south Florida getting even more strange. But perhaps you're riveted and you want to hear more of Larry Birkhead on the stand and the conversation between he and attorneys and judge.
Go to cnn.com/pipeline for more.
HARRIS: And still to come this hour in the NEWSROOM, Hillary Clinton versus Barack Obama. The gloves come off.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HARVEY LEVIN, TMZ.COM: Hillary Clinton's Hollywood base is crumbling. It's crumbling partly because of what she's doing and partly because Barack Obama is magic in this town.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: We will tell you who sparked this latest war of words in the NEWSROOM.
WHITFIELD: And beverage battlefront. New labeling coming to a cola can near you. But nothing to get all jittery and hyper about. Buzz from the fizz in the NEWSROOM.
HARRIS: And could a popular energy drink pack a dangerous punch? A story parents need to hear. We'll share it with you in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: A presidential race not only starting early, it is getting, oh, hostile early.
WHITFIELD: Right.
The Clinton and Obama campaigns in a Democratic family feud. At the center, a mega-bucks campaign donor.
Here's senior political analyst Bill Schneider, part of the best political team on television.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST (voice-over): Tuesday night David Geffen, a Hollywood mogul who used to be close to the Clintons, hosted a fund-raiser for Barack Obama that reportedly raised more than $1 million. It seems that didn't sit well with the Hillary Clinton campaign.
MARTIN KAPLAN, DIRECTOR, NORMAN LEAR CENTER: And the word is that she was telling her friends, you can't give to everybody. You've got to give just to me. And that didn't go down so well. Because a number of people in Hollywood have said that it's a good thing for the Democratic Party to have a robust debate.
SCHNEIDER: That they're getting. Maureen Dowd of "The New York Times" quoted Geffen as saying I don't think that another polarizing figure no matter how smart she is and no matter how ambitious she is and God knows, is there anybody more ambitious than Hillary Clinton can bring the country together.
Geffen called Bill Clinton a reckless guy and said of the Clintons, everybody in politics lies. But they do it with such ease, it's troubling. The Clinton campaign shot back with a statement saying if Senator Obama is indeed sincere about his repeated claims to change the tone of our politics, he should immediately denounce these remarks, remove Mr. Geffen from his campaign and return his money.
The Obama campaign returned fire, saying it is ironic that the Clintons had no problem with David Geffen when he was raising them $18 million and sleeping at their invitation in the Lincoln bedroom. One Hollywood observer believes Clinton is in trouble here partly because of the way she's handling the Iraq issue.
LEVIN: Hillary Clinton's Hollywood base is crumbling. It's crumbling partly because of what she's doing and partly because Barack Obama is magic in this town.
SCHNEIDER: On the other hand...
KAPLAN: Whatever people's reservations are about Senator Clinton, it's not going to stop them from giving money to her. It is going to stop them from giving exclusively to her. And certainly, they have in their own minds a number of issues about her. Electability is one of them.
SCHNEIDER (on camera): Mr. Geffen says he has no formal role in the Obama campaign, "Nor will I, other than to continue to offer my strongest possible personal support to his candidacy." He adds that his comments "which were quoted accurately by Maureen Dowd reflects solely by personal beliefs regarding the Clintons."
Bill Schneider, CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE) HARRIS: Senator Barack Obama, he draws crowds, but many have asked, does he have the track record to lead the country? No one to date has challenged the Obama candidacy as directly, as forcefully, as Cathy Hughes.
Who is Cathy Hughes? She is the founder and chairwoman of Radio One and the television cable channel TV One.
Here is Kathy Hughes on Senator Barack Obama from our interview yesterday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CATHY HUGHES, FOUNDER, RADIO ONE: Other than run for political office, Barack Obama kind of leaves me a little baffled. What has he done?
I called it a dazzling deception. And black folks have historically gone for dazzling deceptions.
African-Americans, if it looks good to us, we're like, OK, well, let's give it a try. I'm not going for this dazzling deception, because I think this election is too critical to the future of America.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Radio One founder Cathy Hughes steps in to the NEWSROOM. She talks about Senator Obama, homelessness and in America, and much more. That interview, tomorrow here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(NEWSBREAK)
HARRIS: Concerns in Colorado. Some high school students get sick and parents get a warning over the popular energy drink known as Spike Shooter.
CNN's Greg Hunter took a closer look. He joined me earlier in the NEWSROOM.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GREG HUNTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The drink has some pretty strong warnings. Some of the warnings include: don't use if you're pregnant, don't use if you have blood pressure problems, don't use if you have psychiatric problems. And to begin with, they tell you on the can, only start by drinking a half a can -- that's 4.2 ounces.
Now, we did a little research of our own and we found out it includes a dietary supplement called Yohimbe. Here's some information on Yohimbe, and it's from the FDA Web site.
Yohimbe is a tree bark containing a variety of pharmacologically active ingredients. It is marketed in a number of products for body building and enhanced male performance.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(NEWSBREAK)
WHITFIELD:: Hello again. I'm Fredricka Whitfield in the NEWSROOM.
HARRIS: And I'm Tony Harris.
Good morning, everyone. Go free or spend years behind bars. The jury in the Scooter Libby trial back at work this morning. An update and a look at the jurors in the NEWSROOM.
WHITFIELD: And forget the wrap?A This deli is serving whaps. Look out! Get out indeed. Back up, buddy! A Store owner fights back in the NEWSROOM.
Wow!
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Back now to a South Florida courtroom, with former boyfriend, Larry Birkhead, of Anna Nicole Smith, back on the stand, talking about Anna Nicole Smith's drug use and pregnancy.
LARRY BIRKHEAD: Approximately two weeks.
QUESTION: OK. She was in the hospital for two weeks detoxing, is that correct?
BIRKHEAD: Approximately.
QUESTION: Serious stuff, right?
BIRKHEAD: It became serious.
QUESTION: Well, when did it -- it was already serious. She's pregnant, and she's in the hospital detoxing, correct?
BIRKHEAD: Her condition became serious as a result of the detox more so from when she was back at home, because I think her body was rejecting some of the things that was...
QUESTION: Sir, what I'm asking you is, a pregnant woman in the hospital, four months pregnant detoxing.
QUESTION: And how old? How about her age?
QUESTION: Exactly.
QUESTION: What age? She was in how late?
QUESTION: Pardon me?
QUESTION: She was in how late? QUESTION: Yes, she was also at risk just due to her age, is that correct?
BIRKHEAD: I'm not a doctor.
QUESTION: We know that. But we all know the later the more difficult the pregnancy is.
QUESTION: I want you to be forthcoming.
BIRKHEAD: I mean, I'm not a doctor but I would agree at that late stage, she was high risk in the past, according to her, that maybe she would be considered...
QUESTION: And what age was she when she became pregnant?
BIRKHEAD: Thirty eight.
QUESTION: That's what I wanted out of your mouth. Now 38 you know is a risky time.
BIRKHEAD: As you get closer to 40.
QUESTION: I don't want to tell my wife's age, but we were right around -- I'm going to get in trouble for this. It's a risky time, and every man knows it. Every man knows that. Because everything is on in vitro. The articles on in vitro. Everyone knows it. As much as you want to run away from it, you know it -- it's a risky time.
BIRKHEAD: Well, I previously said she told me she was high risk.
QUESTION: OK, so you understood she was high risk. This was a serious situation now. Now you came into that hospital room, and you testified yesterday, and my client was sitting there and you said, at some point during this two-week period, and I'm not sure when, you saw a duffel bag full of drugs, is that correct?
BIRKHEAD: I didn't never say full of drugs.
QUESTION: OK, there were drugs in a duffel bag?
BIRKHEAD: There were drugs in a duffel bag.
QUESTION: OK.
What did you do?
BIRKHEAD: I didn't know they were there, because what also was in there was her personal belongings.
QUESTION: You said you knew the drugs were there.
BIRKHEAD: Would you let me finish? I said...
QUESTION: Go ahead. QUESTION: He's been with us a long time. He's acquiring some of the skills of an attorney, and I say that in a positive way, because without attorneys who's going to do the talking for you, because if you're so attached to something, you can't do your own talking.
All right, but I want you to be forthright like you were yesterday.
BIRKHEAD: Sure.
At one point during the stay in the hospital she asked me to go get some personal belongings out of the closet in the hospital. And when I went into the closet, she asked me to bring the bag out. And she kept pushing the button for the drugs to come out, and she was getting frustrated and she kept telling me to press the nurse to tell her to get more, and I said, you've had enough. They said you can't have anymore. And she goes, I need more. And then when she told me to get her bag for something totally unrelated to drugs, like a toothbrush or something like that, she came back -- when I brought the bag back to her, they -- she pulled the bottle out, Mr. Stern was in the room, and they were waiting to see who came in, and they opened the bottle, and it was...
QUESTION: They opened the bottle? Did Anna open the bottle, or did Mr. Stern open the bottle? "They" didn't open a bottle.
BIRKHEAD: Well, it happened multiple times. So I guess he did and she did both, and I witnessed both.
QUESTION: And what did do you?
BIRKHEAD: I told them not to.
QUESTION: Don't make it compound. What did you do next if anything?
BIRKHEAD: I told them not to, and repeatedly told her not to. And I watched and I stayed up for almost 24 hours a day to make sure that she didn't. And then when I made it another point to say something when she ripped her IV cord out of her arm, they told me to leave. And then later, I came out and found out she was on suicide watch. That's what I did.
QUESTION: Then what did do you?
BIRKHEAD: I was asked to leave. She asked me to leave the hospital or she was going to call the nurse, because I was trying to make her stop.
QUESTION: Why did you leave?
BIRKHEAD: Because she told me if I didn't, they were going to call security on me, the hospital. And I told Howard what was going on. He says, it's best if you just go, she's not in her right mind. And they had a nurse sitting there 24 hours a day, the room was crowded up and they asked me to leave -- they told me to leave. QUESTION: Do you think Howard provided -- for Miss Anna Nicole Smith, do you think he provided some kind of support system for her?
BIRKHEAD: Support system in enabling? Or support...
QUESTION: No, no, no. I'm not talking about enabling. We don't want to make each other out to be evil people. This is not -- this is in a book it would be, but this is life. We all come with some broken suitcases.
But I'm saying this, was he providing some support system for her, outside the medicated drugs?
You told me the other day he would lie on the couch waiting for her. If she needed something, he'd run out and get it.
BIRKHEAD: Yes, sir. I was just unclear -- yes.
QUESTION: In your eyes he's not pure bad, is he?
BIRKHEAD: No, sir.
QUESTION: No, there's some decent qualities in the man, too, isn't there?
BIRKHEAD: Yes, sir.
QUESTION: Not everyone here is the devil, are they?
BIRKHEAD: No.
QUESTION: No. No. We have people that made mistakes. Some people didn't have the good sense to handle themselves in a perfect setting, did they?
BIRKHEAD: No, sir.
QUESTION: What could you have done to pull her out of her pain? What could you have done to pull her out of her pain?
BIRKHEAD: I just -- I guess take all the drugs away, but I was told she needed them to live. So I didn't know if I took them, would she die or -- had to choose, because they said, Howard told me that she could die...
QUESTION: Well, forget Howard -- there's other people at that house.
BIRKHEAD: She told me and Howard both told me, if she didn't take...
QUESTION: Leave Howard alone. We're not going to keep attacking him.
BIRKHEAD: Well, Anna Nicole told me that if she didn't take them, she was told she could die. QUESTION: Anna Nicole told you that, isn't that correct?
BIRKHEAD: She told me that.
QUESTION: Anna Nicole told to you leave that hospital room.
(CROSSTALK)
QUESTION: I thought you were leaving. I knew you weren't going to leave.
QUESTION: Your honor, only one is allowed to object.
QUESTION: You stayed here, but now you're going to remain mute, so I appreciate it. I knew you weren't going to leave. Because I watched it. I knew he wasn't going to go. It was just a big bluff. But you can stay here and you can stay seated.
Move on.
QUESTION: Just an objection, if you're directing him not to talk about Howard K. Stern in his answer...
QUESTION: What's that?
QUESTION: If you're directing Mr. Birkhead not to include Howard K. Stern in an answer and then she takes advantage of your direction, the bottom line is, it's harassing and argumentative.
QUESTION: So noted. I'm -- I like you. You stay right there.
I want you to feel comfortable.
QUESTION: You were aware of the fact that Miss Smith was taking a lot of different kinds of prescription medications, is that correct?
WHITFIELD: Sorry about that, we just lost the signal. But I don't know if you were getting confused, but certainly the witness on the stand Larry Birkhead was getting a little confused, because you had both the judge directing some question. You had Howard K. Stern's attorney directing some questions, before finally the attorney for Larry Birkhead stepped in and said, wait a minute, how many folks are going to be conducting this questioning?
Well, if you want to continue to watch the antics taking place in that Broward County courthouse, you can by going to CNN.com/pipeline.
HARRIS: And we are continuing to keep an eye on the federal courthouse in Washington D.C.
There you see Lewis Scooter Libby arriving today as a jury continues deliberations today, the first full day of deliberations, deciding his fate. Libby accused of lying to investigators about his conversations with reporters regarding the identity of Valerie Plame, CIA operative Valerie Plame. This case dating back to 2003 now. So once again, a live picture there of the federal courthouse in Washington D.C. We will continue to watch as the jury continues to deliberate.
WHITFIELD: And maybe you can't get enough of this story. Boy, is this bizarre, downstairs neighbor meet the upstairs neighbor. Hey, upstairs guy, would you turn the of it down?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He comes in with this three-foot long sword and starts pointing it at me and going, where is she?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: The she, well, the she person was screaming.
HARRIS: Right.
WHITFIELD: And so this guy wanted to find out what's going on. Turns out she wasn't even in the house. So what is this? Hint: It's a case of Sunday morn porn, and that's in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: "YOUR WORLD TODAY" coming up at the top of the hour, 13 minutes from now.
WHITFIELD: Let's not waste any time.
HARRIS: Hala Gorani standing by with a preview. Hala, good morning.
HALA GORANI, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, Tony and Fredricka.
Yes, at the top of the hour, hope you can join us, Jim Clancy and myself. We will be taking to you Iraq and potential new dirty bomb tactics over there. Also, the third in line to the British throne, Prince Harry, well, his regiment will be headed to Iraq, probably stationed near Basra in the southern part of the country.
Also -- and this has developed just in the last hour or so -- Iran and a new U.N. report, saying that Iran has ignored a deadline to halt uranium enrichment. And also detailing a nuclear program that is quote, "on an industrial scale." We'll have analysis and reaction from several world capitals.
Also, the troubling messages that young girls are getting from some celebrities -- Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears, for instance, Paris Hilton. That is what one of our guests will say, that these sexual super peers, as she calls them, mean that very young girls equate premature sexuality with power. That's an interesting debate there, especially now that Britney and the rest of them are in the news so often in the last few days. We'll explore that question.
Back to you guys. WHITFIELD: All right, it is intriguing.
HARRIS: It is.
Hala, thank you.
HARRIS: Loud female noises blaring from a bachelor's pad, sounds like, wait, is the woman being attacked? What do you do? Rush to the rescue, right? Well, not so fast.
Heather Shannon of our affiliate WTMJ in Milwaukee explains this one.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRET STEIGHORST, WAS WATCHING PORN: It's a little world.
HEATHER SHANNON, REPORTER, WTMJ (voice over): Bret Steighorst was mistaken for a rapist after his neighbor heard some unusual noises coming from his apartment.
STEIGHORST: I was watching an adult movie.
SHANNON: Apparently way too loudly. His downstairs neighbor, James Van Iveren, heard it. Only he thought a woman was being raped.
Instead of calling police, he took matters into his own hands. Van Iveren ran up the stairs with his sword. He kicked in the door, and he also broke the door's lock.
STEIGHORST: He comes in with his three-foot-long sword and starts pointing it at me and going, "Where is she?"
SHANNON: Van Iveren forced Bret at sword point to open all of his closets and prove he wasn't holding a woman hostage. When he didn't find anybody, he left. Van Iveren is now charged with disorderly conduct. Their encounter is all the talk at the bar next door.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I would be happy if someone tried to save me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I, you know, would all like to see maybe the courts work with him and, you know, give the guy a little bit of a break.
SHANNON: Bret now thinks twice when he hears a knock at the door. But will he think twice while watching adult films from now on?
STEIGHORST: No way. No, I'm just going to watch it with the sound down, or I'll buy myself some decent headphones.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: No shame there.
All right well this next one, a robbery attempt or a couple with too little sense and too much to drink?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get down, get down, get down.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Store owner Steve Pille (ph) fights back against two customers. Pille (ph) says the man and the woman seemed intoxicated when they came into the store. The woman unleashing a barrage of anti-Arab slurs when the man grabbed Pille (ph) by the neck. Pille (ph) picked up a metal rod and, you guessed it, he fought back. Pille (ph) says the woman also attacked him. The couple, well they were arrested. Police say they may face hate crime charges.
SIBILA VARGAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: And I'm Sibila Vargas live in Hollywood, literally sitting on top of the red carpet for this year's Oscars. Oh yes, it's that time again. I'll tell you why some big Oscar losers could be hitting it big this year when NEWSROOM continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Sunday night is Oscar night. Every year some stars go home empty handed. And so who's up for an Oscar IOU? Call him the Susan Lucci of directors. Our Sibila Vargas joins us live from the red carpet at the Kodak Theater. Is that fair?
VARGAS: Yes, I'm actually sitting on the red carpet, or at least maybe about 250 square feet of it. There's about 500 square feet that's going to be rolled out. And of course the celebrities will make their way down the red carpet in just three days.
But talking about the director, Martin Scorsese nominated multiple time but Oscar has yet to give him some love.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JULIA ROBERTS, ACTRESS: And the Oscar goes to Clint Eastwood.
VARGAS (voice-over): Martin Scorsese, we feel your pain. You've been through six best director losses. Are you ever going to get a break? You were knocked out for "Raging Bull." Oscar wasn't tempted by "The Last Temptation of Christ." "Goodfellas" got whacked by the competition. "Gangs of New York" took it on the chin. And "The Aviator" put you on the red eye to loserville.
MARTIN SCORSESE, DIRECTOR: I would like to win.
VARGAS: We know you would, Marty. And the academy has a way of making it up to those it's overlooked. Call it the Oscar IOUs. After seven failed attempts, Al Pacino finally won for "Scent of a Woman" in 1992.
John Wayne appeared in nearly 150 films before receiving an Oscar for "True Grit." ROBERT OSBORNE, OSCAR HISTORIAN: He was really good in "True Grit," but whether or not he was better than the two fellows in "Midnight Cowboy" and some others, I kind of question that. But I think John Wayne really got it, also not only because he was good, but also because he was John Wayne and had never been really acknowledged before.
VARGAS: Sometimes nominees don't have to wait that long to get what's coming to them. Jimmy Stewart and Betty Davis were among the stars who won a year after their great performance.
OSBORNE: They started calling it a holdover Oscar, meaning you were getting it one year because a holdover for something wonderful you've done the year before.
VARGAS: More recently, Renee Zellweger won for "Cold Mountain" after missing out the year before on "Chicago." While Nicole Kidman's "Moulin Rouge" loss might have fuelled her win for "The Hours."
PETER O'TOOLE, ACTOR: I'm an entertainer, that's my job.
VARGAS: And this distinguished gentleman could call in his IOU this year as well. Peter O'Toole has come up short seven times before.
SCORSESE: We'll see, well you know, whatever.
VARGAS: So cheer up Marty, the director of "The Departed" may not be departing empty handed.
OSBORNE: He'll get this year, but he'll get it not only because of his body of work, but also because he did a really good job this year.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VARGAS: Also interesting to point out that Martin Scorsese has led Robert DeNiro, Ellen Burstyn, Joe Pesci, Cate Blanchett, Paul Newman and so many others to Oscar gold. So he obviously has the Midas touch, if only, Fredricka, if it would work for him. But it might.
WHITFIELD: I know, fingers are crossed, you know. Now you've interviewed him a few times and he seems like a pretty cool cat. What's your impression of him this year?
VARGAS: Oh, he is so cool. He's so amazing. I mean, the guy's from Queens, New York. I talked to him, he's just so happy that he does get the funding. The studios back him up with tons of money to make these great movies, which he loves to do. But I think he's ready. I think he's ready, he's ready to get his gold.
WHITFIELD: He's ready. If only Hollywood would be ready because, come on, he is one of the masters. One of the master directors.
VARGAS: Exactly, exactly. So I think a lot of the Midwest people, you know, know New York because of him.
WHITFIELD: Yes, his movies. I think I got to know the city because of him.
HARRIS: There you go.
WHITFIELD: Thanks so much, Sibila.
HARRIS: And you are back in the NEWSROOM an hour from now. Oh, look who's here, Kyra Phillips is here with the preview.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: I was just hearing that Fred's husband got into a big duke out with Scorsese for a taxi cab.
WHITFIELD: Yes, but it wasn't quite the duke out. They were jockeying for the same cab. And they ended up sharing the cab and they had a great little conversation. And he didn't recognize him right away. He's like, I make movies. He was like, uh, you're Scorsese.
PHILLIPS: He didn't have the glasses on? I know I know you.
Well, we're going to be talking about another match up made in Hollywood. In one corner, Hillary Clinton. In the other, Barack Obama. After a weekend fundraiser in la-la land, the gloves are off. "The New York Post" is calling it the big chill and it's all thanks to showbiz mogul David Geffen. It's personal and political and we're all over it.
Plus, feeling the need for speed? In a soda can, Spike Shooters don't have don't have alcohol or sugars, but several Colorado schools are warning parents to keep it away from their kids. What's in this stuff that makes it so dangerous? All that and more straight ahead on CNN NEWSROOM, 1 p.m. Eastern. Remember Jolt Cola? I had one of those in college and went blank.
WHITFIELD: Really?
PHILLIPS: I did, I went blank. I was up all night, it was brutal. I've never done it again.
HARRIS: Well that explains a lot, Kyra.
(CROSSTALK)
HARRIS: All right Kyra, see you in an hour.
PHILLIPS: All right, good to see you.
HARRIS: Well nearly 20 years of controversy is over. University of Illinois mascot Chief -- what is this? Illiniwek made his final performance last night. Illiniwek long caught up in the politically correctly battle over the portrayal of Native Americans. Supporters say the mascot is a revered symbol of school spirit. Detractors say he is little more than an insulting caricature. The NCAA made its feelings known. It had barred the school from hosting post-season sports events. That ban ends now with the chief's dispatch to the dust bin.
WHITFIELD: All right, "YOUR WORLD TODAY" coming up right now.
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