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Inmate on the Loose; Chicago Superintendent Resigns; Iraq: Reid to Up Ante?; Iran Says Troops Confess

Aired April 02, 2007 - 14:00   ET

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

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: This just into the NEWSROOM. I'm Don Lemon, live at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta, along with Brianna Keilar. We're following a developing story.
Let's take pictures now happening in Ohio.

An inmate there was taken to the hospital, and then held two guards -- a guard and two nurses captive there. Those are pictures coming in from Ohio. Just moments ago, there was a lieutenant form a police department there, and he spoke with me and told me about the circumstances surrounding this.

Let's take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LT. EVERT LAMBERT, HILLIARD, OHIO, POLICE: At this particular time, the subjects is inside the building and the police are -- have the area surrounded.

LEMON: They do have the area surrounded. Tell us the circumstances surrounding this. We're hearing that this inmate was being taken to a hospital, apparently. Was he in a correctional lockup in Youngstown? Correct?

LAMBERT: I have no idea on that part.

LEMON: OK.

What -- describe the area. This is a residential area. Tell us what took place, what you know about the circumstances, the time, how this person got into this home. Tell us what you know, Lieutenant.

LAMBERT: What I -- what I know is he evidently committed several bank robberies within the Hilliard area, east of our city and so forth, ending up on I-70 west bound, exited Hilliard Rome Road (ph), proceeded into our city while being pursued by other law enforcement officials. And at some point in the North Street (ph) and Main Street area, he abandoned his vehicle. Whether it was involved in an accident, I'm not sure, and that's where we're at this particular time.

LEMON: OK, Lieutenant.

We were looking at pictures now of the suspect running through the neighborhood and kicking in this front door, where we saw this person jump out just moments ago. So was this person in custody, or was this a person that had robbed a bank and you were chasing him?

LAMBERT: This particular person as the escapee, and he was being pursued by law enforcement, entered into our city.

LEMON: OK. He was an escapee from previous bank robberies? I just want to get this straight.

LAMBERT: I don't know that. I don't know what he was there for.

LEMON: You said something about bank robberies. I don't know, what was that about?

LAMBERT: There were several committed believed to be this particular subject, and one in Delaware County and one in Upper Arlington.

LEMON: OK. And so this person in custody, and then somehow escaped your -- escaped your custody and escaped your officers there?

LAMBERT: No, no.

LEMON: No? Not at all?

LAMBERT: He was never in custody inside the city of Hilliard. The last time in custody would have been in Youngstown.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: OK. And that was a police lieutenant from the police department there.

Now, take a look at -- this is the suspect, 34-year-old Billy Fitzmorris, who has ties to the Columbus area, we're being told, escaped the hospital while he was under observation. He pulled out a shank -- this according to the latest wires here -- and overpowered a guard, stealing a gun and a uniform.

And then, Brianna, we watched it unfold just moments ago. It was happening as we were doing this live shot and talking to the lieutenant.

This suspect, there he is, running through the neighborhood there.

If we could take that full look.

This is the suspect there on the lift. But this is him running through the neighborhood, believed to be in that white uniform, that -- possibly a guard's uniform. And then he's going to go up to this home and then kick in the door here.

Imagine if you're at home and that happens, right? You hear the helicopters.

And kicking the door. And then the person who is a resident of this home, it is believed, whoever was inside, then opens a window on the second floor roof, sort of jumps out, rolls out of there, and that is police officers -- those are police officers and then S.W.A.T. team members there.

That suspect, at last check, still inside of that home. And just if you're in the area, that home is located in Hilliard, which is a suburb of Columbus, we're being told.

Now, this was -- police said they pursued a Chevy Impala in portions of Upper Arlington and along Interstate 70 before exiting at Hilliard Rome Road (ph). If you're in the area, you know that area. That's where all this is taking place.

A short time later Ohio Savings Bank -- here's what's going on, according to police. This suspect allegedly robbed the First Citizens Bank located at 9595 Sawmill Parkway in Powell. That was at about 12:45 p.m. So this was -- apparently it had something to do -- today, 12:45 p.m.

A short time later, the Ohio Savings Bank. So this is now all clearing this up for us.

Ohio Savings Bank located at 1818 West Lane in Upper Arlington. That was robbed, and they believe Fitzmorris was behind the robbery.

Then they pursued the Impala, and authorities said -- in portions of Upper Arlington. Now, according to police, Fitzmorris was inside this home now. So, I don't know if they had him in custody or what before this, but apparently he robbed these banks, and this all appears to be today.

So, he's inside the home. And if you're in that area, it's located in the 5200 block of Norich Avenue (ph) in Hilliard.

A woman managed to escape, as we said, the home, and she said the man that's believed to be Fitzmorris was the only person inside of that home now, and police are looking for him. So, he has relatives in the Columbus area, he's convicted on a robbery, a burglary, and stolen property charges.

And I think, Brianna, you have some more information for us?

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: That's right. We're understanding from one affiliate that there is no one left in the House. That's what one affiliate is reporting, but another affiliate is reporting that there is one person left in the house.

Now, presumably, that person that we saw jump out of that upstairs window, appeared to be very fearful for her safety, that appeared to be a resident of the house. But at this point we're getting conflicting reports from one affiliate saying there's no one in the house, another affiliate saying there is one person.

LEMON: OK. Here's -- here's the deal here, Brianna.

This person escaped and then robbed these banks. That's what I'm getting, according to all this information here. He escaped and then robbed two banks in his quest to be free. I imagine he wanted the money.

And then it said -- allegedly -- that's according to The Associated Press, and what we're reading here -- he had been held at the correctional center since February 23rd and was taken to the hospital on Saturday for medical treatment. So in that time, presumably, according to The Associated Press, he escaped with the shank, with the uniform, with the gun, and then proceeded again, allegedly, according to The Associated Press, to rob two banks, then run through this neighborhood, then into this home, and causing a person there to jump out of the window. And hopefully that person is OK. We don't have the condition.

But again, as Brianna -- you were saying that everyone appears to be out of the home, so far no injuries.

KEILAR: Well, at this point we're hearing from one affiliate that there is a person at the home, but yet another affiliate saying there is not. So we're looking in to that right now, trying to clear that up.

Right now we're actually following another story in Washington. This is coming out of Seattle, the University of Washington. Two people shot to death.

We understand from the Seattle Fire Department that this is a man and a woman, and local police telling one of our affiliates, KOMO, that this could be a murder-suicide situation, that a weapon was found and it may belong to one of the deceased. Now, people in the building telling people who were in the building at the time of the shooting, which took place about an hour and a half ago, a little over an hour and a half ago, they reported hearing at least two shots.

Medics arrived on the scene at 9:30 a.m. local time. Again, that was about an hour and a half ago, and found these two dead, a man and a woman dead on the University of Washington campus in the architecture building there.

Let's go back to Don.

LEMON: Two developing stories -- actually, three developing stories. This one, of course, coming as a shocker this morning.

Chicago's top cop has taken a beating metaphorically for alleged beatings allegedly doled out from some his fellow officers. Now Phil Cline is retiring a few months ahead of schedule. In today's announcement, Cline didn't address the officer misconduct issues. Instead, he proudly defended the department's rank and file.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SUPT. PHILIP CLINE, CHICAGO POLICE: I've heard many reporters talk about a blue wall or blue line. Well, let me tell you about the blue line.

There is a blue line, and it's the line that Chicago police officers walk every day to separate the criminals from the good citizens. Even though these officers have families themselves, they pin a star on their chest, strap a gun on their hip, and leave their families behind to walk that line.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: CNN's Ed Lavandera following this story, joins us now from Chicago with more on the developments on this story.

Ed, what do you have?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Don.

Well, Superintendent Cline has spent the better part of last week trying to control and squash the anger over these beatings involving several officers in the Chicago Police Department. And even though Superintendent Cline did not say that he was resigning early because of these scandals, he has said over the last few days that he understands that it has cost the reputation of the Chicago Police Department, something that the mayor of this city also acknowledges.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR RICHARD DALEY, CHICAGO: In submitting his resignation, he took responsibility for the incidents of police misconduct that has occurred recently and made it clear to me, as he did to the people of Chicago last week, that he should have acted immediately to discipline officers, that no special treatment should be given to any -- given to protect them. He understands how important it is that the people of our great city trust the police to protect and defend them, and that misconduct needs to be taken seriously and disciplined when it occurs.

He acknowledges that these incidents tarnished the entire department, undermining the painstaking efforts that he's made to deepen the relationship between Chicago police officers and the people of our city to community policing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAVANDERA: And of course that special treatment that Mayor Daley refers to is what many of the critics of the department have been saying over the last week.

For example, in the first case, the videotaped beating where it has been seen over and over the last week or so, that officer was originally charged with a misdemeanor. That has since been upgraded to a felony charge, but on his way into one of his court appearances last week, he was protected by officers and kept away by cameras and reporters.

In the second case that dates back to December, three months ago, in a court hearing this morning the attorney for the four victims in that case acknowledged that they don't even know who the officers they should be questioning are, that those officers involved in that beating haven't been released.

This is just some of the examples that have angered many of the people who have been watching these cases unfold quite closely over the last few weeks -- Don.

LEMON: And Ed, the mayor is saying that this is coming just a little bit earlier, that Phil Cline had planned to retire early, but by all accounts, in living there, Terry Hilliard before him, Phil Cline, very well liked by the police department, and also from the people of Chicago, had very clean records. It just doesn't add up that Phil Cline would retire a year earlier. To me, he strikes me as someone who would want see this through to its fruition.

Is there some sort of back-dealing that we may not be hearing about?

LAVANDERA: You know, perhaps there is. We haven't heard about that just yet, but as you mentioned, this is a man who has spent 39 years, almost four decades, as part of the Chicago Police department. By most accounts, from what I've been able to gather here this morning, this is a man who was well-liked in the department, has been credited with reducing crime in the city, and more specifically, the number of murders and homicides in this city.

So he had been applauded and celebrated because of that. And of course the last week he's spent trying to squash the anger and the frustration over these cases. And whether or not the inability to do that plays into this early resignation is kind of the way I think many people read this, although it hasn't been said officially today. The mayor saying that they had talked about his retirement as long as a year ago, and that the mayor had asked him to stay on through the elections, to stay on board a little bit longer.

LEMON: Yes.

Ed Lavandera following this story.

We thank you so much for your perspective on that.

And we'll talk to "Chicago Sun-Times" columnist Carol Marin. She's been a vocal critic of the police department's history there of dealing with misconduct -- Brianna.

KEILAR: The top Senate Democrat appears to be upping the ante today in a high-stakes standoff over funding America's wars.

Let's go now to Washington, where Lisa Goddard of CNN Radio joins us.

And Lisa, the Senate may be on vacation, but Harry Reid, Senate majority leader, really ratcheting this up a big notch today.

LISA GODDARD, CNN RADIO: That's' right. You have to expect that this is a calculated move by Democrats. They know that the president has threatened a veto against that war spending bill that we talked so much about last week. That has a timeline of withdrawal from the Senate of March 31, 2008.

Now Harry Reid is backing a bill that has that same timeline, but would cut funding after that date. That really adds teeth. Up until now, Senate Democratic leaders have just been recommending that timetable. Now they're saying we would cut off funding in order to end this war -- Brianna.

KEILAR: And what's the timeline on this? When might we see this go for a vote? And if it does go for a vote, is there any chance -- I mean, obviously it's an uphill battle trying to get this bill through the Senate.

GODDARD: That is one of the main questions today. Obviously, this is part of a dance that the Congress and the White House are doing.

In fact, Senate Democrats staffers admitting that they're hoping to negotiate, hoping somehow to convince the White House to agree to them, and they say until the president does veto the first bill, they won't offer this second one on the floor. They're keeping it, if you were, in their back pocket. But if he does veto, let's say even in the next two weeks, they say they're ready to bring this other big to cut funding after next March to the floor, within a week or at latest by Memorial Day.

KEILAR: All right. Lisa Goddard with CNN Radio for us.

Good to see you and not just hear you.

GODDARD: Good to see you.

KEILAR: And as you can imagine, the White House isn't taking the Democratic threat lightly.

Let's go now to CNN's Bob Franken. He just got out of a White House briefing -- Bob.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Brianna, Lisa is right, this is a dance. The problem is, is that both sides here are stomping on each other's feet.

The White House is treating Congress with scorn about its proposals that would come with some sort of timeline on removing U.S. troops from Iraq. The latest is a response to the Harry Reid announcement, and it came from the White House deputy press secretary, Dana Perino.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DANA PERINO, WHITE HOUSE DEPUTY PRESS SECRETARY: There's just these shifting sands when it comes to the Democrats and their decisions. It's almost shifting so fast, it's like a sandstorm.

The -- last Thursday, the Senate Democrats passed a bill that said that -- that mandated our troops leaving within 120 days from last Thursday. Over the weekend, when we said this money is going to run out in April, and he said, oh, no, no, they'll be fine until July, well then what is it? Are you wanting troops to left 120 days from last Thursday, or 120 days from July, or whenever it is that you get this bill to the president's desk? (END VIDEO CLIP)

FRANKEN: The White House is using -- the White House is using a tactic that can best be described when it comes to this debate over Iraq war funding as bad guy and badder guy? The badder guy being Vice President Dick Cheney, who had some scornful remarks of his own in a speech just a few minutes ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICHARD CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: When members of Congress speak not of victory but of time limits, deadlines or other arbitrary measures, they're telling the enemy to simply watch the clock and wait us out. It's time the self-appointed strategists on Capitol Hill understood a very simple concept -- you cannot win a war if you tell the enemy when you're going to quit.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRANKEN: And, of course, that is the whole battle over the Iraq war. But I think that what we really have to remember is this is a war between Democrats and Republicans. Clearly, it's increasing in intensity -- Brianna.

KEILAR: And Bob, the White House also upset with Speaker Pelosi. Obviously, she's in the Middle East. She's going to by meeting with Syrian president Bashar al-Assad this week.

Anything new? Any continuing criticism from the White House on that?

FRANKEN: Well, the continuing criticism comes when reporters ask about the Pelosi trip, and the White House line is it does not do any good when high American officials visit Syria. When somebody asks about various Republicans who make that trip, including a Republican congressional delegation that just came out, the White House says it's the same thing, that right now it is inconsistent with U.S. policy and undermines U.S. interests when high American officials take that trip to Syria.

KEILAR: All right. Bob Franken, live for us there at the White House.

Thanks, Bob.

LEMON: A developing story in the CNN NEWSROOM.

We're going to take you now live to Ohio. Live pictures now of a home that a suspect is believed to be barricaded inside. An armed suspect who escaped from a prison and also possibly robbed several banks on his way to this home.

Details coming up in the CNN NEWSROOM.

And on the ground with General David Petraeus.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEN. DAVID PETRAEUS, CMDR. MULTINATIONAL FORCES, IRAQ: This is an enemy that will -- that will stop at nothing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Our Kyra Phillips and the top U.S. commander in Iraq, touring of one of the most dangerous parts of Baghdad, straight ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM.

KEILAR: Iran claims all of those captive British troops have confessed to trespassing. That's not how the British government sees it. More than a week into the stalemate, what's next?

We're on it in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KEILAR: John McCain in Iraq. The Republican senator and presidential hopeful faced questions there today about his recent claim that there are parts of the Iraqi capital where Americans can walk around freely.

CNN's Kyra Phillips shows us what it's like to walk through one of Baghdad's most treacherous neighborhoods in the company of the senior U.S. commander in Iraq.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): This is one of the most dangerous places in Baghdad.

PETRAEUS: The Dora area is one in which there has been clearly a death squad, as you heard that activity has declined dramatically since the units started the Baghdad security plan but we think they're still there and so they do have to root them out.

PHILLIPS: Rooting out al Qaeda and demolishing torture chambers.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right now we've got three battalions, Iraqi battalions that I've partnered with, two national police and one Iraqi Army.

PHILLIPS: The commander of all U.S. forces in Iraq, General David Petraeus Gets briefed because today, we're going there. Destruction from extremists riddles the Dora market. It's still not safe.

(on camera): You talk about the al Qaeda threat here and yet you're wearing your soft cap. Interesting message you're trying to send.

PETRAEUS: Yeah. I'm very comfortable with these guys. They have got plenty of security around here. We'll be fine. You're not wearing a Kevlar ...

PHILLIPS: Well, if you're comfortable, I'm comfortable.

PETRAEUS: Ruin your hairdo, wont it? It ruins the image.

PHILLIPS (voice-over): Joking aside, because of the death squad that operates here, the area is flooded with security.

LT. SAMIR KHALEL HASSAN (through translator): People were scared of militias in here.

PHILLIPS: Iraqi Army Lieutenant Samir Khalel Hassan tells Petraeus the militias have been brutal but locals are starting to have faith.

(on camera): Does he want to take over the areas and U.S. troops go home?

(voice-over): The lieutenant tells me we're looking for the day that we take over and provide complete security here and do it on their own. Petraeus has these Iraqi forces going through a warrior leader course. They're going to need it.

PETRAEUS: The challenge, then, frankly, will be even suicide vest bombs. This is an enemy that will stop at nothing and we have seen demonstrations of that in recent days.

PHILLIPS: Another tactic insurgents are using to make life unbearable, another tactic Iraqi Lieutenant Colonel Najn Talid Mutlaf (ph) will have to fight in the battle for security.

(on camera): How does he think his men are doing?

(voice-over): The colonel tells me, "We're learning how to execute raids, carry out searches and conduct patrols."

One hundred twenty shops have reopened in the Dora market. There used to be 600. We still need more security, the shop owner tells us then we'll do even better. I just opened today, just get going started getting going.

Petraeus says U.S. troops can't leave Iraq until areas like Dora are secure and self-reliant.

PETRAEUS: We can study language and culture all we want, we are never going to have the feel for it than what a lieutenant colonel like that has right here.

PHILLIPS (on camera): And lieutenant colonel, what does it mean to have General Petraeus here in this market?

(voice-over): "This market was dead in the past and we brought back life," the colonel tells me. "The general is seeing that for himself."

Bringing back life, for now, but like everything in Iraq, the question is, will it last?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KEILAR: Kyra Phillips joining us now live from Baghdad.

And Kyra, Senator John McCain is in Iraq. He actually went to a safer market with General Petraeus, a safer market than the one you went to -- safer than the market that you went to the general with.

What was his security like on his trip?

PHILLIPS: Sure. It's very interesting, and I'll just lay it out and be really blunt.

I mean, we went into one of the most dangerous areas, an area still that a death squad haunts. I mean, there's an al Qaeda cell that is still active in that area.

There used to be 600 shops in that market that we went to. There's only 120 now, because so many of the shop owners are afraid to open up. They still see the violence that's happening there.

And you saw the security. Outer security, inner security, perimeter security -- he had his PSO with him, his personal security officer. I mean, it was intense -- helicopters, Humvees.

So, of course we felt comfortable walking around without a helmet. I mean, we were surrounded by troops.

Now, you take Senator John McCain, who went to a different market, a much safer market. I don't know if you can really call anything completely safe in Iraq, but, yes, a totally different scenario then, the Dora market. And he had the same amount of security -- inner, outer, perimeter, the personal security officer with the general.

So, bottom line is, no matter where you go in this country, if you're with the main guy in Iraq, the man that's in charge of all U.S. forces, you're going to have intense security, period.

KEILAR: And obviously there's a lot of security there that we're note seeing. But what can you tell us? What are you learning about the increase in vest bombs?

PHILLIPS: Well, interesting. Car bombs, of course, that's what's been killing so many people. Car bombs and IEDs -- U.S. troops, innocent Iraqis.

Now, it's not a new threat, it's just a threat that's -- that's been increased, and that's vest bombs. The general was telling me about it there in the Dora area, that that's what they're concerned about next. And then just two days ago, Admiral Mark Fox coming forward saying two of these vest bombs were found in the intensely fortified Green Zone, an area that's supposed to be safe, an area where embassy workers and U.S. military walk freely without weapons.

So, as you can see, whether it's the fortified Green Zone, Baghdad, or the outskirts of Baghdad, you really don't know where that threat is going to come about.

KEILAR: All right. Kyra Phillips live for us in Baghdad.

And we're, of course, always more comfortable, Kyra, when we see you wearing a helmet and some Kevlar. So stay safe out there.

LEMON: All right. Absolutely. I can second that.

It's good to see you, Kyra.

We're going to talk about a developing story now. It's happening in Ohio, specifically a suburb of Columbus -- near Youngstown, actually.

An inmate is believed to be holed up inside of this home. As a matter of fact, we saw him -- you can see him there kicking the door in of this home, and then someone jumping out. A possible resident of the home.

Police are not sure if at this point if there is someone else in this home that he may be holding hostage, but we'll have all the details for your in the CNN NEWSROOM, coming up right after a short break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Hello. I'm Don Lemon, live at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Brianna Keilar.

A pre-trial inmate goes on the lam in Ohio, and now an armed standoff at a suburban Columbus home between police and Billy Jack Fitzmorris (ph). You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

And this is the story we are following, coming out of Hilliard, Ohio. That's a suburb of Columbus, Ohio. We understand this man, this suspect you see on your screen running, is Billy Jack Fitzmorris. A 34-year-old who's an escaped inmate who actually escaped from a hospital and then headed to the Columbus area, about two hours from Youngstown, where he was being held as an inmate.

We understand he broke into this home here. You can see him kicking down the door. This, again, is in Hilliard, Ohio. This is a suburb of Columbus, Ohio, where we understand Fitzmorris does have family members. You can see in this video here, a woman -- apparently a woman who lives in this home that he broke in to, escaping. Clearly fearing for her safety there. We are continuing to follow this story.

But again, this is a 34-year-old inmate who went into the hospital for care and then was able to overpower -- this according to police -- able to overpower an armed guard and escape. And actually we also understand that he allegedly robbed a couple of banks along the way before this standoff occurred here.

Now we're going to bring in, on the phone, we have Tina Creighton. She is from the hospital where Fitzmorris allegedly escaped. She is from St. Elizabeth Hospital Medical Center.

Tina, what can you tell us?

TINA CREIGHTON, ST. ELIZABETH'S HEALTH CENTER: Hi. Good afternoon.

Just that we're, you know, we're glad that it looks like he's on the verge of being apprehended. It's been a scary day for us here.

KEILAR: And what -- can you tell us about the details surrounding the escape? What was he in the hospital for?

CREIGHTON: Well, I can't really -- I'm not at liberty to discuss that. But he was brought here for treatment and, you know, as you had said, he escaped.

KEILAR: Was he brought -- now, was he brought for treatment today, or had he been at the hospital for a prolonged period of time?

CREIGHTON: That I'm not sure of.

KEILAR: OK. And can you tell us any of the details around the escape? What kind of security he had?

CREIGHTON: Well, you know, all that we pretty much know is what the police -- I believe you've gotten from the police, is that he, you know, overcame the guard. It was a corrections guard from the prison. And took the uniform and the weapon and made his escape.

KEILAR: All right. Tina Creighton from St. Elizabeth Hospital Medical Center, thank you for chatting with us on the phone.

And we'll continue to follow this story. Again, this is a 34- year-old suspect, Billy Jack Fitzmorris, who allegedly, we believe, is still holed up in this home here in a suburb of Columbus, Ohio. This being Hilliard, Ohio, where we understand he sort of ran away from Youngstown, Ohio, because he had family in the Columbus area.

LEMON: Yes, we're going to continue to follow that story. And also we've been following this story.

Presidential contenders are releasing the fund-raising totals that they've had. The first quarter of the year so far. John McCain just released his. As you know, he has been touring Iraq there and making news there. $12.5 million in the first quarter for John McCain. As we said earlier, Senator Clinton really the one on top with $26 million, plus $10 more million that she moved over from her off Senate campaign. And then Mitt Romney, $23 million, which was surprising there. So Senator John McCain, who's in Iraq now, touring there, $12.5 million in the first quarter.

Another developing story happening here right now. Chicago's top cop announced today he is stepping down. Superintendent Phil Cline thanked the department's rank and file for putting their lives on the line on a daily basis. What he didn't do was address the controversy over two alleged incidents of officer misconduct that put civilian's lives at risk.

"The Chicago Sun-Times" Carol Marin has written some blisters columns, always fair though, about the dealing with the bad cops and she joins us now from Chicago.

It's good to see you. Wish it was under better circumstances than this, Carol.

CAROL MARIN, "CHICAGO SUN-TIMES" COLUMNIST: Hello, Don.

LEMON: What is going on there?

MARIN: What's going on is, this videotape that has been seen around the world of an off-duty cop beating a female bartender has resonated, has created shockwaves in Chicago and well beyond Chicago. As a consequence of that video, there is question of how well the Chicago police responded, whether officers sort of closed ranks and defended one of their own, whether this officer was initially charged properly only with a misdemeanor, and so forth. And then when he went to court, officers created a kind of blockade so that he couldn't be seen by the media. All of that's created just an enormous storm. But I don't think that it is the entire total story of what's happened in the Chicago Police Department.

LEMON: What do you mean by that? What do you mean it's not the entire, total story. Tell me about that, Carol.

MARIN: For a long time, the Chicago department has had both a distinguished history and a problematic history, in that a minority of officers, and no one quarrels with the notion that it's a minority, have engaged from the 1970s, until the 1990s, in systematic torture, white cops on black suspects, to get them to confess. As a result, a number of convicted death-row inmates were released by a former governor. There have been other police scandals. And there is one looming right now in the special operations section of the Chicago Police Department, which is sometimes referred to -- S.O.S. is referred to the "sons of supervisors." It's a question of whether they had a lot of political connections to get the jobs that they had. And so I think there are multiple questions here about officers, however small in number, who are allowed to operate as rogues.

LEMON: Now, Carol, and I remember, this was just back at the end of last year, just before I left Chicago, you broke that story about the "sons of supervisors." Eight people so far are indicated in this. How many have been convicted or indicted in this? Is it seven or so?

MARIN: Seven have been indicted, Don, and there is an expectation that it will climb the ranks. There are some reports, and fairly credible reports I think, that this may involve some command staffs, a lieutenant, a sergeant potentially. So this is looming as a larger controversy. And a lot of this is what Phil Cline had to contend with.

You know, Phil Cline is a career cop of 37 years. And the pity of this is that a career might be remember only in terms of these latest moments. He really has had a distinguished career as a narcotics officer, in the patrol division, in the detective division, shutting down open-air drug markets in Chicago, lowering the murder rate. So he has had far more successes than failures.

LEMON: Yes, Carol, take a listen to this and then we'll talk about it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SUPT. PHILIP CLINE, CHICAGO POLICE: I've heard many reporters talk about a blue wall or blue line. Well, let me tell you about the blue line. There is a blue line. And it's the line that Chicago police officers walk every day to separate the criminals from the good citizens. Even though these officers have families themselves, they pin a star on their chest, strap a gun on their hip, and leave their families behind to walk that line.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Now, Mayor Daley is say he did not pressure Phil Cline to resign. And as you said, Phil Cline very liked, as was Terry Hillard before him, well liked there. Then Phil Cline strikes me as someone who would want to follow this to fruition. And it's actually surprising to me and many in Chicago that, I think, that he's resigning.

MARIN: Well, he wanted to retire a year ago and the mayor urged him not to pending the upcoming mayoral elections. So, in fact, Cline was really asking to retire earlier. And he has had a long career. But he stayed, got hit with this circumstance. And when you say, Don, to respond to that, the superintendent's right, there is a thin blue line of excellent, men and women, who put their lives at risk every day. But there is also, and what we've seen in this off-duty cop beating story, again, the resurgence of the question of that blue wall of silence among some officers who still appeared to have protected this one.

LEMON: All right. Carol Marin, "Sun-Times" columnist, thank you so much for joining today in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'd love to talk replacements with you, but unfortunately we're running out of time. So we'll have to do that offline, Carol. Thank you.

MARIN: All right, Don, thank you.

KEILAR: Iran claims all of those captive British troops have confessed to trespassing, but that's not how the British government sees it. More than a week into the stalemate, what's next. We're on it in the CNN NEWSROOM.

LEMON: And also happening now in Ohio, inside this home, right there to your left, that is a suspect, an inmate, who kicks in the door, goes inside, causing one of the residents to jump out of the window. Police say he is armed and dangerous, carrying a shank, possibly, and a gun. Details on this developing story, straight ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) LEMON: A developing story in the CNN NEWSROOM. Live pictures now out of Hilliard, Ohio. A suspect is holed up in a home after escaping from a hospital. You can see the end of that chase as that suspect runs out of the car, the Chevy Impala he was driving, runs through a neighborhood and then runs into a home.

How did he get inside? He kicked down the front door, which you will see in a second. He kicks in the front door and then runs into the home. The person who was at home at the time, not happy about that. Apparently either ran upstairs or was up there, jumps out of the second floor window. Waiting at the bottom there on the ground, police and S.W.A.T. team members, which whisks this person to safety. We're not exactly sure of the condition of that person.

The person who is believed to be the suspect, 34-year-old Billy Fitzmorris. Not sure if there are any other people inside of the home, but there is a standoff between police and Fitzmorris now. He escaped from officers there at a hospital. Now there are reports that he possibly robbed several banks on his way to this home. We'll continue to follow this story as it happens throughout the day right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

KEILAR: Iran calls them confessions. Britain calls it coercion. One thing's for sure, the 15 British troops that Iran seized more than a week ago are getting a lot of air time. Here's CNN's Matthew Chance from London.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: With the broadcast of these latest television images on Iranian state television, Iranian officials say that all 15 of the British marines and sailors that were held captive by them have now confessed to trespassing in Iranian territorial waters and have apologized for it, even though, of course, the circumstances of those confessions have been heavily criticized by the British authorities. Britain says that it won't let these stage- managed displays deter it from trying to find a diplomatic solution to this to get them released.

There has been some quite interesting comments from the Iranians, though, on the diplomatic front. They say that because of certain positive steps that Britain has taken, they'll no longer be broadcasting confession video like this. It's not been made clear what steps those may have been. But certainly it has renewed hopes that the quiet diplomacy that's been going on between Iran and Britain since the beginning of this crisis may actually now produce some kind of tangible results.

Matthew Chance, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KEILAR: Rocks, fire crackers and demands. Iranian students were armed with all three when they protested outside the British embassy in Tehran over the weekend. They threw rocks, they lit fire crackers and they demanded that London apologize. No reports of injuries or damage.

LEMON: All right, we're taking you now to the scene of another developing story. This time it is Las Vegas. Pictures courtesy of KVBC. Three people injured here in what is believed to be a gas explosion at the Sky Hotel. It was on the fourth floor. Three people injured, one burned. You can see one of the victims there being carried to the ambulance.

This is happening, again, in Las Vegas. If you know Las Vegas, these are pictures happening right now. The Sky Hotel. There was a gas explosion there not very long ago where three people were injured. This gas explosion took place, according to the Associated Press, on the fourth floor of this hotel. You can see now the rescue workers there on the scene, including some police officers and a very small crowd gathered there.

But again, picture from Las Vegas live. At least three people hurt in a gas explosion at the Sky Hotel. As soon as we get more information on this story, we'll continue to update you on this, as well as other developing stories right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

KEILAR: And coming up straight ahead, more on our developing story coming out of Ohio. Prison officials and police say an escaped inmate robbed a couple of bank and then broke into a home. A home where somebody was home in a suburb of Columbus. We'll have more coming up.

LEMON: And this is a very strange story. A Michigan mom is in cuffs. She denies it, but police say the woman offered her seven- year-old daughter up for sex and porn.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She had indicated very clearly that that child would do whatever it was that the person that was going to meet the child wanted to do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: If true, could this be the mother of all crimes? Straight ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: An armed, escaped prisoner holed up inside a home, possibly with hostages. Let's join our affiliate coverage now of WCMH in Columbus.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are probably 20 minutes behind.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. So in about 20 minutes it will be lifted? Is that correct?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, no. No.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm sorry. No. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have already started dismissal at the secondary buildings. But because we were delayed, all kids can expect to be about 20 minutes behind their normal schedule. So parents can expect the kids at their bus stops probably 20 minutes behind when they normally would arrive.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, Carrie (ph), that is great news. Anything else that you'd like to share with us concerning this and the Hilliard City Schools?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Only that again, safety for our children is our first concern and we've made sure that that happened today.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Carrie, thanks so much for joining us today. We appreciate it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right. As you're looking at live pictures of one of the Hilliard area schools just a moment ago.

It all began earlier today with this man, 34-year-old Billy Fitzmorris. He is an escapee. He apparently overpowered a hospital armed guard on Monday. Earlier today, he held two nurses and several prison workers in the room hostage. Then he escaped on foot with a weapon and he actually changed clothes. He put on the clothes of the guards uniform. Then he made his way to central Ohio where he is accused of robbing two Columbus area banks and then finally a foot chase which led to the barricade situation. There you see the suspect in the white shirt fleeing on foot from the authorities.

And let me describe this area here. From the chopper it looks like this is residential. Like these are homes. Well, so many times the homes can be turned into business. This is a business that he's entering right here, as he forces his way in through the front door, just kicks his ways through the front door.

Now there are workers in here. Watch in the second-floor windows on the left side. The window goes up. And one of the employees is on the roof. She finally makes her way safely. There is authorities surround the outs, but apparently there's still one employee who is still being held hostage upstairs.

Here S.W.A.T. is surrounding the structure right now and then they will finally, they will actually enter the structure. They went through the first floor. They cleared the first floor. There was no one there. They cleared the basement. And what we found out was that the suspect is held up on the second floor with one of the employees. And we are told by -- or actually the authorities told our Nancy Burton (ph) that negotiations continue at this hour and they described the negotiations as, "going along very well."

We're going to go live to Patrick Preston (ph) on the phone now.

Patrick, what can you tell us? PATRICK PRESTON: I just spoke to the resident agent in charge, who is from the ATF here. His name's Wayne Dixie (ph). He says he's trying to maintain a sense of calmness here throughout this whole process as we await the next step. But he says that the first floor is cleared, as Nancy had reported as well.

And they do believe there's only one person on the upstairs floor. Again, from talking to somebody who says they've worked with people who were at that business location, an accounting firm, they believe that person -- they know who that person is. They believe that that person is somebody who's at the business quite often and would have reason to be there today, and are praying for their safety to make sure that they come out of this situation unharmed, the situation come to an end. Police are filtering coming and going, really just in a standstill moment, I guess you could say, trying to get a sense as far as when this might come to an end, trying to make sure that everybody stays in as very confined area so that nobody is exposed to any of the sightlines between where we are on Norwitch (ph) Street and the house.

But there is a sense of calmness, even among the officers walking around. And the perception that this will end peacefully. They don't want to incite any kind of a panic on their part or on the part of anybody who is inside the house right now. They want to continue . . .

LEMON: You're listening to our affiliate coverage there from Columbus, Ohio, WCMH. This is happening in Hilliard, Ohio. Police, as you heard from the reporters there, are negotiating with an escaped prisoner who is armed. He also had a shank and a gun, and also stole a prison correction officer uniform. So he's inside of what we thought was a home. We're getting word now that it's a business and he may have one person still inside. One person we saw jump out earlier. That is the suspect, Billy Jack Fitzmorris, 34-years-old. Continuing coverage throughout the day.

KEILAR: Also ahead here in the CNN NEWSROOM, we told you earlier about an American citizen missing in Iran. The U.S. State Department is investigating that an American citizen is missing from the Iranian island of Kish. We now understand that this man is former FBI. We're going to have more from CNN's Zain Verjee straight ahead here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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