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Duke Lacrosse Charges; Allegations Against Iran; Rutgers Women's Basketball Team to Meet With Don Imus
Aired April 11, 2007 - 11:00 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.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, everybody. I'm Heidi Collins.
Developments keep coming in to the NEWSROOM on this Wednesday, April 11th.
Here's what's on the rundown.
They were branded rapists. Now the case against three former Duke lacrosse players may have crumbled. North Carolina's attorney general plans an announcement in just hours.
HARRIS: A cancer diagnosis for Republican Fred Thompson. What will it mean for his possible run for the White House?
COLLINS: Don Imus already losing three big advertisers following his on-air racial remark. Radio talk show host Frank Ski weighs in, in this hour in the NEWSROOM.
HARRIS: And at the top this hour, the Duke lacrosse scandal. Thirteen months after a stripper accused three players of rape, an announcement could implode the case that divided a community. That announcement now scheduled later today.
CNN's Jason Carroll is in Raleigh, North Carolina, with the latest.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The North Carolina State Attorney General's Office confirms that they will hold a press conference at 2:30. During that press conference, they will make their announcement. Defense attorneys telling us they believe all charges against all three players, Reade Seligmann, Collin Finnerty, and Dave Evans, will be dropped.
What they are trying to determine at this point is how the attorney general's office decides to drop those charges. In other words, will they come out with a strong exoneration of all three players, or will they come out with what the defense would deem as a weaker announcement, a weaker decision, in saying something like, we can't find any evidence at this time beyond a reasonable doubt to show that a crime was committed? If they come out with what the defense sees as the weaker presentation, they will hold a press conference where they will put on a PowerPoint presentation where they will show a timeline which will indicate, at least in their eyes, why these boys could not have committed this particular crime.
At this point, all three players are here in Raleigh awaiting the decision. Again, that decision expected to come down at 2:30.
We will be here awaiting that decision.
Jason Carroll, CNN, Raleigh, North Carolina.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS: The U.S. military leveling serious allegations against Iran about actions in Iraq.
Live to our Pentagon correspondent now, Barbara Starr.
Barbara, what's being said now today?
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Heidi, good morning to you.
We've heard a lot in the past about allegations of Iran's involvement in the war in Iraq. But earlier today, Major General William Caldwell, the top U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad, had a press conference and had some new information to offer.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAJ. GEN. WILLIAM CALDWELL, SPOKESMAN, MULTINATIONAL FORCE, IRAQ: The fact that we know they are being manufactured and smuggled into this country, and we know that training does go on in Iran for people to learn how to assemble them and how to employ them, and we know that training has gone on as recently as this past month from detainee debriefs.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR: Heidi, General Caldwell there of course referring to the allegations that Iran is shipping those advanced IEDs, advanced roadside bombs into Iraq that are killing U.S. troops, saying that recent information from detainees indicates some of that training to use those EFPs has taken place as recently as the last month inside Iran -- inside Iran -- Heidi.
COLLINS: Barbara, interestingly, you said this information coming to us from detainees. Is it safe to assume that still getting a lot of information about the goings on in Iraq from those detainees?
STARR: They are indeed. General Caldwell went on to say, in fact, that recent interrogations of detainees that they have captured, at least two of them now say that they have received their training inside Syria. That, of course, would be very unsettling to the United States. Very recent information coming in.
And he also had another new tidbit, if you will, to offer. General Caldwell saying that they have new information emerging that Iran is now supporting some Sunni extremist groups. That would be an expansion perhaps of Iran's involvement. Up until now, their support has largely been for the Shia groups -- Heidi.
COLLINS: All right. CNN Pentagon Correspond Barbara Starr.
Barbara, thank you.
HARRIS: The battle over paying for the Iraq war is intensifying. Top Democrats in Congress turning now to President Bush's offer to meet about a $123 billion spending bill.
The president says he will veto any bill setting a timetable for troop withdrawal. The White House adding that a meeting would not be an opportunity to compromise, but Democrats want to negotiate.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA), HOUSE SPEAKER: The president wants a blank check, and the Democrats will not give it to him. Contrary to what the president is saying, Democrats are accountable, and we want to hold the administration accountable as well. They want a blank check for a war. They've walked away from their own -- their own benchmarks.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: President Bush is meeting this morning with a group of lawmakers, both Democrats and Republicans who have just returned from Iraq.
COLLINS: More fallout from those racially-charged remarks by radio shock-jock Don Imus. Several advertisers on his show say they are pulling their commercials. Office supply chain Staples, Procter & Gamble and the Bigelow Tea company are dropping their Imus sponsorships for now.
The Rutgers University women's basketball team agreed to a private meeting with Imus. They say they want to know what prompted his hurtful description of the Big East champions and NCAA runner-ups. MSNBC and CBS Radio slapped a two-week suspension on Imus starting on Monday.
HARRIS: At the center of the Don Imus firestorm, the Rutgers women's basketball team.
CNN's Alina Cho went to the university's campus to find out more about them.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): As a team, these 10 women achieved what few thought they could. Individually, they're remarkable, too.
C. VIVIAN STRINGER, RUTGERS UNIVERSITY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL COACH: ... valedictorians of their class, future doctors, musical prodigies. And yes, even Girl Scouts.
CHO: Myia "The Fire" McCurdy is still a Girl Scout, and a tough cookie on the court.
Brittany "The Brain" Ray wants to be an orthopedic surgeon, and has basketball is in her blood. Her brother plays for the Boston Celtics.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Good morning, everyone.
CHO: Kia Vaughn didn't start playing until high school. She grew up not far from Yankee Stadium with seven younger brothers.
HEATHER ZURICH, RUTGERS GUARD: Kia is the big sister you never had but always wanted, and Piph will make an unbelievable lawyer one day.
CHO: In fact, Piph Prince is such an inspiration, her mother and grandmother decided to enroll in college after she did.
Dee Dee Jernigan recently lost her mother. Her dream is to be a dentist.
And Matee Ajavon, she's the team clown, otherwise known as "The Ice Breaker".
ESSENCE CARSON, RUTGERS WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM CAPTAIN: She can just spit out a joke, and it just breaks the ice.
CHO: That's team captain Essence Carson, a gifted musician who plays four instruments. Carson calls her teammates her sisters, a family that is colorblind.
CARSON: Just as much as I was hurt, Heather Zurich, she was just as hurt. Katie Adams was just as hurt. They cried just like we cried.
CHO: And around campus...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They're well respected and they're a great team.
CHO: A great team that wants to be remembered for what they do and not what someone said.
Alina Cho, CNN, Piscataway, New Jersey.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: Let's get another check of weather now.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HARRIS: News now about a popular actor who may be making a bid for the presidency. A source close to Fred Thompson tells CNN the "Law & Order" actor has been diagnosed with lymphoma. That is a cancer that affects the immune system.
The source tells us the cancer is treatable in Thompson. The Republican is serious about the next steps toward a presidential run.
COLLINS: Hateful words from a man who thrives on shock, but how do they play among young African-Americans? We'll talk to the host of a top urban radio show. Frank Ski in the NEWSROOM.
HARRIS: Face the facts. A new campaign to open your eyes before you open your mouth. That story ahead in the NEWSROOM.
COLLINS: Valuable loot. Convenience store robbers opened fire on a pursuing clerk just protecting the candy -- in the NEWSROOM.
HARRIS: Circumventing sanctions. How Halliburton got around the rules to do business in Iran. That story coming up in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(NEWSBREAK)
HARRIS: Halliburton says it's finished phasing out work in Iran. But what was the company doing there in the first place?
CNN's Tom Foreman reports.
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): American companies and citizens cannot legally do business with Iran. It is forbidden under the U.S. government's economic sanctions against that country, but Halliburton got around that problem by using a foreign subsidiary, which they own. And that's why critics say Halliburton was relying on a loophole.
CHARLIE CRAY, DIR. CENTER FOR CORPORATE POLICY: Well, Halliburton set up this bogus brass plate subsidiary in the Caymans in order to effectively say that they had this company that was incorporated offshore.
FOREMAN: Halliburton was subpoenaed by the government in 2004 over transactions with Iran. Its subsidiary provided about 30 million to $40 million worth of services to Iran each year, but Halliburton says that's only one percent of its overall business. It maintains the subsidiary's work in Iran complied with U.S. law and was carried out by non-American personnel. Halliburton has not reported any further investigative activity, but at least one senator still wants to close the loophole that Halliburton used.
SEN. FRANK LAUTENBERG (D), NEW JERSEY: This should have been done some time ago, during the time that they were helping Iran increase its revenues. Helping them produce their oil.
FOREMAN: The issue has become political in part because when Vice President Dick Cheney was head of Halliburton, he opposed the sanctions on Iran, saying quote, "we're kept out of there primarily by our own government. I think that's a mistake." But asked about it in a 2004 debate, the vice president seemed to reverse himself, saying he supports U.S. sanctions on Iran.
RICHARD CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: At the time I was talking specifically about this question of unilateral sanctions.
FOREMAN: Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS: They may have come for the cash, but they took the candy and left bullets.
Melissa McCrady of affiliate WTMJ explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MELISSA MCCRADY, REPORTER, WTMJ (voice over): Take a look at your screen. Watch as this man grabs armfuls of candy, then runs. The store clerk chases after him until the man pulls out a gun and fires.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know, he hit me just on my pants.
MCCRADY: Clerk Merat Nukom (ph) showed me where a bullet grazed his pant leg.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Lucky time, I guess. You know.
MCCRADY (on camera): You got lucky, huh?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
MCCRADY (voice over): Nukom (ph) says the two men walked into the store around 10:00 on Sunday night. He thought the men were stealing, so from a switch behind the bulletproof glass, he locked the door and told the man to empty his pockets. But the man's partner had other ideas.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He hit it two or three times. After that, automatic lock broke.
MCCRADY: Here, he runs back inside, grabs candy and runs, with Nukom (ph) right behind him.
(on camera): Did you know he had a gun before you chased after him?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No. Didn't see before.
MCCRADY (voice over): Not until after the man turned and fired, nearly hitting him Nukom (ph).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Obviously, it is a scare, you know. And (INAUDIBLE).
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS: The clerk says he learned his lesson. He'll never chase another robber.
HARRIS: Commander in chief countdown. Time stands still for no president. Keeping track of the ticking, in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: What you know about what you eat. The American Heart Association ratcheting up its campaign against trans fats. As you may remember, those are the fats that are especially harmful to your heart.
The latest weapon in the battle, a Web site that includes a special calculator. It's called "My Fat Translator". You punch in your age, gender, height, weight and level of physical activity. It then determines your daily limit for fats.
If you want to do this, the address of that Web site is heart.org/facethefats.
Get it?
To get your "Daily Dose" of health news online, you can log on to our Web site. You'll find the latest medical news, a health library, and information on diet and fitness. The address is cnn.com/health.
HARRIS: Presidential critics waiting no time in getting the message across. In fact, making every second count.
CNN's Jeannie Moos reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): You can count down to the new year. You can countdown to liftoff.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Two, one...
MOOS: But if the Bush administration has you down, here's a countdown designed to bring your spirits up.
The Backwards Bush Clock was dreamed up by Vince Ponzo and his fiancee right after the president's re-election.
VINCE PONZO, BACKWARDSBUSHCLOCK.COM: We were pretty much heartbroken by the fact that...
MEREDITH STRICKER, BACKWARDSBUSHCLOCK.COM: Depressed, disappointed. PONZO: ... he had gotten re-elected.
MOOS: So why not count down the days, the hours, the minutes until President Bush leaves office?
(on camera): Wow, down to the tenth of a second?
PONZO: Yes.
MOOS (voice-over): There is a wall clock, a desk clock and most popular of all...
PONZO: That's a key chain.
MOOS: ... they dropped their countdown key chain off at "The Colbert Report," in the same night, the host showed it on the air. Bill and Hillary Clinton received them. A congressman handed them out on the Capitol floor. And the other night, Senator Barack Obama mentioned them when David Letterman asked him about the endless presidential campaign.
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-IL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: These give out these key chains that have a countdown on how many days are left in the Bush administration, which I used to think was really funny until I realized that's how long I have to campaign.
(LAUGHTER)
MOOS: How you look at time ticking backwards depends on your point of view. Mayor Michael Bloomberg has a backwards clock in New York City Hall that says, "make every day count." And White House chief of staff Josh Bolten has handed out similar clocks to remind everyone not to waste the administration's remaining time.
Vince Ponzo has sold almost 100,000 key chains. At about $9 a pop, he doesn't consider it disrespectful.
PONZO: It's more of a coping mechanism.
MOOS: Their customers asked for a new design on the key chain. STRICKER: They didn't want to look at his face every day.
PONZO: Or more specifically, a smiling Bush.
STRICKER: A smiling Bush face.
MOOS: So here is the redesign. Vince left his job as a V.P. at a bank to work out of a New York apartment selling backwards Bush key chains over the Internet.
STRICKER: And we are really having a party when that gets down to zero.
PONZO: Yes, when that gets downs to zero.
STRICKER: People have asked us, you know, will it explode? MOOS: Explode, no, but if time doesn't fly when you eye a regular clock, well, maybe time will fly for a lame duck whose days are literally numbered, 650 and counting, until the sun sets on the Bush White House.
Jeannie Moos, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: Painful words to a man who thrives on shock. But how do they play among young African-Americans? We will talk to the host of a top urban radio show. Frank Ski coming up in the NEWSROOM.
COLLINS: The art of the apology. Is there a right and wrong way to say you're sorry? Find out in the NEWSROOM.
HARRIS: The surge in Iraq, now a spike in American debt. Is that the price of success? That's ahead in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: And good morning again, everyone. Welcome to the CNN NEWSROOM.
I'm Tony Harris.
COLLINS: And I'm Heidi Collins.
Some news to tell you about coming out of Michigan today.
HARRIS: Yes. We want to take to you pictures out of Troy, Michigan, and in that courtroom where an arraignment will begin shortly. It may actually be under way for Anthony LaCalamita. You may remember he was recently -- he is the recently-fired accountant who has been charged with murder just a couple of days ago.
Here in the NEWSROOM we brought you pictures and the scene live right here. He is charged with the murder of 38-year-old -- he is 38 years old and he is charged with first degree murder in the death of Madeline Kafoury. She was a receptionist at the firm where the fatal shooting took place.
He is also charged with two counts in attempted murder in the shooting of two other people at that building at that time. Other charges he is facing include three counts of possession of a firearm and one count fleeing and eluding police. Maybe just a moment to listen in. Do we have sound on this?
We are going to listen in just a moment.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This witness also knew LaCalamita as an ex- co-worker and indicated they (INAUDIBLE) observe speaking with Madeline Kafoury, LaCalamita was holding a long gun alongside his leg. The gun was beneath the level of the reception desk and likely not visible to Ms. Kafoury. It appears that at some point Madeline Kafoury left the area of the reception desk. LaCalamita then passed by the reception desk and entered into the office area of Gordon Advisers. LaCalamita entered the office of the first victim Mr. Alan Steinberg. Mr. Steinberg knows LaCalamita personally and recognized LaCalamita as he entered the office space.
LaCalamita was holding a shotgun in his hands. LaCalamita asked Mr. Steinberg if he wanted to get shot. Victim Steinberg noticed that LaCalamita was beginning to close the door to the office. Mr. Steinberg began to stand up when LaCalamita again asked him if he wanted to get shot. LaCalamita then told Steinberg to sit down.
Mr. Steinberg stated that LaCalamita then racked the shell into the chamber of the shotgun. At that point LaCalamita began to point the shotgun at Mr. Steinberg. Mr. Steinberg used his left arm in an attempt to push the barrel of the shotgun away from him. LaCalamita fired the shotgun, striking Mr. Steinberg in the hip area.
The (INAUDIBLE) pellets from the shotgun blast passed through Mr. Steinberg's body. Mr. Steinberg fell to the floor and screamed that he had been shot. LaCalamita then left victim Steinberg's office and traveled down the hallway and around the corner. Steinberg (sic) then approached the office of Mr. Paul Riva.
Upon reaching Paul Riva's office, LaCalamita was met at the doorway to Paul Riva's office by Madeline Kafoury. A nearby witness heard a male voice say, "good-bye, Paul." at least two shots rang out. Madeline Kafoury was struck in the midsection of her body by the first shotgun blast. She fell to the floor and died from her wounds.
LaCalamita then fired one round at Paul Riva as Riva stood in his office. The shotgun blast struck victim Riva in the upper chest area. Riva passed over the body of Madeline Kafoury, exiting the office and collapsed just outside the office.
Numerous people who were once co-workers with LaCalamita observed LaCalamita exit Suite 200 and walk down the hallway towards the lobby. LaCalamita was seen to rack another round into the shotgun as he walked down the hallway.
Two witnesses observed LaCalamita enter a silver vehicle that was parked in front of the building. LaCalamita was still carrying the weapon. Both witnesses attempted to record the license plate on the fleeing vehicle. The license plates that the witnesses recorded were very close to the actual plate letters and numbers assigned to LaCalamita's vehicle, but were slightly incorrect.
Detroit police dispatch sent out (INAUDIBLE) messages regarding the suspect and the suspect vehicle, along with the correct plate. The information was also released to the local media. At approximately 12:21 p.m. on that same day, a motorist who had heard the information on his radio observed the suspect vehicle traveling north on I-75 near Pearson (ph) Road in Genesee (ph) County.
That motorist contact the Genesee County sheriff's department and reported his observations. Deputies from Genesee County observed the vehicle as it passed Vienna (ph) Road. Deputies got behind the vehicle and activated their emergency lights and sirens on their marked patrol vehicle.
At that point the silver Ford Fusion with license plate Boy Edward Young 0843 accelerated and fled from the deputies. That license plate registered to Anthony LaCalamita. The deputies pursued the vehicle through three counties at speeds of excess of 100 miles per hour.
The Michigan State Police joined in the pursuit and the suspect was ultimately stopped and apprehended in Bay (ph) County by officers from both agencies. The driver of the vehicle was identified as Anthony LaCalamita.
Inside the vehicle, officers recovered a Remington 12 gauge shotgun and 12 gauge ammunition. The ammunition was identical to shells located at the scene of the shooting. Some of the recovered ammunition was on LaCalamita's person.
Genesee County Deputies supplied Troy investigators with the serial numbers on the recovered shotgun. Troy investigators learned that LaCalamita had purchased the shotgun on Friday, April 6th, 2007 in Royal Oak (ph). Purchase records revealed that the shotgun that was purchased by LaCalamita April 6th was the same shotgun recovered in LaCalamita's vehicle after the pursuit.
On April 9th, 2007, Troy officers executed search warrant on LaCalamita's home in Troy. Officers located the receipt for the purchase of the shotgun, as well as the empty shotgun box.
Your honor, as of this morning, Victim Alan Steinberg and Paul Riva continue their struggle to survive the wounds suffered when each was shot at close range by Anthony LaCalamita. Victim Madeline Kafoury passed away at the scene of the assault due to the wounds suffered after being shot by Mr. LaCalamita.
Your honor, the facts of this investigation were presented to Oakland County prosecutor's office for review. It was a decision of the prosecutor's office to issue a seven-count warrant -- request for warrant charging Anthony LaCalamita III with the following crimes.
Count one, first degree murder for the death of Madeline Kafoury. Count two, possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Count three, assault with intent to murder for the shooting of Paul Riva. Count four, possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Count five, assault and attempt to murder for the shooting of Alan Steinberg. Count six, possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony. And count seven, fleeing and eluding, fourth degree.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The court is satisfied that probable cause has been demonstrated with this man.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you, your honor.
HARRIS: OK. Just want to -- let's keep those pictures up as we sort of recap what has been difficult to watch. An emotional scene in that courtroom this morning.
COLLINS: Boy, I guess so. It's interesting because when we brought this to the viewers on Monday, you know, it's just impossible to know what's going on in there. But the thing that was most frightening was, they didn't know where the suspect was and they were slowly evacuating the building and slowly securing it floor by floor.
Then we brought up our affiliate coverage, which I can't remember exactly which one it was, WDIV, possibly. But anyway, they had a gentleman on the phone who was still in the building barricaded with several other people on the third floor. It took quite a while, more than 50 minutes, I remember us saying, to get that building actually secure. Come to find out he had already left.
You heard this person say here, prosecutors saying that they chased him at speeds of 100 miles per hour until they got the suspect there that you see, Anthony LaCalamita, recently fired from that building there on the right.
HARRIS: And so you've been watching the arraignment this morning. The listing of the charges. He's 38 years old, the suspect there in your picture on the left. Charged with first degree murder in the death of Madeline Kafoury. She was a receptionist at this accounting firm where the shooting took place.
Let's listen in.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Anthony LaCalamita.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sir, you have been charged in this matter with seven counts. Count one is homicide, murder in the first degree, premeditated. Do you understand that? That a yes?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Punishable by life in prison. Do you understand that?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Counts two, four and six are felony possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Do you understand that?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That is punishable by two years in prison, consecutive with and preceding the term of imprisonment with the associated felony. Count two would be two years before you start serving your life term. You would have to do the two years. Do you understand that?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Count three and five is assault with intent to murder. Do you understand that? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Count three pertains to Paul Riva. And count five pertains to Alan Steinberg. Do you understand that?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The associated possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony would be counts four and six that go with the two preceding counts, do you understand that?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Count seven is fleeing a police officer, it's a two-year felony and/or $2,000 fine. Do you understand that?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now the rights you have in this matter sir, you have the right to an attorney to represent you. If you are indigent and without funds, the court will appoint one to represent you. You are entitled to a public and speedy trial before a judge and jury. At that trial could you compel witnesses to come in and testify on your behalf.
You or your attorney could question or confront those witnesses testifying against you. You could testify. You could remain silent. If you elected not to testify, that fact will not be used against you. You are presumed to be innocent until you have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Do you understand all those rights, sir?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm going to enter a not guilty plea on your behalf, sir. And set this matter for a preliminary exam on April 19th in the year 2007 at 8:30 in the morning in front of Judge Doury (ph) in the courtroom next door. Do you understand that, sir?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Could you repeat that date again, please?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. The date of the preliminary exam will be April 19th, 2007. Do you understand that?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At 8:30 in the morning. Now as to bond.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If I may, your honor?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, you may, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Robert Melby (ph) on behalf of the people. The court has heard the facts as stated by Sergeant Whiteside. The defendant is obviously a danger to the community and also a flight risk. It's appropriate in this case that no bond -- the court set no bond in this matter and remand him to the Oakland County Jail. Thank you, your honor.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sir, is there anything you care to tell me about the bond situation?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right. I'm going to appoint a public defender to represent you. And what we are going to do is -- I'm not going to post a bond -- set a bond in this matter. MCI (ph) 61106 (ph) sets forth the conditions.
COLLINS: So there you have it, the judge now deciding no bond will be set for the suspect here, Anthony LaCalamita, after the events that happened just two days ago in Troy, Michigan, about 15 miles north of Detroit where we showed you those pictures of an accounting office.
He is apparently recently fired from that building and from that workplace. Seven counts now against him of going in and allegedly shooting and killing Madeline Kafoury and two other people who were injured, Paul Riva and Alan Steinberg. So the next court date we'll see here is April 19th.
And it has been really difficult, as you said earlier, to watch the woman in the courtroom. We don't have a confirmation of exactly who she is. But I did think that I heard her say something about her mother, so we are working to figure that out.
But seven counts. And the most serious, of course, premeditated murder. Because they did say that he purchased that gun on Friday before the Monday shooting. So that would include a sentence of life in prison on that one.
HARRIS: All right. We will continue to follow developments in that story, of course. We are going to take a quick break and come back with more of CNN NEWSROOM right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(STOCK MARKET REPORT)
HARRIS: "YOUR WORLD TODAY" coming up in just a couple of minutes, 12 minutes away at the top of the hour right here on CNN. Rosemary Church is standing by with a preview.
Rosemary, good morning.
ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: How are you, both, Tony and Heidi?
HARRIS: Outstanding, thank you.
CHURCH: We've got a lot to cover today. Want to bring up some pictures of Algeria, what's going on there. We have received a claim of responsibility from al Qaeda to those deadly bomb blasts in the capital, targeting the government palace and the police. What could this mean for the country? And of course, for Europe just nearby? We'll have a guest on the topic.
It's North Korea's move in the nuclear standoff. It's planning to shut down its nuclear reactor just as soon as it gets $25 million. We'll explain.
And a lesson on the realities of war. Our Kyra Phillips takes us into a classroom and exposes some rather interesting comparisons. We'll have those stories and more at the top of the hour here on CNN INTERNATIONAL with "YOUR WORLD TODAY." Back to you both. Hope you'll be watching.
HARRIS: Absolutely.
COLLINS: Thanks, Rosemary, we will.
HARRIS: Still to come in the NEWSROOM this morning. The Duke lacrosse scandal and what may be the most explosive development of all. Stay with us in the NEWSROOM as we bring you the latest from North Carolina.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: The Duke sexual assault case. It appears the charges are about to be dropped against three former lacrosse players. The North Carolina attorney general's office is scheduled to make an announcement later today. CNN will have live coverage of the news conference at 2:30 Eastern time here in the NEWSROOM.
It has been just over a year since an exotic dancer accused three lacrosse players of sexually assaulting her at a team party. Rape charges were dropped in December and two DNA tests failed to link the suspects to the 28-year-old accuser. The case has stirred a firestorm of criticism over local prosecutor Mike Nifong.
The Durham district attorney faces charges of ethical misconduct. Those allegations filed by the North Carolina Bar. Critics say Nifong exploited racial divisions in the community by seizing on the case. The accuser is black. The three men charged are white.
COLLINS: Saying you are sorry. We have heard it from Don Imus. We have actually heard it from a lot of people lately. So we were wondering, is there a formula for a proper apology? CNN's Tom Foreman takes a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TARA CONNER, MISS USA 2006: I want to apologize.
RUSH LIMBAUGH, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: I will, bigly, hugely, admit that I was wrong.
GEORGE ALLEN, FORMER VIRGINIA SENATOR: I have apologized for it as well I should.
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Apologies are all the rage from Hollywood to Washington. Even folks in the business of insulting others are suddenly saying they regret it.
DON IMUS, HOST, "IMUS IN THE MORNING": I'm sorry I did that. I'm embarrassed that I did that. I did a bad thing.
FOREMAN: But successful apologies require more than words, according to folks whose study such things like Dr. Bruce Weinstein who writes about ethnics.
BRUCE WEINSTEIN, THE ETHICS GUY: The most important thing about a good and proper and ethical apology, it's -- first and foremost, it should be done quickly.
FOREMAN: Call it step one. If you take too long to admit your wrongdoing, or you deny it...
BILL CLINTON, 42ND PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I did not have sexual relations with that woman.
FOREMAN: A convincing apology later is that much harder to pull off.
WILLIAM REHNQUIST, HEAD JUSTICE, U.S. SUPREME COURT: Fifty senators have pronounced William Jefferson Clinton, president of the United States, guilty as charged.
FOREMAN: Step two, take your medicine. When confronted with allegations of wrongdoing, many of us try to suggest, yes, something went wrong, but it was not really our personal fault.
ALBERTO GONZALES, ATTORNEY GENERAL: I acknowledge that mistakes were made here.
WEINSTEIN: What we should say is I made a mistake, not we made a mistake, I made a mistake.
FOREMAN: Three, no sugar-coating. Don't apologize unless you mean it. If you've done something that requires an apology, don't blame it on panic or alcohol or circumstances.
IMUS: Our agenda is to try to be funny. And sometimes we go too far and sometimes we go way too far.
FOREMAN: And step four, change your behavior. Don't be a repeat offender.
APRIL RYAN, AMERICAN URBAN RADIO NETWORK: Just say I'm sorry. No excuse. It will not be done again. And I apologize. What can I do to make this better? That's all that needs to be done.
FOREMAN: Elton John said: "sorry seems to be the hardest word." And that may true in any language.
NEWT GINGRICH, FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER: (SPEAKING SPANISH)
FOREMAN: But with so many folks saying sorry these days, the hardest job may be convincing people that you mean it. Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington.
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HARRIS: And how about this? Outside Nashville, a raging fire levels the home of the late country music star Johnny Cash. The nearly 14,000 square-foot home was engulfed in flames by the time firefighters arrived. Authorities say the fire spread quickly because construction workers had recently put a flammable wood preservative on the home's exterior. Cash and his wife June lived there until their deaths in 2003. Singer Barry Gibb and his wife bought the home last year and had plans to restore it.
COLLINS: CNN NEWSROOM continues just one hour from now, we understand, coming up 2:30, so we remind everybody that news conference coming from the Duke lacrosse case will be happening 2:30 in that show.
HARRIS: Until then, "YOUR WORLD TODAY" is next with news happening across the globe and here at home. I'm Tony Harris.
COLLINS: And I'm Heidi Collins. Have a good day, everybody.
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