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Reaction to Cho's Manifesto; Mary Winkler Awaits Verdict; President Bush in Ohio

Aired April 19, 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: Hello. I'm Don Lemon, live at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

Outrage at Virginia Tech. Students blast the media for showcasing a killer's twisted musings. Our Brianna Keilar has the story.

LEMON: Plus, Mary Winkler, she fired a fatal shot at her minister husband, but how will a jury judge her actions? We'll take you live to Selmer, Tennessee, where deliberations are under way.

You are live, right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

WHITFIELD: Here is where things stand in the aftermath of the Virginia Tech campus massacre. Doctors say three of the wounded students may be released from the hospital today, or early tomorrow.

LEMON: And the students, Fredricka, who died in the bloodbath will be remembered on graduation day. University officials say they'll all receive posthumous degrees.

WHITFIELD: NBC network is facing criticism for its decision to air images it received from the gunman in the mail. The network said it took the action only after careful consideration.

Cho Seung-Hui's so-called manifesto has provoked plenty of talk, but police say it has provided no new leads for their investigation into the Virginia Tech massacre.

CNN's Brianna Keilar is standing by in Blacksburg, Virginia, with the very latest.

And Brianna, students overall, how are they reacting to the airing of Cho's manifesto?

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, generally, Fredricka, students are just really sick of seeing this video. They just don't really want to see any more of it, and I'm sure you can imagine why. They are so close to this situation, whereas a lot of people aren't, and so they are stuck to their televisions looking at some of this new stuff coming in.

But this decision by NBC, editorial decision to air some of this multimedia manifesto is one that was met by some scorn by Virginia State police chief Steve Flaherty. He said at a news conference earlier today he wasn't happy about it.

NBC News responded with a statement saying, "NBC News took careful consideration in determining how the information should be distributed. We did not rush the material on to air, but instead consulted with local authorities who have since publicly acknowledged our appropriate handling of the matter. Beginning this morning, we have limited our usage of the video across NBC News, including MSNBC, to no more than 10 percent of our airtime."

But NBC also justifying its decision to air that video, saying, "We believe it provides some answers to the critical question, 'Why did this man carry out these awful murders?'

And so we're actually going to bring in a couple Virginia Tech students right now, Siobhan and Katelyn. They're sophomores here. And we want to see what you guys think about this video. NBC News saying that it serves a purpose.

Do you think so, shavon?

SIOBHAN MCARDLE, VIRGINIA TECH STUDENT: I thought it was terrifying to stare down the barrel of the gun that killed so many of our classmates. And, I mean, I think it was useful to -- you know, to see it. We're all curious to see him and how, you know -- how this all began, but I think it was -- it was also terrifying to just see them.

KEILAR: Does it serve any purpose, Katelyn, that you see?

KATELYN FELPS, VIRGINIA TECH STUDENT: I guess maybe answers for some of the families of the victims, but I'm sure at the same time it's very, very difficult for them to see it. And maybe it shouldn't be shown so much. But at the same time, I know a lot of people were interested to see it when it came out, that there were videos.

KEILAR: But you said earlier it becomes a little too much?

FELPS: Definitely. I think that, you know, he was just so angry, and it doesn't help to institute more anger into this whole thing.

KEILAR: You know, in all fairness, do you think that -- I mean, NBC News is the one that Cho sent this package to. Do you think that any other network would have done something different, or do you think they would have made the same decision?

FELPS: I don't really -- I can't say. I can't speak for any other -- anybody else. But I do know that, you know, they sent it right to the police first, and at least they did that.

KEILAR: Siobhan, do you think that Cho knew what he was doing? That this was just a tactic to sort of create a visual aspect that would get the wall-to-wall coverage?

MCARDLE: It is kind of scary to think that he thought that all through. And I think he had every intention of getting everyone involved and wanting everyone to know. It's just scary to think that he could have taken it this far from two people in the dorms to all the way across campus. It's just terrifying.

KEILAR: Is this the first time you've been down here to the makeshift memorial, Katelyn?

FELPS: Yes, this is the first time that I've been down here. I did come for the candlelight vigil, but this is the first time to see all these tents and all the flowers and all that.

KEILAR: How are you guys doing?

MCARDLE: We're doing all right. We're all spending time together. And, you know, we brought the dogs down here to hopefully comfort some people, because dogs always comfort. And so that's why we brought our dogs down here.

KEILAR: They certainly do. And they've even got the -- you can't really see it with the camera, but they've got their "VT" here on the forehead, some school spirit.

This is a very tight campus, isn't it, Katelyn?

FELPS: It definitely is. And really, in spite all of that's happened, it's great to see all the students come together and show support for the victims and their families. And to see all the students come together just makes you more proud to be a Hokie.

KEILAR: Siobhan and Katelyn, thanks so much for talking with us. We really, really appreciate your time. And we wish you guys the best and have you in our thoughts and prayers.

MCARDLE: Thank you.

FELPS: Thank you.

KEILAR: Back to you guys.

WHITFIELD: All right, Brianna. And thanks to those students, too, for sharing their thoughts.

So, should Cho's videos be shown? We'll discuss the media's role in these images later on in the NEWSROOM with Howard Kurt of "The Washington Post".

LEMON: It's all up to 12 jurors. Will they convict Mary Winkler of intentionally killing her minister husband?

Well, CNN's Susan Candiotti is at the courthouse in Selmer, Tennessee.

And Susan, how long has the jury been out on this?

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The jury has been deliberating, Don, for about four hours now, a panel of 10 women and two men. And they are considering a contrasting portrait of Mary Winkler.

Either -- either they are believing what the state has described, as a woman who intentionally killed her husband in cold blood, or the defense. Their argument, that this is a woman who did not plan anything, that the gun went off by accident, that this woman was a victim of her husband's alleged physical, verbal and emotional abuse, that she was sexually humiliated by him.

Now, Mary Winkler herself took the stand yesterday, and she was questioned about the moment her husband was shot.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you remember ever having a gun? Holding a gun?

MARY WINKLER, DEFENDANT: Yes, sir.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you remember ever pointing a gun?

WINKLER: No, sir.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you remember ever pulling a trigger?

WINKLER: No, sir.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you pull the trigger, Mary?

WINKLER: No, sir.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How do we know that, Mary?

WINKLER: Because I'm telling you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CANDIOTTI: On cross-examination, the state got Mary Winkler to admit that her husband did not deserve to die.

I asked one of her defense lawyers how she is spending this day.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LESLIE BALLIN, MARY WINKLER'S ATTORNEY: She is anxious. She realizes the balance of her life is in the hands of the jury, and she is anxiously awaiting their decision. What's going through her mind, her emotions now, they are so heightened. It's certainly beyond my capability of understanding what she must be going to -- going through.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CANDIOTTI: Now, you might recall that Mary Winkler has three young daughters. They are currently in the temporary custody of her paternal grandparents. One of her other lawyers told me that she believes that "God will deliver her." He said, "I know that sounds corny," but that's what she says.

Back to you, Don.

LEMON: And Susan, you are there in the community. Let's talk about mood. Is there support there for Mary Winkler?

CANDIOTTI: There really is a range here. Some people feel very angry toward her, and others do sympathize with her.

Her defense lawyers say everyone here has been very kind to her, and everyone empathizes with her. But in the end, we'll have to see how the community reacts once there is a verdict.

Back to you.

LEMON: All right. Susan Candiotti, thank you very much for that report.

WHITFIELD: President Bush in America's heartland today, talking war on terror and the tragic events in Virginia before a friendly crowd near Dayton, Ohio.

CNN's Kathleen Koch is traveling with the president. She joins us now from Tipp City.

So, Kathleen, what's really interesting about this is that the folks in Tipp City actually invited the president. He took them up on the offer, and there he is.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They did. As a matter of fact, what happened is the former president of the Chamber of Commerce here in Tipp City contacted the White House and said, we'd love to have the president come speak to our group, and in less than a week the White House faxed back a response that said President Bush would be happy to attend.

And so, he is here, as you mentioned. He -- when the event began, they had a moment of silence for the victims at Virginia Tech. And the president, again, as he did at that ceremony, very emotional ceremony down there on Tuesday, he offered his prayers and support for the victims, for the families.

And then a question-and-answer session began. President Bush used to do quite a lot of these. He hasn't done any of these for a while. But he's been taking questions for about the last 25 minutes.

And one of the very first questions was about the president's meeting yesterday about congressional leaders on the $95 billion supplemental spending bill for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. And the president said that it was a cordial meeting, but he insisted he would not sign a bill that included any artificial timetables or that would put Congress, he said, in the position of telling the military of how to do its job. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: My attitude is, if they feel like they've got to send this up there with their strings like they said, please do it and hurry, so I can veto it and then we can get down to business of getting the troops funded.

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOCH: Now, before the question-and-answer session, the president did say -- he talked a lot about the war on terror and said that he believes the United States can succeed in Iraq, and he assured audience that the decisions he was making there, he said, were necessary decisions based on solid ground -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And Kathleen, over the years this has been friendly Bush territory, and today really was no different, was it?

KOCH: No different. None at all.

And Fredricka, I also wanted to mention, the White House -- the president himself today made no comment on the testimony of Alberto Gonzales before Congress. However, a couple of spokespeople for the president, Dana Perino, who was on Air Force One, said that the president was not watching the testimony, but he is being briefed on the progress. And the president still has full confidence in his attorney general.

WHITFIELD: All right. Kathleen Koch, thanks so much from Tipp City, Ohio.

KOCH: You bet.

WHITFIELD: Don.

LEMON: And Kathleen Koch mentioned him. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales still under oath on Capitol Hill. He's detailing his role in the controversial firings of eight federal prosecutors and being grilled about inconsistencies in how he explained that matter.

Here's Gonzales being challenged this morning by Republican senator Arlen Specter.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALBERTO GONZALES, ATTORNEY GENERAL: I prepare for every hearing, Senator.

SEN. ARLEN SPECTER (R-PA), RANKING MEMBER, JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: Do you prepare for all your press conferences? Were you prepared for the press conference where you said there weren't any discussions involving you?

GONZALES: Senator, I've already said that I misspoke. It was my mistake.

SPECTER: I'm asking you, were you prepared? You interjected that you're always prepared. Were you prepared for that press conference?

GONZALES: Senator, I didn't say that I was always prepared. I said I prepared for every hearing.

SPECTER: Well, and I'm asking you, do you prepare for your press conferences?

GONZALES: Senator, we do take time to try to prepare for the press conference.

SPECTER: And were you prepared when you said you weren't involved in any deliberations?

GONZALES: Senator, I've already conceded that I misspoke at that -- at that press conference. There was nothing intentional...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Well, Gonzales also conceded he handled the firings poorly, and he issued a public apology to the fired federal prosecutors.

WHITFIELD: A mother looks to her son's future, greatly relieved that he has one.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't want this to be the defining moment in my son's life. I want the defining moment to be something positive.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: The story of a young man who believes he was the last person shot by the Virginia Tech gunman. That's straight ahead in the NEWSROOM.

LEMON: And Cho Seung-Hui got a red flag from a Virginia magistrate. But did anyone tell his parents? His school?

Ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM, rethinking the line between civil rights and other people's rights to be protected.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(NEWSBREAK)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: A crumbling cliff, a home lost, and residents of a small Canadian town fear their homes will be next. Daniel's Harbour in Newfoundland has experienced landslides since October. The erosion blamed on -- wow. Look a that.

WHITFIELD: Look at that. Incredible.

LEMON: Yes. Too much rain. You hear the gasps as everybody's watching it.

WHITFIELD: That's a lot of rain to cause that kind of mudslide.

LEMON: Yes.

Before this unoccupied home toppled into the Gulf of St. Lawrence, part of a highway had collapsed there, Fredricka. Another half-dozen houses have since been evacuated here.

WHITFIELD: That is incredible.

LEMON: Yes, it is.

WHITFIELD: And all caught on tape.

Well, incredible, too, not all cars are created equal when it comes to crash fatality rates.

Susan Lisovicz is at the New York Stock Exchange delivering on what was promised earlier.

(BUSINESS REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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

WHITFIELD: And I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

Cho Seung-Hui's disturbing behavior, it was enough to warrant a mental evaluation, but not enough to get him committed under Virginia law. Advocates for mental health treatment say that's got to change.

You're in the NEWSROOM.

He believes he was one of the last ones shot before the Virginia Tech shooter turned the gun on himself.

CNN's Elizabeth Cohen has that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It is one of the first images America saw of the Virginia Tech tragedy, a young man and woman severely wounded, rescue workers carrying them out of Norris Hall. The man is Colin Goddard, a 21-year-old international studies student, he told his parents he was the last person Cho Seung- Hui shot before he killed himself.

ANNE GODDARD, COLIN GODDARD'S MOTHER: Went first one row of desks and started shooting just randomly.

COHEN: Today Colin's mother waited anxiously for her son to come out of surgery, a rod inserted in to his leg.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They still had 30 more minutes to go at 10 until 10:00 -- about 10:20, he should be out of surgery. Everything's going fine.

GODDARD: OK.

COHEN: As she waited, Goddard described what her son said happened inside the French class. His teacher, Jocelyne Couture- Nowak, heard gunfire in the hallway and yelled for students to call 911.

Colin did, but within seconds, Cho entered the room spraying it with fire. He wounded Colin in the leg. Colin says Cho then left the room for about three minutes, and returned as Colin lay on the floor.

GODDARD: He turned his head and actually -- well, he saw the shooter's shoes, came close right up to his body. The shooter was standing right next to him. He was scared to death. He was absolutely scared to death. He kept his wits about him but he was scared to death.

COHEN: Standing next to him, Cho shot Colin two more times, in the shoulder and the buttock. And then...

GODDARD: He heard two shots from the front of the room, and later on he learned the shooter was dead in the front of the room.

COHEN: So he shot at your son and the next thing he did was...

GODDARD: He killed himself.

COHEN (voice-over): The next thing Colin heard, the police.

GODDARD: Then they said, "Shooter down, black tag." And it was the code they were giving. And they black-tagged, then, a few of the other students in the room who were dead.

COHEN (on camera): Black-tagged means?

GODDARD: That they were dead.

COHEN (voice-over): Among the dead, Jocelyne Couture-Nowak, Colin's French teacher.

GODDARD: Went really, really well. Those were the words.

COHEN: During our interview Goddard got good news; the surgery was a success. He joined his family a few minutes later.

GODDARD: I don't want this to be the defining moment in my son's life. I want the defining moment to be something positive, some great celebration of his life. COHEN: Elizabeth Cohen, CNN, Christiansburg, Virginia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: Well, as the nation comes to grips with what happened at Virginia Tech, today also marking the anniversary of two other tragic events.

The people of Oklahoma City gathered to mark the 12th anniversary of the bombing at the Murrah Federal Building. Now, former New York mayor turned presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani was among the speakers at the event. Today's ceremonies included 168 seconds of silence, one for every person who died in that attack.

Bomber Timothy McVeigh was convicted of federal murder charges in the case. He was executed almost six years ago.

Well, prosecutors said McVeigh planned the Oklahoma City attack to avenge the Branch Davidian fire that happened on this date back in 1993. The religious sect's compound was destroyed after a 51-day standoff with police and federal agents. More than 80 people, including the group's leader, David Koresh, died in the fire.

Critics say the fire was started by tear gas canisters fired into that compound, but the government has long said the Davidians started the fire to commit suicide.

WHITFIELD: In the meantime I want to give you live pictures right now on Capitol Hill, where U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is once again returning there to the chambers, where he's about to resume his testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

You're looking at just the picture-taking taking place right now as he continues to get a little instruction perhaps or guidance or a little conversation before he actually takes to the seat there and resumes his testimony.

Our Andrea Koppel will be joining us at the top of the hour with more on today's proceedings.

Now, opinion is split on whether Gonzales should resign as attorney general. A new CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll shows 38 percent say he should resign. Thirty-seven percent says he should not. Twenty-four percent say they are not quite sure.

And 31 percent said President Bush should fire his old friend Gonzales. Thirty-six percent said no, he shouldn't. And 33 percent say they're unclear on whether the president should take such action.

LEMON: Well, Cho Seung-Hui got a red flag from a Virginia magistrate. But did anyone tell his parents? Did anyone tell the school? Ahead in the NEWSROOM, rethinking the rights between civil rights and other people's right to be protected.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) LEMON: All right, this just in. We're going to get you live now. Live pictures, KABC, Van Nuys, California. A school in lockdown is what you see there. And that is pretty much all of what we know, except for this: a student was reportedly seen with a gun here.

It's Birmingham High School. It is in Van Nuys, California. And we're being told that it is on lockdown after a student was seen reportedly with a gun. You see the police presence there.

And, again, you're not seeing people because, again, the campus is on lockdown. And what that usually means is a stay in place order. Everyone stays where they are until further notice. A couple people milling about there.

And what we're hearing now from producers, if I can repeat it back to you and if it's correct. A student was arrested, you're saying with a BB gun, correct? Correct.

A student arrested there, Birmingham High School, Van Nuys, California, with a BB gun. The school had been on lockdown, I would imagine. The student is in custody. He's been arrested. It's just a BB gun. And everything is all back in order.

We'll check that out for you and make sure that's correct information. Sure it is, as of now. And then we'll get back to you if it's warranted. But that's the latest from Van Nuys, California, Birmingham High School right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Let's move on to talk about that massacre in Virginia Tech. Teachers knew. Students had their suspicions. And at one point even campus police got involved, but none of that was enough to get Cho Seung-Hui into counseling.

The only time he even came close was when a magistrate order Cho to undergo an evaluation at a psychiatric hospital in 2005.

Did the system fail? That is the question, and we're asking attorney Mary Zdanowicz to join us today to talk about that. She's with a group working to reform the laws on mental illness in Virginia.

And you know, I just want to show you this here. Right on the cover of "The New York Times" today, it says, "Laws Limit College's Options When a Student is Mentally Ill". What do you say to that?

MARY ZDANOWICZ, TREATMENT ADVOCACY CENTER: Well, there's no doubt that the laws can prevent -- present a barrier to getting treatment for people with severe mental illnesses.

And in a situation where we have a disease that affects a person's ability to even recognize whether they need treatment, that's just wrong. And the whole mental health system really needs to be reformed.

LEMON: You say that people can't recognize the ability to get help for other people? Is that what you're saying? With the way that the laws are now? ZDANOWICZ: Well, people who are experiencing these illnesses often can't recognize themselves...

LEMON: Right.

ZDANOWICZ: ... that they need help. And, in fact, the one doctor that -- the one doctor that examined this young man said that he didn't even recognize the symptoms that he was experiencing. And that is not uncommon.

And this is the age when people start to exhibit signs of severe mental illness. In the early stages it's not unusual that they don't even realize what's wrong with them. So they're not apt to seek treatment voluntarily if they don't think there's anything wrong. And so we need a way to ensure that they get the treatment that they need.

LEMON: So in this information age, not enough information. But I want to show you this. It's a study, again, the study that was quoted in "The New York Times" today.

They said 9 percent of students considered suicide. This is from a study that they did: 195,000 students, 117 campuses. They found that 9 percent of students had seriously considered suicide in the previous year, and 1 in 100 had attempted it.

With these sort of numbers, what do you suggest should be done in order for people to know when they are -- they have a problem and for other people around them to help them with it?

ZDANOWICZ: Well, and you've just cited the tip of the iceberg. The amount of data that we have now on the consequences of untreated mental illness is just astonishing, and suicide is one very serious and very sad aspect of that.

And, so, we need to recognize what the science is telling us, and that is if you don't treat the symptoms of mental illness, there are going to be bad things that can very likely happen. And that because these individuals don't realize they need help, we have to have a way of evaluating them and monitoring them, particularly in the early stage of illness.

LEMON: Yes.

ZDANOWICZ: One recent study that just came out showed that people who are experiencing first-episode psychosis, like this young man, are at much higher risk for violence.

LEMON: OK. So let's talk about personal rights here, and then -- we'll talk about first the symptoms. And then after we listen to this, we're going to talk about personal rights.

One of his teachers, a famous poet, Nikki Giovanni, said he exhibited these symptoms, depression and anger and what have you, and she asked for him to be removed from his class. Take a listen and then I want to talk to you about it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NIKKI GIOVANNI, VIRGINIA TECH ENGLISH PROFESSOR: There are student who commit suicide. There are students who have other problems. You can't just go plucking them out because they may do something. Some people get all right.

And he obviously got under some radar. We are learning, I am learning things now. I am a poet, and so I just went on my instinct. I don't want to be around him. I don't want -- I don't want him near me. And I'm not saying that I was right.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: So that's the symptoms, some of the symptoms at least that she talked about and that you mentioned, as well, that he was exhibiting.

So, then, how do you do this without trampling on people's personal rights? She said you just can't go plucking people out of the classroom, because they may have some strange behavior.

ZDANOWICZ: No, you don't pluck. And I think that that is, really, a very abrupt way of talking about what should be a very humane intervention, where you approach a person. You try to talk to them about their needs and see if they can recognize what's happening with them.

If they don't, there are provisions under the law that allow to petition a court to have that person evaluated by a psychiatrist, which is crucial. You don't expect a teacher to necessarily recognize the symptoms. And that's why there has to be a good way of referring for a psychiatric evaluation. We have these processes in place.

LEMON: And I would imagine one thing, too. Even though they're college age, it's letting parents know. I would think that there would have to be some way that you would let the parents know, because they're usually the ones closest to the student, knows the student best. If you let them know, then maybe they can intervene.

ZDANOWICZ: Well, I talk to parents every day who are just so frustrated by confidentiality laws. And the mental health system is hyper vigilant when it comes to protecting confidentiality.

So very often families are held accountable for what happens with their loved ones, but their hands are tied and there's nothing that they can do, and they can't get information. It's a broken system.

LEMON: And it's a discussion, too, attorney Mary Zdanowicz, that we're going to be talking about for a long time. And we thank so much for joining us here today.

ZDANOWICZ: You're welcome.

WHITFIELD: Lots of different profiles of the students who have become victims of what happened at Virginia Tech. Well, this young man earned two undergraduate degrees from Penn State. Then Jeremy Herbstritt went on to attend graduate school at Virginia Tech. He had wanted to be a civil engineer, but on Monday all those hopes and dreams were cut short.

Our Wolf Blitzer sat down with his parents to find out how that family is coping.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PEGGY HERBSTRITT, JEREMY HERBSTRITT'S MOTHER: It will not seem real to me until I actually see his body.

But I want to say to my other children, Jeremy loved you very much. I know right now you think of him as being dead, but we can keep him alive in our hearts. We will find a way to make this -- make some kind of positive out of this. So, please, guys, stick together, OK?

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: How are the -- how are your other kids doing?

MIKE HERBSTRITT, JEREMY HERBSTRITT'S FATHER: It's tough. It's tough. They're -- they're sad. They're missing their brother, you know? And it's hard to lose your brother. It's hard to lose your son. You know?

And on Monday night I was watching some of the newscasters. And I don't think the newscasters really understand how hard it is, you know, to lose your son. You know, it's really hard. And it hits you right in your heart.

You know, that's the whole thing that -- but we have to go on. We've got to celebrate Jeremy's life.

BLITZER: Right.

M. HERBSTRITT: That's going to be the rest of our life.

BLITZER: We're trying to do that.

M. HERBSTRITT: The rest of our life is going to be to celebrate his life. To say what he did good, you know? And to say that Jeremy was a good boy, a good man. And we're going to love him forever.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Virginia's governor has declared tomorrow a statewide day of mourning. Prayer vigils and services are planned all across the country.

LEMON: And, Fredricka, as the Virginia Tech community struggles, struggles to cope with the aftermath of Monday's slaying, a makeshift memorial has appeared on that campus, and CNN's John Roberts reports on that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN ROBERTS, CO-HOST, "AMERICAN MORNING" (voice-over): They have become the new center of gravity at Virginia Tech: 16 white poster boards that stand within sight of Norris Hall, where 30 people lost their lives.

It is in many ways a living memorial. Mourners write. They read. They remember. They grieve.

"I'm glad I hugged you at our last practice," one girl writes to Reema Samaha, an urban planning student with a passion for dancing.

"You were the best sister a girl could ask for and heaven is so lucky to have you. I love you." That message to Caitlin Hammaren, only 19 years old, majoring in international studies and French.

TRACY ALTIZER, MOURNER: It's kind of hard to live in the community and be a part of the community and not be touched by this somehow.

ROBERTS: Tracy Altizer and her daughter, Kaelie, live just down the straight from the family of Professor G.V. Loganathan. Loganathan, who taught civil and environmental engineering, died in Norris Hall on Monday.

Kaelie is friends with Loganathan's daughter, now coping with the loss of her dad.

KAELIE ALTIZER, MOURNER: On Monday when she found out, she was really sad. And her sister flew in from -- came in from UVA, and so she's missing her classes. And -- but their mom is taking it a lot harder than what the -- than what Avi (ph) is taking.

ROBERTS: The messages, notes, photos and flowers are all a chance for mourners to express their emotions in a tangible and public way. The words are there for all to see. Just reading them moves many to tears.

It is far too early to think about healing here. But this coming together, this collective convulsion of grief, is the first step on a difficult path to recovery.

CHRISTINE HARBER, VIRGINIA TECH STUDENT: We will never forget, with evil comes good. You are all in a higher place.

ROBERTS: John Roberts, CNN, Blacksburg, Virginia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: We want to update you now on other developing news, breaking news we told you about just a little time ago, happening now in Yuba -- Yuba City, in California.

Here's what -- let's take a look. This is where it is. But there's also a suspect that they're -- that they're looking for. They're looking for a suspect, and his name is Jeffery Thomas Carney. He is 28 years old, 6'1", 190 pounds and brown eyes and short brown hair.

Here's what they're looking for him for. The schools there have been placed on lockdown this morning after a man threatened to go on a killing spree -- this is according to one of our affiliates -- that would make Monday's massacre at Virginia Tech look mild.

Now, the Sutter County Sheriff's Department deputies are urgently searching for this man, again Jeffery Thomas Carney. Take a good look at him.

They say he called his pastor and family, saying he would go on a shooting spree, again, that would make the killings at Virginia Tech look mild. He also said he had an AK-47 improvised explosive device or devices and poison, and he said he wanted to commit suicide.

So, again, take a good look at this man if you're in the area. This is who you should be looking out for. Again, all schools in Yuba -- California -- specifically, Yuba City -- put on lockdown today.

We'll update you right here on the CNN NEWSROOM.

WHITFIELD: Here's something we're exploring for later on in the NEWSROOM. Is it a fundamental right or is it fundamentally wrong? How America's gun policies play in the rest of the world. Straight ahead, in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: All right, just in to the CNN NEWSROOM. Police in Yuba City, California, really on a manhunt now, looking for a man who called in and made some very, very threatening comments.

The man's name is Jeffery Thomas Carney. You're looking at a picture of him there. But take a good look at him, because since this picture he's lost weight. And we're told by police he's lost weight in the past couple of weeks because of meth use.

Now let's tell you what he did that caused all the schools there in Yuba and Sutter, the schools to be placed on lockdown this morning, after he threatened to go on a killing spree that would make Monday's massacre at Virginia Tech look mild.

The sheriff's department there said he called in, called in to his pastor and his family, saying that he would go on that shooting spree. He's also set to said to have an AK-47, improvised explosive devices and some poison.

Again, he's lighter now, lost a couple pounds within the last couple of weeks since this picture was taken because of his meth use.

But police are on an all-out manhunt because they say he also threatened to -- he wanted to commit suicide by cop. So police on the lookout. Take a look at that man there.

We're going to continue to update you on this situation in Yuba, California, right here in the CNN NEWSROOM. WHITFIELD: In the meantime, this week's incident has sparked a lot of concern. Keeping students safe on campus, for one. Straight ahead in the NEWSROOM, we'll take you to one university to see exactly what is working and how it might have helped prevent the tragedy that took place in Virginia Tech's campus.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Sorry, folks, it was bound to happen. "American Idol" says good-bye to one of its most memorable contestants.

CNN entertainment correspondent Brooke Anderson joins me now with details.

You know what? I got to hand my buddy, Don, a hanky because he is so broken up. I know you've been a huge Sanjaya fan.

LEMON: Right. I was, like, "Woo!"

BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Are you upset, Don?

LEMON: N-O. No.

WHITFIELD: He talks about him every day.

ANDERSON: I agree. It was time for Sanjaya to go.

Finally, it was sayonara to Sanjaya on "Idol" last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RYAN SEACREST, HOST, FOX'S "AMERICAN IDOL": Over 38 million votes. Sanjaya, you are going home tonight.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: The 17-year-old who was better known for his wild hairstyles and his singing talent, or lack of it, was finally voted off the show.

Now, as he sang his farewell song, "Something to Talk About", he ad-libbed the lyric and saying, "Let's give them something to talk about other than hair." So he's got a sense of humor about it, at least.

The previous night, "Idol" judge Simon Cowell had blasted Sanjaya's performance, calling it utterly horrendous. And earlier, Simon had been quoted as saying he'd quit the show if Sanjaya won.

But, Fred, Don, Simon can now breathe easier because Sanjaya is out. Six contestants remain.

WHITFIELD: Don, you're going to be so bored now.

LEMON: You know, whatever it takes. Sometimes it's looks. Sometimes it's just je ne sais quoi or whatever it is. But it is a talent -- you know, and I do wish him well. But it is a talent competition.

ANDERSON: The guy had charisma, you know? Nobody's going to forget him.

LEMON: Yes, absolutely. But it's a talent competition, and you have to keep that foremost in your mind. Don't you think?

ANDERSON: I agree.

WHITFIELD: Bottom line, Brooke, hair today, gone tomorrow. Sorry, Sanjaya.

All right. Well, let's talk about Simon Cowell, because somebody always has something to say about Simon Cowell. This time is was for some remarks or an expression that may have been taken out of context, but then they settled or cleared -- cleared the way, didn't they?

ANDERSON: That's right, yes. On Tuesday's show, Simon seemed annoyed on the show when contestant Chris Richardson expressed condolences about the Virginia Tech tragedy. Watch what happened.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRIS RICHARDSON, CONTESTANT, FOX'S "AMERICAN IDOL": Our heartfelt prayers go out to Virginia Tech. I have a lot of friends over there, and I just -- be strong.

SEACREST: Yes. Well said. Absolutely.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: OK. You saw the eyes rolling there. Well, many people understandably very upset by this reaction, but Simon adamant he was misinterpreted. He addressed the situation on last night's show. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SIMON COWELL, JUDGE, FOX'S "AMERICAN IDOL": I just want to absolutely set the record straight. I didn't hear what Chris was saying. I may not be the nicest person in the world, but I would never, ever, ever disrespect those families or those victims. And I felt it was important to set the record straight.

SEACREST: And we all know that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: And Fred, Don, the executive producer of "Idol" also told CNN Simon wasn't listening to Chris, that he was conversing with Paula. But this is a good lesson for Simon, don't you think? Listen to those contestants. Show them some respect. They deserve it.

LEMON: If you say so, Brooke.

ANDERSON: Yes. WHITFIELD: All right. Good point.

LEMON: Whatever you say goes, Brooke.

WHITFIELD: I'm listening to you. I just thought maybe there was going to be some tape on someone kind of punctuating your statement there.

Anyway, all right, Melissa Etheridge. We're going to change the subject all the way around. Really am listening to you.

ANDERSON: I hope you're listening to me.

WHITFIELD: I'm not distracted. I was not doing a Simon. Uh- huh, blah, blah, blah. OK.

Let's talk about Melissa Etheridge.

LEMON: Melissa Etheridge.

ANDERSON: Melissa Etheridge was honored in a big way last night. Pay attention. And she has had an eventful few years, to say the least. You know, she battled breast cancer successfully. Her partner, Tammy Lynn Michaels, gave birth to twins last fall. Then, Etheridge won an Oscar in February, and just last night she was honored with the ASCAP Founders Award for her pioneering contributions to songwriting.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MELISSA ETHERIDGE, SINGER/SONGWRITER: Song writing is so important to me. It's the center of what I do. I've always wanted to be known as a singer/songwriter.

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