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Chicago Bank Shooting; Battle Rages in Lebanon; New York Cabs Going Green; Congressional Charters; Custody Battle; Prison Break Or Time?; Doggone Abdul; Iraqi Education Crisis

Aired May 22, 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.
MELISSA LONG, CNN ANCHOR: And hello. I'm Melissa Long, in today for Kyra Phillips.

A bank heist on Chicago's south side. Three people are shot and wounded, three suspects make a getaway.

LEMON: And no word on how much cash went with them, but $50,000 is being offered for information.

This story is still developing, and you're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

It is the top of the hour. Let's get straight to the breaking news desk. T.J. Holmes following the developing news on this story.

What do you have, T.J.?

T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, continuing on what you all were just talking about there, key right now is that three suspects are still on the loose. Three suspects who certainly can be considered armed and dangerous, since police say they believe that these suspects are responsible for shooting a teller, a security guard and a citizen who were in this bank.

Now, this happened around 9:00. This is at the Illinois Service federal Savings and Loan bank in Chicago, on Chicago's south side, where these suspects, according to police, went in around 9:00 a.m., overpowered one security guard, took that security guard's gun. And actually, there was an exchange of gunfire in there between a second guard and these suspects.

Well, in the midst of all that shooting, a security guard was shot in the chest, a teller was shot in the back, and then someone else was shot. According to police, the conditions of those three are somewhere between serious and critical on those victims.

We heard a short time ago from police officials about the search that's going on now for the suspects. Let's listen now to exactly what they think they are looking for in these suspects.

Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MICHAEL SHIELDS, DEP. CHIEF, CHICAGO POLICE: We're looking for three offenders in dark clothing. They left in a late model maroon Buick or Olds with temporary Illinois license plates.

We're working to find out where that -- who that car belongs to and trying to -- we're going to be working with the FBI to enhance the temporary plates on that vehicle so we can find out exactly -- exactly who was driving the car.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: And certainly right now believe there are -- police are working to get out surveillance video and photographs and pictures of the vehicle. Also possibly some surveillance video from inside the bank of the suspects themselves. That's happening now.

But that's the picture they've been releasing right now. That vehicle is what they're looking for. A maroon described as an Oldsmobile or a Buick, but that is the vehicle right there that they are now looking for.

And again, three suspects on the loose. There were two schools that were on lockdown until police had confidence that the suspects were no longer in the area and an all-clear was given. So, yes, those schools no longer on lockdown.

Also important to note, as you mentioned, a $50,000 reward now being offered by the FBI for information leading to the arrest of these three suspects now. And the FBI also mentioned something pretty crucial in the press conference, and that it's a possibility that the suspects were also involved in another bank robbery that was back on May 10th. So that is a possibility they're looking into as well, that this is not the first time these suspects have done this.

So the search is on for three suspects who they say are responsible for shooting three people at a bank in Chicago, one of those three being a security guard. We're keeping an update on this story here.

LEMON: It certainly was particularly violent this one, T.J.

We'll check back when you get new information.

HOLMES: All right.

LEMON: Thank you.

LONG: Don, what do you think of when you think of New York? You think of a city that doesn't sleep, Broadway shows, and hailing a yellow cab, right?

Well, apparently the cabs...

LEMON: And spending lots of money.

LONG: Well, that, too, yes. And lots of money in the cabs. Well, yellow taxis are going to possibly be a think of the past, because they're going green. Well, actually the mayor of New York, Michael Bloomberg, is set to announce that he wants the entire taxi fleet of some 13,000 taxis to be converted in order to have a commitment to the environment.

So we're waiting for Mayor Bloomberg. And when he steps to the microphone, we're going to bring you more information on his commitment to planet Earth.

LEMON: Nice shot of Gracie Mansion there, where I guess he'll be holding that press conference, just across from the Brooklyn Bridge.

Nine days and counting, that is the official start of the Atlantic hurricane season. And government forecasters predict it will be a doozy.

Our expert, Jacqui Jeras, is standing by with more on that.

(WEATHER REPORT)

LONG: Now, Congress is trying to figure out how to bring gas prices down to earth. They're actually talking about it right now. More competition for big oil, less thirsty vehicles, suing OPEC for price fixing, a few of the ideas being discussed in Washington.

Now, Gas had been cheaper than it was in 1991. When you adjust for inflation, you just can't say that anymore.

AAA says the national average has hit a record $3.20. The Lundberg Survey average tops the 1981 average by a nickel in today's money. AAA says there's only one state left with an average price below $3.00, and that is the state of New Jersey.

Now, it seems like the timing just couldn't be worse. B.P. is forced to shut down some of its operations in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, because of a small leak.

The shutdown will take 100,000 barrels of oil per day off the market, but analysts do not think the shutdown will affect the price of oil or gas. A B.P. official says they do hope to be back up and running in just a few days.

And don't forget, you can get more on oil and gas price trends, anything dealing with business online, cnnmoney.com. You can get an in-depth analysis of what's happening and why, and what you can do to try to save some money as well -- cnnmoney.com.

LEMON: Bullets flying, a brief truce is shattered. Fighting at a Palestinian refugee camp in northern Lebanon rages for a third straight day. The Lebanese army is on one side, Islamic militants on the other. Thousands of refugees, even U.N. workers, caught in between.

CNN's Nic Robertson is outside Tripoli with the very latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: From where we're standing here, we've been able to hear sporadic heavy machine gun fire. We're about a mile from the refugee camp, which is behind me down there.

We've been able to see smoke rising from the camp. We've also heard heavy detonations. The fighting appears to be sporadic.

What we've heard from the U.N. is that when they drove their six trucks containing medical relief supplies, doctors and food supplies into the camp, they came under gunfire. Three of their trucks were hit, disabling those trucks. The other three trucks drove out.

Now, the U.N. says when they did that, they left behind eight to 10 workers inside the camp and they are currently trying to get them out. They're talking to the Fatah organization inside the camp to try and get them out. They're also talking to the Lebanese army to try to negotiate a way to get those eight to 10 U.N. workers outside, out of the camp.

And just a few hours earlier than that, we witnessed the end to a very tense standoff inside the town of Tripoli, about 10 miles, 15 kilometers south of here. Lebanese security forces surrounded an apartment building in a densely-populated area. When we arrived there, there was gunfire going on, explosions going on, smoke rising from the building.

What we were told by local residents was that the security forces discovered in that building at about 9:00 a.m. in the morning a militant holding out. A six-hour standoff ensued. And according to Lebanese security forces, the militant at the end of the standoff blew himself up. According to medical workers on the scene, there were some Lebanese security force casualties. We saw at least one policeman being taken away for what appeared to be smoke inhalation.

But from where we're standing right now, overlooking that camp, there is sporadic gunfire continuing. The army checkpoint close to us continues to screen vehicles coming into and going out of the area.

Nic Robertson, north of Tripoli, Lebanon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(NEWSBREAK)

LEMON: Live to New York City now. Mayor Michael Bloomberg holding a press conference, talking about all cabs growing green there, hybrids.

Let's take a listen.

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG (R), NEW YORK: ... for the city's 13,000 yellow cabs. Phased in over the next five years, these new standards will cut carbon emissions from these vehicles by half within a decade, and also reduce smog-creating air pollutants like ozone by more than a half.

You know, changing our taxis to hybrid power is the key to this regulatory effort. And as a result, by 2012, five years from now, New York City will, with a few exceptions for handicapped-accessible vehicles, have a fully hybrid taxi fleet. It will be the largest, cleanest fleet of taxis anywhere on the planet, and because taxis are so heavily used, the new standards will have the equivalent effect of removing 32,000 individually owned gas-powered vehicles from our streets.

The benefits of this policy are going to be felt by generations of New Yorkers. Going hybrid will shrink the city's carbon footprint and help us meet our Plan Y-C global warming goals. It will also greatly reduce the pollution that fouls our air and causes childhood asthma and other serious diseases.

Hybrid power is going to be good for the wallets of cab drivers, as well as good for the environment, because based on current gasoline prices, the new standards that the Taxi and Limousine Commission will adopt will save drivers an average of $10,000 per year by 2010. That's money they'll be able to spend in neighborhood stores, which means the economic benefits will be felt in communities throughout our city.

Specifically, here's what's happening.

Currently, there are only 375 taxicabs in New York using hybrid gasoline-electric power, but that's about to change and change for the good. By October 2008, all new vehicles entering the taxi fleet must get at least 25 miles per gallon. That's almost twice the 14 miles per gallon achieved by the Ford Crown Victoria, which is currently the workhouse of New York City's gasoline-powered taxis.

That new standard can be easily be achieved by hybrid-powered vehicles. And after October 09, all new taxis will be required to be hybrid, getting at least 30 miles a gallon.

Hybrids will be phased in as today's strictly gasoline-powered taxis are retired. As a result, by October, 2010, more than half the cab fleet will be hybrids. And two years later, virtually all taxis will be hybrid-powered. These new standards will save taxi operators an estimated eight million gallons of fuel in the first year alone, and save another 15 million gallons in the second year, and that's good news at today's high fuel prices.

Today I'm also pleased to announce that the Internet company Yahoo! is helping us getting the hybrid ball rolling by donating 10 hybrid Ford Escape taxicabs to Team Systems, a taxi operator in our city. And I just wanted to say personally thank you to Yahoo! They really are trying to make a difference in making our world better.

You know, when you set big goals, you have got an obligation to take big steps to reach them. And these new regulations I think do just that.

And now let me turn the floor over to Matthew Dawes (ph), the commissioner of the city's Taxi and Limousine Commission -- Matthew.

LEMON: All right. Mayor Michael Bloomberg holding a press conference in New York City, definitely a first there.

I said Gracie Mansion earlier. Actually, that's City Hall, just across from the Brooklyn Bridge, where he's holding this press conference, saying by the year -- he said 2010 -- half the fleet will be hybrids. By 2011, the entire fleet of taxicabs in New York City will be hybrids.

He said that 32,000, did he say there, gas-powered vehicles there? I thought it was 13,000, but he says 32,000. So we'll have to check that, but the mayor should know his own city. But it's definitely very interesting.

He said it's going to save the cab drivers $10,000...

LONG: Just by 2010.

LEMON: ... per year -- or $10,000 per year by the year 2010. So that's a lot of money they'll have in their own pockets.

But if you want to find out more about this, I suggest you tune into "THE SITUATION ROOM" at 4:00 p.m. Eastern. Our very own Wolf Blitzer has an interview with Mayor Michael Bloomberg about the city's taxis going green. That should definitely be an interesting one, 4:00 p.m. Eastern, "THE SITUATION ROOM" with Wolf Blitzer, Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York City.

LONG: You might want to fasten your seat belt for our next story. And I'm not talking about riding in a taxi, because you could fly into a rage when you hear about some of the pricey congressional trips on your dime.

Drew Griffin has the goods coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LONG: Thousands of people are gathering in Virginia today to say their final good-byes, pay their final respects to the Reverend Jerry Falwell. The Moral Majority founder died last week, as you know, at the age of 73. His funeral is being held at the Thomas Road Baptist Church. That's where he got his start as a preacher more than 50 years ago.

And that's where we find CNN's Brianna Keilar, who's live from Lynchburg -- Brianna.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Melissa.

This funeral is still under way, but it is beginning to wrap up here. After this memorial service, family and close friends of Jerry Falwell will take part in a private burial. He's going to be laid to rest on the campus of Liberty University. But at this service, thousands of people who waited a very long time to get into Thomas Road Baptist Church.

Some of them were up at 4:00 a.m. waiting in line here. Some told us they actually spent the night in their cars in the parking lot here to stake out their place in line.

And, of course, Jerry Falwell was a very controversial figure, both during life and in death. He was very outspoken against homosexuality, against abortion rights and feminism, and he was really a face of the religious right.

He formed -- he formed the Moral Majority in 1979, and he was highly criticized for injecting the evangelical Christian agenda into politics. But when you talk to the people here, they say he stood for Christian values, he lived what he preached. And so many people here have stories about how he was just genuinely compassionate, and they say, Melissa, that he will be missed.

LONG: And thousands of people again turning out today to pay their final respects.

Brianna, thank you.

LEMON: A call to prayer versus a call to arms. Ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM, U.S. Muslims voice their opinions on religion and extremism.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Even though we wish we could, we cannot shorten security lines or make the airlines run on time. But there's a solution to another common travel gripe.

(BUSINESS REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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

LONG: And hello. I'm Melissa Long, in today for Kyra Phillips.

They flew on your dime. Commercial flights apparently just not good enough.

LEMON: Our Drew Griffin checked out what Congress did over spring break. And some might call it lawmakers gone wild. We're going to give you the lowdown right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

MELISSA LONG, CNN ANCHOR: There are a lot of perks available to members of Congress -- good pay, benefits, VIP parking, and, of course, free stuff, courtesy of donors, interest groups and, in some cases, us? CNN's Drew Griffin looked into government charter flights. Pricey plane rides paid for with our tax dollars.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): In Washington, it's a rite of spring, an enduring ritual Congress just can't seem to quit.

JOHN BERTHOUD, NATIONAL TAXPAYERS UNION: You have taxpayers being forced to pay tens of thousands of dollars for these overpriced junkets.

GRIFFIN: Ah, yes, the siren song of an expensive military jet to whisk congressmen to faraway away, and often exotic, places. And naturally you, the taxpayer, pick up the tab.

COL. GARY AKINS, D.C. AIR NATIONAL GUARD: Yes. Go ahead and go on up.

GRIFFIN: Welcome aboard an $85 million government-owned Boeing executive jet. Colonel Gary Akins is the man in charge.

AKINS: It's a nice way to travel.

GRIFFIN: And it's just one of several military-owned aircraft at Andrews Air Force Base, just waiting for members of Congress, like Representative Bennie Thompson of Mississippi. Where did he got on spring break?

REP. BENNIE THOMPSON, (D) MISSISSIPPI: Well, the Virgin Islands was one of many stops.

GRIFFIN: He's the new chairman of the Homeland Security Committee. Thompson and eight colleagues made a whirlwind trip to Mexico City, Honduras, the Virgin Islands, then Key West. Why? To check out matters of homeland security. One night they stayed here at the Caneel Bay Resort. Critics are pouncing on this and some of the 12 other congressional trips taken over spring break. The trips made easy because members of Congress don't fly like you and me. On board the $10,000 an hour Air Force jet, it's all first class, movie screens, a couch, a conference area. Don Humphries leads the flight service on board, which usually includes snacks, appetizers, and full meals.

Well, a lot of taxpayers are going to look at this and go, what the heck? Because why are -- because we're paying for this, right?

DON HUMPHRIES: Exactly. Yes, taxpayers dollars.

Congress has long-standing rules for using military jets used to be you had to have five members of Congress go along, including both Democrats and Republicans. Empty seats, and there usually are some, can be filled by spouses and/or staff. So keeping them honest, let's take a look at some of the high-flying spring breakers.

When New York Congressman Elliott Engle charted to the Caribbean, he took four other Democrats, but no Republicans. The itinerary included a tour of a home for the elderly, an historic fort, a nature center and meetings with local officials. A spokesman for Congressman Engle said the trip was need because countries in the Caribbean have been complaining of being ignored by the U.S.

There was also a pricey trip to London and Brussels. Barney Frank, the new chair of the House Financial Services Committee, took two other Democrats to meet financial regulators. Seven more passengers rode along, including the adult daughter of one congresswoman. Total cost to taxpayers for that flight? $160,000. That's double what it would have cost to fly all 10 business class. Barney Franks' spokesman told us a military charter just made it a lot easier in terms of transportation.

As for Congressman Bennie Thompson and his Caribbean trip, as an estimated 13 hours flight time, the cost was $130,000 just to fly.

This looks like a first-class boondoggle with some information peppered in.

THOMPSON: Well, if you look at the time that we actually spent in each area, given the fact that we spent less than 24 hours in any community, it would have been utterly impossible to do that trip commercially and logistically.

GRIFFIN: Also on along for the ride, Thompson's wife, three other wives, and eight staff. And that beautiful resort?

Was Caneel Bay, was that stop a mistake?

THOMPSON: Well, if it were not the only place available to stay, you could have justification to be critical. But if was the only hotel on the island that had a vacancy. It could not be a mistake.

GRIFFIN: New House Speaker Nancy Pelosi promised no more business as usual in Congress. So we called the speaker's office and asked about all these trips. We were told in an e-mail, the speaker was "unaware there was no Republican" on Barny Frank's trip to Brussels and London. "The speaker does not approve most trips." And as for who does approve congressional trips, well "that is done as it was done in past congresses, by committee chairs." Chairs like Barny Frank and Bennie Thompson. In other words, says the taxpayers union's Berthoud, business as usual.

BERTHOUD: These members are just not leveling with the American public that they are doing the people's business when they're going on these trips.

GRIFFIN: Back at Andrews, Colonel Akins says flying members of Congress is serious business.

AKINS: It's important people doing important work. And our job is to facilitate that. And it's other people's jobs to determine, you know, whether it's, you know, proper use or not proper use.

GRIFFIN: As for what's proper and what's not? At the moment, it seems the sky's the limit.

(END VIDEOTAPE) LONG: We should point out as well that one Republican was scheduled to join New York Democrat Elliott Engle on his Caribbean trip, but that Republican canceled about two weeks before the departure.

Joining us now with more on this investigation, CNN's Drew Griffin, who's live in Washington.

I've just been shaking my head for the last five minutes now. Drew, it appears that Congressman Franks and Engle didn't follow the rules. It appears that they didn't follow the rules. Did they get waivers for this trip?

GRIFFIN: If you don't fit into those rulings, you're supposed to get a waiver. Now Congressmen Engle, Elliott Engle, did have a Republican on board until two weeks before. That Republican, and I talked to that staff, did drop out. And apparently Engle make an effort to get a Republican on board. And because of that, the speaker did grant a waiver because the trip was already scheduled.

Barney Frank, he not only didn't take a Republican, he didn't take five members. So the speaker didn't know about that. No waiver was granted. Now we should point out that Franks' office called us today and is complaining about the story, wants to comment on this piece, but Barney Frank to busy today. They said call him back tomorrow.

LONG: OK. All right. We'll be looking forward to hearing from him as well.

Now last year, of course, we all remember the Abramoff scandal, uncovered a lot of lobbyist paying for trips. So I guess the question is, have we just changed who pays and now it's us? It's the taxpayer?

GRIFFIN: You know, that's what the critics are saying here. We just replaced one problem with another. Last year the corporations were footing the bill, now the taxpayers are footing the bill.

Certainly these congresspeople need to travel. They need to see the world. Whether or not they see these parts of the world on your dime on a military jet seems to be the question.

There are a lot of congresspeople, congress members, who will fly just about anywhere in the world commercially business class, which is their right, to go check out where a lot of our money is being spent. The question is, is it wise to use these taxpayer dollars -- $10,000 an hour, Melissa, that's a lot of money just to fly these guys around -- if it's wise to use that for some of these trips. And that's what's being questioned here.

LONG: A lot of money and also a lot of research, of course, going into this story. And you'll have more coming up this weekend, "AC 360" 10:00 p.m. and we look forward to watching. Drew Griffin in Washington.

Thanks, Drew. GRIFFIN: Thank you.

LEMON: Nursery rhymes, colors and shapes. Well, that's not all kindergartners are learning in Baghdad.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): "I give a knife to my father to slaughter the chickens," she says. "He gives me a machine gun and a rifle. Now I'm a soldier in the liberation army.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: War's disturbing lessons, straight ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Pictures now from the Thomas Road Baptist Church. You can see the casket carrying the body of the Reverend Jerry Falwell, there being carried out to the hearse. It is believed that there will be a private burial on the grounds of Liberty University near a former mansion where Falwell's office was located. So that is the Reverend Jerry Falwell. Folks there in Lynchburg, Virginia, at the Thomas Road Baptist Church paying their final farewells.

LONG: 2:42 in the afternoon Eastern Time. Here are just a few of the stories we're working on in the CNN NEWSROOM this hour for you.

Chicago police are on the hunt for three suspected bank robbers. Police say they shot and wounded three people at the bank on the south side. Those victims, they are in critical and serious condition right now. The suspects got away with a small amount of cash. The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for information.

In Turkey, an explosion rips through a busy Ankara shopping district, killing at least five people and wounding more than 60. Authorities think a bomb is to blame. Islamic militants and Kurdish radicals have claimed responsibility for previous bombings.

And gas prices, you know this, at a record high, and not a good time for an oil leak. A B.P. refinery in Alaska has shut down operations for a few days because of a small leak. The shutdown is not expected to have a big impact on oil prices.

LEMON: There is trouble at the Denver Zoo. Caretakers are keeping close watch on the animals after a capuchin monkey was found dead of the plague. The flee-borne disease is actually pretty common in Colorado this time of year, but it usually occurs in rural areas. More than a dozen squirrels and at least one rabbit have been found dead of the plague near the zoo just east of downtown Denver. A zoo veterinarian says the monkey probably ate an infected squirrel.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. DAVID KENNY, DENVER ZOO VETERINARIAN: Please don't feed the wildlife. That's never a good idea. But especially right now, don't be feeding the bunnies or the squirrels. You know, maintain some distance away from them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Health officials say the chances of a human contracting the plague are minimal.

LONG: And now a bizarre story out of Los Angeles to make sure you're aware of, where police believe a man tried to kill his girlfriend by stopping their car on the tracks of an oncoming train. In the end, he was killed, not the girlfriend, who police say is in serious condition, but she is expected to survive. Now witnesses say the man was arguing with the woman yesterday before driving in front of a line of cars waiting at the train crossing. He had placed the car so the passenger side was facing the train, but he was ejected from the car and hit the debris, killing him.

The plot thickened, and then killed a former KGB agent. And now months later, London prepares to file charges and stirs up a diplomatic stew with Russia. More intrigue ahead in the NEWSROOM.

A.J. HAMMER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm A.J. Hammer in New York.

Prison break or prison time? A shocking plea in court from a Hollywood TV star could be sending him to the slammer. I'll have those details straight ahead in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Well, from "Baywatch" to court watch. Actor David Hasselhoff's very public divorce and custody battle have certainly heated up. Entertainment correspondent A.J. Hammer joins me now from New York with what sounds like good news for the Hoff, A.J. I should say Knight Rider, maybe?

HAMMER: Yes, Don, a little less hassle for the Hoff, at least for the time being. Now according to the Associated Press, a California judge has restored the former "Baywatch" and "Knight Rider" star, his rights to visit his two teenage daughters.

This ruling came yesterday. It followed a May 7th suspension order after that videotape emerged of him allegedly drunk, lying on the floor eating a hamburger while one of his teenage daughters, who was filming the particular video, is lecturing him about drinking.

Now both Hasselhoff and his former wife, Pamela Bach, attended this hearing. The two got married back in December of 1979. They divorced last year and they have been arguing over child and spousal support for several months now. It has been nasty. Another hearing in the case scheduled for June 1st. And, Don, do not expect it to be any less nasty when that hearing gets underway.

LEMON: Oh, I can only -- we can only imagine. And, you know what, there's a lot of interest in that. So I'm sure a lot of people will be tuning in. Let's talk about another Hollywood star, A.J., in court yesterday too. And this one, wow, pleaded guilty?

HAMMER: Yes. We don't hear that all that often, do we? We don't hear the "g" word in court from stars. But this is a very dark coincidence and a tragic story. This ruling could actually mean prison time for an actor who's very accustomed to playing an inmate on TV. It's former "Prison Break" star Lane Garrison we're talking about. He was back in court yesterday where he pled guilty to vehicular manslaughter and drunken driving charges from December 2006. This is a crash that killed a teenage passenger.

The 26 years old was released on $100,000 bail. He now faces up to six years, eight months in state prison when he is sentenced. That's going to take place in August. His lost control of his land rover, and crashed into a tree. At the time of the incident, the 26 years old was released on $100,000 bail, now faces up to six years, eight months in prison. The sentence will take place in August.

The accident occurred when Garrison lost control of his 2001 Landrover. He crashed into a tree. At the time of the incident, police say his blood alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit and he was under influence of cocaine at the time. Two other minors were in the car, but they did survive the crash. Garrison's character on the hip-hops drama was killed off the show last October. That was two months before the crash occurred. But just a tragic story indeed.

Don.

LEMON: Certainly is tragic.

Speaking of crashes, this one didn't involve a car, but, you know what, I'm so worried about her. I think you know who I'm talking about.

HAMMER: I do know who you're talking about. And pardon me if I'm smiling. It's never good when somebody hurts themselves.

LEMON: I know.

HAMMER: It's nothing to laugh at. But I want you to listen to this story, because it wasn't really a crash. It was, shall we say more of a stumble that got Paula Abdul a bit banged up over the weekend. And here's what happened. The "American Idol" judge apparently tripped while trying to avoid stepping on -- are you ready for this -- her Chihuahua named Tulip. Unfortunately she fell in the process, tore in cartilage in her nose, broke her toe.

LEMON: Oh.

HAMMER: I am happy to report here on CNN today, Tulip, the Chihuahua, not harmed in the fall. Now Paula Abdul, of course, a little sore from having gone through this, but she says she's fine and she will, in fact, appear on tonight's "American Idol" broadcast.

And, of course, tonight it's the battle of the sexes. Your last chance to vote for your favorite "Idol" wannabe. Bubbly 17-year-old Jordin Sparks taking on 25-year-old beat-bobbster (ph) Blake Lewis. They're competing for the very last time tonight as the two-part season finale kicks off. The winner named tomorrow night. It, of course, will be a start-studded red carpet event and, of course, CNN will be right there to bring you all the details.

Now coming up tonight on "Showbiz Tonight," are you ready for this? It's more shocking allegations, or revelations, I should say, about Paris Hilton. Listen, two weeks before Paris Hilton is supposed to report to jail . . .

LEMON: Right.

HAMMER: She's possibly turning to religion, Don, to save her.

LEMON: Oh, man.

HAMMER: Yes, pictures of her carrying the Bible. Or the question is, is turning to the good book after the book was thrown at her just some kind of ploy?

LEMON: That's a different book, though, A.J.

HAMMER: Yes, well, you know, we'll have the answer, because we are TV's most provocative entertainment news show. And you can catch us at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific on Headline Prime.

LEMON: On Headline Prime. And, you know what, no one likes crushed tulip. We like our tulips, you know, in bloom. Fully in bloom.

HAMMER: Exactly.

LEMON: And we hope Paris Hilton is OK. Maybe she found religion.

HAMMER: It will be interesting to get into this topic tonight.

LEMON: OK.

HAMMER: Make sure you tune in for it. I'm going to have a lot of fun with this on.

LEMON: All right, A.J., we'll see you then. Thank you.

HAMMER: You got it, Don.

LONG: Speaking of religion, a call to prayer versus a call to arms, ahead in the NEWSROOM. U.S. Muslims are voicing their opinions on religion and extremism.

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LONG: It reads like a cold war thriller. One former Soviet spy is poisoned. Another accused of his murder. British prosecutors say they have enough evidence to go after the former KGB agent, Andre Lugovoi, who is now a Russian businessman. They've asked Moscow to hand him over. It refuses.

Lugovoi denies any involvement in Alexander Litvenenko's death. The two met a London last November just hours before Litvenenko fell ill. The outspoken critic of the kremlin, who had been poisoned with radioactive polonium, died three weeks later.

Muslims in America. Just who are they? A new poll by the Pew Research Center finds they share views and outlooks similar to those of the average American, even if they weren't born in the U.S. Sixty- five percent of survey respondents said they were born outside of America.

Only slightly more than a quarter of those surveyed say the war on terrorism is part of a sincere effort to reduce terrorism. Sixty- one percent weighed in, saying they are very or somewhat concerned about the rise of Islamic extremism in America. And those surveyed also had strong views about suicide bombings, with 83 percent saying it's a move that can rarely or never be justified.

Those numbers change only slightly when you talk about younger Muslims. About fifteen percent of Muslims surveyed between the ages of 18 and 29 say suicide bombings are sometimes justified to defend Islam, while 80 percent say it is never acceptable.

LEMON: Violence and death are the real lessons school-age children in Iraq are learning, if they go to school at all. As CNN's Hugh Riminton found out, classes are smaller and the fear looms larger.

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HUGH RIMINTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): Graduation day at the May Saloon (ph) kindergarten. A day worth dressing up for. Already these five-year-olds are survivors. In Saddam's time, this kindergarten held up to 180 children. Today's graduating classes is just 16. Families have fled or parents keep their kids at home, fearful of bombs or kidnap gangs.

IBTISAM, MOTHER, (through translator): They're scared. We're scared too. But we can't have them miss their school years. We can't sacrifice that. They must learn.

RIMINTON: Right across Iraq, education is in retreat. It's not just parents keeping their kids away from kindergartens and schools, it goes all the way through to the kidnapping, intimidation and murder of college professors (ph).

These kids are the lucky ones, comparative well off and with at least a chance at literacy. But the violence permeates everything. Here where explosions are as familiar as nursery rhymes.

"When I hear the bombs, I'm afraid," says Sharook (ph). "I close my ears."

"I'm going to bomb, bomb, bomb the school with everyone in it," says five-year-old Omar (ph). "When I hear explosions, I start shooting planes."

The Iraqi association of psychologists say 92 percent of children in a country-wide study have impeded learning because of fear and insecurity.

SUHAILAH IBRAHIM, HEADMISTRESS, (through translator): We always try to reduce their stress. When we hear shootings and explosions, we usually tell them the explosions are far away from us.

RIMINTON: The education itself, even at this secular middle- class place, seems oddly twisted. They sing the national anthem. But their enthusiasm really rises for this -- "I give a knife to my father to slaughter the chicken," she sings. "He gives me a machine gun and a rifle. Now I'm a soldier in the liberation army." The headmistress leaves no doubt from whom she thinks Iraq needs liberation.

IBRAHIM: Politically, we want to see Iraqis live like before. We want an end to the occupation.

RIMINTON: The children finish with a chant. "I swear, I swear on my parents, on the blood of the martyrs, I will defend my homeland."

Hugh Riminton, CNN, Baghdad.

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LEMON: The next hour of the CNN NEWSROOM starts right now.

Hello, everyone. I'm Don Lemon. Live at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta.

LONG: And good afternoon. I'm Melissa Long, in today for Kyra Phillips.

Record prices at the pump. You've seen them. Record profits for the oil companies. What is wrong with this picture?

LEMON: Well, some say it's just free market supply and demand. Others say it's price gouging.

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