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Interview with Bridge Collapse Witness; Heroes in Minneapolis; How Safe are Bridges?

Aired August 04, 2007 - 14:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush consoles the Minneapolis community. Meanwhile, the tragedy provokes this question. Are the bridges in your community safe? And is your Ford safe? The company has issued a huge recall. We will tell you who is affected.
And for once, some good news for Iraq. We'll save that for last. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM, where the news unfolds live this Saturday, August 4th. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

President Bush came to Minneapolis today bringing, he said, the prayers of the American people. He looked at the wreckage of Wednesday's devastating bridge collapse, spoke with survivors and rescuers and promised help. At least five people died in the collapse of the bridge.

And while the search continues in the murky waters of the Mississippi River, there is growing hope the final toll won't be as high as originally feared. Still undetermined what caused the disaster, one clue investigators say the south end of the bridge shifted 50 feet to the east when it went down, while the rest of the bridge appears to have collapsed in place.

A distraught man apparently in a desperate search for a little girl. Exclusive new video this hour from those horrifying moments just after the Minneapolis bridge collapsed Wednesday evening. It was captured by Steve Dworak, a student at the University of Minnesota. He joins us live from Minneapolis. Good to see you, Steve.

STEVE DWORAK, WITNESS: Good to see you, too.

WHITFIELD: Well you and I spoke Wednesday night into the early morning of Thursday talking about some of the images that you received, none of which compared to this.

In this video, you're saying that a man had been searching for his daughter. He plunged into the water looking for his daughter. Explain exactly how you learned of this information.

DWORAK: That is correct. I came down after the bridge collapsed about 15 to 20 minutes and I went down actually all the way to the banks of the Mississippi where I saw a distraught individual who just looked frantic.

He was actually going around asking people if they saw a little girl with red hair and glasses and no one had seen her. So he kept asking and he just looked very worried. That's when he actually got into the water and swam over to the bridge and was just looking around for her and shortly thereafter, a rescue boat came and actually told him he couldn't be out there, so they made him get back on the boat and take him back to shore.

Shortly thereafter, he kept walking the banks and asking people, I'm not quite sure if he found her. I just want to say my prayers are with him, all the families of the victims and those still missing.

WHITFIELD: We've been asking -- Steve, sorry to interrupt you.

DWORAK: That's all right.

WHITFIELD: A number of the officials in the Minneapolis, to find out a little bit more about this man and about the outcome of his reported search. We're still awaiting answers from officials there on the ground. Meantime, there is no audio in this videotape. So can you give me an idea of just what you heard? You actually heard him say, point blank, that he was looking for his daughter?

DWORAK: That is correct. I was about probably 10 feet from him. He was on the shore. I was probably up on the rocks about five feet from him. That's when he was just looking around with a frantic look on his face, horrified and just saying has anyone seen a little girl with red hair, glasses and everyone kind of shook their head and didn't know exactly what he was talking about.

WHITFIELD: What is your understanding about how he got separated from his daughter? Was he a motorist in one of these vehicles and somehow the two of them got separated? What?

DWORAK: That, I'm not quite sure. To take a guess, I believe so. When I saw him, he had his shirt off and he looks like he's just in a pair of shorts. He appeared wet at the time so my understanding that he was. However, I'm not completely positive that he was. But from my understanding, it probably appeared so.

WHITFIELD: So what was it about this moment that made you start taking pictures? Because when you and I spoke, what, three days ago, the images that you had were mostly of the response teams there, the onlookers, et cetera.

What is it about the three-day period that, you know, struck your fancy about this image that you had this and that you're just now revealing it?

DWORAK: Just the look on his face. It's something that I hope no one has to go through and just to see his, you know, losing hope by every second that goes by. It was just something that kept in my mind and stuck there. You know?

Hopefully, he found her and hopefully everything turns out great, but as more and more boats got onshore, or rescue boats were looking for him, he told them to look downstream. He kind of thought maybe if she wasn't there that her body may have floated down the river.

WHITFIELD: And these were images that you shot that Wednesday after the collapse?

DWORAK: Yeah. Like I said, earlier, I was actually on scene probably 15 to 20 minutes shortly after the bridge collapsed and I actually went down all the way to the banks of the Mississippi and crossing train tracks and went down there and as the police showed up, they weren't doing crowd control.

Their main concern was let's try to save as many people as we can. Therefore, I was able to sit from a very close distance and take these pictures as well as these videos before they started doing crowd control.

WHITFIELD: What made you remember that you had these images?

DWORAK: Actually, I had downloaded all of my pictures to my laptop and unfortunately, I had missed these videos that I had and I knew I had taken videos that were good, but, unfortunately, they didn't show up. So when I downloaded them to a different computer, that's when I found them. These are the first images I had taken right when I got on the scene which turned out to be the great footage.

WHITFIELD: And now three days later, have you heard anything about this man, his story, whether he was indeed reunited with what you heard him to be saying, looking for his daughter?

DWORAK: I have not. And my prayers, like I said, go out to him and his family and all of the families, all the victims and those still missing. As a nation, as a world, we keep them in our prayers and hopefully it turns out to be the best and, hopefully, we can get a hold of him and it turns out to be a misunderstanding. Maybe he found her.

WHITFIELD: Steve, what have these past three days been like for you? You've taken a number of images that we have put on the air here at CNN. You had a pretty close view of all that was taking place immediately after the bridge collapsed. What has the last few days been like for you, processing all of this information that you witnessed for yourself, just feet away?

DWORAK: Pretty horrifying. It was such a tragedy. As I just couldn't understand what was going on at the time. It didn't really dawn on me. I mean, it dawned on me. I just couldn't comprehend the whole situation how big it was. As the days go by, I keep looking at my photos and videos for news reporters and I just have to relive it and it's a horrific event and, you know, it's a true tragedy.

WHITFIELD: Here you are, a University of Minnesota student, correct? How reliant have you been in the past on 35W?

DWORAK: You know, it's a much traveled road. It's near Diggy Town (ph), which is the heart of the U of M campus, which is where most students live and you have to take that road to get into downtown Minneapolis which people go to downtown a lot, go to sporting events and bars and stuff like that. So it's very well traveled. And like I said, I live four blocks away from it so I'm on that road, you know, any time that I'm making a commute either to downtown Minneapolis or to the suburbs or to St. Paul even.

WHITFIELD: OK, well Steve, very impactful moments and your images helped convey that tremendously and, once again, while you saw this man and you thought you heard him say he was looking for his daughter, we have been unable to confirm anything about this man, the search for his daughter through city authorities.

But we continue to try on those efforts to find out exactly what the outcome is of this apparent search of this man possibly for his daughter there just moments after the bridge collapsed.

DWORAK: We can only hope for the best.

WHITFIELD: We do, indeed, hope for the best. Thanks so much, Steve Dworak, for sharing your images and your account.

So one of the most chilling moments in the aftermath of the collapsed bridge, this as well. A trapped school bus near a burning tractor-trailer. There had been about 50 children on board along with their teachers and chaperones. It was a time for heroes as well and Gary Babineau didn't think twice.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GARY BABINEAU, HELPED PULL CHILDREN FROM BUS: I ran over and there was -- there was a bunch of kids already off the bus kicking and screaming and crying and a couple in shock and didn't say anything at all. There was I think his name was Jeremy. I'm not -- I think his name was Jeremy.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Jeremy Hernandez?

BABINEAU: Yeah. I saw him handing kids off the bus to a couple of people. I grabbed a bunch of the kids and there was a bunch of kids on the actual bridge and, you know, we were handing them down to people and they were just -- I could see that there wasn't enough people on the actual street level grabbing kids so I jumped on there and started grabbing the kids from the bridge and --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The bus?

BABINEAU: From the bridge because they were already off the bus. They came down where it was probably six or seven or eight-feet drop. The bus it would have been 10 or 12 feet, I think. But they walked down there and the ones that could walk, I just put them down and said just run as fast as you can towards everyone else, there were people running down to.

And the ones that looked like they had a broken leg or broken arm or something, I would just hand them to somebody else that was running down and walking by. You know, I just handed them to them and the kids lean over the bridge so I could grab them like they were almost falling.

You could tell the kids wanted off the bridge because if you're willing to trust someone to grab you when you're falling off a bridge, you want off the bridge.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Gary Babineau was one of those good samaritans, rescuers who got a chance to tell President Bush firsthand exactly what he went through that day. President Bush was in Minneapolis today. And he also said he wants to get that bridge rebuilt as quickly as possible. He spoke during his visit where he got a firsthand look at the wreckage as well.

CNN's Ed Lavandera joins us live with more on the president's visit and the promise for the continued recovery effort. Ed, what is happening there today?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well you know Fredricka, a couple of days now since this tragedy has happened.

The concern here starting -- people starting look ahead and just exactly how long it's going to take for the interstate to be rebuilt and get this artery back into downtown working again and many people here under the impression and operating under the guise that it might be close to two years before this roadway is up and running again.

So people here kind of coming to grips with that reality in terms of just how life is going to change here on a daily basis. President Bush toured the mangled wreckage site here this morning while divers and rescue crews continue to work inside the river.

It has been a rainy day and rather miserable conditions out there, but officials say they will continue to do that work in the river as long as there is no lightning in the area and that is we've been free of lightning here so the work continues to go there.

President Bush essentially offering kind of a pep talk to some of the first responders that were here this morning and with the police chief and the fire chief and all the people who responded so quickly to the scene, celebrating their work that how they worked to civilians as we've been talking about in the first few minutes of this newscast and in terms of talking about how the civilians worked with rescue crews in the area.

Here, the main point President Bush bringing to them saying the road will be rebuilt and they will work to make sure the road blocks of the government red tape won't get in the way.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'm here with the secretary of transportation, because our message to the Twin Cities is we want to get this bridge rebuilt as quick as possible.

(END VIDEO CLIP) LAVANDERA: Fredricka, there's a series of press conferences scheduled for later this afternoon from various organizations and officials that are working here at the scene. The NTSB, sheriff's office and the police and the city as well so we will update you some more throughout the afternoon as to exactly how the events and how the work is going here on the river.

It's been slowed down a little bit, as I mentioned, by the weather but they're in the water right now. They've been in there for a little bit more than three hours so far this morning as they continue to do that very difficult work of looking through the mangled wreckage that is below the water and trying to do as they can to pull out more victims. The fifth victim was brought out and the death toll now stands at five. Fredricka?

WHITFIELD: All right, Ed Lavandera, thanks so much. And we look forward to any more details that might be coming from the state's department of transportation somewhere within this hour.

Meantime, all five of the bodies recovered so far have been identified. All of the victims are from Minnesota. They are 51-year- old Paul Eickstadt of Mounds View, 32-year-old Julia Blackhawk of Savage, 60-year-old Sherry Engebretsen of Shoreview, 36-year-old Patrick Holmes of Mounds View and 29-year-old Artemio Trinidad-Mena of Minneapolis.

Well many people have been wondering about the safety of the bridges where they live. I mean, who doesn't, Josh, go over a bridge and wonder about its stability and just kind of think about those what if's?

JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You drive differently now, a little bit, don't you?

WHITFIELD: Yeah.

LEVS: As it is, if you're on a bridge and there's a lot of wind and you feel something underneath you, it's always a little bit scary. But now seeing what happened here it's a lot more scary.

And that's what happening and a lot of people are feeling that. The U.S. has more than half a million bridges and a lot of them are decades old, so you have got time and weather and traffic all combining to take a toll on the structures.

During the aftermath of the Minneapolis disaster, the government has now ordered immediate inspections of more than 750. Which are they? Well, to see how the bridges in your state measure up, here is what you do.

Go to CNN.com home page and click on the link just below the lead story. That brings up a list of all the possibly suspect bridges state by state. Also, a lot of local TV affiliates and newspapers and currently focused on troubled bridges in their area.

For example, we pulled this up from WFAA, that's in Dallas/Ft. Worth. This station has posted a video report on the longest bridge in Texas and what officials are doing to make sure it's safe. And they also posted a list of specific bridges that are in need of attention.

Now crumbling infrastructure is an important story that resonates all over the country, so checking in your local TV stations and newspapers, that's a really good place to find more information about the status of the bridges near you, particularly if they're on that list.

Now "The New York Times," here's an example, they're reporting that the Brooklyn Bridge, one of the city's beloved land marks was rated in poor condition last year.

But that city officials say the bridge is actually safe and that it's already scheduled for a reconstruction beginning in 2002. So Fred, that's what we're looking at now, more and more news agencies taking on the bridges near people to get a sense are you safe? Do you have to worry when you're passing over that bridge?

WHITFIELD: Right. Also in today's "New York Times," it's reporting that there are something like 700,000 bridges across the country which are considered to be deficient. That's a huge number and alarming still.

LEVS: I mean, it's a matter of -- that's how many bridges there are in general and it's a matter of looking within that list and how many actually are in need of something fast.

The ones that need a quick search right now, the quick inspections is about 750, but sure, there are thousands that are not in ideal conditions and that's what people are looking into. But also emphasizing, not being ideal condition is different from being dangerous.

WHITFIELD: Bridges, that's tough, because you can't build them like this. These bridges are there at least for the long-term, 30- year-old, 40-year-old bridges depending I guess on the region of the country. Some might think that's really not that old.

LEVS: Yes, exactly, they're built to last and a lot of them have lasted a long time, but that is a concern. And also, they're economic engines. I mean, each of these bridges get people to and from work, to and from everywhere they need to go. These are billions of dollars and they're value to a society. So clearly there's a value in making sure that they're not lost and so cities and states and the federal government now taking new steps to ensure future safety.

WHITFIELD: We universally need these bridges and we universally need them to be safe.

LEVS: Everyone, all Americans.

WHITFIELD: Josh Levs, thank you so much.

LEVS: Thank you. WHITFIELD: Appreciate it.

So what is the anatomy of a bridge? How easily can it bend? CNN's Rick Sanchez goes on assignment to find out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: It's important to note that every single time something goes over this bridge, the bridge has a little bit of movement. Not much, very little. But now imagine that movement occurring millions and millions of times. That is what causes fatigue.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: And this is a report that you don't want to miss, especially as you get ready to drive across yet another bridge. Join Rick Sanchez tonight at 10:00 Eastern, 7:00 Pacific.

And if you want to do more than just watch the news, if you'd like to impact your world, go to CNN.com/impact. CNN is making it easy for you to do something about the issues that matter to you. Check it out and find out more information on that.

Coming up in the CNN NEWSROOM, trouble for Britain's beef industry, a reported outbreak of foot and mouth disease.

And a major recall for Ford trucks and cars. Find out if your vehicle is one of them.

Later, we'll talk to our legal eagles. One of our topics, how did two men accused of murder in a Connecticut home invasion get parole? Stay with us for more on that.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Britain taking no chances with a highly contagious virus that can devastate livestock. It is halting all livestock exports after an outbreak of foot and mouth disease on a farm west of London. Cattle on the farm have been culled and the area has been cordoned off. Britain's prime minister vows to do what it takes to contain the disease.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GORDON BROWN, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: I understand the anxieties and the worries that will be there at the moment and that is why I want to do everything in our part immediately to get to the scientific evidence and to look at the source of what has happened, to set up a number of inquiries so we can know quickly, I mean within hours and days what has actually happened and then to eradicate this disease in Britain.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: It is the first outbreak of foot and mouth disease in Britain since 2001, when about seven million animals had to be slaughtered.

A big recall involving Ford cruise control switches. Ford will repair more than three million cars, trucks, SUVS and vans built between 1992 and 2004. Ford's cruise control switches have been involved in previous recall linked to reports of fires. Ford says this recall is not linked to any fires and is simply designed to reassure Ford, Mercury and Lincoln owners.

Desperate situation in south Asia now. Massive flooding from monsoon rains have killed more than 250 people and forced millions from their homes. Bangladesh, India and Nepal all hit hard. Many people are suffering from water-borne diseases. Officials warn that landslides are also a threat.

More misery to the north in China. Flash flooding killed 78 people in one county alone. More than 6,000 homes destroyed. Deadly stormed also ravaged eastern China. Five people were crushed to death when a building collapsed on them after being hit by lightning.

Evacuation order in California. Just look at the mass of smoke billowing over Santa Barbara County. The fire has been burning for a month now and has consumed more than 44,000 acres. Right now, it's gaining strength again. About 300 people under evacuation orders.

Let's check in with Jacqui Jeras. Boy, it is frightening. It is because it's so dry and it's just too difficult to try and battle that fire? We're talking a month now? That's a long time.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WHITFIELD: Now let's shift gears a little bit to toys and a major recall. We'll tell you what to look for in your child's toy box today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DINA ABDEL WAHAB, CNN HERO: Children of special needs who are just integrated into the main school system and they went in the same classroom with other children. If it can happen around the world, it should happen here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: And dealing with the difficulty of down's syndrome. One mother's efforts make her a CNN Hero.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: What makes someone a hero? Well this year, CNN is answering that very question by introducing you to some incredible people who are making a difference in their communities. Today, a woman from Egypt fighting a social stigma for the sake of her country's children. Dina Abdel Wahab is today's CNN hero.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) WAHAB: I remember when my son was born eight years ago, I didn't hear anything about inclusion in Egypt. Very good reading. We first learned that Ali has Down's syndrome when he was 3-months-old. Of course, it took us some time to really learn what to do, and we did a lot of research.

We went to the states, and we did some programs for Ali, and it was, to my surprise, when I went there, to see that children with special needs were just integrated into the main school system, and they went to the same classroom with the other children.

If it can happen around the world, it should happen here, and this is how the Baby Academy started. I was absolutely convinced if you want to talk about mainstreaming and if you want to talk about inclusion of children with special needs, you have to start at a very young age. You need to prepare him academically, you need to prepare him socially, and prepare the children who don't have special needs to be with their peers in the classroom and accept their differences.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It has taught us to see disability in a new and different light and to learn how to deal with it in a positive way.

WAHAB: Because it was a new concept in Egypt and because not everybody really understood, can they really be together? We have prepared and opened the doors for them to see things in a different perspective.

We really believe that it is a right for every child to have a proper education, and to think there is a shift in mentality now is a plus and is hope for the future and not only for Ali, but for all other children.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Well, if you'd like to learn more about Dina Abdel Wahab and her school or if you want to nominate a hero of your own, you'll find all the information you need at CNN.com/heroes.

Cute, cuddly and potentially dangerous. Tons of toys being recalled.

And in the middle of war, Iraqis find a reason to come together to celebrate. Details on that straight ahead in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Now, an update to our top story. President Bush is heading back to Camp David after a visit to Minneapolis where he saw the wreckage from this week's bridge collapse firsthand.

Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai will be there at Camp David tomorrow with the president. He's making the trip despite a hostage crisis in Afghanistan involving 21 South Koreans held by Taliban insurgents. And you can hear from President Karzai on Wolf Blitzer's "Late Edition" tomorrow, Sunday. Lead paint on kid's toys. Big Bird, Elmo, Dora the Explorer, all made in China, now recalled in America.

Here is CNN's Kitty Pilgrim.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KITTY PILGRIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Lead poisoning in young children can lower IQ, effect learning ability, and damage the liver and kidneys. But there are no immediate symptoms, so parents wouldn't notice if their child was ingesting lead from a toy.

DR. JAMES ROBERTS, MEDICAL UNIV. OF SOUTH CAROLINA: Lead poisoning often starts without symptoms at all. They can be a normal child running around, playing but have an elevated blood lead level, and you'd never know it without testing them.

PILGRIM: Fisher-Price found lead paint on nearly a million Big Bird, Elmo, Dora and Diego figures made in China between April and July of this year and imported into the United States. The Consumer Products Safety Commission says it's a particularly bad case. The lead was in the yellow paint surface coating the toys, a blatant disregard of the ban on lead paint in children's toys.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission, manned with a hundred field inspectors, is struggling against rampant Chinese violations of safety standards. Eighty percent of all toys in the U.S. now come from China, and from October last year, of the 306 recalls of products, 100 percent of recalled toys were made in China.

JOAN LAWRENCE, TOY INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION: There are a couple of bills being talked about in Congress that would enhance the safety system and we would be in favor of those.

PILGRIM: While there is a ban on lead paint, there is no ban on lead content in children's jewelry. Since 2004, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has recalled 165 million pieces of jewelry with lead that could leak out.

LORI WALLACH, PUBLIC CITIZEN: These kind of problems where you have really unsafe imported products flooding into our homes is going to continue until we change the trade rules.

PILGRIM: The CPSC wants a total ban on lead in children's jewelry by 2008.

Kitty Pilgrim, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: A brutal Connecticut home invasion raises questions now about the country's parole system.

And O.J. Simpson's book, "If I Did It," if people buy it, who gets the profits? Our legal experts will be here to discuss both of those topics when we come right back. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: The recent home invasion in Connecticut shocked the nation. A woman and her daughters were killed, her husband was the only survivor. Both suspects had been released from prison this year. And the parole board may have made its decision without access to some crucial information.

Our legal experts will offer their views in a moment. But, first, here now is CNN's Randi Kaye.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In 2002, when Joshua Komisarjevski (ph) was convicted of burglary, he was sentenced to nine years in prison. He'd been arrested 20 times. Judge James Bentavegna (ph) called him a "cold, calculating predator." Keeping them honest, we wanted to know why, four years shy of completing his nine-year sentence, was this guy on the street? The so-called "predator," paroled.

MICHAEL LAWLOR, (D) CONNECTICUT STATE HOUSE: In my 25 years, there's never been a case worse than this one.

KAYE: Connecticut lawmaker Mike Lawlor sees a complete system breakdown. Komisarjevski hasn't entered a plea but is now facing capital murder charges for allegedly killing Jennifer Hawk Petit and her two daughters.

Police say Komisarjevski and fellow suspect, Steven Hayes (ph), tied the family up and strangled Mrs. Petit. They say Komisarjevski sexually assaulted 11-year-old Micala (ph), then both men set the house on fire, leaving the girls to die. Mr. Petit escaped.

Turns out, Steven Hayes has 27 arrests on his rap sheet, and had also been paroled just two months before the murders.

(on camera): The Connecticut governor's office says the committee deciding whether or not to parole Komisarjevski didn't have all the facts, missing even though state law requires they be part of the file, were pre-sentencing reports, which would have included Komisarjevski's criminal background and psychological evaluations.

We're told parole board members didn't have the sentencing transcripts either, which would have included the Judge's "cold, calculating predator" comment.

(voice-over): If only parole officials knew what police and prosecutors knew, that Komisarjevski had been burglarizing homes since age 14, stalking victims, using night vision goggles.

LAWLOR: If they had seen that stuff, they would have seen a few warning signals. It was discussed in court about his mental illness, his history of sexual abuse, and I think the uniqueness of it would have set him apart, and I think they would of paid a different level of attention to this case when it came before the parole board. KAYE: Lawlor suggests it was laziness, maybe even turf battles that left Komisarjevski's parole file incomplete.

LAWLOR: When the parole board has asked for copies of police reports, and asked for copies of sentencing transcripts, prosecutors and court clerks have refused to give it to them, complaining about the cost of postage or what the effort involved in making photocopies, and that's totally unacceptable.

KAYE: To prevent another mess, Connecticut officials are taking action. The chief state's attorney is mandating all police reports be provided to the parole board at sentencing. The board will be able to access pre-sentence reports electronically, plus, the governor says state's attornies will provide parole officials with all sentencing transcripts. If only this system was in place back in April when Joshua Komisarjevski walked free.

Randi Kaye, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: All right, let's see what our legal experts have to say about this. Avery Friedman is a civil rights attorney and law professor. Good to see you.

AVERY FRIEDMAN, CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY: Hi, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And Richard Herman is a New York criminal defense attorney and law professor as well. Good to see you as well.

RICHARD HERMAN, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Hi, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, well, this home invasion case, I think, put the fear in everybody, period, you know. Parole issue or not, but Richard, let's begin with the whole parole issue.

These defendants here, while their criminal records really didn't show any violent offenses, yes, there was this judge's, I guess language that says that Komisarjevski was a -- had a cold-blooded predator kind of instinct, that he stalked victims with night vision goggles. That doesn't say violent offender.

So, don't you have to side with the parole board who did release them on parole, saying there were no reasons to believe that they were a threat to society?

HERMAN: Hey, Fred, based on that last piece, the parole board never even saw the sentencing minutes from the judge. They never saw the pre-trial interview notes and notices of the interviews.

WHITFIELD: Right, but even had they, that doesn't say violent offender, does it ...

HERMAN: Well, you know, that's ...

WHITFIELD: ...that you use night vision goggles to stalk people or watch them?

HERMAN: That's the whole problem in the state of Connecticut. You're eligible for parole after serving 50 percent of your sentence, and the key issue there is propensity to commit violence. And under those statutes in Connecticut, burglary is not deemed to be a violent conviction. I'm sure they're going to change that now.

WHITFIELD: Right, yes. I mean, I guess it's says kind of freaky weird, Avery, but ...

FRIEDMAN: Yes.

WHITFIELD: ...it doesn't say violent. And so, while this may inspire the parole board and even parole boards across the country to make some changes, I don't know. Aren't you also between a rock and a hard place to say if someone has carried out their parole, don't you also want to give them a second chance at assimilating back into society?

FRIEDMAN: Well, well, of course, you want to give them a second chance, Fredricka. The problem here is that from a victim's perspective and also from a prosecutorial perspective, burglary, home burglary, should be a violent crime and expect the state legislature in Connecticut to convert burglary to a violent crime, but there are two other issues here.

There's no way a parole board anywhere in America can make a reasoned decision without all the data, and it's caused -- been triggered by the murder of three people.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

FRIEDMAN: This should have never ever happened. The other thing, too, is that if there is going to be a parole hearing, one of the things the parole boards don't do is provide a general public notice, so if you're a victim of home burglary, you better get notice and the parole board has to consider that. So, we're going to see three major changes and hopefully, it will affect parole boards all over the country.

WHITFIELD: Wow, so you're actually saying even tantamount to say, you know, child predators.

FRIEDMAN: Yes.

WHITFIELD: There is a list, every neighborhood should know who is in their neighborhood.

FRIEDMAN: Right. Well, and it should be the same way. It seems to me that this, this Komisarjevski, Joshua Komisarjevski had a crystal meth problem, he had psychological problems, had a whole string of convictions. That 2002 transcript that talked about him as a cold, calculating predator?

WHITFIELD: Wow.

FRIEDMAN: How in the world could the board make a decision like that?

WHITFIELD: All right, all right, well ...

HERMAN: And Fred, if it's true -- Fred, if it's true that the prosecutor's office declined to provide the pre-sentence reports and the judge's allocation and the judge's rulings on the sentencing, if they fail to provide that, claiming it was too expensive, I mean, that is outrageous.

FRIEDMAN: Well, that's -- he's, that's right.

WHITFIELD: OK, well, yes, and I have a feeling this is really just the beginning of this case ...

FRIEDMAN: Right.

WHITFIELD: ...even though the outrage factor has been, what, a couple of weeks now?

FRIEDMAN: Sure.

WHITFIELD: All right, still the beginning.

All right, well, something that seems never-ending is this O.J. Simpson case.

FRIEDMAN: Right.

WHITFIELD: Let's talk about what's going on here with the O.J. Simpson book, the publisher said hands off, we're not going to publish it, but then the families of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman end up having a say about who will get the rights of this book, "If I Did It." Now, we understand that the judge says it's the Goldmans who kind of win here.

FRIEDMAN: Right.

WHITFIELD: So, let's talk about what happens now. The publisher said, OK, we're not going to publish it. The Goldmans now say we get the rights to it. So, will they actually get money in this case when they haven't been able to collect on the $33.5 million civil suit, Avery?

FRIEDMAN: Well, now it's up to $38 million and you know what? They actually got their first $20,000 when they caught O.J. spending part of that $650,000 on a navigator, brought that back in. I think there will be money.

WHITFIELD: Yes?

FRIEDMAN: And I think what's going to happen here is, you know, if Johnnie Cochran were still alive today, he probably would say something like, so O.J. got off because the glove didn't fit? But the bankruptcy judge has issued his red, so we got a long way to go and I think they're going to get some money out of this.

HERMAN: Avery, you got the water out in Cleveland. I don't know what is going on.

FRIEDMAN: Oh, no, no, that's what it is, pal.

WHITFIELD: All right ...

HERMAN: The bankruptcy judge ...

WHITFIELD: ...so, but Richard, who's going to touch it? Who has -- I mean, they're only going to get money if someone decides to publish it.

HERMAN: Exactly, which it will.

WHITFIELD: Because Harper-Collins said, we're not touching it -- really?

HERMAN: And Fred, that's the whole point. And I spoke with Tony from Adam/Eve (ph) this morning, the guys at CNN here today. Everyone says who cares? Who cares about -- people are sick of O.J. Simpson.

FRIEDMAN: That's right. Yes.

HERMAN: They're not going to come buy this book. There's no interest in this book. It's outrageous what's going on here.

WHITFIELD: All right, so no money ...

FRIEDMAN: It's going to be converted to "confessions of a double murder" and it's going to be picked up by someone and someone is going to make a lot of money in this case.

WHITFIELD: Oh really?

FRIEDMAN: Yes.

WHITFIELD: OK, well then, what about the money? There was an advance, some advance money that went to O.J. Simpson?

HERMAN: It's gone.

WHITFIELD: He apparently put it ...

HERMAN: $600,000 ...

WHITFIELD: Yes?

HERMAN: $600,000 to O.J., that money's gone. They're never going to see that.

WHITFIELD: And that's because that was in the children's name?

HERMAN: Children -- well, no, that's the corporation.

FRIEDMAN: It was a fraud.

HERMAN: It was a fraud. The bankruptcy court in Florida said that this corporation, for the benefit of his kids, is basically a sham and they're not going to observe it.

FRIEDMAN: That's right. We actually agree on that, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Wow, OK, I like it when we can end this in some sort of agreement.

FRIEDMAN: OK.

WHITFIELD: But I know we're going to be talking about this case again ...

FRIEDMAN: Absolutely.

WHITFIELD: ...because it still ain't over.

HERMAN: Great, Fred.

FRIEDMAN: Nice to see you.

WHITFIELD: All right, Avery, Richard, thanks so much. Good to see you.

HERMAN: Have a good weekend.

WHITFIELD: You, too.

And here we go. This is something you don't see every day, certainly not in Iraq. People are celebrating. So, what's bringing this country together like this after being through so much? A closer look in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Iraq soccer team getting the VIP treatment today. The holders of the Asia Cup title giving Iraqis something to celebrate.

CNN's Dan Rivers reports from Baghdad.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAN RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Mobbed by adoring fans the second they stepped off the plane, the Iraqi soccer team arrives home as champions. Dancing for joy, under the crossed swords that symbolized Saddam's fear and repression. The footballers achieving something few Iraqi politicians have ever managed, winning the genuine love and respect of most Iraqis.

(on camera): A team that has united the country has returned victorious and the Iraqis are ecstatic to see them.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fantastic.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Very happy today, very happy.

RIVERS: What do you think of seeing the team? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, very happy, very happy for the -- these people, this big happy (ph).

RIVERS (voice-over): But everywhere, heavily armed U.S. and Iraqi soldiers. The celebration was inside the Green Zone and only the privileged few could see their team close up. And everyone here knew there was a very real threat of mortar or rocket attacks. But some felt the danger was worth it. They were simply overwhelmed by it all.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So happy for this celebration. It's -- I can't speak more, but ...

RIVERS (on camera): Your face says it all.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I feel so happy.

RIVERS (voice-over): With the team gone, there was chaos as everyone hurried to leave. A fleeting moment of unity and happiness in a land otherwise bereft of hope and heroes.

Dan Rivers, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Well, it sure is nice as the nation gets something to celebrate.

JACQUI JERAS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Absolutely.

WHITFIELD: How about us, Jacqui? Can we celebrate some nice weather across the board?

(WEATHER REPORT)

WHITFIELD: President Bush heading back to Camp David now after a visit to Minneapolis where he saw the wreckage from this week's bridge collapse firsthand. The president promised to help get the bridge rebuilt quickly. We're now awaiting a Minnesota Department of Transportation press conference. You're looking at live pictures right now. We'll bring that to you as it happens.

And when you buy a luxury car, you expect more bang for your buck, right? Well, fixing a busted bumper could break your bank. We'll explain when the CNN NEWSROOM continue at 4:00 Eastern, look for that. Straight ahead, the latest news conference out of Minneapolis and the CNN "SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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