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More on the Rescue of Trapped Miners in Utah; Mourning and Arrests in the Execution-Style Murders of Three College Students in Newark; Radioactive Material in New York?

Aired August 11, 2007 - 14:00   ET

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


ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well Fredricka, just a few moments ago, Bob Murray, the co-owner of the Crandall Canyon Mine returned back here to the school where families had been gathering. After their initial meeting here this morning, what had been happening is many of them had gone off back to their homes or gone and done what they needed to do throughout the day, but many of the families remained here.
We suspect that's because earlier this morning Bob Murray had informed us and obviously told the families as well that they were in the process of beginning to lower the camera through that 8 5/8-inch hole, and start the process that would take about 2 1/2 hours. So we're in the midst of that right now. Bob Murray returning, obviously we suspect that he has some sort of update to pass along to the family. We don't know what that might be at this point.

But Bob Murray has been shuttling back and forth between this school location and the mountaintop, which is about 12 miles away from here by helicopter. So there is a great deal of activity and a great deal of intense moments right now.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: All right, Ed Lavandera, thanks so much. Let's move over to Kara Finnstrom. Last hour we spoke Kara, there was a press conference that was scheduled. It was postponed indefinitely without explanation. Are we any closer to finding out why?

KARA FINNSTROM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: No, we aren't. The only explanation we were given was that there was a lot of activity on the mine. As Ed just referenced, earlier this morning, they were able to punch through into the cabin where they believe that these six miners are trapped. They got the larger hole punched into that area.

They were in the process -- and it's supposed to take a number of hours, of taking that drill out and then putting in a sleeve and feeding down this camera. So the thought is that perhaps they actually have gotten to the point where that camera is down at the bottom of the mine taking these pictures, but no confirmation of that.

We are all waiting. That camera was brought in from Mississippi, it is supposed to be specially equipped to see in darkness, it can rotate around a full 360 degrees. But it can still only see about 100 feet out in each direction. And what we've learned from the mining company, their estimates are that this cavern could be 1,000 by 80 feet, so this is a huge black area. Even if the camera is down there, we're not sure exactly how many they will be able to see. The hope is that at least they will be able to get some kind of a feel for the extent of the damage. Fredricka, the other thing that we learned overnight is that the oxygen levels at that first hole punch site were much worse than they initially thought, only about 7, 7-1/2 percent, that's not enough to sustain life. There is some distance between these two hole punches, so the hope is that they can get a good oxygen level on this second area and hopefully a better reading.

WHITFIELD: Kara, given the restrictions that you just spelled out for that camera's view, 100 feet, etcetera. Had officials ever given any indication that perhaps they would start working on other holes just in case they would need to see a greater distance and putting a camera say in another location, would help them?

FINNSTROM: Well, what they've been continuing to go do is work horizontally to come in. And really that's the only other avenue that we have been informed of that they're taking right now. They've been hoping to make some progress on that, but you're removing tons of coal and debris and rock. The last report we got was that they were still four to five days away from getting in to physically being in the mine. But at worst-case scenario, that may be what we're talking about before they get a really good idea.

WHITFIELD: All right, Kara Finnstrom, thanks so much.

Well, it has been indeed an arduous task, trying to get those at least two holes drilled. To give you a better sense of the circumference of those holes and why it's so important in this whole rescue effort, Josh Levs has been looking into all of this, and you brought some visuals so that we can really try to understand, because it is hard to understand. You know, what does six inches mean, et cetera. Let's see it.

JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: People are really feeling the tension, people are really concerned about what's going on there right now. And we all know that this is where a lot of the focus is in the country today. Will they find them down there?

So let's take a look at what Fred was talking about. Sometimes the easiest way to explain something is just with a circle. Here you go, this is what we were talking to you about during the week. This is the size of the hole that was previously there. You may remember a microphone was put down and they were disappointed to discover they found no sound.

Now, this is the size of the drill hole that finally worked its way through the mine today. This is the size that they needed in order to get that kind of camera down there that you were just hearing about, they need a big camera, big enough to fit in there, in order to be able to search a wide enough area to see if they can find any sign of these miners. So that's what you have there.

I want to give you a sense of how this mine is situated, because that will tell you what the drilling is all about. This is what it looks like. If you look down there, you can see how they have basically created this vertical hole, and they're trying to get it through to where they believe the miners are.

Now, I say believe, because they don't know definitively exactly where. It would be much easier to get the camera right them, they could sense exactly where these guys are, but they have a good sense of where they could be. They drilled the hole, it takes a while to get a camera down there, that's what they're seeing right now. I also want to show you quickly, a picture here that involved something that the miners had on them when they went down there.

We saw Bob Murray in one today, we have a photograph from the Associated Press. Take a look at that. You can see that air pack he has on him, that has about an hour's worth of breathable air. We're told that the miners had that with them at the time. Now, what this means is, if they were trapped somewhere, as long as there was enough oxygen to breathe, they wouldn't need it.

But if that started to run out, they would have that. And according to the Associated Press, it's one hours worth. So yet another thing to concern families. Speaking of families, I wanted to tell you quickly that right now we're learning that there's a fund set up to help these families, no matter what happens, a lot of people want to provide their support. So I'll give you the information quickly, Xion's Bank Crandall Canyon Family Support.

And we've been given a number if you want to jot this down, 800- 974-8800, is a fund that's been set up to help these families and we'll bring you more information about that later this hour.

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks so much for all of that.

Meantime, we mentioned just moments ago that there had been a press conference that was postponed indefinitely. Well now we're being told that this location right here in Huntington, Utah where the microphones are still set up, now a press conference will be taking place momentarily. And of course we're going to carry that live for any late-breaking developments on this ongoing search for the six trapped miners.

Now, while the mining company has not released their names, many of the family members of these six miners have provided this kind of information to us, CNN. Here are the names of the six men, Carlos Payan, said to be in his 20's. Don Erickson, a 50-year-old father of two and stepfather of three. 57-year-old Kerry Allred, a father of three. 41-year-old Manuel Sanchez, Brandon Phillips, he's 24, and 23- year-old Louis Alonso Hernandez, he has a 1-year-old daughter.

In the days before the mine collapsed, concerns about safety. Here now is CNN's Ted Rowlands.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Trapped miner Manuel Sanchez said he was concerned about safety inside one section of the Crandall Canyon Mine in the weeks leading up to the collapse. That's what a family member has told a local newspaper and now a source with intimate knowledge of the conditions of the mine tells CNN Sanchez wasn't alone, that other miners were also apprehensive about working in the area of the collapse.

The source, who won't go on camera, says the six trapped miners were working in an area called 7 belt, the deepest part of the mine. And he tells CNN that for weeks before the collapse, the floors in that part of the mine were heaving or buckling up from intense pressure. He says supervisors knew of the problem, and the source says several miners, including Manuel Sanchez, were getting very concerned.

(on camera): Do you know why this miner would have been nervous going into that particular section?

BOB MURRAY, PRES. AND CEO, MURRAY ENERGY CORP.: No, I have no idea. I have never heard that. I have no idea. It's probably a rumor and I'm not going to respond to rumors. I can tell you that if any of my management or any worker here had ever said that to me, I would say yes, I was told that. No, don't know a thing about that, sir, and that's the truth.

ROWLANDS: If the miners were so afraid, why didn't they complain? Several miners we've talked to in this area say complaining means you lose your job.

MURRAY: If you're getting that from the community, it's coming from other mines, because I don't operate that way.

PAUL RIDDLE, FORMER MINER: Always profits before safety. That's my opinion, my feeling and my experience.

ROWLANDS (voice-over): Paul Riddle used to work in one of Bob Murray's mines. Riddle says miners who work for Murray are sometimes forced to push the envelope when it comes to safety and are afraid to speak up for fear of losing their high-paying jobs.

RIDDLE: I'm not the only one. There are many, many, many people that feel this way and are afraid to speak up.

ROWLANDS: The Federal Mine Safety and Health Administration plans to conduct an investigation into exactly what happened and the conditions at the mine leading up to the collapse. The mine's owner is confident his company will not be blamed.

MURRAY: There will be nothing in the investigation that will show that Murray Energy or Utah American or the federal mine safety and health administration did a thing wrong. It was a natural disaster.

ROWLANDS: Ted Rowlands, CNN, Huntington, Utah.

(END OF VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: So all of this, the search effort, has triggered thoughts of the Sago mine disaster. Tonight at 8:00 eastern, CNN's "SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT" looks back at West Virginia's Sago Mine, what really happened and could it have been prevented. Inside the Sago Mine tragedy tonight and tomorrow night at 8:00 eastern.

Once again we're awaiting a press conference to take place momentarily out of Utah on this ongoing effort, looking for these six trapped miners.

In the meantime, to New York, the mayor says it was nothing out of the ordinary. That may be, but New York police were out on the streets this morning with sensors to detect radioactive material. Senior correspondent Allan Chernoff is live in Manhattan. Allan, what's going on?

ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, I can tell you that the police have significantly downsized their activity. They had been as you pointed out, very active last night and this morning throughout Manhattan, setting up checkpoints, checking for vehicles that might be carrying radioactive material, particularly to downtown Manhattan, which is only about 10 blocks from where we're standing right now at the corner of Broadway and Canal Street.

This is all a result of a report that appeared on an Israeli web site, a private counterterrorism Web site. Now let me say that this report was unverified, but the report on the site deca.com, did say that on Thursday there had been chatter, messages on internal Al Qaeda Web sites threatening the United States with an attack. One message saying that a truck carrying radioactive material would head into New York and target downtown Manhattan, the financial district, another is saying that Miami, Los Angeles, and New York would be the targets.

Earlier today, we did have police officers actually checking with guns, checking with guns that were able to detect any radiation in vehicles passing by. They also were stopping all vans and trucks checking inside to see if there was anything suspicious, all of this in spite of the fact that the report was not verified. It was checked out by the NYPD, by the Department of Homeland Security, as well as the FBI. Nobody found anything. Nonetheless, the NYPD taking those precautions.

At one point they were even handing these cards out with the phone number for the toll-free terrorism hotline here in New York, 1- 888-NYC-SAFE. They're no longer doing that and as you can see behind me, not all that much police activity now. So apparently not that much concern at the moment -- Fredricka?

WHITFIELD: All right, the shopping and the tourism continuing there off Broadway and Canal. Thanks so much, Allan.

Stay with CNN for the most reliable coverage of news that affects your security. Stay tuned to CNN for the latest information day and night.

And some new developments in a grisly murder case in Newark, New Jersey. Funerals are being held today for the three college students who were killed execution style last weekend. As mourners gathered, police issued an arrest warrant for this man, a fourth suspect in the case, that word from Newark's mayor. The man is being called a principle player in the killings. Three other people have already been arrested. The victims were shot in a school yard. Authorities think robbery was the motive.

CNN continues to watch the drama in Utah where rescuers are racing against the clock to reach those six trapped miners. The latest plan, dropping a camera into the cavity where the miners are thought to be trapped. We're waiting on the start of a news conference and as soon as that happens, we'll bring you it live.

And this ...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LAVANDERA: How long do you think your brother and those other miners can last?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Without -- you know, a person can go a long time, I don't know, a few days. That's about it.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Praying for the best, but fearing for the worst. We'll take a closer look at the ordeal for the miners' families later in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Momentarily an update from officials there in Utah on the fate of the trapped six miners. We're hoping to hear something about the efforts to lower that camera into the cavity where it's believed those miners are. As soon as this press conference happens, we'll bring it to you live.

Meantime, happening right now as well, a walk in space. Two shuttle astronauts are putting a new part about the size of a car on the international space station's frame. Their space walk is scheduled to last about 6 1/2 hours and then tomorrow "Endeavour's" crew plans to take a look at a new worry for NASA, a gouge on the shuttle's heat shield that appears to have been caused by ice that broke off the shuttle's fuel tank just after liftoff.

It looks like the scorching heat wave has claimed its first Tennessee victim. A 54-year-old Memphis woman was found dead in her home. An autopsy indicated heat was a factor. More than 50 people went to emergency rooms in Memphis in the past week for heat-related problems.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WHITFIELD: Well now back to the mine rescue effort in Utah, where six miners are trapped below ground. Rescue workers have completed drilling a second, wider hole into the cavity where the miners are thought to be. They're preparing to lower a camera into the mine in hopes of spotting the men. Mine operator Robert Murray discussed the process earlier this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BOB MURRAY, PRES. AND CEO, MURRAY ENERGY CORP.: I had predicted it could be up to a week, two days ago from that time. Yesterday progress went well. Last night it has not gone well, and so I still believe that it will be somewhere perhaps four or five days, but it's very hard to predict.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: And now within minutes we're expecting a live press conference to get under way from that location right there in Utah. When it happens, we'll bring that to you live.

In the meantime, let's talk about Iowa. Apparently it's the place to be today, if you're a Republican running for president. We'll have the details a bit later, but first.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Personally, I have had people very close to me dying of HIV/AIDS, this stupid virus is tearing lives apart.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: She is a CNN hero and she's fighting AIDS one tiny life at a time. Her story straight ahead in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Tiny miracles, big sacrifices, our search for CNN heroes takes us to Africa, where we find a young woman struggling to help her country battle HIV/AIDS.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NTHABELENG LEPHOTO: Personally I have had people very close to me dying of HIV/AIDS, this stupid virus is tearing lives apart.

My name is Nthabeleng Lephoto, coming from Touching Tiny Lives, we support orphaned and vulnerable infants. Our safe house is for critically ill or in need children. For us, babies come first. We have to give them medication even if sometimes they have to cry. But it's not just the medication, they start feeling loved.

Eighty percent of the children we help are in the rural areas. We go to each individual household. We give them nutrition like food stuff, packages and medication. We want to discuss their own problems where they feel free. It's HIV/AIDS leaving the children with grandmothers. They shouldn't be doing this, but they have to. I need to support these people. It's going to go on and on.

Believe me, there are times when I really say this is too much, but to see them smile, starting to enjoy life as it comes, makes me want to help more and more and more and more. If there is no Touching Tiny Lives, honestly all the children that we have helped would have died.

(END OF VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And you can find out a lot more about Nthabeleng and her Touching Tiny Lives organization on our Web site. Where you can also nominate your hero for special recognition later on this year. All the details are at cnn.com/heroes.

The race against time continues in Utah, where rescuers broke through early this morning to the chamber where the miners are thought to be. We're standing by for a live news conference and we'll bring that to you as soon as it happens.

And this ...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We've got one string of hope. That's why I'm hanging in there. I'm hoping, but it's tough.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: An understatement from a relative of one of the missing miners. The heartbreaking vigil straight ahead in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: And now the latest on the mine rescue effort in Utah. Rescue workers have completed drilling a second, wider hole into a cavity where the six miners are thought to be trapped. They're preparing to lower a camera into the mine to take a closer look around. Mine operator Bob Murray discussed the process earlier this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT MURRAY, PRES./CEO, MURRAY ENERGY: I have 134 men on site, have had all week. I've had tens of thousands of tons of machinery moved in. We've given them everything we can. The problem is, sir, from the disturbance from the quake and the seismic activity and then the activity that has been ongoing, it's been very slow progress because we have to shore up the mine entries so that the rescue workers are well protected. And that is a very slow effort. It's going according to plan, there's been no mistakes in the rescue at all, but it's just too slow to suit me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: And momentarily, we expect a press conference to get under way right there out of Utah to find out a little bit more if they have indeed lowered that camera and whether they've already retrieved some images. When that press conference begins, we'll take it live.

Meantime, the miners' families, it has been a tough six days. This is what we know about the six men who are believed to be trapped in that mine. We understand their names to be Carlos Payan, said to be in his 20s, Don Erickson, 50-year-old father of two and stepfather of three, 57-year-old Kerry Allred, a father of three, 41-year-old Manuel Sanchez, and Brandon Phillips, who is 24 and 23-year-old Luis Alonso Hernandez. He has a 1-year-old daughter.

Our Ed Lavandera has been at the school where many of the loved ones of these six men have been for the past few days trying to learn of anything to maintain their hope. What are you hearing today, Ed?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredricka.

Well, that briefing that you spoke about probably won't begin until Bob Murray and the mine officials, who are still here at this school about 12 miles away, wrap up their meeting with the family. They arrived back here again for a second meeting this morning. They have been meeting with family members inside this school for the last 30 to 40 minutes or so, and that meeting continues. We haven't seen any movement or people starting to trickle out again.

But as you mentioned, it has been a long, agonizing wait. We heard from several -- two family members that came out from the early morning meeting, and there was a sense that they were starting to lose a little bit of hope that there might be good news at the end of this story.

We've spoken with -- over the various past few days of the family of Manuel Sanchez. It's been very hard to get many of these family members to speak out and talk to us about what they're going through and also, let us in and tell us about who their loved ones are.

But the brother of Manuel Sanchez spoke with us a few days ago, and this is what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LAVANDERA (voice-over): Five years ago, Manuel Arturo Sanchez lost his job in a nearby mine after it was shut down. To take care of his wife and four children, he started selling green chiles and watermelons. But before long, Manuel Arturo found work in the Crandall Canyon mine, his brother Cesar, who is also a miner, is hoping 17 years of mining experience will help Manuel Arturo survive.

(on camera): How long do you think your brother and those other miners can last?

CESAR SANCHEZ, TRAPPED MINER'S BROTHER: Without -- you know, a person can go a long time. I don't know, a few days. That's about it. I don't think they can go on for more than a week, unless they had a lot of water and food and a lot of oxygen.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): Cesar Sanchez works in a mine in Wyoming. Manuel came to visit him last week.

(on camera): Was he looking to leave this mine? SANCHEZ: I don't know if he was looking to leave, but he come up and paid me a visit. And I don't know if he was joking around, but asked me to get him a job up to Bridger (ph) and to get him a good deal. I said, I told him, if you're serious, I'll talk to him for you.

LAVANDERA: That was just a few days ago?

SANCHEZ: That was Sunday.

LAVANDERA: The day before?

SANCHEZ: Yes, that same day when he went to work, right before he went to work.

LAVANDERA: Does your brother like doing this kind of work?

SANCHEZ: Yes, he's a coal miner from the heart.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): A coal miner at heart in a family struggling to keep the faith.

SANCHEZ: We've got one string of hope, you know, that's why I'm hanging in there. I'm hoping, but it's tough. It's a tough deal.

LAVANDERA (on camera): What about the rest of your family?

SANCHEZ: They've got a lot of hope. They're strong. They're giving me a lot of hope. It's rubbing off onto me.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LAVANDERA: Many of those family members in that school you see beside me speaking with Bob Murray and other mine officials here as they're getting the latest information from the mountaintop. And we anticipate that perhaps after this meeting, Bob Murray will return back to the mountain and brief us as to what exactly is going on -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, and we're going to carry that press conference live when it happens. Thanks so much, Ed.

Well, the Utah mine collapse points to the dangers of many Americans facing on the jobs. Mining is dangerous work, but does it rank as one of the country's most dangerous jobs?

CNN's Josh Levs has been looking into all that in this Reality Check.

LEVS: Yes, you know, a lot of families unfortunately, have to deal with fears sometimes, and sometimes the worst does happen. And this week, as we were looking at the coal miners and this story out of Utah, it got me thinking about the most dangerous jobs in America, the deadliest jobs in America. I wondered what they were. And then, just on Thursday, brand-new federal report came out showing what they are.

Now, some of what you're going to see here, you might expect, but some just might come as a surprise.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LEVS (voice-over): Incidents of recent days are reminders that coal mining can be life-risking work. Last year, 47 coal miners died in several incidents, 12 of them in the Sago mine disaster. The industry's death toll more than doubled from the year before. New federal statistics show coal mining has one of the highest death rates of any profession in the U.S., but not the highest.

That grisly distinction goes to fishermen. We sometimes see them being rescued after ships capsize or sink. Out of every 100,000 people in the industry, 142 died last year. Then come pilots. Due to a series of incidents in 2006, including the crash of a Comair jet in August.

Next on the list of highest occupational fatalities, loggers, iron and steel workers, and coal miners. After that comes refuse collectors, farmers and ranchers, power line workers, people who work on roofs, and those who do a great deal of driving for a living.

Overall, preliminary figures show 5,703 occupational deaths last year, that's down just barely from the year before. If the preliminary figures hold, 2006 would mark the lowest rates since the tabulation started in 1992. Still, the Labor Department said this week, there is a long way to go. Don't be surprised if this issue gains traction in the presidential race. It often does.

SEN. JOHN KERRY, (D) 2004 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The safety of your workplace, the ability to earn overtime, your ability to organize, it's all on the ballot November 2nd.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEVS: It might be on the ballot again, you know, this -- next November. You know, some government officials now at all levels, also unions and workers' rights groups are calling for tougher laws and, this is important, for stricter enforcement, and they're saying incidents like what we've seen this week in Utah, Fred, are a reminders that these kind of issues need to be addressed with immediacy.

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks so much, Josh.

LEVS: You got it.

WHITFIELD: Meantime, out of Utah, we are awaiting a press conference to get under way any moment now to update us on the rescue efforts there and whether putting that camera in the second hole and dropping it to this cavity where they believe the six miners are trapped has resulted in any new developments. We'll take that live as it happens.

Meantime, only in Iowa can an event, the GOP presidential front runners skip actually make headlines. We'll explain, straight ahead.

Gay pride and the Democratic hopefuls, we'll tell you how they did in the first-ever gay forum. Straight ahead in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: On the campaign trail, a pivotal day for some of the Republican presidential candidates. The Iowa Straw Poll taking place right now, but some of the more prominent GOP hopefuls have decided to sit it out, meaning they're not in Iowa at all.

CNN's Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider is there. So Bill, what's happening right now?

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: What's happening is the candidates have all lined up on the stage, and one by one, they're giving speeches in the auditorium. And they're all speaking to the crowd, but outside, each candidate, each candidate who's contesting this straw poll, has a tent. And in those tents there's music, there's food, there's speeches, there are rallies, there are all kinds of things going on. There are rides, there's even a dunking pool for dunk the intern in one of the tents.

So, they're having a very good time. They're going to be voting all day today. The results are going to be out around 8:00 Eastern. And we'll have them for you here on CNN.

WHITFIELD: OK, and we look forward to that.

Meantime, let's talk about the voting and who stands to gain the most. In your last report a couple hours ago, we talked about how Mitt Romney seems to be the favorite. Is there a good explanation as to why?

SCHNEIDER: Well, he's spending a lot of money on this event. He's got a lot of money, he's spending it, he's raised a lot, he's bringing in a lot of voters from all over Iowa. The thing to remember about the straw vote is you got to pay to play. It costs $35 to buy a ticket, that way, you can get all the food that you want from the candidates, but you can also cast a ballot. It's a private event. You cast a ballot, and then they give you a purple thumb so you can only vote once.

But you have to pay, and many of the campaigns are paying to bring their supporters in. Mitt Romney more than the others, and he also is running first. To be fair, it's not just money. In the polls in Iowa, he is rated number one of preferences among likely caucus- goers. Nationally, he's not well-known, he's rated fourth, but here in Iowa, he is the number one contender, and he wants to prove it by winning the Straw Vote.

WHITFIELD: Wow, all right, Bill Schneider, thanks so much. Funny how this straw poll has become just as important, if not maybe more important than the actual Iowa Caucus next January. All right, thanks so much.

Well, growing political clout for gay Americans. Democrats vying for the White House hold a forum sponsored by a gay rights group. Senior political correspondent Candy Crowley reports. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CANDY CROWLEY, SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: The forum was a testament to changing times and the political clout of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community, a small but active voting bloc. This was not your grandfather's debate.

MARGARET CARLSON, MODERATOR: You got to get married and I got to be married, but Joe doesn't get to be married.

SEN. BARACK OBAMA, (D-IL) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If we have a situation in which civil unions are fully enforced, are widely recognized, people have civil rights under the law, then my sense is that's enormous progress.

CROWLEY: Mostly, they were in sync with the audience. All the candidates support full civil rights for gays, and repeal of the Don't Ask/Don't Tell policy in the military. Two, Mike Gravel and Dennis Kucinich, support gay marriage.

REP. DENNIS KUCINICH, (D-OH) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The state should be there on behalf of people to make sure that that law has a chance to be facilitated.

CROWLEY: But while they were pressed, Barack Obama, John Edwards, Bill Richardson and Hillary Clinton remain opposed to gay marriage.

SEN. HILLARY CLINTON, (D-NY) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I prefer to think of it as being very positive about civil unions.

CROWLEY: There were a number of apologies for past votes or statements, and there were illuminating moments. John Edwards said the public school system should explain same-sex families to children.

JOHN EDWARDS, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Oh sure it should. I mean, absolutely, the kids who go to public schools need to understand why same-sex couples are the parents of some of the children.

CROWLEY: There were rough moments. Clinton got hit with a full- on assault over her husband's record on gay issues.

MELISSA ETHERIDGE, SINGER/ACTIVIST: Our hearts were broken, we were thrown under the bus, we were pushed aside, all those great promises that were made to us were broken.

CLINTON: Well, you know, obviously Melissa, I don't see it quite the way that you describe, but I respect your feeling about it.

CROWLEY: Still, as rough moments go, this won the night.

ETHERIDGE: Do you think homosexuality is a choice or is it biological?

GOV. BILL RICHARDSON, (D-NM) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It's a choice, it's ... ETHERIDGE: I don't know if you understand the question. Do you think that I, a homosexual, is born that way or do you think that around seventh grade we go, oh, I want to be gay?

RICHARDSON: You know, I'm not a scientist.

CROWLEY: Wrong group for that, and science has long held that homosexuality is biological. Richardson's staff later rushed out a statement saying he actually does not believe homosexuality is a choice.

(on camera): The candidates revealed little that was new about their attitudes or policies toward the gay community. Perhaps most notable was that the event took place at all, with all the major players in attendance.

Candy Crowley, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And right now, a peek of Utah, on the left-hand side of your screen, you're seeing that the location is in place for a press conference that we're told is going to happen now at the top of the hour, 3:00 Eastern time.

To the right of your screen, you see that vehicle that is now in movement. Well, inside that vehicle is Bob Murray, the owner of the Crandall Canyon mine, more specifically the Murray Energy Corporation. He has just briefed, we understand, number of the family members who are inside that junior high school and have been now for a period of days as they continue to try to reach these trapped six miners, trapped since Monday there in Utah.

As his vehicle makes the bend around, we'll continue to tell you that we understand that the owner, Bob Murray, is now on his way to that press conference location, to be under way 20 minutes from now at the top of the hour. And of course, CNN will carry that live.

We're all anxious to hear what kind of images they were able to pick up as they dropped that camera down that second hole that was drilled earlier this morning, the camera to pick up any images down below in the location that it's believed to be where the six trapped miners are. More when we come right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Just to update you, ten minutes from now, we're expecting a press conference to get under way on the left-hand side of your screen there out of Utah. On the right-hand side of your screen, you're seeing this dark SUV vehicle. Inside, the owner of the mine, Bob Murray on his way after talking with family members of the trapped miners there at the school, now on his way to the press conference location. Of course, we'll continue to watch the movement of Bob Murray and we'll take the press conference live as it happens, 3:00 Eastern hour. Meantime, saying farewell, funeral services are being held today for three young people killed execution-style at a New Jersey school playground. Also today, police issued an arrest warrant for a fourth suspect seen here. We'll talk about the case with our legal experts, but first, where things stand from CNN's Allan Chernoff.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): An illegal immigrant from Peru, Jose Carranza (ph), charged with murder in the execution-style killing of three college students in the schoolyard of a Newark elementary school.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You have entered not guilty pleas on behalf of your client. Is that correct?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's correct, your honor.

CHERNOFF: Family members of the victims sat in the courtroom still in disbelief that the promising lives of their loved ones had been cut short. Law enforcement authorities have described Carranza as their prime suspect. His fingerprint found on a beer bottle at the scene of the crime, and the sole survivor of the attack, Natasha Aeriel (ph), still recovering in a Newark hospital, picking him out from a photo lineup.

Natasha was shot in the face last Saturday night. Then, her brother Terrence (ph) and friends Dashon Harvey and Iofemi Hightower were shot in the back of the head against this wall, the wall now painted over with fresh green paint.

(on camera): Carranza was facing criminal charges in two other cases, indicted for attacking four men with a beer bottle and a chair, and for repeatedly raping a young girl when she was four, five, and six-years-old. He pled not guilty in both cases and was out on a total bail of $200,000.

(voice-over): A 15-year-old Latino boy also is charged with murder in the triple homicide. His connection with Carranza is still unclear, and police have just arrested a third suspect.

DIRECTOR GARRY MCCARTHY, NEWARK POLICE: We are actively out hunting for a number of people at this time. You know, and it's going to take us a while to finish the investigation.

CHERNOFF: Although there's concern the case might cause tension between Latinos and blacks in Newark, residents with whom we spoke say it's not an issue.

EDDIE SMITH, BUS DRIVER: I don't think it has anything to do with race, I never even gave it a thought.

CHERNOFF: And the investigation authorities say indicates the homicide was not a hate crime, rather, the motive was robbery.

MAYOR CORY BOOKER, NEWARK, NEW JERSEY: There's no evidence whatsoever that this crime was motivated by racial bias in any way.

Allan Chernoff, CNN, Newark, New Jersey.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: So let's see what our legal experts have to say. 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, good to see you as well.

RICHARD HERMAN, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Hi, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, gentlemen, it's tough to find a starting place on this because there are so many elements. So let's start with one of the suspects, 28-year-old illegal immigrant facing other charges as well before this crime. So what is the rule, Avery, on due process, and how is it extended whether you're a citizen or not, but particularly if you are here on illegal status?

FRIEDMAN: Well, Fredricka, whether you're an illegal alien or a naturalized citizen or born here, the process is due for everyone, meaning that he will face the criminal justice system. The bottom line is, all the rights afforded American citizens will be afforded Mr. Carranza.

And that's what's troubling to many people, because why should he have the benefits of the American Constitution? This is a guy that's been charged with -- actually, he was arrested five times, you've got 31 counts of aggravated sexual crimes as well as felonies, and now, you have this.

So, should this individual have those rights? The answer is that, as far as the courts are concerned, he does.

WHITFIELD: Because, Richard, then the argument moves in to the direction of deportation. When does it apply, and if this is not a case in which it should apply, then when should it? Now given, he's still not guilty until proven otherwise, but this is an outrageous set of circumstances, and an outrageous, I guess, listing of offenses?

HERMAN: Fred, this is a complete breakdown of the criminal justice system. He is guilty, he is here illegally. That is a crime in the United States. He will be deported. There's no question he's going to be deported. I can't believe -- when he was arrested, that he was allowed to post bail. Both those judges should be disbarred at this point for allowing this guy out.

WHITFIELD: In the previous cases.

HERMAN: In the two previous cases. In April and July, he was indicted, he was arraigned, and this guy posted bail, $200,000 in bail as an illegal alien, without status. This man should be incarcerated. And once he finishes his incarceration, whether he's convicted or not in these cases, at that point, he's going to be deported, he's gone.

WHITFIELD: So, am I also hearing from you then, and as well then, Avery, that perhaps some reform is needed, if not just in Essex County, but maybe there are other jurisdictions?

FRIEDMAN: Well, let me -- let me make this very simple.

WHITFIELD: There could be changes?

FRIEDMAN: One of the things that Essex County does, which is really troubling, is when you have an individual, an illegal alien, they've got 450,000 of them in New Jersey ...

WHITFIELD: Yes.

FRIEDMAN: What the county should be doing is referring the arrest to ICE, which is the Immigration Customs Enforcement, the federal officials.

WHITFIELD: But that doesn't happen.

FRIEDMAN: Essex County waits for the conviction, Fredricka. It's an outrage, and that's part of the breakdown that Richard refers to.

WHITFIELD: Wow, all right, Avery and Richard, I wish we could talk more about this, but we do have some other breaking news we need to attend to. But thanks so much for your time and appreciate you guys hanging in there for the hour, hoping we can still get you in.

FRIEDMAN: Sure, see you soon.

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks so much.

HERMAN: Thanks, have a good weekend.

WHITFIELD: All right, and momentarily, we are going to be taking you to Utah for a press conference that is scheduled to get under way just minutes from now. You saw the pictures earlier. The owner of the mine, Bob Murray, leaving a location after briefing family members of the six trapped miners, and now en route to this location, where the press conference is to get under way.

We're hearing from our sources on the ground that they expect to be on time, 3:00 Eastern time, so momentarily, when that happens, we'll take you there live.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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