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Al Gore Wins Noel Peace Prize; Search Warrants Served on Anna Nicole's Doctors; Mother Arrested in Case of Teen Threatening Attack; Guard Acquitted in Boot Camp Death
Aired October 12, 2007 - 13:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Talk about climate change. Al Gore was warning the world about global warming long before it was cool. Now he and the issue could hardly be hotter.
This hour we'll look at Gore's latest honor, the Nobel Peace Prize, and the laureate will talk about it live for the first time.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: If you thought you hadn't heard the last of the Anna Nicole Smith saga, well, you're right. Yes, today the state of California executed search warrants on the homes and businesses of two doctors. We'll get the latest in a live report.
Hello, everybody, on this Friday. I'm Betty Nguyen, in today for Kyra Phillips at CNN world headquarters.
LEMON: That's right. And I'm Don Lemon. You are in the CNN NEWSROOM.
A warrior against global warming wins the Nobel Peace Prize. Al Gore is celebrating his big honor today. We'll hear from the former vice president in the news conference just a little bit later on in this hour. Live coverage, of course, when it gets underway.
Gore shares the prize with a U.N.-sanctioned group, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Gore's award-winning documentary, "An Inconvenient Truth", has helped raise awareness of the issue of manmade climate changes.
But some scientists say the film, well, it hypes the dangers. So what are the facts? And where's the friction in all of this? CNN's chief technology and environment correspondent, Miles O'Brien, joins us from New York to tell us all about that.
Hi, Miles.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Don.
You know, the facts are out there. The IPCC, which you referred to, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, represents 2,500 plus of the world's leading scientists.
Their last report came out in March. And it's the fourth of their so-called assessments that they weighed in on what is happening for the climate as we speak. And it was a very clear-cut statement. It made specific projections about where we're headed as far as temperature change, somewhere between 3.25 and 7 degrees Fahrenheit in the coming years; sea level rise somewhere between 7 and 23 inches; 90 percent certainty that global warming is caused by humans.
This is scientific, peer-reviewed studies. These are not political statements. These are matter-of-fact statements that express the conservative nature of scientists who always have some sort of doubt built into their thesis and their conclusions.
And yet it is very clear-cut out there. And really, there's only a very small fringe out there that would doubt what the IPCC and what this body of scientists has to say.
LEMON: And what -- what are they saying? I think there's some doubt. There's a British judge. NASA, as a matter of fact, administrator Michael Griffin, and certain climatologists and meteorologists are all doubting this?
O'BRIEN: Yes. Well, let's start -- let's start with this British judge. It's interesting, because it goes right to the heart of "Inconvenient Truth". "Inconvenient Truth" was sent out to high schools all throughout Great Britain.
And there was a lawsuit which came out of it, saying, "Hey, this is not an accurate movie."
A judge ruled that the movie should be shown to high school students but that it should be pointed out that there are nine inaccuracies that the judge determined inside the Gore film.
You're looking at polar bears right now. For example, Al Gore in the movie says polar bears have drowned because of a lack of sea ice. Well, that hasn't been conclusively proved.
He also says at one point that South Pacific islanders and low- lying atolls have actually evacuated to New Zealand. Well, that is a prediction that may come in the coming years as sea level rises, as you see there in the graphic. But has not happened yet.
Basically, there's a series of these which amount to exaggerations but not complete falsehoods.
And the one other thing to point out is what this judge said was the substance of the science was accurate in the piece.
So, that's just one example. You talk about Mike Griffin and NASA. He doesn't doubt global warming, doesn't doubt that humans are part of it. His issue was what should NASA, what should human beings be doing about it.
LEMON: Right. So, it's just sort of -- what's the word I'm looking for here? The overall context outweighs what's happening. A little poetic license, maybe, Miles. Is that what they're saying?
O'BRIEN: I think you're right. You know, a little bit of Hollywood there, perhaps.
LEMON: Miles O'Brien, much appreciated. Thank you.
And much, much more straight ahead. We'll hear from the vice president himself, live from California. That will happen at 1:45 Eastern next hour.
And we'll speak with one of the -- one of Gore's closest political advisers, Donna Brazile. We'll ask her what today's prize means for the political climate and the Gore supporters who want him to get in the race in '08.
And of course, we're keeping track of the CNN.com quick vote results, and we'll share results throughout the afternoon right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
And this, as well. It's your world. We're bringing it to you, the story behind the statistics. Tune in for CNN's worldwide investigation. It's called "Planet in Peril". It's hosted by our very own Anderson Cooper, Dr. Sanjay Gupta and, of course, Jeff Corwin.
It premieres Tuesday, October 23 at 9:00 p.m. Eastern and will also air Wednesday, October 24 again at 9 p.m. Eastern. You can get a preview of "Planet in Peril" online. Just go to CNN.com/PlanetinPeril.
NGUYEN: Well, onto this story now. The playmate and the pills. Two doctors appear to be under investigation today in connection with the death of Anna Nicole Smith.
Let's take you straight now to CNN entertainment correspondent Brooke Anderson, who joins us live from Los Angeles.
What's the latest on this?
BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Betty, CNN has learned that eight search warrants have been served in connection with Anna Nicole Smith's death.
A law enforcement official familiar with the investigation tells CNN the California Department of Justice served the warrants to two different doctors at their residences, businesses they owned and a storage facility used by one of them. That same source says both doctors were present at their residences when the warrants were served, and that no arrests are expected at this time.
The source said Howard K. Stern was actually at one of the residences, Stern's attorney, Lynn Wood, confirmed that in a statement just released to CNN, which says Stern arrived in L.A. early this morning from New York, that he had left his dogs under the care of Dr. Khristine Eroshevich, and that's why he was at her home when the search warrants were issued.
Doctor Eroshevich served as a psychiatrist to Anna Nicole Smith.
Now, California's Department of Justice has been investigating the prescribing and dispensing practices of doctors and pharmacies in the state since last March and possibly related to the death of Smith.
In the last five months DOJ agents have reviewed patient profiles, pharmacy logs and interviewed witnesses in an effort to determine whether there has been any wrongdoing or whether the practices were unethical.
Thirty-nine-year-old Anna Nicole Smith did die of accidental drug overdose at a Florida hotel in early February. You may recall 11 prescription medications were found in her hotel room the day she died. According to the Associated Press, more than 600 pills, including 450 muscle relaxants, were missing from Smith's prescriptions. They were no more than five weeks old when she died.
The California attorney general, Edmund Brown, has scheduled a news conference 11 AM local time. That is about 45 minutes from now. And we will provide that information to you when that happens.
NGUYEN: So, to declare eight search warrants but mainly dealing with just two doctors.
ANDERSON: Two doctors, served at their homes, at their places of business, and also at one storage facility that one of them owned.
NGUYEN: OK. We'll hear much more when that news conference takes place. Thank you for that, Brooke.
ANDERSON: Thanks, Betty.
LEMON: All right. News just in to CNN. We're expecting a verdict in this case. You're looking at live pictures now. This is from Florida. Panama City, Florida, as a matter of fact.
Jurors are set to begin deliberations and possibly a verdict, we're hearing, today in the case of seven juvenile boot camp guards and a nurse in the death of a 14-year-old boy.
Apparently, he was kneed and dragged -- this is what the testimony says -- by the guards there, and he collapsed while running laps at the camp. And the nurse stood by, apparently, according again to the testimony, and did nothing and just watched.
So, they are deciding what will happen to these guards in this case. But a 14-year-old boy died in this. As soon as this verdict comes in, we'll bring it to you live right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
Let's move on now and talk about Massachusetts Senator Edward Kennedy. He's recovering from surgery today to clear a blocked artery in his neck. Kennedy's office says doctors removed a blockage in his carotid artery, and he should be up and around. It should happen again soon.
The blockage was found in a routine check of a decades-old back injury. Kennedy is 75 years old, and he was the first elected to the Senate back in 1962.
NGUYEN: Well, a Pennsylvania teenager described as highly intelligent but emotionally troubled is charged with planning a Columbine-style attack. Today, his mother is also under arrest.
CNN's Allan Chernoff is at the courthouse in Norristown with the latest.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: After her son's court proceeding, the mother of the 14-year-old boy, Michele Cossey, was charged herself with purchasing weapons for her son. Not only the semi-automatic rifle but also a handgun and a single shot rifle.
The district attorney said afterwards that this was a case of bad parenting that could have led to disaster.
BRUCE CASTOR, MONTGOMERY COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY: There's a lot of things at play here. You have a child who is emotionally disturbed, a social outcast. And no doubt the parents feel sorry for him, and they're indulging -- indulging him. This is not the best parenting I've ever seen out there. She has to be held accountable.
CHERNOFF: Earlier, during her son's proceeding, the mother was sobbing and breathing very heavily in the front row of the courtroom.
The judge decided that the county may continue to hold the boy, the 14-year-old boy. He will also be evaluated, educationally, and a psychological test will be administered, as well.
Now, this boy, as he was leaving the courtroom, looked at his mother, blew her a kiss, and said "I love you" very, very quietly.
The district attorney is going to decide whether, in a matter of days, whether or not to charge the boy as an adult. Allegedly, he was plotting a Columbine-style attack at a local high school. The police found in his bedroom not only the semi-automatic rifle, but also 30 BB guns that look like real weapons, as well as some knives and seven hand grenades.
Alan Chernoff, CNN, Norristown, Pennsylvania.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: And one footnote now. Police say two years ago the boy's father, Frank Cossey, also tried to buy him a rifle, but Cossey wasn't allowed to, because he has a prison record from manslaughter and a drunk-driving case.
LEMON: What went wrong and what went right in Cleveland? The school system there is looking at everything related to security in the wake of Wednesday's shootings.
The school system's CEO plans to meet today with the mayor. The "Cleveland Plain Dealer" reports one possible upgrade would put airport-style X-ray machines in the high schools to screen backpacks, book bags and pocketbooks.
The young gunman, who slipped past security Wednesday, wounded four people before killing himself. A teacher is still in the hospital in fair condition.
Also again, we want to tell you, we're awaiting deliberations in Florida in that boot camp verdict, where the 14-year-old boy died while in boot camp in Florida.
Our Susan Candiotti has the background story for you.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The video was stunning: Martin Anderson getting poked and kneed and ultimately suffocated at juvenile delinquent boot camp, all while a nurse stood by. Eleven months and two autopsies later, a special prosecutor called it manslaughter.
MARK OBER, PROSECUTOR: This conduct cannot and will not be tolerated in our society, and none of us are above the law.
CANDIOTTI: It was the news Martin Anderson's parents said they had hoped for.
GINA JONES, ANDERSON'S MOTHER: Today is a good day for me. I'm finally getting justice for my baby.
CANDIOTTI: Seven guards and the nurse are charged with aggravated manslaughter and face up to 30 years in prison if found guilty.
BENJAMIN CRUMP, PARENTS' ATTORNEY: You wanted one of them to say, "Guys, stop. This is enough. This isn't right."
CANDIOTTI: But one guard's defense attorney has said his client and the others thought the boy was faking at first, that they used approved techniques and acted in good faith.
WAYLON GRAHAM, HELMS' DEFENSE ATTORNEY: The nurse was giving them guidance. They followed her advice, and they did not set out to harm this young man. There was no gross and flagrant negligence.
CANDIOTTI: The teenager's first autopsy indicated no one was at fault. It said the 14-year-old died of natural causes with sickle cell complications.
But after a public outcry, Florida Governor Jeb Bush appointed a special prosecutor, who had the boy's body exhumed and reexamined. A second autopsy said Anderson was, quote, "suffocated due to actions of the guards," end quote, when smelling salts were forced up his nose.
Susan Candiotti, CNN, Miami.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: We want to take you back to that courtroom live, where we're expecting a verdict at any moment. Jurors have been deliberating this case. Again, a 14-year-old boy died in this. And there are several guards, at least seven to eight guards who are charged in this, and could face some serious punishment, maybe up to 30 years in prison.
Our Susan Candiotti is standing by, monitoring the situation. She has been following this story very closely. As soon as something comes out of this, we're going to get Susan Candiotti on it. And we'll bring it to you live right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
A little girl flying alone, and a strange man is in the next seat. Coming up, allegations of in-flight child abuse. The mother takes on a major airline.
NGUYEN: A clean home doesn't always mean a healthy body. You'll want to stick around for this report before you make your house spic and span.
And when Nobel Peace Prize winner Al Gore speaks, live from California this hour, you are going to hear it right here in the NEWSROOM. You're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: What exactly led to the death of a 14-year-old boy at a Panama City boot camp? Seven guards and one nurse charged in all of this, and they have been on trial. A jury now deliberating their fate, and we expect a verdict at any time in all of this.
Someone who's been following this story very closely from our affiliate -- or I should say -- our affiliate -- our bureau in Florida is Susan Candiotti.
Susan, exactly what's going on? We saw a little background piece before. But again, seven guards, one nurse.
CANDIOTTI: One nurse.
LEMON: Very serious charges. Up to 30 years in prison.
CANDIOTTI: Oh, yes. And they're charged with manslaughter in this case.
You remember, this all began back in January of 2006. This young man, a strapping young man, but nevertheless had just arrived at this boot camp. And he was there after some minor charges, stealing his grandmother's car.
In any case, the question here is whether these guards and nurse went too far in disciplining him. It was his very first day at this boot camp. He wasn't following directions as they were doing a drill around the field. And that's when you are now seeing what happened next, this videotape which shocked the world, really.
LEMON: Yes. And as we look here -- can we get these live pictures back. We see the judge inside the courtroom who is just coming in here. I would imagine that the judge is coming in. That means that the jury is probably coming back now with some sort of announcement or verdict or maybe they have a question. But I believe it's going to be a verdict. Just let me know. Susan and I will keep talking. If you want us to dip into this, give me a shout and let me know.
But Susan, he was running around, running laps and then collapsed, and the charge is that a nurse stood by and did nothing?
CANDIOTTI: That's what the charge is, that they disciplined him too violently. They were kicking him. They were kneeing him. They said he just wasn't following their orders.
But the fact of the matter is, evidently, he was suffering and fell unconscious. And the nurse continued to stand by. This kicking and beating and hitting went on about 30 minutes.
So the question is did they go too far or not do enough once he was clearly in distress? Too late before they called for help.
LEMON: I'm being told that the jury -- the judge is giving the jury, just the folks in the courtroom some instructions. So that's going to take a little bit. So we'll continue to talk about this.
Was there a racial component to this when it came to the jury? Was there some concern about that?
CANDIOTTI: I don't think that has played a part in this.
LEMON: OK.
CANDIOTTI: To any major degree. The defense on the part of the guards has been look, we didn't know how badly off this boy was. In fact, we thought perhaps he was faking it. We were following the usual routine in disciplining children when they wouldn't comply with our orders.
LEMON: OK. We're going to continue to monitor this, Susan. Don't go anywhere. We want to get a break in, and then come back. But there, the judge giving instructions, and we're about to get a verdict in this boot camp death case happening in Panama City, Florida. You'll hear it, coming up in just a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Back now with CNN's Susan Candiotti. We're awaiting the verdict now. Live pictures happening from Panama City, Florida, awaiting the verdict in this so-called boot camp death case. This 14- year-old boy who died. They believe he died because he had sickle cell anemia.
I just want to tell you that's what, at least, the defense is saying.
CANDIOTTI: It really has been a battle of the coroners here. There were two autopsies here because of the controversy.
LEMON: And Susan -- Susan, real quick, the jury's walking in.
CANDIOTTI: Got it.
LEMON: We'll follow what's going on. But go ahead.
CANDIOTTI: The defense have argued that he died of sickle cell anemia and the beating was simply added to the problem.
LEMON: Right.
CANDIOTTI: A second autopsy was done, ordered by the governor, by state authorities. That found that the boy suffocated when they stuck ammonia capsules up his nose and covered his mouth.
LEMON: Yes.
CANDIOTTI: So this jury had to decide who they think is right and who is telling the truth.
LEMON: Now how is it -- when we look at this videotape, how much of a role did this tape play into this trial? Was it...
CANDIOTTI: Huge. I mean, this is the main evidence, isn't it? And as one of the prosecutors said, there may not be sound on this tape, but it is screaming at you. Why didn't someone do something?
Now the state of Florida has paid $5 million in a civil settlement to the family.
Let's listen.
LEMON: Yes, let's listen.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Will you hand the verdict form to the bailiff, please?
Counsel and defendants will rise. In the matter of the State of Florida versus Henry Dickens, Charles Enfinger, Patrick Garrett, Raymond Hauck, Charles Helms Jr., Henry McFadden Jr., Christian Schmidt, and Joseph Walsh II, the verdict has been rendered by the jury, and it is unanimous.
As to the defendant Henry Dickens, we, the jury, find as follows. The defendant is not guilty.
As to the defendant Charles Enfinger we find -- we, the jury, find as follows. The defendant is not guilty.
As to the defendant Patrick Garrett, we, the jury, find as follows. The defendant is not guilty.
As to the defendant Raymond Hauck, we, the jury, find as follows. The defendant is not guilty.
As to the defendant Charles Helms Jr., we, the jury, find as follows. The defendant is not guilty.
As to the defendant Henry McFadden Jr., we, the jury, find as follows. The defendant is not guilty.
And as to the defendant Christian Schmidt, we, the jury, find as follows. The defendant is not guilty.
As to the defendant Joseph Walsh II, we, the jury, find as follows. The defendant is not guilty.
So say we all, dated the 12th day of October, 2007. Peggy A. Burns, foreperson of the jury. Please be seated.
LEMON: OK. You heard it. All of them acquitted. And all of them found not guilty. Surprising, Susan?
CANDIOTTI: Well, I think to a lot of people this will be, because of how powerful that videotape was.
The family, the state of Florida, the governor, got involved in this investigation and really brought it to another level, ordered that -- or got behind another autopsy being done on this young man.
But ultimately, all of these cases come down to who do you believe. And this jury evidently felt for the guards in this case, who argued that they didn't know about the underlying medical condition of this young man, that they were following the procedures they were taught to follow, procedures which we note are now -- note are outlawed now in the state of Florida.
LEMON: And if you look at this, I mean, it's -- the tape is quite disturbing. As you said, you can't hear. There's no sound on the tape, but it just sort of screams at you.
Earlier when I asked you about the racial component, I think the only racial component in this was that the jury was all white and mostly white in this case. And they were concerned that the jury may not have, you know, I guess, been compliant, or what have you, to a black teenager in all of this. And that they would necessarily find these guards not guilty.
There was some controversy about that. But I'm just wondering, with this videotape and with what happened today, even if there's an underlying medical condition, I wonder what was in the jury's minds to sort of decide that these guards were not guilty and to acquit them on all of this.
Maybe it was the evidence. Who knows? Or maybe it was the medical portion of it that was the -- the pin that turned it for them.
CANDIOTTI: I think the question is, yes, what was the jury thinking? And hopefully, some of them will discuss this more with -- with the reporters who are there, certainly covering this story.
Because the parents really fought hard, and a lot of pressure was brought to bear for this case to be pursued. And it readily was by members of the Florida legislature who stepped forward and in fact, awarded the family $5 million in a civil settlement, finding negligence on the part of the state of Florida in failing to protect this boy in some way.
This was, of course, the criminal component of the case.
Now we see everyone leaving. Perhaps the jury will be able to explain what led to their decision in this particular case.
But there were a lot of marches in the state of Florida, in Tallahassee, and a lot of attention has been brought on this case because of what happened here. It was a very disturbing matter.
LEMON: Yes. And you see that. This is a very somber courtroom. And when those verdicts were read I didn't hear a sound or a peep or anyone -- or anything. Usually, you hear at least some sort of reaction. But...
CANDIOTTI: I can tell you that the defense attorney for the lead guard, as it were, the one who was in charge, the supervisor, was convinced that this -- that his client would be found guilty from the very start once these charges were in place.
LEMON: Yes.
CANDIOTTI: Obviously, he was wrong, and he must be surprised, as well.
LEMON: Absolutely. Susan Candiotti, thank you very much. We're going to go deeper in this case and follow up with Susan, as well as our bureau down in Miami, to find out exactly the reaction from this verdict. So don't go away. We're going to continue to follow this -- Betty.
NGUYEN: Also I want to give you this reminder. We do expect to hear from the Nobel winner himself in just a few minutes. Former vice president, Al Gore, holding a news conference in Palo Alto, California, at 1:45 Eastern. When it happens, we're going to bring it to you live right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
But first, "Fortune" magazine's most powerful women in business, that list is out. So who tops the list? Well, here's your chance to guess.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This Yale grad was born in India, once played in a rock band and often walks around the office barefoot. But it's her track record for inking deals that's causing a splash in the food and beverage industry. Find out who she is after the break.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED CNN CORRESPONDENT: Indra Nooyi's, Pepsico's chairman and CEO, tops the list of "Fortune's" magazine's Most Powerful Women, and for the second year in a row. Her resume includes the acquisition of Tropicana and a leading role in the $13 billion merger with Quaker Oats. And she's not done yet. Nooyi plans on expanding Pepsico's traditional menu of soda and chips by adding nutritious snacks and vitamin-enhanced water.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: There's some breaking news happening. We want to get straight to the news room now. Fredricka Whitfield all the details for us. What do you have, Fred?
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Well Don, this is on the case of Mychal Bell, remember, he is the teen who is at the center of the Jena 6 case, the one that propelled protests across the country, particularly in Jena, Louisiana.
Well, now he is back in juvenile detention, this time stemming from other charges. There were four other juvenile court cases that were pending for him that happened before the December assault of the white student, that case which became the Jena 6 case.
Well apparently, according to the district attorney, his probation was violated during that time, and so now, he is being sentenced to 18 months for simple battery and criminal destruction of property in those cases. So, that means he is back in juvenile court. It's a very complicated scenario for this young man, Mychal Bell.
Meantime, the LaSalle Parish district attorney J. Reed Walters issued a written statement and explanation in part as to why this case seems to be back and forth, meaning Mychal Bell back and forth into juvenile detention. He says, "Given the high profile nature of any judicial matters relating to Mychal Bell, I think it is important to understand that his current incarceration stems entirely from actions that took place before the December 26th attack on Justin Barker and was in no way influenced by the more recent events."
And of course, already a quick response coming from activist Al Sharpton, who was part of the Jena 6 protest, saying that he is calling this cruel and unusual punishment, charging that the judge is exacting revenge for the Jena 6 movement.
Meantime, the family of Mychal Bell saying they're quite sure how they're going to be able to keep up with all the legal bills that are now mounting as a result of their son -- Don.
LEMON: And you mentioned those activists, some of them saying, too, that they believe that this was planned. We don't know if that is true, that they knew that they were going to do this and so, that's sort of what they're saying.
WHITFIELD: Yes ...
LEMON: Fred, if you ...
WHITFIELD: It is stirring more debate.
LEMON: Yes, absolutely, and continuing to.
Fred, we'll check back. If you get more details, let us know.
WHITFIELD: OK.
LEMON: Thank you.
NGUYEN: We're also following this, pay-off for Al Gore and his push to raise awareness of global warming and its impact on planet Earth. The former vice president is co-winner of this year's Nobel Peace Prize, and we're waiting for a news conference by Gore. Live coverage of that when it gets under way.
But, a documentary featuring Gore, you may have seen it, "An Inconvenient Truth," has helped push the issue of man-made climate changes to the forefront of global concerns. It's won major honors, including two Academy Awards, but it does have its critics. Some scientists say it hypes the dangers of global warming.
Well, Al Gore says global warming is not a political issue, but long before the Nobel Prize, moves were afoot to drag Gore into the 2008 race for president.
Let's get some details now from CNN's Tom Foreman.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Al Gore has said it over ...
AL GORE, FORMER U.S. VICE PRESIDENT: I'm not planning to be a candidate again.
FOREMAN: ...and over ...
GORE: I don't really have plans to run for office again.
FOREMAN: ...and over.
GORE: I have no plans to run. Thank you.
FOREMAN: But draftgore.com is not listening. The organization which describes itself as a group of grassroots Democrats, took out a full-page ad in Wednesday's "New York Times." Their open letter urges the 2000 Democratic presidential nominee to enter the race, saying, "Your country needs you now, as do your party and the planet you are fighting so hard to save." The ad also says 136,000 people have signed Draft Gore's online petition. The group tells us signatures are coming in by the thousands.
Gore's office says, "The former vice president truly appreciates the heartfelt sentiment behind the ad, however, he has no intention of running for president."
Some Democrats are not giving up hope. Thirteen percent of them supported Gore for the Democratic nomination in our most recent poll. But even if Gore changes his mind, the clock is ticking.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Gore would certainly shake up the race if he changed his mind and decided to get in. But with less than three months before the Iowa caucuses, his window of opportunity to actually make a serious run for the Democratic nomination probably has passed him by.
FOREMAN: Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: All right, seven former guards and a nurse acquitted on charges -- manslaughter charges in a 14-year-old's death at a boot camp in Florida. That verdict just coming moments ago. You saw it live from the courtroom in Panama City.
This 14-year-old boy was at a camp in Panama City. The defense said that he had a prior medical condition that led to his death. And the guards there, they contended that the guards did not know about that condition, and had they known, they would have handled it differently.
Well apparently, the jury agreed with them on that, and came down with the verdicts, acquitting all of them.
Kendall Coffey is a former U.S. attorney, joins us now with some perspective on this. What did you think, was it surprising to you?
VOICE OF KENDALL COFFEY, FORMER U.S. ATTORNEY: Well, I thought that it could have gone either way. I, frankly, expected there would be guilty on some of the verdicts. But, these are very polarizing cases, they're close calls, and the bottom line is juries are very, very reluctant to second-guess prison guards, police officers, others who they think are putting their lives on the line to protect the public.
LEMON: Let's talk about this videotape as we look at it now. I mean, it -- when you look at the video, you don't hear it but it does seem, you know, it's a little -- it's tough to watch. But, doesn't necessarily mean that the guards were doing anything wrong, is it correct to say that?
COFFEY: Well, it comes down to reasonable doubt a lot of times. You can certainly say they were negligent. They weren't paying enough attention, they weren't examining the very young man whose life was ebbing from his body while he was in their physical control. But, negligence is a far cry from proving, in effect, a homicide beyond a reasonable doubt, and so many of these cases come down to just those words, you hear them over and over again, but some cases are decided by the words reasonable doubt.
LEMON: And Kendall, you saw the nurse, obviously there, the nurse is the only one standing there in white, the only one out of uniform. And she sort of stood by, I guess, until the guards did what they had to do, getting out of the way, it would be perceived. But they said, the prosecution said she stood by and did nothing. COFFEY: And usually standing by and doing nothing in a moral sense, it may be -- seem deplorable, but in a scenario like this, it's very hard to put the label of criminal on somebody just for doing nothing. I think the ones that the jury gave the most thought to were certain of the guards, but again, we've seen so many times, even when you've got compelling video, when you're in effect putting the police on trial, they get the benefit, not only sometimes of a reasonable doubt, but sometimes the benefit of any doubt at all.
LEMON: OK, the guards, white, black, Asian, and -- we saw the verdicts here. Everybody stood quiet as they were read. But then the jury's all white, and there had been some controversy about an all- white jury there. How much did this play into it?
COFFEY: Well, we don't know. We want to believe that all jurors obey their oath and do the best they can with the difficult case. And you can certainly have mixed juries that will not convict police officers in a close call.
But let's not kid ourselves about the impact on this. We already have a racial divide in this country in the way justice is seen and when you have a very young black man who's basically in the eyes of many, beaten to death and a white jury acquits, we know that that's going to deepen the distrust, the lack of faith that many have in our criminal justice system.
LEMON: Yes, and the reason I say that is because civil rights activists and some of the folks there had been speaking out, saying that an all-white jury may not come back with a verdict that was fair in all of this. But again, as you said, the jurors listen and to their instructions and usually they follow.
Kendall Coffey, a former U.S. attorney, we thank you for joining us today in the CNN NEWSROOM.
COFFEY: OK, thank you.
NGUYEN: And you want to stick around as well, because want to give you this reminder. We do expect to hear from the Nobel winner himself in just a few minutes, five minutes to be exact. Former vice president Al Gore, holding a news conference in Palo Alto, California at 1:45 Eastern. We're going to bring that live to you right when it happens right here in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: There's a live look. You see the cameras all there waiting and who are they waiting for? Well, the newest Nobel Peace Prize winner, that being Al Gore, former vice president. He's going to be making a statement around 1:45 Eastern in just about -- oh I don't know, three minutes from now. And as soon as that takes place, of course, we will bring it live to you right here in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: All right, 1:45 Eastern, you see that, Vice President Al Gore, the newest, newest Nobel Peace Prize winner, expected to make a statement in Palo Alto, California in a news conference. As soon as that happens, we'll bring it to you right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
NGUYEN: But in the meantime, we are urging caution because spray cleaners and air fresheners may be hazardous to your health. Yes, those common household products don't carry a cigarette-style warning label, but maybe they should.
CNN medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen joins us now with a report in a some new research. This is an eye-opener.
ELIZABETH COHEN, MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: It is an eye-opener because they studied people just like you and me, healthy people don't have asthma, and they followed them for nine years. And the authors of the study say it was pretty clear, people who use cleaning products more often are much more likely to get asthma.
And what they found specifically is that folks who use these products every day or at least every day, using three or more products, they are more likely to get asthma. And it was very simple, the more products they use, the more days they used them, the more likely they were to get asthma.
Now, the group, the Consumer Specialty Products Association, which represents people who make these, they say that the ingredients in their products do not cause asthma. In fact, they clean up the things like dust that can cause asthma. They say they're taking this study very seriously, but they say that from what they can tell, the study does not necessarily demonstrate a true cause and effect relationship.
But in the meantime, while they look at it Betty, if you're feeling ...
NGUYEN: Stop cleaning?
COHEN: Well, no, don't stop cleaning.
NGUYEN: Oh, come on!
COHEN: That's not good. I know, wouldn't that be great, or get your spouse to do it.
NGUYEN: Right.
COHEN: In the meantime, what you can do is if you're feeling shortness of breath, tightness in the chest, and when you're using these products or right afterwards, see what happens if you stay away from them.
NGUYEN: Right, that's a good point.
All right, Elizabeth, we appreciate it.
COHEN: Thank you.
NGUYEN: Don?
LEMON: All right, let's go straight to the news room now. We have some developing news and Fredricka Whitfield is working on it. It concerns Anna Nicole Smith.
WHITFIELD: That's right. Earlier today, Don, we've been reporting that the California Department of Justice would be serving search warrants to at least eight -- either residences, businesses or individuals. Eight separate search warrants, where we understand that many of them have been served today.
We've got some new live pictures for you right now at a location where search warrants have been served to one of the doctors of Anna Nicole Smith, Khristine Eroshevich. This is -- well, you're seeing a tight view of one of the law enforcement vehicles there. But if you pull out, you'll be able to see most of the property in which a number of law enforcement individuals have arrived there to search the contents of this home. And there, you're also seeing a lot of media folks, too.
But among the search warrants being served, two of the doctors that were frequented by Anna Nicole Smith, their homes, this being one of them, a business owned by one of the doctors, four businesses owned by one of the other doctors, and a storage shed used by one of the doctors.
We don't know exactly what is being seized at this location, even though in Florida, a coroner declared that Anna Nicole Smith died in a Florida hotel room from accidental overdose, there have been questions surrounding her death in terms of what kinds of prescription drugs she was taking, what kind of instructions she was being given by medical authorities on how much to take, et cetera, if she was being, I guess, abusive in the way in which she was taking in her medicines, and if all of that was being instructed by these doctors.
So, the one location being searched thoroughly today is that of the doctor of Khristine Eroshevich. And what was interesting -- when authorities arrived at this household, also there, not only the doctor but Howard K. Stern, which you see right here, which has been Anna Nicole Smith's live-in companion and attorney for many years. He happened to be at the Eroshevich's home, and apparently through Stern's lawyer, he says in a written statement that the reason why he was at that location is because he had left his dogs at the doctor's home and may have been there to retrieve them.
But no other elaboration on the relationship that Howard K. Stern may have had with the doctor and why they all happened to be at her residence today when it was being searched and as it continues to be searched by law enforcement authorities through the Justice Department launching of search warrants today.
So, pretty complex, pretty complicated, and once again, mysterious investigation surrounding this woman's death -- Don?
LEMON: And, you know, it's sort of a cliche, but what a tangled web, I mean, this whole thing. He just happens to be at the house when they're searching it. Oh, boy, OK.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
LEMON: Fredricka Whitfield, thank you so much for that.
We want to take you live now, Palo Alto, California, and show you this, Betty, is where the former vice president is going to talk about what an honor, you know ...
NGUYEN: The Nobel Peace Prize.
LEMON: ...to win the Nobel Peace Prize, absolutely. He's going to -- we're going to hear from him just moments away. Former vice president holding a news conference in Palo Alto, California. It was supposed to begin at 1:45. Well, it's 1:49 now, so he's a little bit late.
NGUYEN: Well, I guess you can win the Nobel Peace Prize, you can take your time, huh?
LEMON: Yes, but all those light bulbs are burning, too.
NGUYEN: This is true.
LEMON: And the cameras, so you know.
NGUYEN: That footprint, you want to reduce it.
LEMON: He wants to reduce his footprint. Should get out there. Just kidding.
NGUYEN: We'll be waiting.
LEMON: All right, congratulations.
NGUYEN: Bring it to you live when it happens.
LEMON: Yes, we're going to bring it to you live.
Global warming puts Al Gore in the world spotlight today, of course. CNN's Jonathan Mann has more on what led to Gore's honor.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JONATHAN MANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Al Gore could have been remembered by history for the prize he didn't get -- the 2000 presidential election that was decided by a handful of votes, hanging chads (ph), and the U.S. Supreme Court.
Instead, he transformed himself, from former vice president and former candidate, into global campaigner, and his campaign to alert the world to the dangers of climate change has now received the ultimate accolade, in a joint prize with the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
PROF. OLE DANBOLT MJOS, CHMN., NORWEGIAN NOBEL CMTE.: The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided that the Nobel Peace Prize for 2007 is to be shared in two equal parts between the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC, and Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr., for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man- made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change.
MANN: Gore traveled the United States lecturing about global warming, lectures that became the Academy Award winning film, "An Inconvenient Truth," and spread Gore's message around the world.
The British government even distributed it to every high school in the country. Ironically, just before the prize was announced, a British judge ruled that it should come with a warning, that it promotes partisan political views and is wrong about some of its facts.
But environmentalists, such as 2004 Nobel winner, Wangari Maathai, say the Nobel Committee gave the prize to entirely the right people.
VOICE OF WANGARI MAATHAI, 2004 NOBEL WINNER: I think that these two leaders deserve this prize. They have brought to the fore a very important global issue, and I just can't contain myself, I'm so pleased about this prize and the candidates.
MANN: Gore himself said in a written statement, "We face a true planetary emergency. The climate crisis is not a political issue, it is a moral and spiritual challenge to all of humanity. It is also our greatest opportunity to lift global consciousness to a higher level."
Gore said he'll donate his portion of the $1.5 million prize to the Alliance for Climate Protection. But the most important honor will remain his: recognition with arguably, the most prestigious prize in the world.
Jonathan Mann, CNN, reporting.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: So, Gore's going to be donating part of that prize money. And today, all those folks there waiting for Gore to donate just a little bit of his time. They're waiting for Gore to speak, to come out in front of the cameras and the microphones to speak for the first time since it has been announced today that he has won this Nobel Peace Prize. And as soon as he does come out there, of course, we will bring that to you straight here on CNN.
But a lot of people have been reacting to the win today. Former president Clinton had this reaction to the Nobel announcement, saying, "Al Gore has been warning and educating us about the dangers of climate change for decades. He saw this coming before others in public life and never stopped pushing for action to save our planet, even in the face of public indifference and attacks from those determined to defend the indefensible."
And the last American to win the Nobel Peace Prize was former president Jimmy Carter. The 2002 laureate had this reaction to this year's winners. "For more than 20 years, Al Gore has tirelessly championed the fight to protect our planet's environment, providing leadership to one of the most pressing issues of our time. The IPCC's wealth of study and research has brought much needed scientific understanding to the threat of global warming."
LEMON: But there's also been critics, too. I mean, there are folks who are saying, you know what, there are much larger issues. What about Mother Teresa and that stuff, so.
NGUYEN: Well, critics are also coming out.
LEMON: Yes.
NGUYEN: In fact, there's a judge, Sir Michael John Burton, the judge of the high court in Queens Bench Division there, has come out with nine points where he says that some of the things that were brought up in "An Inconvenient Truth" were just absolutely not true. And so, yes, you're right, there has been a lot of criticism.
And we'll be following these live pictures and bringing you Al Gore to you live when he does start to speak right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: And take you live now to Palo Alto, California where former vice president Al Gore and the newest Nobel Peace Prize winner is speaking.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
AL GORE, NOBEL PEACE PRIZE WINNER: ...here because we had a rescheduled work session at the Alliance for Climate Protection. We're going to donate 100 percent of the proceeds of this award to the Alliance for Climate Protection. That amount is very small compared to the enormous challenge that lies ahead.
And the Alliance for Climate Protection, headed by Cathy Zoi, is organizing a massive grassroots movement, and a mass advertising campaign, all focused together on trying to change the way people think in our country and all around the world, about the urgency of the climate crisis.
It is the most dangerous challenge we've ever faced, but it is also the greatest opportunity that we have ever had to make changes, that we should be making for other reasons anyway. This is a chance to elevate global consciousness about the challenges that we face now.
Just two weeks ago, there was a report from part of the scientific community about the accelerated melting of the north polar ice cap. Now unbelievably, they tell us that unless we act with great urgency, the entire north polar ice cap could be gone in less than 23 years.
I could give you hundreds of other examples of how the alarm bells are going off in the scientific community, and how the sciences themselves, some of whom have been active with the IPCC are here today, they've been trying to get the attention of the world community.
For my part, I will be doing everything I can to try to understand how to best use the honor and recognition of this award as a way of speeding up the change in awareness and the change in urgency. It truly is a planetary emergency and we have to respond quickly.
There's an old African proverb that says if you want to go quickly, go alone. If you to you want to go far, go together. We have to go far, quickly, and that means, we have to quickly find a way to change the world's consciousness about exactly what we're facing and why we have to work to solve it.
I'm going back to work right now. This is just the beginning, and the Alliance for Climate Protection is going to be charging straight ahead. I want to congratulate the IPCC again and again, thank the Nobel Committee.
Thank you all very much.
LEMON: Who would have thought, you know, after what happened with the election and Al Gore sort of faded from the spotlight for a long time and little known to a lot of people, he was working on this, and then came back in a really untraditional way, back into the public eye, reaching young people, and as we call it, demographic that most people find a hard time reaching.
NGUYEN: Well, that movie, "An Inconvenient Truth," garnered what -- an Emmy, an Oscar and now, Al Gore has become the latest Nobel Peace Prize winner. And as we heard just moments ago in that, he wants to quickly find a way to use this recognition, this award ...
LEMON: Right.
NGUYEN: ...to promote change. He says we have a long ways to go.
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