Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

New Jersey Police Search for Escape Artists; CIA Tapes Destruction; Police Release Sketches in LSU Killings

Aired December 18, 2007 - 14:01   ET

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

BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Take a look. Have you seen these men? They are wanted for questioning in a home invasion and double murder at Louisiana State University. We're going to get the latest from Baton Rouge police.
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: And if Leno can do it, why not the Oscars? Work without writers, that is. No slack from strikers means added drama for late-night comedy and more suspense at the awards shows.

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

NGUYEN: And I'm Betty Nguyen.

You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

LEMON: A police task force in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has put out sketches of two men. They are wanted for questioning in the murder of two college students last week. One of them is believed to have been driving a light-colored Oldsmobile Alero.

The two were spotted near the apartment where two Louisiana State University doctoral students were fatally shot. Police think the killers were looking for someone to rob and trailed one of the men into the on-campus complex.

We'll get the latest on the investigation when we speak with the spokesperson of the task force. That will happen in just a few minutes -- Betty.

NGUYEN: Well, if it weren't so criminal it might be comical. Two inmates in a New Jersey jail somehow get hold of heavy wire, a ten-pound steel wheel, bikini pin-ups, tape, and more, and then they use them to slip away from a high-security cell block. They have been on the lam for three days now and CNN's Jason Carroll breaks it all down for us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Jose Espinosa was looking at 17 years for manslaughter. Otis Blunt was facing robbery and weapons charges. Together, they hatched a plant to chip their way out of doing hard time

TED ROMANKOW, UNION COUNTY, NEW JERSEY, PROSECUTOR: I'm angry that two prisoners would escape a secure facility and not even know when they did it.

CARROLL: Guards noticed both inmates missing from their high- security cells at the Union County Jail. At 515 p.m. Saturday, they found this metal wire and say they believe Blunt used it as a tool to chip away a hole into Espinosa's adjoining cell. Then they used it to chisel an 18-inch-wide hole from Espinosa's cell to the outside.

The holes were concealed with pin-up posters. If their plan sounds a little familiar, that's because that's basically what a character in the critically acclaimed film "The Shawshank Redemption" did to escape.

ROMANKOW: I really prefer not to compare it with any movie, although I can understand why you might, because it does -- to a certain degree, it does look very similar to some of them, except I think in "Shawshank Redemption" they had a better poster on the wall.

CARROLL: In the movie, the character crawls through a sewer pipe to freedom. Blunt and Espinosa took a different path.

The hole they created opened up to a third floor landing, and once outside, authorities say they presumably took a running jump 15 feet out, clearing a razor wire fence and landing 30 feet below. The duo left a note to a guard reading, "Thank you, Officer, for the tools needed. You're a real pal. Happy holidays." It was marked with a smiley face.

(on camera): There were footprints outside on the ground. Both sets of footprints heading in opposite directions. It turns out that Blunt had tried to escape before in September using the exact same method. Authorities tell us they will not elaborate as to whether or not they have any leads at this point as to where these two inmates might be.

Jason Carroll, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: All right, Jason.

When the CIA destroyed those interrogation tapes, was it violating a court order? A federal judge wants to know, and now he's ordering the Bush administration to tell him.

Let's go straight to the White House and CNN's Kathleen Koch.

Hi, Kathleen.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, clearly, federal Judge Henry Kennedy (ph) wants to know whether or not the Bush administration -- when the CIA destroyed those tapes in 2005, whether or not that was a deliberate effort again to avoid his order that interrogation tapes of suspects by the CIA be preserved. Now, Bush administration lawyers will then have to go to court on Friday to explain the CIA's actions. Now, the government had urged Kennedy on Friday to postpone taking any actions, saying that this could potentially interfere with inquiries by Congress, by the CIA, by the Justice Department, because certainly Kennedy decided to go on ahead. Now, at today's White House briefing, when Press Secretary Dana Perino was asked about this and also whether or not the Bush administration has ordered the CIA not to destroy any further interrogation tapes, Perino had little to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DANA PERINO, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: But we have complete confidence in General Hayden and Attorney General Mukasey to handle this in an appropriate way, and so I refer you over there for details about their decision.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOCH: So, on Friday morning at 11:00 a.m., all the parties will appear at U.S. District Court before Judge Kennedy, and at this point we're told that the proceedings will be open to the public -- Don

LEMON: And Kathleen, the White House just confirmed today that the president will make his first trip to Israel and the West Bank next month. What are they expecting from this visit?

KOCH: Well, obviously they are expecting, at least according to Dana Perino, to continue the momentum that they believe they started with the Annapolis Middle East peace talks recently, where you had not only both the leaders of Israel and the Palestinian Authority meeting together, but then such a massive show of support on the part of the Arab world.

So Perino says what the president wants to do is go. He's going to a number of countries. Not only Israel and the West Bank, but a number of Arab countries -- Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, and again try to bring all these parties together and continue the dialogue.

LEMON: All right, thank you.

Kathleen Koch from the White House.

KOCH: You bet.

NGUYEN: First to northern Iraq, then on to Baghdad. Today's visit by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice caught many in Iraq by surprise. She dropped in on U.S. troops and met with Iraqi government leaders to talk about progress that's been made and what still needs to be done.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, SECRETARY OF STATE: We're continuing our discussions about how to build on the security and economic progress that is being made here and the significant developments, political developments at the local and provincial level to make certain that national reconciliation takes place.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: This was Rice's first visit to Iraq since September.

LEMON: A tragic ending to a frantic plea for help. The death of an Indiana woman and her three daughters are blamed on the weekend storm that dumped more than 10 inches of snow on parts of that state.

Police say the family's van skidded into a pond. The woman called on her cell phone for help and divers sped to the scene, and all four victims were pulled from the submerged van. They were alive, but all died within hours at hospitals in Indianapolis, apparently of hypothermia.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MOHAMMED HOSAIN, FAMILY MEMBER: After the van went in the water, she called 911. And there was another call. One of her daughters also dialed 911. So an immediate (ph) end.

It's very, very tragic for us, of course. In one sweep the entire family is gone

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: When the accident happened, the woman and her daughters had just visited a family friend whose brother had died. A sad tragedy there.

(WEATHER REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: It's almost a quarter past the hour on this Tuesday, and here are three of the stories that we are working on in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Two lawmakers are urging Congress to act in the wake of the Mitchell Report on performance-enhancing drug abuse in baseball. Senators Charles Schumer and Charles Grassley want tougher penalties for the improper use or distribution of human growth hormones.

Rain, sleet, snow on the West Coast as a string of Pacific storms bear down. Meantime, much of the eastern half of the nation is digging out from a fierce pre-winter blizzard.

And Hillary Clinton hoping for some political magic in Iowa. Former NBA star Magic Johnson joined her on the campaign trail today. Clinton says Johnson is a good friend. Johnson, who is HIV-positive, praised Clinton's record on pushing for healthcare reforms.

LEMON: Well, this is supposed to be a time of year for celebrating, but that's really not happening so much in Louisiana, especially Baton Rouge, where a police task force has put out sketches of two men wanted for questioning in last week's double murder on the Louisiana State University campus.

And joining us now from Baton Rouge with more, Sergeant Don Kelly, spokesman for that task force. And, you know, it's really sad that this is happening, but a celebratory spirit on campus because of LSU going to the championship game, and now this. A very sad time there, Sergeant.

SGT. DON KELLY, BATON ROUGE POLICE: Good afternoon, Don.

It is a sad time for the families involved, the friends of the victims, the entire LSU community, and the city of Baton Rouge, I think, has been outraged by just this heinous crime on these two young men who were in our country studying, Ph.D. candidates, contributing members of society with a great deal of promise, both married. I think at least one of their wives pregnant, maybe both of them.

It's a horrible tragedy. And we have devoted a huge number of resources from the law enforcement community in this area to try and do everything possible to identify the suspects responsible and get them off the streets and in jail.

LEMON: OK. So, Sergeant, tell us exactly what happened. And the question I'm trying to get at here is, do you think this was something random, maybe a crime of opportunity, or should the students and the people near LSU or on the campus, should they be concerned about some sort of wave or folks who may be looking out to do similar things?

KELLY: All of the indications we have at this time are that this was probably and most likely a crime of opportunity, that these suspects were driving and riding around the area looking for the opportunity to rob someone or commit some other crime, and we think the victims just came on to their radar scope. One of the victims lives at the apartment, the other was visiting and had just arrived, and it's quite possible that when he arrived and was walking through the parking lot, the suspects may have spotted him, and that may have begun the sequence of events that ended with both of them being murdered.

LEMON: OK. You've got a sketch there of two of the suspects. We're thinking, what, three or four, possibly?

KELLY: We think at least three and quite likely four.

LEMON: OK. Here's also another big concern there, because the students were international students, as you said, from India. There's some concern, you know, about people speaking out about this. That their visas may be withdrawn or what have you.

What kind of problems are you looking at with that?

KELLY: It hasn't been a big issue, but it certainly is an obstacle we've had to overcome. Generally people -- some people are very reluctant to talk to the police and get involved in a criminal investigation to begin with. That's been somewhat complicated by the international students who live in the complex, some of whom are concerned about their visa status, as you mentioned.

But for the most part, I think the outrage over this crime and the desire to see law enforcement being able to quickly identify and apprehend the people responsible has overcome that barrier. We've received a great deal of cooperation from the international student community.

LEMON: Yes.

Hey, Sergeant, real quick, tell us what you're looking for, because you're looking for a particular type of car...

KELLY: Right.

LEMON: ... as well as certain individuals. And I want you to have this opportunity, because if they're not from Baton Rouge, they haven't seen the local news and they may be watching this. Tell us what you're looking for.

KELLY: Right now we're looking for an older model, light-colored Oldsmobile Alero, stock, just right off the showroom floor type. Plain Jane car, no fancy rims or tinted windows or anything like that.

Occupied by three to four black males. And we've given you the sketches of two of those that we have good descriptions of. And anyone who has information on this crime or who may recognize those two individuals is urged to contact our local Crime Stoppers office, which is area code 225-344-7867, or contact your local law enforcement agency and they will pass that information on to us.

LEMON: And Sergeant, I appreciate you coming on. And Baton Rouge being my hometown, I've gotten tons of calls, and there is lots of concern there. People really worried about what's happening in Baton Rouge. And, of course, everyone is worried about these two students and their families as well.

To the best of your ability, have a great holiday season, and thank you.

KELLY: Thank you, sir.

NGUYEN: All right. So there are criminal masterminds and then there are these guys. You won't believe how they were caught in a police sting.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: All right. How many times have you heard this? If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Or, it could be a sting.

Cops in Upstate New York call on a bunch of people wanted for various offenses. No chases involved. Oh, no. In fact, the fugitives came to them, lured bay letter that said they won a plasma television.

Well, the letters went out to 200 people. Fourteen showed up, just as city officials expected.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARK PALESH, AUBURN CITY MANAGER: When I looked at it, I said, am I going to be dumb enough to fall for this? And, you know, I've got to think like someone who has, you know, the beginnings of a criminal element in their mind.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: Well, 14 did. Cops say most of the suspects were wanted on bad check charges.

That's one way to get them.

LEMON: Well, you know what? I mean, that -- that's been going on forever. You know what I mean? Don't they watch TV?

NGUYEN: Well, apparently not. They needed one. That's why they came in.

LEMON: Well, it's good that they got them. I do have to say it's good. But that's like the oldest trick in the book when it comes to outstanding warrants.

NGUYEN: You won something.

LEMON: Yes.

OK. Well...

NGUYEN: A pair of handcuffs.

LEMON: Yes.

(BUSINESS REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Out of jail but still not free. Why is a Tennessee man in the hands of Nicaraguan police after a Nicaraguan court overturned his conviction? The family of Eric Volz says he's being made a patsy for a murder he did not commit, and our Rick Sanchez looks at how this case started.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RICK SANCHEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Eric Volz is a handsome American young man in love with the idyllic setting of coastal Nicaragua. He had also fallen in love with this Nicaraguan beauty, Doris Jimenez. They dated, and had broken up, but kept in contact. Then in November, a year ago, Jimenez was found strangled. Despite almost no evidence, Eric is charged with her murder.

But witnesses tell me, he wasn't there. He couldn't have done it. UNIDENTIFIED MALE, THROUGH TRANSLATOR: He was there in his office, you say. You saw him. He was wearing shorts.

SANCHEZ (on camera): At his trial witnesses also tell the judge that he wasn't there. But there was something else going on outside that may have impacted the judge even more. With Eric Volz on trial, his life hanging in the balance there in that courtroom, the mob here on the street was getting even more tense. And the message that they seemed to be sending to the judge was clear, we want the gringo convicted.

(voice-over): Inside the courthouse, Volz' lawyers present witnesses to prove he was in his Managua office, two hours away, at the time of the murder, ten of them. No one in Eric's family is prepared for what comes next. This is Volz' mother telling his father the outcome.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's a guilty verdict.

SANCHEZ: Eric was found guilty of murdering Doris Jimenez. He was also found guilty of raping her, even though police never concluded that she had been raped. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison, and if that seems strange after what you've heard, listen to this. Another man was also convicted of the same crime by the same prosecutor and the same judge, even though the prosecution never connected him with Eric Volz.

Rick Sanchez, CNN, Managua, Nicaragua.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: All right, so yesterday Eric Volz was transferred from a Managua jail to a police hospital. We've heard no explanation as to why. His mother is fighting to get him released and last night she told our Anderson Cooper she fears for her son's life.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Do you fear for his safety?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Absolutely, yes...

COOPER: I mean, the attorney general in Nicaragua was quoted in one of the local papers as saying that it was barbaric to free Eric. And I know you're hearing on local radio stations -- people on radio stations saying they should take matters into their own hands.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Absolutely. Every minute that Eric stays in jail is such a concern for us. Today should have been a day of joy of justice and celebration. But instead, we're more fearful for his life right now more than we ever have been. We're so frightened for him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: She also says, when officials from the U.S. Embassy tried to visit her son, they were turned away.

We'll continue to follow this story.

LEMON: Absolutely. And today there is talk of change at the top in Cuba. A letter reportedly written by Fidel Castro states he will not cling to office. Reported on Cuban state television, the letter also and reads that Castro would like to be of consequence up to the end. So no one is sure what he has in mind.

White House spokesperson Dana Perrino called the letter, interesting. Castro has been seen only on videotape or in photos for the past 16 months before undergoing surgery in 2006. He temporarily handed over his presidential powers to his brother, Raul.

NGUYEN: Well, they came to keep the peace, but scores of Sri Lankan soldiers are accused of sexually exploiting women and young girls in Haiti. CNN's Brian Todd reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: More than 100 U.N. Peacekeepers have been kicked out of the U.N. Stabilization Force in Haiti, after being accused of preying on those they are supposed to protect. U.N. officials tell CNN the Sri Lankan troops were suspected of sexually exploiting women and girls. Two U.N. officials said they would not dispute a report in the "Los Angeles Times" saying the soldiers had sex with girls as young as 13, paying them as little as a dollar each time.

The officials say they were first made aware of the conduct last summer, investigated it and sent the Sri Lankans back home in early November. I asked Sri Lanka's ambassador to the U.N. if the soldiers will face prosecution there.

PRASAD KARIYAWASAM, SRI LANKAN/AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: We are not going to cover up on this because we are very, serious, because we are a very -- peacekeeping-wise, our troops have been doing a good job and we want to keep up those standards. So any bad eggs, we'll take action.

TODD: One analyst who monitors peacekeeping operations says, this kind of abuse is a major problem in several nations, including the Congo, where the U.N. deploys.

SARAH MENDELSON, CTR. FOR STRATEGIC & INTL. STUDIES: What you have in places where there is tremendous poverty and you have an influx of internationals that have some money -- because we're not tackling the issue of poverty and lack of education, a lot of these young women and girls view their only natural resource -- their only asset is their body and they are using their body as some mechanism to raise money.

TODD (on camera): A U.N. official flatly denied that, saying they do train every peacekeeping unit on the conduct and discipline that's expected. But this official said that training is only for the officers who are then expected to train their enlisted personnel. After this investigation, three Sri Lankan officers were among those sent home.

Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: Less than three weeks before the Iowa caucuses and the endorsements from newspapers, celebrities, even old friends, they are piling up. But do they translate into votes?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Leading our political ticker today, the front-runners are still in front. But, a new USA Today/Gallup Poll shows the Democratic and Republican races for president still very competitive. Among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents, four candidates are virtually tied for second place. Rudy Giuliani continues to lead with 27 percent.

Hillary Clinton is backed by 45 percent of Democrats and Democrat-leaners. She leads Barack Obama by 18 points, that's up three points from two weeks ago. John Edwards is at 15 percent.

Bill and Hillary Clinton and a little Magic Johnson to boot. Some might think that's an unusual combo on the campaign trail, but the former NBA star turned out in Des Moines with the Democratic presidential contender and her husband today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. HILLARY CLINTON, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I want to thank my friend of 20 years for his support of my campaign. We had a great event where we went into a school in South L.A. and talked about, you know, what he's doing to bring economic opportunity and what I'm going to do as president to be a good partner to really help the people that we care about. And I'm thrilled he could take time out of his extraordinary schedule to spend the day with us in Iowa.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: Johnson, who is HIV-positive, praised Clinton's record on pushing for health care reform.

Clinton's Democratic rival, John Edwards doesn't have one star. Oh no, he has two. Singers Bonnie Raitt and Jackson Brown are appearing with Edwards today at several town hall events in New Hampshire, site of the nation's first presidential primary.

LEMON: Well, whether they're star-studded imprint or coming from childhood friends, the presidential endorsements are really piling up, but do they make much of a difference to you? Senior political correspondent Candy Crowley.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SR. POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Endorsements and reinforcements rained down. Can Hillary Clinton pull it off in Iowa? She'll try with a little help from her friends.

SEN. HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Here in Iowa, I want you to have some flavor of who I am, you know, outside of the television cameras. When all the cameras and the lights disappear, what I do when nobody's listening or taking notes and recording it.

CROWLEY: They call it the "Hillary I know," an attempt to soften Clinton's public persona with gauzey testimonials.

BETSY EBELING, CLINTON'S CHILDHOOD FRIEND: And let me tell you, this is a good, hard-working friend. She's loyal to her friends. She remembers them, she remembers their kids.

CROWLEY: An endorsement of the more traditional sort came over the weekend when the "Des Moines Register" gave its nod to Clinton as the most ready to make the changes needed. "Every stage of her life has prepared her for the presidency."

It was a welcome headline for a campaign that's the been off its game.

CLINTON: I was thrilled and honored to get the endorsement of the "Des Moines Register." They put us through our paces.

CROWLEY: To the endorseee go the headlines and the bragging rights, but before anyone gets too carried away, no Democrat endorsed by the "Des Moines Register," has ever won Iowa, repeat, not ever.

Wives of Iowa governors have a better track record. In 2004, Christie Vilsack, wife of Governor Tom Vilsack, endorsed John Kerry and he won, which is why Camp Edwards is so atwitter that he's been endorsed by Mary Culver, wife of the current governor.

JOHN EDWARDS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And I'm also proud to have her support because she's going to help me win the Iowa Caucuses on January 3rd.

CROWLEY: Barack Obama also got a piece of the news with the endorsement of the "Boston Globe" and Iowa Congressman Dave Loebsack, though even he's not sure what this means.

REP. DAVID LOEBSACK (D), IOWA: Well, that's hard to say to be honest, but all I know is of between now and January 3rd to the extent which my schedule allows me to do so, I'm going to work as hard as I possibly can to make sure that he's the nominee, that he wins the caucuses in Iowa and he goes on to become the nominee.

CROWLEY: And what are we to make of this, Independent Senator Joe Lieberman, who ran as vice president on the Gore ticket in 2000, endorsed John McCain, who's running as a Republican in 2008?

SEN. JOE LIEBERMAN (I), CONNECTICUT: You know, political parties are important in our country, but they're not more important than what's best for our country. They're not more important than friendship. CROWLEY: It's possible cross-party pollination could prompt independents in New Hampshire to take another look at McCain or maybe it will hurt McCain among Republicans or maybe it won't matter.

That's the thing about endorsements, their direct value on caucuser voting day is questionable, but in a campaign with 14 candidates, a little attention is a good thing.

Candy Crowley, CNN, Des Moines.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: And for all the day's political stories, go to CNNpolitics.com, who's endorsing who, who is surging ahead and who is falling behind. Again, the address is CNNpolitics.com.

Striking Hollywood writers are turning up the heat. Will they embarrass tinsel town's big night? Or will your favorite stars have to improvise?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: So, if you thought the Oscars or the Golden Globes drag on when they're scripted, just imagine how long they'll be unscripted. Striking Hollywood writers are not cutting the award shows producers any slack.

Entertainment columnist Tom O'Neil with theenvelope.com joins us from Los Angeles. All right, seventh week of this strike now. Could those award shows be the next thing in jeopardy?

TOM O'NEIL, COLUMNIST, THEENVELOPE.COM: I think so because ...

NGUYEN: Really?

O'NEIL: ...I think the awards shows, Betty, are the best ammo these writers have to prove how valuable they are. Imagine if those stars have to go up to the podium without a script. We're finally going to see how vapid and empty and dumb they are ...

NGUYEN: Oh no.

O'NEIL: ...quite quickly, really, yes. Hollywood's terrified of having the awards shows shut down.

NGUYEN: Hey -- well, can you imagine, like we just said unscripted, that thing could go on for five, six hours, who knows. You know, roll that music quickly, please.

OK, let's talk about this because we reported this yesterday. Jay Leno, Conan O'Brien, David Letterman, they all may be going back to air in January. OK, that's one thing, but what if the stars don't show up as guests?

O'NEIL: At the awards shows, that's what's going to happen because the writers will picket out front. The Screen Actors Guild has already announced officially their solidarity with the WGA, so if the shows go on televised, there are going to be empty seats out there.

What is going to happen, what the Globes have decided to do, although they have not officially announced it yet, but my sources there tell me that they are going to drop the telecast so that the stars can still attend the show. This has happened before, it happened in 1979. Unfortunately, everybody got drunk at the Globes that night and there was all these crazy scenes that happened.

NGUYEN: Oh, my goodness, can you imagine.

O'NEIL: But the Globes will ...

NGUYEN: No, but what I was talking about is when these shows like Leno and Letterman and all them, they're talking about going back to air in January. Say they do, but what if the stars don't show up as a guest on the show?

O'NEIL: Well, I think they will because remember, they're being officially granted a waiver by the guild, so that gives them permission to go. The shows will be very different though. They'll have no opening monologues at all and really, the reason they're being granted this waiver is what this strike is all about is residuals, you know, making sure the writers get paid for their work when it hits the Internet and on iPhones and things like that.

So, these talk shows at night have no repeat value, as we're finding out now when we have to watch the repeats. They're terrible. You see Bruce Willis plugging a movie that was terrible. He's going oh, it's great, you know six months ago.

NGUYEN: And you already know how it turned out.

O'NEIL: I know.

NGUYEN: You know, talk shows aside, those late night shows aside, what about, you know, the TV shows that people really looking forward, "Lost," "24," those kind of shows, are they in jeopardy as well?

O'NEIL: Oh, they are. Sixty shows have already shut down production.

NGUYEN: Sixty? Yes, wow.

O'NEIL: What they're going to do is the networks will move up the shows that normally resume in March of next spring, like "Lost" and "Law & Order" is another one, "Medium," "New Adventures of Old Christine." Those will move up. They only have about eight episodes though, and we're going to see all these new reality shows to fill the airwaves. Stupid things like ...

NGUYEN: No, say it isn't so, more reality TV?

O'NEIL: It's -- Betty, it's our worst nightmare. A show called "The Baby Borrowers" where teenage kids are being given care of other people's infants. I mean, Britney Spears is 26, she can't look after her own infants.

NGUYEN: Stop it, Tom. OK, uh-huh?

O'NEIL: And here's the worst, here's the worst.

NGUYEN: Oh, go ahead and give it to us, as if we need anymore.

O'NEIL: The networks -- the networks are so desperate that they're bringing in fat men in spandex. They're reviving "American Gladiators."

NGUYEN: Get out of here. No, they are not. Man, desperation is at an all-time high. So, I mean, where are these talks at this point? I mean, do you see any end in sight?

O'NEIL: Actually from what I hear behind the scenes, the central issue of compensation for the Internet and digital rights seems to have been worked out. They're fighting over things now like what is a writer? You know, on reality TV shows and on animated feature films, when you see a producer credit or an editor credit, those are mostly writers and the Guild is saying hey, they're writers, we want them in the Guild, we want them declared so.

I don't know how serious or strongly the producers feel about that, if they will cave, that seems to be the big issue on the table, and I think as we get closer to the Oscars, remember, the ultimate motto of Hollywood is the show must go on and if the writers shut down the biggest show in Hollywood, they'll lose the good will of the industry.

NGUYEN: Definitely -- Don wants to jump in, he's got a question of his own for you, Tom.

O'NEIL: Yes.

LEMON: Tom, you bring up a good point. You said in 1979, the Oscars -- they didn't broadcast it, right? So, they just -- the actors went to the show ...

O'NEIL: The Golden Globes.

LEMON: So, what does that mean -- does that mean now, does that offer an opportunity at least for the web now because and they're fighting for these rights on the web. Maybe it can be broadcast on the web, that's an interesting point that we haven't even talked about.

O'NEIL: Yes, it's a really good point.

LEMON: If it's not going to be broadcast, don't you think?

O'NEIL: Yes, that's a really interesting point, but I think that the Globes wouldn't want to risk anybody's ire. They'll just go on with the show, they'll lose the $5 million in license fee, they'll try to limit the bar and make sure the stars don't get drunk again. And that's really the only option they have.

They can't shut down the Globes and they can't shut down the Oscars, but I think that if they -- the telecast at the Oscars doesn't go on, I think America is going to turn against the writers and say hey, that's our Super Bowl of showbiz. You can't take that away.

NGUYEN: Got a good point there. Tom O'Neil with theenvelope.com. Thanks so much.

O'NEIL: Thanks.

LEMON: Very interesting. Probably the most we've found out about the strikes since ...

NGUYEN: In a little while, yes.

LEMON: ...since we've been doing it, yes.

All right, let's move on to more Hollywood news, this is a sad one, though. Desperate but futile attempts to save Donda West, we are hearing 911 calls from November 10th, the day rapper Kanye West's mom died and the day two unidentified women tried to revive her.

One of them calls a Los Angeles emergency dispatcher and from there, the frustration and the desperation only grow.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

CALLER: Because she had a heart attack and she's not breathing and she's not moving and I'm trying to do CPR.

911 DISPATCHER: Ma'am, how old is this person?

CALLER: She's 58-years-old.

911 DISPATCHER: 58?

CALLER: She just had surgery.

911 DISPATCHER: OK, 58. Now, you're doing CPR?

CALLER: (INAUDIBLE).

911 DISPATCHER: Ma'am, is she not breathing at all?

CALLER: ...her medication -- she complained she couldn't breathe ...

911 DISPATCHER: Ma'am, OK, so she's not ...

CALLER: ...her hands are clammy.

911 DISPATCHER: Ma'am, she's not breathing?

CALLER: She can't breathe.

911 DISPATCHER: OK, is she breathing?

CALLER: No, she's not.

911 DISPATCHER: She's not breathing.

CALLER: No, she's got -- she threw up and has black stuff around her mouth, and we're trying to do CPR on her.

911 DISPATCHER: OK, so she's not breathing at all?

CALLER: She's not responding.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

LEMON: Those tapes are really hard to hear as they always are. Another woman is later heard in the background yelling Donda West, please wake up and someone also starts hyperventilating. West was pronounced dead that day at the hospital. She had undergone plastic surgery just the day before.

NGUYEN: Well, they're both friendly and compassionate, and the army hopes they'll become soldiers' new best friends, a couple of special sergeants. That's ahead for the front.

LEMON: Also this, Betty. Danger at a New Hampshire ski resort. Rescue crews struggle to reach dozens of passengers trapped in a gondola. What happened?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Battling combat stress, it's a special mission for a pair of sergeants heading to Iraq. Our Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr has their story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Meet Sergeants First Class Budge and Boe, members of the 85th Medical Detachment, Combat Stress Unit and on their way to Iraq. Staff Sergeant Jack Greene is one of the therapists taking the dogs into the war zone.

STAFF SGT. JACK GREENE, U.S. ARMY: It's going to be a great Christmas present for our soldiers there.

STARR: These dogs won't be on security patrols or searching for bombs. These are therapy dogs. Budge and Boe will help the troops deal with the stress of combat.

GREENE: The dog has a natural, uncanny way of reducing stress. It's kind of a magical thing, and Americans are dog lovers and most soldiers are dog lovers.

STARR: The unit tries to help troops cope, listening to what they say about how they feel. The dogs will be used to help the soldiers open up. STAFF SGT. MIKE CALAWAY, U.S. ARMY: Well, maybe they don't want to talk to me, but it might do them some good to come up and pet the dog and meet and greet the dog and at some point there, they might actually, you know, think we're OK and want to ask more about what we have to offer and how we can help them.

STARR: On this day, Budge and Boe are being officially turned over to the army by the group that helped train them. Already, they are used to the sound of gunfire and even helicopters. These dogs will be well looked after.

CALAWAY: They have boots, uniforms, goggles, different things like that to protect them, just like any other soldier.

STARR: The dogs are trained to know that when their vests are on, they're working, acting submissive, available to the soldiers who might need them, but like any Sergeant First Class in the army, they, too, get to go off duty.

GREENE: I'm sure I'm going to have people knocking on my door, hey, can I see the dog and I'm happy to firmly correct them. This is Sergeant First Class Budge and he's sleeping right now.

STARR: Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: So, you know the expression lit up like a Christmas tree, right? Well, it couldn't have been invented for these guys. A look inside a Michigan family's home for the holidays.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: All right, this time of year, you see some amazing holiday displays out there, right? But you'd never imagine the one in here. That's right. The Jankowski family out of Michigan sent us these shots of their electric extravaganza. By the numbers, it is mind-blowing and bill-busting. More than 17,000 lights and 30 Christmas trees brighten up the inside of the house. It takes about a month to put it all together.

And do you believe it, generates enough heat that they don't need to use the furnace when everything's on. That would seem like the Grinch's worst nightmare. Even he makes an appearance. Bigger than life size, of course.

Next hour of CNN NEWSROOM starts right now.

LEMON: Well, here it comes again, winter with a vengeance. Live pictures now, only at four days left of fall.

NGUYEN: The west coast braces for more heavy rain, more brutal winds, more deep snow from California to British Columbia.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.voxant.com