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Four People Still Missing After Sugar Refinery Blast; Political Candidates Still on the Campaign Trail; Atlantis to Dock on the International Space Station
Aired February 09, 2008 - 12:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: All right well, the search continues for possible survivors of a sugar refinery explosion near Savannah, Georgia, four people were killed in the blast on Thursday. CNN's John Zarrella is in Port Wentworth, Georgia.
So John, what is the latest?
JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey Fredricka, well a lot of heavy equipment is just now arriving behind me, heading in there. We've been expecting that all day, today. They need that equipment to start -- need that equipment back there so that they can start to remove a lot of that heavy debris.
Now, we're awaiting a news conference expected shortly here where we'll be updated on what the situation is. Again still, four confirmed dead, at least four missing.
Now, on the news on the victims themselves, all the victims here in the Savannah area have been released from the hospitals. There are still 20 victims in hospitals in Augusta, 17 are in critical, but stable condition, three of them in serious but stable condition. And again, the work to try and get into that facility is slow going.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ZARRELLA (voice-over): Fires still smoldered beneath mountains of debris a day after the earsplitting explosion at the Imperial Sugar Refinery, firefighters continued nonstop pouring water on hotspots.
MATT STANLEY, SAVANNAH FIRE DEPT: Because of the amount of water that we're having to put on to the buildings, on to the structure, it is jeopardizing, again, the structural integrity of the building.
ZARRELLA: What is left of the structure is charred, the rest teeters on twisted metal and fractured concrete. Joyce Baker, who teaches first aid just happened to be nearby. Her first instinct, get to the scene.
JOYCE BAKER, WITNESS: I've never seen that kind of human spirit before. When you are burned so badly and in such tremendous pain and the only thing you want to know is, take care of him or where is my friend? That's amazing.
ZARRELLA: Thursday's explosion and fire left dozens burned.
DR. JAY GOLDSTEIN, MEMORIAL HEALTH UNIV. HOSPITAL: It was unbelievably tough, I mean, just the number of patients ...
ZARRELLA: Reporter: Dr. Jay gold stein runs the emergency room at Memorial Health. His team spent hours treating victims and comforting loved ones.
GOLDSTEIN: It's just such a recurrence of a significant amount of patients, a significant amount of severe trauma, severe burns and after awhile it definitely becomes overwhelming.
ZARRELLA: Families of the missing workers came to the scene looking for answers and comfort.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: God has a way of waking people up.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm praying for everybody and I want everybody to get out here and see for themselves (ph).
ZARRELLA: Heavy equipment will be brought in over the weekend to begin clearing debris. Fire officials say, while rare, it's possible that sugar dust from the refining process ignited causing the explosion.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ZARELLA: Now, hospital officials are telling us that most all of the patients suffered burns over at least 30 percent of their bodies and in one case, one of the victims had burns over 95 percent of his body. Now again, we're waiting a news briefing here and just as soon as it happens, of course, Fredricka, we will bring that to you -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: OK, John, thank you so much. And of course, we'll take that as soon as it does happen.
Meantime, let's talk politics, now. Looking for an edge: The presidential candidates are making tracks this weekend, getting (ph) up voters, seeking those precious delegates. Well, there are contests underway in four states, the Virgin Islands and Guam, as well. Louisiana, Nebraska, Kansas, and Washington State are all in play.
And if Super Tuesday accomplished one thing, it transformed the Democratic race into a nail-biter. Rivals Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are closing in on Maine today head of tomorrow's caucuses. Republican frontrunner, John McCain, he hopes to boost his conservative credentials in D.C., while Mike Huckabee stokes support in Maryland.
CNN's best political team on television has all this covered for you. Republican candidate Mike Huckabee, now a long shot in the GOP race, he's making a case for his conservative credentials today in College Park, Maryland.
Our Mary Snow is with the Huckabee campaign, primaries there on Tuesday. The folks are not waiting at the last minute in which to campaign in those important states and the District of Columbia. MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah. And Fredricka, he is saying that he will fight it out to the last minute. You know, earlier this morning, he addressed the Conservative Political Action Conference. that's the same conference where Senator John McCain spoke the other day, President Bush was there yesterday, Mitt Romney withdrew from the race at that same conference.
Today, Mike Huckabee addressed the crowd saying he is staying in despite the fact that his delegate count lags far behind Senator John McCain and he said he wanted to make it clear that he is going to stay in the race until there are 1,191 delegates, that's the number of Republican delegates, needed to win the nomination.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE HUCKABEE (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Only a few states have voted, 27 have not. People in those 27 states deserve more than a coronation, they deserve an election. They deserve the opportunity to have their voices and votes heard and counted.
(APPLAUSE)
HUCKABEE: I know the pundits and I know what they say. Well, the math doesn't work out. Folks, I didn't major in math, I majored in miracles and I still believe in those, too.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SNOW: Mike Huckabee is going to be addressing a rally here at the University of Maryland, momentarily as crowds gather. And while he campaigns here ahead of Tuesday's primary, Senator John McCain went out to Washington State after campaigning in Kansas, of course there are caucuses in Kansas and Washington, today -- and Senator John McCain has been saying that he does not want to discount the campaign of Mike Huckabee, calling him a viable candidate.
But, he has also been drawing a contrast with Democrats, particularly over the Iraq war, as national security seems to emerge as a key theme in the race looking ahead to the general election between Republicans and Democrat contenders. And Senator John McCain has taken aim at senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, over their plan to withdraw troops from Iraq.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And of course, they say (INAUDIBLE) how long are they going to stay in Japan? Been there since 1945. How long we going to say in Germany? Been there since 1945. So, I understand life isn't fair and politics isn't fair and arguments aren't fair and your words can be misinterpreted, but the key in this, as far as I am concerned, is Americans getting out of harm's way and the way they do that is for this surge to continue to succeed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SNOW: And as Senator McCain is a contrast with the Democrats, he is also continuing to rally conservatives around him -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, Mary Snow there in College Park, Maryland.
Let's go West, at least 3,000 miles away to Washington State, where they are caucusing there and it gets underway in just about an hour or so from now. Our Jessica Yellin is in Seattle where Barack Obama got a pretty -- was it a surprise endorsement for him or it surprised everybody else?
JESSICA YELLIN, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it was a very helpful endorsement. He was endorsed yesterday by the governor of this state, after Senator Clinton had won the two senators of this state to her team. Interestingly, all three are female elected officials, Governor Christine Gregoire and then senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray on Senator Clinton's team.
Barack Obama and Clinton, as you said, Fredricka, are in, well, you can only call a nail-biter contest. Right now, they are really looking to rack up delegates, state-by-state to see who will come out ahead going into the Democratic convention and all the wisdom in the world is telling everyone that it doesn't look like anybody is likely to pull significantly ahead of the other unless there are some major unexpected development between now and the convention. So, every little victory helps.
Now, as you said, here in the state of Washington, they are going to start caucusing. It is actually in four hours from now, because we are on Pacific Time, so it is still early in the morning, here. But there will also be a caucus in Nebraska and Louisiana will hold a primary today on the Democratic side.
Now, even Senator Clinton's own advisers are telling the press that they expect Barack Obama to come out the winner in these three contests today, that's because the demographics in each of these states tend to favor Obama.
For example, here in Washington State, the population density is in the city of Seattle, Seattle filled with people who are more fluent than the average American, more wealthy and better educated in than the average American. That is his Barack Obama's key demographic, the well-heeled and the well educated tend to flock to Barack Obama on the Democratic side.
That is not to say that Senator Clinton does not expect to do well. They certainly want to pick up a number of delegates. There are 158 delegates at stake in these three contests, today.
Senator Clinton looking to rack up as many as she can, to come out with as much momentum as possible going into the next contest, which takes place Tuesday, that's the Beltway primary where we will see Washington, D.C., Virginia, and Maryland cast their ballots. So, this race continues with no signs of a winner or a frontrunner edging out any time soon.
WHITFIELD: All right, Jessica Yellin, thanks so much from Seattle. And stay with CNN and the best local team on television for today's campaign developments, "BALLOT BOWL" begins at 2:00 Eastern. It's your chance to see the candidates unfiltered, then at 8:00 Eastern, we will go to the CNN Election Center for results. And you can keep up with all the results from today's caucuses and voting by going to your computer. Go to cnnpolitics.com.
Some pretty devastating weather that we saw this week. Tornado victims across the South now are picking up the pieces. They are trying to find family pictures, heirlooms and any other keepsakes in the ruins. The National Weather Service says a single tornado stayed on the ground for 40 miles in Tennessee. It's blamed almost half the regions 59 deaths. One elderly man died after hanging on for two hours for paramedics to arrive, they had to negotiate roads filled with twisted metal and splintered wood.
Well, if you are moved by what you see and you'd like to help the people affected, go to CNN.com and "Impact Your World," add your name to the growing number of CNN viewers taking the opportunity to take action, that's cnn.com/impact.
Well, if you had it up to here with reruns and reality shows, stay tuned, the strike by TV and movie writers looks like it might be in it's last chapter.
Last hour, word of a tentative deal to end the three-month long walkout that has paralyzed Hollywood. Writers have been demanding a bigger piece of the pie for shows put out on the Internet. Well, the union still must ratify the deal and if that happens quickly, the Academy Awards telecast just might be saved. You may even see new episodes of your TV favorites, maybe even by late Spring.
One Army general in Iraq is making sure that his soldiers are never forgotten.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know most of these guys personally before their death, but as their comrades talk about them at their memorial service ...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Remembering American soldiers killed in combat.
Closing in: remarkable live pictures, the shuttle "Atlantis" docking with the International Space Station in just a matter of minutes. We'll have that live, straight ahead in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: More political violence in Pakistan. Just nine days before elections, a bomb exploded at a political rally in the country's northern region killing at least the 15 people and wounding at least 20. Authorities blame a suicide bomber. No word on who is responsible. But that region is a hotbed of Islamic militants blamed for the December assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.
And these live pictures in now out of Port Wentworth, that sugar refinery that took place early yesterday morning, they are talking about it right now, let's listen in.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
MAYOR GLENN JONES, PORT WENTWORTH, GEORGIA: ...a lot of it is because of the industry that's here in Savannah, Georgia and Chatham County. So, that being said, any time you have something like this, it is always going to hit close to home. I know you all have met the (INAUDIBLE) fire department and the police department and if you all need to talk to them, them are the guys that are going to give you more professional answers.
I want to introduce our -- my you to my fire chief, Mr. Greg Long. Chief Greg Long, he's been the commander on site. And I want to applaud him publicly of the job he has done. I sat by this past Summer and went through training for this type stuff and basically, he just asked me to come sit in to it and listen to and learn and to basically sign off it. I said, "lord, I hope we don't never go through this." Well, what I went through training, I'm actually seeing, correct?
FIRE CHIEF GREG LONG, PORT WENTWORTH, GA, FIRE DEPT: Yes.
We are actually seeing. I mean, what I saw Thursday night was remarkable. I saw no egos. I saw Savannah Chatham, I saw Savannah Fire, I saw so many counties coming in here and they listened to one person. That granted, as you go down, you saw how the people who are bosses of other people, but there was no egos involved. I have been so extremely happy of the way this tragic event has been covered.
They're doing the best they -- I have been down there for the last couple of nights. Sleep will come later. There's a lot of guys that are not had any sleep, late. You know, they're possibly going in, they're never stopped. I know you all been waiting for information and there is not a lot of information to give out, but as we go forward, there will be and it will come from Mr. Mike Wilson and Mr. Stanley from Savannah Fire.
OK, before I forget, and before I -- if anyone has any questions, I have been asked to tell you that there will be another briefing at approximately 4:00. Another briefing will be, I'm assuming in this area? Right here at approximately 4:00. There any questions?
QUESTION: Could you update us on what's happening currently?
JONES: Chief Long.
LONG: Good afternoon. Briefing you on fire operations and currently, what we are performing. Over the course of the evening, last night, there were several hotspots that we had to address because they were causing further weakening of some of the structures. We had fire teams that did interior attacks and were able to contain the largest fire that we had. That operation continued this morning and that fire has been extinguished. We have identified two key locations of interest that we are trying to get to at this time. One of them is going to require us to do some shoring up of the upper structure before we can put our team in place. We need to wait -- the plane.
I -- I'm kind of hoarse. We've identified two key locations of interest. One of them is going to require us to shore up the upper floors before we can put a rescue team in there to conduct that search. The other one we have identified, we are in the process right now of doing all of the required lists that have been provided for us by the state and federal guidelines to make sure of the fact we're operating completely safe. We've had structural engineers on hand. I anticipate an injury team on search and rescue within two hours into the other key site.
All of the fires on scene are smoldering, they're very small, isolated, basically, the cardboard and the rolls of paper that's used in the packaging of the plant. No more buildings are involved in the fires. All of that has been extinguished. Some debris removal has begun, a lot of that is to allow access for the search and rescue and the equipment that we have called in order to shore up the structures. That's basically where we are at this point in time.
QUESTION: Yesterday you were very hopeful, perhaps even steadfast in saying that this is still a rescue operation.
LONG: Yes, sir.
QUESTION: You really believe there may be some hope in there?
LONG: Yes, sir.
QUESTION: Would you talk a little bit about that in the current timeframe?
LONG: It is still a rescue operation until it's proven that it is not.
QUESTION: Have you had any signs of life, sir, at all?
LONG: No sir, we have not. But, the area that we are getting to, we've had to remove a lot of debris, so communications would have, even the tapping and things like that would not have been possible.
QUESTION: Still hopeful?
LONG: Still hopeful, sir.
QUESTION: Can you say anything about the cranes that just arrived about 10 minutes ago?
LONG: A lot of that is to help us do some shoring up of the fourth floor. We're worried about the very top, on the fourth floor, there's a concrete floor, the center of it kind of gave way which caused it to v-down, which hampered firefighter efforts because we couldn't reach the back side. What we're trying to do is to keep the fourth floor from hitting the third floor. The rescue operation we're doing is on the second. So, we need to shore the third and the fourth up so we can get into the second floor.
QUESTION: Have any of the floors collapsed?
LONG: We've had periodic collapses. Last night, three structural collapses, the two primary ones were in the rooms that were on fire. We know that there was no one in those rooms at the time of the fire. But, we do have some collapses that have occurred.
QUESTION: Can you tell us a little more about this building, Chief, where you're trying to shore up the fourth floor? How tall of a building, how many stories are on that building and what it's kind of used for?
LONG: It's very difficult to describe this plant until you see it, because it's just a maze.
We have an Air Force base nearby.
You have three major silos...
WHITFIELD: You are listening to the fire chief, Greg Long, there at Port Wentworth, talking about the fire is out at the sugar refinery where there was that explosion silo, there, causing the deaths of four people, but it's going to be rather complicated to move further.
While search and rescue teams will be on the ground there within the next couple of hours, it's a very precarious situation there with the structures of those buildings. Still, four people are missing and they want to conduct their searches and remain hopeful it is, indeed, a recovery effort.
Meantime, looking straight ahead, shuttle "Atlantis" about to dock with the International Space Station. Always remarkable to be able to see these live pictures. Our own Miles O'Brien is choreographing it all from New York. We'll be with him in a few minutes.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Well, let's take a look at some live pictures from space. You are watching the shuttle "Atlantis" any moment docking at the International Space Station. That is kind of a map of what, I'm not sure, right now. But, hopefully, we will be able to bring you the pictures of the space station as well as the docking from "Atlantis."
MILE O'BRIEN, CNN SPACE CORRESPONDENT: Yes.
WHITFIELD: Oh, won't that be an exciting thing to see, Miles?
O'BRIEN: Imagine if you will a vehicle floating in the air docking. That the NASA equivalent of a test pattern, I guess you can say.
WHITFIELD: I wanted to take a guess at something like that, but I'm like, surely "Atlantis" didn't do all of that.
O'BRIEN: Yeah, if you look in the lower right part of the screen, there -- there, you will see where they are, they're in that red circle, there. They've lost video imagery for the moment. They are docked, they're soft docked, they're going for what they call, they're going to retrack the docking ring. This is not live pictures, this happened a little while ago.
This, Fred, which we are familiar with, ever since "Columbia" is the customary nine-minute back-flip that all of the orbiters do as they come on to approach the space station. The goal here is to get some serious work done, take a bunch of pictures of this part of the space shuttle, the heat shield, to ensure there aren't any breaches in that heat shield, make sure the orbiter is safe to come home.
So, the crew onboard the space station gets out a 400 millimeter lens and an 800 millimeter lens, different cameras, makes like tourists at Disney Land, takes about 300 or 400 images. And those images get fed down to the engineers and they see if there's any potential problems, there. Now, we do know this, they are two areas that they're looking at, Right up here in the front section of "Atlantis," there's a chip ...
WHITFIELD: That's always been the more vulnerable spot.
O'BRIEN: Exactly. Where you see black tiles, you want to pay attention. Black tiles means it gets hotter. And then back in this area, where it's not so hot, there is a piece of a blanket that has turned up. Let's take a look, this is from a Web site nasaspaceflight.com.
Take a look at this image, still image from space, and I want to call your attention -- you got to know where to look on this one. Look right there. I'll try to circle it a little better for you. Do you see that little thing that's kind of, look, it's just up there just a little bit?
WHITFIELD: Yes. What is that all about?
O'BRIEN: I'm going to clear it all out an do it one more time. Do you see it there? OK, that may or may not be a big deal. We don't know yet. But there is a little piece of blanket that turned up, there.
You may recall, last summer, Fred, you remember this? This is the blanket material -- yeah, there's a closer shot. That gives you a better idea of what we are talking about. But, it's hard to tell scale on all of this. And of course, by virtue of the fact there is a blanket there, that means already its not as hot a place, not as critical a place. But do you remember last Summer, there was a blanket that turned up also on "Atlantis," just like this ...
WHITFIELD: Which they ended up not being that concerned about.
O'BRIEN: Well, they did go out with the staples. Remember that, the surgical stapler? WHITFIELD: OK. We've seen these displays so many times. It's hard for me to keep up with them.
O'BRIEN: It is. They weren't all that upset, they thought maybe it might rip away, cause another problem on the way down. So, in the interest of abundance of caution, they went out and stapled it down.
WHITFIELD: Was that the whole tightrope walking kind of adventure that one of the astronauts made?
O'BRIEN: Yes. Astronaut Daniel ...
WHITFIELD: It's all coming together for me, now.
O'BRIEN: See, you know, just stick with me I'll get you through this. All right, now, hey, I want to show you a cool shot. When the space shuttle "Atlantis" is pretty far away, look at this, take a look at that left dot. Now watch. Watch! Boom! What was that?
WHITFIELD: OK, I would want to be frightened about that.
O'BRIEN: That was the actual rocket fire and they call it the "TI," terminal initiation burn which sent the orbiter in the proper direction to the space station. It's just kind of cool to see that, just thought I'd show it to you.
WHITFIELD: It is. It is cool.
O'BRIEN: And finally, one other thing. You want to sing happy birthday for Peggy Whitson?
WHITFIELD: Oh, you don't want to hear me sing.
O'BRIEN: Yeah, you don't want to hear me sing, either. But, here it is. The happy birthday banner is up. And there she is, 48-years-old today. What a birthday present, she's going to have somebody knocking on her door there for her birthday, some visitors.
WHITFIELD: Oh, like in what form?
O'BRIEN: What form? Hopefully, human form.
WHITFIELD: I am just checking. You know, we're talking about outer space.
O'BRIEN: If not, that would be a real news flash if somebody else showed up from elsewhere. You never know.
WHITFIELD: There is life somewhere else, right?
O'BRIEN: No doubt, no doubt.
WHITFIELD: OK, that's why we're doing this in part.
All right, and you know, just to give folks an idea of why this shuttle launch is important too, because of this European space lab, right, that's being delivered?
O'BRIEN: Less we forget the whole point of the mission. There is inside the cargo bay of "Atlantis" a billion dollar laboratory built by the Europeans called "Columbus" -- seems like an appropriate name. They're gong to snap that on to the space station, that's the primary goal of this mission.
This is a big deal because this -- remember, the space station is the "international" space station, 16-nation partnership, the Europeans are a big part of that and this is their big contribution. And as a result, once this lab gets onboard, they're going to actually replace a NASA astronaut, Dan Tonney (ph), with a European Space Agency astronaut who will spend a long-term duration stint up there.
WHITFIELD: Wow.
O'BRIEN: First time the Europeans will have a crew member on board, so ...
WHITFIELD: OK.
O'BRIEN: ...it's becoming more international.
WHITFIELD: I like that. Bringing folks together even way up there.
O'BRIEN: Probably improve the food a little bit, too.
WHITFIELD: Miles, oh so great. All right, yes, they need to do that, right?
O'BRIEN: Yes.
WHITFIELD: Freeze dried isn't always so good.
O'BRIEN: Yes.
WHITFIELD: All right, Miles, good to see you.
O'BRIEN: All right, you're welcome.
WHITFIELD: Well, perhaps you have something to say about the shuttle mission. Whoa, that's a close shot, isn't it, Miles? But I love that, "Miles From Earth," Miles O'Brien blogging at the CNN.com/tech Web site. Read it at "Miles From Earth" and leave your comments. He is so smart. He can answer all of your questions.
All right, a huge bust rattles the mafia. Could it be, does it spell the end to the Gambino family?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right, Louisiana voters in the spotlight this hour as they head to the polls. Even though there aren't a whole lot of folks there right now, trust me, folks will be flocking. You're looking at live pictures right now in the Gentilly section of New Orleans there. The slow recovery from Hurricane Katrina could influence which candidate does, however, get the support.
Stay with CNN and the best political team on television for today's campaign developments. "BALLOT BOWL" begins at 2:00 p.m. Eastern. It's your chance to see the candidates unfiltered. Then at 8:00 Eastern, we'll go to the CNN Election Center for election and caucus results.
Reputed wise guys, not wise to a sting. CNN's Deborah Feyerick on a big time mob bust in Italy and New York.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They never saw it coming, leaders of the Gambino crime family rounded up in the largest mafia sting in New York City history. All of them unaware they were being sold out by an informant, who recorded hundreds of hours of conversations over a three-year period leading up to the arrests.
JOHN PISTOLE, FBI: To have somebody who was willing to put their life on the line, and to make consensual recordings, to give us probable cause, to do other types of electronic surveillance, this is critical.
FEYERICK: Prosecutors indicted 62 reputed wise guys, cutting the crime family off at the waist. According to one official, they include the Gambino acting boss and underboss, aconsilera (ph), several Gambino captains and numerous soldiers, men with nicknames like "Joe Gag," Tommy Sneakers" and "Jackie the Nose."
BENTON CAMPBELL, U.S. ATTORNEY: This indictment is wide-ranging and charges racketeering, conspiracy, extortion, theft of union benefits, mail fraud, false statements, loan sharking, embezzlement of union funds, money laundering, and illegal gambling.
FEYERICK: Court papers show several of the alleged mobsters attended the wake of former Gambino boss John Gotti in 2002. Gotti's brother Vincent and nephew Richard Gotti, were each named in the indictment. Both charged with among other things, attempted murder and distributing drugs.
Prosecutors say the two biggest money makers for the Gambinos were Internet gambling on college and pro sports and construction, specifically trucking and cement.
GORDON HEDDELL, INSPECTOR GEN., DEPT. OF LABOR: To be in business, they to pay a mob tax. And for that, they got protection, at least they call it that.
FEYERICK: The now abandoned Nascar racetrack on New York's Staten Island was one of the projects the Gambinos were allegedly shaking down for money. (on camera): One of the Gambino soldiers arrested was charged with taking part in five murders, including the killing of a state court officer scheduled to testify against him more than 30 years ago. Officials believe they have all the evidence they need to make the charges stick against all reputed mobsters, several of them facing 20 years to life.
Deborah Feyerick, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: All right, so does this mean the end to the once- powerful Gambino clan? For answers, we turn to our legal guys. 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, but joining us today from L.A. Are you Grammy bound or anything like that?
RICHARD HERMAN, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Absolutely, Fred.
WHITFIELD: Oh, go, go! I'm so surprised you didn't, you know, bring Avery along with you. What are you doing?
HERMAN: We sent you an invitation. I don't know what happened.
WHITFIELD: I didn't get it.
All right, well, let's talk ...
FRIEDMAN: We'll have to wait until next year.
WHITFIELD: Yes, I guess so, there's always next year.
All right, let's talk about this Gambino family. Richard, I want to begin with you because so often, we see charges like this and they just don't stick. Is this one any different?
HERMAN: Well, Fred, this is an enormous undertaking by the eastern district U.S. attorney's office here and other law enforcement, state, federal, local. I mean, this is far-reaching, far-ranging. Sixty-two people involved in this. You know, the New York papers annihilated these guys yesterday. These are only allegations at this time, but it's very, very serious.
There are enormous recordings, undercover surveillance recordings that were done over a substantial period of time. And as Avery knows, it's real tough to cross-examine a tape.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
HERMAN: So, you know, these guys are going to run in, they're going to make deals quickly. This case, you know, a few of them ... FRIEDMAN: Yes.
HERMAN: ...may go to trial.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
HERMAN: But it's a complex case. And Judge Garaufis, who just finished the Vinny Gorgeous trial, and will be getting ready for his murder, his death penalty case, was assigned this one. It's very, very -- it's enormous.
FRIEDMAN: Well, and it's going to take a monstrous amount of time. The fact is -- remember Fredricka, the omerta, the blood oath? Those days are gone. I mean, this is an informant deep in. There are hundreds of hours of tape. This is Justice Department shock and awe. It is -- you have the Italian police, you've got Sicilian police, you've got FBI. This is massive. The Teflon Don, Fredricka ...
WHITFIELD: Yes.
FRIEDMAN: ...those days are gone.
WHITFIELD: Gone, huh?
FRIEDMAN: This is a (ph) brand new thing.
WHITFIELD: All right, well, this -- I mean, but clearly, this was an incredibly comprehensive investigation to be able to pull this off, especially getting all these tapes and apparently the subject didn't even know it.
FRIEDMAN: Right.
WHITFIELD: I mean, clearly, there would, you know, otherwise be no surprise here. But Avery, to have an investigation that is as far- reaching as New York and now way across the pond to Italy, talk to me about the complications that may be in place as a result of doing this kind of cross-continent investigation?
FRIEDMAN: Well, it is complicated. But again, these are very experienced law enforcement. You've got Interpol, you've got Sicilian police, you've got Italian police, they've done this. They know how to do it.
And the fact is, unless there was the split within organized crime, because there was an effort to try to take control again involving money laundering, involving drug trafficking, without those busts, without those holes getting people to jump into it, they couldn't have done it. This is a magnificent, as I say ...
WHITFIELD: Wow.
FRIEDMAN: ...shock and awe. And a lot is going to surface in this case.
HERMAN: Fred, look ... WHITFIELD: So, this trans-Atlantic investigation, but the trial, all of that will unfold in New York, Richard?
HERMAN: In Brooklyn, in the Eastern district ...
WHITFIELD: Wow.
HERMAN: ...federal district court in Brooklyn. And, you know ...
WHITFIELD: OK.
HERMAN: ...the first couple of court appearances, Fred, it's going to be like a circus.
FRIEDMAN: Right.
HERMAN: Everyone's going to be there.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
HERMAN: The defendants, the lawyers, there'll be bail applications going on. And early on, the government are going to make offers. And ...
WHITFIELD: OK.
HERMAN: ...if those offers -- oh yes, they're going to make deals, they're going to try to plea bargain. And those are going to be offers put on the table. And if the defendants reject them, they are going to be facing you know ...
FRIEDMAN: Well, you've got ...
HERMAN: ...they're not going to get the same offer now they're going to get a year from now.
FRIEDMAN: You've got 80 (ph) defendants and probably lead lawyers.
WHITFIELD: All right, guys, sounds good, we're out of time now. Sorry, well, that's going to be the hot ticket, right Richard, maybe even hotter than the Grammy ticket that you've got
FRIEDMAN: Yes.
HERMAN: Oh absolutely, Fred.
WHITFIELD: We'll talk about that later. All right you guys, have a great weekend.
FRIEDMAN: OK, see you later.
HERMAN: Have a good weekend.
WHITFIELD: Thank you. All right, well, you think that's strange. How about this, strange as science fiction, a doctor arrested for stealing kidneys. Coming up, the illegal kidney trade and the doctor India says is behind it.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: College students are heading to their favorite beaches. Basketball fans are hitting the road for tournament games, and families are taking time too. It gives a whole new meaning to March madness.
CHRIS MCGINNIS, EXPEDIA.COM: We're looking at a very busy spring break season. Prices are going to be up quite a lot in March because that's when most people want to go.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: According to expedia.com, the most popular spring break destinations are still Las Vegas, Orlando, and Cancun.
But no matter where you're going, get the checkbook ready.
MCGINNIS: You're going to have to plan on spending at least $300 on your air fare to go just about anywhere. March air fares this year are up 11 percent over last year.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If you plan your trip during the off beat times, you could save money.
MCGINNIS: If you have the flexibility to travel in early March or in mid to late April, that's when you're going to find the smallest crowds and the very best prices.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You may also want to consider traveling to less popular spring break destinations, such as the Bahamas or Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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WHITFIELD: So, this story that you are about to see may seem like something out of a science fiction movie. But authorities insist in India and Nepal insist it is all too real. The manhunt and capture of a doctor believed tied to the underground world of buying, selling, possibly even stealing human organs.
CNN's Sara Sidner has this story from New Delhi.
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SARA SIDNER, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Amit Kumar arrives in India's top law enforcement agency after two days of political wrangling between India and neighboring Nepal. Friday, in Kathmandu, police presented the man they say is at the center of what could be India's largest organ trade scandal ever. Amit Kumar stood defiant in Nepal. In India, he's accused of buying, coercing or outright stealing kidneys from poor Indians and selling them to paying customers abroad, something he denies.
AMIT KUMAR, SUSPECT: That is wrong, absolutely wrong. Absolutely wrong. I have not duped anybody, I have not talked to anybody ...
SIDNER: But police in Nepal say Kumar has talked and admitted involvement in about 300 kidney transplants in just over a decade, but Kumar insisted that, in itself, is not against the law.
KUMAR: I can only say that I have not committed any crime and I have not.
SIDNER: Investigators say Kumar was found in Nepal with wads of cash in more than one currency, totalling more than $250,000.
(on camera): While people say Dr. Kumar was found with all that cash, we found the meager home of one of his alleged victims. Shakil Atmed (ph) said he can barely afford to eat now.
(voice-over): "We are surviving on borrowed money," he says. Shakil says he hasn't been able to leave his bed since he returned, a hardship for his family who relies on his income.
We first met him at the hospital, days after, he said he was lured to a home, drugged, and woke up in pain with a huge scar, only to learn later that his kidney had been taken.
(on camera): It's all right, Shakil, tell me why you're crying?
(voice-over): "I am crying because he has ruined my life. What is left to do except crying?"
The he Shakil is referring to is Amit Kumar. Shakil reacted strongly after hearing of Kumar's arrest.
"I am angry," he says. "If he comes in front of me right now, I will kill him."
But for now, Shakil barely has the strength to sit up.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SIDNER: Now Fredricka, we should mention that the cost of a kidney transplant in the United States can be anywhere from $25,000 to $150,000. Police say here, Dr. Kumar's ring was charging foreigners about $25,000, but he was paying the poverty stricken Indians $2000 to $2500. Shakil, the man you saw there, and two other victims that we talked to said that they were paid nothing.
Sara Sidner, CNN, New Delhi. WHITFIELD: Wow, Sara, this is incredible. So, I wonder now, on the receiving end, those who are actually purchasing these organs, are they complicit? Do they face charges as well?
SIDNER: That's a really good question. And we have been calling the embassies of some of the people that may be involved. But the embassies say look, they're there to protect their countrymen. So, they're not giving us any information as to whether or not they too may be caught up in this ring -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Wow, extraordinary story. Sara Sidner, thank you so much.
Well, straight ahead to Iraq. One army general there is making sure his soldiers are never forgotten.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know most of these guys personally before their deaths. But as their comrades talk about them at their memorial service, it's ...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Remembering American soldiers killed in combat.
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REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I'm Reynolds Wolf. This is your cold and flu season report.
And right behind me, you see this map, where all across the nation, most of the state are shaded in either blue or red. This is not a political map. What this is, this is a map that shows you where you have widespread or regional cases of the cold and flu. And much of the nation at this point is suffering.
But there are two exceptions where we have two states that are shaded in purple, in Maine and Florida, where you have only local activity.
That is a look at today's cold and flu season report.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: This grim discovery in Iraq. Police and soldiers today found 12 bodies in a mass grave. They were uncovered near Baquba, about 35 miles northeast of Baghdad. Officials suspect they were victims of al Qaeda in Iraq violence.
In combat operations in Iraq, five American soldiers were killed in explosions yesterday. Four died when their vehicle struck a roadside bomb near Baghdad. Well, since the start of the war, 3,958 American troops have died in Iraq. CNN's Michael Holmes met up with a general who keeps the names of the fallen close in mind.
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MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR (voice-over): Every few months, the top offices from generals on down meet to discuss the situation in northern Iraq. In charge of this high-powered gathering, Major General Mark Hertling.
MAJ. GEN. MARK HERTLING, U.S. ARMY: It is really an interesting problem set. It's the most challenging set that I have ever seen in my career or read about in many history books.
I'm doing great. How are you guys doing?
HOLMES: The troops call General Hertling a soldiers' general. He;s certainly no guest jockey.
HERTLING: And make sure they know that the American people still care about them.
HOLMES: It's called battlefield circulation, getting out and about. General Hertling does it a lot.
HERTLING: You not only get to see what the guys are doing, but you get to get a sense for how they're feeling. And this particular crew that we just talked to, they've been through some tough fighting.
HOLMES: Generals are often hard-bitten, tough, demanding. General Hertling can be all that, but he also wears his heart very much on his sleeve.
HERTLING: I mean, take a look at them. They're magnificent. They're still young, they're still screwing around, but ...
HOLMES: Battlefield circulation also reaches the men not just on bases, but in the thick of it. Here, the general visits Iraqi and U.S. commanders in an, until recently, very dangerous village near Baquba.
HERTLING: Well, let's go see the market.
HOLMES: His harried security detail now used to seeing him head off to talk to locals, too.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Irrigation, fuel, we have nothing ...
HERTLING: All of those things will come now that the roads are open.
HOLMES: While the general's wife says he'd cry at the opening of a supermarket, he's a man who takes the lives and the deaths of his soldiers very seriously.
HERTLING: I don't know most of these guys personally before their deaths. But as their comrades talk about them at their memorial service, it's ...
HOLMES: Memorial services he attends almost without exception. During his last tour here, he lost 122 men under his command. So far, on this rotation, nearly 50, including 11 in just one week this month. He also began a personal tradition. He can, to this day, recite all the names of his fallen and he carries a laminated card with a photograph of each and every one.
HERTLING: Rody Ingman (ph), I never -- I met him once. My oldest son knew him, because he served a tour with him here. But he said, his name described how he was. So, those are the kind of guys you get, yes.
HOLMES: Both of the general's two sons followed him into the military, both have served tours of duty in Iraq. Being here however, he says, he feels like he has thousands of sons and daughters.
HERTLING: If they get as much from me as a leader, as I get from them, watching them soldiering, we're OK. These are all my kids.
HOLMES: Michael Holmes, CNN, Baquba, Iraq.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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WHITFIELD: And so now, it's yes, yes, yes. Not to rehab, but performing at the Grammy's. At first, the U.S. Embassy in London refused to give Amy Winehouse a Visa, but then said come on over. Well, Winehouse says never mind, she'll sing via satellite. The retro blues artist has been in rehab for two weeks fighting her widely reported drug addiction.
Well, now she is out, and she's rehearsing for the Grammy's. Winehouse is up for six Grammys, two for this song, "Rehab." Winehouse says, "I'd like to thank everyone for their support over the last couple of weeks. I'm really sorry I can't be there but I appreciate that I'm being given a second chance via satellite."
A look at the top stories in a moment. "YOUR MONEY" is next. Here's a preview.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN HOST: Thanks, coming up on "YOUR MONEY," why Super Tuesday drove a stake, maybe, into the heart of the Bush tax cut.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No! During (ph) rocky times on Wall Street, from a problem into an opportunity. How do you do it?
ROMANS: And why you might want to hide your political views in the office. Keep the personal opinions to a minimum.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are ready to get started after "Now in the News." (END VIDEOTAPE)
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