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NYPD Detectives Acquitted in Shooting Death; Ted Turner Discusses World Malaria Day; Stretching Your Miles Per Gallon; Fatal Shark Attack in California

Aired April 25, 2008 - 15:00   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. Gruesome details of what is most certainly is a white shark attack taking place there in Southern California, which now means an eight-mile stretch along the Pacific there, particularly in the San Diego County area, will now be closed and observed, because it's believed a white shark between 12 and 17 feet long attacked a swimmer, 66-year-old Dr. Dave Martin, a retired veteran who was training with other triathletes, right there in the ocean on Solana Beach.
He died near instantly once his colleagues then pulled him to the beach. And you heard from that one professor who is an expert on shark behavior, Richard Rosenblatt, who says it's very unlikely that anyone would be able to locate that shark.

But it is most indeed a white shark attack there taking place there in Southern California.

The next hour of the NEWSROOM begins right now.

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: A groom-to-be is dead. Police are charged and tried. A city is up in arms. A judge says no crime occurred. We're live at the fallout on the streets of New York.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I would expect somebody else to do it, like some crazy psycho dude that wore black every day, but he wasn't nothing like that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: No bombs went off in Chesterfield, South Carolina, but the alleged plot from a popular high school honors student is a bombshell in itself. Our Rusty Dornin is on that case.

Hello, everyone. I'm Fredricka Whitfield, at the CNN Center in Atlanta.

LEMON: And I'm Don Lemon. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Right off the top, we're talking about New York City outrage and disbelief on the streets there, relief in the NYPD. Three detectives are in the clear in the 2006 shooting death of Sean Bell just hours before he planned to be married.

CNN's Deborah Feyerick is in Queens, New York, where the verdict came down.

And, Deborah, there was outrage there and grief. And you could read it right on the people's faces.

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you definitely could. It was a very divided courtroom when the judge handed down his verdict.

The family of the victim, Sean Bell, ran from court, the fiancee saying, "I have got to get out of here." The two friends who had been in the car with him also came out of this courthouse and they were very upset. They got caught up in a scuffle.

The Reverend Al Sharpton, who came out, he said nothing, which is uncharacteristic, especially because they had been planning on making some sort of a statement. They sort of walked off in this stony anger. And he later on his radio show told everyone who he thought of this verdict.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AL SHARPTON, CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST: And, in fact, many of us felt when the jury was waived that we cannot have confidence in a judge jury. We gave them the opportunity to prove us wrong. What we saw in court today was not a miscarriage of justice. Justice didn't miscarry. This was an abortion of justice.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FEYERICK: But for the -- but for the detectives, for the members of the NYPD who have been following this case, one of the spokespeople said that the forensic and scientific evidence never showed or bore out the testimony of the witness. And that's really what it came down to for this judge.

The judge said that the witnesses simply were not credible. There were inconsistencies, contradictions. There was also a motive of some of the witnesses to lie because there are other cases that are going to stem out of this, including a wrongful death lawsuit, and that could mean many millions of dollars in the end.

So, the detectives, though, when the verdict was handed down, one of them calmly spoke to his lawyer, but the other put his head in his hands, shook his head, and just sat there very gloomily. They -- this was not a win, as the mayor said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARC COOPER, NYPD DETECTIVE: I would like to say sorry to the Bell family for the tragedy.

I would like to thank the lord, my savior, for today, because this started my life back. I would like to thank the D.A., president and association. I would like to thank the attorneys, Paul Martin, Tony Ricco, James Culleton, Steven Carter Hayne (ph).

I would like to thank the Guardians Associations, president Victor Swinton, my family, my colleagues.

Thank you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FEYERICK: And the judge said that the officers were really responding to a perceived threat. They were justified in shooting, even though it was some 50 times, because they believed that one of the men in the car was reaching for some sort of a weapon and the car was driving in a very defensive way, even sideswiping one of the officers.

The judge said that the prosecutors simply did not prove their case, that these detectives acted outside the scope of the law. So, right now, for members of the African-American community, Reverend Al Sharpton urging calm, urging nonviolence. And even from the very beginning, this has been something that has been characterized by peaceful prayer vigils, demonstrations that have been very respectful, no violence.

But a couple of people we spoke to here on the street, they say, boy, this city is a powder keg. So, we will see how it has yet to play out, but, right now, calm, outrage, yes, but calm nonetheless -- Don.

LEMON: And, Deb, I remember your reporting yesterday, because you were reporting on this yesterday. And you mentioned there was some sort of controversy surrounding putting so many police officers or adding police officers on the street, that some people were insulted by that.

FEYERICK: Well, you know, the Reverend Al Sharpton had said that he was insulted by the very suggestion that, in fact, this would end in violence if the verdict didn't come down the way they expected it.

But the police commissioner took no chances. He obviously has to factor in different kinds of contingencies. And you did see a very heavy police presence here outside this courthouse.

As a matter of fact, when Reverend Al Sharpton, Nicole Bell, when they all came down in front of this courthouse, what you saw was almost a human chain of police officers linking their arms and sort of protecting them as they walked, not just down the steps, but then to their cars.

So, again, police very aware that something could happen. Nobody was expecting violence, but they just wanted to make sure that there was none -- Don.

LEMON: All right. Thanks for clearing that up for us, Deb Feyerick in New York.

Thank you, Deb.

WHITFIELD: All right, on the phone with me, Denis Hamill. He's a columnist with "The New York Daily News" and he's covered the Sean Bell shooting and the trial from the beginning.

OK. Well, I would like to you try and compare your observations with that of Judge Cooperman, who said there were lots of inconsistencies in the testimony of the witnesses. What did you see in that courtroom every day?

DENIS HAMILL, "THE NEW YORK DAILY NEWS": Well, I agreed with him completely on that.

I came to this to this case with a different point of view. I live in Queens. I raise kids in Queens. I went to the street where the shooting happened not long after it occurred, and I thought that it was probably a bad police shooting. That was my first gut reaction. I'm a columnist. And I wrote a column stating that.

Then, when the trial started, I sat in on it and started watching the prosecution's parade of witnesses.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

HAMILL: And I have got to tell you that one was more unbelievable than the other.

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: Can you be a little bit more specific?

HAMILL: Yes.

They were contradicting their grand jury testimony in a material way, where they were talking about a difference in the facts. They couldn't remember whether a car went back or went forward. Sometimes, they said they saw a guy standing in front of them. Other times, they said it was behind them. They just constantly contradicted what they said.

They had a police lieutenant who was in charge of the operation testifying against the cops as a prosecution witness, and he said that he hid under a dashboard during the shooting. And when the shooting was over are, he got how the and walked back to his men, but never asked them what happened. No one in the world would believe that.

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: Is it your feeling, then, that this case was lost because there was insufficient evidence or this case was lost because of bad prosecuting?

HAMILL: I think it's a bad prosecution. I have a problem saying that today.

These prosecution witnesses were never prepped to, so that they were shown their grand jury testimony that they could go over. They gave different, conflicting versions of what they told the grand jury, what they told the cops the night of the shooting, and what they told the district attorney himself in his own office. WHITFIELD: And, quickly, Dennis, before losing sight of what this case was really about, a young man dies, 50 bullets that were lodged against him at a very minimum. And there were inconsistencies, I suppose, early on in the investigation about whether these plainclothes detectives identified themselves and whether indeed this threat was a perceived threat or indeed a threat, given the fact that Sean Bell in the end was unarmed.

Was any of that really kind of substantiated? Was that...

HAMILL: No, it wasn't.

WHITFIELD: ... at the heart of this case that was argued and thereby the judge rendering this decision?

HAMILL: No, it wasn't.

And, again, that hearkens back to the prosecution, who read the grand jury testimony of the police officers into the record, which was a major blunder. This way, they did not have to take the stand during the trial, where they could be impeached and cross-examined. That was a major blunder.

We never got to the heart of the truth. I'm not saying that this was not a bad police shooting. I don't know.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

HAMILL: What I can tell you is that what the prosecution brought into court did not prove manslaughter or reckless endangerment, in the eyes of most people who watched it or the judge.

WHITFIELD: Denis Hamill of "The New York Daily News," a columnist, thanks so much for joining us with your perspective.

LEMON: All right. We're following that developing story today and also the one out of near San Diego. It's on Solana Beach where a man lost his life from what they believe is a shark attack.

And specifically in a press conference just a short time ago, they believe that that was a great white, and a very big one at that, that attacked this man and ultimately took his life there.

Let's listen in to a Marine biologist just moments ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICHARD ROSENBLATT, PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA: I would say, from my examination of the wounds on the victim and also the narrative that I got about how the attack happened, that this almost certainly was a great white shark. It was typical great white shark behavior to attack from below, make a bite, and then draw away.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: OK. And we're also told in that press conference that this shark was as long as 17 feet. That is a very big shark.

We're also finding out new some information about the victim. Apparently, he was training with a local triathlon team. There were a group of them in the water. He was the one that was attacked, also 55 to 60 years old. And we're also hearing that he is a retired veterinarian.

As soon as we get more information on this, we will bring it to you right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

WHITFIELD: Yes, specifically, we know because of the friend of the family announced that he was 66 years old, Dr. Dave Martin, and, of course, the family very shaken up about this.

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: All right, we are going to continue to follow the developments there, especially since eight miles of that beach will be under close watch there in Southern California throughout the weekend.

(BUSINESS REPORT)

WHITFIELD: All right. Well, we're about to do it again. We're going to save you money, more money, this time, how to take fewer trips to that pricey gas pump. It's all about stretching your dollar and your mileage.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. CNN I-Reporters are burning up the Web with opinions on the verdict in New York. Here's one video we received.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MATTHEW MILAM, CHICAGO: Hello, CNN. This is Matthew from Chicago, Illinois.

I think Sean Bell's verdict was bogus. I think that the four -- the three officers that were put on trial should have went to jail. But it's not that clear-cut. And the prosecution had a terrible case against the three people. And now it's, like, you know, they're going to be exonerated because of poor management of the case. It's sad.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Just some of what the I-Reporters are saying.

Melissa Long with CNN.com has been tracking other bits of reaction from I-Reporters as well.

MELISSA LONG, CNN.COM: Fred, we have a lot of traffic, really heavy traffic on CNN.com and on ireport.com today, and hundreds of people really writing in through our I-Report initiative.

I want to take a moment to highlight, however, a video submission by one of the expert witnesses in the case. That's Alexander Jason. He testified for the defense on how long it takes to fire a handgun 31 times. And this is important because it's really at the core of the case. Check this out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(GUNSHOTS)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LONG: Did you see the clock running there? -- 12.3 seconds, 12.3 seconds to fire 31 shots.

Again, heavy traffic on our Web site. Just want to share a sample with you right now of some of the hundreds of comments we have been getting from our I-Reporters. And the team at I-Report tells me that the majority of the people that are writing in today think the officers should be going to prison.

But here an opportunity to read just the gamut of the conversation happening online today.

A CNN viewer with a screen name Lightlost is outraging, saying: "If you support that verdict, you support murder. Doesn't matter what race, class or color you are. It's not a clear black and white issue, because two of those cops were black. It's a fear issue, and this society is to blame."

Now, Oback -- that's the name for this person that writes in -- is back the officers, saying: "It is a shame he lost his life. But to say these cops wanted to murder him is foolish. They followed training and wanted to save their lives."

Copsmom -- that's how this person identifies hers -- she says: "I'm very happy with the verdict. As a mother of three NYPD officers, I know the dangers they face every day, and no one can say what they would do if faced with the same thing. Thank God," she writes, "the judge had the courage to rule on the side of the truth and justice was serviced."

And then finally this one, KELLZ1920 -- that's how this CNN.com reader or CNN viewer identifies himself or herself -- "At the end of the day, there are still two severely injured men, one son and father lost, lives changes forever. And the fact that some of you think that this was OK and agree with the actions of these officers and the verdict of the judge saddens me."

Again, hundreds of comments. We welcome your comments as well. For our I-Report initiative, just go to ireport.com. Or if you happen to be right now at the CNN.com home page, just look in the upper- right-hand corner for the ireport logo. We look forward to hearing from you.

Again, a lot of people outraged, more people that are outraged writing in today. We welcome your thoughts. Tell us what you think. And, again, we heard Reverend Al Sharpton earlier saying, justice didn't miscarry. This was an abortion of justice. We want to know what you think -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: Yes, Well, no surprise that this has elicited quite the response across the board, Melissa. We know you are going to continue to watch the responses from those I-Reporters. Thanks so much.

All right. And we're about to do it again. We're going to save you more money, this time, how to take fewer trips to that pricey gas pump. Is it possible? It's all about stretching your mileage, you know.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: All right.

So, we told you how you can, you know, save money at the grocery store. Now we're going to tell you how you can get more mileage, you can save on gas, because gas prices are really high right now.

For starters -- here's for starters. In the heat of summer, we're told to keep your windows rolled up and the A.C. on. It seems counterintuitive. I have always heard it was the other way. Turn the A.C. off, you save gas. Get better arrow dynamics, and you lose less gas when you leave the air conditioner on and you keep the windows rolled up.

And we're just getting stated. With us now is expert -- auto expert and race car driver Barbara Terry.

All right. Honestly, I have to say, maybe I'm being a little bit sexist, not what I expected when they said an auto expert and a race car driver is going to join you -- join me here today.

(LAUGHTER)

LEMON: But you're here and you look great. So tell me how to do this. You have got a couple of things that you're going to tell us. Number one, though, you say the most important thing, tire pressure, right?

BARBARA TERRY, AUTO EXPERT: Air pressure in your tires.

And you're right. With summer travel approaching, we want to make sure that we get the biggest bang for our buck at the gas pump. So, we're going to check the air pressure in our tires first. By doing this and keeping the proper air pressure in your tires, you can literally save up to 3 percent in gas mileage.

So, you need to first determine what air pressure needs to go in your tires, so you can....

LEMON: OK. So, this -- if have you a little SUV like this -- and, by the way, this is one of our producer's cars, Sonya Houston (ph). So, put the tire pressure in there.

And it tells you right here -- Is it PSI, right? -- where the tire pressure should be. So, where exactly? When you look on it, should you go to the high side or to the low side?

TERRY: Yes, this is actually the highest allowed in the tire.

LEMON: OK.

TERRY: So, you really need to like just get the make, model and size off the tire and call, let's say, your local Goodyear tire store and they can tell you what air pressure needs to be in your tires.

LEMON: Any tired store, any automotive place, and they can tell you?

TERRY: Yes.

LEMON: OK. So, check the air pressure. Show them how to do it. We want to be 101 here. So, you show them. So, this one is -- reads right here 30 PSI. Is that good or bad?

TERRY: Yes. It's good. But if you needed to add a little bit, add a little bit at a time and recheck with the same process until you're at that proper air pressure.

LEMON: OK. So, all of them.

All right, let's go around here.

TERRY: Yes.

LEMON: Tune an engine.

TERRY: Yes.

LEMON: I can't tune an engine. Can you tune an engine?

TERRY: I sure can.

And you really want to kind of equate your car's health to your body's health. So, you want to make sure that you tune it up on a regular basis, give it regular maintenance, run the right fluids through it. And with this, if you keep your car tuned up on a regular basis, you can literally save up to 2 percent in gas mileage. And I always say, tune it up in the spring for summer and fall for winter.

LEMON: All right. I have got to tell you, the fluid light on my car and another light has been going on for like months. And I just keep resetting it every time I get in the car. It's probably not a good thing.

OK. So, make sure your car is tuned and in good shape. All right. Let's -- air filter. You said the air filter is very important, number one. Why? And you can change it in 30 seconds.

TERRY: I can change it today in 30 seconds. And people -- if you do it, you can do it at home in about five minutes.

LEMON: OK. TERRY: And, so, you need to locate your air filter casing. You're going to snap off the top.

(CROSSTALK)

TERRY: And you're going to pop out the old air filter. And make sure to get like a little vacuum and vacuum out the existing dirt and debris out of the bottom of the casing.

Grab a new air filter. Grab one like a NAPA Auto Parts store. Put it down in there. Put the casing back on and snap it back into place. And with this, you can save up to 10 percent, 10 percent, in gas mileage.

And also you need to do it about every 15,000 miles, if you live like in a sandy climate, about every 10,000 miles.

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: All right, very impressive, because I didn't even know where the air filter was. Not every one is that easy. Sometimes, you might need a tool or something to get it open there, maybe a bolt or a screw. This one is pretty easy.

TERRY: Right.

LEMON: All right.

Barbara Terry is going to join us a little bit later on, because, Fredricka, there are more tips, more very simple tips that could save you when it comes to the pump. And we all know now, when you go to the pump, sometimes, it's like a heart attack once you put -- once look at how much you're paying for gas, right?

WHITFIELD: Yes, it is.

Well, Barbara, I'm glad you're here, because I don't know where my air filter is either. So, I look forward to more tips.

LEMON: Here's one.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

LEMON: It looks pretty good right here.

WHITFIELD: Yes. It does look good.

LEMON: So, if you need an air filter for a Hyundai, a little SUV here, we have got one for you right in front of the CNN Center.

WHITFIELD: All right. Hold on to that. Somebody might need it.

(LAUGHTER)

WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks, Don.

All right, well, he has been a world-class sailer, a media pioneer, and a billionaire entrepreneur.

And, today, he's at the New York Stock Exchange in yet another role.

Susan Lisovicz joins us live from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange with Ted Turner.

Hey, Ted.

SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fred. And I will give Ted your regards, Fredricka.

Ted Turner is also a philanthropist. The United Nations Foundation was created 10 years ago with his gift of $1 billion. And one of its many beneficiaries is the fight to eradicate malaria.

Ted, welcome back to CNN. Tell us about Nothing But Nets.

TED TURNER, FOUNDER OF CNN: Well, it's a campaign. For $10, you can buy a bed net that will, for several years, protect a whole family from malaria, mosquito bites.

They don't normally come out at night. So, you put the bed net up over your bed. And you can order one or more, and we will see that they get to Africa by ordering them from nothingbutnets.net.

LISOVICZ: And this is part of the first, and we hope one of many, World Malaria Days, as part of -- by the World Health Organization, Ted, one of the many causes you're interested in.

But fighting malaria, fighting disease is one issue. Fighting hunger is another. The IMF earlier this month said that recent strides against poverty are being undermined by these huge increases in food prices. Have you seen that? Have you seen any shift in philanthropic priorities now?

TURNER: Well, it's coming to everybody's attention, but this crisis has been has been coming for a long time.

For instance, grain stocks have dropped, I think, in every one of the last 10 years. We have been drawing down on our grain stocks. There's more people all the time, and it's very hard for production to keep up with the growing demand.

LISOVICZ: There's a lot of talk about corn now being grown for fuel, as opposed to food. Do you think, as an environmentalist and as a businessman, that ethanol is the solution, or do you think in fact it's exacerbating the problem right now?

TURNER: Well, corn is not nearly as efficient as sugar. And the Brazilians raise ethanol using mainly sugar, and it's five times more efficient than corn.

I really think that perfectly good corn that's fit for human consumption, that it's a mistake to use it to make ethanol. I think we should make ethanol out of switchgrass or out of other residue from plants, but not use good food to make gasoline.

LISOVICZ: You know, oil today trading close to $119 a barrel. What should be happening? We're seeing customers, consumers cutting back. We're seeing lots of energy-efficient appliances. Do you think that the government should do -- be more -- should there be a conservation, a national conservation program? What do you think?

TURNER: Well, I have had a -- my personal car is a Prius, and I have had one for seven years. I got one of the first ones, because I could see this coming. I study the future.

And I -- the days of cheap, abundant energy are over. And it's going to be hard for people to realize that, because, particularly here in the United States, we have built a great deal of our economy around the automobile. And the days of the automobile, the large automobiles, driving long distances to work -- for instance, for the last 20 years, I have lived on top of my office building. So I don't have to commute to work. I walk down one flight of stairs and I'm at work.

LISOVICZ: And a lot of people happy to see you in downtown Atlanta, as well, as a result of that.

Ted, let's talk about the economy. So oil prices are through the roof. Home prices are dropping and just yesterday we saw 13 percent home prices year over year. If you even wanted to buy a home, you can't get the credit to do so.

Is this your garden variety kind of economic slump or is if something different?

TURNER: Oh, I hope not. I hope it's not. But I'm -- you know, Americans -- the average house in America has twice as many square feet as it did when I was a young boy in 1950 -- twice as big. And our homes are now twice as big as the average European. And they make -- they have as high an income as we do, on average.

So I think we've gone overboard and have somehow gotten to equate the quantity of life with the quality of life. I think we need to emphasize our relationship with our friends and family more and not be so materialistic. And I think we need to go back to smaller homes. And I think -- when I was a boy, you were lucky to live in a family that could afford one automobile. Now, most families have two or three. I think we're going to go back to one small car per family, I'm afraid.

LISOVICZ: Ted Turner, we have to leave it at that.

Don't be a stranger.

Ted Turner, who founded the most trusted name in news -- CNN.

Thanks very much for joining us.

And, Fred, before I toss it back to you, you know, this is a tough crowd, the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. And he got applause. And I actually even heard -- here in New York, I heard the chant for the Atlanta Braves, along with the chop...

WHITFIELD: All right.

LISOVICZ: With the chop, as well.

WHITFIELD: He's so popular no matter where he goes.

LISOVICZ: That's right.

WHITFIELD: All right. Susan and Ted, thanks so much.

LISOVICZ: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: And gastric bypass surgery -- some call it the easy way out for overweight people. But there was nothing easy about it for Patty Hill. She is the subject of today's Fit Nation.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PATTY HILL, GASTRIC BYPASS SURGERY PATIENT: I've been overweight all my adult life and most of my childhood life.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): And almost three years ago, Patty Hill tipped the scales at 280 pounds.

HILL: I couldn't fit in a roller coaster without sitting in a fat seat. If I went on a plane, I had to ask for a seat belt extender. I started looking into having the gastric bypass done.

GUPTA: Gastric bypass surgery shortens the digestive track and limits calorie intake. But an issue with Patty's heart prevented her from having the operation.

HILL: I thought my life is over. You know, I might as well just go kill myself. You know, I was just really that depressed.

GUPTA: Patty's plans for surgery may have been derailed, but her surgery buddy went ahead with the procedure.

HILL: My girlfriend was scheduled to have the surgery the day after me. And she went ahead and had her surgery and she died a week later from a blood clot.

I started seeing a cardiologist for my heart problem and about a year later, he asked if I had ever heard of the lap band.

GUPTA: Laparoscopic banding, or lap band, is a simpler operation. An adjustable band regulates stomach size -- restructuring the amount of food you eat. While bariatric surgery in Gen. Is six times more common than just 10 years ago, the stigma that it's the easy way out still exists.

HILL: With this surgery, it's a tool. It's definitely not a solution. I still have to diet. I still have to watch what I eat. It's not an easy way at all. You know, I have to cut my food up into pencil eraser sized pieces and still chew it 25 times so it doesn't get stuck.

GUPTA: But for Patty, there are no regrets.

HILL: I can go out with my girlfriends now and we dance and we have fun. I could never do that before. I probably added 15 or 20 years to my life.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: A great white shark maybe 17 feet long is being blamed for killing a swimmer today off Southern California's coast. Retired veterinarian Dave Martin of Solana Beach was 66-years-old. He had been training with a group of triathlon swimmers in San Diego County.

A retired marine biologist says the attack has all the hallmarks of a great white.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, COURTESY KETV)

ROSENBLATT: I was told that the victim was pushed up out of the water in a violent attack. And that's just typical of what -- of the white shark feeding behavior. That is, they normally feed on seals and they attack from below, make a tremendous powerful rush, make a very powerful bite, then pull away and wait for the seal or other marine mammal to bleed to death and then come back. And so that sounds like what a white shark would do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Well, the victim had one bite that crossed both legs. An eight mile stretch of beach in San Diego County is now closed.

And this investigation taking place out of Ohio. A man has been arrested for allegedly e-mailing an Indiana student about conducting a Columbine-style attack on two schools. The man, 33-year old Lee Billi, was charged with conspiracy to commit aggravated murder. And a 16-year old boy appeared in an Indiana courtroom earlier this morning. It's unclear how far along their plan may have been.

Meantime, a small town in South Carolina stunned and bewildered -- why would a seemingly happy and high achieving teenager allegedly want to kill his classmates?

CNN's Rusty Dornin reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He was an honors student, well liked, just weeks from graduation. But authorities say unbeknownst to family and friends, 18-year-old Ryan Schallenberger was planning a murderous bombing spree at his high school. His parents called police when they opened a package and found 20 pounds of ammonium nitrate -- the same material used in the Oklahoma City bombing. Police say Schallenberger bought it on eBay.

SHERIFF SAM PARKER, CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, S.C.: They began their own investigation and I think went into their son's room and found documentation that was brought to us, which was research of the Columbine shooting.

DORNIN: The Columbine killers, Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris, dressed in trench coats and isolated themselves with their odd behavior. That wasn't Schallenberger's M.O., according to fellow students.

DECLAN ROLLINS, STUDENT: I would expect somebody else to do it, like some crazy psycho that wore black every day. But he wasn't like that. He was, you know, dressed like me and had his hair nice and fixed and stuff like that. I mean, he looked like a nice, well kid, you know, well behaved.

DORNIN: Chesterfield, South Carolina -- population, 1,300 or so, established in 1785. If there was ever a model for small-town America, this is it -- complete with Main Street as its heart.

For people here, high school sports are the major source of entertainment and pride.

(on-camera): The nearest shopping mall, the nearest theater to Chesterfield, is 40 miles away.

So what do high school kids do after school?

Well, a lot of them hang out across the street from the feed store.

(voice-over): That's where we found Baron Adams, a classmate. But he says Schallenberger never came here.

(on-camera): When you say he had his own group, were they -- did they isolate themselves from the rest of the kids?

BARON ADAMS, STUDENT: They sat outside. But I mean, they weren't weird or anything. I went out there and talked to them a good bit.

DORNIN (voice-over): Friends who knew Schallenberger say he crossed the sensitive lines of high school cliques to chat with ease.

(on-camera): Did you ever hear anything that people were picking on him or that would make him angry?

ADAMS: Well, people say now that people did, but I didn't see anything.

DORNIN (voice-over): Two days before his arrest, Schallenberger banged his head against the wall at his home and his mother called police. Prosecutors say the parents sought mental help for their son, but it's unclear what help, if any, they got.

Schallenberger left behind an audiotape. Prosecutors will only say it was more a call for help than a murderous rant.

Sheriff Sam Parker says the town is downright bewildered.

PARKER: It's a family-oriented industrial town where -- you know, we have a lot of hardworking people. We're devastated. We're all heartbroken and we're trying to deal with it.

DORNIN: Schallenberger is in jail on suicide watch, facing state and federal charges, including attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction. If convicted, he could get life in prison. Prosecutors said they have no idea why Schallenberger wanted to do this. He did tell authorities he also planted pipe bombs, but won't say where and none have been found. Everyone in this quiet little town hopes they simply don't exist.

Rusty Dornin, CNN, Chesterfield, South Carolina.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And is the high price of gasoline driving you crazy?

Well, it is for our Don Lemon, who decided to step outside and get some tips -- tips that he's sharing with everybody on how to save gas, be more energy efficient.

Oh, he's so good at checking that oil, isn't he?

How impressive.

More tips straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: All right. You see this crowd outside of the CNN Center?

Where do you guys turn to find out information about the economy, how to save money?

Where do you turn?

UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: CNN!

LEMON: Yes. There you go. And I didn't tell them what to do. OK. I'm outside of the CNN Center with Barbara Terry. She is an auto expert and also a race car driver. And she's been giving up tips on, really, how you can save, especially now that gas prices are so high.

And you said it's very important that you have the right oil and you check your oil pressure.

And you know what's very interesting now?

When I was growing up back in the '30s and '40s -- no. Seriously, but when I was growing up and I started driving in the '80s -- the '70s and the '80s, you know, it didn't say engine oil or exactly where everything is. So tell us exactly what you do. Get the oil.

TERRY: Well, in checking the oil, you're going to locate the oil dipstick, pull it out.

LEMON: Come in here and see, it says right there.

TERRY: It says engine oil.

LEMON: Engine oil right on it.

TERRY: And some actually have like a little drawing of like a little oil can.

LEMON: Art.

TERRY: So you're going to pull it out, you're going to wipe it off. You can help me with this.

LEMON: Right.

TERRY: We're going to wipe it off. We're going to stick it back in. And when you pull it back out, that's going to be the reading of the oil in your car.

LEMON: So it's full.

TERRY: And it is full. This is really good.

LEMON: And then there should be a little -- is that the line?

Oh, that's the line on that side. There should be a little line.

TERRY: Yes.

LEMON: So that's the full line and that's low. And you don't want to do this when your car is warm, right, because it will give you a false reading, is that correct?

TERRY: Correct. And, you know, talking about that, in checking the air pressure in your tires, like we mentioned earlier, you don't want to do that when it's too hot or too cold.

LEMON: OK. So everything -- we've got oil, we've got washer. You want to check all of it. You don't want to overfill it. That's not good. So if you have any questions, you check with an expert.

TERRY: You do.

LEMON: Let's talk about another big issue and I do this all the time. I'm waiting for someone to come out or I'm listening to like, you know, a radio program. I do it all the time on satellite radio. I'm listening to -- you know, I can't say who it is. And I'm waiting and I'm listening and like they're in an interesting conversation and I'm just sitting there with the car idling going, Hamas, what's Howard going to say next?

TERRY: Yes, right. Well, when you do that, you're getting zero miles per gallon. So anytime you know you're going to be idling, let's say, for 30 seconds or longer, you use less fuel if you stop your car and start it back up again. So if you're listening to your favorite radio station, like you said, or if you're pulling through your favorite fast food joint, it's better to stop the car, walk in, get it and then come back out -- especially if the line is like a mile long.

LEMON: All right. I'm going to make sure I don't get tangled up here.

But here's -- I've often been told that you shouldn't like keep starting and stopping your car. Every time you like turn the ignition you burn more gas.

Is that a myth?

TERRY: Well, another good tip, too, is make sure you do all your errands like in one...

LEMON: OK.

TERRY: ...in one venturing out trip. So -- and our last tip that I want to talk about today.

LEMON: The last tip we want to talk about -- and this is one of our producers, Sonya Houston. It's her car. And you're talking about junk in the trunk.

TERRY: Yes.

LEMON: And let's see if Sonya has some junk in her trunk.

TERRY: Yes.

LEMON: She's got some junk in her trunk.

TERRY: Yes.

LEMON: Tell us why you shouldn't have junk in your trunk.

TERRY: You want your car as close to as it was, as far as aerodynamics go, when it rolled off the manufacturer assembly line. So if you're toting around bowling balls from last Saturday night, skis that have been on there for six months -- often, you know, on the roof of your car, you know, mulch, potting soil that's been riding around in there, you're decreasing your gas mileage.

LEMON: OK. And anything that you can keep -- I know because Sonya (INAUDIBLE) a very good journalist. She's got to have her go bag in case she's called out on breaking news. I've got all kinds of stuff -- beach chairs, extra running clothes, all kinds of stuff. So -- but you're saying take it out unless you absolutely need it, because the excessive weight -- the excess weight can cost you a lot of money in gas, especially now. TERRY: Yes, it does.

LEMON: OK. Barbara Terry, any other tips.

That's probably the biggest one, right, junk in your trunk?

TERRY: That and obviously just keeping your car as healthy as you can. And, like I said, you know, earlier, like if we do all these tips, you can really increase your gas mileage by around 30 percent.

LEMON: OK.

TERRY: And the more money we have in our pocket means more cotton candy and Coke we can buy on (INAUDIBLE).

LEMON: Absolutely. Very good tips.

Barbara Terry, an auto expert and also a race car driver. And then we've got the folks outside here at the CNN Center who are helping out -- a very interested audience here.

When we come back, a very serious story. Bill Cosby was in town last night. And he has been meeting with a controversial judge here -- a judge who caused a stir because he ordered all of the white people out of his courtroom. We'll have a conversation with both of them coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. Straight to downtown Atlanta. We're looking at live pictures right now. an investigation underway because of a shooting taking place at a Bank of America right in the heart of downtown Atlanta. More information as we get it.

We're going to have much more in the CNN NEWSROOM right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Well, Bill Cosby has spoken out for years about violence, teen pregnancy and other problems he says the black community inflicts on itself.

Now he's teaming up with a judge in Georgia who's on the same page and whose passionate comments have also gotten him into trouble.

Well, last night Cosby and Judge Marvin Arrington spoke to black teens, black parents and black leaders right near in Atlanta. Arrington, as you may have heard, recently asked whites to leave the courtroom so he could tell the black defendants to turn their lives around. He and Cosby have now launched a mentoring program with Morehouse College.

Cosby says more people should get angry speak up -- and he and Arrington have.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BILL COSBY, ENTERTAINER/COMEDIAN: When the newscaster stands in front of the yellow tape, it's about us. You don't see any politician, after all these murders, after all these robberies, after all these hitting an 87-year-old woman in the head and took $30 and ran off crimes, you don't see one politician standing up -- name them if you have -- who said I'm running on a bill of law and order.

(APPLAUSE)

COSBY: Why? Because we're killing ourselves. Why? Because we're making fools of ourselves. Why? Because we call up radio stations and say, well, they're putting out dirty laundry.

What the hell are you talking about?

You better clean it up. There are black people who have to walk around this dirty laundry. There are black people who are afraid to talk about it because they're afraid of something violent happening to them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Well, Cosby and Arrington have a lot more to say about problems in the black community and how to solve them. You can hear it when you tune into Rick Sanchez on Saturday night, 10:00 p.m. Eastern, 7:00 Pacific, only here on CNN.

Always interesting, an interview with Rick Sanchez, Bill Cosby by. And Rick's show always interesting on Saturday and Sunday night, as well as Fredricka Whitfield on Saturday and Sunday afternoon. Like we didn't have to say that.

WHITFIELD: We've got a lot...

LEMON: We've got a lot going on on the weekend.

WHITFIELD: We've got a lot going for us throughout the weekend 24-7.

LEMON: All right. But happening at the top of the hour, CNN's Wolf Blitzer.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

LEMON: Time to check in with him.

WHITFIELD: Let's check in.

LEMON: Yes.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, guys. Thanks very much.

Senator Barack Obama's former pastor suggests Obama's criticism of him was all about politics. Today, Obama responds. We're going to tell you what he said. Also, he helped Hillary win crucial victories in California and Texas. Now key Clinton adviser "Ace" Smith is in charge of her North Carolina campaign. I'll speak with the man they call "The Closer".

And I'll also ask Oklahoma's Democratic governor why he's supporting Barack Obama, even though his state voted for Clinton in the primary.

And the Supreme Court justice, Anthony Scalia, speaking out on the 2000 presidential recount. He tells people still complaining to "get over it."

All that coming up right at the top of the hour -- back to you.

WHITFIELD: All right.

Thanks so much, Wolf.

Meantime, we want to update you on what's going on in downtown Atlanta. There was a shooting taking place in a downtown Bank of America. Atlanta police are telling us now it appears to be a case of a murder/suicide. No other details are forthcoming at this juncture. Of course, we'll continue to update you here on CNN about this shooting, taking place, a possible murder/suicide now, investigation, at the Bank of America in downtown Atlanta.

The closing...

LEMON: Yes, it's always sad to report.

WHITFIELD: It really is.

LEMON: We've had stuff in our part of the newscast on that.

And the closing bell is about to ring on Wall Street.

WHITFIELD: It is, indeed.

Susan Lisovicz is here with a final look.

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

LISOVICZ: Have a great weekend, guys. See you next week.

WHITFIELD: Thank you -- you, as well.

LEMON: All right. Now it's time to turn it over to "THE SITUATION ROOM" and ...

WHITFIELD: ... Wolf Blitzer.