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American Morning
Casey Anthony Bombshell; Drawing Down, With New Focus; Greece Unions Strike; Harry Potter E-Books Launced; Tobey Maguire Sued; Interview with CEO of JetBlue; Your Summer Airfare; Slavery and Human Trafficking
Aired June 23, 2011 - 07:58 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: You can scratch one name off of the FBI's 10 Most Wanted list.
I'm Kiran Chetry.
The Feds capture Boston mob crime boss James Whitey Bulger. He was on the run for 16 years. He'll be in court later this morning, facing charges from extortion to murder.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: A bombshell at the murder trial of Casey Anthony.
I'm Christine Romans.
The attorney for her parents tell CNN they don't think their daughter is innocent. We'll soon find out how that's going to play inside the courtroom on this AMERICAN MORNING.
CHETRY: And good morning to you. Thanks so much for being with us on this AMERICAN MORNING. It is Thursday. It's June 23rd. Ali Velshi's off today.
ROMANS: Good morning to you.
One of the FBI's most wanted fugitives behind bars this morning. The Feds finally caught up with notorious Boston crime boss James Whitey Bulger. He's been on the run for 16 years.
CHETRY: Bulger was the inspiration for Jack Nicholson's character Frank Costello in the Oscar-winning film "The Departed." Bulger, who is now 81, was arrested yesterday in southern California along with his longtime girlfriend. Neighbors in Santa Monica say they were stunned that there was a fugitive living in their neighborhood.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL O'BRIEN, NEIGHBOR: It's just a surprise to come and see that he was right around the corner for me because I know his story. Crime boss from Boston, you know?
JIMMY LEBLANC, BOSTON NATIVE: I grew up in Southie, moved out here, been out here for about a week and wow. Whitey's caught? You have to be kidding me. No way. We had to come down and check it out, see what's going on.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: Yes, they say it was a stepped up part on the FBI putting out public service announcements and spending a bunch of money to try to get the faces out there. And they said it was following a trail of his girlfriend that led to him.
He's going to make his first court appearance later this morning. He's wanted, by the way, for 19 murders.
ROMANS: And now, a stunning admission from the attorney for Casey Anthony's parents. It's a CNN exclusive. Mark Lippman telling CNN's Gary Tuchman that George and Cindy Anthony do not believe their daughter is innocent.
CHETRY: Casey Anthony is charged with killing her 2-year-old Caylee. It is not clear how her parents' comments through their attorney will impact the trial today.
David Mattingly is live for us this morning outside of a courtroom in Orlando.
It is interesting that this was said and this is now out there. How may it affect the witnesses that take the stand, including, potentially, her parents?
DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kiran, George and Cindy Anthony have already taken the stand in this case for the prosecution. They have provided damaging testimony against their daughter. This much we've already known.
But what we didn't know is how they actually felt about her guilt or innocence. And now, through their attorney, Orlando's Mark Lippman, he tells CNN this: "They want to see the truth. They want to see justice. They do not think that Casey is innocent."
But this is something he emphasized: "They love her. They are supporting her. They do not want her to get the death penalty."
And every day, George and Cindy Anthony, we watched them walk into this courtroom. They sit in the same two seats in the back of the courtroom on the main floor, about as far away from their daughter as they possibly could be in that room. They are carrying notebooks. They're taking notes.
George Anthony has a Bible with him most of the time and sometimes open in his lap. They have had to endure some excruciatingly detail and graphic testimony about what happened to their granddaughter Caylee. They've had to sit through that and now, we realize how they conflicted that they must be as they sit there and listen to this testimony, thinking that their daughter is not innocent of the charges against her -- Kiran.
CHETRY: Either one could be on the stand again, though, right? They are on the witness list and all of this is coming out as there some allegations that he had a mistress who the defense brought up as well.
MATTINGLY: The defense talked about this in their opening statements and the attorney putting out a statement about that, saying that George did not have an affair with this woman, he did not accept money from her, he did not confide in her about any thoughts he had about this trial, completely denying everything she says. It will be interesting to see if she is brought to the witness stand how this plays out, but he has already been on the witness stand testifying for the prosecution, as has the mother. And we are expected to see them both possibly pop up again for the defense.
CHETRY: All right. David Mattingly for us, thanks so much.
ROMANS: Well, we want to know what you think. Should Casey Anthony take the stand? E-mail us, give us a tweet, or tell us on Facebook. We're going to read some of your thoughts later on in the program.
All right. Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss, they won't appeal a ruling in their long-running legal battle with Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. For years, the Winklevoss twins have been trying to undo a $65 million settlement claiming that Facebook misrepresented stock value. But now, they've decided against taking their case to the Supreme Court. The legal battle was the basis for the film "The Social Network."
CHETRY: Well, President Obama hitting the road this morning, talking about his plan for Afghanistan and talking about it with the troops. Last night, the president formally announced that the withdrawal from Afghanistan will begin as planned next month.
ROMANS: But he also had some tough words for Pakistan as he announced the pull-out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Of course, our efforts must also address terrorist safe havens in Pakistan. No country is more endangered by the presence of violent extremists which is why we will continue to press Pakistan to expand its participation in securing a more peaceful future for this war-torn region. We'll work with the Pakistani government to root out the cancer of violent extremism and we will insist it keeps its commitments.
For there should be no doubt that so long as I am president, the United States will never tolerate a safe haven for those who aim to kill us. They cannot elude us, nor escape the justice they deserve.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: With Osama bin Laden dead and the focus shifting from the boots on the ground to drones, eyes in the sky, many are saying that the post-9/11 era may be coming to an end.
ROMANS: Our Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr is here with us this morning.
Good morning, Barbara.
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.
ROMANS: Reaction to president last night, talking about nation-building, a responsibility here at home, a reversal of the surge. I mean, is this the beginning of a real withdrawal and end to the war on terror?
STARR: Well, beginning of an end to having large numbers of combat forces on the ground perhaps -- Iraq wrapping up at the end of this year and certainly Afghanistan on the same track. U.S. forces will still be there a few years.
But I think what the president was laying out was a new military way of doing business. Not the 9/11 era of sending the Army and the Marine Corps in really. You know, we're not seeing that.
Think about Pakistan. It's a drone war for the United States. No combat forces on the ground.
It's certainly a less expensive way of doing business and perhaps more precision strikes, more precision operations going after what really matters.
ROMANS: Threats have evolved the past 10 years. I mean, you look at the Times Square attempt. You know, that was a guy who took money out of his house in Connecticut or something, you know? I mean, the threats have really changed and evolved and now multiple. I mean, is that part of a new strategy?
STARR: Right. I mean, because there's the Taliban and there's al Qaeda. But it's not the Taliban and al Qaeda we know from September 11th. It has changed.
You have split organizations everywhere and you have these onetime players. People that could have, you know, have heaven forbid, brought New York to a halt with just -- you know, something in their car. You can't send a land army after that. What do you do about it?
So, it's intelligence. It's drones. It's precision operations.
He's walking that middle line, though, because, still, you can't literally walk away from Afghanistan at this point, you know? We have put a lot into it.
CHETRY: But a lot of people want to know why? Why can't we walk away from Afghanistan if the state admission is to just make sure it's not a safe haven for al Qaeda, when what we've been doing for several years is, as you know, also helping nation-build in Afghanistan. A lot of people say, we'd just said we can't afford that any more. The president said that.
So, why are we still leaving 70,000 troops there?
STARR: Well, you know, I think people have to come to the judgment how soon they feel it no longer is even possible that it could become a safe haven. A lot of people will tell you it's not there yet.
It's -- I mean, the president was clear. Afghanistan is going to have to stand up, take care of its own business at some point. Nobody is going to be there forever.
But right now, with Pakistan right next door and still that being a major safe haven, a little bit of a queasy feeling about just pulling out yet.
ROMANS: How much of this is about money? This week, the Pentagon announced that the war on terror had tipped over $1 trillion, that we've finally crossed that mark, not just Afghanistan but the whole thing over 10 years. How much of this is about money?
STARR: Well, I think it's very clear, when we talked about it being untenable economically and politically. And those are the questions that will appear in Washington today in two key hearings.
Admiral Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs, will be on the Hill, the first uniformed officer since the president spoke last night to come out in public and defend this strategy militarily. Later today, General Petraeus on the Hill for his CIA confirmation hearings, same topic, front and center.
ROMANS: And we'll be talking to you about it first thing tomorrow morning to find out how it all plays out. Barbara Starr -- thanks, Barbara.
CHETRY: Well, it could be the mother of all traffic jams today in New York City. You have President Obama and you have Justin Bieber.
ROMANS: What time is it? Someone tell me what time is this happening?
CHETRY: Got to get out of Dodge way before 5:00.
They are visiting at the same time. The president is actually scheduled to attend two fund-raisers in the Big Apple and the Biebs is expected to be launching an event for his new men's fragrance at Macy's in Herald Square.
ROMANS: All right.
CHETRY: So, we know that the president is going to be in town. He's going to be doing some business, some fund-raising, possibly taking in a Broadway show. They say the entire west side of the town is going to be crazy.
ROMANS: That's the first time I've ever seen the president of the United States and Justin Bieber in a split screen. It really certainly does get your attention.
All right. Still ahead, a Hollywood shocker, "Spider-Man" star Tobey Maguire among more than a dozen stars sued over an illegal poker game. We're live from L.A. with this developing controversy.
CHETRY: And Churchill Downs, home of the famous Kentucky Derby horserace, hit hard by possible tornadoes and severe weather. We're going to have more on the damage left behind and whether any of the horses are having any trouble because of it.
ROMANS: And an obscene rant from a Southwest Airlines pilot who didn't know his microphone was on. Check it out.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
PILOT: Eleven (EXPLETIVE DELETED) over the top (EXPLETIVE DELETED) homosexuals and a granny. Eleven, I mean, think of the odds of that. I thought I was in Chicago, which was party land. After that, it was just a continuous stream of gays and grannies and grandes.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
ROMANS: And it only gets worse.
Nine minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: A shot of Nashville this morning. Some clouds there. Right now, it's 72 degrees. But they are looking at the possibility of some thunderstorms this afternoon, going up to a high of 88.
ROMANS: All right. Stunning new video this morning of what appears to be a tornado forming near Louisville, Kentucky. You see it here -- the severe storm system slamming into that area last night.
Louisville's Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby, was also hit. Nine barns were damaged. Horses were running loose. They were eventually corralled. Officials say no people or horses were injured.
CHETRY: Thank goodness. They say they may have to move some of the horses while they clean up debris so they don't get hurt.
It's been a month since the tornado hit Joplin, Missouri. And the number of people who died in the natural disaster is now 156 after a woman who was injured in the tornado last month passed away. According to the National Weather Service, the tornado that hit Joplin was the single most deadly tornado we've seen here in America in 60 years.
ROMANS: And the waters are getting so high in part of Minot, North Dakota, this morning, that it's just too dangerous for many folks to stay. Some 12,000 residents were ordered to evacuate last night. That's because of swollen river now spilling over the levees that protect Minot.
CHETRY: Reynolds Wolf is in the extreme weather center for us.
Lots to talk about today -- still some severe weather out there.
REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Absolutely. We certainly had our share of it yesterday through parts of the Ohio Valley. The flooding situation, of course, in parts of the Northern Plains -- that should be a little bit better today in terms of lack of rainfall. They should have a dry day, but still the water is going ton rising in many spots. So, certainly rough times then.
But you have a chance of storms, though, in the Northern Plains and then back into parts of, say, the Northern Rockies, and along the Eastern Seaboard, look for a rumble of thunder, possible for parts of the Northeast, including the Mid-Atlantic States, even in Virginia.
You know, Virginia is a place where you have a lot of streams. You've got a lot of lakes. You've got a lot of rivers and with that, a lot of fish.
Take a look at this video that we have got for you. This is just freakish! Look at this thing! It's a monster catfish from Buggs Island Lake in Virginia, may be a possible world record.
Officials from the Old Dominion State say this 143-pound blue catfish caught last Saturday is a new state record. It's caught by Nick Anderson last Saturday and said it took 45 minutes to get that freak on board.
Nearly five feet in length! It's a monster! Huge. I think they need a bigger boat.
Let's show what else we got in terms of your forecast. It's pretty nice for you in parts of the Southeast if you don't mind a rumble of thunder. Nashville, again, a chance of storms. But as we make our way to the evening hours, a little bit of a cooler drier air is going to be filtering in right behind it.
What you can expect in terms of your delays, though, it could be kind of a frustrating day for you in New York, due to the thunderstorms. You might have a backup up to an hour. In Philadelphia, anywhere from 30 minutes to a full hour. In San Francisco, you might have a wait, too, anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes, but mainly due to low clouds and fog.
In terms of high temperatures, it's going to be roasting day for you in West Texas, and mercy me, take a look at that. El Paso at 105, 100 in Albuquerque, 88 in Denver, 79 in Kansas City, and 69 in Chicago, 87 in New Orleans and Tampa and Miami in the 90s, New York with 76, your expected high. You're up-to-speed the forecast. Let's pitch it right back to you in New York.
ROMANS: Reynolds, I got to see the catfish again. You got to show me the catfish again. WOLF: Bring it up.
ROMANS: My brother caught a fish almost that big one time. He and a friend put it in the back of a truck, and when they take a left, they were taking the show to the bait guy, you know, like for the local record. They would turn and the whole truck would almost tip over. They could feel a fish like moving.
CHETRY: So, did they eat it?
ROMANS: No, no. They took it back. He put it in smallest pond they could find --
CHETRY: Wait, it was alive?
ROMANS: Oh, yes, yes. They took it back. Those things live forever. They live in the muck on the bottom of the river of the pond.
CHETRY: No, but you're saying it lived in the pick-up truck?
ROMANS: Oh, yes. Oh, yes, yes.
CHETRY: Reynolds, you like eating that one?
WOLF: I think, usually, when they get that big, they get kind of tough, but that's not even a fish. That's a submarine. I mean, that thing is just ridiculous. Look at that thing.
CHETRY: I don't think I would want to eat that.
ROMANS: No, no. They let it go. They always let their fish go, but that means, those catfish, is probably old. That fish has to be very, very old.
WOLF: I would imagine so. Yes, that's not a new one. That's for sure.
CHETRY: A fresh young catfish that you want fry up and eat.
ROMANS: Certainly, a great story -- that's a very great story for those guys who caught it. All right. Thanks, Reynolds.
WOLF: Later, guys.
ROMANS: They're just 10 years old, but two best friends from Oklahoma have a story that they're going to tell for the rest of the lives.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS (voice-over): Hunter Schultz (ph), and his best friend, Carter Mayo (ph), have been playing together since they were toddlers.
CHETRY (voice-over): That's right. And a couple of weeks ago, Carter was eating some gummy bears when he started to choke. UNIDENTIFIED KID: So, I look over there, and he was choking or he was going --
UNIDENTIFIED KID: He was like are you joking? I didn't say anything.
UNIDENTIFIED KID: And I just saw him doing this. I ran over there and -- did the Heimlich maneuver five times.
UNIDENTIFIED KID: On that fourth one when it didn't come out, you kind of tell it was starting to come out, so I did it really hard the last time. And so it --
UNIDENTIFIED KID: It came out. I was like thank God. Thank goodness.
UNIDENTIFIED KID: He sits down.
UNIDENTIFIED KID: And then, I was like, well, you just saved my life.
UNIDENTIFIED KID: So, I'm just sitting there and thinking, I just saved his life.
UNIDENTIFIED KID: And then, we just started playing again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS (on-camera): And they just started playing again.
CHETRY (on-camera): Hats off, by the way, whoever edited that because that was fantastic. Told that story for about as good as you can, and of course, they had the gummy worm there, too. Mothers of both of the boys are registered nurses, and they say that's how Carter knew he was chocking and he knew to make that sign that he was choking, and that's how Hunter knew exactly what to do to save him. Awesome. Smart kids.
ROMANS: All right. Up next, what's JK Rowling's big secret. The "Harry Potter" author uses the magic of the Internet to make a big announcement.
CHETRY: Also, U.S. Airways raising some eyebrows this morning for allowing a man to board a flight wearing skimpy women's underwear and stockings. You have to see the pictures and have you scratching your head.
ROMANS: Plus, a Southwest Airlines pilot's rude (ph) and vulgar rant about his flight attendant, and it's all caught on tape.
CHETRY: And a little later, the CEO of JetBlue is going to be joining us live in our studio. We're going to talk to him about the recent negative headlines for the airline industry. It's 18 minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) ROMANS: It's 21 minutes after the hour. "Minding Your Business" this morning. Just into CNN, Greek unions declare another 48-hour strike starting next Tuesday. Demonstrations continue this week in Athens as the country's parliament votes on new austerity measures needed in order to secure a second bailout from the European Union.
The Federal Reserve says the economy and jobs growth is simply weaker than expected. Federal Reserve chairman, Ben Bernanke attributes this week recovery to temporary factors like the earthquake in Japan but also acknowledges long-term problems may be holding back growth.
Stocks are down in premarket trading this morning extending losses after the fed chief's press conference yesterday of Dow, NASDAQ, and S&P 500 futures all trading lower ahead of the opening bell in just over an hour.
A new survey shows Americans are working more on the weekends and spending less time relaxing. That's according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Finding women are working more hours overall especially on weekends compared to two years ago.
And most women would marry for love over money, unless, the man is unemployed. That's according to your Tango and Forbes women who survey there. Three out of four women wouldn't marry someone who was unemployed, and 65 percent wouldn't feel comfortable getting married if they, themselves, were unemployed.
The "Harry Potter" book series will be available online for the first time. The author, JK Rowling, announced this morning, and a new social networking site called "Pottermore" will include never before seen material from Rowling's note as she was writing those books. The site and e-book store launched for the first million users in late July and then open to the general public in October.
Up next, "Spider-Man" star, Tobey Maguire, sued for his winnings from an alleged underground high stakes poker ring. AMERICAN MORNING is back right after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Twenty-six minutes past the hour. After series of embarrassing incidents at airport checkpoints, the federal government is now, at least, they're saying that they're changing their policies as it relates to patting down young children. Do you remember this video? It triggered a lot of outrage. It was a six-year-old girl crying after getting a pat-down in New Orleans airport back in April because she moved during the electronic screening and the picture was blurred.
ROMANS: I can't even watch that video. It really makes me -- it's just very troubling. I know it must be difficult for the professionals who are trying to do the pat-downs because those are the rules, you know? John Pistole, the head of the Transportation Security Administration was on Capitol Hill yesterday. He told lawmakers TSA agents are now being instructed to make repeated attempts to screen kids without using the pat-downs, but listen to the reaction he got from Kentucky senator, Rand Paul.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. RAND PAUL, (R) KENTUCKY: But I think I feel less safe because you're doing these invasive exams on a six-year-old and makes me think you're clueless, you know, that you think she is going to attack our country and that you're not doing your research on the people who would attack our country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: All the new pat-down rules for kids apply to children 10 and under.
ROMANS: U.S. Airways is drawing an awful lot of attention this morning for allowing a male passenger to board a flight wearing nothing but women's underwear. Take a look or look away if you want the warning right now. A federal passenger took this picture earlier this month after her complaint to the flight crew were simply ignored.
U.S. Airways says its employees acted properly by allowing the man on the plane insisting the airline does not have a dress code for passengers beyond the requirement that all of their private parts are covered.
CHETRY: OK. Well, he fit that bill, I guess. The explanation that was triggered a lot of anger and charges of racial discrimination because just six days earlier, U.S. Airways had an African-American passenger who was actually removed from a flight because his pants were too low, they said, and his underwear was showing.
ROMANS: All right. A Houston-based Southwest Airlines pilot is back on the job three months after his hate-filled rant about flight attendants was inadvertently captured on an open air traffic control microphone.
CHETRY: Yes. This morning, the flight attendant's union (ph) very unhappy about the punishment he got. CNN's Jeanne Meserve has the audiotape that has everyone buzzing.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN HOMELAND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The pilot's tirade about flight attendant is peppered with obscenities, insults, and slurs against homosexuals and women.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Eleven (EXPLETIVE DELETED) over the top (EXPLETIVE DELETED) homosexuals and a granny. Eleven! I mean, think of the odds of that. I thought I was in Chicago, which was party land. After that, it was just a continuous stream of gays and grannies and grandes.
MESERVE: Grandes, an apparent reference to overweight people. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't give a (EXPLETIVE DELETED). I hate a hundred percent of their asses.
MESERVE: The pilot talks about exploits with some of them.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So, six months, I went to the bar three times, in six months, three times. Once with the granny and the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) and I wish I hadn't gone. At the very end with two girls, one of them was probably doable.
MESERVE: An air traffic controller tries to stop the pilot.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. Whoever's transmitting, better watch what you're saying.
MESERVE: But the rant goes on.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I still wouldn't want anyone to know if I had (EXPLETIVE DELETED) them. I mean, it's all of these (EXPLETIVE DELETED) old dudes and grannies, and there may be a handful of cute chicks.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK, someone has to stuck mic and telling us all about their endeavors. We don't need to hear that.
MESERVE: Finally, the transmission ends. Pilots on other planes trying one chimed in quickly to say it wasn't me. One adds some commentary.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And they wonder why airline pilots have a bad reputation.
MESERVE: The Federal Aviation Administration says it expects a higher level of professionalism from flight crews. Southwest put out a video press release.
CHUCK MAGILL, SOUTHWEST AIRLINES: What he said is offensive and inconsistent with the professional behavior and overall respect we require from all employees.
MESERVE: The pilot was reprimanded, suspended without pay, and underwent diversity education. He is now back on the job. The pilot has apologized, Southwest says, to controllers, his bosses, pilots, and, of course, flight attendants. But the flight attendants union is not happy. It says Southwest's response to the incident has added insult to injury and it is considering filing a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Jeanne Meserve, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHETRY: See if the punishment changes in the wake of this being released.
ROMANS: I'm sure no flight attendants are going out to the bars with him anymore. We don't know who the guy is but I'm sure within Southwest, people know who he is and, you know, I mean, obviously, he must be the perfection of beauty.
CHETRY: President Obama will meet with troops today after announcing 33,000 of them will be home from Afghanistan by the end of next year. He stressed, though, that the war there is not over.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Of course, huge challenges remain. This is the beginning, but not the end of our effort to wind down this war. We will have to do the hard work of keeping the gains that we have made while we draw down our forces and transition responsibility for security to the afghan government. Next May, in Chicago, we will host a summit with our NATO allies and partners to shape the next phase of this transition.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: Taliban now also responding to the president's announcement, calling it only a symbolic step.
ROMANS: While most of you were sleeping the FBI was catching up with one of its most wanted fugitives, 81-year-old James "Whitey" Bulger. He's the notorious Boston crime boss on the run for some 16 years. He was arrested in southern California with his longtime girlfriend. He is wanted for 19 murders.
CHETRY: And a stunning admission from the lawyer of Casey Anthony's parents. In an exclusive interview with CNN, he says that George and Cindy Anthony don't believe their daughter is innocent. But that they will do everything they can to keep her from getting the death penalty. Casey, as you know, is on trial for allegedly killing owner two-year-old daughter Caylee.
ROMANS: So our question of the day this morning, we asked should Casey Anthony take the stand? A lot of you are wondering if she will. Here are some of your responses. April says "Yes, she should take the stand. If she is innocent she needs to say so. It's such a terrible crime and people need an explanation."
CHETRY: Susan on Facebook, "Somebody to explain why somebody said in the very beginning of the trial Caylee accidentally drowned in the pool. If Casey doesn't explain this, then why did the defense bring it up? You can't throw it out there and leave it hanging."
ROMANS: And Julie says "What for? She wouldn't tell the truth and never has. It would be a waste of more time."
CHETRY: Three years is enough of this. This case is costing taxpayers money. Either way, let the chips fall, put that woman up on the stand."
ROMANS: Actor Tobey Maguire is sued after winning huge allegedly in an underground poker game. CHETRY: The lawsuit says he may have won the cash from a convicted conman. Kareen Wynter has more live from Los Angeles. Explain how they discovered this whole underground poker ring in the first place.
KAREEN WYNTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Pretty interesting story, guys. Well, the "Spider-man" star Tobey Maguire caught in a legal web involving high stakes poker playing. The actor has been slapped with a lawsuit claiming that Bradley Ruderman, a former hedge fund manager who is now serving a ten-year federal prison sentence for tax and wire fraud convictions, that he took part in a secret high stakes and elite poker game scandal at several luxury hotels in Beverly Hills. He lost reportedly money to Maguire and other celebs not named in the lawsuit but allegedly took part in these exclusive gambling event.
The suit claims that Ruderman devised an illegal Ponzi scheme in order to pay his debts. Maguire is being sued by the trustees of those who lost money in the scheme. The investors are going after Maguire and the $311,000 he allegedly won from Ruderman that he wired to Maguire through bank transfers according to the complaint.
The suit contends that since these games were technical illegal and weren't licensed, Maguire and the other defendants have no right to keep the money that they won. CNN, by the way, reached out to Maguire's reps for comments and we are told they are, quote, "not responding at this time." Guys?
CHETRY: Besides Tobey Maguire, are there any other Hollywood celebrities, any other big names being sued?
WYNTER: Well, you know, there has been a whole lot of speculation about other stars allegedly involved in the poker ring but CNN confirmed that actor and director Nick Cassevettes as well as former "Welcome back Kotter" star Gabe Kaplan are already being sued. We reached out to both of these actors for comment and they have yet to respond.
ROMANS: This is some pretty high stakes stuff here if you're talking about $73,000 in winnings, 300,000. Can they get into trouble with the law for gambling?
WYNTER: That's the big question we have been digging. None of the defendants named in this lawsuit are facing criminal charges right now, but they do have to return any of their alleged gambling winnings or make their case, make the case for their money in court. Gambling is illegal in California, but it's a misdemeanor. A spokeswoman for the L.A. county district attorney tells CNN there is no criminal probe of the alleged gambling event. So there you have it.
CHETRY: All right, very interesting stuff. Kareen Wynter, thanks so much.
Another legal misstep for Lindsay Lohan. She was ordered back to court this morning after reportedly violating her probation on drunk driving conviction. Sources say Lohan failed a court-ordered alcohol test last week and will go before the same judge who sentenced her for stealing a necklace. Lohan was allowed to serve that sentence under house arrest. Now, though, she could end up back behind bars.
ROMANS: More fees and longer lines and bigger hassle -- the airline industry ranks lower than the government in terms of satisfaction. Up next, the CEO of JetBlue Dave Barger.
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ROMANS: This just in to CNN. Initial filings for unemployment insurance, this is the weekly jobs report. It climbed by 9,000 this week to 429,000 according to the Labor Department. That means 429,000 people for the first time filed for jobless benefits. That is more than expected. Economists have forecasted about 415,000 claims for the week. We have been watching since Ben Bernanke, the Fed chief, yesterday said the jobs market was not as strong as they would have liked, another indication that that is indeed the case.
We are officially in the midst of the busy summer travel season. And this year families who plan on flying will be dealing with more passengers on planes and more fees they have paid in the last couple of years.
Joining me now is JetBlue CEO Dave Barger. JetBlue, by the way, is launching a new program to keep kids reading this summer. I want to talk about that before we start.
DAVE BARGER, CEO, JETBLUE: Sure.
ROMANS: On this program, we have talked a lot about parents and the summer brain dream that happens. Parents need to be involved with their kids. Why is JetBlue so involved that kids keep reading in the summer?
BARGER: Christine, good morning. Delighted to be here. From our perspective, flying from a to b, so much more to it than just delivering the customer experience. It's also being a part of the community. Soar with reading is what we are kicking off with PBS Kids. And it's just to slow the summer slide that reading regress and have people ready for the September timeframe, the students.
The studies all show that there is this thing that can happen. Why this important for an airline. What does an airline have to do with summer reading? Why is it important?
BARGER: Whether it's the environment, whether it's education, the community, the children, it's really important for JetBlue, not just here but home and here in New York and the cities we fly to.
ROMANS: Everyone hates the American flying experience. Lucky for you you're on the top of most of the customer satisfaction surveys. Maybe I'm barking up the wrong tree. What is wrong with the experience going on in the airlines industry these days? We see long lines and see the TSA pat-down controversy and just today ranting southwest airlines, a pilot showing complete disregard for people he works with and his customers. I mean is this a new reality for the way the airline business is operating or just bad PR?
BARGER: I think it's just bad PR. We are a subset of society, and it's inexcusable some of the events that have happened the last couple of days. All that said, look at the air travel experience. Yes it's buzzier in the airports and get out earlier. I think the TSA is doing a very good job. When I think of the one-off events is what they are. Overall from my perspective the air travel experience is quite a positive experience.
ROMANS: Let me ask you about the whole fees for bags. You allow your customers to have a first bag for free and you're glad you do that because that is good for your customer satisfaction. But are we -- is this here to stay this whole a la carte thing? You do charge for a pillow.
BARGER: We do for the pillows and blankets but they are clean maybe what you see on other airlines. I think different business models and some are charging with everything. We call it nickel and diming. At JetBlue, seven years in a row it's being respectful of the travel experience and not overbooking comfortable seating. Everybody has a different line of product out there. At the end of the day, $5.7 billion dollars --
ROMANS: That's unbelievable.
BARGER: However, oil, I think, asking the American public, right? To help offset the cost of oil, and I don't like what they are doing with their automobiles, isn't a bad thing for our industry.
ROMANS: What are your assumptions about oil prices going forward? A lot of people saying the oil prices are down three percent this morning but everybody is worried the economy is going to get weak again.
BARGER: We learned don't predict what is happening. There are too many events around the world driving it. We take the forward curve and locking in our pricing.
ROMANS: How much does oil account for the cost of a trip for you?
BARGER: Almost 40 percent. The cost of moving a seat one mile is the cost of oil.
ROMANS: Wow.
BARGER: It's significant. And so this is where you do have the airline industry asking for the additional fees really, because at the end of the day to fly -- when you look at inflation adjusted affairs going back to the industry's deregulation in 1978, what it cost today to fly from New York to Los Angeles versus 1978, it's a great proposition.
ROMANS: Some would argue that is why you see mayhem and craziness at airports like this guy who tried to get on just wearing women's underwear in the news this morning. It's because everyone is flying and they are flying a lot more. It has become a very mundane experience.
BARGER: It's interesting -- and of course I saw that story --
(CROSSTALK)
ROMANS: I mean come on. What would you tell Jet Blue people if they saw a guy like that? You say let him on or they're going to let him on.
BARGER: I would absolutely support our crew members not boarding that individual. And this is -- I mean at the end of the day, choice is yours but situational awareness in a public environment, I mean my gosh. Common sense has to take place.
ROMANS: Yes. So you would tell the Jet -- the JetBlue flight crew did not want to let that man board you would stand behind them 100 percent?
BARGER: I would support them 100 plus percent.
ROMANS: All right. Well, we hope for a great traveling experience. And we hope that lots of people would take a -- tell me what's it's called again?
BARGER: Sure, Soarwithreading.com. PBS kids, the animated host, Hooper traveling across the world. So it's great stuff for kids.
ROMANS: Oh we love Hooper. All right and social responsibility for JetBlue. Thanks so much.
BARGER: Thanks so much.
ROMANS: Our morning headlines are next. Its 45 minutes after the hour.
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CHETRY: Forty-seven minutes past the hour. Here are your top stories this morning. The end of the line for a fugitive mob boss. James "Whitey" Bulger was arrested after 16 years on the run. The manhunt ended in Los Angeles overnight. Bulger was on the FBI's "Ten Most Wanted" list for his alleged role in 19 murders. He is due to appear in federal court this morning.
It's a bombshell that could shake things up today at the Casey Anthony murder trial. The attorney for her parents, Cindy and George Anthony tell CNN exclusively that they don't believe their daughter is innocent but they do not want to see her get the death penalty.
Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss dropping their appeal case against Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. The twins accused Facebook of misrepresenting the company's stock value during a $65 million settlement in 2008. Facebook releasing a statement saying, quote, "We've considered this case closed for a long time."
President Obama visiting Ft. Drum today. It's the first stop to sell his new Afghanistan strategy. Last night, he announced all 33,000 surge troops will be home by the end of next year.
And the markets open in just about 45 minutes. Right now, the Dow, Nasdaq and S&P futures all down after the number of Americans filing for first time unemployment benefits rose more than expected last week. We just found that news out within the last couple of minutes.
Well, it's believed to be a tornado hitting the famous Churchill Downs racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky. Nine barns were damaged; luckily no horses were injured. But officials say they may have to relocate as many as 150 horses because the animals could get injured from the storm debris.
Wimbledon may crack down on grunting. The chief executive of the tennis club told the "Daily Telegraph" that the women who yell too loudly on the court are annoying their opponents and their fans.
Well, you're caught up on the day's headlines. AMERICAN MORNING is back after a quick break.
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CHETRY: Fifty minutes past the hour.
As part of the CNN's Freedom Project, we're taking an in depth look at a disturbing issue, human trafficking and modern-day slavery.
Our next guest was brought to the United States at the age of nine. She was forced into servitude, she was abused and it wasn't until Evelyn Chumbow was 17 years old that she was actually able to escape her captors.
Evelyn is now 25, she's a college student. She's completed a two-year degree and on summer break and joins us from Baltimore. Thanks so much for joining us and sharing your story with our audience. I'm sure it is not easy to talk about.
EVELYN CHUMBOW, FORCED INTO SERVITUDE AS A CHILD: Thank you.
CHETRY: Tell us a little bit about how you first came to the United States. You were promised an education, a place to stay, a better situation than the one that you had. And what ended up happening?
CHUMBOW: Like you said, modern-day slavery. I was promised a better education. I came here at the age of nine. I was forced to take care of two kids, cleaning and cooking, no schooling, and not even being able to get in contact with my parents or any of my family members.
I had no knowledge of the outside world, except the one I was living in. Getting up in the morning, cleaning and cooking, taking care of two kids, changing diapers.
CHETRY: No, I mean, it was unbelievable what you described that you were abuse -- that the person, who is holding you who is now in trouble by the way, who is now serving a jail sentence for what happened.
Did you know? Was there an evolution, meaning you came here and they were nice at first and then turned on you, or was it from the moment you came here, you realized this is not what you thought you were getting into?
CHUMBOW: Ok, the first couple of -- the first couple of weeks, I stay with her, of course. I was 9 years old. She was nice but then, of course I got into just to the life that I never knew, which was trafficking and I just start working and cleaning and, of course, the abuse started because I wasn't doing my work right.
I had to get up like 5:00 a.m. in the morning. I had to take care of the kids, change the diapers, cook, clean, clean the house, make sure to go to day care on time and I also had to wash some of my trafficker's clothes.
I didn't -- I didn't exactly know any of those things. I didn't know how to cook or clean because I was 9 years old.
CHETRY: Right.
CHUMBOW: And I -- I assume, I was promised an education and I thought I was going to go to school right away.
CHETRY: Right and you said that at one point for three weeks you didn't get to eat anything as punishment, that you were not given a bed, that you were meant -- left to slept in a cold garage.
CHUMBOW: Yes.
CHETRY: And this went on for years. What -- explain why you were unable to let anybody know what was happening to you?
CHUMBOW: Because I didn't know anyone and the only person I knew was my trafficker and her family and I didn't know anything of the outside world. I didn't know about social services. I didn't know about if you're in that type of situation, you can even call 911, because I was not allowed to use the phone. I didn't even know how to use a phone at that time.
CHETRY: How did you eventually get -- make your way to -- to freedom at the age of 17?
CHUMBOW: I ran away from her earlier and I was -- I was staying on the street. I stayed with a -- with a person I now call my auntie. I stayed with her for a while.
And from there, I went to church and I told the priest my situation and how I have not seen my parents since I got here and I have never been to the hospital. I have no education except the one I had in Cameroon at the age of 9 years old and my -- I would like to go to school and I would like to go see the doctor and of course, I will definitely would like to go reunite with my parents.
And from there, the priest had a couple of organizations that contacted me and one of the organization was IUDER and I met with a woman, Melanie Earhart (ph) which is now like a second mother to me that heard my story and got help and try to get me into foster care before I would turn 18.
CHETRY: Wow. Well, thank God you had those angels looking out for you. But it's so upsetting that you had to suffer for so long.
This woman who did this to you, your captor, Theresa Moombang was sentenced to more than 17 years in prison and she was sentenced for involuntary servitude, for harboring a juvenile for financial gain. Do you think that she got what she deserved?
CHUMBOW: I can't really say that she got what she deserved. She did -- she did the crime so she is paying for it. Like I say, when it comes to that type of situation, I just think about the kids and the kids that she has which are my biggest concern because they have a mother that is in prison and when -- in situation like this, you always have to think about the children.
Me as a child not being able to see my parents -- for 18 years, I know how hard it can be not having your parents around. And those are things that I cry about every day -- and not to be able to have that connection with my parents.
So if you do a crime, you have to pay for it. And knowing that it was enslavement, knowing I came here illegally; she did all of that and she's paying for what she did.
CHETRY: All right. Well, I know that you're getting to reunite with your family soon. You're going on a visit there because you're on summer break. We wish you all the best.
Thank you for sharing your story. And hopefully, it will be a wake-up call for anybody in this situation that you can seek out help.
Evelyn Chumbow, we wish you the very best. Thanks so much for joining us.
CHUMBOW: Thank you.
CHETRY: Also this weekend, Demi Moore joins the 2010 CNN "Hero of the Year" who is from Nepal to take you inside the fight to end modern day slavery. "Nepal's Stole Children" is a CNN Freedom Project Documentary airing Sunday night 8:00 Eastern right here on CNN.
Its 57 minutes past the hour. We'll be right back.
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ROMANS: Good morning, Atlanta. Cloudy this morning, 74 degrees right now we're told. But maybe thunderstorms, and 85 later. But a very pretty start in the morning in Atlanta.
CHETRY: Oh are you talking about Kyra Phillips now?
ROMANS: Yes, I am.
CHETRY: "CNN NEWSROOM" starts with Kyra. It may be cloudy outside but --
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR, "CNN NEWSROOM": It's always clear and never stormy.
CHETRY: We have a beautiful, beautiful sunny day.
PHILLIPS: Gals, thank you so much.
