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Arrested on Your Front Lawn; Gay Couples Celebrate Passage of NY Law; Nick Charles on Faith; In Search of Food Trucks; Searching for the Missing Through Social Networking; Joe Jackson on Anniversary of Michael's Death

Aired June 25, 2011 - 19:00   ET

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

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Right now in the news:

Imagine being arrested in your own front yard.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EMILY GOOD, ARRESTED AFTER RECORDING POLICE: I don't understand what's going on. I did nothing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: You can definitely hear the panic in that woman's voice.

The woman videotaping a police stop in her own front yard, in front of her house, arrested herself. The video will infuriate you. But who went too far, her or police?

Also, husband and husband? Wife and wife? Legal in New York.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ayes 33, nays 29.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: And an historic vote. Will other states follow?

And hold on -- hold on, there could be some serious legal issues. Jeffrey Toobin is in the house.

And you've got to see this interview.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE JACKSON, MICHAEL JACKSON'S FATHER: I don't care if it's a minute after Michael's death.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Well, two years after the death of his son, I talked to Joe Jackson about what people have been saying about him. We talk about his relationship with Michael, and other issues as well.

I'm Don Lemon at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta.

A lot of news, so let's get you caught up right now.

We'll start real quickly with the headlines before we move on. A lot of people are celebrating in New York today. Last night, the state became the latest, and the most populous to legalize same-sex marriage. Governor Andrew Cuomo wasted no time signing the bill into law. It is set to take effect in 30 days.

Six states and the District of Columbia now recognize the right of gay couples to marry.

On to Casey Anthony's murder trial in Orlando. It came to an abrupt halt today, almost before it could get started. The judge said a legal issue has come up. He did not say what it was. The trial is now set to resume Monday morning.

Much more on the week's dramatic testimony is coming up at 10:00 p.m. Eastern. We're going to go in-depth right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

A beloved former member of a CNN family has sadly died. Nick Charles was CNN's very first sports anchor. He shared hosting duties on "Sports Tonight" with Fred Hickman for two decades. Charles died from bladder cancer this morning. He was 64 years old.

Record flooding in Minot, North Dakota, now threatens to wipe out a large part of the city. About a third of the residents have evacuated. Hundreds of homes are now under water and it's not over. The Souris River came up very quickly and is expected to crest tonight or tomorrow. Officials say the city will have to deal with the high water threat for at least a week. Residents must now boil water for drinking and cooking because of the flooding.

OK. A woman recording a video of what looked like a police arrest, eventually got arrested herself. It happened in Rochester, New York.

She was in her front yard. She was using her iPod to shoot this video. Soon, instead of focusing on the man, one officer turned on her.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOOD: I don't know what they're doing. I don't understand what's going on. I did nothing. I did nothing.

What in the world. I'm sorry. I'm standing in my front yard, concerned about what was going on in my neighborhood. And you're arresting me. What the hell is going on in this town?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Good spent a couple of hours in jail before being released on bail. She is back in court on Monday. It's possible, though, that the Monroe County .D.A. could throw out the charges. Emily Good and her attorney, Stephanie Stare, join me now live.

Thank you, Emily. Thank you, Stephanie. Emily --

GOOD: Thank you for having us.

LEMON: It's really good to talk to you.

Now, we're going to play the exchange you had with the officer. First, though, why were you filming the police?

GOOD: I was concerned about the racial profiling. I had just read an article that week in the local paper about racial profiling and how difficult it is to prove.

And when I saw the lights come in through my window, I peeked outside and saw three white officers engaging with a black man. And so, I decided to film it.

LEMON: So, you're somewhat of an activist, am I correct?

GOOD: Yes.

LEMON: OK. All right. Let's go to your video now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOOD: I'm just -- this is my front yard. I'm just recording what you're doing. It's my right.

POLICE OFFICER: Actually, you're out on the sidewalk.

GOOD: This is my yard.

POLICE OFFICER: I don't feel safe with you standing behind me, so I'm asking you to go in your house. Do you understand? I don't feel safe with you standing behind me.

You seem anti-police. So I don't feel safe standing behind you. Would you mind standing in the house.

GOOD: I'm going to stand in my yard, if that's OK.

POLICE OFFICER: Do you know what you just said to me before you started taping? I think you need to stay in your house, guys.

GOOD: What did I say to you that offended you?

POLICE OFFICER: We're doing a proper traffic stop.

GOOD: I'm allowed to stand in my yard.

POLICE OFFICER: Stand in your house.

GOOD: I'm allowed to stand in my yard. I'm going to stand -- POLICE OFFICER: I'm going to ask you one more time. We don't feel safe with you standing right behind us when we're doing a traffic stop. I'm going to ask you to go into the house.

GOOD: It's my right to be in my yard and I'm sorry you don't feel safe. All I have is a camera. I'm clearly wearing nothing, I have no weapons.

POLICE OFFICER: It does not matter. You're not listening to our orders right now. We don't feel safe if you're standing behind us. You're not moving a foot further back.

GOOD: Do you want me to move a foot further back?

POLICE OFFICER: You're going to get arrested. I already warned you.

GOOD: I will move a foot further back. I'm not going to go inside my house. I feel like I need the fresh air right now.

POLICE OFFICER: I'm going to arrest someone for not following police orders.

GOOD: I'm asking you what the order -- I don't understand your order.

POLICE OFFICER: It seems very simple. I asked you to not stand behind us, OK?

GOOD: You didn't ask me to not behind you.

POLICE OFFICE: OK. Listen, I'm not going to explain myself to you. What you're going to go is you're going to jail. I'm trying to give you a warning. You know what? You're going to go to jail. This is not right.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: OK. So, we hear -- that's pretty much the whole thing. And you say your thoughts pretty much as the entire confrontation played out.

But I want to get this straight -- did you have something in your free hand that police may have been worried you were carrying a weapon?

GOOD: No. I was carrying nothing. I was in bare feet and pajamas.

LEMON: OK. I don't understand this. If you had been in the middle of the police officers, I see, but I'm not there. So, I don't know. They probably genuinely felt that you were in some way threatening them. I don't know.

So, Stephanie, what do you make of this? As an attorney, was it OK for the police to do this? Do they have a legal right to do this in someone's front yard?

STEPHANIE STARE, GOOD'S ATTORNEY: Our position is that Ms. Good was well within her rights to be on her front lawn filming a traffic stop of a public servant. What the officer may or may not have felt, I can't speak to. But she was well within her rights, and was not given any lawful order at any time.

LEMON: Was there anybody else out on the street, or out watching?

GOOD: Yes, I was outside with my friend, and I had neighbors two doors down who saw the whole thing.

LEMON: OK. And how long had you been there before the officer approached you?

GOOD: I stepped out into the garden and then I started taping pretty much immediately, once I sort of was standing -- I just walked outside and stood there. And then I started taping. So everything is on tape. I had just arrived at the scene.

LEMON: Then what did you say to him? Why did he say that I see you're anti-police?

GOOD: I said nothing that is not on tape to the officer. I had walked outside quietly without saying a word.

LEMON: OK. And looking here, I want to read this. This is what the Monroe County D.A. says. A (INAUDIBLE) comment.

But here's what the Rochester mayor, excuse me, says, "Police Chief Shepherd has initiated an investigation to the extent some form of discipline is appropriate. He will see that it occurs. I also need to be sure that we are fair to the officers involved. I am not going to prematurely reach a conclusion. Emily also needs to be sure that we are fair to the officers involved. I am not going to prematurely reach a conclusion." That's what he said.

So, Emily, what do you want to see happen here to that officer? Or do you just want the charges dropped and you want to let it go?

STARE: I think we're not going to comment on what may or may not happen to Officer Masic. We have every confidence that the RPD will conduct a thorough investigation and do whatever they feel is appropriate.

LEMON: Yes.

STARE: We have filed a motion and it's our hope the charges will be dismissed based on that motion.

LEMON: OK. Listen, I have to go. Seriously, I only have five seconds here, but do you understand also when an officer asks you to do something, do you feel that you should do it and then ask questions later?

STARE: If it's a lawful order, someone should obey. If it's not, and if you're well within your rights, you're fine to assert your rights.

LEMON: Good luck. Thanks to both of you. Let us know what happens on Monday, OK? STARE: We will. Thank you.

LEMON: It's something many thought they'd never witness. Same-sex marriage legal in the state of New York, we take you live to the big apple with details for what this means for the gay and lesbian community and for the country.

Thousands of families forced from their homes as a flood of the century swallows up houses and the nightmare is just beginning.

And are you experiencing the severe flooding or wildfires across the country? Tell us about it. You can reach us on Twitter, Facebook, and CNN.com/Don, and on Foursquare. To find out more information about me and stories we've covered here on CNN and how this all operates.

Check out my new book. It's called "Transparent" at Barnes & Noble and also Amazon.com.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(VIDEO CLIP PLAYS)

LEMON: So, look, that is just a sampling of some of the emotions that played out in New York's gay and lesbian communities last night. Really in New York, the whole city last night I'm told people were buzzing about this. You know, lawmakers there approved last night same-sex marriage. It is the most populous state in the Union.

Andrew Cuomo signed it into law and barring any court challenges, it will take effect in 30 days.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP

GOV. ANDREW CUOMO (D), NEW YORK: What this state said today brings this discussion of marriage equality to a new plane. That's the power and the beauty of New York. The other states look to New York for the progressive direction.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Senior legal analyst here on CNN, Jeffrey Toobin. What do you make of that? Is he correct? And also, are there going to be any legal challenges?

Because New York tried this two years ago, and it was overturned.

JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST (via telephone): Well, no, that's not exactly what happened two years ago, John. Two years ago it simply failed in the state Senate. So, it never went into law.

LEMON: But didn't it go pretty far where people thought it was --

TOOBIN: And I don't see any legal challenges to this law. You can argue whether it's a good idea or a bad idea, but I think it's completely clear that New York state has a right to have same-sex marriage, and they're going to have it, in now 29 days.

LEMON: Yes. You know what? Yes, I got my New York and California mixed up, Prop 8 and all that.

So, listen, Jeffrey, what about -- the folks out there who's saying, you know what, we are going to challenge this. And we're going to turn this over again. It's not going to happen. No one is going to stand for that.

Legally, can this be done? Is this a done deal?

TOOBIN: This is a done deal. There is no even plausible legal challenge to stop this law from going into effect. The opponents of same-sex marriage had their chance in the legislature. And they lost.

And the only way this could be overturned is if the legislature passes a new law changing it with, you know, the current makeup of the state legislature and the governor being Andrew Cuomo. That's completely not going to happen.

So, the question really is not at this point whether New York will have a same-sex marriage. It is.

LEMON: It is. OK.

TOOBIN: The question is, which way does this go for the rest of the country? And I think that's a question that looks different today than it did yesterday.

LEMON: Well, the reason I ask you that is because there are a lot of people and we heard last night and we're hearing today, people saying, you know, we're not going to allow this. And California, it was put on the ballot. And that's when I spoke to someone who was against it last week, Jeffrey, they said, this should be put on the ballot.

So, if New York puts this on the ballot, I'm asking you -- legally, can it be overturned?

TOOBIN: There is no provision in New York for ballot initiatives in the way that there is in California.

LEMON: Got you.

TOOBIN: California has a long-established system of passing laws by the vote of the people. That's how every election goes. Californians are used to various propositions that either do or do not change the law. New York doesn't have that kind of law.

LEMON: All right.

TOOBIN: So, the idea that this could be put before the voters is just not plausible because it's not the way New York law works.

LEMON: So, there you go. It's a done deal.

Jeff Toobin, thank you, sir. TOOBIN: Sure.

LEMON: Burlington, North Dakota, they've given up trying to save some of their homes. But the fight downstream continues as the Souris River is expected to crest just a few hours from now.

Major League Baseball players and high school students joining forces to help communities in need. CNN's education contributor Steve Perry went to Camden, New Jersey, to find out what's going on.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEVE PERRY, CNN EDUCATION CONTRIBUTOR (voice-over): It's Saturday morning in Camden, New Jersey, and these teens gather at a drug addiction facility.

But it's not what it sounds like. They're here to help. Here to make this a better place.

(on camera): What makes you want to give back? Because you're a young kid. A lot of young kids are not thinking about giving back right now.

JUSTIN JOHNSON, HIGH SCHOOL JUNIOR: I'd rather not be in the streets all day. I'd rather do something productive.

PERRY: This is a rough neighborhood for sure. Why here?

ERICA BENEDETTI, HIGH SCHOOL JUNIOR: It's not about where here. It's about who needs the help and when they need it.

PERRY (voice-over): Justin Johnson and Erica Benedetti are here as part of the Action Team. It's a program that was created eight years ago by the Major League Baseball Players Trust and Volunteers of America. Major Leaguers and high schoolers come together so that they can encourage young people to make a difference in their communities across the country.

(on camera): Do you feel like what you're doing here is going to make an impact?

BEN FRANCISCO, PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES: Yes. Everything you do makes an impact if it helps one person or helps a thousand.

JIMMY ROLLINS, PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES: It isn't always, you know, giving money. Sometimes it's giving time.

PERRY: What do you want the kids to get out today?

RYAN HOWARD, PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES: You know what? I think that they've already gotten the message just because they're here. You don't have to be a Major League Baseball player or an athlete or anything to be a good role model in your community.

GREG BOURIS, MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PLAYERS ASSOCIATION: We take players off of a pedestal. We lift the high school students and put them on a pedestal, and give them the resources to go out in their own communities, inspire their peers to go out and pick causes that are important to their own environments, their own communities, their own schools and make a difference. And then they realize that they do have that power.

PERRY (voice-over): Today, there are 163 high schools that have Action Teams in 33 states.

BENEDETTI: Seeing people happy, helping them out, it's the best feeling.

PERRY: Steve Perry, Camden, New Jersey.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My sister called me, and her husband's parents' house is totally underwater now. So it's tough.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You've gotten other calls like that?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. Yes, I got my brother-in-law called that my dad's house is all under water right now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Yes, it is being a flood of epic proportions, and the worst maybe yet to come for people in Minot, North Dakota. The Souris River, or Mouse River as it's locally known, is expected to crest at midnight tonight at 8 1/2 feet above flood stage. My goodness!

Emergency crews estimate more than 4,500 homes could be completely underwater when the rive crests. Now, just upstream from Minot, in the town of Burlington, the mayor says they have given up sandbagging to try to save the town, which is expected to lose a third of its homes.

Alexandra Steele, when you give up.

ALEXANDRA STEELE, AMS METEOROLOGIST: It's of epic proportions, another flooding. Remember, only just yesterday it seems like talking about the Mississippi flooding. But, you know, this is different. And it's different in one way. It's all about the terrain.

So, let's talk about the Minot terrain. Rain and terrain, those are really the culprits. But, you know, to exacerbate matters, and, of course, the evacuations that are imminent, the worst is yet to come within hours from now, we've got more rain.

A line of strong storms is moving from west to east. Here's a look at Minot. Here's the radar. I'm about to put it into motion and you can watch this line of storms. Right now, we do have a severe thunderstorm warning. By about 8:00 local time, this will have moved through. But still, just to exacerbate the troubles, right, as if there weren't enough problems.

Of epic proportion, Don mentioned, and it's true -- we're talking about nearly centuries-old record. So, worst yet to come for this river. Expected crest around 1:00 tomorrow morning, between 12:00 and 1:00 or so. Five feet above record stage -- now, this is dating back to 1881. So, certainly of epic proportions.

Rain and terrain. Rain, a very wet spring this spring, a very wet spring last spring. Also incredible and record breaking snow during the winter. And now, this spring really has been the tipping point, and, of course, where the jet stream is now, that's where we're going to see more rain and we are.

So, tomorrow, the heaviest rain is staying south of Minot. So, that is the good news. Heat in the Southern Plains, that's for sure.

And some more rain, Don, in the Northeast for tomorrow. And they, too, dealt with their own, in and around New York City, their own flash flooding only a few days ago.

LEMON: It's like if it's not water, it's fire.

STEELE: Well, extreme is the new normal. We keep mentioning that in the world of weather. And, certainly, not only yesterday, but today and tomorrow.

LEMON: Alexandra, appreciate it.

STEELE: Thanks, Don.

LEMON: Now this --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ayes, 33. Nays, 29.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Well, the chamber erupts in the New York Senate as the state becomes the largest to legalize same-sex marriage.

And I want to bring in Maureen O'Connor. She's a staff writer for Gawker.com.

Hello, Maureen. You're a New Yorker. Can you still hear the celebration?

MAUREEN O'CONNOR, STAFF WRITER, GAWKER.COM: Hi, Don. Yes, it's gay pride weekend this weekend in New York. So, there are a lot of people who are very enthusiastic about the issue, obviously in town. As soon as the vote was announced, that they were going to vote, it was announced at 6:30 last night, I think it was probably the first time that gay bar in Chelsea had all of their TVs changed on 24-hour channels.

As soon as the vote finally went through and that it was successful, people poured into the streets and were celebrating. I think we'll probably see one of the most enthusiastic gay pride parades this weekend, tomorrow, when people go marching through New York City, celebrating this in particular.

LEMON: Yes, I kind of dialed out for a moment to, you know, do some bills and stuff. And I checked my Twitter and I was like, why do I have 800 tweets, you know? And it was the number one Facebook update. And I was like, wow, this is really crazy.

So, it was trending there. There were actually, though, Maureen some influential Republican donors who played a big role in getting this passed.

O'CONNOR: Yes. And, you know, it's fascinating that the year this goes through, the New York Senate is the year that the New York Senate is controlled by Republicans. Andrew Cuomo worked really hard with a group of powerful libertarian-leaning Republican donors, particularly hedge fund managers that were donating a lot of money to fight against the campaigns of those who had opposed the original -- the initial 2009 bill. And also to encourage Republicans who were willing to flip sides to say that we're going to campaign for you if you're willing to flip sides and vote for the gay marriage act.

So, the sort of the key here and understanding how this sort of gay marriage battles will play out in the future is sort of the way they worked with libertarian-leaning Republican donors who were willing to stand behind pretty much any Republican who was willing to vote for the act.

LEMON: Yes. I know you work for Gawker, which is pretty progressive. Were you out partying last night, too?

O'CONNOR: I actually wasn't. But I heard a lot about it. I was watching all the tweets and everybody talking about it.

LEMON: Yes.

O'CONNOR: The famous picture of the Empire State building lit up like a rainbow. It was a really unique night in New York definitely.

LEMON: Rainbow flag.

OK. Let's switch gears. This is a really -- this one's kind of freaky.

Before the break, we showed you a clip of Japan's newest pop star. We want to show it to you again right now.

Maureen, nothing really out of the ordinary at first glance, but there is something odd about this. The do we want to hear it?

Maureen, what's going on here?

(VIDEO CLIP PLAYS)

LEMON: OK. Maureen, what's going on here?

O'CONNOR: So, this is Aimi Eguchi. She is the newest member of Japanese pop group AKB48, which is a group of almost 60 idols, and there's five main sort of people that lead this group. They sing songs, all that.

This newest member had a huge high-profile campaign with a candy company. And initially when people saw her they thought, how did this girl rise to prominence? So quickly, how come we don't know anything about her? We don't know anything about her background.

As it turns out, she's actually a computer-generated face. She's a virtual person. They took the best features from the six main members of this large girl group, put them together and turned them into this woman. So, now, amazingly, this isn't even Japan's first virtual pop idol. They actually have another pop star who performs via hologram at concert stadiums.

LEMON: Oh, my gosh! All right. We're out of time, though.

O'CONNOR: So, it's not unprecedented. It's certainly strange.

LEMON: Yes, we're out of time here, because I want to see what's coming into the U.S. We already have one. But we'll have to talk to you about that next time.

Thank you so much, Maureen. Always a pleasure.

O'CONNOR: Yes.

LEMON: Coming up in just a few minutes, we'll talk live with a gay couple about why it was so important for them to get married and what they had to go through to make that happen.

An Amtrak train carrying morning 200 passengers collide with a tractor-trailer truck. The fiery crash sent train cars flying. And these people trapped and dead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: As we check our top stories, that was Syria. New developments out of Syria today, where the deputy foreign minister talked one on one with our Hala Gorani, saying the deadly uprising in his country is being initiated by extremist religious groups and financed by outsiders.

A human rights group reports at least 10 people died in fighting across the country Friday. There are also reports of deadly clashes today near Damascus. CNN can't verify the authenticity of this and other videos posted on the Internet. Investigators say at least two people were killed when a tractor- trailer hit an Amtrak train near Lovelock, Nevada. The Nevada Highway Patrol says there could be more bodies in two train cars badly damaged by fire. Our affiliate, KRNV, reports at least nine passengers were hospitalized, including two in critical condition. The train, bound for Chicago -- from Chicago to California, was carrying a total of 218 passengers and crew.

Wildfires in Oklahoma have forced the governor to declare emergencies in 33 counties. Thousands of acres are burning. Some residents in central Oklahoma were forced to evacuate. The drought and heat could spread those fires. Officials say there are currently 41 large active fires burning across the U.S.

Wedding planners will be extra busy in the near future. Thirty days from now, gay couples in New York state will be allowed to legally marry. The state Senate passed that bill last night, and Governor Mario Cuomo quickly signed it into law -- Andrew Cuomo, excuse me.

Joshua Cohen and Brian Friedman are residents of New York. They are already legally married in Massachusetts. So why is this new law so important to you? You're smiling, so it must be important.

(LAUGHTER)

BRIAN FRIEDMAN, ADVOCATE FOR SAME-SEX MARRIAGE: Oh, well, thanks for having us, Don. We got married several years ago because being married is a very important step for any couple to take. And we're happy that today -- well, 30 days from now, 29 days -- New Yorkers can share what we have shared for a number of years.

LEMON: Yes. You realize -- I see you guys are smiling. You appear to be a happy couple. So congratulations for that. And even just -- even just working on this story today, there are some people who are uncomfortable hearing "husband and husband," "wife and wife." Do you understand that for -- there are some people in the country who just -- they can't quite get their arms around this? They can't get used to it yet.

JOSHUA COHEN, ADVOCATE FOR SAME-SEX MARRIAGE: Sure. And this is -- Don, this has been a growing process for anyone who's been involved in the issue. As we've seen even across the country, slowly, more and more people have become accustomed to the idea of same-sex couples. And we're just so happy to know that our rights and our privileges that are enabled by marriage are finally being recognized by the number of states that have moved to gay marriage.

You know, the -- New York becoming one of the states that recognizes same-sex marriages more than doubles the number of people in this country who live in states that can say that. And we're just very hopeful that this step will move us even closer to federal recognition of our marriage rights.

LEMON: Yes.

FRIEDMAN: And... LEMON: Go ahead.

FRIEDMAN: We were fortunate to live in New York. Oh, sorry -- we were fortunate to live in New York, which is the only state that recognized our Massachusetts marriage, which was a great benefit to us. But we're even happier today that we're celebrating that our friends can finally enjoy the marriage that we've got given by the state of New York.

LEMON: Listen, the criticism is that some people say -- some people would say, Why should gay people get special rights or be married in the church? And it's -- you know, it's about sex. Is it about sex for you, or is it about tax benefits and rights and being able to see your partner in the hospital, God forbid he has to go? What is it about?

COHEN: It's about a number of things, and I think you hit on all of them. First of all, like anyone else in this country, we want to be able to share our love by becoming married and sharing our lives together in that way. But even more so, and this was really at the heart of the discussion in the New York state Senate, we want to be entitled to the same rights and privileges as anyone else, not special rights. We're not asking for anything special for ourselves. We just want to be treated equally in the eyes of the law, and lots of different privileges and benefits are entitled to married couples in this country. We just want the same as everyone else.

FRIEDMAN: Absolutely.

LEMON: Yes. So going to be a happy Pride for you tomorrow? You going to celebrate it...

FRIEDMAN: Very happy Pride.

(LAUGHTER)

COHEN: Absolutely. We've been celebrating. And everyone in New York is really thrilled about what's happening here.

LEMON: All right. Happy Pride, guys. Thank you very much.

FRIEDMAN: Thank you. Happy Pride.

COHEN: Thank you.

LEMON: I'm happy that you've been together for so long. Anyone, gay or straight, has been together as long as you guys, I say bravo. All right, Joshua and Brian, thanks again.

Just ahead, we remember a CNN original, the life and legacy of sports anchor Nick Charles.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) JIM HUBER, FORMER CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: I mean, he just shook the room, and you knew that Nick was selling a story or listening to one and enjoying himself. He lived life to the fullest. He was -- he was something very, very special.

FRED HICKMAN, FORMER CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: He could, you know, meet you or I and -- or just some guy that was walking up on the street, and he would make you feel as though he'd known you for 15 years. You know, Hey, man, how you doing? Great to see you. Where you from? You know, that was his whole thing. And it was genuine.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: The CNN family is mourning the death of veteran sportscaster Nick Charles today. Nick was the first sports anchor CNN ever had. He and "SPORTS TONIGHT" co-anchor Fred Hickman were one of the longest-serving broadcast teams on television. Nick's battle against bladder cancer was well documented. Now, well, we hear from Nick in his own words, talking about how his faith helped him come to terms with his mortality and how it helped him prepare his family for the journey without him.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK CHARLES, 1946-2011, FORMER CNN SPORTS ANCHOR: I have terminal metastatic bladder cancer, which will eventually take my life, barring a miracle from the Lord, which I'm still holding out for.

I was -- I grew up Catholic and fell away and for a lot of reasons and -- but my wife brought me back to the Lord. I went to First Baptist Church in Atlanta on day, and I saw this man -- I was in the balcony and this guy coming up who looked like he was living on the street, and I just got it. I just broke down and wept in that balcony. I saw the look in this man's eyes and the contentment, you know, and how -- how you could just come to God. And there's no backtrack. There's no guilt involved. There's no keeping score. And I said, This is where I should have been before. But this is where I am now, and I'm moving forward with it.

I remember my mother used to say in her older age, Jesus, just walk with me, talk with me, be with me. I said it, and he was in the room with me, sitting on the bed with me. He got me through the night. I remember there was a linchman (ph) moment. We had been looking for a church out here in Santa Fe and we couldn't find one and -- for many months. And the next morning, I woke up, after that night that I felt Christ in the room with me. My daughter got up. I missed Bible study. I want to go to church.

We found the right church, and we've been there ever since. And it was just a watershed moment in my life. And it just absolutely thrust me to the next level.

I feel that when I go, that I'm going to prepare a place for my daughter in my life. It's -- I'm going to be in their heart and soul, and I tell them that every day. (INAUDIBLE) I watch my daughter grow up. It's going to be incredible. I have full confidence, you know, and if I'm wrong, I have lived a better life since 1992. I'm a better person. You know, when they cremate you or throw dirt on you and there's nothing after that, what have I lost?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: CNN Worldwide president Jim Walton was once head of CNN Sports, and in his early days, Nick Charles's field producer. He had this to say about Nick. "His passing is a loss to CNN, to the sports world and to the fans and friends everywhere who were with him to the end of his extraordinary life. Like them, our thoughts today are of Nick and with his family."

Nick Charles dead at the age of 64.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: I don't have cooties, I promise.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Good. Yes. Has a lot of flavor.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: Such a (INAUDIBLE) There I am, mooching a bite of a steak taco from a brand-new friend. She didn't get it at a fast food joint or at a sit-down restaurant, she got it off a food truck. And they are everywhere these days. They're quick, they're cheap, and the food is often gourmet quality, believe it or not.

And all you have to do to find them is to use your Facebook or Twitter accounts. That's how I did. So thanks, tweets, for helping me out.

Here's a Twitter page for the Tamale Queen, one of our personal favorites. They send constant updates about where they're going to be and when.

So we decided to head out and hit a few trucks at lunchtime. Here it is.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I got chicken and I'm doing sausage (INAUDIBLE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Have a barbecued pork sandwich with some chips and sweet pickles.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How was the cupcake?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But you're not eating a cupcake.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I will next!

LEMON: How do you follow it? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Facebook's a good way (INAUDIBLE) where the trucks are going to be. They have all these festivals. They have events like this.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE) Facebook and Twitter. (INAUDIBLE) ad agency, so we monitor the social media.

LEMON: So I'm going to taste it. I'm going to do a taste test. Are you worried?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No worries!

LEMON: Why?

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: ... the best in the whole wide world.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think I want the Krispy Kreme puff.

LEMON: Wow, that is really good! Wow, look at all these people chowing down!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can sneak out without my boss knowing it.

LEMON: It's definitely a break in the routine. You get out of a rut, like, Oh, should we eat here today? We've had that. What do you think?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE) mall every day, so it's something different.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE) bring our lunch, except for Friday, because the food trucks are here.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I brought my lunch today, and I ended up actually coming here instead!

LEMON: What do you think?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Actually, it's really good. I just wish I had a table. I'm not good at eating in my lap.

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: Good stuff. Check them out. And go to your social media site. It'll tell you where they are.

You know, today is "Find Lauren Day," a desperate push to find Lauren Spierer, the missing Indiana University student. We'll talk with Katie Linendoll about how social media is helping drive the search efforts.

And two years ago today, the loss of a legend. Now, as the world remembers Michael Jackson, we'll hear from his father, Joe, about how life has been since Jackson's death.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHARLENE SPIERER, LAUREN'S MOTHER: The information is the most valuable thing that we need right now. I just have to say to you all, I really wish and hope that you get to meet Lauren.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: The mother of Lauren Spierer, clinging to hope that she will see her daughter again. Hundreds today turned out in Bloomington, Indiana, for a "Find Lauren Day." Volunteers scoured the area for the missing 20-year-old Indiana University student, who hasn't been seen since June 3rd.

But this search isn't just about the boots on the ground. This is a little bit different. I want to bring in now tech reporter Katie Linendoll on this.

Katie, how is social networking playing a role in the search for Lauren?

KATIE LINENDOLL, TECH REPORTER: Hi, Don. Well, we do know that hundreds did show up today in Finding Lauren Day physically. But for those who couldn't be there, they're also turning towards digitals (ph) and the power of social networking, places like Facebook and Twitter and her personal Web site.

So I want to give you a number of different ways that you can stay connected with finding Lauren and also donate to search efforts or just plain support the cause.

There is a Facebook and a Twitter account which went fairly viral with over 20,000 users in less than a month. Also, FindLauren.com is a place where you can actually donate resources (INAUDIBLE) search and rescue efforts. And also, there's, of course, a tips and anonymous hotline and also a Gmail account if you have any information at all.

And the remarkable part about this, Don, is, you know, 20 years ago, we were using milk cartons as our best resource.

LEMON: Oh!

LINENDOLL: Now with the bevy of social networking options, it shows how viral and quickly different ways we can communicate.

LEMON: You took the words right out of my mouth. I was just going to say that to you in this question. It was that, and then you'd hand out posters and you'd put them on telephone poles and trees. And so -- I mean, it's instant and it can go to millions of people. How wonderful! So how crucial is social media when it comes to finding missing people these days, Katie?

LINENDOLL: Social media is absolutely critical when it comes to finding missing persons. And it's so interesting. I actually had the opportunity to speak with Bob Lowery, who is the executive director of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. And he gave me these remarkable statistics. He told me that 2,000 kids go missing every single day. That's over 800,000, nearly, annually.

But what we're seeing from 20 years ago, the return rate in finding missing kids was 63 to 64 percent. Now we're seeing a 97 percent return rate, which is remarkable. And he attributes a lot of that to social networking and the capability to disseminate information so quickly.

Now, do understand that that many kids going missing every single year and every single day, they fall into different categories. A lot of these are runaways. Some of these are being held -- abandoned by families. And in Lauren's case, it's actually the most rare of cases, under 1 percent of situations that they do see for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Don.

LEMON: Hey, I have to ask you -- we're up against the clock here, but can you give parents some tips on if their child -- what to do on line?

LINENDOLL: Yes, quickly, if you're ever faced with this predicament, it is absolutely essential that you take matters into your own hands. You don't have to wait on anybody anymore. Set up a Facebook account. Set up a Twitter account. And if you're not tech-savvy, designate someone because what's interesting is a lot of people want to help, but then there isn't one centralized page or one centralized location, which becomes very confusing. So designate someone and set those sites up quickly.

Also, you can set up a free blog site using a place like Wordpress or Blogger or Tumblr. And also get funds in because we know that people are monetarily strapped when these searches go into months and months and months, and they're a lot of money, obviously, to keep them running. So set up those free sites, and act quickly.

LEMON: Yes. There's nothing like -- you can't imagine the heartbreak. I was just -- the only thing I can imagine is watching the movie, remember in 1983, "Without a Trace," Judd Hirsch, Kate Nelligan, and that -- it is just a heart-wrenching movie, any parent having to go through that. Let's hope they find -- let's hope they find Ms. Spierer, though. Thank you. #FindLauren is on Twitter. Thank you, Katie.

Ahead, Joe Jackson, father of the legendary Michael Jackson, talks with us about his famous son on the second anniversary of his death. You don't want to miss it.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: All right, look at this live picture. You can see it. There's a rainbow -- there's a rainbow! -- in Atlanta in the skyline. We had to show that to you, right between the SunTrust building and the Westin Peachtree. Anyway, it's beautiful. I'm not going to be, like, the rainbow guy and get all crazy. But anyway, two years ago today, the world lost Michael Jackson. On this anniversary of his death, I had a chance to speak with his father, Joe Jackson, and here's part of what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: So Mr. Jackson, I want you to take a look at you and I on the red carpet two years ago and then we'll talk about it.

The last couple days, I know it's been really tough for you guys.

JOE JACKSON, MICHAEL JACKSON'S FATHER: Yes, it has. It has been really tough. Remember, we just lost the biggest star in the world. But I want to make this statement. This is a real good statement here. Marshall and I (INAUDIBLE) we owned a record company called...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ranch Records, OK? (INAUDIBLE) Blu-Ray technology. And that's its next step.

LEMON: What do you think when you see that, Mr. Jackson?

JACKSON: I don't think nothing about it because Blu-Ray -- I mean, that company don't exist now. It went out -- as soon as it happened, it went out of business. So it's no big deal to me.

LEMON: But this was only three days after Michael's death. That's what I'm asking. What do you think of...

JACKSON: I don't care if it's a minute after Michael's death! And listen, I am -- the Blu-Ray (INAUDIBLE) existing as a record company with the same guy that I was talking with, you know? That don't even happen. What I'm here now is promoting Happy Land (ph) and promoting the things that I'm doing now.

LEMON: And what about the children? How are they?

JACKSON: The childrens are fine. They are fine. They're going to acting school. And Prince is taking up -- I think he's taking up martial arts and all that stuff. And Blanket, he's just happy. He's a happy little kid. He's sturdy. He wants to be a producer or something. But you know, they're fine.

LEMON: People have talked about the -- your alleged treatment of Michael Jackson. Some of the family members, even him, said that you were abusive, in a sense, that you pushed them too far.

JACKSON: Don, Don, Don, Don, Don! I know what you're trying to, do! I ain't going there. But everybody back in those days abused -- they didn't abuse the kids, they whipped the kid when they did wrong. And now you can't do that these days because if you whip a kid now, they call 911 on you. But if you don't train them to be right towards people and how to conduct themselves when they get (ph) young, if you don't do that, you can have some kids in prison.

(END VIDEOTAPE) LEMON: All right, tonight on CNN, I speak exclusively with friends and family about Michael's last days. Watch "Michael Jackson: The Final Day" That's coming up next at 8:00 PM Eastern, in just 5 seconds. And then make sure you tune into Piers Morgan's entire interview with LaToya Jackson just ahead right here on CNN.

I'm Don Lemon. We'll see you back here at 10:00 PM Eastern. Thanks for watching.