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Morning-After Pill for All Ages; Jobs Report Disappoints; A Family Mourns, Copes with Murder; Video of Prosecutor Looking at Guns; Final Four Tips Off Tomorrow; Interview with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Aired April 05, 2013 - 09:00   ET

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

JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: And Cory Michael Smith stars in a new Broadway play, "Breakfast at Tiffany's."

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: All right. "CNN NEWSROOM" with Fredricka Whitfield begins right now.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Happening now in the NEWSROOM, shock in our Aurora. Brand new details on what police found in James Holmes' apartment. Ammunition, explosives, drugs, and a Batman mask.

Also --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE RICE, FORMER RUTGERS MEN'S BASKETBALL COACH: There's no explanation for what's on those films because there is no excuse for it. I was wrong.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Then why is Rutgers giving fired basketball coach Mike Rice a $100,000 bonus?

Plus, light up. A majority of Americans now favor legalizing marijuana.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you want a glimpse into what it might look like if marijuana is legalized, just drive down South Broadway here in Denver, Colorado. And check out all the medical marijuana dispensaries.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Here it is. The Final Four weekend.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right, guys. Start the car now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: The teams are in Atlanta, the courts are ready, and you're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

WHITFIELD: And we're just learning this morning, a federal judge in Brooklyn has ordered the FDA to make the morning-after pill available over the counter to anyone. That means no age restrictions and no prescriptions. The ruling reverses the Obama administration's position that girls younger than 17 need a prescription to get the medication.

Let's bring in CNN senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen.

So, Elizabeth, what does this mean for birth control as we know it?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (via phone): For a very different scenario than we have right now. What this judge did was he overturned an Obama administration decision and the judge said, look, the morning-after pill should be available to anyone over the counter, no matter what age. So, again, as I said, it overturns an Obama administration decision.

The administration has said look, these girls under the age of 16 need a prescription. So now a girl under the age of 16 can walk in, get this pill without a prescription. As you can imagine, the folks in the birth control advocacy community are very happy about this. And we're still looking into this more. But I would imagine that other folks are very unhappy with this, that girls can just walk in and get the prescription.

WHITFIELD: And do you have a clear understanding about the argument that took place as to why this decision was overturned?

COHEN: You know, we are still getting some of the details on this, Fred, because it just happened. But I will say that the arguments in the past have been that there's no scientific reason why let's say a 15-year-old should need a prescription, but a 17-year-old shouldn't. Because there no science there. There might be ethical reasons or some would say moral reasons why a younger girl should need a prescription, but there's no scientific reason. You know, the -- what many doctors have said it's safe for everybody, why are you going to make a cutoff age point?

WHITFIELD: And what's your understanding as to when this might take effect?

COHEN: You know, it's not exactly clear when this will take effect. I mean, it always takes bit of time, and it's unclear if there can be more appeal and if this will continue through the judicial system.

WHITFIELD: All right. Elizabeth Cohen, thank you so much for that update.

COHEN: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right. Let's now turn to some digital news about the economy. Just minutes ago, we received the monthly unemployment report. Employers added only 88,000 jobs last month. That's less than half of what was expected. The jobless rate falls to 7.6 percent, but that, too, is rooted in some disappointment.

Christine Romans is in New York to break down the numbers. So, Christine, bottom line for us now, what happened? Why the dismal number? Why is it 88,000, not more?

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Another pre-spring swoon for hiring. For some reason, companies were nervous about hiring workers. Net new jobs, 88,000 in a month. We had a couple of revisions for the months before which added some 68,000 or so but only 88,000 -- jobs last month is a disappointment.

7.6 percent, the unemployment rate. You're absolutely right, Fredricka. Rooted in bad news. That is almost half a million people stopped looking, dropped out of the -- became discouraged with their job search and simply dropped out so they're not counted in the number anymore.

Let's take a look at where this is in the trend. I like to show you the longer term because 88,000, we had more than 250,000, 260,000 now with the revision last month. So it really shows a dramatic slowdown from February to March. When you look at the longer-term trend of how this has played out, we've had 2.5 years of private sector job growth, no question. But 88,000 jobs clearly is a bit of a slowdown.

Something that many economists had worried about because you've seen this trend the last few years. We had optimism at the beginning of the year. And then it would give way to some concerns heading into the spring. We'll be digging into this to see if the sequester had any impact. I'm looking at whether the payroll tax holiday that went away, people have a little bit less in their -- in their pockets, maybe that's starting to bite them a little bit. They're spending less money and that means companies are hiring a little bit less.

Let me show you where there was some hiring, professional and business services have the best growth, 51,000 jobs created in professional and business services. And some of those tend to be pretty good paying jobs. We had healthcare adding jobs. It consistently adds jobs in healthcare. Twenty-three thousand more jobs there. Some of those are very well-paid jobs. Others, about 19,000 a year are not as well paid.

So closely watching how this will play out. I'm expecting it means a sell-off on Wall Street. I'm sure Alison can you give you more on that. But we have futures down immediately, immediately after this report came out. It was a disappointment.

WHITFIELD: All right. Immediate impact. Thanks so much, Christine Romans. We'll check back with you later on in the morning.

Also this morning, new arrests in the murder of Colorado's prison chief. Police in Colorado Springs have arrested James Lohr less than two days after launching a search for him and another white supremacist. They say Lohr and Thomas Goulee may have helped plot last month's killing. Tom Clements had cracked down on their prison gang, 211 Crew. And that may have been what drove their fellow inmate Evan Ebel to kill him at his home. This morning police are trying to determine if Ebel acted alone. Meanwhile, Tom Clements family struggles to make sense of his murder and the horrifying violence that quite literally exploded right on their doorstep.

Jim Spellman has their exclusive interview with CNN.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIM SPELLMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With the courage and strength most of us could only hope for, Lisa Clements, widow of slain Colorado prisons chief, Tom Clements, along with daughters Rachel and Sara, sat down with CNN's Anderson Cooper.

ANDERSON COOPER, ANCHOR, CNN'S AC 360: What do you want people to know about your husband?

LISA CLEMENTS, WIDOW OF TOM CLEMENTS: There is so much being said about who he was and his career, and what he did in corrections, and certainly he had a significant impact, and he was a leader in his field. But for me, much more significant is the integrity of the person that I know and love, and that he really truly cared about other people.

SPELLMAN: Something she saw in Tom from an early age.

COOPER: He met you when you were 19?

CLEMENTS: Yes.

COOPER: At school?

CLEMENTS: Yes.

COOPER: What was about him that drew you to him?

CLEMENTS: So he is fun, he's kind and passionate about life. And so at a very early age, that was very -- it was interesting to me.

SPELLMAN: Tom Clements loved the outdoors and Colorado and hiking with his daughters. As the public focuses on his career, Sara and Rachel see a different man.

SARA CLEMENTS, DAUGHTER OF TOM CLEMENTS: He is my hero, he intervened in any life so many times and just really changed my path. I just wanted people to know that, you know, he's my dad.

RACHEL CLEMENTS, DAUGHTER OF TOM CLEMENTS: I would like people to see how he lived his life and that is so much important than how he died. That he lived his life with such passion and such compassion for other people.

SPELLMAN: In his professional life, that compassion extended to the inmates in his prisons, and even though it appears that one of those very prisoners gunned him down, his wife is already searching for forgiveness. L. CLEMENTS: I've heard Tom in our years together so many times talk about victims with whom he's spoken, who describe their entire lives falling apart, their marriages falling apart, their health falling apart because of the rage and the lack of forgiveness toward the person who harmed their loved one or took the life of their loved one. And conversely victims with whom he spoke and who simply said, I have to let go so I can live my life and that's -- and that's what I choose.

SPELLMAN: Though it appears her husband's killer was released from prison early due to a clerical error, she vows to not let resentment or hatred dominate her life many.

L. CLEMENTS: For the rest of my days, I could be angry that someone made a mistake and didn't capture what a judge conveyed verbally but it won't bring Tom back and it's -- and then my -- my life is lost in that and my ability to be a good mother to my children. So I choose not to make it a focus.

SPELLMAN: A choice to let the light chase away the darkness.

L. CLEMENTS: There's a scripture that's talking about when darkness overtakes the godly, light comes bursting through. And I think that scriptures captures exactly what I would like people to know about Tom. That horrific night -- you know, the sound of that doorbell and all that happened, was just unmentionable darkness. But I -- I trust that people will see light coming through. That they'll see that a man lived a good life and people's lives were impacted by that.

SPELLMAN: A light that will be remembered long after his killer is forgotten.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SPELLMAN: You know, Fred, I've been covering this story every day for over two weeks now, and there -- it's just so dark and so sad, and I find it so inspiring to listen to this family, their strength, their courage, as they make the best of this horrible situation.

WHITFIELD: They are incredible. All right. Thanks so much, Jim Spellman, for helping to bring that to us. Appreciate it.

All right. More on that breaking news we're following this morning. A federal judge in Brooklyn ordering the FDA to make the morning-after pill available over the counter to anyone. That means no age restrictions and no prescriptions at all, overturning an Obama administration decision.

Let's bring in CNN's senior legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin.

So, Jeffrey, we're talking about making the morning-after pill available to everyone, including those under the age 17. The Obama administration not wanting to make it available to anyone over the age of -- or 16 and beyond. So what does this mean? What was the legal argument being made here? JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: Well, this is a very long running legal dispute. In December 2008 -- even before that, the Food and Drug Administration said Plan B should be available over the counter to anyone regardless of age, but Kathleen Sebelius, the secretary of Health and Human Services, she overruled the FDA, and said that there had to be the age restriction, that it had to be only to women 17 and older. That was challenged by the Center for Reproductive Rights, a women's rights group.

And Judge Edward Korman in federal court in Brooklyn today said that Sebelius was wrong, that there was no reason to limit it, that there was no legitimate health reason to limit availability of this drug only to women over 17, and I assume there will be more appeals, but at the moment, it will soon be available to women of any age without a prescription.

WHITFIELD: And when you say soon, are you talking in a matter of weeks, months?

TOOBIN: Well, I -- I think we have to see whether the government gets a stay of Judge Korman's order to determine exactly when the law changes. I imagine the appeals process will continue. But the women's rights group which brought this case has now won it, and at least the status quo will soon be that women have access to it. Whether that goes into effect or whether an appeals court takes over, I can't say for sure at this point.

WHITFIELD: All right. Jeffrey Toobin, thanks so much. Appreciate your perspective on that one.

All right. A Texas district attorney was looking at guns hours before he and his wife were killed. CBS News obtained this surveillance video, this one right here, showing Mike McLelland shopping for guns for his office staff.

George Howell joining us now.

So, George, you spoke with the gun shop owner. What did very he have to say?

GEORGE HOWELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, we've learned that McLelland was an everyday face at this gun shop, not really shopping for guns from what we understand. Speaking with this gun shop owner. And he never bought a gun, so he wasn't really a customer.

Instead, he was there looking at antique guns and he did, Fredricka, express concern for colleagues, not for himself, but for the safety of his colleagues. Listen to what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

O'NEILL KIDWILL, GUN SHOP OWNER: He was in there Friday asking about what he should get his coworkers as self-protection. I recommended the .38 Smith & Wesson snub nose and perhaps a bulletproof vest, something like that. And he said he'd already talked to people about the vest and he would tell them about the revolvers. HOWELL: So he was concerned?

KIDWILL: He was concerned for them. For himself, he was at ease.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: So, again this is something that he did, something he did many days, going to this gun shop, checking out those antique guns. He did express concern about his colleagues, and we also know that this video was taken Friday. Again, the day before friends went to the home and found Mike and Cynthia McLelland shot and killed in their home -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And expressing that he was worried about the safety of his colleagues, and they too had articulated that to him.

HOWELL: Yes.

WHITFIELD: So, today, George, McLelland and his wife are going to be laid to arrest, as well, right?

HOWELL: Yes. At a funeral that happen later today. Within the next hour in Wortham, Texas, just south of us. And jus the other day, Fredricka, we saw the public memorial service. Hundreds of people attended, including Governor Rick Perry. The couple shared one flag- draped casket. Law enforcement, dozens of officers were there, and security outside that building was tight. A lot of security there as it will be today at this funeral, this private funeral that should start at 10:00 p.m. -- 10:00 a.m. rather Central.

WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks so much. George Howell, appreciate that.

All right. The NCAA madness, it's Final Four weekend. It is crazy in Atlanta. People are pumped, ready to go. Joe Carter among them -- Joe.

JOE CARTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, good morning, Fredricka.

Yes, we're going to be talking about the four teams that are going to be playing Saturday night. Specifically Michigan, how they are trying to create their own legacy, get away what the Fab Five was unable to do 20 years ago, talk about a couple players who have some NBA blood lines. We'll get into that and much more, right after the break.

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WHITFIELD: All right. Can you feel it? Final Four fever is gripping Atlanta and really the nation for that matter with the NCAA tournament semifinals, tipping tomorrow in the city.

It took I lot of work to put the court down on the Georgia Dome floor, take a look right there, backboard. But everything is ready for the big game this weekend.

Joe Carter is outside the dome. So, Joe, one team has NBA bloodlines, give it up.

CARTER: Hey, what's up, Fredricka?

Yes, we're talking about Michigan. Can you believe it's been 20 years -- 20 years -- since the Fab Five maybe back-to-back appearances in the Final Four? Remember them, the baggy shorts, the bald heads, the attitudes?

Well, this Michigan team is trying to create their own legacy. Two players on that team specifically, trying to do what their famous basketball dads were not able to do. That's win a national championship in college. I'm talking about Glen n Robinson III. His dad, Glenn Robinson, played in the NBA for 11 years, never won a championship in college, did win a championship in the NBA with the Spurs at the end of his career.

And then you're talking about Tim Hardaway, Jr. His dad, Tim Hardaway. A lot of basketball fans remember him. He played a lot of years in the NBA. Unfortunately, never won a championship in either college or the NBA.

And we caught up with Tim Hardaway Jr. earlier this week and talked about with him what it's like to live in his dad's shadow.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TIM HARDAWAY JR., MICHIGAN GUARD: It was hard, just to try to follow your father's footsteps and try not to worry about it. You try to leave a legacy of your own. But it takes a long time to do that.

So, I mean, he just tells me to go out there, have fun, just play my hardest, he is behind me, 100 percent.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CARTER: Now, Michigan's opponent on Saturday night, of course, is Syracuse, and college as opposed to the pros, the coach has really become the face of the program. And when you think Syracuse, you got to think Coach Jim Boeheim. The guys have been with the program for so many years. He's 900 games with this program. He's been to the Final Four each of the last four decades.

Fredricka, the first Final Four appearance for him was 1987. That was before any of these players on his current team were even born. But Boeheim, a lot of speculation out there, that he may retire after this season if they end up winning a championship. Syracuse comes in a three-point favorite over Michigan.

And then, last night, a lot of people following the Kevin Ware story -- of course, he's the guard that broke his leg in the Sunday game against Duke. Everyone is following him and his progress. Kevin Ware last night on the David Letterman did the top ten. I heard he was awesome. Andy Scholes is going to have that for you a little later, in "The Bleacher Report". And then, you know, come this weekend, we're going to be busy people, Fredricka. The Final Four, of course, much more than just the game itself. We're going to have a special on Saturday. That's going to be 3:00 p.m. Eastern. We're going to go behind the scenes and see what happens in this huge event.

Rachel Nichols is going to host it. Again, it's going to be tomorrow, 3:00 p.m. Eastern for all access look at this massive event.

It's more than just basketball, Fredricka. We're going to show you. And then, obviously, you got the concert series going on. Everybody from the Zac Brown Band to Flo Rida to -- Sting is even going to be here.

So, it's going to be a great weekend, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Oh, my gosh. There's going to be a lot going on. That's a lot of fun there.

All right. Joe Carter, thanks so much.

We still have a lot going on right here, a little NCAA madness of a different sort. You know Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as an NBA Hall of Famer. And guess what? He's also been voted the number one player for the NCAA in the first 75 years.

But before reaching the pros, he led UCLA teams, coached by the late Jon Wooden. Abdul-Jabbar helped clinch three straight NCAA titles. That's why he's number one player for the NCAA over the first 75 years.

So, I'm delighted to have him Kareem Abdul-Jabbar right here with me, to talk about the Final Four, the other college basketball topics.

So, let's start off with the story, I guess the uglier side of basketball right now, when we talk about Rutgers and what's taking place with the removal of that coach, using homophobic slurs and being rather unsportsmanlike with his players.

What's your thought about what happen there? Does something like that happen more often than we think? And just the difference is, we got cameras and cell phones now and et cetera?

KAREEM ABDUL-JABBAR, NBA HALL OF FAMER: My instincts tell me that that doesn't happen too much, Fredricka. But when it does, it's very, very disappointing because college coaches are supposed to be educators. What is he teaching the guys that he's coaching? Entirely inappropriate.

And I'm glad the university finally got around to do something about it, because you wouldn't want your kids going to college and having to deal with those circumstances. I don't think any parent would, and I think the university should really deal with the issue.

WHITFIELD: Yes, very discouraging. Meantime, the flipside of that is very encouraging, people are excited and thrilled about the NCAA madness right now, Final Four, especially with Louisville and Kevin Ware's story.

You know, how gripping has this been for you as, you know, a former player at the college level?

ABDUL-JABBAR: I think it's been great. I really enjoy all of the attention that the game is getting, I think it's really positive. There are a whole lot of events going on.

Sunday morning, I'm going to involved in Powerade Georgia Dome dribble. We're going to dribble around the Power -- around the Georgia Dome to show the kids -- we hope to have up to 3,000 kids.

WHITFIELD: Wow.

ABDUL-JABBAR: Yes. And just to show them that they can be fit, living a healthy lifestyle. Monday, I'm hosting a party at the NC2A, we're just going to have some fun. It's -- it's that time year when we all remember a lot of things. It's been 40 years since I graduated, right?

WHITFIELD: Hard to believe. It seems like yesterday.

ABDUL-JABBAR: It does seem like yesterday.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

ABDUL-JABBAR: I used to have hair. Yes.

WHITFIELD: Well, you are a legend on the hard court, whether it be in the college level, whether it'd be, you know, in the NBA. You know, what is encouraging to you about college level sports, and what it has reached -- this kind of fervor, this kind of interest, and intrigue?

ABDUL-JABBAR: Well, I think that college sports is something that makes college more attracted. It balances out the hard work you have to do in the classroom. Actually, for a long time, college athletes, and expected to do well in class, I don't think that's something we should get away from, but it's --

WHITFIELD: You think that's gotten lost, that message?

ABDUL-JABBAR: Sometimes it does, because people see sports as being a separate and equal section of life of its own. But it's part of everything. So, we have to learn how to include it, and just have a wholesome, balanced approach.

So, the whole idea of the scholar athlete is something that people should embrace, but it takes a while.

WHITFIELD: And we see you on so many platforms, advocating sports with young people, as you mentioned, with, you know, dribbling the basketball around this weekend. As a cultural ambassador by the State Department, you know, as well and really traveling the globe. Everyone knows you, you know, as a stellar athlete and a real intellect as well.

You know, is it -- is there pressure that comes from being that kind of ambassador?

ABDUL-JABBAR: Yes, it's pressure, but it's positive pressure, when you are encouraging kids to do positive things, well, you get a great result.

You know, I've had parents come to me and said, you know, my kids read more because it's something I had done or said. So it's just like this event I'm doing for Powerade, this weekend, you want to encourage all the kids to get out there, be active, live a healthy lifestyle, and hit those books. You know, that's part of it. That's what college --

WHITFIELD: You sound like my bad, hit those books.

ABDUL-JABBAR: College sports --

WHITFIELD: Really important to do that.

ABDUL-JABBAR: Yes.

WHITFIELD: And recently, I guess the past couple of years, you revealed you have a treatable form of leukemia. How are you doing today?

ABDUL-JABBAR: I'm doing very well. Thank you for asking. I'm doing great. My health is good and I've been having fun, being able to enjoy some of the things I love to do.

WHITFIELD: How fantastic. Well, we appreciate you. Kareem Abdul- Jabbar, thanks so much for being in our house.

ABDUL-JABBAR: My pleasure. Thank you.

WHITFIELD: This weekend -- have a good time this weekend --

ABDUL-JABBAR: Yes.

WHITFIELD: During the NCAA madness.

ABDUL-JABBAR: I like your office. Good signs.

WHITFIELD: You like it? Yes, it's not bad, especially for a man of your stature. It's the right size.

We'll be right back with much more of THE NEWSROOM, after this.

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