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Woman Died From Santa Monica Shooting; Nelson Mandela Hospitalized; Waiting on Ruling on Zimmerman Hearing; An American Pastor Jailed In Iran; Pope And Change; Stay, But Not As Citizens; "Running Out The Clock"; All Hail "Game Of Thrones"

Aired June 09, 2013 - 16:00   ET

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


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello everyone. Welcome to the "CNN Newsroom." I'm Fredricka Whitfield. A look at the top stories at this hour.

Happening right now. The identity of the man who leaked the NSA surveillance program is revealed. He is a former CIA employee and he says he is voluntarily coming forward because, "I have done nothing wrong."

And a fifth victim has died after a terrifying shooting spree in Santa Monica, California. She was going to buy textbooks for school. We'll have the latest - next.

And if you're having a tough time getting your hands on concert tickets, you're not alone. Why changes behind the scenes are leaving a lot of fans on the wrong side of the gate.

We start with breaking news about the 29-year-old computer technician that, before today, most people had never heard of. But now the world knows Edward Snowden. He is the man who gave a British newspaper, "The Guardian," details of a top-secret American program that has been collecting Americans' e-mail and phone records.

Lisa Desjardin is following this from our Washington bureau. So Lisa, what more do we know about Edward Snowden, why is he now coming forward, or at least why his identity is being revealed?

LISA DESJARDINS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We've learned a lot in just the last hour, Fred. No understatement, this is a historic moment especially in the debate over security and personal freedoms. Just over an hour ago as I said "The Guardian" newspaper did something stunning, outing the name of its own leaker, the man who gave them information on one of the most broad and secret U.S. programs ever made public.

Let's show that video again of the website where they released that name and that video. This is Edward Snowden, as you say a computer systems expert. He's had administrative ability in past jobs, and those jobs include working for the CIA and most recently as a contractor for the NSA. So he could set some passwords, overseas security, Snowden told "The Guardian" that he worked for the CIA and it was during that job that he came to realize the scope of these programs. Then he moved to the NSA as a contractor in 2009. Even more, that's when he realized that he felt he needed to leak this information because of the scope of collection, that even if regular Americans weren't targeted, he felt this could ultimately affect them.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EDWARD SNOWDEN, NSA LEAKER: Even if you are not doing anything wrong, you're being watched and recorded and the storage capability of these systems increases every year consistently by orders of magnitude of - to where it is getting to the point you don't have to have done anything wrong. You simply have to eventually fall under suspicion from somebody, even by a wrong call.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DESJARDINS: OK. Here are some of the things that we know about Edward Snowden. Again, from the video and report by "The Guardian," 29 years old computer technician who says he's worked in several positions, again at the CIA and at the NSA. Snowden told "The Guardian" that he is in fact right now consulting for the firm Booz Allen Hamilton in Hawaii. I called an e-mail to the communications staff of Booz Allen and they have not gotten back to me yet.

But Fred, this story is quite a blockbuster. It is an incredible read. What "The Guardian" is saying here, Fred, is that just a few days ago, this man left behind his entire life in Hawaii. They say that he did not even tell his girlfriend that he would be gone. Or told his girlfriend why he was leaving. That he told his supervisor he needed to leave for a few weeks because he needed treatment for epilepsy which "The Guardian" says he does suffer from. But essentially that was a cover for him to leave the country. And then to fly to where he is now.

Edward Snowden, according to "The Guardian," is in Hong Kong. Also in that story, he is quoted as saying he does not expect to return to this country and he is nervous about possible retaliation from our intelligence agencies. Just an incredible story, all of this breaking in the last hour.

WHITFIELD: It is an incredible story. All right. Lisa, thanks so much. And more about that contractor that he was working for, not only does it have offices there apparently according to that reporting in Hawaii but also in Virginia and Atlanta. We did try to reach out to the Atlanta office and no answer on that.

So overall what does this mean legally for Edward Snowden? On the phone right now with us is CNN senior legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin. So Jeff, this is - of course, just in its infancy. We are learning just bit by bit about his whereabouts, possibly in Hong Kong, that he worked for an American contractor, that he did spend some time in the last four years at the NSA offices and also had formally worked at the CIA. So is there like a contract that people sign when they work for the NSA or the CIA that they would be prosecuted if they were to leak information of this caliber?

JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: Very much. Yes, for sure. Anyone who has access to classified information, whether you work for the government or for a contractor has to acknowledge the very severe criminal penalties that come with intentional disclosure of classified information. In his interview today with "The Guardian," he has acknowledged that he gave this classified information to journalists as an act of civil disobedience.

And there is no question that the United States government will want to prosecute him. What complicates this, of course, is that he is now in Hong Kong, which is under the control of the People's Republic of China, which is our adversary when it comes to the matter of disclosing confidential and classified information. So it seems unlikely that he will be extradited from Hong Kong. So as long as he doesn't leave Hong Kong, he's probably safe from U.S. prosecution.

WHITFIELD: That's interesting. When we talk about prosecution, what are the avenues? A case like this, would this be something handled in civilian court or would this be something by way of military tribunal?

TOOBIN: You know, this would be an ordinary American criminal court. It is a felony to intentionally reveal classified information. It's also potential violation of the espionage act which carries very severe penalties. I don't see any reason why this would be under any sort of extraordinary court like a military tribunal or something else. These kind of crimes are prosecuted in American courtrooms all the time. If you can get your hands on the defendant. Here, of course, as I said, the defendant, if he's telling the truth, is in Hong Kong, and probably outside the jurisdiction of American courtrooms. But if the Justice Department can get their hands on him, he will certainly be prosecuted in an American criminal court.

WHITFIELD: To what extent could the U.S. go to try to get their hands on him, as you say, even if in Hong Kong?

TOOBIN: You know, that's a very complicated question and I don't really know the answer. Hong Kong is - has an unusual status. It is technically part of China, but it operates quasi-independently. But, I don't know what the status of our extradition treaty, if there is one with Hong Kong. Bottom line, based on what I know about these sorts of things, I think it is very unlikely that the American government would get their hands on this fellow any time soon if ever. But there may be procedures that they can follow to try to - at least interview him, if not arrest him in Hong Kong.

WHITFIELD: And in general, if there is a way of generalizing parameters of prosecuting someone who has allegedly revealed U.S. secrets, what kind of penalty are we talking about potentially, if -

TOOBIN: Well, penalties could be very great. For disclosure of classified information it could be something like five to 10 years. If the espionage act is used the penalties could be much greater than that. Again, I don't know the circumstances exactly of what exactly he disclosed and how and when and where. There's a lot you need to know before you could talk about precise crimes, much less what sentences he could get. But certainly it is a matter of many years. It's not a slap on the wrist kind of crime if people are prosecuted. WHITFIELD: And of course we are talking about an administration here, whether it be by way of printed material in "The Guardian" newspaper or perhaps even more recently in this videotape that "The Guardian" is revealing on its website. And so if indeed the U.S. were to get past the barriers of whether he would be extradited, et cetera, prosecuting him, he may have just made it easier for them, if not for the geographic complications.

TOOBIN: That's right. He is essentially admitting to the crime of civil disobedience. That's acknowledging that you broke a law for what you regard as a higher cause. That's what he has done. So it doesn't appear like it would be very difficult to bring a criminal case against him if, as you point out, the federal government can get their hands on him. And that seems highly doubtful, at least in the short run, because Hong Kong is part of the People's Republic of China and they are not going to be any great hurry or willing at all to turn him over to us.

WHITFIELD: This happening now on the heels of a rather interesting, maybe break-through kind of summit involving the president of the United States and the president of China. It will be interesting to see whether this new relationship that was forged just on the West Coast this weekend will in any way assist in this effort.

Jeffrey Toobin, appreciate your insight on this.

Again, Edward Snowden now admitting and - that he is the person who helped reveal this NSA information leaked to "The Guardian" newspaper and now in Hong Kong.

All right. Now to California where another victim has died after that horrible shooting rampage in Santa Monica. 26-year-old Marcella Franco was driving to campus with her father to buy textbooks. Officials say a gunman shot both of them in their SUV. Her father died on Friday. She passed away today. Kyung Lah is live for us now in Santa Monica with the latest on this very sad tragic situations, this as the investigation still grows, right?

KYUNG LAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The investigation is growing and is continuing. The investigation shifting now to one of the biggest questions here, Fredricka - is how a young and disturb man got his hands on such an enormous arsenal.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LAH (voice-over): The armed gunman dead at the end of his rampage. The 23-year-old John Zawahiri had one intent say police.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He heavy armed himself and was ready for battle.

LAH: Police displayed his jaw-dropping arsenal and the black bag the gunman carried, the upper receiver to a two 23 semi-automatic rile, a 44-caliber handgun and hundreds of rounds loaded into two dozen magazine clips. He had an additional 1,300 rounds he could have fired. This is just some of his weaponry. Police also showed pictures of additional magazines and the gunman dressed in all-black wearing knee pads and a vest where you see him carrying the two 223 semi-automatic rifle he used in the bloody rampage across the normally idyllic beach town.

CHIEF JACQUELINE SEABROOKS, SANTA MONICA POLICE DEPARTMENT: Anytime someone puts on a vest of some sort, comes out with bag full of loaded magazines, has an extra receiver, has a handgun and has a semi- automatic rifle, car jacks folks, goes to a college, kills more people, and has to be neutralized at the hands of the police, I would say that that's premeditated.

LAH: But why? Police say in 2006 they were called to Zawahiri's house, the one he set on fire, his father and brother found dead inside. In 2006 Zawahiri was a juvenile so police wouldn't elaborate. Officers don't know why he chose to shoot his way to Santa Monica College. Police say Zawahiri was a student at community college in 2010, likely familiar with the library.

Police say students hid in a safe room. Miraculously dodging bullets the gunman fired through the walls. Police say Zawahiri probably didn't know any of his victims outside of his relatives choosing people at random. Victims like the father and daughter inside this red SUV, both shot and killed. Carlos Navarro Franco was a groundskeeper at Santa Monica College. He was driving his daughter, Marcella, a student at college to pick up textbooks when they came across the gunman.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why it happened to them. But to go out and just shoot randomly at other people, that you don't know or had any contact with, just don't understand you why a person would do that.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LAH: And this developing news, 26-year-old Marcella Franco has indeed died today. Fredricka, that brings the total number of innocent victims in this rampage now to five.

WHITFIELD: All right. Kyung Lah, thanks so much for bringing that to us.

All right. On the East Coast now, the George Zimmerman murder trial begins tomorrow. The first thing on the docket, jury selection. Martin Savidge is at the courthouse in Sanford, Florida. So Martin, hard to imagine that there's anyone in Sanford who hasn't already seen or heard of information surrounding this case. This is going to be a very tough jury selection process, won't it?

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It will. I mean, jury selection, of course, is crucial in any trial and any attorney will tell you that. But you're right, hard to imagine that there isn't a person in the state of Florida, in the U.S. alone, that has not heard of this case. Fortunately though, that's not a reason to disqualify anybody. It is whether you've made an opinion about the case as a result of hearing that. That's what the attorneys are going to try to weed out as they carefully go through this process. I talked to the defense attorney, Mark O'Mara, and asked him what kind of juror does he want? Here's what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARK O'MARA, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: I want open minds. People who have not made up their minds and people who are strong enough to decide the case on the facts and law and not on the external public pressure. My concern about this case all along is that there is so much pressure on the case, on the system, that any verdict might not be accepted as the proper one even if it is.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAVIDGE: 500 juror notifications have been sent out in the mail. The first 200 potential jurors will walk through the door of the courthouse tomorrow morning. Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: ALL RIGHT. An once jury selection gets under way, is there any expectation as to any one kind of taking a guess as to how long that process will last?

SAVIDGE: Everybody's taking a guess. There's no shortage of that. The reality is, will it be true. I talked to members of the prosecution. They believe that they could get all of this achieved. And they only have to choose six jurors, four alternates. They think that could take about four to five days. If you talk to the defense side, they think it could take anywhere from eight days to two weeks.

WHITFIELD: All right. Thank you so much, I appreciate that. Martin Savidge, there from Sanford, Florida.

Overseas, former South African leader Nelson Mandela is still in the hospital. Hear why this setback appears to be more serious than earlier health scares.

And Miami Heat star Lebron James talking to his strategy at the NBA finals. Find out why he is not worried about losing the Heat's first game.

And sold out again and again. Getting concert tickets may be a whole lot harder this summer. The reason coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We wish him a speedy recovery. We pray to god that he heals in any way and we thank for knowing him and for him to have opened our eyes. May the Lord heal him. May he put his healing hands wherever he's feeling the pain at the moment. He is the icon of the whole world. He has shown us what's truly leadership is.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Prayerful and hopeful in South Africa. Nelson Mandela remaining in the hospital today with the recurring lung infection. The 94-year-old former president has been hospitalized several times in recent years and every time there has been a shroud of secrecy surrounding his condition.

Our Nadia Bilchik joining me now. As a South African, you've come to know the Mandela family well and you also understand his reach worldwide. First off, why this shroud of secrecy that does recur, as does his health problems?

NADIA BILCHIK, CNN EDITORIAL PRODUCER: Well, the government particularly doesn't want any misinformation. They don't want any panic. Also, family members from all over, my very good friend, his daughters, (INAUDIBLE), for example, is the ambassador to Argentina. So they want everybody to be there. Also they understand how mammoth this is so they really want to manage the process. But I want to hear from his granddaughters who I spoke to in an exclusive interview earlier this year when they urged the public to please stop spreading rumors about their grandfather's health. So let's hear from Zamaswadi Dlamini.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ZAMASWADI DLAMINI, NELSON MANDELA'S GRANDDAUGHTER: As the family, we call on people and we urge people to give us the privacy to be able to deal with whatever we are going through as a family in private. I think many people reported that simple rights to just - if there are family members in the hospital, that they can deal with it privately. So I think it just boils down to the fact that it is a private matter and whatever goes on with him, especially when it comes to his health, should be dealt with privately as a family.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BILCHIK: And they want the privacy. But although he's no longer in public life, he is still very much a public figure and as we just saw, a public icon.

WHITFIELD: And that's a real conflict for the family, I'm sure, to try to maintain some privacy because he is their loved one, but they also have to realize that they have shared him with the world for a very long time.

BILCHIK: He is the man who is credited with the peaceful transition of South Africa from apartheid to democracy. He is the man who, when President Clinton said to him, "Do you not feel anger towards your jailers," he said "No, because if I am still angry with them, they have power over me." And Fred, if you look the Arab spring and if you look at what's going on in Syria right now, it makes it all the more meaningful that South Africa could have a peaceful transition. Is South Africa nirvana? No. Is there some criticism of Mandela? Yes. But overall look what he managed to achieve.

WHITFIELD: And does it seem like this is different, especially since there are family members or loved ones who seem to be making - can we say almost like a final visit with Mandela?

BILCHIK: I spoke, connected with his grandchildren yesterday. Earlier in the year they were happy to talk and they said that he's fine. This time, it is different, Fred. It is different. And there is a different sentiment around it and they are not commenting, as I said, for the various reasons before that. I don't know that Nelson (INAUDIBLE) Mandela will make his 95th birthday on July 18th.

WHITFIELD: Just a month away.

All right. Nadia Bilchik, thanks so much.

George Zimmerman's murder trial begins tomorrow and the jury selection may be the biggest challenge for both sides. We'll tell you why, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: The George Zimmerman murder trial begins tomorrow with jury selection. Zimmerman is accused of second degree murder in the killing of teenager Trayvon Martin. You could also soon get a ruling on whether expert voice analysis of the 911 tapes is admissible in court. That could happen this week, potentially.

So to talk more about the trial, I want to bring in Carrie Hackett, a criminal defense attorney and Mo Ivory, an attorney and host of the "Mo Ivory Show" on CBS Radio Atlanta. All right. Good to see you both.

All right. Let's begin with this potential jury selection. This has got to be probably one of the biggest obstacles that these attorneys have to face right off the bat. So Mo, what kind of jury are they looking for? What would the prosecution be looking for?

MO IVORY, ATTORNEY: So what the prosecution is looking for a juror - six jurors that can relate to Trayvon Martin, who have a feeling that racial profiling in America is no good, that there is a problem with race relations as it relates to black men and just the overall police agitation and just the way seems thing in America with race.

So the prosecution wants people that will think, "Oh poor Trayvon Martin was hunted down. Poor Trayvon Martin." On the flip side, the defense wants people who think police don't do enough, that you need neighborhood volunteers to come in and make sure that things are going well and that they can have a place to say, "You know what? I'm going to intervene because in this because its best for people because police aren't doing enough." So I think it is very clear that they want each of the sides needs jurors to feel a certain way about the victim and then about George Zimmerman.

WHITFIELD: So , as a criminal defense attorney, what would you be looking for? Because we heard, you know, Zimmerman's defense attorney Mark O'Mara say that he wants a juror as he makes his selection, or goes through the Q&A, he wants one that isn't prejudiced about the case. But how can that be given so much information before this trial were to begin?

CARRIE HACKETT, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: You know, everybody walks in to a courtroom with some kind of prejudice or at least some kind of background. Everybody has their own experiences that they have to draw from when they are deciding a case. The judge will ask them if they can be fair and impartial. That's basically the standard that we look to. But I think that the defense is really looking for somebody perhaps with kid, maybe older, a little more conservative, definitely homeowners that want to protect their homes, protect their neighborhoods. That would be the type of jurors that they are looking for.

WHITFIELD: Now, we know that there was a pre-trial hearing taking place involving these 911 tapes. Not the issue of will these 911 tapes be admissible but the issue is whether the analysis, voice analysis, of these tapes is admissible. While they try to weigh that, what I thought it was extraordinary both of you were in agreement that it is possible the prosecution would call Trayvon Martin's mother. She would not be an expert voice analyst, but instead she would be able to take the stand and talk about what she hears, does she hear her son in that tape.

IVORY: Sure. I think it really - of course I want to see the prosecution be able to get these experts in to give their testimony about the voice. But - if it does not happen, I think the best expert is a mother who knows their child's screams. Sabrina Fulton has said before that is my child screaming. I think the jury would be impacted by that. I think it is such a personal testimony and the father as well. If Tracy comes up and he says the same think - "That's my son screaming for his life" - I think that will be more impactful than what any expert could say about the tapes.

WHITFIELD: And Carrie, do you see potentially that there might be some witness, that is called to testify who will be able to say "I saw it." Because thus far there are no eyewitness accounts that the public is aware of.

HACKETT: I don't think so because any witness that is on the witness list as an A witness, that's going to be called to testify here, needs to be presented and the defense needs to have that knowledge ahead of time. The defense has been pretty forthcoming --

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: -- it's just the public doesn't know.

HACKETT: We don't know.

WHITFIELD: We don't?

HACKETT: There is a possibility that that individual does exist, but I think that they've been pretty forthcoming with the evidence that they do have against George Zimmerman, because they've publicly said, look, we don't believe that there is enough evidence here to convict George Zimmerman. We do believe he will be acquitted.

WHITFIELD: Where do you see this potentially in the scale of high- profile cases, ones to watch? This is not just about a criminal charge, a criminal case, but it really does speak to socially where we are in this country.

Up there with the O.J. Simpson, with the Jodi Arias most recently, or in a category in and of itself? MOE IVORY (PH): I think it is a whole category by itself, which is going to really bring conversation of race relations that everybody really wants to have but we never do have it. I think it's just -- it's going to be heartbreaking.

It is just a very hard trial to watch, but I think it is going to bring those issues of race relations in America, racial profiling, dealing with the police to a heightened level that we have not seen as of yet.

And for me, I think it is going to surpass O.J. and the kind of coverage -- they've said that there has been international media covering this in a way that no case has ever been covered before. So I think we are in for a big --

All right. (Inaudible) real quick, (inaudible) --

HACKETT: -- I think that the law is more interesting in this case, but I think that it is going to be a little less salacious than the Jodi Arias case. I would not expect George Zimmerman to take the stand at all, or for very long.

WHITFIELD: All right. Carrie Hackett, Moe Ivory (ph), thanks, ladies. Appreciate it.

It will be a riveting week, the start of what will be a riveting court proceeding.

All right. A California school collects toy guns from its students. We'll tell you why the kids are surrendering their arms and what they are getting in return.

Plus, the Miami Heat going into game two of the NBA finals. But guess what? They're going in behind. LeBron James says, losing game one, no big deal. He explains why -- one on one.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. A look at what's trending right now. Simon Cowell got egged last night during the finale of "Britain's Got Talent." A woman who was on stage smiled and simply hurled the eggs at Cowell to everyone's surprise. She later apologized after being scrambled off stage.

And folks in New York Harbor got to see the tallest building on Governor's Island implode. It took 200 pounds of dynamite to bring the 11-story structure down. The cleared space will become a public park with direct views of the Statue of Liberty.

And an elementary school principal in California believes if you keep toy guns out of kids' hands they won't take the real ones seriously. So he held a toy gun exchange at school yesterday. Kids turned in their toy guns in exchange for books and a chance to win a new bike. Same-sex marriage is headed back to the front burner thanks to a case before the U.S. Supreme Court. CNN political editor Paul Steinhauser looks at growing support for its legalization.

PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN POLITICAL EDITOR: Hey, Fred. The Supreme Court issues opinions tomorrow. By the end of June, the high court's expected to rule on such big issues as affirmative action, voting rights and same-sex marriage.

Most recent polling indicates a majority of Americans support legal same-sex marriage. The latest survey comes from CBS News and "The New York Times." And nearly three-quarters of the public think legal same-sex marriage is inevitable. That from a new Pew Research Center poll.

Even a majority of those who oppose it say they think same-sex marriage is likely to become more widely available.

Tuesday, the first big vote is scheduled by the full Senate on an immigration reform bill supported by a bipartisan Gang of Eight senators. Debate is already heating up.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JEFF SESSIONS (R), ALA.: They will definitely give amnesty today.

SEN. BILL NELSON (D), FLA.: They're going to try to torpedo it. They're going to try to put poison pills that are so seductive as amendments that will kill the bill.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STEINHAUSER: So what do you think? Should undocumented workers be given an eventual pathway to citizenship? Most of the latest polling indicates a majority say yes, but 7 out of 10 questioned in a recent Quinnipiac University poll were pessimistic that Democrats and Republicans in Congress would work together to pass a bill.

Now given the way things work on Capitol Hill nowadays, such feelings are understandable.

Fred?

WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks so much, Paul.

You're about to meet CNN's new late night talk show host. His name -- George Stroumboulopoulos. For years in Canada, he has sat down with the biggest names out there -- Jodie Foster, Deepak Chopra and many more. And now he's doing this for CNN.

And one of his debut guests, Keanu Reeves, George took a motorcycle ride, in fact, with the movie star.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE STROUMBOULOPOULOS, CNN HOST: I'm going to ride his bike. Can I just say, first of all --

KEANU REEVES, ACTOR: Yes?

STROUMBOULOPOULOS: You're Keanu Reeves.

REEVES: Yes.

STROUMBOULOPOULOS: The face. What are you wearing?

REEVES: This is what I have to wear by law.

STROUMBOULOPOULOS: But, bro! You're Keanu Reeves. You're a money maker.

REEVES: Yes, well, you know, that's just how it has to go. All right?

(LAUGHTER)

STROUMBOULOPOULOS: All right. So this is a beast to start. Isn't it?

REEVES: Yes. It's got something to it.

STROUMBOULOPOULOS: This is your man.

REEVES: Going to the left.

STROUMBOULOPOULOS: Going to the left, all right. Let's go over to the left.

REEVES: Go left two spots.

STROUMBOULOPOULOS: All right.

REEVES: Pull the kickstand. That way you won't do the kickstand. Do it.

STROUMBOULOPOULOS: Let's get -- find that sweet spot. We're in neutral. Right? OK. Ready to roll?

REEVES: So we're here. We'll go here, we'll make the left and then we'll just make another left. (Inaudible).

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Yes, they ride and they talk and you will hear. Catch more of George's interview in the premiere of "STROUMBOULOPOULOS" tonight, 10:00 pm, right after the season finale of "ANTHONY BOURDAIN: PARTS UNKNOWN."

Of course, it is also tonight game two of the NBA finals and it's a critical one for the Miami Heat. They are behind in home territory. How can that be?

But star forward LeBron James says he's not at all concerned. He reveals why in a one-on-one interview.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: We're just hours away from game two of the NBA Finals. The San Antonio Spurs are going into it one game up after winning Thursday night. That means the Miami Heat and star LeBron James have their work cut out for them.

Rachel Nichols joining me now live from Miami.

OK, so, Rachel, you talked to LeBron. He's not so worried about the loss. Instead, they remain confident?

RACHEL NICHOLS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. His track record is backing him up here. They actually lost game one of the NBA Finals last year, went on to win the next four straight to take the title.

In fact, since LeBron has been in Miami, every time they've lost the first game of a series, they've then gone on to win the next four straight. Now nobody thinks it's going to be quite so easy with San Antonio here. This is a more veteran team.

Still, when I had the chance to sit down with LeBron yesterday, he remained confident. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LEBRON JAMES, MIAMI HEAT: One thing about our team, one thing about me, we get better as the series goes on. We figure out ways we can exploit our competition, do better the next game. Guys kind of live for that moment. We hate being down 0-1. We don't like being down 0- 1, but we've been able to come back and come back a little stronger (inaudible).

NICHOLS: You have always been the guy the entire rest of the team is keying on, the opponents key on. I remember watching you in your senior year in high school. It has been that way your whole career.

So after thousands and thousands and thousands of these opportunities and then you get to game, one of the finals, it's that way again, do you ever get the feeling, hey, worry about someone else? Do you just want to play one of these games where the whole defense isn't built around stopping you?

JAMES: Man, it is what it is. I put myself in a position to have that attention and I think it's great that I'm able to draw attention away from my teammates and kind of put them in a position where they can be successful.

But you will wish you could go out there and you're not the key guy that everyone looks at. But that's what I'm in. And I have to figure out ways I can be great, even with that going on.

NICHOLS: When you played the Spurs in 2007 in those finals, the entire game plan was about stopping LeBron. In game one we saw a lot of the game plan seemed to be just stop LeBron.

JAMES: Yes, and I've seen that and I've seen a lot of that. They loaded the box, they put a lot of people in the paint and they had a lot of our shooters make shots. And but that's why we got here. A lot of teams have put a lot of emphasis on stopping me from getting in the paint or not allowing me to do what I do. And my teammates have always come up for me. And that's why we're here in the finals. And I know they come up for me here.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NICHOLS: Of course, Fred, you remember LeBron got so much attention when he came down to Miami, of becoming part of a Big Three, joining Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosch. The whole point of that is those guys were supposed to help him out a little bit. That hasn't been happening so far too often these last few games. Those guys will need to step today -- up tonight, as well as LeBron. So we'll see how this all goes. But hopefully for the Heat, it can be a group effort.

For San Antonio fans, they're fine with things just the way it's been.

WHITFIELD: All right. Well, hopefully that trifecta will be able to deliver.

All right. Thanks so much, Rachel Nichols there in Miami.

OK. Let's talk about the U.S. Supreme Court. They're getting ready to rule on several high-profile cases, maybe as early as this weekend. It might impact every single American. We'll take a look at the issues and the possible decisions -- next.

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WHITFIELD: This month will be one for the history books. The U.S. Supreme Court is ruling on some major issues that impact just about all of us. Two of the biggest ones -- affirmative action and same-sex marriage -- CNN's Athena Jones has more.

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ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: From now until the end of June, the Supreme Court is expected to rule on big issues -- affirmative action and same-sex marriage.

TOM GOLDSTEIN, COFOUNDER, SCOTUS BLOG: It's almost unimaginable the number of things the Supreme Court's going to decide that affect all Americans in the next month.

JONES (voice-over): First up could be whether public schools can consider race when admitting students.

Abigail Fisher sued the University of Texas, arguing she was rejected because she's white.

ABIGAIL FISHER, AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PLAINTIFF: I hope the court rules that a student's race and ethnicity should not be considered when applying to the University of Texas.

JONES (voice-over): The school says race is one of many factors it uses to achieve diversity on campus.

Court watchers say Anthony Kennedy could side with conservative justices to overturn or limit a major Supreme Court decision from 10 years ago that allowed affirmative action.

The justices are also dealing with another hot button issue -- same- sex marriage.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Inaudible) that marriage is between one man and one woman. You guys just won't accept it.

JONES (voice-over): Considering whether California's Proposition 8 ban is constitutional and in a second case, if the Defense of Marriage Act can deny same-sex couples the same federal benefits as heterosexual ones.

EDITH WINDSOR, PLAINTIFF: I think it's going to be good.

That case was brought by Edith Windsor, a New York woman who had to pay higher estate taxes after her wife died than someone in a heterosexual marriage would have.

GOLDSTEIN: I think it's likely in the Defense of Marriage Act case that the Supreme Court will invalidate the federal law that says we won't recognize state same-sex marriages. But in the California Proposition 8 case, the justices seem unlikely to require under the Constitution every state to recognize same-sex marriage.

The ruling may not be a huge gay rights victory at all, but I doubt it is going to be a significant loss either.

JONES (voice-over): Another case involves the kind of genetic testing that led actress Angelina Jolie to undergo a double mastectomy. The court is considering whether human genes, so-called products of nature, can be patented -- Athena Jones, CNN, Washington.

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WHITFIELD: And concert tickets are getting pricier by the minute these days. Hear how some performers are cutting costs for their fans while ensuring a nice profit for themselves.

KID ROCK, MUSICIAN: We take some of our tickets, we put them on StubHub, overcharge. Look what the market determines they're worth. I'm taking 1,000 of them and I'm scalping them.

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WHITFIELD: Imagine this -- your favorite artist is playing a big concert. You're trying to get tickets but you can't find them anywhere. It's because as many as half of the seats could be full before a single ticket ever goes on sale. AJ Hammer explains why.

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A.J. HAMMER, HLN HOST (voice-over): Even a rock star admits getting concert tickets and paying for them can be a challenge.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's gotten out of hand. Price of concerts, the price of entertainment, period.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Getting tickets has been a big problem.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ticketmaster is a disaster. StubHub is a disaster.

HAMMER (voice-over): These fans of the Dave Matthews concert in New Jersey may complain about getting tickets, but at least they've managed to pull it off.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: To get first access to tickets, you have to be a member of something -- whether it be a Citi card holder or an American Express card holder or a member of the fan club or something like that.

HAMMER (voice-over): Music fans are feeling the crunch this summer. A face-value ticket to see the Rolling Stones on their current tour can cost you almost $700.

And if you head to the box office, looking to see stars like Justin Bieber, be ready for disappointment, because some performers only release a small percentage of a concert's available seats to the general public.

JOSH BARON, EDITOR, "RELIX MAGAZINE": People may have heard about those concerts in the Nashville area for Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift, where a number well over 75 percent, I think, of the tickets were out the door before they happen. And so everyone rushes to try to get these high-demand tickets and there's none available.

HAMMER (voice-over): "Relix Magazine" editor Josh Baron co-wrote a book about the ticket industry. And he says a lot of parties are looking for their piece of the ticket pie.

BARON: The biggest participants, however, are artists for their own artist holds. That can be for their fan club; it can be for their own personal use. It can be held for a credit card company like Citi card or AmEx that can sometimes get up to 20 percent, 25 percent. Sometimes close to 50 percent of the venue could be sold out prior to a general public on-sale.

HAMMER (voice-over): Fans may want to blame scalpers and ticket agencies for high prices and low availability, but Baron says it starts with the artists.

BARON: There's only one Rolling Stones, there's only one Madonna, there's only one Lady Gaga. So it is up to them how to treat their ticket sales.

HAMMER (voice-over): Some artists currently on tour are trying to reward their fans. Rock is cutting his ticket prices.

ROCK: Twenty dollars, every fricking seat, 90-some percent of the seats.

HAMMER (voice-over): But unlike a lot of artists, he is up front about how he's subsidizing those price breaks.

ROCK: A lot of artists already do it. I think I've been guilty of it in the past, too. We take some of our tickets, we put them on StubHub, overcharge, look what the markets determine they're worth. I'm taking 1,000 of them and I'm scalping them.

HAMMER (voice-over): So fans trying to see a show this summer need to adapt to the new reality.

BARON: You have to -- unfortunately, pursue several avenues. Join that artist's fan club; qualify for a credit card, and the general on- sale. Between those three outlets or avenues, hopefully you can get a ticket that at least gets you into the building.

HAMMER (voice-over): AJ Hammer, CNN, New York.

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WHITFIELD: Well, all right.

And he is the reputed leader of one of Boston's most feared criminal gangs. Whitey Bulger goes on trial this week. Straight ahead, we'll take a look at his deadly alliance with a rogue FBI agent.

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