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CNN Live Saturday

Space Shuttle Atlantis Lifts Off For International Space Station; British Prime Minister Tony Blair in Israel Working on Middle East Peace Process; Fugitive Ralph "Bucky" Phillips apprehended Last Night; Violence in Afghanistan Continues to Increase

Aired September 09, 2006 - 14:00   ET

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

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 10-9-8-7-6-5-three main engines up and burning-2-1 and liftoff of space shuttle Atlantis.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: At last, Atlantis blasts off. NASA officials calling it flawless, but was it?

And fearing Florence. The tropical storm on the verge of becoming a hurricane.

Welcome to CNN LIVE SATURDAY I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

A look at our top stories. Liftoff, finally, for the space shuttle Atlantis.

Plus, Republicans feeling the heat as midterm elections approach. We'll look A look at our top stories. Liftoff for the space shuttle Atlantis. The shuttle is on its way to the International Space Station. Today's launch came after four previous attempts to get Atlantis off the ground. A live report from the Kennedy Space Center straight ahead.

In the Middle East British Prime Minister Tony Blair is in Israel. He is holding talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert hoping to move the stalled Middle East peace process forward again. Tomorrow Blair sits down in the West Bank with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Fugitive Ralph Phillips in custody after his capture house ago in Pennsylvania. He appeared in court today in Buffalo, New York. Phillips had been on the run for four months. He's suspected of shooting three New York State troopers, one of them fatally, after his escape from prison.

In Iraq the civilian death toll climbs again as insurgents launch another round of deadly attacks. At least three deaths are reported in several attacks in Baghdad. Among those killed, an Iraqi journalist.

In Afghanistan fighting rages on between NATO forces and the Taliban. NATO says one of its soldiers died in the latest fighting. The alliance reports dozens of Taliban deaths. Battles are part of a week old NATO offensive known as Operation Medusa. It is taking place around Kandahar in southern Afghanistan.

We update the top stories every 15 minutes on CNN LIVE SATURDAY. Your next update is coming up at 2:15 Eastern.

After four delays a picture perfect liftoff for the space shuttle Atlantis. This was the scene less than three hours ago as the shuttle blasted off for the heavens. It is now on its way to the International Space Station. CNN technology correspondent Daniel Sieberg is with me now from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. They are calling it flawless.

DANIEL SIEBERG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Fred. A reversal of fortunes after a rough couple weeks. You saw the launch of Atlantis there from launch pad 39 B. They are calling it flawless and are happy with the performance of the vehicle. The weather cooperated today. About two minutes into the launch itself we watched as two solid rocket boosters that provide the thrust separated off that massive external fuel tank. A short time later at the eight and a half mark or so, as shuttle Atlantis approached orbit and the massive external fuel tank that contains the super cooled liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen, that also separated from the shuttle. That is that huge container that contains the fuels to get into orbit. We saw that separate successfully.

As you pointed out shuttle Atlantis is now its way to the International Space Station where it will continue its 11-day mission to begin the reassembly of the International Space Station. Fred?

WHITFIELD: All right. Daniel Sieberg, thank you so much from the Kennedy Space station. We'll be checking in with you again.

Now across the waters in the Middle East, a historic press conference taking place a meeting between British Prime Minister Tony Blair and the Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert. Right now addressing folks there in Jerusalem.

Let's listen in.

EHUD OLMERT, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: Prime Minister Blair works actively and intensively to promote progress in all tracks to create stabilities throughout the middle east and his contribution is invaluable.

In the last few months I had many talks with Prime Minister Blair. In each he inquired, suggested, promoted and asked me to make every possible effort to advance the possible track of negotiations between us and the Palestinians. His concern, his care, his involvement with regard to the Palestinian issue is something that I personally greatly appreciate and I feel that this has been a very powerful manifestation of leadership and concern for us, for the Palestinians, for the many turn (ph) problems of the Palestinians that were raised with he had time again and I valued his support, his advice and his proposals.

He exerts great energy in ensuring the agenda remains caring for humanitarian needs of our neighbors. I, too, place a great importance in advancing dialogue with the Palestinian neighbors. I am dedicated to advancing the political process with the Palestinians according to the road map in accordance with all the sequence and all of its phases. Starting with implementation of the first phase, which calls for dismantling of the terrorist organizations and their infrastructure.

There can be no shortcuts in implementing this process. I assured Prime Minister Blair that I'm ready to work closely with the chairman of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, to implement the road map and we discussed at some length all kinds of ideas and interesting suggestions that Prime Minister Blair has with regard to these issues.

I also told Prime Minister Blair that I intend to meet with Chairman Abbas in order to make progress on the outstanding issues on our mutual agenda. The issue that was our first priority with the Palestinians naturally is the immediate release of Corporal Gilad Shalit. The prime minister and I also spoke about events in Lebanon and I thanked Prime Minister Blair for the central role that Britain played in achieving UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which led to the cease-fire with Lebanon especially in assuring that at the top of that resolution was the release of the two abducted Israeli soldiers.

I know how close this issue it to you, prime minister. And I appreciate very much the fact that in these very constrained timetable that you have in this visit, you also meet with the families of the abducted soldiers. Thank you very much for that.

Another central issue taking the complete implementation resolution of 1701 is deployment of an international force along the Lebanese border with Syria and preventing rearmament of Hezbollah by Iran and Syria and enforcing arms embargo. I told Prime Minister Blair that Israel is not a conflict with the Lebanese government or Lebanese people.

I emphasize that I'm ready to advance a dialogue with Lebanon in all levels and to achieve real progress on this important track. We discussed issues the Iranian and Syrian issues which are of deep mutual concern.

Prime Minister Blair continues to play a critical role in leading the international efforts to stop Iran's nuclear project. History will mark and thank you for your efforts in this crucial objective. I'm looking forward to continue our fruitful discussions over dinner. And again, prime minister, it is a great honor and great pleasure to welcome you and your delegation in the home of the prime minister of Israel in Jerusalem and I thank you for your friendship. Thank you.

TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: Thank you very much, prime minister. Thank you for your very kind welcome of me, my delegation to Israel and to your house.

I know from my own experience as a leader how difficult situations of conflict are and I would like to pay tribute to the quite exceptional character you showed in leading your country through what I know has been a traumatic and difficult time. It is only if you have handled this situation and made decisions yourself that you have some understanding of the burden of that decision making. And you have my sympathy and solidarity in that.

It is also as you rightly say, an issue to do with the stability of the Middle East and one of the most changed aspects of leading a country such as Britain today is that the stability of this region also now affects the stability of my country. That we live in a world in which how you fair here, how Israel does, issues to deal with Lebanon and Palestine are issues that also concern how my country does and that's the same right across the world today.

What has happened in Lebanon has, of course, been a terrible situation in which many, many innocent people have suffered. And I expressed my sympathy for all those who have suffered loss during the course of the events of those weeks but as you rightly point out, we work very hard to get the only cease-fire that was ever going to be sustainable and that was one based on a political frame work set out in Resolution 1701.

And I don't believe that if Resolution 1701 is implemented fully in the way it should be as I believe it will be, then this will be a major strategic advance for peace in the region and I want to assure you as I will the others that I speak to on this visit that we'll do everything we can as the United Kingdom to make sure that that resolution is implemented in full so that we enable the Lebanese government, a proper, democratically elected government to be in full charge of the whole of its country with Lebanese armed forces under the control of their government rather than militias or anyone else trying to disrupt that proper process of statehood.

In addition as you rightly said we of course have discussed Iran and I want to assure you that our position remains as it has been throughout which is to make sure that the will of the international community in respect of Iran's nuclear weapon aspirations, that the will of the international community is properly adhered to. And I can assure you ...

WHITFIELD: We have been listening to British Prime Minister Tony Blair as well as the Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert talk about the importance of having the world support that Great Britain is trying to offer to the Middle East. Tony Blair saying that stability in the Middle East is as important to that region as it is to his own country. And so we're going to continue to evaluate their remarks coming from Jerusalem this afternoon and bring you more information as get it.

Meantime, the search for Osama bin Laden, in an exclusive report our Nic Robertson goes to where he may be hiding. And once they fight crime, they're now fighting for their lives. We'll explain that coming up.

A unique legal maneuver designed to get O.J. Simpson's money. We'll explain.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) WHITFIELD: This just in. Kidnapped journalist Paul Salopec who was in Africa is now free. He will be going from Sudan to Chicago. Sudan has released the "Chicago Tribune" reporter today after being held for quite a few weeks. He was arrested last month and charged with spying and for quote-unquote "making false statements" according to the Sudanese government.

Sudanese officials agree to release him after meeting yesterday with New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, the former U.S. ambassador has close ties to other negotiations he's conducted in Sudan, as well as North Korea and even Cuba.

And apparently the president of Sudan actually made a phone call to the New Mexico governor, Bill Richardson where they then coordinated having that meeting in Sudan and now it has gained the release of Paul Salopec, "Chicago Tribune" a reporter who has also done an extensive amount of freelance work for "National Geographic."

So he and presumably two others who were from Chad who were also being held on the same type of charges with Salopec are also being released.

Al Qaeda releasing more tape of Osama bin Laden on the Internet. The group says the video was shot in a run up to September 11, 2001. New clips show bin Laden as well as the young American Adam Gadahn. Snippets released earlier in the week show bin Laden meeting with 9/11 planners. They also highlight some of the hijackers who hit the World Trade Center.

Tonight, "Know Your Enemy." Get a look at the man that brought terror to America. Watch "In the Footsteps of bin Laden," a CNN PRESENTS investigation seen by more than 10 million people. Encore presentations tonight and tomorrow night at 7:00 Eastern.

Surf is up at CNN.com. Let's check the most popular stories you're clicking on. One is of course today's liftoff of the shuttle Atlantis after repeated delays astronauts are finally on their way to the International Space Station.

You're also apparently intrigued by that air force officer that went missing in Kyrgyzstan. She turned up safe last night. Major Jill Metzger reportedly she says she was kidnapped Tuesday while shopping at a department store. The military is now investigating.

And this one. Researchers identify a warrior effect in men. British scientists say men bond quicker and cooperate better than women. They say males are better suited for war because they tend to be autocratic militaristic. Some say that was a given and some dispute that.

Captured. Accused cop killer Ralph Phillips now in custody. What lies ahead for him? Our legal eagles examine the issues in 30 minutes from now.

But first, is the work done by crews at Ground Zero killing them? CNN's Randi Kaye takes a closer look at the health issues haunting those that work the site. That story straight ahead. CNN LIVE SATURDAY continues right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: President Bush defending CIA prisons that until recently were secret. Top terror suspects were held and interrogated overseas in the five years since 9/11. This week the president acknowledged the program publicly. The 14 suspects held by the CIA were transferred to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

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GEORGE W. BUSH, U.S. PRESIDENT: This program has been invaluable to the security of American and its allies and helped us identify and capture men that believe were key architects of the September 11 attacks.

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WHITFIELD: An administration official says no suspects remain in CIA custody but they add the CIA interrogation program will continue as needed.

Just days before the fifth anniversary of 9/11, a new health report finds some 70 percent of recovering workers at the World Trade center are suffering from lung problems. More now from CNN's Randi Kaye in today's edition of "Our Planet."

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RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On September 11 five years ago as word spread America was under attack, hundreds of emergency responders rushed to the World Trade Center. Among them NYPD detectives John Walcott and Rich Volpe who arrived at Ground Zero right after the second tower fell.

RICH VOLPE, FORMER NYPD DETECTIVE: I remember you couldn't see your hand in front of your face number one. I remember constantly coughing and constantly gagging.

KAYE: Now retired they're no longer fighting to keep drugs off the street. They're fighting to stay alive.

JOHN WALCOTT, FORMER NYPD DETECTIVE: Right now I'm on borrowed time. Five percent only live as long as I have.

KAYE: John is battling leukemia and Rich has severe asthma and double kidney failure. Both blame their illness on exposure to toxins like benzene, dioxin and asbestos at Ground Zero.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want you to breathe real deep in and out through your mouth

KAYE: Dr. Steve Levin heads the largest screening program for 9/11 responders at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York City.

DR. STEPHEN LEVIN, MOUNT SINAI MEDICAL CENTER: There is no question that people have developed high rates of respiratory illnesses.

KAYE: Attorney David Worby (ph) says he has more than 8,000 clients who got sick at Ground Zero.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was the worst toxic waste side ever.

KAYE: Worby says more than 350 of his clients have cancer, 1,000 have severe respiratory ailments. More than 60 of them are already dead.

(on camera): At any point were you given a mask to wear?

WALCOTT: It took three weeks to wear a mask a couple weeks later they told us it was the wrong filter.

KAYE (voice-over): New York City declined an interview citing pending lawsuits but issued this statement to CNN. "Safety protocols were quickly implemented, including the requirement that respirators be worn and the City, its contractors and OSHA supplied more than 20,000 to workers.

Dr. Stephen Levin says it is still too soon to know if there's a connection between Ground Zero and cancer.

(on camera): Based on your expertise how long after exposure to you think it will take for someone to develop cancer?

LEVIN: In most cancer types that latency period, that delay is more often 20 and 25 years. Is it possible that we could see something in the World Trade Center mix of exposures that could accelerate that? It would really violate our understanding of the biology of cancer but we can't close our minds to the possibility.

KAYES: While he waits for answers, Rich remains focused on staying strong. And John, after six months of chemotherapy he has hope, his leukemia is in remission. The days of coaching high school hockey are over. He's too weak. So instead he skates the ice with his daughter. In the face of death family is top priority.

Randi Kaye, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: The fifth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks now just two days away. Coming up on Monday on CNN prime time, Paula Zahn is live from Ground Zero at 8:00 p.m. Eastern with a special report on crucial questions that still linger five years later.

And at 9:00 p.m. Wolf Blitzer leads our coverage of President Bush's prime time address followed by LARRY KING LIVE from Ground Zero. At 10:00 p.m. Anderson Cooper is live on the ground in Afghanistan with a firsthand look at what's been happening there in the war on terror since 9/11 and Monday morning beginning at 8:30 Eastern, CNN Pipeline will play CNN's original coverage uncut unedited as it happened live five years ago. To see it just log onto CNN.com beginning on Monday at 8:30 a.m. Eastern. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We were always Republicans and there are so many things going on now I'm just kind of backing off.

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WHITFIELD: And she's not alone. Up next we'll take a closer look at why so many Republicans are worried this campaign season. Later, Fred Goldman. Remember that name? O.J. Simpson. Both of them getting ready for another go around in court. We'll take a closer look in our legal briefs.

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MICHAEL DELL, FOUNDER AND CHAIRMAN, DELL INC.: You have to be willing to try things and experiment and ask a lot of questions and look for breakthroughs and ideas that haven't been out there.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's what Michael Dell did 22 years ago in his dorm room with just a thousand dollars he took his idea of direct sale computers and turned it into a $56 billion company.

Computers are built to the customer's specifications and shipped directly to them eliminating the middle man and keeping costs low. Dell notes that success doesn't happen overnight.

DELL: A lot of people go into business and they are looking to never make any mistakes. That's not the way to succeed.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Half past the hour. Here's what's happening right now in the news. NASA doesn't expect any problems from pieces of debris spotted after the launch of the Space Shuttle Atlantis. In fact, officials called it flawless day. The crew is headed to perform construction work on the International Space Station.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair is in Israel today. He is using his trip in the Middle East to float some new ideas on bringing peace to the troubled region. Blair met with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Blair travels to the West Bank and Lebanon tomorrow.

A tired and unshaven Ralph Phillips faced a federal judge earlier this morning. The judge agreed to turn Phillips over to New York officials. Phillips is accused of killing a state trooper and wounding two others. He was captured last night after a five-month manhunt. We'll talk more about that in our "Legal Briefs," coming up.

The Republicans control the White House and both houses of Congress and in a political race, incumbents usually have the advantage. So why are so many Republicans fighting for their political lives in this fall's elections?

Senior political correspondent Candy Crowley explains.

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CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SR. POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Want to know how much trouble Republicans are in? Go deep into the heartland, to Ruby Red, Indiana, to a Republican-leaning district, and you can hear this.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We were always Republican and there's so many things going on now, I'm just kind of backing off and not knowing more or less going independent.

CROWLEY: Welcome to the second district of Indiana represented by two-term Republican Chris Chocola.

REP. CHRIS CHOCOLA (R), INDIANA: I think it's much like the rest of the country. There's a challenging environment for Republicans.

CROWLEY: Ah, yes. Begin with this, the latest numbers from CNN and Opinion Research Corporation. An unpopular president, an unpopular war and $3 a gallon gas is a trifecta. Democrats are looking for a big payoff and Republicans are looking at a big problem.

Depending on who you talk to, nationwide there are about 46 competitive House seats, 36 of which are now held by Republicans. The Republican Congressional Committee called it "a desperate situation nationwide." Appealing for money the committee warned, "our candidates in targeted districts are in very serious danger of losing."

The Senate worries Republicans less, but it is worrisome enough. To be in charge of the Senate, Democrats need to hold on to what they've got and pick up six seats. As it happens, six Republican seats look vulnerable.

The truth is, Democrats had little to do with their catbird seat. Nationally, the new poll shows most people don't approve of either party.

JENNIFER DUFFY, THE COOK POLITICAL REPORT: In this cycle, voters don't like either party. They just dislike Democrats a little less.

CROWLEY: Which is to say, Democrats' biggest asset is, they are not Republicans.

JOE DONNELLY (D), INDIANA HOUSE CANDIDATE: Out here in the Middle West, some of the things we see in Washington are almost incomprehensible to us.

CROWLEY: Back in Indiana, too, Democrat Joe Donnelly wants Chocola's job.

DONNELLY: People feel that instead of standing up for them, the government has stood up for the special interests. They want new representation. They want change.

CROWLEY: With voters clearly soured on the status quo and Democrats selling change, what's a Republican to do?

AMY WALTER, THE COOK POLITICAL REPORT: Well, so you say to voters, essentially, you know, here's your choice: I know you are mad at me, I know you don't like what's going on in Washington, but do you really want to elect this person? Can you really trust this person?

CROWLEY: Well, exactly.

CHOCOLA: Elections are about a choice between two individuals, and the people of the second district don't really know my opponent very well yet. They will, by election day, and I think that they'll send me back to keep doing my job.

CROWLEY: It's not over, but the prospects are dire enough that even Republicans don't talk about gaining seats, but about holding onto enough of them to keep control of Congress.

Candy Crowley, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And we just saw Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report in that report from Candy Crowley, and now we ask her to join us live to talk a little bit.

WALTER: Hello.

WHITFIELD: Hello, how are you, Amy? We talked a little bit about the Republican strategy and hot races. Let's talk first about President Bush. Oftentimes a party of a sitting president will stand to gain something in a midterm election.

We're seeing President Bush, who is kind of crisscrossing the country, talking about the Iraq war and how the strategy, the American strategy on the Iraq war and the overall war on terrorism, is working and how he's going to stick to it. Are the Republicans overall happy to hear those words from President Bush? Happy to see his face in the place, if you will, across the country?

WALTER: Well, Republicans certainly can't be happy with the political situation that the president is in right now. As the piece pointed out, his approval ratings are quite low. And you're right. You know, a midterm election are traditionally a referendum on the party in power.

Now, in his first midterm election in 2002, this was very popular president. He was sitting at a 60 percent approval rating. Republicans picked up seats. Now obviously a very different time.

Look, I think you're going to see a whole lot of Republicans spend a lot more time talking about themselves, talking about their opponent, and a lot less time trying to link themselves with the president or with Washington.

WHITFIELD: And is this the midterm election which might as well be dubbed backlash? WALTER: That's a very good point. Sometimes they call midterm elections as sort of a time when voters get to sort of look back and sometimes they call it buyer's remorse election, right, where they go back and they say, well, we can't really do anything about the president right now. There is no more election for him. Let's take out any frustration we have on his party.

And so that's why midterm elections traditionally are bad for the party in the White House. A second midterm election, historically, has been disastrous for the party in the White House. This is a party, however, that hasn't had losses in the last two elections. It is almost like the steam has been building for some time and now it is getting let off.

WHITFIELD: And now talk about timing. You know, within the past 24 hours, people have been talking about this Senate report which is now saying that Iraq and al Qaeda, there was no tie. They had nothing to do with one another in terms of this report. How might this further -- I guess further, you know, inject a big blow to the Republicans?

WALTER: Well, it certainly doesn't help. I think any time that the focus goes onto Iraq, that's not good for Republicans. That's why they're trying to spend so much time moving it over to issues like terrorism and security. They want to get back on the train where they have some ability to be defined as a little bit better than Democrats.

They certainly don't have the lead that they did two years ago or four years ago over Democrats on this issue, but it's certainly a much more comfortable place for them to be in than Iraq. So when the focus swings to Iraq, not very good for Republicans. And they're going to try and spend as much time as possible swinging it back.

WHITFIELD: All right, what do you see the big Senate races as being?

WALTER: Well, Candy pointed out in her piece, Democrats need to pick up six seats in the Senate. Where we're going to really look as the bellwether race is Missouri. That's a seat right now where you have an incumbent, Jim Talent, who's a Republican running against Claire McCaskill, who ran for governor two years ago. It's a very close race right now.

In any other circumstance, in any other year, I think Talent would be the favorite, but because of this political environment this is a dead heat race and where it goes I think you will see where the Senate goes.

WHITFIELD: And in the House?

WALTER: In the House we're going to look for two regions of the country. Spend a lot of time looking at the Ohio Valley, Indiana, obviously, Kentucky, Ohio. And also look at the Northeast, Pennsylvania, eastern Pennsylvania especially, and Connecticut.

WHITFIELD: All right. Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report, always good to see you.

WALTER: Thanks a lot.

WHITFIELD: And I know we'll be seeing a lot more of you in the next couple weeks.

WALTER: All right. Thanks a lot. Bye.

WHITFIELD: Thanks a lot.

Well, stay with CNN your election 2006 headquarters with the best team of political correspondents on television.

Well, let's check in Jacqui Jeras in the Weather Center where Tropical Storm Florence is trying to make an impression.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WHITFIELD: Well, coming up, a fugitive captured last night now has his day in court this morning.

And imagine a cell phone that could get you to safety.

VALERIE MORRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Even when money is tight, everyone deserves an occasional splurge. So instead of an impulse buy, plan ahead with a budget and make your reward a reality.

First, pick the prize. Whether it is a new plasma screen TV or family vacation, find out how much it will cost. Then agree on how to pay for it. Maybe set aside your tax refund or year end bonus.

Hold a garage sale. Bring your lunch to work instead of buying. Put the money into a dedicated account so you won't be tempted to touch it. And when you hit the goal, relax and enjoy it. For more ideas, pick up "Money" magazine or online at CNNMONEY.com.

I'm Valerie Morris.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Accused cop killer Ralph Phillips no longer on the run. His capture came late last night in Pennsylvania. So how do you prosecute a man who is seen as a prophet by thousands of followers, a man who holds power over an entire community? Utah officials are about to find out as they put polygamist cult leader Warren Jeffs on trial.

Let's go over both of those cases with our legal experts. Avery Friedman is a civil rights attorney and law professor, he joins us. Hello, Avery.

AVERY FRIEDMAN, CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY: Nice to see you, Fred.

WHITFIELD: Good to see you too. And Richard Herman is a New York criminal defense attorney. Good to see you as well.

RICHARD HERMAN, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Hi, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Well, let's begin with the Ralph Phillips case. Avery, the federal count of being an unlawful flight, that count gets set aside. How come?

FRIEDMAN: Well, the federal district judge, Fred, has the power to hold onto this prisoner or refer him on to the state officials. Well, remember, the state here is looking at Buck Phillips as a cop killer. So we're dealing with a potential first-degree murder charge and the federal judge exercised his discretion and referred the prisoner on to state officials. So this week we'll see what the formal charges will be.

WHITFIELD: And so Richard, thankfully it ended peacefully, but how might this impact those charges that he will be facing in New York?

HERMAN: Oh, the way they caught him is not going to impact them, Fred, but this guy is in big, big trouble.

WHITFIELD: They won't say, oh, wait a minute, nice guy after all? He walked out?

FRIEDMAN: No.

FRIEDMAN: Oh, no. He's not a nice guy. For the last 20 of 23 years of his life he's been incarcerated. This guy -- when you shoot a police officer in the state of New York, like Emeril says, it gets kicked up a few notches. This guy is in big, big trouble. I'm surprised that he didn't get killed when they tried to bring him in. I really am.

But they had about a 200-member force on ships looking for him, helicopters, dogs, search teams. This guy -- when you shoot a police officer, a law enforcement in the state of New York, you face the maximum, it is over.

WHITFIELD: It's over. Yes, shooting or any kind of assault, forget about it when it involves a police officer.

Let's talk about the Warren Jeffs case in Utah. He was extradited, finally, to Utah.

You know, if ever there was a case, I would imagine, Avery, for a change of venue this would have to be it. He can't possibly be tried in his community, a community that, you know, he is charged of leading and that is why he's facing these charges of being an accomplice to rape.

FRIEDMAN: To rape, that's right. Well, that's going to be one of the arguments that have to be made here because, clearly, we have an environment where he has substantial numbers of followers. And so there's going to be a battle early on, on where this trial is going to take place.

Usually you see the argument being made by defense counsel. Here we actually may see it by the prosecution because they're going to need an impartial jury and that's going to be very difficult to do here.

WHITFIELD: And, Richard, might that be hard to find in the state of Utah, period?

HERMAN: Yes. It will, Fred, and this is not a slam-dunk by any means, you know.

FRIEDMAN: Right.

HERMAN: These jurors are going to sit there. These victims are going to have to come to court, stare this man down and testify against him knowing that he's facing life in prison -- potential life in prison. This is what they have grown up. This is what has been imbued in their memories since childhood. It's going to be very, very difficult.

And these charges, rape as an accomplice are extremely -- I mean, it's not a slam-dunk. It's a difficult case. You're going to have to prove a rape occurred. You're going to have to prove that someone was underage when it happened, and that he had knowledge, the means, the specific intent for this to have happened. It's going to be -- it is not a slam dunk, but I think he's going down.

WHITFIELD: Are those grumblings, Avery, meaning that you're in disagreement?

FRIEDMAN: Well, look, I mean, the truth is, that the facts of the case are very overwhelming. I think Richard would agree, the key here is how that jury is selected. If there is an honestly impartial jury -- and look, as a matter of principle, I think when jurors take that oath, when they take that oath, they understand that they are sworn to follow the instructions of the judge. Once you get beyond that, anything goes but I agree also that they're going to get this guy.

WHITFIELD: All right, we're going to squeeze in a third topic. Third case potentially. If O.J. Simpson's fame brings him any money, Ron Goldman's father wants it. Fred Goldman went to court this week trying to get the millions of dollars that O.J. was ordered to pay from that civil case. Simpson was acquitted of murdering Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman, but later, in the civil case, he was found liable for their deaths, but the Goldman family, has not received a dime and so now the Goldman family says they want some kind of money from any kind of publicity that O.J. Simpson would be reaping. Richard, long shot?

HERMAN: Well, it's a long shot, Fred. It does exist in California. There is a right to publicity. O.J. could very well have assigned this to his children years ago, which would preclude this. And Mr. Goldman knows this is a long shot. He's doing this to torture O.J. I was on "NANCY GRACE" the other night with him and I said to him look, even though he was acquitted, 99.9 percent of the American people think he did it, doesn't that bring you some closure in your life. Nancy yelled at me and we couldn't get on any further, but it's a very tough case.

WHITFIELD: Avery, you get the last word on this.

FRIEDMAN: That's what happens when you go on "NANCY GRACE."

WHITFIELD: I'm not going there.

FRIEDMAN: I like this theory. It is a rip-snorter, but it's a principled one. And the theory is that, look, if he's making money and there has been transfers of other income producing opportunities, this is a theory that I think is going to work and we're going to see. I'm very excited about the probability of something happening here to make justice happen and make O.J. accountable.

HERMAN: Fred, you can't compel him to go to autograph signings. You can't push him all over the country.

FRIEDMAN: Yes, but he's going to go.

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: OK, well first step for them is going to be October when there's a hearing on this. We'll see where it goes. So that means you and I, well you guys and I, we'll be talking about this again.

HERMAN: Absolutely.

FRIEDMAN: Absolutely.

WHITFIELD: Avery and Richard, thanks so much. Have a good weekend.

Well, coming up a phone net helps you find your way. What's that all about? CNN LIVE SATURDAY continues right after this.

But first, in today's Modern Living series, a look at one city's approach to smart growth and development. It all started with the removal of thousands of tons of contaminated material.

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REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: For years the defunct Atlantic steel mill was a toxic eye soar near downtown Atlanta. It's been transformed into Atlantic Station, one of the hottest places in the city to live, work and play.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is about a seven acre park. This is a retention facility for all the storm water runoff and we filter the water and reuse the water.

WOLF: The retail residential mix is attracting the young and the hip, empty nesters and many others. Twenty five hundred residential units have been sold and they been weaved into a million and a half square feet of retail and entertainment venues. The U.S. Green Building Council has recognized Atlantic Station for its sustainability, perhaps a model for other cities.

Reynolds Wolf, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Lost? Well perhaps getting a map and directions in a flash can take place on a smart cell phone. CNN technology correspondent Daniel Sieberg gets a walk through in today's edition of Techno File.

SIEBERG: What if I told you you could combine the services of online mapping with a GPS device, all inside a cell phone. Well joining us now to talk about a couple of these services is Brian Cooley, editor-at-large with CNet.

So Brian, the first one uses the Motorola Razor and it even offers you voice commands when you're getting directions.

BRIAN COOLEY, EDITOR-AT-LARGE, CNET.COM: Well that's a lot like one of those hand held GPS devices, without having to carry another gadget with you. It's called VZ Navigator and, as you can see, it lets you find the destination and then it gives you a map. It gives you all the prompts, plus the audio, as you mentioned. It will say turn left, turn right, what have you. The nice thing about all the phones that to do navigation today is they know where they are because they have a GPS chip in them. If they were made since last October, it's the law now. So you don't need to tell it where you are, just where you want to go. That's and improvement over some of those online map services that we all no so well.

SIEBERG: And how much do you pay for this service?

COOLEY: Three bucks a day for the Verizon Navigator, or a much better deal is $10 a month.

SIEBERG: All right, so the next one from Sprint, similar service, doesn't have that voice command part, but similar idea.

COOLEY: Yes, less money, and a few more limitations to it. It's called the InfoSpace Find It Service, running on this Sprint phone right now, $3 a month, very cheap. But it doesn't give you verbal prompts and it doesn't let you enter a specific destination by number and street. It lets you choose from lists of types of places you want to go, which is good for most of us, gas station, restaurant, ATM, what have you. All of these work surprisingly well. We were shocked how accurate and easy they were to use and because phones have good screens these days, they're easy to read.

SIEBERG: All right. Thanks so much for helping us find our way through this. Brian Cooley, editor-at-large with CNet, we appreciate it.

WHITFIELD: Well this is what's ahead on CNN LIVE SATURDAY. How long can they go and how long before someone trips? Find out at 4:00 Eastern. One major American city may tell kids to bag that sag or face a fine. Coming up at 5:00 Eastern, one of the authors of a new book about the president and the Iraq war, an unflattering critique, to say the very least.

And "Know Your Enemy." Two chances to see our documentary "In The Footsteps of Bin laden. Encore presentations air tonight and tomorrow night at 7:00 Eastern. A check of the day's headlines is next. Then, stay with us for "CNN PRESENTS" Billy Graham, America's Pastor.

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