Return to Transcripts main page

Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees

National Guardsman Charged With Espionage; Dean Quits Presidential Race

Aired February 18, 2004 - 19:00   ET

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

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


(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON COOPER, HOST (voice-over): Dean is done, out of the race. But what about his endorsement?

Hell in Haiti. Anarchy spreads as more Haitians take up arms against Aristide.

Child abuse caught on tape. How crossed signals led police to a foster child in trouble.

A cyber shocker. A teen surfing the Web discovers his secret past.

Martha on trial. The government gets ready to rest. Will Stewart now take the stand?

And eating the evidence. Criminals feed a murder victim to a lion.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: Live from the CNN Broadcast Center in New York, this is ANDERSON COOPER 360.

COOPER: Good evening.

We begin tonight with breaking news. A National Guardsman has been charged with espionage. His name, Ryan Anderson. He is accused of giving information to al Qaeda. You may remember he was arrested in a raid last week at Fort Lewis in Washington.

This is a fast-developing story; a fast-breaking story. Let's go to Jamie McIntyre at the Pentagon for the latest.

Jamie, what do you know?

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SR. PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, one thing that's not clear, Anderson, is whether he actually gave any information to anyone. Apparently, according to Pentagon sources, National Guardsman Ryan Anderson was caught in a sting operation apparently talking on a chat room, offering to give the information to al Qaeda. That was the basis under which he was arrested.

Today, he's been formally charged in Fort Lewis, Washington, his home base, where he's a member of a National Guard unit that was about to deploy for training and go on to Iraq. Anderson is 26 years old, but he converted to Islam a number of years ago, and he was caught in an operation that the U.S. military has trying to find soldiers who might be trying to give aid and comfort to the enemy.

COOPER: It is a fascinating story, Jamie. Obviously, a breaking-news story. It just happened moments ago. We just got word of this.

We're covering the story. We'll check back in with you, Jamie, as is warranted.

Turning now to the new political reality, for Democrats it is really down to two. Two major candidates fighting for the Democratic nomination. John Kerry and John Edwards, they're going to duke it out on Super Tuesday.

This afternoon, Howard Dean pulled the plug on his campaign after going 0 for 18 from the Iowa caucuses to the Wisconsin primary. We have team coverage at this hour, of course. Senior political correspondent Candy Crowley is in Burlington, Vermont, with the latest on Dean's dropout, and Kelly Wallace is in Columbus, Ohio, following Kerry and Edwards.

We begin with Candy Crowley -- Candy.

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SR. POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Anderson, it was pretty much written on the wall. But for some time, Howard Dean didn't read it.

After New Hampshire, we heard from some people inside the campaign increasingly worried that there was any chance left. Indeed, as you say, after 17 U.S. contests and one of American overseas, he was 18 for 0. Wisconsin is the straw that broke the camel's back.

Indeed, Howard Dean came home to tell his supporters here in Vermont that he was giving up the race but not giving up the cause. There's some question as to what that really means. There are several ways he can go at this point. Maybe set up some sort of organization that helps congressmen, Democratic congressmen get elected.

He also talked about reminding his supporters that his name was still on the ballot and that they should continue to elect progressive delegates to the convention. So he clearly would like to have a say in the platform that's written there.

So any number of ways that Howard Dean can go, except one way, and that's on the campaign trail. That part is over -- Anderson.

COOPER: It has been a remarkable turn of events. A lot of sadness in the Dean camp tonight.

Candy Crowley, thanks very much.

COOPER: Sharpton and Kucinich are still in the race for now, but only Edwards is in a position to continue challenging the front- runner, John Kerry. In the race for the nomination, it has come down to a pair of senators who might have more similarities than differences.

Here is CNN's Kelly Wallace.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KELLY WALLACE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): An overwhelming victory in Wisconsin.

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I've always said these races are close.

WALLACE: But his campaign was hoping for a conclusion that would have weakened not only Howard Dean, but also John Edwards.

SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D-NC), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: ... to stand up for protecting our jobs, making sure we have a trade policy that works for everybody.

WALLACE: Some of the North Carolina's senator's success stemming from his repeated opposition to the North American Free Trade Agreement, known as NAFTA, which Kerry supported.

EDWARDS: I was against NAFTA and some of the trade agreements that he was for. And I think that cost us millions of jobs.

WALLACE: In a new effort to counter Edwards' surprise surge, Kerry says there is no daylight between them.

KERRY: We have the same policy on trade.

WALLACE: The senator also raised questions about when Edwards voiced his opposition to that trade deal.

KERRY: Well, he wasn't in the Senate back then. I don't know where he registered his vote, but it wasn't in the Senate.

WALLACE: Senator Edwards, in a conference with reporters, acknowledged he did not publicly criticize the deal when it became law. "I was not in Congress when NAFTA was passed," he said. "I campaigned against it when I ran for the Senate."

There are few policy differences between the two men. Both voted for the Iraqi war resolution, support repealing President Bush's tax cuts for the wealthy, and backed the re-importation of low-cost drugs from Canada. One of the few differences, Edwards supports the death penalty. Kerry mostly opposes it, with some exceptions.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALLACE: It is mainly their backgrounds and their experiences that set them apart. Edwards says being a southerner makes him the candidate who can defeat President Bush. Kerry plays up his national security experience as the reason he believes he is the more electable candidate -- Anderson. COOPER: All right. Kelly Wallace in Ohio. Thanks, Kelly.

All along, of course, John Kerry has been saying he's the one Democratic candidate who could beat President Bush. But a new CNN-USA Today-Gallup poll seems to take some of the steam out of that argument. Take a look at the numbers.

The polls suggest that either John Kerry or John Edwards could defeat President Bush if the election were held today. Now, this is a poll among likely voters. Kerry led Bush 55 percent to 43 percent, while Edwards also had the edge against Bush, 54 percent to 44 percent.

The latest polling also suggests voters rate the economy as the number one issue. An issue that's fast becoming a touchy subject for the Bush administration. Today, the White House appeared to be backing off a prediction on jobs growth.

Senior White House correspondent John King has details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In the Oval Office, no direct answer when asked if he stands by a prediction that the economy will create 2.6 million new jobs this year.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think the economy is growing, and I think it's going to get stronger.

KING: That upbeat prediction of 2.6 million new jobs is from a White House report issued just nine days ago. The Treasury and Commerce secretaries were first to distance themselves from the number, leading six Senate Democrats to write Mr. Bush asking for "... a meaningful jobs predictions that all Americans, including your own cabinet, would find credible." As Mr. Bush's spokesman was reminded, the election year report carried the president's signature and, presumably, his endorsement.

SCOTT MCCLELLAN, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: I mean, you're trying to get in here to get me to answer questions that are trying to trap me into certain things.

KING: Democratic front-runner John Kerry says it is hardly the first time administration job predictions have failed the credibility test.

KERRY: They promised in the first tax they'd create 500,000 jobs. They lost a million or more. In the next tax cut, they promised another 800,000 jobs. They lost another two million.

KING: The Iraq war is another credibility challenge.

BUSH: Saddam Hussein aids and protects terrorist, including members of al Qaeda.

KING: This scathing ad by a liberal group among the attacks suggesting the president hyped the evidence.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KING: Now, the administration chalks up this criticism and any talk of a credibility gap to Democratic campaign attacks, Anderson. But some Republicans are getting a little nervous. They want the president to be more aggressive on the campaign trail, and they want the Bush campaign to tap its huge war chest and start spending some money on TV ads.

COOPER: John, I know the president also came out today and made some comments about the same-sex marriage debate going on in San Francisco. What did he say?

KING: He inched a bit closer. No public endorsement yet of that constitutional amendment banning gay marriages that many conservatives want. But the president did come a bit closer today.

He said he's deeply troubled by what he sees in San Francisco. And that will, "obviously affect" his decision on whether to endorse the constitutional amendment.

COOPER: All right. John King at the White House. Thanks, John.

One person who has been in the closet of silence on the same-sex marriage debate is Arnold Schwarzenegger. Until today, that is. The California governor believes San Francisco should stop giving out marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples.

He issued this statement today: "I support all of California's existing laws that provide domestic partnership benefits or protections. However, Californians spoke on the issue of same-sex marriage when they overwhelmingly approved California's law that defines marriage as being between a man and a woman. I support that law and encourage San Francisco officials to obey that law. The courts should act quickly to resolve this matter."

Also, openly gay Congressman Barney Frank is sounding off on the issue, saying what San Francisco is doing is not helpful. Frank told Mayor Gavin Newsom, San Francisco's mayor, it could harm efforts by gay rights advocates to defend a Massachusetts court decision legalizing gay marriages, saying, he's "sorry to see the San Francisco thing go forward."

Well, in other news tonight, overseas Iraq, a lot going on. A double suicide attack south of Baghdad kills at least 10 Iraqis, five of them children. At the same time, U.S. troops in another city round up suspects believed to have ties to al Qaeda.

CNN's Baghdad bureau chief Jane Arraf has the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): There were 22 people detained in this overnight raid north of Baghdad. A U.S. military official says seven of them may be affiliated with an al Qaeda-linked group.

COL. WILLIAM ANDERSON, U.S. ARMY: This morning in Baquba, we conducted a series of raids to detain people associated with a terrorist group with ties to al Qaeda. We suspected that they were responsible for a suicide car bombing in Baqubah on 15 January.

ARRAF: There are no other details. Military officials so far have said they have seen the fingerprints of groups that may be linked to al Qaeda, but no solid evidence of al Qaeda operatives here.

Part of the problem is the lack of physical evidence in suicide bomb attacks, most often blamed on foreign groups. Officials said hundreds of pounds of explosives were used in a double suicide attack south of Baghdad Wednesday. Coalition troops said they opened fire on two vehicles packed with the explosives at the entrance to the base.

Officials called it a well coordinated terrorist attack, one intended to have been set off inside the base, housing Polish, Filipino, Hungarian and other troops. Instead, the suicide bomb exploded in the residential outskirts, killing civilians, most of them children, and destroying homes. U.S. and Iraqi officials warn of more attacks as the United States prepares to hand power in Iraq back to Iraqis.

Jane Arraf, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: We are following, of course, a number of developing stories right now "Cross Country." Let's take a look.

San Francisco, California: sports steroids scandal. New York Yankees outfielder Gary Sheffield says there is nothing to worry about. Federal officials inadvertently released his name and documents to the media relating to the investigation. There are no allegations in the documents that Sheffield used steroids.

Also in San Francisco: a sailboat capsized. It happened off an ocean beach. A massive search-and-rescue effort is under way right now for one of three people on the boat. Two others were pulled from the water and taken to a hospital.

Now, the boat capsized in high swells and heavy winds. And you can see right there.

Washington: tractor man says he's sorry. Remember this guy, the tobacco farmer who drove his tractor into a pond on the National Mall and then caused hours of commuter gridlock? He apologized in court today. He could serve between two and 20 years in jail. Sentencing is set for March 3.

Kennedy Space Center, Florida: preparing for the worst. NASA undergoes Mode 7, which is an emergency landing exercise to test the preparedness of emergency personnel equipment and facilities. It all happens during a scenario in which astronauts are rescued from a downed orbiter. Just a test. And the cosmos: an ill-fated star is consumed by a cosmic super massive black hole. It stretches, tears apart and gobbles up the star. The event was long predicted by theory but never confirmed until two orbiting telescopes witnessed what happened.

And that's a pretty amazing look at stories in the "Cross Country" tonight.

An alleged child abuser busted by her own video surveillance system. We're going to find out how a technical glitch led to this foster mom's arrest.

Plus, deteriorating democracy in Haiti. Warnings of an impending coup and pleas from help from the outside world. We're going to go live to Port-au-Prince.

And a man fed to the lions. An unbelievable story. The alleged murder plot has shocked a country. We'll have that coming up.

First, let's take a look "Inside the Box" at the top stories on tonight's network newscasts.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Well, for our midweek crisis tonight, we look no further than Haiti, a country in chaos on the verge of a coup or an all-out civil war. Haiti's president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, is defiant. He rejected the Bush administration's suggestion to hold early elections in an effort to diffuse the crisis.

CNN's Lucia Newman is there with the latest.

LUCIA NEWMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Every day, Anderson, uncertainty over the future of this country increases in the all- important port city of Cap-Haitien, Haiti's second largest city. Police and armed supporters of President Aristide are patrolling the streets and building barricades for fear that rebels will try to take that city next.

In the northern city of (UNINTELLIGIBLE), rebel leaders led by a former paramilitary leader, who is now back from exile from the neighboring Dominican Republic, patrolled the streets freely. And while the locals don't seem intimidated, Haiti's ill-equipped and ill- prepared police force apparently is.

There are reports, Anderson, that police are abandoning their posts in several towns in the north of this country. In the meantime, unwilling at this point to send in any peacekeeping troops. The international community is calling on all sides in this conflict to compromise and to enter into some sort of a dialogue, but so far that appeal is falling on deaf ears -- Anderson.

COOPER: All right. It's getting worse in Haiti right now. Lucia Newman, thanks very much, live from Port-au-Prince.

In Wisconsin right now, a woman is under arrest for allegedly beating her foster children. And you will not believe how cops say she was caught. We are getting some new information on this case. Let's go live to Jeff flock in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Jeff, what's the latest?

JEFF FLOCK, CNN CHICAGO BUREAU CHIEF: Indeed, Anderson, we have just learned that a 39-year-old woman here in Milwaukee has now just been charged with one count of child abuse after she was caught on tape when a neighbor intercepted the signal from her own wireless video system.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FLOCK (voice-over): The grainy images of two little girls forced to stand for over an hour with their hands up.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I was appalled by it. I thought it was terrible.

FLOCK: The scene popped mysteriously on (UNINTELLIGIBLE) home security system. But it wasn't coming from his camera. He threw in a tape and watched in horror, because when the 2-year-old began to lower her arms, a woman punched her. Later, the woman hit the 4-year-old, too.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When the child got hit, that's when I really became concerned.

FLOCK: He called police. Figuring the signal was coming nearby his Milwaukee neighborhood, began searching.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We went from house to house.

FLOCK: Sergeant Ken Harris (ph) tells us they finally found the children at this house and arrested this woman, Theresa Smith (ph), their foster mother.

(on camera): This was an accident?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Yes, absolutely. It was an accidental signal that bounced from the video camera to the receiver.

COOPER: Indeed, an accident that the signal literally bounced crossed this alley from Theresa Smith's (ph) house here to a receiver for a camera set up by William Brookings (ph) to keep an eye on the snowplows in his backyard.

(voice-over): The images have sent a shock through the Milwaukee County Foster Care system. Christopher Foley is presiding judge of the juvenile division.

CHRISTOPHER FOLEY, PRESIDING JUDGE: I was devastated. I talked to the lawyers around here. We're all devastated. We break our backs every day to make sure that good things happen for these children.

(END VIDEOTAPE) FLOCK: And Anderson, we just talked to the D.A. here about why it is only one count of child abuse. And he told us that the punch to the stomach of the 2-year-old was the only one he was sure he could prove. Apparently, keeping your arms in the air for a long period of time could be argued to be simply punishment. We should add that the children have, of course, been removed from Theresa Smith's (ph) care.

COOPER: Terrible. All right. Jeff Flock, thanks very much for the update.

A quick flashback for you about another incident of severe child punishment caught on tape. Remember this? September 2002, northern Indiana. Parking lot surveillance cameras caught this woman, Madelyne Gorman Toogood beating her 4-year-old daughter.

Well, the tape was released to the media in hopes of finding the woman. Toogood turned herself into the authorities charged with felony child abuse. Toogood received a one-year suspended sentence with a year's probation and a $500 fine. The bottom line is, she did not go to jail for her crime.

The case against Martha Stewart nearing an end. Prosecutors expect to rest their case tomorrow.

Deborah Feyerick reports now on testimony today by a former lawyer in the media celebrity's company.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When word of Martha Stewart's ImClone sale made headlines in early June, 2002, lawyers in her company became concerned that the impact on her business could be "potentially damaging." A former company lawyer testified advertisers and business partners were "concerned about the effect it was having." He explained, "We're an image business."

And in the summer of 2002, that image was being hammered. Unnamed sources were being quoted about insider trading. A House subcommittee was launching an investigation. Its chairman saying he might subpoena Stewart.

Her company lawyer testified he met with Stewart and others to discuss how to "convey those facts," advising Stewart that if what was being said was true, she should get it out in the open. After the meeting, Stewart sent out a brief press release saying the trade was executed under an agreement she had with her broker to sell if the stock ever dropped below $60 a share. Prosecutors maintain the story was false, made up at the time to keep Stewart's stock from sliding. A financial investigator testified on the three dates Stewart made public statements when the scandal broke, her stock always seemed to go up by a few dollars.

(on camera): Prosecutors are expected to wind up their case this week. Still waiting to testify, Martha Stewart's best friend who was traveling with her the day Stewart sold her ImClone stock.

Deborah Feyerick, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: We're tracking a number of developing stories around the globe right now. Let's check the "UpLink."

Northeastern Iran: deadly derailment. A runaway train filled with fuel and fertilizers goes off the track and blew up. Several villages are destroyed. Iranian officials say they recovered 180 bodies so far. Many more are feared dead.

Northern Russia: military maneuvers. Russian President Vladimir Putin is promising a new generation of weapons, and says Moscow might even build new missile defenses. Putin was speaking after a massive military exercise described as the largest in more than 20 years.

The Hague, Netherlands: controversial law. The Dutch parliament approves a measure to expel 26,000 people who had tried but failed to seek political asylum. Most have been in the country since 1999. The issue has triggered protests and objections from some left-wing political parties and human rights groups.

And that is a look at stories quickly in the "UpLink" tonight.

Football rape scandal. The coach speaks out. And you might be surprised by exactly what he said. It is stirring up a hornet's nest.

Also tonight, the Dean dropout effect. Who will benefit most?

And a cyber shocker. Kidnapping and self-discovery. A teen surfing the Internet discovers this picture and a terrible truth about himself.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: At the University of Colorado tonight, a fifth woman has now come forward to say she was raped. That is the word from university officials still dealing with the fallout from the rape allegations made by the only woman ever to play football at the school. And wait until you hear what the coach is saying about her.

CNN's Josie Burke reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOSIE BURKE, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With his football program under fire, University of Colorado head coach Gary Barnett responded to the latest allegations of wrongdoing by blasting the accuser's on-field performance.

GARY BARNETT, COLORADO HEAD FOOTBALL COACH: It was obvious Katie was not very good. She was awful. OK?

And so, you know what/ Guys, you know what guys do? They respect your ability. I mean, you could be 90 years old. But if you can go out and play, they respect you. Well, Katie was a girl. Not only was she a girl, she was terrible.

BURKE: Katie Hnida, a former place kicker, alleges she was raped by a teammate. The fact that Barnett included a personal attack while defending his program's representation did not sit well with the coach's boss, university president, Betsy Hoffman.

DR. BETSY HOFFMAN, PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO: I wish he had not made a comment like that. Very clearly, at a time like this we need to take the high road.

BURKE: Hoffman expressed her displeasure with Barnett during a phone conversation on Wednesday. Across the Boulder campus, students and faculty members also weighed in.

JON HUMBERT, COLORADO STUDENT: Coming out saying she was a terrible player and was absolutely horrible, that she had no chance of making the team, I felt that that was a little strong and perhaps a little inappropriate.

LEE HOOD, CU ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF JOURNALISM: I was embarrassed for him, maybe not for the university, because while part of it definitely does reflect on the university in general, I think a lot of it is going to end up reflecting on the individuals most directly involved.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BURKE: Hnida's allegations have gotten the most attention over the past 24 hours. But the university is also aware of another alleged incident pertaining to the athletic department. According to a university spokeswoman, another woman made a claim through what she called the university's rape program. But at this point in time, Colorado also says they're not going to release further details because this woman has not come forward publicly -- Anderson.

COOPER: Yes. I've got to tell you, I did a double take when I heard what the coach said. I thought I misheard it. But apparently not.

Josie Burke, thanks for the report.

John Kerry, John Edwards. Now that it is basically a two-man race, who has the best chance to get the nomination? We're going to talk to the two men deeply involved in the campaigns.

Plus, Scott Peterson's case. Why is his defense team so upbeat? What evidence do they say is being denied? And what does it mean for their case? We'll talk about that.

And a shocking story from South Africa. Was a father of three actually fed to the lions?

All that ahead. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: In the next half hour on 360 it is a two-man race for the Democratic nomination now. John Edwards scored big with Wisconsin independents. What does that mean for him on super Tuesday? We'll talk about that just ahead.

Plus, found on the Internet, how a teen uncovered his own kidnapping.

And a man fed to the lions. An alleged murder plot that is simply hard to believe.

Right now, let's check our top stories in tonight's "Reset."

Burlington, Vermont. Former Vermont governor, Howard Dean, is now a former candidate for president. Dean dropped out of the race today after his distant third-place showing in yesterday's Wisconsin primary. He urged his followers to shun third-party candidates and support the Democratic nominee.

Fort Lewis, Washington. The U.S. army says a National Guard soldier has been formally charged with attempting to give information to al Qaeda. Specialist Ryan Anderson, that's him right there, faces espionage charges. The story broke just about half an hour ago. FBI and justice department agents took him into custody last week in a sting operation.

Columbus, Ohio. Police are testing a bullet that struck a minivan today to determine if is was the latest in a string of highway shootings. The driver was unhurt. Ballistics tests have connected 2 dozen other shootings, as you may know. One of them was fatal.

And in Washington, the U.S. Postal Service could play a lead role in the fight against bioterror under an agreement signed today. The federal government and the Postal Service will develop a plan for letter carriers to deliver antibiotics in the event of catastrophic incident.

Shepherd Air Force base, Texas. The Air Force says a fact- finding team has arrived to investigate the reports sexual assault at the base. Allegations involve as many as 40 airmen and two dozen women.

Still in Washington, a AAA study shows drivers over 65 are nearly twice as likely to die in auto accidents than motorists just a few years younger. And their death rate increases more dramatically in later years. The study also show senior motorists are more likely to harm themselves than others on the road.

And that's a quick look at top stories in the "Reset."

Tonight the race for the White House looks a whole lot different than it did just 24 hours ago. Dean is out, Kerry is ahead, but John Edwards says his second-place finish in Wisconsin gives him a big boost. Their sights are now set on delegate rich super Tuesday just 2 weeks away.

Joining me from Washington right now is Steve Elmendorf, John Kerry's deputy campaign manager and political director. And in Raleigh, North Carolina, Ed Turlington, general chairman for John Edwards' campaign.

Gentlemen, appreciate you joining us. Steve, let me start off with you. It is a two-man race. Will John Kerry agree to a two-man debate against John Edwards?

STEVE ELMENDORF, KERRY'S DEPUTY CAMPAIGN MANAGER: Well, it is not our place to decide who gets to debate. We've had many debates in this campaign. I'm sure we'll have many more. We've got a lot of invitations in front of us. Al Sharpton and Dennis Kucinich are still running.

COOPER: Who decides, then? You're free to decide. John Kerry could decide and John Edwards could decide. Hell, I'll invite you two right here to debate if you want.

ELMENDORF: Well, the sponsors of these debates have to decide who they're going invite and we'll look at every invitation and see what we'll do. John Edwards has lost 16 out of 18 contests. He lost several to Dennis Kucinich and Al Sharpton in the vote. I don't know who decides who gets to participate.

COOPER: Ed, how badly does John Edwards want a 2 man debate?

ED TURLINGTON, GENERAL CHAIRMAN EDWARDS FOR PRESIDENT: Anderson, we have always had the goal here to get to the finals of this election. And we are now there after the Wisconsin primary. As you know, we are about a quarter of the way into the process with five months to the convention. And as Senator Edwards said last night, he welcomes this debate with Senator Kerry over the next few weeks. It is my understanding at least one debate is scheduled. We'd welcome as many of those one on one discussions as we can have.

COOPER: Ed, specifically, where do you think John Edwards -- what state can John Edwards actually win coming up? He's won one, South Carolina, his home state.

TURLINGTON: Well, he did win in South Carolina. And as you know, he's accumulated delegates in a number of other states. Now that we're down to two leading candidates here, we believe there are opportunities on both March 2 and March 9 for Senator Edwards to do well and to win.

As you probably know, in the next three days, he's going to be in five different states, New York, Ohio, Minnesota, Maryland, and Georgia. Beyond that, there are states like Florida, Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi on the 9th. We think there is a number of opportunities where he can win.

COOPER: I know both candidates would like the endorsement of course, of Howard Dean. Steve, John Kerry apparently talked to Howard Dean today. Do you really think he can get his endorsement? I mean, Dean has called your candidate, Kerry -- called him a Republican, called him a hand maiden of special interests.

ELMENDORF: Well, in campaigns people they say a lot of things. We have been honored to get the endorsement of Wesley Clark and Dick Gephardt when they dropped out. We've reached out to the Dean people at all levels. Howard Dean did a great job in his campaign in brining a lot of new people in. And we'd be honored to have his support, too.

COOPER: Steve, I've got to ask you, how concerned are you about some of these exit polls? What we learned from this Wisconsin primary, as I'm sure Ed would quickly point out, John Edwards did amazingly well among Independents, among Republicans. Looking at super Tuesday, seven out of ten states allow independents to vote. And coming up to get the White House, don't you need those independents who right now seem to be going to John Edwards?

ELMENDORF: Well, one demographic group in one state's exit polls do not an election make. We continue to be in the lead with more than 600 delegates, John Edwards has less than 200 delegates. A lot of the previous states we've won, the 16 contests that we won, we won independents. So I don't think you can overread one state. There are a lot of other demographic groups in that poll, conservatives, moderates, that we did very well in.

COOPER: Ed, there are story out there that your candidate, John Edwards, is low on cash. How much cash do you have?

TURLINGTON: Well, we're doing mine with money. Let me give you a specific number. Since last night's Wisconsin primary through 5:00 p.m. today, our campaign raised almost $310,000 on our Internet site. That is just a microcosm of how many people and how much support is flowing to the campaign.

As you know, a number of newspaper stories show we actually bought the most TV time in Wisconsin. Which showed that we were adequately funded. We believe we're going to be adequately funded to get through these March contests.

COOPER: Well, Ed Turlington, Steve Elmendorf, it's the first time you've been on the program. We appreciate you joining us. Thanks very much.

On primary nights we focus on candidates, their speeches. Do you wonder about the people standing behind them? Stage supporters a big part of raw politics.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER (voice-over): It is considered an honor, of course, sharing the stage and the spotlight with your candidate. But there's pressure as well. Dean supporters seem to touch a lot, hugging, high- fiving. This guy got greedy, though, his first high-five worked, his second not so much.

Often where you stand is a sign of how important your endorsement is. The smiling man to the left of Senator Kerry, that's Wisconsin's governor. This woman behind Kerry, another key endorsement, his sister, Diana.

Family often gets the key spots. Last night Senator Edwards' parents were close by.

If you are a union member, there is a place for you in the second row as long as you're willing to wear a t-shirt and carry a sign. Try to avoid having a conversation while the candidate is speaking. Even in politics it is considered plain rude.

The people who arrange this kind of stuff like shorter supporters in the front. Makes their candidate look taller, more presidential. At all costs they like to get plenty of people up on the stage. If it's desolate, people might think the candidate's future is as well.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: A quick look at raw politics.

An Internet shocker coming up, a teen finds himself on a missing children's Web site. An amazing story just ahead.

Also, the Scott Peterson case, the battle over court documents is getting pretty heated. Did the prosecution keep the defense in the dark?

A gruesome investigation in South Africa. Three men accused of feeding a man to the lions. We'll be back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Seems there's a number of breaking news stories to tell you about tonight.

A state official says California will not recognize the marriage licenses granted to thousands of same-sex couples in San Francisco. It is reportedly because the city created its own form to remove such terms as bride and groom. As we said, this is the first we have heard about it. It is a breaking story. We are getting some more information about it. We'll bring it to you as soon as we can.

Moving on, a teenager surfing the Internet finds his own picture on a missing kid's website. Now his mother is under arrest while the father is awaiting a reunion. CNN national correspondent Frank Buckley has more on this bizarre click of fate.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The California teenager was Googling with his friends according to a missing child advocate when he entered his not so common first name. Orrie. And up came this Web site. Find the children.com which displayed a photo of this 3-year-old boy named Orey who authorities said had been abducted in Canada by his mother 14 years ago. Rodney Steinmann is Orey's father.

RODNEY STEINMANN, FATHER OF MISSING BOY: I don't know how he's lived or the man he's become.

BUCKLEY: Court records indicate that Steinmann had just been granted full custody of Orey when the boy and his mother disappeared. Steinmann said he has worried about his son ever since.

STEINMANN: I don't know about things like if he got sick. Did she take him to the hospital? You know, when he was 6, did he go to school?

BUCKLEY: Now the boy's mother, Giselle Johnson (ph) faces extradition to Canada on child abduction charges. But a friend says the Giselle Johnson she knows is a good mother.

RINA RIO, MOTHER'S FRIEND: I mean, to hear this is almost like she's a different person. But then she's a woman that loved her child.

BUCKLEY: Rina Rio says she has talked to Johnson on the phone since the arrest.

RIO: I asked her, I said, what happened? What's going on? She said, Rina, I can't tell you. It is too long of a story. She said it's something that went on many, many, many years ago. She said it's come back to haunt me.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BUCKLEY: If Ms. Johnson is convicted, she faces possible prison time in Canada. Orey is now 17 years old and he's in protective custody in Los Angeles. At this point it isn't clear if he wants to reunite with his father in Canada. We're told that he turns 18 in a couple months. That's when he will be a legal adult. It is possible he'll make his own decision about any potential reunions after that.

COOPER: A terrible tale. Thanks for that. Joining us from Calgary, Rhonda Morgan, she is the founder of the Missing Children Society of Canada, has worked on Orey's case for the past 14 years. Rhonda, thanks for being with us. You have talked to Orey's case worker. How is he doing?

RHONDA MORGAN, MISSING CHILDREN SOCIETY OF CANADA: We're told at this point in time Orey is very upset by this whole situation and has stopped talking to anybody. Obviously, his whole life has been turned upside down. So understandably, he's upset.

COOPER: But he's living in foster care now. He's angry, not talking to his mom, not talking to anyone around him?

MORGAN: That's right. He's just chosen not to talk to anybody at this point in time.

COOPER: Yes. It's hard to imagine what he's going through. You have talked to Orey's mom. How does she defend herself? We saw a friend who said, well, you know, she's a nice mom. She kidnapped this kid. MORGAN: Right. I've been involved in this case since 1989. I did some of the initial interviews on the file. I spoke to some of Giselle's relatives who told me at that time that Giselle was very scared going through the custody battle. She has a very thick French accent, or at least did at that time and she was afraid that her side of the story was not going to come across effectively.

COOPER: She was afraid her side of the story wouldn't come across because she has a French accent?

MORGAN: Yes. That was what was told to me by some of her relatives.

COOPER: Does she seem to regret this at all? Does she express any remorse for doing this?

MORGAN: Well, yes, she does. We've been talking to her for the past year now and trying to get her to come back to Canada and deal with this on her own. We have to tell you that she has been very cooperative with us. She faced some difficult decisions. Nonetheless, she brought them on herself. If she were to come back across into Canada and face those charges, Giselle had been trying to gain permanent U.S. status, permanent residency. If she was convicted of the child abduction cases here in Canada, she feared she wouldn't be allowed to come back into the U.S.

COOPER: A lot that remains to be decided. It will be interesting to see if she does, in fact, end up going back to Canada. Right now the focus is on this young man who is in a lot of pain, no doubt, at this hour. Our thoughts are with him. Rhonda Morgan, thank you for working on this case for so long.

We go to justice served. In Redwood City, California, a murder suspect, Scott Peterson's attorney is accusing prosecutors of dragging their feet on sharing evidence that favors his client, including hairs found on his wife's body that are not his and suspected bloodstains that might not be human blood. A furious Mark Geragos demanded all remaining discovery documents today. The judge sternly warned prosecutors to turn them over. Let's turn to analyst Kimberly Guilfoyle Newsom. How serious is this and why won't they turn this stuff over?

KIMBERLY GUILFOYLE NEWSOM, 360 LEGAL ANALYST: It is incredibly serious and it's unconscionable, really, speaking as a former prosecutor, it troubles me that prosecutors in this case still have evidence, items that potentially could be exculpatory to Scott Peterson, important to his defense and items that could be incriminating. These need to be turned over. Apparently Geragos got 800 pages of additional discovery. That's why he's upset and he's worried there's more out there.

COOPER: As a former prosecutor, why wouldn't you turn over documents? Is it, a, you can't find them, you don't have them or, b, is it playing a game?

GUILFOYLE NEWSOM: Well, at this point it looks like gamesmanship. But to be fair, the defense has accused the prosecution in this case of not doing a thorough investigation, a rush to judgment. Perhaps this is stuff that has been late discovered, items, interviews, et cetera, that they have accumulated now and they're trying to do their best to turn it over.

COOPER: Geragos, in court, is saying, look, there's seven witnesses he didn't know about. One person even says that person believes they know who killed Laci Peterson, I guess, believing that it is not Scott Peterson. Couldn't it just be grand standing court room shenanigans by Geragos? It all sounds, oh, wow, there are seven people out there. Apparently, police looked at these people, decided they weren't of interest.

GUILFOYLE NEWSOM: You're right and you hear this. There's two different sides here. Prosecution may think a witness is important in terms of their view of the case and the defense will have a different idea. Here it is very likely that the seven people are people the police looked at and decided they were not considered important and the prosecution also decided they did not need to be followed up on. Mark Geragos representing his client in a capital case looking at the death penalty takes a different viewpoint. He should have everything. The defense needs to do their job and follow up on this information.

COOPER: He's calling for two juries, one for the guilt phase and one for the penalty phase if, in fact, he's convicted.

GUILFOYLE NEWSOM: This is a smart move. Many defense attorneys feel strongly about this. When you question a potential jury pool, you have to ask them, if you find this defendant guilty, can you, can you impose the death penalty? If they answer yes, studies show they are more conservative. They're more likely to find Scott Peterson to be guilty with. He's trying to do the best for his client and give him a shot.

COOPER: All right. Kimberly Guilfoyle Newsom. Thanks very much.

Bizarre case in South Africa. Did three men feed a father of three to lions? The story still to come. Also tonight, the "Current," Tina Turner setting her sights on a movie career? Sure, you better watch your back. Well be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: All right. Time for a quick check on some ridiculous news in pop news current. CBS is at it again. They apologized for Janet Jackson and now apologizing to Native Americans for the Outkast Performance. I'm personally still waiting for an apology for "Jake and the Fatman." I'm waiting.

It's been announced that 64-year-old Tina Turner will play an Indian goddess in a New Merchant Ivory film. Not to be outdone her ex-husband Ike is looking to be in a TV series, most likely cops.

In an interview win "Details" magazine, actor Ethan Hawke criticizes the president saying are more like toy to find leadership with a man who likes to have sex with a lot of women. I got three words for you, President Ron Jeremy.

And single guys out there bad news, Star Jones is getting married. A guy named Al Reynolds proposed on TV. Jones said, she knew it was going to happen because Al asked her parents first. Cameras were not present. But we presume they said yes, yes, oh god, please, yes. Maybe. I don't know.

Anyway, a crime in South Africa has caught the attention of much of the world. Three men are accused of feeding a 38-year-old father of three to the lions.

CNN's Charlayne Hunter-Gault has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHARLAYNE HUNTER-GAULT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): An outraged community demanding no bail for 34-year-old South African building contractor Mark Scott Crossly and two employees jailed on suspicion of literally feeding a former co-worker to lions at this game farm.

(on camera): It was just over this fence and down under that clump of tree that is a skull and bones believed to be of Nelson Chisale was found. They say that at night lions prowl close to this fence in hopes someone will throw some food to them. In this instance the food was a human being. It may be weeks before DNA tests confirm whether the human being was Nelson Chisale. Chisale's room remains as he left it when his landlady says he set out to collect the pots and pans he left on the farm where he worked before Scott Crossly fired him. Chisale earlier fired charges against Scott Crossly, accusing him of burning clothes Chisale left the at the farm. A mouth man was released after he turned state's witness. 34-year-old, Robert Mnisi says Scott Crossly strangled Chisale before he was thrown to the lions.

ROBERT MNISI, STATE WITNESS: Then he throw him to the lions.

HUNTER-GAULT: When he objected, Scott Crossly threatened to shoot him. Police say, the human remains were discovered after the lions were moved to another part of Mokwalo White Lion Project. Scott Crossly spoke to CNN but not about the specifics of the case. He said he welcomed news coverage.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When the truth is out, there will be nothing under the carpet.

HUNTER-GAULT: A devastated family member says not even death is good enough for the killers.

FETSANG LAFTA, NESON CHISALE'S NIECE: But whatever the court will decide. Nothing will bring my uncle back.

HUNTER-GAULT: Charlayne Hunter-Gault, CNN, Talbora (ph), South African.

(END VIDEOTAPE) COOPER: Hard to believe.

Well, remember all the grammar lessons in your school days. Ugh, your likely saying. But hey don't worry. Don't knock grammar. There could be consequences. We're going to take it to the Nth Degree just ahead.

And tomorrow a follow up on a brave Iraqi on the mend after a bullet is removed from his brain. You see him right there. Don't miss this boy's remarkable story tomorrow night on 360.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Tonight, taking punctuation to the "Nth Degree." Remember that fuss budget of a English teacher you had. Turns out she was right, punctuation does count. Late yesterday, a judge told groups wanting to stop San Francisco from issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples that they made an error in their filing.

"The way you've written this," the judge said, "it has a semicolon where it should have the word or." He went on to say, "I am not trying to be petty here. That semicolon is a big deal."

He's got a point. Imagine if good old Patrick Henry, instead of "Give me liberty or give me death" had instead said give me liberty; give me death. See the problem?

And what about the old love or leave it bumper sticker. Your replace the or with a semicolon and, you've got America, love it; leave it. Talk about little things meaning a lot. People were married today who otherwise might not have been all because of a comma wearing a dot for a hat.

I'm Anderson Cooper. Thanks for watching. Coming up next, "PAULA ZAHN."

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com





Presidential Race>


Aired February 18, 2004 - 19:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON COOPER, HOST (voice-over): Dean is done, out of the race. But what about his endorsement?

Hell in Haiti. Anarchy spreads as more Haitians take up arms against Aristide.

Child abuse caught on tape. How crossed signals led police to a foster child in trouble.

A cyber shocker. A teen surfing the Web discovers his secret past.

Martha on trial. The government gets ready to rest. Will Stewart now take the stand?

And eating the evidence. Criminals feed a murder victim to a lion.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: Live from the CNN Broadcast Center in New York, this is ANDERSON COOPER 360.

COOPER: Good evening.

We begin tonight with breaking news. A National Guardsman has been charged with espionage. His name, Ryan Anderson. He is accused of giving information to al Qaeda. You may remember he was arrested in a raid last week at Fort Lewis in Washington.

This is a fast-developing story; a fast-breaking story. Let's go to Jamie McIntyre at the Pentagon for the latest.

Jamie, what do you know?

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SR. PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, one thing that's not clear, Anderson, is whether he actually gave any information to anyone. Apparently, according to Pentagon sources, National Guardsman Ryan Anderson was caught in a sting operation apparently talking on a chat room, offering to give the information to al Qaeda. That was the basis under which he was arrested.

Today, he's been formally charged in Fort Lewis, Washington, his home base, where he's a member of a National Guard unit that was about to deploy for training and go on to Iraq. Anderson is 26 years old, but he converted to Islam a number of years ago, and he was caught in an operation that the U.S. military has trying to find soldiers who might be trying to give aid and comfort to the enemy.

COOPER: It is a fascinating story, Jamie. Obviously, a breaking-news story. It just happened moments ago. We just got word of this.

We're covering the story. We'll check back in with you, Jamie, as is warranted.

Turning now to the new political reality, for Democrats it is really down to two. Two major candidates fighting for the Democratic nomination. John Kerry and John Edwards, they're going to duke it out on Super Tuesday.

This afternoon, Howard Dean pulled the plug on his campaign after going 0 for 18 from the Iowa caucuses to the Wisconsin primary. We have team coverage at this hour, of course. Senior political correspondent Candy Crowley is in Burlington, Vermont, with the latest on Dean's dropout, and Kelly Wallace is in Columbus, Ohio, following Kerry and Edwards.

We begin with Candy Crowley -- Candy.

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SR. POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Anderson, it was pretty much written on the wall. But for some time, Howard Dean didn't read it.

After New Hampshire, we heard from some people inside the campaign increasingly worried that there was any chance left. Indeed, as you say, after 17 U.S. contests and one of American overseas, he was 18 for 0. Wisconsin is the straw that broke the camel's back.

Indeed, Howard Dean came home to tell his supporters here in Vermont that he was giving up the race but not giving up the cause. There's some question as to what that really means. There are several ways he can go at this point. Maybe set up some sort of organization that helps congressmen, Democratic congressmen get elected.

He also talked about reminding his supporters that his name was still on the ballot and that they should continue to elect progressive delegates to the convention. So he clearly would like to have a say in the platform that's written there.

So any number of ways that Howard Dean can go, except one way, and that's on the campaign trail. That part is over -- Anderson.

COOPER: It has been a remarkable turn of events. A lot of sadness in the Dean camp tonight.

Candy Crowley, thanks very much.

COOPER: Sharpton and Kucinich are still in the race for now, but only Edwards is in a position to continue challenging the front- runner, John Kerry. In the race for the nomination, it has come down to a pair of senators who might have more similarities than differences.

Here is CNN's Kelly Wallace.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KELLY WALLACE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): An overwhelming victory in Wisconsin.

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I've always said these races are close.

WALLACE: But his campaign was hoping for a conclusion that would have weakened not only Howard Dean, but also John Edwards.

SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D-NC), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: ... to stand up for protecting our jobs, making sure we have a trade policy that works for everybody.

WALLACE: Some of the North Carolina's senator's success stemming from his repeated opposition to the North American Free Trade Agreement, known as NAFTA, which Kerry supported.

EDWARDS: I was against NAFTA and some of the trade agreements that he was for. And I think that cost us millions of jobs.

WALLACE: In a new effort to counter Edwards' surprise surge, Kerry says there is no daylight between them.

KERRY: We have the same policy on trade.

WALLACE: The senator also raised questions about when Edwards voiced his opposition to that trade deal.

KERRY: Well, he wasn't in the Senate back then. I don't know where he registered his vote, but it wasn't in the Senate.

WALLACE: Senator Edwards, in a conference with reporters, acknowledged he did not publicly criticize the deal when it became law. "I was not in Congress when NAFTA was passed," he said. "I campaigned against it when I ran for the Senate."

There are few policy differences between the two men. Both voted for the Iraqi war resolution, support repealing President Bush's tax cuts for the wealthy, and backed the re-importation of low-cost drugs from Canada. One of the few differences, Edwards supports the death penalty. Kerry mostly opposes it, with some exceptions.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALLACE: It is mainly their backgrounds and their experiences that set them apart. Edwards says being a southerner makes him the candidate who can defeat President Bush. Kerry plays up his national security experience as the reason he believes he is the more electable candidate -- Anderson. COOPER: All right. Kelly Wallace in Ohio. Thanks, Kelly.

All along, of course, John Kerry has been saying he's the one Democratic candidate who could beat President Bush. But a new CNN-USA Today-Gallup poll seems to take some of the steam out of that argument. Take a look at the numbers.

The polls suggest that either John Kerry or John Edwards could defeat President Bush if the election were held today. Now, this is a poll among likely voters. Kerry led Bush 55 percent to 43 percent, while Edwards also had the edge against Bush, 54 percent to 44 percent.

The latest polling also suggests voters rate the economy as the number one issue. An issue that's fast becoming a touchy subject for the Bush administration. Today, the White House appeared to be backing off a prediction on jobs growth.

Senior White House correspondent John King has details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In the Oval Office, no direct answer when asked if he stands by a prediction that the economy will create 2.6 million new jobs this year.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think the economy is growing, and I think it's going to get stronger.

KING: That upbeat prediction of 2.6 million new jobs is from a White House report issued just nine days ago. The Treasury and Commerce secretaries were first to distance themselves from the number, leading six Senate Democrats to write Mr. Bush asking for "... a meaningful jobs predictions that all Americans, including your own cabinet, would find credible." As Mr. Bush's spokesman was reminded, the election year report carried the president's signature and, presumably, his endorsement.

SCOTT MCCLELLAN, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: I mean, you're trying to get in here to get me to answer questions that are trying to trap me into certain things.

KING: Democratic front-runner John Kerry says it is hardly the first time administration job predictions have failed the credibility test.

KERRY: They promised in the first tax they'd create 500,000 jobs. They lost a million or more. In the next tax cut, they promised another 800,000 jobs. They lost another two million.

KING: The Iraq war is another credibility challenge.

BUSH: Saddam Hussein aids and protects terrorist, including members of al Qaeda.

KING: This scathing ad by a liberal group among the attacks suggesting the president hyped the evidence.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KING: Now, the administration chalks up this criticism and any talk of a credibility gap to Democratic campaign attacks, Anderson. But some Republicans are getting a little nervous. They want the president to be more aggressive on the campaign trail, and they want the Bush campaign to tap its huge war chest and start spending some money on TV ads.

COOPER: John, I know the president also came out today and made some comments about the same-sex marriage debate going on in San Francisco. What did he say?

KING: He inched a bit closer. No public endorsement yet of that constitutional amendment banning gay marriages that many conservatives want. But the president did come a bit closer today.

He said he's deeply troubled by what he sees in San Francisco. And that will, "obviously affect" his decision on whether to endorse the constitutional amendment.

COOPER: All right. John King at the White House. Thanks, John.

One person who has been in the closet of silence on the same-sex marriage debate is Arnold Schwarzenegger. Until today, that is. The California governor believes San Francisco should stop giving out marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples.

He issued this statement today: "I support all of California's existing laws that provide domestic partnership benefits or protections. However, Californians spoke on the issue of same-sex marriage when they overwhelmingly approved California's law that defines marriage as being between a man and a woman. I support that law and encourage San Francisco officials to obey that law. The courts should act quickly to resolve this matter."

Also, openly gay Congressman Barney Frank is sounding off on the issue, saying what San Francisco is doing is not helpful. Frank told Mayor Gavin Newsom, San Francisco's mayor, it could harm efforts by gay rights advocates to defend a Massachusetts court decision legalizing gay marriages, saying, he's "sorry to see the San Francisco thing go forward."

Well, in other news tonight, overseas Iraq, a lot going on. A double suicide attack south of Baghdad kills at least 10 Iraqis, five of them children. At the same time, U.S. troops in another city round up suspects believed to have ties to al Qaeda.

CNN's Baghdad bureau chief Jane Arraf has the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): There were 22 people detained in this overnight raid north of Baghdad. A U.S. military official says seven of them may be affiliated with an al Qaeda-linked group.

COL. WILLIAM ANDERSON, U.S. ARMY: This morning in Baquba, we conducted a series of raids to detain people associated with a terrorist group with ties to al Qaeda. We suspected that they were responsible for a suicide car bombing in Baqubah on 15 January.

ARRAF: There are no other details. Military officials so far have said they have seen the fingerprints of groups that may be linked to al Qaeda, but no solid evidence of al Qaeda operatives here.

Part of the problem is the lack of physical evidence in suicide bomb attacks, most often blamed on foreign groups. Officials said hundreds of pounds of explosives were used in a double suicide attack south of Baghdad Wednesday. Coalition troops said they opened fire on two vehicles packed with the explosives at the entrance to the base.

Officials called it a well coordinated terrorist attack, one intended to have been set off inside the base, housing Polish, Filipino, Hungarian and other troops. Instead, the suicide bomb exploded in the residential outskirts, killing civilians, most of them children, and destroying homes. U.S. and Iraqi officials warn of more attacks as the United States prepares to hand power in Iraq back to Iraqis.

Jane Arraf, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: We are following, of course, a number of developing stories right now "Cross Country." Let's take a look.

San Francisco, California: sports steroids scandal. New York Yankees outfielder Gary Sheffield says there is nothing to worry about. Federal officials inadvertently released his name and documents to the media relating to the investigation. There are no allegations in the documents that Sheffield used steroids.

Also in San Francisco: a sailboat capsized. It happened off an ocean beach. A massive search-and-rescue effort is under way right now for one of three people on the boat. Two others were pulled from the water and taken to a hospital.

Now, the boat capsized in high swells and heavy winds. And you can see right there.

Washington: tractor man says he's sorry. Remember this guy, the tobacco farmer who drove his tractor into a pond on the National Mall and then caused hours of commuter gridlock? He apologized in court today. He could serve between two and 20 years in jail. Sentencing is set for March 3.

Kennedy Space Center, Florida: preparing for the worst. NASA undergoes Mode 7, which is an emergency landing exercise to test the preparedness of emergency personnel equipment and facilities. It all happens during a scenario in which astronauts are rescued from a downed orbiter. Just a test. And the cosmos: an ill-fated star is consumed by a cosmic super massive black hole. It stretches, tears apart and gobbles up the star. The event was long predicted by theory but never confirmed until two orbiting telescopes witnessed what happened.

And that's a pretty amazing look at stories in the "Cross Country" tonight.

An alleged child abuser busted by her own video surveillance system. We're going to find out how a technical glitch led to this foster mom's arrest.

Plus, deteriorating democracy in Haiti. Warnings of an impending coup and pleas from help from the outside world. We're going to go live to Port-au-Prince.

And a man fed to the lions. An unbelievable story. The alleged murder plot has shocked a country. We'll have that coming up.

First, let's take a look "Inside the Box" at the top stories on tonight's network newscasts.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Well, for our midweek crisis tonight, we look no further than Haiti, a country in chaos on the verge of a coup or an all-out civil war. Haiti's president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, is defiant. He rejected the Bush administration's suggestion to hold early elections in an effort to diffuse the crisis.

CNN's Lucia Newman is there with the latest.

LUCIA NEWMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Every day, Anderson, uncertainty over the future of this country increases in the all- important port city of Cap-Haitien, Haiti's second largest city. Police and armed supporters of President Aristide are patrolling the streets and building barricades for fear that rebels will try to take that city next.

In the northern city of (UNINTELLIGIBLE), rebel leaders led by a former paramilitary leader, who is now back from exile from the neighboring Dominican Republic, patrolled the streets freely. And while the locals don't seem intimidated, Haiti's ill-equipped and ill- prepared police force apparently is.

There are reports, Anderson, that police are abandoning their posts in several towns in the north of this country. In the meantime, unwilling at this point to send in any peacekeeping troops. The international community is calling on all sides in this conflict to compromise and to enter into some sort of a dialogue, but so far that appeal is falling on deaf ears -- Anderson.

COOPER: All right. It's getting worse in Haiti right now. Lucia Newman, thanks very much, live from Port-au-Prince.

In Wisconsin right now, a woman is under arrest for allegedly beating her foster children. And you will not believe how cops say she was caught. We are getting some new information on this case. Let's go live to Jeff flock in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Jeff, what's the latest?

JEFF FLOCK, CNN CHICAGO BUREAU CHIEF: Indeed, Anderson, we have just learned that a 39-year-old woman here in Milwaukee has now just been charged with one count of child abuse after she was caught on tape when a neighbor intercepted the signal from her own wireless video system.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FLOCK (voice-over): The grainy images of two little girls forced to stand for over an hour with their hands up.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I was appalled by it. I thought it was terrible.

FLOCK: The scene popped mysteriously on (UNINTELLIGIBLE) home security system. But it wasn't coming from his camera. He threw in a tape and watched in horror, because when the 2-year-old began to lower her arms, a woman punched her. Later, the woman hit the 4-year-old, too.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When the child got hit, that's when I really became concerned.

FLOCK: He called police. Figuring the signal was coming nearby his Milwaukee neighborhood, began searching.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We went from house to house.

FLOCK: Sergeant Ken Harris (ph) tells us they finally found the children at this house and arrested this woman, Theresa Smith (ph), their foster mother.

(on camera): This was an accident?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Yes, absolutely. It was an accidental signal that bounced from the video camera to the receiver.

COOPER: Indeed, an accident that the signal literally bounced crossed this alley from Theresa Smith's (ph) house here to a receiver for a camera set up by William Brookings (ph) to keep an eye on the snowplows in his backyard.

(voice-over): The images have sent a shock through the Milwaukee County Foster Care system. Christopher Foley is presiding judge of the juvenile division.

CHRISTOPHER FOLEY, PRESIDING JUDGE: I was devastated. I talked to the lawyers around here. We're all devastated. We break our backs every day to make sure that good things happen for these children.

(END VIDEOTAPE) FLOCK: And Anderson, we just talked to the D.A. here about why it is only one count of child abuse. And he told us that the punch to the stomach of the 2-year-old was the only one he was sure he could prove. Apparently, keeping your arms in the air for a long period of time could be argued to be simply punishment. We should add that the children have, of course, been removed from Theresa Smith's (ph) care.

COOPER: Terrible. All right. Jeff Flock, thanks very much for the update.

A quick flashback for you about another incident of severe child punishment caught on tape. Remember this? September 2002, northern Indiana. Parking lot surveillance cameras caught this woman, Madelyne Gorman Toogood beating her 4-year-old daughter.

Well, the tape was released to the media in hopes of finding the woman. Toogood turned herself into the authorities charged with felony child abuse. Toogood received a one-year suspended sentence with a year's probation and a $500 fine. The bottom line is, she did not go to jail for her crime.

The case against Martha Stewart nearing an end. Prosecutors expect to rest their case tomorrow.

Deborah Feyerick reports now on testimony today by a former lawyer in the media celebrity's company.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When word of Martha Stewart's ImClone sale made headlines in early June, 2002, lawyers in her company became concerned that the impact on her business could be "potentially damaging." A former company lawyer testified advertisers and business partners were "concerned about the effect it was having." He explained, "We're an image business."

And in the summer of 2002, that image was being hammered. Unnamed sources were being quoted about insider trading. A House subcommittee was launching an investigation. Its chairman saying he might subpoena Stewart.

Her company lawyer testified he met with Stewart and others to discuss how to "convey those facts," advising Stewart that if what was being said was true, she should get it out in the open. After the meeting, Stewart sent out a brief press release saying the trade was executed under an agreement she had with her broker to sell if the stock ever dropped below $60 a share. Prosecutors maintain the story was false, made up at the time to keep Stewart's stock from sliding. A financial investigator testified on the three dates Stewart made public statements when the scandal broke, her stock always seemed to go up by a few dollars.

(on camera): Prosecutors are expected to wind up their case this week. Still waiting to testify, Martha Stewart's best friend who was traveling with her the day Stewart sold her ImClone stock.

Deborah Feyerick, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: We're tracking a number of developing stories around the globe right now. Let's check the "UpLink."

Northeastern Iran: deadly derailment. A runaway train filled with fuel and fertilizers goes off the track and blew up. Several villages are destroyed. Iranian officials say they recovered 180 bodies so far. Many more are feared dead.

Northern Russia: military maneuvers. Russian President Vladimir Putin is promising a new generation of weapons, and says Moscow might even build new missile defenses. Putin was speaking after a massive military exercise described as the largest in more than 20 years.

The Hague, Netherlands: controversial law. The Dutch parliament approves a measure to expel 26,000 people who had tried but failed to seek political asylum. Most have been in the country since 1999. The issue has triggered protests and objections from some left-wing political parties and human rights groups.

And that is a look at stories quickly in the "UpLink" tonight.

Football rape scandal. The coach speaks out. And you might be surprised by exactly what he said. It is stirring up a hornet's nest.

Also tonight, the Dean dropout effect. Who will benefit most?

And a cyber shocker. Kidnapping and self-discovery. A teen surfing the Internet discovers this picture and a terrible truth about himself.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: At the University of Colorado tonight, a fifth woman has now come forward to say she was raped. That is the word from university officials still dealing with the fallout from the rape allegations made by the only woman ever to play football at the school. And wait until you hear what the coach is saying about her.

CNN's Josie Burke reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOSIE BURKE, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With his football program under fire, University of Colorado head coach Gary Barnett responded to the latest allegations of wrongdoing by blasting the accuser's on-field performance.

GARY BARNETT, COLORADO HEAD FOOTBALL COACH: It was obvious Katie was not very good. She was awful. OK?

And so, you know what/ Guys, you know what guys do? They respect your ability. I mean, you could be 90 years old. But if you can go out and play, they respect you. Well, Katie was a girl. Not only was she a girl, she was terrible.

BURKE: Katie Hnida, a former place kicker, alleges she was raped by a teammate. The fact that Barnett included a personal attack while defending his program's representation did not sit well with the coach's boss, university president, Betsy Hoffman.

DR. BETSY HOFFMAN, PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO: I wish he had not made a comment like that. Very clearly, at a time like this we need to take the high road.

BURKE: Hoffman expressed her displeasure with Barnett during a phone conversation on Wednesday. Across the Boulder campus, students and faculty members also weighed in.

JON HUMBERT, COLORADO STUDENT: Coming out saying she was a terrible player and was absolutely horrible, that she had no chance of making the team, I felt that that was a little strong and perhaps a little inappropriate.

LEE HOOD, CU ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF JOURNALISM: I was embarrassed for him, maybe not for the university, because while part of it definitely does reflect on the university in general, I think a lot of it is going to end up reflecting on the individuals most directly involved.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BURKE: Hnida's allegations have gotten the most attention over the past 24 hours. But the university is also aware of another alleged incident pertaining to the athletic department. According to a university spokeswoman, another woman made a claim through what she called the university's rape program. But at this point in time, Colorado also says they're not going to release further details because this woman has not come forward publicly -- Anderson.

COOPER: Yes. I've got to tell you, I did a double take when I heard what the coach said. I thought I misheard it. But apparently not.

Josie Burke, thanks for the report.

John Kerry, John Edwards. Now that it is basically a two-man race, who has the best chance to get the nomination? We're going to talk to the two men deeply involved in the campaigns.

Plus, Scott Peterson's case. Why is his defense team so upbeat? What evidence do they say is being denied? And what does it mean for their case? We'll talk about that.

And a shocking story from South Africa. Was a father of three actually fed to the lions?

All that ahead. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: In the next half hour on 360 it is a two-man race for the Democratic nomination now. John Edwards scored big with Wisconsin independents. What does that mean for him on super Tuesday? We'll talk about that just ahead.

Plus, found on the Internet, how a teen uncovered his own kidnapping.

And a man fed to the lions. An alleged murder plot that is simply hard to believe.

Right now, let's check our top stories in tonight's "Reset."

Burlington, Vermont. Former Vermont governor, Howard Dean, is now a former candidate for president. Dean dropped out of the race today after his distant third-place showing in yesterday's Wisconsin primary. He urged his followers to shun third-party candidates and support the Democratic nominee.

Fort Lewis, Washington. The U.S. army says a National Guard soldier has been formally charged with attempting to give information to al Qaeda. Specialist Ryan Anderson, that's him right there, faces espionage charges. The story broke just about half an hour ago. FBI and justice department agents took him into custody last week in a sting operation.

Columbus, Ohio. Police are testing a bullet that struck a minivan today to determine if is was the latest in a string of highway shootings. The driver was unhurt. Ballistics tests have connected 2 dozen other shootings, as you may know. One of them was fatal.

And in Washington, the U.S. Postal Service could play a lead role in the fight against bioterror under an agreement signed today. The federal government and the Postal Service will develop a plan for letter carriers to deliver antibiotics in the event of catastrophic incident.

Shepherd Air Force base, Texas. The Air Force says a fact- finding team has arrived to investigate the reports sexual assault at the base. Allegations involve as many as 40 airmen and two dozen women.

Still in Washington, a AAA study shows drivers over 65 are nearly twice as likely to die in auto accidents than motorists just a few years younger. And their death rate increases more dramatically in later years. The study also show senior motorists are more likely to harm themselves than others on the road.

And that's a quick look at top stories in the "Reset."

Tonight the race for the White House looks a whole lot different than it did just 24 hours ago. Dean is out, Kerry is ahead, but John Edwards says his second-place finish in Wisconsin gives him a big boost. Their sights are now set on delegate rich super Tuesday just 2 weeks away.

Joining me from Washington right now is Steve Elmendorf, John Kerry's deputy campaign manager and political director. And in Raleigh, North Carolina, Ed Turlington, general chairman for John Edwards' campaign.

Gentlemen, appreciate you joining us. Steve, let me start off with you. It is a two-man race. Will John Kerry agree to a two-man debate against John Edwards?

STEVE ELMENDORF, KERRY'S DEPUTY CAMPAIGN MANAGER: Well, it is not our place to decide who gets to debate. We've had many debates in this campaign. I'm sure we'll have many more. We've got a lot of invitations in front of us. Al Sharpton and Dennis Kucinich are still running.

COOPER: Who decides, then? You're free to decide. John Kerry could decide and John Edwards could decide. Hell, I'll invite you two right here to debate if you want.

ELMENDORF: Well, the sponsors of these debates have to decide who they're going invite and we'll look at every invitation and see what we'll do. John Edwards has lost 16 out of 18 contests. He lost several to Dennis Kucinich and Al Sharpton in the vote. I don't know who decides who gets to participate.

COOPER: Ed, how badly does John Edwards want a 2 man debate?

ED TURLINGTON, GENERAL CHAIRMAN EDWARDS FOR PRESIDENT: Anderson, we have always had the goal here to get to the finals of this election. And we are now there after the Wisconsin primary. As you know, we are about a quarter of the way into the process with five months to the convention. And as Senator Edwards said last night, he welcomes this debate with Senator Kerry over the next few weeks. It is my understanding at least one debate is scheduled. We'd welcome as many of those one on one discussions as we can have.

COOPER: Ed, specifically, where do you think John Edwards -- what state can John Edwards actually win coming up? He's won one, South Carolina, his home state.

TURLINGTON: Well, he did win in South Carolina. And as you know, he's accumulated delegates in a number of other states. Now that we're down to two leading candidates here, we believe there are opportunities on both March 2 and March 9 for Senator Edwards to do well and to win.

As you probably know, in the next three days, he's going to be in five different states, New York, Ohio, Minnesota, Maryland, and Georgia. Beyond that, there are states like Florida, Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi on the 9th. We think there is a number of opportunities where he can win.

COOPER: I know both candidates would like the endorsement of course, of Howard Dean. Steve, John Kerry apparently talked to Howard Dean today. Do you really think he can get his endorsement? I mean, Dean has called your candidate, Kerry -- called him a Republican, called him a hand maiden of special interests.

ELMENDORF: Well, in campaigns people they say a lot of things. We have been honored to get the endorsement of Wesley Clark and Dick Gephardt when they dropped out. We've reached out to the Dean people at all levels. Howard Dean did a great job in his campaign in brining a lot of new people in. And we'd be honored to have his support, too.

COOPER: Steve, I've got to ask you, how concerned are you about some of these exit polls? What we learned from this Wisconsin primary, as I'm sure Ed would quickly point out, John Edwards did amazingly well among Independents, among Republicans. Looking at super Tuesday, seven out of ten states allow independents to vote. And coming up to get the White House, don't you need those independents who right now seem to be going to John Edwards?

ELMENDORF: Well, one demographic group in one state's exit polls do not an election make. We continue to be in the lead with more than 600 delegates, John Edwards has less than 200 delegates. A lot of the previous states we've won, the 16 contests that we won, we won independents. So I don't think you can overread one state. There are a lot of other demographic groups in that poll, conservatives, moderates, that we did very well in.

COOPER: Ed, there are story out there that your candidate, John Edwards, is low on cash. How much cash do you have?

TURLINGTON: Well, we're doing mine with money. Let me give you a specific number. Since last night's Wisconsin primary through 5:00 p.m. today, our campaign raised almost $310,000 on our Internet site. That is just a microcosm of how many people and how much support is flowing to the campaign.

As you know, a number of newspaper stories show we actually bought the most TV time in Wisconsin. Which showed that we were adequately funded. We believe we're going to be adequately funded to get through these March contests.

COOPER: Well, Ed Turlington, Steve Elmendorf, it's the first time you've been on the program. We appreciate you joining us. Thanks very much.

On primary nights we focus on candidates, their speeches. Do you wonder about the people standing behind them? Stage supporters a big part of raw politics.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER (voice-over): It is considered an honor, of course, sharing the stage and the spotlight with your candidate. But there's pressure as well. Dean supporters seem to touch a lot, hugging, high- fiving. This guy got greedy, though, his first high-five worked, his second not so much.

Often where you stand is a sign of how important your endorsement is. The smiling man to the left of Senator Kerry, that's Wisconsin's governor. This woman behind Kerry, another key endorsement, his sister, Diana.

Family often gets the key spots. Last night Senator Edwards' parents were close by.

If you are a union member, there is a place for you in the second row as long as you're willing to wear a t-shirt and carry a sign. Try to avoid having a conversation while the candidate is speaking. Even in politics it is considered plain rude.

The people who arrange this kind of stuff like shorter supporters in the front. Makes their candidate look taller, more presidential. At all costs they like to get plenty of people up on the stage. If it's desolate, people might think the candidate's future is as well.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: A quick look at raw politics.

An Internet shocker coming up, a teen finds himself on a missing children's Web site. An amazing story just ahead.

Also, the Scott Peterson case, the battle over court documents is getting pretty heated. Did the prosecution keep the defense in the dark?

A gruesome investigation in South Africa. Three men accused of feeding a man to the lions. We'll be back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Seems there's a number of breaking news stories to tell you about tonight.

A state official says California will not recognize the marriage licenses granted to thousands of same-sex couples in San Francisco. It is reportedly because the city created its own form to remove such terms as bride and groom. As we said, this is the first we have heard about it. It is a breaking story. We are getting some more information about it. We'll bring it to you as soon as we can.

Moving on, a teenager surfing the Internet finds his own picture on a missing kid's website. Now his mother is under arrest while the father is awaiting a reunion. CNN national correspondent Frank Buckley has more on this bizarre click of fate.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The California teenager was Googling with his friends according to a missing child advocate when he entered his not so common first name. Orrie. And up came this Web site. Find the children.com which displayed a photo of this 3-year-old boy named Orey who authorities said had been abducted in Canada by his mother 14 years ago. Rodney Steinmann is Orey's father.

RODNEY STEINMANN, FATHER OF MISSING BOY: I don't know how he's lived or the man he's become.

BUCKLEY: Court records indicate that Steinmann had just been granted full custody of Orey when the boy and his mother disappeared. Steinmann said he has worried about his son ever since.

STEINMANN: I don't know about things like if he got sick. Did she take him to the hospital? You know, when he was 6, did he go to school?

BUCKLEY: Now the boy's mother, Giselle Johnson (ph) faces extradition to Canada on child abduction charges. But a friend says the Giselle Johnson she knows is a good mother.

RINA RIO, MOTHER'S FRIEND: I mean, to hear this is almost like she's a different person. But then she's a woman that loved her child.

BUCKLEY: Rina Rio says she has talked to Johnson on the phone since the arrest.

RIO: I asked her, I said, what happened? What's going on? She said, Rina, I can't tell you. It is too long of a story. She said it's something that went on many, many, many years ago. She said it's come back to haunt me.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BUCKLEY: If Ms. Johnson is convicted, she faces possible prison time in Canada. Orey is now 17 years old and he's in protective custody in Los Angeles. At this point it isn't clear if he wants to reunite with his father in Canada. We're told that he turns 18 in a couple months. That's when he will be a legal adult. It is possible he'll make his own decision about any potential reunions after that.

COOPER: A terrible tale. Thanks for that. Joining us from Calgary, Rhonda Morgan, she is the founder of the Missing Children Society of Canada, has worked on Orey's case for the past 14 years. Rhonda, thanks for being with us. You have talked to Orey's case worker. How is he doing?

RHONDA MORGAN, MISSING CHILDREN SOCIETY OF CANADA: We're told at this point in time Orey is very upset by this whole situation and has stopped talking to anybody. Obviously, his whole life has been turned upside down. So understandably, he's upset.

COOPER: But he's living in foster care now. He's angry, not talking to his mom, not talking to anyone around him?

MORGAN: That's right. He's just chosen not to talk to anybody at this point in time.

COOPER: Yes. It's hard to imagine what he's going through. You have talked to Orey's mom. How does she defend herself? We saw a friend who said, well, you know, she's a nice mom. She kidnapped this kid. MORGAN: Right. I've been involved in this case since 1989. I did some of the initial interviews on the file. I spoke to some of Giselle's relatives who told me at that time that Giselle was very scared going through the custody battle. She has a very thick French accent, or at least did at that time and she was afraid that her side of the story was not going to come across effectively.

COOPER: She was afraid her side of the story wouldn't come across because she has a French accent?

MORGAN: Yes. That was what was told to me by some of her relatives.

COOPER: Does she seem to regret this at all? Does she express any remorse for doing this?

MORGAN: Well, yes, she does. We've been talking to her for the past year now and trying to get her to come back to Canada and deal with this on her own. We have to tell you that she has been very cooperative with us. She faced some difficult decisions. Nonetheless, she brought them on herself. If she were to come back across into Canada and face those charges, Giselle had been trying to gain permanent U.S. status, permanent residency. If she was convicted of the child abduction cases here in Canada, she feared she wouldn't be allowed to come back into the U.S.

COOPER: A lot that remains to be decided. It will be interesting to see if she does, in fact, end up going back to Canada. Right now the focus is on this young man who is in a lot of pain, no doubt, at this hour. Our thoughts are with him. Rhonda Morgan, thank you for working on this case for so long.

We go to justice served. In Redwood City, California, a murder suspect, Scott Peterson's attorney is accusing prosecutors of dragging their feet on sharing evidence that favors his client, including hairs found on his wife's body that are not his and suspected bloodstains that might not be human blood. A furious Mark Geragos demanded all remaining discovery documents today. The judge sternly warned prosecutors to turn them over. Let's turn to analyst Kimberly Guilfoyle Newsom. How serious is this and why won't they turn this stuff over?

KIMBERLY GUILFOYLE NEWSOM, 360 LEGAL ANALYST: It is incredibly serious and it's unconscionable, really, speaking as a former prosecutor, it troubles me that prosecutors in this case still have evidence, items that potentially could be exculpatory to Scott Peterson, important to his defense and items that could be incriminating. These need to be turned over. Apparently Geragos got 800 pages of additional discovery. That's why he's upset and he's worried there's more out there.

COOPER: As a former prosecutor, why wouldn't you turn over documents? Is it, a, you can't find them, you don't have them or, b, is it playing a game?

GUILFOYLE NEWSOM: Well, at this point it looks like gamesmanship. But to be fair, the defense has accused the prosecution in this case of not doing a thorough investigation, a rush to judgment. Perhaps this is stuff that has been late discovered, items, interviews, et cetera, that they have accumulated now and they're trying to do their best to turn it over.

COOPER: Geragos, in court, is saying, look, there's seven witnesses he didn't know about. One person even says that person believes they know who killed Laci Peterson, I guess, believing that it is not Scott Peterson. Couldn't it just be grand standing court room shenanigans by Geragos? It all sounds, oh, wow, there are seven people out there. Apparently, police looked at these people, decided they weren't of interest.

GUILFOYLE NEWSOM: You're right and you hear this. There's two different sides here. Prosecution may think a witness is important in terms of their view of the case and the defense will have a different idea. Here it is very likely that the seven people are people the police looked at and decided they were not considered important and the prosecution also decided they did not need to be followed up on. Mark Geragos representing his client in a capital case looking at the death penalty takes a different viewpoint. He should have everything. The defense needs to do their job and follow up on this information.

COOPER: He's calling for two juries, one for the guilt phase and one for the penalty phase if, in fact, he's convicted.

GUILFOYLE NEWSOM: This is a smart move. Many defense attorneys feel strongly about this. When you question a potential jury pool, you have to ask them, if you find this defendant guilty, can you, can you impose the death penalty? If they answer yes, studies show they are more conservative. They're more likely to find Scott Peterson to be guilty with. He's trying to do the best for his client and give him a shot.

COOPER: All right. Kimberly Guilfoyle Newsom. Thanks very much.

Bizarre case in South Africa. Did three men feed a father of three to lions? The story still to come. Also tonight, the "Current," Tina Turner setting her sights on a movie career? Sure, you better watch your back. Well be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: All right. Time for a quick check on some ridiculous news in pop news current. CBS is at it again. They apologized for Janet Jackson and now apologizing to Native Americans for the Outkast Performance. I'm personally still waiting for an apology for "Jake and the Fatman." I'm waiting.

It's been announced that 64-year-old Tina Turner will play an Indian goddess in a New Merchant Ivory film. Not to be outdone her ex-husband Ike is looking to be in a TV series, most likely cops.

In an interview win "Details" magazine, actor Ethan Hawke criticizes the president saying are more like toy to find leadership with a man who likes to have sex with a lot of women. I got three words for you, President Ron Jeremy.

And single guys out there bad news, Star Jones is getting married. A guy named Al Reynolds proposed on TV. Jones said, she knew it was going to happen because Al asked her parents first. Cameras were not present. But we presume they said yes, yes, oh god, please, yes. Maybe. I don't know.

Anyway, a crime in South Africa has caught the attention of much of the world. Three men are accused of feeding a 38-year-old father of three to the lions.

CNN's Charlayne Hunter-Gault has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHARLAYNE HUNTER-GAULT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): An outraged community demanding no bail for 34-year-old South African building contractor Mark Scott Crossly and two employees jailed on suspicion of literally feeding a former co-worker to lions at this game farm.

(on camera): It was just over this fence and down under that clump of tree that is a skull and bones believed to be of Nelson Chisale was found. They say that at night lions prowl close to this fence in hopes someone will throw some food to them. In this instance the food was a human being. It may be weeks before DNA tests confirm whether the human being was Nelson Chisale. Chisale's room remains as he left it when his landlady says he set out to collect the pots and pans he left on the farm where he worked before Scott Crossly fired him. Chisale earlier fired charges against Scott Crossly, accusing him of burning clothes Chisale left the at the farm. A mouth man was released after he turned state's witness. 34-year-old, Robert Mnisi says Scott Crossly strangled Chisale before he was thrown to the lions.

ROBERT MNISI, STATE WITNESS: Then he throw him to the lions.

HUNTER-GAULT: When he objected, Scott Crossly threatened to shoot him. Police say, the human remains were discovered after the lions were moved to another part of Mokwalo White Lion Project. Scott Crossly spoke to CNN but not about the specifics of the case. He said he welcomed news coverage.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When the truth is out, there will be nothing under the carpet.

HUNTER-GAULT: A devastated family member says not even death is good enough for the killers.

FETSANG LAFTA, NESON CHISALE'S NIECE: But whatever the court will decide. Nothing will bring my uncle back.

HUNTER-GAULT: Charlayne Hunter-Gault, CNN, Talbora (ph), South African.

(END VIDEOTAPE) COOPER: Hard to believe.

Well, remember all the grammar lessons in your school days. Ugh, your likely saying. But hey don't worry. Don't knock grammar. There could be consequences. We're going to take it to the Nth Degree just ahead.

And tomorrow a follow up on a brave Iraqi on the mend after a bullet is removed from his brain. You see him right there. Don't miss this boy's remarkable story tomorrow night on 360.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Tonight, taking punctuation to the "Nth Degree." Remember that fuss budget of a English teacher you had. Turns out she was right, punctuation does count. Late yesterday, a judge told groups wanting to stop San Francisco from issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples that they made an error in their filing.

"The way you've written this," the judge said, "it has a semicolon where it should have the word or." He went on to say, "I am not trying to be petty here. That semicolon is a big deal."

He's got a point. Imagine if good old Patrick Henry, instead of "Give me liberty or give me death" had instead said give me liberty; give me death. See the problem?

And what about the old love or leave it bumper sticker. Your replace the or with a semicolon and, you've got America, love it; leave it. Talk about little things meaning a lot. People were married today who otherwise might not have been all because of a comma wearing a dot for a hat.

I'm Anderson Cooper. Thanks for watching. Coming up next, "PAULA ZAHN."

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com





Presidential Race>