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Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees

A look at Secret Clues that Helped Lead to BTK Suspect; Did Terrorist Target New York's Grand Central Station?

Aired March 02, 2005 - 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.


ANDERSON COOPER, HOST: Good evening from New York. I'm Anderson Cooper.
For the first time, we'll show you the secret clues that helped lead to the BTK suspect.

360 starts now.

The BTK killer's clues revealed for the first time, the bizarre hints you haven't seen hidden in messages he sent the media. Tonight, the startling clues that led police to Dennis Rader, the man they say is the BTK killer.

Did terrorists target New York's Grand Central Station? Police investigating the Madrid train bombing find disturbing drawings. Tonight, we put train security to the test. You'll be surprised to see what happens when you leave a bag unaccompanied in America's biggest train station.

A judge's family, brutally murdered. White supremacists suspected.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We also want the public to provide any additional information about this crime.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: What life is really like for a judge threatened with revenge for putting away some of America's toughest criminals.

And why do so many 16-year-old drivers crash? The problem may be in your teenager's brain. Tonight, startling new research on how your kids' brains develop, and why they may be making such bad choices.

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

COOPER: Good evening again.

The man charged with being the BTK strangler, responsible for 10 brutal murders, and perhaps more than 10, had a visit today in his cell from the pastor of a church he attended in Wichita. Dennis Rader and Pastor Mike Clark (ph) spent 45 minutes together. What they talked about, indeed, if they talked at all, is not known.

We begin tonight with a look at secret clues, clues sent by the BTK killer to our affiliate in KAKE in Wichita, Kansas. The police had asked the station to keep these clues hidden while the BTK strangler was still being hunted. Now there is a suspect in custody. The story can be told, the bizarre objects he mailed, the word games he played, and the meaning behind some of his messages.

KAKE anchor Jeff Herndon reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEFF HERNDON, ANCHOR, KAKE, WICHITA, KANSAS (voice-over): The package found in Murdoch Park on December 13 that confirmed BTK communication included some of the most haunting clues. We videotaped its contents and showed you the Nancy Fox driver's license, but we didn't show you the object wrapped in a plastic bag alongside the license.

Police told us that even mentioning it might trigger BTK and incite him to kill again.

Inside that bag was a doll, a doll with a bag over its head, its hands and feet bound by pantyhose. It appears to be a Barbie doll, more specifically, a P.J. doll. P.J. was the name of a doll sold as a friend of Barbie, made from 1969 to 1985. BTK would later reference "P.J." and "doll" in a future communication with KAKE. And we know all about BTK's presumed connection to P.J. Wyatt, a former Wichita State professor.

The package also had a list with the same BTK chapter titles that had been mailed to KAKE months earlier, except, for some reason, chapters one, two, and eight were blank.

Also enclosed in the package, and not revealed until tonight, what appears to be a signature on a small piece of paper. It looked like this, a strange symbol that contain the letters B, T, K.

Now, to the KAKE postcards. The first, received in January, leads us to the Post-Toasties box. We've already shown you several things on the card. We didn't show everything listed under "Contents." In addition to saying "Post-Toasties Box in C-9," it also reads, "P.J. little necks, and doll," again the reference to doll and P.J., "Haunt of Kansas," "Acronym List" and "Jewelry."

This may have been the contents of the cereal box, but we don't know.

We also couldn't reveal this information. He writes, "Also, let me know if you or P.D. receive number seven at Home Depot drop site 1- 8-05. Thanks." That was an apparent reference to the package left at the Home Depot East.

Now, the new stuff from BTK's next communication with KAKE, a postcard received on February 3. It begins to mention some kind of a code. At the top it says, "Communication number," then "KTV, PC-2." At the bottom of the card, he writes, "P.S., May want to use KTV-PC, et cetera, as code number in letters from me to you, for my verification code."

Under "Business Issues," he says, "Tell WPD that I received the newspaper tip for a go. Test run soon. Thanks." Did WPD use newspaper classifieds to communicate with BTK? It's been done before, but "The Wichita Eagle" tells KAKE News police did not contact them about communicating with BTK in the paper.

But KAKE did find this strange personal ad that was running the day our postcard arrived. "The Eagle" tells us the woman who placed the ad gave no address, no phone number, and no name.

Perhaps the most puzzling message sent to KAKE was a puzzle itself. KAKE received this bizarre word game on May 5. It's been authenticated by the FBI. We found more than 40 words hidden in the puzzle and have showed you some of them. Now we're revealing all of the letters. Take a look. You'll see words like "Prowl," "Fantasies," "Steam builds," "Go for it," all words listed under "M.O."

You can see "Officer," "WPD," then "Help," "Handyman," and "Lost pet." Finding lost pets was one of BTK suspect Dennis Rader's jobs as Park City compliance officer.

If Dennis Rader is BTK, he may have left one incredible clue to his true identity in this puzzle. Rader lived at 6220 Independence. Those house numbers appear right here, near a sequence of letters. Reverse the last two letters, they spell "D. Rader."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Well, earlier I talked with Jeff Herndon there at KAKE.

Jeff, for me, the most startling thing is seeing that word game, where you actually have the address of this man, at least the number of his address, and his name, if you reverse some of those letters. How startled were you by that?

HERNDON: I was very startled. You know, I took the word puzzle home that night, and I stared at it for hours and hours and hours. And about 2:00 in the morning, it hit me, 6220 was so familiar. We have been saying it all day long. And there it was, right in the middle of this page. And I started to look a little bit closer, and, of course, you can make out, it is a stretch, it bends the rules of the word puzzle, but you can make out D. Rader, of course, providing you flip those final two letters around.

Also something else that I noticed as well, the word "Prayer." The word "Prayer" is in there too, P-R-A-Y-E-R, with the same cluster of letters. And as we know, he was a churchgoing man, president of his congregation. So it was all right there.

COOPER: As we look now, how important was some of this information along the way? HERNDON: Well, I think some of it was more important than others. They weren't giving us any indication as to how important any one of these individual communications might be, because we would receive the communications were the ones that we received. We would call them, turn it over to them, and that would be the last we would hear about it.

But I assume that some were probably more important than others. This word puzzle, for instance, who knows how important this was? Probably not as important as some of the other items, like jewelry and such, that was found in some of the packages.

COOPER: Just personally, what was it like for you, realizing that this guy very well may have been watching you doing your broadcast, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) doing your work as a reporter?

HERNDON: Well, I can tell you that in one of the postcards we received in February, on February 3, he had mentioned me by name, along with my co-anchor at the time, Susan Peters. We had had colds the week before. And he had mentioned in one of his postcards that he sent to KAKE that he hoped that our colds were doing better as well.

We knew that he was watching KAKE-TV, but it's a whole different ball game when he drops your name in a communication. Kind of takes your breath away.

COOPER: Finally, what do you not know at this point about this man Dennis Rader that you would like to know in order to try to fit these pieces of the puzzle together? What are the big, outstanding things you want to know?

HERNDON: Well, first and foremost, the big outstanding thing that I think we all want to know is exactly how police got onto his trail. Of course, sources are saying that it all reverts back to this disk that was received by another television station in Wichita, and that led them to the church, which led them to Dennis Rader.

But that, none of that is official. I think we would just like to know how, in fact, Dennis Rader became a suspect.

And another point too, we cannot confirm if Dennis Rader was a suspect back in the '70s or the early '80s.

COOPER: And, of course, hearing from his family at some point, whether he is the BTK killer or not, would be fascinating. They obviously are going through a traumatic time right now.

HERNDON: Oh, yes.

COOPER: Jeff Herndon, I appreciate you joining us. Great reporting. Thanks very much.

HERNDON: Thank you.

COOPER: And you can check out the BTK word puzzle for yourself. We have a link on our Web site, cnn.com/360. As we were looking over the puzzle late this afternoon, we actually noticed one other name hidden in the puzzle. You can see it there, spelled out vertically, the name "Anderson."

Three months ago, Wichita police released a sort of self-portrait of the BTK killer pieced together from information he himself allegedly provided in letters to the media and to police. We wanted to see if that information matches up with what we know so far about the man in custody, Dennis Rader.

Heidi Collins has been investigating. Heidi?

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Anderson, police, as you know, released just a few lines from the letters BTK had been writing to them and to local news organizations. They hoped friends or family members might recognize the killer in someone they knew, and they say that path led them to Dennis Rader.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, you will find a homicide at 843 South Pershing, Nancy Fox.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm sorry, sir, I can't understand you. What is the address, 843 South Pershing?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's correct.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

COLLINS (voice-over): The year was 1977, and police said the voice on that 911 call belonged to the man who would come to be known as the BTK killer. More than 27 years later, police say that voice belongs to this man, Dennis Rader.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you understand that you're charged with ten counts of first-degree murder.

DENNIS RADER: Yes, sir.

COLLINS: We may not have heard the voice of the alleged killer in some 27 years, but for the past year, there's been no shortage of communiques, complete with bits of personal information he apparently wanted to share with the men and women whose job it was to hunt him down.

But how does the man described in those letters compare to the man in custody?

Police said BTK claimed he was born in 1939, making him 65 or 66 years old. Dennis Rader is 59, born on March 9, 1945. BTK's letter said he was in the military and was discharged in 1966. Dennis Rader was in the Air Force, but from 1965 through 1969. BTK wrote that as a youth, he attended church and Sunday school. Dennis Rader was recently elected president of his Lutheran church.

But police say some leads in BTK's letters may have simply been, by design, false, like his claim that his father died in World War II. And others remain a mystery, like his claim that his grandfather played the fiddle and died of lung disease, or that he built the ham radio in the early 1950s.

What we do know is that Dennis Rader is the man police say is the BTK killer.

He faced his first day in court yesterday, where he was charged with 10 counts of murder.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: Wichita police have long said that some of the letters they received from BTK were printed on photocopiers from Wichita State University and from a local church. They have confirmed that Dennis Rader graduated from Wichita State in 1979 with a degree in administration of justice.

And the church printer, well, that belonged to the Christ Lutheran Church, and that is where Dennis Rader is the president.

COOPER: It seems like there's still not a lot known about Dennis Rader. I mean, you would think you'd be able to compare, you know, his chronology with that of what we know about the killer.

COLLINS: Yes, that's definitely true. And if you remember that press conference from way back, when this first broke, you will remember the district attorney, her name is Nola Folston (ph), who said that, you know, we really need to do everything we possibly can to protect the integrity of this case. And as we go forward, maybe we'll learn a little bit more, or maybe they're just too worried about that.

COOPER: All right, Heidi Collins, thanks very much.

Breaking news now, we were getting out of Denver concerning the civil trial of NBA star Kobe Bryant. CNN has confirmed that Bryant's attorneys have reached a settlement with the woman accusing him of rape. No terms of the deal have been disclosed, but Bryant's lawyers say the settlement is, quote, "to the satisfaction of both parties."

We'll update you on the story as we hear more.

A school bus driver is shot and killed with students on board. That story tops our look at what's happening right now cross-country.

We take you to Cumberland City, Tennessee, a 14-year-old boy charged with murder. Authorities say he never got on the bus and shot the driver several times through the door. The 24 students on the bus were not hurt.

We take you to Alderson, West Virginia, now. Martha Stewart planning a very public exit from prison when she is released as early as Friday. Her company will provide a flatbed truck for media cameras so they can get pictures of her boarding a chartered plane at the airport.

And near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, now, the jockey in jail. , Stewart Elliott (ph), the man who rode Smarty Jones to victory in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes last year, well, he's been arrested by federal immigration agents. Elliott, who's Canadian, could be ordered to leave the U.S. because of a 2001 conviction for aggravated assault.

On to Capitol Hill now, Jackie Robinson honored for breaking baseball's color barrier. President Bush was on hand as Robinson's widow accepted a Congressional Gold Medal for her late husband. It is the highest civilian award. In 1947, of course, Robinson became the first African-American to play in the big leagues. He died in 1972 at the age of 53.

And we take you to the coast of Half Moon Bay, California, hanging 10, 24 surfers are competing in what's billed as the Super Bowl of big-wave surfing, the Mavericks surf contest. That's Heidi Collins right there on that surfboard. Up for grabs, $75,000 in prize money. Not bad for a day at the beach. And it is certainly tough.

That's a quick look at stories cross-country for you tonight.

Coming up next on 360, a federal judge's family murdered. We're going to show you what life is like for another judge who has risked her life to put away the bad guys.

Also ahead tonight, your kids and bad choices. Do you worry about your kids getting behind the wheel of a car? Well, new brain research may hold a clue about why some 16-year-olds aren't all that responsible. Could be all in the brain.

And a little bit later, doing damage control for Michael Jackson. One woman hired to do it takes the stand against him. We'll tell you what happened in court today.

All that ahead. First, the most popular stories on CNN.com right now.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: There's a possible clue tonight in the mysterious double murder of a federal judge's husband and mother. A fingerprint was lifted from a shard of glass at the Chicago home of district court judge Joan Lefkow. That's where the victims were shot to death.

While investigators hunt down leads, other jurists are speaking out, demanding better protection for them and their families.

One former New York state judge knows what it is like to live in fear. She was marked for death, and tonight she's telling 360 what it was like to always be looking over her shoulder.

We take you beyond the headlines now with CNN's Adaora Udoji. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HON. LESLIE CROCKER SNYDER (on phone): Hi, Betsy, how are you?

ADAORA UDOJI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When Leslie Crocker Snyder was a judge, she learned to live with death threats. It was the hardest, though, when her two sons were threatened too.

SNYDER: At 3:00 in the morning, I would wake up in a cold sweat because I would just think, if anything happens to my kids.

UDOJI: Twenty years on the bench, Judge Snyder built a fearsome reputation.

SNYDER: That is a total of 158 1/3 years to life.

UDOJI: Passing out stiff sentences to notorious rapists, murderers and drug dealers, a time when crack cocaine ignited bloody wars on the streets of New York City. Some called her Ice Princess. TV's "Law and Order" honored her with a starring role.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "LAW AND ORDER")

SNYDER: Bail is set at $2 million cash or bond.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

UDOJI: Drug lords emblazoned her portrait on their heroin. They also thought about killing her.

SNYDER: And you can't do it by threatening judges.

UDOJI: The Wild Cowboys, a powerful drug gang accused of killing dozens, put a contract on her. An accused swindler hired a fellow inmate to take her out.

SNYDER: My kids were, like, Mom, you can't let the bad guys win. And so I was able to continue doing what I did, because of this family support, and the great New York City police protection.

UDOJI: Multiple bodyguards protected her family on and off for years.

DR. FREDERIC SNYDER, HUSBAND: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) a time you say, Well, you know, is it worth it? You know, you know, why don't you just pack it in and do something else? But then, on reflection, that's what you wanted her to do, and that's what she should do.

UDOJI: Neither the Snyders nor NYPD give out details on security teams. Expert Lou Palumbo says, at a minimum.

LOU PALUMBO, DIRECTOR, ELITE AGENCY: To protect the judge, what I would certainly do is make sure she had appropriate security around her, and by that I mean, two agents with her at all times, plus an advance agent. UDOJI: Snyder, now a lawyer in private practice, won't say if she still faces threats. After standing up to some of New York's meanest criminals, she's considering a run for New York City's top prosecutor and taking on criminals again.

SNYDER (on phone): Take care.

UDOJI: Adaora Udoji, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Well, a crackdown in Cuba tops our look at global news right now in tonight's uplink.

Cuba's Torza (ph) Ministry has ordered all its workers, everyone from housemaids to those in upper management, to not fraternize with foreigners. Workers must also rat on any tourists who speak bad of Cuba. Hm.

Right now, over the Pacific, an aviation record attempt is in jeopardy. Steve Fossett is trying to become the first person to fly solo around world nonstop. Thing is, because of a gas leak or instrument problem, somehow he is short 2,600 pounds of much-needed fuel. He's headed for Hawaii, where he could land, if needed, but if tailwinds are good, he'll head for the U.S. mainland.

We take you now to Sakara (ph), Egypt, where mummies were discovered. Archeologists found the three coffins in a pyramid. They say the mummies date back to 500 B.C., and they may be the best mummies ever preserved.

On to Innsbruck, Austria, now, a stunt jump off one of Europe's tallest bridges, stuntman dropping 558 feet, first to free fall, then he opened his paraglide and made a perfect landing.

That's a quick look at world news in the uplink tonight.

Coming up next on 360, a tragic drowning. Jack Nicklaus's grandson is found dead in a hot tub. What you may not know is that drowning is one of the leading causes of death for kids under 5. We'll give you tips on how to prevent it.

Also tonight, did Madrid terrorists have an eye on America's Grand Central Station? Tonight, we put train safety to the test, leaving a bag in America's busiest train station. You might be surprised how long it took before anyone noticed anything.

Also ahead tonight, Michael Jackson in court, trying for some damage control. A woman hired to handle his public relations took the stand against him today. We'll tell you what happened on the stand.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Well, a family tragedy has struck a sports legend. The 17-month-old grandson of Hall of Fame golfer Jack Nicklaus drowned in his parents' hot tub in Florida yesterday. Police say the death was accidental.

Now, all day, this has been one of the most-viewed stories on CNN.com. Every day, 360's Rudi Bakhtiar looks into these Web stories to bring an angle you won't see anywhere else. Rudi, today, what did you find out?

RUDI BAKHTIAR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Anderson, in researching this particular story all day, what we found to be so heartbreaking and so surprising is how common this type of tragedy really is.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For whatever reason, we believe someone had left the slider open to -- or it was opened by someone after they went back into the residence.

BAKHTIAR (voice-over): And that, Palm Beach police say, a door left open to the hot tub, was all it took to end the life of Jake Walter Nicklaus. Even with a child barrier, the toddler managed to get into the hot tub, where he drowned.

You may not know this, but drowning is among the leading causes of accidental death at home for children under 5 years old. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, at least 300 children under 5 drown every year in swimming pools, and more than 2,000 other youngsters are hospitalized for injuries related to being submerged in a pool.

And the government says most of the victims were being supervised by a parent.

A child can drown in just minutes, and often it's a silent death, with no sounds of splashing. To prevent child drownings, the government urges parents to install barriers, like a wall or a fence, with a self-closing latch, which might have helped in the Nicklaus case.

The barriers should be at least four feet high. In addition, parents should install a door alarm or power safety cover that goes over the pool or Jacuzzi.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BAKHTIAR: And Anderson, besides putting up a barrier or a fence, or using those power safety covers, there are other things that you need to do. First and foremost, don't leave your child unsupervised at a pool, even if they know how to swim. Don't use those flotation devices as a substitute.

You know, if a child is missing, check your pool first, because seconds really matter in saving the child's life, or even, you know, making sure they don't become disabled afterwards.

COOPER: One of the amazing things, though, about what you just said, though, in that report is that a lot of parents were on hand when the children drowned. So CPR of course, I mean, if the parents knew, obviously that would be an important thing. How do you get CPR certified?

BAKHTIAR: It's amazing. You know, the American Heart Associations says 100,000 to 200,000 lives can be saved if CPR is administered in the right amount of time. And it's so easy. We went on the Internet trying to find various ways of getting CPR certified. You can buy the kit and do it with the whole family. You can go to your local, you know, hospital, local university. They always have classes.

And the best thing I found is, is that there's this -- it was called www.cprtoday.com. In under half an hour, I took the test and got my little certification.

COOPER: Really, half an hour?

BAKHTIAR: Yes, under half, well, (UNINTELLIGIBLE)...

COOPER: You have been certified before, so...

BAKHTIAR: I have been certified before.

COOPER: OK.

BAKHTIAR: So maybe under an hour for most people.

COOPER: Right.

BAKHTIAR: But, you know, you got (UNINTELLIGIBLE)...

COOPER: Good to know, that's important to know. Rudi Bakhtiar...

BAKHTIAR: SO you're safe next to me, Anderson.

COOPER: I appreciate that. You're staying here all through the show. Don't go anywhere. Thanks very much.

360 next, CNN has confirmed Kobe Bryant settles the civil case against him over an alleged sexual assault. We'll have details ahead.

Also tonight in court, Michael Jackson undergoing, trying to undergo some damage control, but a woman hired to help his image took the stand against him today. Didn't say some flattering things.

Also a little later, should teenagers be kept from behind the wheel? There is some new brain research out that may have you thinking twice before you hand over your keys to your 16-year-old. A story, well, that every parent and every driver, really, will want to see.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: An update on some breaking news out of Denver, concerning the civil trial of NBA star Kobe Bryant. As we reported at the top of this hour, CNN has confirmed that Bryant's attorneys have reached a settlement with the woman accusing him of rape. This is a civil settlement. 360's Gary Tuchman has been closely monitoring the case. He joins us by phone with the latest from Atlanta.

What do you know Gary?

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Anderson, there will be no civil trial, just like there will be no criminal trial. That was dropped this past September. After days of speculation that a settlement might be neared, CNN has confirmed that both sides have reached a civil settlement. We do believe that Kobe Bryant will be paying this alleged victim a lot of money. The amount of the money we don't know, because part of the settlement is neither side will release the terms of the settlement.

This summer we expected to see a civil trial in the case. If no settlement was reached. But the key date this was past Friday. This past Friday, Kobe Bryant was expected to go to a deposition. The woman's attorneys were going to ask him any questions they wanted, including questions about his sex life, his alleged sex life with other woman, other than his wife and other than this alleged victim. Well, Kobe Bryant decided he was not to attend the deposition. The reason, it appears that both sides were both deep into settlement talks.

Now, Kobe Bryant attorney, Pamela Mackey, has released a statement, saying they have reached a settlement. They're not going to disclose the terms. But what this means is the case is now completely over. After 14 months, the woman decided she no longer wanted to go forward with the criminal case. The judge in that case, Terry Ruckriegle in Eagle, Colorado announced, there would be no criminal trial.

Then the woman said she would sue Kobe Bryant in the civil court. There's a much lower standard of proof. It's not proof beyond a reasonable doubt, like there is in a criminal case. It's just PRESS: of the evidence, like a scale. Which way it tips. Which way the jury decides is who wins the case. But it will not happen. We will never know the details of what happened that night in Eagle, Colorado. The only people who know exactly what happened is Kobe Bryant and the alleged victim in the case. It is all over.

Anderson, back to you.

COOPER: All right. Gary Tuchman with -- from Atlanta with the latest. Thanks, Gary.

Kobe Bryant has, of course, been named as a potential witness in Michael Jackson's trial. Today in that courtroom, there were fireworks. Bodyguards surrounding Michael Jackson, and an umbrella above, and the singer waved to his fans as he walked into the Santa Maria courtroom today. Inside a woman who had been hired to improve Jackson's image, spent much of the day attacking that image until, well his defense lawyer launched a blistering counterattack on her testimony.

CNN's Ted Rowland is following the trial. He joins us live outside the court -- Ted. TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Anderson, it was a long day for Ann Kite on the stand, this former P.R. employee. She started on direct saying that, at one point, she was concerned while working for Jackson in February of 2003, that the victim's family in this case may have been kidnapped. She says, she got a frantic call from one of Jackson's employees, saying that the victims family had left Neverland. That caused her concern -- some concern.

She said, later she was concerned when this Jackson employee called her back and was relieved, saying that his family was back, and that everything was OK. She says the same person said this about the victim's mother after she was back. Saying, quote, "They had her on tape. And said they were going to make her look like a cracker whore."

On cross-examination, Jackson's lawyer Tom Mesereau, established that this woman only worked for Michael Jackson for a total of six days. She had never met Michael Jackson, that never talked to Michael Jackson, and never met in person any of Michael Jackson's close employees that were dealing with her. She even testified that she thought, at one point, Jackson was the victim of this circle of employees, saying that one of them had ripped him off to the tune of $980,000.

Bottom line, very unclear which side benefited from the testimony today. One thing we did learn today, more about Jackson's day to day life during these court proceedings. His publicists says, that he wakes up at 4:30 every morning to get ready to come to court here. They say -- she said, he spends the entire day in court, and then goes home and eats with his children. She says he's not depressed, but he's angry at times. Says his health is not 100 percent.

Today in court, his mother, and Jackie, his brother, were there. She says that all of Michael Jackson's family is all very, very supportive.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RAYMONE BAIN, JACKSON'S SPOKESPERSON: I think it has to do with schedule. You know, he has a large family. This is obviously going to take a long time here. And I'm sure you'll be seeing them all as the days progress. I don't think there's any definite strategy. I think it just depends on people's schedules. You know, his family are icons.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROWLANDS: Ann Kite spent entire day on the stand, except for the last 10, 15 minutes or so. At one point, the judge had to scold Jackson's attorney, Thomas Mesereau, telling him basically to hurry it up, the jury is getting bored. Tomorrow we expect to hear more from a sheriff's deputy who was involved in the raid of Neverland Ranch -- Anderson.

COOPER: Ted Rowlands, reporting on the case. Thanks, Ted. Scheduling problem aside, you heard the spokesperson talking about scheduling problems of the family, the Jackson's say they love their brother and their son, and are have got to stand by him throughout the trial. Really not a surprise, if you think about it. This is a family, who despite their many differences, have always stuck together.

CNN's Rusty Dornin takes a closer look now at Jackson clan.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The son of a steelworker, he's one of nine children. When Michael Jackson was very young, the family was not known for embracing outsiders.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was the kind of upbringing, that as Jehovah's Witnesses, they became very close knit and sort of, you know, they clung onto themselves. And bring it back

DORNIN: That is until father, Joe, launched the Jackson Five. Jermaine, Marlon, Tito, Jackie and Michael, seen here auditioning for Motown Records, in a video produced years later by Michael Jackson. Even then, young Michael was said to be image conscience. Behind the happy face, he later admitted, was turmoil and a father, who many said, demanded perfection.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Michael has talked about beating says that he endured as a youngster. And when Michael discusses these beatings todays, he gets very emotional.

DORNIN: In 1976, the group switched label. Jermaine Jackson stayed behind with Motown Records and was replaced by Randy. By the late '70s, Michael Jackson had begun to move towards a solo career. And then in 1982, there was "Thriller." Two years later, the brothers reunited for the Victory Tour. But it was Michael Jackson alone who was the king of pop.

Sister Janet, star wise, came closest to her brother's musical achievements. Unknown by many, Rebbie Jackson, the oldest sibling also sang, as did LaToya, known as the most rebellious of the family. When allegations of molestation first surfaced against Michael in 1993, it was LaToya Jackson who broke ranks with the family, casting doubt on her brother.

LATOYA JACKSON, SISTER OF MICHAEL JACKSON: They will say anything to make it looks like Michael is innocent. And that's the sad part about it.

DORNIN: Now she's back to the family fold, speaking out, wearing white for Michael.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What's going through your mind right now.

DORNIN: The family's offensive was launched by Jermaine Jackson within hours of his brother arrest, telling CNN, JERMAINE JACKSON, BROTHER OF MICHAEL JACKSON: I'd like to say the whole family, supports Michael a 100 percent, 1,000 percent. Michael is innocent is.

DORNIN: In public, Katherine and Joe Jackson are, now, never far from Michael's side. His mother's pain apparent in an interview with journalist Daphne Barak.

KATHERINE JACKSON, MOTHER OF MICHAEL JACKSON: I can't sleep at night. I do a lot of praying. I can't talk too much about the case. But I know my son, and this is ridiculous.

DORNIN: A family that has closed ranks around its most famous member once again.

Rusty Dornin, CNN, San Francisco.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Coming up next on 360, did Madrid terrorists also target trains in New York City? Tonight, we take you beyond the headlines. We put America's train security to the test. How long does it take for someone to notice a bag left unaccompanied in America's biggest train station? You'll find out.

And also tonight, should your teenager be allowed to drive? New research that may have you thinking twice before handing over the keys.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: A warning today from Spain that terrorists might be eying one of America's busiest train stations right here in New York City. A Spanish newspaper says that authorities investigating last year's Madrid train bombings uncovered a rough stretch of New York's Grand Station Terminal.

Federal and New York officials, though, were quick to downplay the finding. Saying it is no proof that any attack is or was in the works. Still, it is certainly disturbing that this spot, like so many places we get used to, our destinations can be the target of terrorism.

In January, our Jason Carroll followed one New York woman on her daily commute and he put one station's security to the test. Here's a look "Beyond the Headlines."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is one morning Karen Callahan can relax at home with her cup of coffee. A day off from work as a paralegal. She relishes days like this, no 30- minute train ride into Manhattan, no security worries.

KAREN CALLAHAN, TRAIN COMMUTER: I feel like a sitting duck, that's what I feel. I feel like every time I get on that train, it could happen.

CARROLL: We joined Callahan on her commute home through the world's largest train station, New York's Grand Central. This is where security concerns her most.

(on camera): Do you think about it very often?

CALLAHAN: I do. Probably everyday.

CARROLL (voice-over): This single mom of two, sees the train as her only choice. So she tries to minimize her risk.

CALLAHAN: I tend to go in the very first car. For a few reasons, one of them being that it seems to get easier to get out.

CARROLL: Senator Joe Biden says Callahan's security worries are not unfounded.

SEN. JOE BIDEN, (D) DELAWARE: There is no basic security. It is bizarre, absolutely bizarre.

I'm actually angry about it.

CARROLL: Biden commutes daily from Delaware to Washington.

BIDEN: It's been 3 and a half years of this.

CARROLL: He's so angered by lapses in security, he introduced legislation.

(on camera): Do you see anything around here that you think that could be improved.

BIDEN: For example, what you could improve is as people just standing here with the dogs. Just bomb-sniffing dogs.

I mean it's basic block and tackle stuff.

CARROLL (voice-over): New York lawmakers gave train and subway security a D, citing unprotected tunnels, rail yards and in particular, lack of surveillance. So at a train station in Philadelphia, and another in New York, we waited to see how long it would take for security notice an abandoned bag government clear view. After 10 minutes, nothing. That wouldn't surprise Callahan who takes it upon herself to keep an eye out.

CALLAHAN: There was a man sitting behind me with a backpack, and you know, just -- he looked like one of the people that might have been on the airplanes. And he got up and he looked around and just kind of a suspicious way to me. And then he walked off.

And right then, a man wearing almost the same jacket, same backpack, sat in the very seat behind me. So, I can't help it.

And if there was a cop, a trooper, I think I might have said something. CARROLL: Back to the bags. 20 minutes pass. In Philadelphia, an officer and his dog look over the bag. Our producer steps in and identifies it. But in New York, still nothing.

Those who track terror tactics say the U.S. could learn from Great Britain's experience with its train system and threats by the Irish Republican Army.

In New York after 30 minutes, one person stops, but is too rushed to report the bag. We conclude the experiment.

Amtrak says since 9/11, its added police, increased use of bomb sniffing dogs and requires passengers to show ID. But Karen Callahan believes even more should be done, but she's not holding her breath.

CALLAHAN: I think it all comes down to money. I think it's just probably too expensive to have security on all the trains at all times. It's money.

CARROLL: So she'll keep riding and keep watching who's sitting nearby. Jason Carroll, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Wow, 30 minutes for that bag. Amazing.

A quick news note, though, on the vulnerability of the nation's train stations. It's well known to the Department of Homeland Security. They say they're taking steps to make you safer. Already this years, they say, 70 more inspectors have been hired to work with the 400 already in place and $150 million are earmarked for rail security in this year's budget.

Stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.

Coming up next on 360, ever wonder why your teenager makes the choices they do? Well, the answer may be in their brains. Are they wired for bad choices and bad driving? New research that every parent and driver needs to hear. That's ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: OK. So your kids get behind the wheel. You may fret a little, but you say, hey, they're 16-years-old. They're old enough to drive safely, right?

Well, a new research suggests they may not be, because a 16-year- old brain is still developing, especially in the area of the brain that makes judgment calls. CNN's senior medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, joins us from Atlanta with more on this study.

Sanjay, what is different about a teenager's brain?

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, as you mentioned, Anderson, the brains are still sort of under construction. Especially in some of the areas that of the brain that are responsible for planing, judgment, all those things that are predeciding and things that are important to drive as well. Take a look here. Between the ages of 5 and 20, as the brain matures, it turns blue here. I want to give you a sense, even at the age of 20, which is at the very end of this, the entire brain has not turned blue, which is really remarkable to a lot of people.

For a long time, sort of set these guidelines in an arbitrary way. Say, yes you can start driving when you are 16. You can vote when you are 18. You can drink when you are 21. Really arbitrate. People are trying to make an objective measurement now of this, in terms of determining when you are old enough. At age of 16, there's still a lot of construction that still needs to be done, especially in that area of the brain that determines judgment.

COOPER: I feel my brain is still under construction! Lets talk about driving though.

GUPTA: How old are you?

COOPER: Yes, I know, 37. I know, about time. Hurry up. Does this -- the slow maturing of a teenager's brain, does it do something to actually impair their judgment?

GUTPA: Yes. Well, you know, every teenager is going to be a little bit different. You know, a 16-year-old in some cases, may be better than an 18-year-old. And sometimes teenagers are better than adult drivers. But sort of across the board, if you look at that area of the brain, if you look at that area of the brain, the frontal lobes, what we're learning now is we sort of thought early in childhood the brain sort is fully developed. Certainly you learn things, but as far as the brain itself, it's fully developed. We're learning that's not true. And it's really interesting these scans, Anderson, because you can see that even up to the age of 25 in most brains, there's still a lot of work being done. And so it's raised the debate, should you push up the driving age. Make it older for people? I know you didn't get your deliver's license until you were 19, which is actually probably a safer age. They're saying around 20 maybe the safest in terms of overall brain development.

COOPER: That's because I lived in New York. I didn't need a car.

GUPTA: Right.

COOPER: Is it possible, though, that some days that parents are going want their kid to go for a brain scan to before deciding whether or not to give them the keys to the car.

GUPTA: I don't think we're there, by any means yet. Maybe some day. But you know, these -- passing a functional MRI test to get your driver's license, that's probably a long ways away. But I think that probably better training, more frequent testing especially for teenagers. I mean, the number are startling, Anderson. One in five 16-year-olds will be in an car accidental in the first year after they get a drivers license. And that's just too high. On the other hand, parents are saying, I am sick of car pooling my kids around. So you've got a lot of people on both end here. But I think it's going to be, probably end up being, better training and more frequent testing in the long.

COOPER: And you've got to know your kid, whether they're responsible or not at any age.

All right, Sanjay, thanks very much.

GUPTA: Thank you.

COOPER: Let's find out what is coming up at the top of the hour on "PAULA ZAHN NOW" -- Paula.

PAULA ZAHN, HOST "PAULA ZAHN NOW": Thanks so much, Anderson. We will start tonight with an emotional return home for a man who's says the BTK killer ruined his life by murdering his mother when he was just 5-years-old. I spoke with Steve Relford, earlier this week. And tonight he goes back to the home where he watched the brutal killing of his mom.

Plus a man who is using his expertise with online porn, I know this sounds very weird, but to fight terrorism. And we will have that story about halfway through the show tonight. See you at the top of the hour.

COOPER: All right, about six minutes from now. Thanks, Paula.

ZAHN: Thanks, Anderson.

COOPER: Coming up next on 360, what if plastic surgeons offered bonus rewards? Think of it as a frequent flyer program for your face. Yikes! Is it good medicine or just a bad medicine, bad idea? We'll see.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: We always get a lot of e-mail you, and we appreciate it. Let's check some of our "Viewer E-mail" for the day.

Steve in Provincetown, Massachusetts writes, "Whatever happened to an in-depth look at truly newsworthy global events with Anderson's wry commentary. I now give up and will no longer turn to it." The program he's talking about. Steve, appreciate your candor. I am sorry if we have disappointed you. We try for an interesting mix of stories, sometimes we don't get it right, sometimes we do. We appreciate you giving us a chance.

Matt in New York writes, "You are the only journalist at CNN. And the only journalist who attempts to be objective. How do you survive? Regan was right, and Bush is right, and the human spirit will overcome the pathetic despicable news reporting of the networks and CNN."

Matt, I'm glad you feel I'm objective. I don't believe there should be a liberal news or conservative news. I believe in facts and reporting all of the angles.

On a lighter note, Anthony in New York writes, "I'm a hairdresser in Manhattan. Just wanted you to know that most of my male clients ask for Anderson Cooper's haircut. Keep up the good work in reporting and style."

Now, Anthony, thank you very much. I am flattered, though, I've got to tell you it's not just your clients, Anthony. Today the other CNN anchors all got their haircut just like me. Take a look, Larry got his haircut? Do we have that picture -- new picture? No, that's Lou. Lou got his picture. That's Paula there, she got her hair redone like me, too. And well, Wolf did as well. Wolf's -- you know, he often follows me in many things. Do we have anyone else? I heard -- I heard Aaron is thinking about it. So we will see.

We appreciate your e-mails as always. If you got something on your mind, even gray hair like mine, send your e-mails to cnn.com/360.

Tonight take customer loyalty to "The Nth Degree." We like rewards. When you fly on a plane, frequent flier miles. Free flights or you can trade them in for useless do-dad. The idea is simple, it keeps you coming back. Customer loyalty, that's what it's all about. Well, now, they've taken this idea, well, they've taken it to "The Nth Degree."

The makers of Restylane are offering an online rewards program. In case you don't know what Restylane is, it's a surgical cosmetic treatment. A rival of Botox, only this stuff fills in wrinkles, sort of like autobody puddy. Here's the new deal, if you keep shooting up Restylane, you get gift certificates. Each treatment is about $500 to $750 bucks a pop. If you do one, you get a $25 gift certificate. By the fourth treatment you get $175 reward.

It's like those prizes they used to have in cereal boxes when you were a kid. All you've got to do is get the syringe box top from your doctor and mail it in. The syringe box top, can you believe that? Think of it as a frequent injector program. It's pretty clever, though. See you get these nice rewards. The nice rewards make you smile. The smiling causes wrinkles. Bam, you need more Restylane. It's the way it works. These guys aren't dumb.

I'm Anderson Cooper, thanks for watching 360. Prime time coverage continues right now with Paula Zahn -- Paula.

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


Aired March 2, 2005 - 19:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, HOST: Good evening from New York. I'm Anderson Cooper.
For the first time, we'll show you the secret clues that helped lead to the BTK suspect.

360 starts now.

The BTK killer's clues revealed for the first time, the bizarre hints you haven't seen hidden in messages he sent the media. Tonight, the startling clues that led police to Dennis Rader, the man they say is the BTK killer.

Did terrorists target New York's Grand Central Station? Police investigating the Madrid train bombing find disturbing drawings. Tonight, we put train security to the test. You'll be surprised to see what happens when you leave a bag unaccompanied in America's biggest train station.

A judge's family, brutally murdered. White supremacists suspected.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We also want the public to provide any additional information about this crime.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: What life is really like for a judge threatened with revenge for putting away some of America's toughest criminals.

And why do so many 16-year-old drivers crash? The problem may be in your teenager's brain. Tonight, startling new research on how your kids' brains develop, and why they may be making such bad choices.

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

COOPER: Good evening again.

The man charged with being the BTK strangler, responsible for 10 brutal murders, and perhaps more than 10, had a visit today in his cell from the pastor of a church he attended in Wichita. Dennis Rader and Pastor Mike Clark (ph) spent 45 minutes together. What they talked about, indeed, if they talked at all, is not known.

We begin tonight with a look at secret clues, clues sent by the BTK killer to our affiliate in KAKE in Wichita, Kansas. The police had asked the station to keep these clues hidden while the BTK strangler was still being hunted. Now there is a suspect in custody. The story can be told, the bizarre objects he mailed, the word games he played, and the meaning behind some of his messages.

KAKE anchor Jeff Herndon reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEFF HERNDON, ANCHOR, KAKE, WICHITA, KANSAS (voice-over): The package found in Murdoch Park on December 13 that confirmed BTK communication included some of the most haunting clues. We videotaped its contents and showed you the Nancy Fox driver's license, but we didn't show you the object wrapped in a plastic bag alongside the license.

Police told us that even mentioning it might trigger BTK and incite him to kill again.

Inside that bag was a doll, a doll with a bag over its head, its hands and feet bound by pantyhose. It appears to be a Barbie doll, more specifically, a P.J. doll. P.J. was the name of a doll sold as a friend of Barbie, made from 1969 to 1985. BTK would later reference "P.J." and "doll" in a future communication with KAKE. And we know all about BTK's presumed connection to P.J. Wyatt, a former Wichita State professor.

The package also had a list with the same BTK chapter titles that had been mailed to KAKE months earlier, except, for some reason, chapters one, two, and eight were blank.

Also enclosed in the package, and not revealed until tonight, what appears to be a signature on a small piece of paper. It looked like this, a strange symbol that contain the letters B, T, K.

Now, to the KAKE postcards. The first, received in January, leads us to the Post-Toasties box. We've already shown you several things on the card. We didn't show everything listed under "Contents." In addition to saying "Post-Toasties Box in C-9," it also reads, "P.J. little necks, and doll," again the reference to doll and P.J., "Haunt of Kansas," "Acronym List" and "Jewelry."

This may have been the contents of the cereal box, but we don't know.

We also couldn't reveal this information. He writes, "Also, let me know if you or P.D. receive number seven at Home Depot drop site 1- 8-05. Thanks." That was an apparent reference to the package left at the Home Depot East.

Now, the new stuff from BTK's next communication with KAKE, a postcard received on February 3. It begins to mention some kind of a code. At the top it says, "Communication number," then "KTV, PC-2." At the bottom of the card, he writes, "P.S., May want to use KTV-PC, et cetera, as code number in letters from me to you, for my verification code."

Under "Business Issues," he says, "Tell WPD that I received the newspaper tip for a go. Test run soon. Thanks." Did WPD use newspaper classifieds to communicate with BTK? It's been done before, but "The Wichita Eagle" tells KAKE News police did not contact them about communicating with BTK in the paper.

But KAKE did find this strange personal ad that was running the day our postcard arrived. "The Eagle" tells us the woman who placed the ad gave no address, no phone number, and no name.

Perhaps the most puzzling message sent to KAKE was a puzzle itself. KAKE received this bizarre word game on May 5. It's been authenticated by the FBI. We found more than 40 words hidden in the puzzle and have showed you some of them. Now we're revealing all of the letters. Take a look. You'll see words like "Prowl," "Fantasies," "Steam builds," "Go for it," all words listed under "M.O."

You can see "Officer," "WPD," then "Help," "Handyman," and "Lost pet." Finding lost pets was one of BTK suspect Dennis Rader's jobs as Park City compliance officer.

If Dennis Rader is BTK, he may have left one incredible clue to his true identity in this puzzle. Rader lived at 6220 Independence. Those house numbers appear right here, near a sequence of letters. Reverse the last two letters, they spell "D. Rader."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Well, earlier I talked with Jeff Herndon there at KAKE.

Jeff, for me, the most startling thing is seeing that word game, where you actually have the address of this man, at least the number of his address, and his name, if you reverse some of those letters. How startled were you by that?

HERNDON: I was very startled. You know, I took the word puzzle home that night, and I stared at it for hours and hours and hours. And about 2:00 in the morning, it hit me, 6220 was so familiar. We have been saying it all day long. And there it was, right in the middle of this page. And I started to look a little bit closer, and, of course, you can make out, it is a stretch, it bends the rules of the word puzzle, but you can make out D. Rader, of course, providing you flip those final two letters around.

Also something else that I noticed as well, the word "Prayer." The word "Prayer" is in there too, P-R-A-Y-E-R, with the same cluster of letters. And as we know, he was a churchgoing man, president of his congregation. So it was all right there.

COOPER: As we look now, how important was some of this information along the way? HERNDON: Well, I think some of it was more important than others. They weren't giving us any indication as to how important any one of these individual communications might be, because we would receive the communications were the ones that we received. We would call them, turn it over to them, and that would be the last we would hear about it.

But I assume that some were probably more important than others. This word puzzle, for instance, who knows how important this was? Probably not as important as some of the other items, like jewelry and such, that was found in some of the packages.

COOPER: Just personally, what was it like for you, realizing that this guy very well may have been watching you doing your broadcast, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) doing your work as a reporter?

HERNDON: Well, I can tell you that in one of the postcards we received in February, on February 3, he had mentioned me by name, along with my co-anchor at the time, Susan Peters. We had had colds the week before. And he had mentioned in one of his postcards that he sent to KAKE that he hoped that our colds were doing better as well.

We knew that he was watching KAKE-TV, but it's a whole different ball game when he drops your name in a communication. Kind of takes your breath away.

COOPER: Finally, what do you not know at this point about this man Dennis Rader that you would like to know in order to try to fit these pieces of the puzzle together? What are the big, outstanding things you want to know?

HERNDON: Well, first and foremost, the big outstanding thing that I think we all want to know is exactly how police got onto his trail. Of course, sources are saying that it all reverts back to this disk that was received by another television station in Wichita, and that led them to the church, which led them to Dennis Rader.

But that, none of that is official. I think we would just like to know how, in fact, Dennis Rader became a suspect.

And another point too, we cannot confirm if Dennis Rader was a suspect back in the '70s or the early '80s.

COOPER: And, of course, hearing from his family at some point, whether he is the BTK killer or not, would be fascinating. They obviously are going through a traumatic time right now.

HERNDON: Oh, yes.

COOPER: Jeff Herndon, I appreciate you joining us. Great reporting. Thanks very much.

HERNDON: Thank you.

COOPER: And you can check out the BTK word puzzle for yourself. We have a link on our Web site, cnn.com/360. As we were looking over the puzzle late this afternoon, we actually noticed one other name hidden in the puzzle. You can see it there, spelled out vertically, the name "Anderson."

Three months ago, Wichita police released a sort of self-portrait of the BTK killer pieced together from information he himself allegedly provided in letters to the media and to police. We wanted to see if that information matches up with what we know so far about the man in custody, Dennis Rader.

Heidi Collins has been investigating. Heidi?

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Anderson, police, as you know, released just a few lines from the letters BTK had been writing to them and to local news organizations. They hoped friends or family members might recognize the killer in someone they knew, and they say that path led them to Dennis Rader.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, you will find a homicide at 843 South Pershing, Nancy Fox.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm sorry, sir, I can't understand you. What is the address, 843 South Pershing?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's correct.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

COLLINS (voice-over): The year was 1977, and police said the voice on that 911 call belonged to the man who would come to be known as the BTK killer. More than 27 years later, police say that voice belongs to this man, Dennis Rader.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you understand that you're charged with ten counts of first-degree murder.

DENNIS RADER: Yes, sir.

COLLINS: We may not have heard the voice of the alleged killer in some 27 years, but for the past year, there's been no shortage of communiques, complete with bits of personal information he apparently wanted to share with the men and women whose job it was to hunt him down.

But how does the man described in those letters compare to the man in custody?

Police said BTK claimed he was born in 1939, making him 65 or 66 years old. Dennis Rader is 59, born on March 9, 1945. BTK's letter said he was in the military and was discharged in 1966. Dennis Rader was in the Air Force, but from 1965 through 1969. BTK wrote that as a youth, he attended church and Sunday school. Dennis Rader was recently elected president of his Lutheran church.

But police say some leads in BTK's letters may have simply been, by design, false, like his claim that his father died in World War II. And others remain a mystery, like his claim that his grandfather played the fiddle and died of lung disease, or that he built the ham radio in the early 1950s.

What we do know is that Dennis Rader is the man police say is the BTK killer.

He faced his first day in court yesterday, where he was charged with 10 counts of murder.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: Wichita police have long said that some of the letters they received from BTK were printed on photocopiers from Wichita State University and from a local church. They have confirmed that Dennis Rader graduated from Wichita State in 1979 with a degree in administration of justice.

And the church printer, well, that belonged to the Christ Lutheran Church, and that is where Dennis Rader is the president.

COOPER: It seems like there's still not a lot known about Dennis Rader. I mean, you would think you'd be able to compare, you know, his chronology with that of what we know about the killer.

COLLINS: Yes, that's definitely true. And if you remember that press conference from way back, when this first broke, you will remember the district attorney, her name is Nola Folston (ph), who said that, you know, we really need to do everything we possibly can to protect the integrity of this case. And as we go forward, maybe we'll learn a little bit more, or maybe they're just too worried about that.

COOPER: All right, Heidi Collins, thanks very much.

Breaking news now, we were getting out of Denver concerning the civil trial of NBA star Kobe Bryant. CNN has confirmed that Bryant's attorneys have reached a settlement with the woman accusing him of rape. No terms of the deal have been disclosed, but Bryant's lawyers say the settlement is, quote, "to the satisfaction of both parties."

We'll update you on the story as we hear more.

A school bus driver is shot and killed with students on board. That story tops our look at what's happening right now cross-country.

We take you to Cumberland City, Tennessee, a 14-year-old boy charged with murder. Authorities say he never got on the bus and shot the driver several times through the door. The 24 students on the bus were not hurt.

We take you to Alderson, West Virginia, now. Martha Stewart planning a very public exit from prison when she is released as early as Friday. Her company will provide a flatbed truck for media cameras so they can get pictures of her boarding a chartered plane at the airport.

And near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, now, the jockey in jail. , Stewart Elliott (ph), the man who rode Smarty Jones to victory in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes last year, well, he's been arrested by federal immigration agents. Elliott, who's Canadian, could be ordered to leave the U.S. because of a 2001 conviction for aggravated assault.

On to Capitol Hill now, Jackie Robinson honored for breaking baseball's color barrier. President Bush was on hand as Robinson's widow accepted a Congressional Gold Medal for her late husband. It is the highest civilian award. In 1947, of course, Robinson became the first African-American to play in the big leagues. He died in 1972 at the age of 53.

And we take you to the coast of Half Moon Bay, California, hanging 10, 24 surfers are competing in what's billed as the Super Bowl of big-wave surfing, the Mavericks surf contest. That's Heidi Collins right there on that surfboard. Up for grabs, $75,000 in prize money. Not bad for a day at the beach. And it is certainly tough.

That's a quick look at stories cross-country for you tonight.

Coming up next on 360, a federal judge's family murdered. We're going to show you what life is like for another judge who has risked her life to put away the bad guys.

Also ahead tonight, your kids and bad choices. Do you worry about your kids getting behind the wheel of a car? Well, new brain research may hold a clue about why some 16-year-olds aren't all that responsible. Could be all in the brain.

And a little bit later, doing damage control for Michael Jackson. One woman hired to do it takes the stand against him. We'll tell you what happened in court today.

All that ahead. First, the most popular stories on CNN.com right now.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: There's a possible clue tonight in the mysterious double murder of a federal judge's husband and mother. A fingerprint was lifted from a shard of glass at the Chicago home of district court judge Joan Lefkow. That's where the victims were shot to death.

While investigators hunt down leads, other jurists are speaking out, demanding better protection for them and their families.

One former New York state judge knows what it is like to live in fear. She was marked for death, and tonight she's telling 360 what it was like to always be looking over her shoulder.

We take you beyond the headlines now with CNN's Adaora Udoji. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HON. LESLIE CROCKER SNYDER (on phone): Hi, Betsy, how are you?

ADAORA UDOJI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When Leslie Crocker Snyder was a judge, she learned to live with death threats. It was the hardest, though, when her two sons were threatened too.

SNYDER: At 3:00 in the morning, I would wake up in a cold sweat because I would just think, if anything happens to my kids.

UDOJI: Twenty years on the bench, Judge Snyder built a fearsome reputation.

SNYDER: That is a total of 158 1/3 years to life.

UDOJI: Passing out stiff sentences to notorious rapists, murderers and drug dealers, a time when crack cocaine ignited bloody wars on the streets of New York City. Some called her Ice Princess. TV's "Law and Order" honored her with a starring role.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "LAW AND ORDER")

SNYDER: Bail is set at $2 million cash or bond.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

UDOJI: Drug lords emblazoned her portrait on their heroin. They also thought about killing her.

SNYDER: And you can't do it by threatening judges.

UDOJI: The Wild Cowboys, a powerful drug gang accused of killing dozens, put a contract on her. An accused swindler hired a fellow inmate to take her out.

SNYDER: My kids were, like, Mom, you can't let the bad guys win. And so I was able to continue doing what I did, because of this family support, and the great New York City police protection.

UDOJI: Multiple bodyguards protected her family on and off for years.

DR. FREDERIC SNYDER, HUSBAND: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) a time you say, Well, you know, is it worth it? You know, you know, why don't you just pack it in and do something else? But then, on reflection, that's what you wanted her to do, and that's what she should do.

UDOJI: Neither the Snyders nor NYPD give out details on security teams. Expert Lou Palumbo says, at a minimum.

LOU PALUMBO, DIRECTOR, ELITE AGENCY: To protect the judge, what I would certainly do is make sure she had appropriate security around her, and by that I mean, two agents with her at all times, plus an advance agent. UDOJI: Snyder, now a lawyer in private practice, won't say if she still faces threats. After standing up to some of New York's meanest criminals, she's considering a run for New York City's top prosecutor and taking on criminals again.

SNYDER (on phone): Take care.

UDOJI: Adaora Udoji, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Well, a crackdown in Cuba tops our look at global news right now in tonight's uplink.

Cuba's Torza (ph) Ministry has ordered all its workers, everyone from housemaids to those in upper management, to not fraternize with foreigners. Workers must also rat on any tourists who speak bad of Cuba. Hm.

Right now, over the Pacific, an aviation record attempt is in jeopardy. Steve Fossett is trying to become the first person to fly solo around world nonstop. Thing is, because of a gas leak or instrument problem, somehow he is short 2,600 pounds of much-needed fuel. He's headed for Hawaii, where he could land, if needed, but if tailwinds are good, he'll head for the U.S. mainland.

We take you now to Sakara (ph), Egypt, where mummies were discovered. Archeologists found the three coffins in a pyramid. They say the mummies date back to 500 B.C., and they may be the best mummies ever preserved.

On to Innsbruck, Austria, now, a stunt jump off one of Europe's tallest bridges, stuntman dropping 558 feet, first to free fall, then he opened his paraglide and made a perfect landing.

That's a quick look at world news in the uplink tonight.

Coming up next on 360, a tragic drowning. Jack Nicklaus's grandson is found dead in a hot tub. What you may not know is that drowning is one of the leading causes of death for kids under 5. We'll give you tips on how to prevent it.

Also tonight, did Madrid terrorists have an eye on America's Grand Central Station? Tonight, we put train safety to the test, leaving a bag in America's busiest train station. You might be surprised how long it took before anyone noticed anything.

Also ahead tonight, Michael Jackson in court, trying for some damage control. A woman hired to handle his public relations took the stand against him today. We'll tell you what happened on the stand.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: Well, a family tragedy has struck a sports legend. The 17-month-old grandson of Hall of Fame golfer Jack Nicklaus drowned in his parents' hot tub in Florida yesterday. Police say the death was accidental.

Now, all day, this has been one of the most-viewed stories on CNN.com. Every day, 360's Rudi Bakhtiar looks into these Web stories to bring an angle you won't see anywhere else. Rudi, today, what did you find out?

RUDI BAKHTIAR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Anderson, in researching this particular story all day, what we found to be so heartbreaking and so surprising is how common this type of tragedy really is.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For whatever reason, we believe someone had left the slider open to -- or it was opened by someone after they went back into the residence.

BAKHTIAR (voice-over): And that, Palm Beach police say, a door left open to the hot tub, was all it took to end the life of Jake Walter Nicklaus. Even with a child barrier, the toddler managed to get into the hot tub, where he drowned.

You may not know this, but drowning is among the leading causes of accidental death at home for children under 5 years old. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, at least 300 children under 5 drown every year in swimming pools, and more than 2,000 other youngsters are hospitalized for injuries related to being submerged in a pool.

And the government says most of the victims were being supervised by a parent.

A child can drown in just minutes, and often it's a silent death, with no sounds of splashing. To prevent child drownings, the government urges parents to install barriers, like a wall or a fence, with a self-closing latch, which might have helped in the Nicklaus case.

The barriers should be at least four feet high. In addition, parents should install a door alarm or power safety cover that goes over the pool or Jacuzzi.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BAKHTIAR: And Anderson, besides putting up a barrier or a fence, or using those power safety covers, there are other things that you need to do. First and foremost, don't leave your child unsupervised at a pool, even if they know how to swim. Don't use those flotation devices as a substitute.

You know, if a child is missing, check your pool first, because seconds really matter in saving the child's life, or even, you know, making sure they don't become disabled afterwards.

COOPER: One of the amazing things, though, about what you just said, though, in that report is that a lot of parents were on hand when the children drowned. So CPR of course, I mean, if the parents knew, obviously that would be an important thing. How do you get CPR certified?

BAKHTIAR: It's amazing. You know, the American Heart Associations says 100,000 to 200,000 lives can be saved if CPR is administered in the right amount of time. And it's so easy. We went on the Internet trying to find various ways of getting CPR certified. You can buy the kit and do it with the whole family. You can go to your local, you know, hospital, local university. They always have classes.

And the best thing I found is, is that there's this -- it was called www.cprtoday.com. In under half an hour, I took the test and got my little certification.

COOPER: Really, half an hour?

BAKHTIAR: Yes, under half, well, (UNINTELLIGIBLE)...

COOPER: You have been certified before, so...

BAKHTIAR: I have been certified before.

COOPER: OK.

BAKHTIAR: So maybe under an hour for most people.

COOPER: Right.

BAKHTIAR: But, you know, you got (UNINTELLIGIBLE)...

COOPER: Good to know, that's important to know. Rudi Bakhtiar...

BAKHTIAR: SO you're safe next to me, Anderson.

COOPER: I appreciate that. You're staying here all through the show. Don't go anywhere. Thanks very much.

360 next, CNN has confirmed Kobe Bryant settles the civil case against him over an alleged sexual assault. We'll have details ahead.

Also tonight in court, Michael Jackson undergoing, trying to undergo some damage control, but a woman hired to help his image took the stand against him today. Didn't say some flattering things.

Also a little later, should teenagers be kept from behind the wheel? There is some new brain research out that may have you thinking twice before you hand over your keys to your 16-year-old. A story, well, that every parent and every driver, really, will want to see.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: An update on some breaking news out of Denver, concerning the civil trial of NBA star Kobe Bryant. As we reported at the top of this hour, CNN has confirmed that Bryant's attorneys have reached a settlement with the woman accusing him of rape. This is a civil settlement. 360's Gary Tuchman has been closely monitoring the case. He joins us by phone with the latest from Atlanta.

What do you know Gary?

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Anderson, there will be no civil trial, just like there will be no criminal trial. That was dropped this past September. After days of speculation that a settlement might be neared, CNN has confirmed that both sides have reached a civil settlement. We do believe that Kobe Bryant will be paying this alleged victim a lot of money. The amount of the money we don't know, because part of the settlement is neither side will release the terms of the settlement.

This summer we expected to see a civil trial in the case. If no settlement was reached. But the key date this was past Friday. This past Friday, Kobe Bryant was expected to go to a deposition. The woman's attorneys were going to ask him any questions they wanted, including questions about his sex life, his alleged sex life with other woman, other than his wife and other than this alleged victim. Well, Kobe Bryant decided he was not to attend the deposition. The reason, it appears that both sides were both deep into settlement talks.

Now, Kobe Bryant attorney, Pamela Mackey, has released a statement, saying they have reached a settlement. They're not going to disclose the terms. But what this means is the case is now completely over. After 14 months, the woman decided she no longer wanted to go forward with the criminal case. The judge in that case, Terry Ruckriegle in Eagle, Colorado announced, there would be no criminal trial.

Then the woman said she would sue Kobe Bryant in the civil court. There's a much lower standard of proof. It's not proof beyond a reasonable doubt, like there is in a criminal case. It's just PRESS: of the evidence, like a scale. Which way it tips. Which way the jury decides is who wins the case. But it will not happen. We will never know the details of what happened that night in Eagle, Colorado. The only people who know exactly what happened is Kobe Bryant and the alleged victim in the case. It is all over.

Anderson, back to you.

COOPER: All right. Gary Tuchman with -- from Atlanta with the latest. Thanks, Gary.

Kobe Bryant has, of course, been named as a potential witness in Michael Jackson's trial. Today in that courtroom, there were fireworks. Bodyguards surrounding Michael Jackson, and an umbrella above, and the singer waved to his fans as he walked into the Santa Maria courtroom today. Inside a woman who had been hired to improve Jackson's image, spent much of the day attacking that image until, well his defense lawyer launched a blistering counterattack on her testimony.

CNN's Ted Rowland is following the trial. He joins us live outside the court -- Ted. TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Anderson, it was a long day for Ann Kite on the stand, this former P.R. employee. She started on direct saying that, at one point, she was concerned while working for Jackson in February of 2003, that the victim's family in this case may have been kidnapped. She says, she got a frantic call from one of Jackson's employees, saying that the victims family had left Neverland. That caused her concern -- some concern.

She said, later she was concerned when this Jackson employee called her back and was relieved, saying that his family was back, and that everything was OK. She says the same person said this about the victim's mother after she was back. Saying, quote, "They had her on tape. And said they were going to make her look like a cracker whore."

On cross-examination, Jackson's lawyer Tom Mesereau, established that this woman only worked for Michael Jackson for a total of six days. She had never met Michael Jackson, that never talked to Michael Jackson, and never met in person any of Michael Jackson's close employees that were dealing with her. She even testified that she thought, at one point, Jackson was the victim of this circle of employees, saying that one of them had ripped him off to the tune of $980,000.

Bottom line, very unclear which side benefited from the testimony today. One thing we did learn today, more about Jackson's day to day life during these court proceedings. His publicists says, that he wakes up at 4:30 every morning to get ready to come to court here. They say -- she said, he spends the entire day in court, and then goes home and eats with his children. She says he's not depressed, but he's angry at times. Says his health is not 100 percent.

Today in court, his mother, and Jackie, his brother, were there. She says that all of Michael Jackson's family is all very, very supportive.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RAYMONE BAIN, JACKSON'S SPOKESPERSON: I think it has to do with schedule. You know, he has a large family. This is obviously going to take a long time here. And I'm sure you'll be seeing them all as the days progress. I don't think there's any definite strategy. I think it just depends on people's schedules. You know, his family are icons.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROWLANDS: Ann Kite spent entire day on the stand, except for the last 10, 15 minutes or so. At one point, the judge had to scold Jackson's attorney, Thomas Mesereau, telling him basically to hurry it up, the jury is getting bored. Tomorrow we expect to hear more from a sheriff's deputy who was involved in the raid of Neverland Ranch -- Anderson.

COOPER: Ted Rowlands, reporting on the case. Thanks, Ted. Scheduling problem aside, you heard the spokesperson talking about scheduling problems of the family, the Jackson's say they love their brother and their son, and are have got to stand by him throughout the trial. Really not a surprise, if you think about it. This is a family, who despite their many differences, have always stuck together.

CNN's Rusty Dornin takes a closer look now at Jackson clan.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The son of a steelworker, he's one of nine children. When Michael Jackson was very young, the family was not known for embracing outsiders.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was the kind of upbringing, that as Jehovah's Witnesses, they became very close knit and sort of, you know, they clung onto themselves. And bring it back

DORNIN: That is until father, Joe, launched the Jackson Five. Jermaine, Marlon, Tito, Jackie and Michael, seen here auditioning for Motown Records, in a video produced years later by Michael Jackson. Even then, young Michael was said to be image conscience. Behind the happy face, he later admitted, was turmoil and a father, who many said, demanded perfection.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Michael has talked about beating says that he endured as a youngster. And when Michael discusses these beatings todays, he gets very emotional.

DORNIN: In 1976, the group switched label. Jermaine Jackson stayed behind with Motown Records and was replaced by Randy. By the late '70s, Michael Jackson had begun to move towards a solo career. And then in 1982, there was "Thriller." Two years later, the brothers reunited for the Victory Tour. But it was Michael Jackson alone who was the king of pop.

Sister Janet, star wise, came closest to her brother's musical achievements. Unknown by many, Rebbie Jackson, the oldest sibling also sang, as did LaToya, known as the most rebellious of the family. When allegations of molestation first surfaced against Michael in 1993, it was LaToya Jackson who broke ranks with the family, casting doubt on her brother.

LATOYA JACKSON, SISTER OF MICHAEL JACKSON: They will say anything to make it looks like Michael is innocent. And that's the sad part about it.

DORNIN: Now she's back to the family fold, speaking out, wearing white for Michael.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What's going through your mind right now.

DORNIN: The family's offensive was launched by Jermaine Jackson within hours of his brother arrest, telling CNN, JERMAINE JACKSON, BROTHER OF MICHAEL JACKSON: I'd like to say the whole family, supports Michael a 100 percent, 1,000 percent. Michael is innocent is.

DORNIN: In public, Katherine and Joe Jackson are, now, never far from Michael's side. His mother's pain apparent in an interview with journalist Daphne Barak.

KATHERINE JACKSON, MOTHER OF MICHAEL JACKSON: I can't sleep at night. I do a lot of praying. I can't talk too much about the case. But I know my son, and this is ridiculous.

DORNIN: A family that has closed ranks around its most famous member once again.

Rusty Dornin, CNN, San Francisco.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Coming up next on 360, did Madrid terrorists also target trains in New York City? Tonight, we take you beyond the headlines. We put America's train security to the test. How long does it take for someone to notice a bag left unaccompanied in America's biggest train station? You'll find out.

And also tonight, should your teenager be allowed to drive? New research that may have you thinking twice before handing over the keys.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: A warning today from Spain that terrorists might be eying one of America's busiest train stations right here in New York City. A Spanish newspaper says that authorities investigating last year's Madrid train bombings uncovered a rough stretch of New York's Grand Station Terminal.

Federal and New York officials, though, were quick to downplay the finding. Saying it is no proof that any attack is or was in the works. Still, it is certainly disturbing that this spot, like so many places we get used to, our destinations can be the target of terrorism.

In January, our Jason Carroll followed one New York woman on her daily commute and he put one station's security to the test. Here's a look "Beyond the Headlines."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is one morning Karen Callahan can relax at home with her cup of coffee. A day off from work as a paralegal. She relishes days like this, no 30- minute train ride into Manhattan, no security worries.

KAREN CALLAHAN, TRAIN COMMUTER: I feel like a sitting duck, that's what I feel. I feel like every time I get on that train, it could happen.

CARROLL: We joined Callahan on her commute home through the world's largest train station, New York's Grand Central. This is where security concerns her most.

(on camera): Do you think about it very often?

CALLAHAN: I do. Probably everyday.

CARROLL (voice-over): This single mom of two, sees the train as her only choice. So she tries to minimize her risk.

CALLAHAN: I tend to go in the very first car. For a few reasons, one of them being that it seems to get easier to get out.

CARROLL: Senator Joe Biden says Callahan's security worries are not unfounded.

SEN. JOE BIDEN, (D) DELAWARE: There is no basic security. It is bizarre, absolutely bizarre.

I'm actually angry about it.

CARROLL: Biden commutes daily from Delaware to Washington.

BIDEN: It's been 3 and a half years of this.

CARROLL: He's so angered by lapses in security, he introduced legislation.

(on camera): Do you see anything around here that you think that could be improved.

BIDEN: For example, what you could improve is as people just standing here with the dogs. Just bomb-sniffing dogs.

I mean it's basic block and tackle stuff.

CARROLL (voice-over): New York lawmakers gave train and subway security a D, citing unprotected tunnels, rail yards and in particular, lack of surveillance. So at a train station in Philadelphia, and another in New York, we waited to see how long it would take for security notice an abandoned bag government clear view. After 10 minutes, nothing. That wouldn't surprise Callahan who takes it upon herself to keep an eye out.

CALLAHAN: There was a man sitting behind me with a backpack, and you know, just -- he looked like one of the people that might have been on the airplanes. And he got up and he looked around and just kind of a suspicious way to me. And then he walked off.

And right then, a man wearing almost the same jacket, same backpack, sat in the very seat behind me. So, I can't help it.

And if there was a cop, a trooper, I think I might have said something. CARROLL: Back to the bags. 20 minutes pass. In Philadelphia, an officer and his dog look over the bag. Our producer steps in and identifies it. But in New York, still nothing.

Those who track terror tactics say the U.S. could learn from Great Britain's experience with its train system and threats by the Irish Republican Army.

In New York after 30 minutes, one person stops, but is too rushed to report the bag. We conclude the experiment.

Amtrak says since 9/11, its added police, increased use of bomb sniffing dogs and requires passengers to show ID. But Karen Callahan believes even more should be done, but she's not holding her breath.

CALLAHAN: I think it all comes down to money. I think it's just probably too expensive to have security on all the trains at all times. It's money.

CARROLL: So she'll keep riding and keep watching who's sitting nearby. Jason Carroll, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Wow, 30 minutes for that bag. Amazing.

A quick news note, though, on the vulnerability of the nation's train stations. It's well known to the Department of Homeland Security. They say they're taking steps to make you safer. Already this years, they say, 70 more inspectors have been hired to work with the 400 already in place and $150 million are earmarked for rail security in this year's budget.

Stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.

Coming up next on 360, ever wonder why your teenager makes the choices they do? Well, the answer may be in their brains. Are they wired for bad choices and bad driving? New research that every parent and driver needs to hear. That's ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: OK. So your kids get behind the wheel. You may fret a little, but you say, hey, they're 16-years-old. They're old enough to drive safely, right?

Well, a new research suggests they may not be, because a 16-year- old brain is still developing, especially in the area of the brain that makes judgment calls. CNN's senior medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, joins us from Atlanta with more on this study.

Sanjay, what is different about a teenager's brain?

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, as you mentioned, Anderson, the brains are still sort of under construction. Especially in some of the areas that of the brain that are responsible for planing, judgment, all those things that are predeciding and things that are important to drive as well. Take a look here. Between the ages of 5 and 20, as the brain matures, it turns blue here. I want to give you a sense, even at the age of 20, which is at the very end of this, the entire brain has not turned blue, which is really remarkable to a lot of people.

For a long time, sort of set these guidelines in an arbitrary way. Say, yes you can start driving when you are 16. You can vote when you are 18. You can drink when you are 21. Really arbitrate. People are trying to make an objective measurement now of this, in terms of determining when you are old enough. At age of 16, there's still a lot of construction that still needs to be done, especially in that area of the brain that determines judgment.

COOPER: I feel my brain is still under construction! Lets talk about driving though.

GUPTA: How old are you?

COOPER: Yes, I know, 37. I know, about time. Hurry up. Does this -- the slow maturing of a teenager's brain, does it do something to actually impair their judgment?

GUTPA: Yes. Well, you know, every teenager is going to be a little bit different. You know, a 16-year-old in some cases, may be better than an 18-year-old. And sometimes teenagers are better than adult drivers. But sort of across the board, if you look at that area of the brain, if you look at that area of the brain, the frontal lobes, what we're learning now is we sort of thought early in childhood the brain sort is fully developed. Certainly you learn things, but as far as the brain itself, it's fully developed. We're learning that's not true. And it's really interesting these scans, Anderson, because you can see that even up to the age of 25 in most brains, there's still a lot of work being done. And so it's raised the debate, should you push up the driving age. Make it older for people? I know you didn't get your deliver's license until you were 19, which is actually probably a safer age. They're saying around 20 maybe the safest in terms of overall brain development.

COOPER: That's because I lived in New York. I didn't need a car.

GUPTA: Right.

COOPER: Is it possible, though, that some days that parents are going want their kid to go for a brain scan to before deciding whether or not to give them the keys to the car.

GUPTA: I don't think we're there, by any means yet. Maybe some day. But you know, these -- passing a functional MRI test to get your driver's license, that's probably a long ways away. But I think that probably better training, more frequent testing especially for teenagers. I mean, the number are startling, Anderson. One in five 16-year-olds will be in an car accidental in the first year after they get a drivers license. And that's just too high. On the other hand, parents are saying, I am sick of car pooling my kids around. So you've got a lot of people on both end here. But I think it's going to be, probably end up being, better training and more frequent testing in the long.

COOPER: And you've got to know your kid, whether they're responsible or not at any age.

All right, Sanjay, thanks very much.

GUPTA: Thank you.

COOPER: Let's find out what is coming up at the top of the hour on "PAULA ZAHN NOW" -- Paula.

PAULA ZAHN, HOST "PAULA ZAHN NOW": Thanks so much, Anderson. We will start tonight with an emotional return home for a man who's says the BTK killer ruined his life by murdering his mother when he was just 5-years-old. I spoke with Steve Relford, earlier this week. And tonight he goes back to the home where he watched the brutal killing of his mom.

Plus a man who is using his expertise with online porn, I know this sounds very weird, but to fight terrorism. And we will have that story about halfway through the show tonight. See you at the top of the hour.

COOPER: All right, about six minutes from now. Thanks, Paula.

ZAHN: Thanks, Anderson.

COOPER: Coming up next on 360, what if plastic surgeons offered bonus rewards? Think of it as a frequent flyer program for your face. Yikes! Is it good medicine or just a bad medicine, bad idea? We'll see.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COOPER: We always get a lot of e-mail you, and we appreciate it. Let's check some of our "Viewer E-mail" for the day.

Steve in Provincetown, Massachusetts writes, "Whatever happened to an in-depth look at truly newsworthy global events with Anderson's wry commentary. I now give up and will no longer turn to it." The program he's talking about. Steve, appreciate your candor. I am sorry if we have disappointed you. We try for an interesting mix of stories, sometimes we don't get it right, sometimes we do. We appreciate you giving us a chance.

Matt in New York writes, "You are the only journalist at CNN. And the only journalist who attempts to be objective. How do you survive? Regan was right, and Bush is right, and the human spirit will overcome the pathetic despicable news reporting of the networks and CNN."

Matt, I'm glad you feel I'm objective. I don't believe there should be a liberal news or conservative news. I believe in facts and reporting all of the angles.

On a lighter note, Anthony in New York writes, "I'm a hairdresser in Manhattan. Just wanted you to know that most of my male clients ask for Anderson Cooper's haircut. Keep up the good work in reporting and style."

Now, Anthony, thank you very much. I am flattered, though, I've got to tell you it's not just your clients, Anthony. Today the other CNN anchors all got their haircut just like me. Take a look, Larry got his haircut? Do we have that picture -- new picture? No, that's Lou. Lou got his picture. That's Paula there, she got her hair redone like me, too. And well, Wolf did as well. Wolf's -- you know, he often follows me in many things. Do we have anyone else? I heard -- I heard Aaron is thinking about it. So we will see.

We appreciate your e-mails as always. If you got something on your mind, even gray hair like mine, send your e-mails to cnn.com/360.

Tonight take customer loyalty to "The Nth Degree." We like rewards. When you fly on a plane, frequent flier miles. Free flights or you can trade them in for useless do-dad. The idea is simple, it keeps you coming back. Customer loyalty, that's what it's all about. Well, now, they've taken this idea, well, they've taken it to "The Nth Degree."

The makers of Restylane are offering an online rewards program. In case you don't know what Restylane is, it's a surgical cosmetic treatment. A rival of Botox, only this stuff fills in wrinkles, sort of like autobody puddy. Here's the new deal, if you keep shooting up Restylane, you get gift certificates. Each treatment is about $500 to $750 bucks a pop. If you do one, you get a $25 gift certificate. By the fourth treatment you get $175 reward.

It's like those prizes they used to have in cereal boxes when you were a kid. All you've got to do is get the syringe box top from your doctor and mail it in. The syringe box top, can you believe that? Think of it as a frequent injector program. It's pretty clever, though. See you get these nice rewards. The nice rewards make you smile. The smiling causes wrinkles. Bam, you need more Restylane. It's the way it works. These guys aren't dumb.

I'm Anderson Cooper, thanks for watching 360. Prime time coverage continues right now with Paula Zahn -- Paula.

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