Return to Transcripts main page

Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees

Interview With Reverend Al Sharpton; Don Imus Flap Fallout; Jury Hears about Pastor's Wife Murder; Charity Brings Music to Disadvantaged Kids; Doctor Shares Method to Figure Life Expectancy; Ashley Judd Works to Eliminate Malaria

Aired April 13, 2007 - 22:00   ET

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

KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: And good evening, everyone.
There's a lot more to the Don Imus story than just, you're fired, I'm sorry, and apology accepted.

JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: That's right, Kiran.

Tonight: the discussion that Imus' remark touched off about the down-and-dirty message of gangster rap.

Tonight: a closer look at a multimillion-dollar industry built on words that we can't even say on television, words that many, especially in the African-American community, even among young people now, say are doing real damage.

CHETRY: That's coming up.

First, though, reaction between the tearful meeting last night between Don Imus and the talented young women he insulted.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "IMUS IN THE MORNING")

IMUS: I did a bad thing, but I'm a good person.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHETRY (voice-over): Don Imus wanted to apologize in person to the young women he demeaned. He got that chance last night.

The meeting, between Imus, his wife, Deirdre, and the team, was private, held inside the New Jersey governor's mansion. It lasted nearly three hours. Some players cried. Some asked the former radio host, "Why us?"

When it was over, Imus left in a limo, the players on a bus. And, for all of them, the healing process had begun.

C. VIVIAN STRINGER, RUTGERS UNIVERSITY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL COACH: We, the Rutgers University Scarlet Knight Basketball Team accept Mr. Imus's apology, and we are in the process of forgiving. We still find his statements to be unacceptable, and this is an experience that we will never forget. CHETRY: Filling in for her husband's radio fund-raiser, Deirdre Imus addressed the meeting.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

DEIRDRE IMUS, WIFE OF DON IMUS: They gave us the opportunity to listen to what they had to say and what -- why they're hurting and how awful this is. And I have to say that these women are unbelievably courageous and beautiful women.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Please welcome now...

CHETRY: And, while Imus is no longer on TV or radio, coach Stringer said the players never wanted him to lose his job. She also hopes to put this painful experience in perspective.

STRINGER: This is not just Mr. Imus. Like, as we said, it's not just Rutgers women's basketball.

It spoke to women. You know, it spoke to sexism, and it spoke to racism in our society. Don't we realize that it is time for we as Americans to all hold ourselves to a higher standard?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHETRY: Coach Stringer's pastor helped mediate the encounter last night.

Reverend DeForest Soaries and I spoke tonight about that meeting, the incident that prompted it, and the hateful language, no matter who uses it.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHETRY: Did Imus do most of the talking, trying to explain himself? How would you say it went?

REVEREND DEFOREST SOARIES, FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF LINCOLN GARDENS: Oh, no, no, no.

We met for three hours. Mr. Imus spoke for 15 minutes. And, for the rest of the time, he listened, and his wife listened.

CHETRY: Oh, really?

SOARIES: Yes, ma'am.

CHETRY: And, as I understand it, you have spent some time actually having to comfort him, because he found out just right before that meeting about his show cancellations.

SOARIES: Well, I'm not sure comfort would be the right word, but I was there. And he certainly received very bad news. And, in light of my pastoral responsibility and just my Christian values, I certainly had compassion for him. And I was there with him to offer support, just as a human being, sure.

CHETRY: You were one of the people who called for Imus to be fired. Having now met with him, do you think that is still the right decision?

SOARIES: Oh, sure. I think good people can do bad things. And, when you do bad things, there are consequences for your actions.

Mr. Imus did something that really complicated these young ladies' lives. And I think, if you were in the room last night, as I was, you would see the impact it made on their lives.

I think they will get over it. They will get through it. They're not permanently damaged in any way. And they don't claim permanent victimhood. However, they did in fact have their lives disrupted. They missed classes.

CHETRY: Right.

SOARIES: They have been inconvenienced and embarrassed and humiliated.

CHETRY: There have certainly been a lot of editorial pieces in all of the papers. I mean, this has really sparked off a firestorm of opinions on both sides.

And one African-American editor, Jason Whitlock, wrote an op-ed earlier this week blaming hip-hop culture as -- quote -- "anti-black, demeaning and self-destructive."

He even went on to write in this column: "Rather than confront this heinous enemy from within, we sit back and wait for someone like Imus to have a slip of the tongue, and make the mistake of repeating the things that we say about ourselves."

What do you say to that?

SOARIES: Well, in the first instance, I don't sit back. I have a church with 7,000 members. I preach every Sunday. And one of my members called me for help. She happened to be the coach of this team.

Also, what happens is, when we do address issues like those identified by Mr. Whitlock, we don't get the kind of media attention. But we have had forums, seminars, all kinds of efforts to distract children away from hip-hop. We have denounced it. We have analyzed the lyrics.

And, so, I agree that there should be one standard, that -- that nasty talk from one equals nasty talk from all. In fact, we have community leaders now who are stepping up their initiatives to respond to hate talk and racist talk and anti-female talk in all art forms, because, you're right. We cannot afford to be hypocrites. There can only be one standard. And that one standard should be decency.

CHETRY: Reverend DeForest Soaries, thanks so much for joining us tonight.

SOARIES: Thank you very much for having me.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTS: The Imus affair is now part of America's unfinished conversation about race. This time, the discussion deals with what a 66-year-old white man can say about young black women and what young black men can say, ugly words backed up by the allure of the hip-hop culture, the marketing muscle of big corporations, and supported by millions of fans.

That angle now from CNN's Tom Foreman.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): If you were disturbed by what Imus said, cover your ears. Top-selling rap artists use the same words all the time, glorifying violence, drugs, promiscuity, and denigrating women. Imus was fired.

But listen to what people close to the hip-hop world are saying about rappers.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think what has to happen is, we have got to actually stand with them, not beat them upside the head, not judge them, but just stand with them, and actually walk with them.

FOREMAN: Russell Simmons, the legendary music producer, issued this statement: "Hip-hop is a worldwide cultural phenomenon that transcends race and doesn't engage in racial slurs. We are concerned by the false comparisons between Don Imus and hip-hop. Hip-hop artists rap about what they see, hear and feel around them."

But researchers say rappers are also shaping their world. A study by the Prevention Research Center, which studies health issues, found that young fans of rap and hip-hop are more likely to have problems with alcohol, drugs and violence.

And the Black Youth Project at the University of Chicago found that African-American kids themselves overwhelmingly say rap songs portray black women in offensive ways. So, others are now asking, should Imus be the only one held accountable for airing such words?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why don't we fire all the executives at all the record companies who have been signing and promoting all of these rap artists who have been saying these insulting words about African- Americans and women for all these years?

PAUL PORTER, INDUSTRYEARS.COM: No doubt about it. We should hold everybody accountable. And most of the times, the thing that often gets -- gets overlooked is the corporations. I mean, corporations are the ones who are profiting from this.

FOREMAN: If the issue was Don Imus and a few ill-chosen words, the story is done. But, if the issue is many others saying the same words and worse to much bigger audiences, the story is just beginning.

Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTS: Well, that story, as Tom puts it, features a lot of big-name players.

This includes the Reverend Al Sharpton, who, when it comes to this story and raunchy lyrics is both a player and player hater.

We spoke just a short time ago.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTS: Reverend Sharpton, you have personally spoken out against misogynist lyrics that are contained in many hip-hop C.D.s. In fact, back in 2005, you called for a 90-day ban on any violent lyrics, against airplay.

But why hasn't there been the same level of outrage across the country about those lyrics that we see with the Don Imus situation here in the past week?

AL SHARPTON, CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST: Well, I think we have seen the media coverage. There's been a lot of outrage.

I think Bill Cosby has spoken that outrage, who does my radio show frequently. I think a lot of people have. And we had hearings on this. We went to FCC on this. I think the media has not given the same attention.

But there has been outrage. And I think it will intensify. We have a convention this week, the National Action Network, where we are planning to go after some of these record companies. I think the outrage has not only been there, is growing. I think you haven't had the media attention, because Mr. Imus is more of a media star. But I think the outrage is clearly there.

ROBERTS: All right. But, if you, Reverend Sharpton, were out protesting in front of 1755 Broadway, the home of the Universal Music Group, this weekend, don't you think that that would get the coverage?

SHARPTON: We have been out and protested in front of some of the music groups and went to the Federal Communications Commission. I should ask you why you guys have not covered that.

ROBERTS: I believe that we have been covering it. At least we have been covering it for the past week.

But we're just wondering how...

(CROSSTALK)

SHARPTON: That's what I'm saying. But, since 2005, you haven't. And I think that you should. And I think that -- for example, there was a huge women's conference "Essence" magazine did in Spelman, Spelman College, where those women went out. There's been people that have been on the streets and been all over the place expressing this outrage. I think that they have not given -- been given the same attention until this last week.

ROBERTS: Right.

I wanted to play a clip from a video of Nelly. Now, this fellow's a Grammy Award winner, sold millions of C.D.s across the country. Take a quick look at this. And I want to get your reaction to it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(MUSIC)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTS: So, Reverend, what kind of a signal is that sending to the youth of America, and not just in the black community, because as much as two-thirds of the people who listen to rap music are white?

SHARPTON: I think that the signal is not good. And I think that we have the right to protest it, as we have.

And I think that now this discussion has expanded into where the news departments are discovering it. You will see more coverage on the outrage. I think that what made the Imus situation so different is, as egregious as some of the artists have been, they are not accorded, as Mr. Imus was, at the highest levels of government and broadcasting.

It doesn't make it any better. And I think that the broadcast and media industries ought to cover the outrage that people have. We don't want those kind of projection. These people have the right to free speech. But so do we, have the -- we have the right to speak against it. We have the right to talk about we're not going to subsidize it with our dollars.

ROBERTS: Mm-hmm.

Can you always change the attitude of the artists who perform this music? I just want to read a quote from Snoop Dogg, gave it to MTV on the 10th of this month.

He said -- quote -- "Rappers are not talking about no collegiate basketball girls who have made it to the next level on education on basketball sports," talking about the difference here between what Imus said and what rappers say.

He says, "We're talking about hos that's in the hood who ain't doing S-H-blank-blank."

I mean, how do you change that attitude? SHARPTON: I think what you must change is the economic options that the record companies that promote this and, in some ways, have said -- which is why we're coming after some of the record companies -- that they will not sign artists that they feel will not play into this, because they don't feel they will sell.

I think, when you change the economic options -- I'm not sure people changed attitudes with Imus this week that are in power. I think that the economic options changed, when advertisers started pulling out. I think, if we start turning the economic heat up on the record business, a lot of that will change.

I think that a lot of artists play into what these companies say we want, because that's what the market will stand. If the market changes, the attitudes will change.

ROBERTS: Well, I can guarantee you, Reverend Sharpton, we will be watching it. Thanks for joining us.

SHARPTON: I can guarantee you I will be calling.

ROBERTS: All right. Appreciate it. We will see you again soon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHETRY: And, John, as the influence of rap and hip-hop soars, sales are actually sliding. Here's the "Raw Data."

In 2006, for the first time in 12 years, no rap album was on the top 10 list of bestsellers. Rap record sales plunged last year, falling 21 percent from 2005. And, for the first quarter of 2007, sales were down 33 percent from the same time in 2006 -- John.

ROBERTS: So, already, that whole economic climate is changing.

Kiran, coming up: some new numbers on how Americans see the story and how the view differs, black from white.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTS (voice-over): Why did his words hurt so many people so deeply? Looking at the connection between racial history and current events.

Also: teaching abstinence here, preaching sex here.

MATT KELLER, PASTOR, NEXT LEVEL CHURCH: God created sex, that God is for sex.

ROBERTS: Changing sexual orientation with God's help.

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Any homosexual who wants to, do you think they can become heterosexual?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Absolutely. Every single person that wants to leave homosexuality can. ROBERTS: "What Is a Christian?" -- sex, salvation, and you -- ahead on 360.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROBERTS: Some new polling tonight in the Imus fair.

Sixty-eight percent of African-Americans, when asked by Opinion Research Corporation, said they consider his remarks offensive. That compares to 55 percent of whites. When broken down as male-female, 61 percent of women took offense. Only 49 percent of men did.

Bottom line, though, neither the gender, nor the racial gap, in and of itself, should surprise anyone. The question, though, is why and where do we go from here?

I talked about it earlier tonight with Danyel Smith. She is the editor in chief of "Vibe" magazine.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTS: Why this difference between how black and white people see this issue?

DANYEL SMITH, EDITOR IN CHIEF, "VIBE" AND "VIBE VIXEN": Why the difference?

I think that there's still a difference between the way many white people perceive comments like this and the way many African- Americans perceive comments like this. There still is a real difference, whether we like it, a lot, especially people of a certain generation. There's a real difference just sort of how you view things and what sounds sort of right to you and what sounds way wrong to you.

ROBERTS: So, you can say the same words, but, when they come from different places, they mean different things. Help me out and explain for me, and for the viewers as well, why is the phrase that Don Imus used different when it comes from a 66-year-old white man than it is, say, coming from a 25-year-old rap artist?

SMITH: Well, let me put it this way.

When you look at things with race in this country, it's just more complicated, frankly, than black and white. And I feel like you can't just use the inverse and just say, well, if a black person says it, it's right, and, if a white person says it, it's wrong. There's a power structure that still exists in this country that just makes it uncomfortable, ugly, and offensive when an older white person says that.

Unfortunately, when you look, a lot of times at an older white person, someone who uses -- I think it was also the way Imus said it. It wasn't even like he had anger to fall back on. It was just a sort of casual, arrogant, racist remark that makes you think back to the days of Bull Connor.

And, for a lot of us, even those of us that weren't born or weren't walking around, living on this earth, when those things happened, it just reminded you of, like, how callous people can be about their positions of power. It was just really ugly.

ROBERTS: So, when Don Imus says it, African-Americans hear years and years of racism.

SMITH: They do.

ROBERTS: But what do they hear when a 25- or 26-year-old rap artist says it? Is there a double standard here?

SMITH: I think there's a double standard in this country, period. And we shouldn't try to act like it doesn't exist right now.

Unfortunately, white people tend to be more in power in this country than black people. And, so, that's a double standard. So, is there a double standard? Like, when I hear a rapper say an offensive thing about black -- and I'm a black woman, obviously.

And, when I hear these things, I -- I roll my eyes. I grit my teeth. I go to a panel discussion. I talk about it. I go on the radio and talk about it. I talk with my friends about it. but I'm just not like, oh, my God, I can't believe he said that. I just can't do it.

And, also, frankly in the way that Don Imus doesn't have anger, even, to lean back on, in terms of his comments, rappers do at least have art to fall back on. And somebody might think -- anybody might think that's a weak argument, but I'm sorry. I stand up for it.

ROBERTS: Right.

OK. So, on this issue of lyrics in rap and hip-hop music, there is a new focus on that since Imus really stepped in it. Do you think that this is just a flash in the news cycle, or could this lead to some meaningful change in that genre of music?

SMITH: I would hate, frankly, for it to be Don Imus that caused great changes in rap music and suddenly made every lap lyric super- positive.

And I also want to reinforce the idea that, as many sort of negative rap songs as are out there, there are just as many positive ones. But, if Imus is the reason for the pendulum to swing back the other way, which I believe it was on its way to swinging back the other way anyway, then, you know something? I will shake his hand.

(LAUGHTER)

ROBERTS: All right.

Well, you know, dialogue is sparked in this country in many different ways. So... (LAUGHTER)

SMITH: Exactly. And, if it works out that way, then I say more power.

ROBERTS: All right.

Danyel, thanks very much. Really appreciate it -- Danyel Smith.

SMITH: Thank you very much for having me. I appreciate it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTS: The Imus story from all angles, but, of course, there's other news going on tonight, too.

Kiran up in New York has got a 360 bulletin for us.

Hey, Kiran.

CHETRY: Right. Hi, John.

But this first story does have a link with the Imus story: New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine in critical, but stable condition tonight at a Camden hospital. The governor suffered traumatic injuries in a car crash when he was on his way to that Imus meeting last night. It took place at the governor's mansion in New Jersey. He severely damaged a leg. He broke more than a dozen bones. Corzine was riding in the front seat of a state car, and it's believed he was not wearing a seat belt.

Statistics show the governor could have cut his risk of serious injuries by half if he had been strapped in properly.

A judge in the Bahamas delaying a custody hearing on Anna Nicole Smith's baby to give the two sides more time to work out an agreement on their own. Larry Birkhead and Smith's mother, Virgie Arthur, need to decide on a visitation schedule.

In the meantime, though, Birkhead is learning to feed and care for his 7-month-old daughter. Another custody hearing will take place next Friday.

And astronaut Suni Williams running the Boston Marathon on Monday, but it won't be from Boston. See, she qualified for the 26.2- mile run, but has been at the International Space Station for the last five months. So, she will be running that marathon on a treadmill. She is going to be starting at the same time her sister starts the race back on Earth.

Pretty cool. It looked like she had to be -- she had the equipment to hold her down to run on the treadmill.

ROBERTS: Well, I was about to say that that's got to be very easy on the knees. No gravity.

CHETRY: Exactly.

ROBERTS: You could run forever and ever. We will see how she does.

(LAUGHTER)

ROBERTS: Up next: following the money, a look at the raw politics of Hollywood cash in the race for the White House.

Also: the pastor's wife on trial for killing the pastor. The question now, will her confession be as good for her case as it is for the soul? -- when 360 continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHETRY: This week, the Pentagon announced that all Army units in Iraq will serve an extra three months in the war zone. Some are already on their second tours, more and more time away from their families.

Well, all next week on "AMERICAN MORNING," we will be bringing you a series, a special series of reports on the children of war. On Monday, we meet the Snell (ph) family from West Point, seven boys, ranging in age from 12 years old to 20 months, and their mother raising them alone, as their dad serves his second tour in Iraq.

We talked to two of the oldest boys how they feel living without their father for so long.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHETRY: When he first told you he was going to Iraq again, how did he tell you guys?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was crying.

CHETRY: Were you guys crying, too?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

CHETRY: Your dad has been gone -- it will be nine months. What's the hardest part?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Helping my mom take care of all the brothers.

CHETRY (voice-over): No small task. After putting Andrew (ph) down for a nap...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Go.

CHETRY: ... Teki (ph) plays with Jonathan (ph). Then it's off to the doctor and back in time to greet the older kids home from school. There's Christopher's (ph) tears to tend to and Jeremiah (ph) in a tree.

(on camera): How have the deployments been, in terms of trying to deal with raising all of those boys by yourself?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They have been getting harder, with the boys getting older and them understanding a whole lot more.

The oldest, especially because of his age, he's just at that age group where it would be great to have a daddy there with him.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHETRY: Well, the children of war, "AMERICAN MORNING," John and me, starting Monday, 6:00 a.m. Eastern.

Well, the presidential election is a long way away, but Hollywood is already choosing sides. And the case of the missing White House e- mails grows more mysterious by the day.

Washington may take weekends off, but "Raw Politics," that never sleeps.

Candy Crowley has tonight's dose.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: (voice-over): In "Raw Politics" tonight: The secretary of state drops the diplomacy. Condoleezza Rice says Don Imus' remarks were disgusting, and she's glad he got fired. Asked how she handles racist, sexist comments aimed at her, the secretary of state laughed. "I'm a big girl," she said. "I can take care of myself."

In another corner, presidential candidate Mike Huckabee condemned Imus' remarks as inexcusable, but added, if Imus gets fired, then probably Rosie O'Donnell and Bill Maher should be fired, too. "Gosh," said Huckabee, "half of talk radio and television has to go."

Harry Reid, the Senate's top Democrat, says he's seen astounding and compelling numbers indicating Democrats will pick up Senate seats in '08 because of the war -- not that Iraq is about politics.

Barbra Streisand back in the saddle again, raising $1.3 million for House Democrats at a fete chez Streisand.

Still, proof positive Hollywood is not just a bunch of lefties, Rudy Giuliani's fund-raising report shows a couple of donations from celebrities, including "Frasier"'s Kelsey Grammer and Adam Sandler. Giuliani had a bit part in a Sandler film titled "Anger Management," which the now gentler, mellower ex-mayor may have taken to heart.

Those missing e-mails, still missing -- the lawyer for White House adviser Karl Rove says Rove thought his messages were being archived and did not intentionally delete his e-mails into oblivion. Democrats think the messages, sent through a Republican Party server, may show a political link between Rove and the firing of seven U.S. prosecutors.

ONPS (ph), a liberal watchdog group, says hundreds of days worth of White House e-mail traffic have simply vanished, a possible violation of federal law. Things grow curiouser and curiouser.

Never too early to expand the fall-out from the U.S. prosecutor story. The Democratic Party is running ads against New Mexico Republican Heather Wilson. She admitted to calling one of the fired U.S. attorneys to talk about an ongoing corruption probe. He took it as pressure. She says it wasn't.

What Democrats know is that Wilson won her last election by four- tenths of a percent, and this might just might tip her out of office.

And that is "Raw Politics".

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHETRY: You can get another shot at "Raw Politics", the top stories and more, by downloading the new 360 daily podcast. Just go to CNN.com/AC360podcast or you can grab it from iTunes.

When we come back, the killing that nobody saw coming except, perhaps, the woman who pulled the trigger.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHETRY (voice-over): A storybook marriage, or so it seemed.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know of a couple who from the very start of their relationship loved each other more.

CHETRY: Until the pastor's wife shot the pastor to death.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mary Winkler has confessed to the murder of her husband.

CHETRY: But was it murder? When you hear what the jury is hearing, you might not be so sure.

Also, teaching abstinence here. Preaching sex here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: God created sex. God is for sex.

CHETRY: Changing sexual orientation with God's help.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Any homosexual who wants to can become a heterosexual?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Absolutely. Every single person that wants to leave homosexuality can.

CHETRY: "What is a Christian? Sex, Salvation and You", ahead on 360.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROBERTS: The woman accused of murdering her preacher husband does not have to take the stand. That is her right as a defendant. But even if she never testifies, the jury heard her voice today. And what she said may say a lot about the case for and against her.

CNN's David Mattingly reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEVE FARESE, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: When I rack this gun, it makes a distinctive sound, does it not?

STAN STABLER, ALABAMA BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION: Yes, sir.

DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Mary Winkler's best defense against first-degree murder charges may be the very shotgun she was holding when she killed her husband.

Small town preacher Matthew Winkler died after being shot in the back while lying in bed. An attorney for Mary Winkler argues she never planned to kill him, that it was the weight of the gun that caused her to accidentally pull the trigger.

But the investigator on the witness stand couldn't say one way or the other if that theory could work, setting off this exchange

FARESE: You don't agree with that. Why don't you? Tell me why.

STABLER: I don't agree because I don't know that.

FARESE: You don't agree because you don't know. But let me ask you that. Could that be correct?

STABLER: I don't know.

FARESE: You don't know whether it could or not?

STABLER: I don't know if it could apply pressure on your trigger finger. No, sir.

FARESE: Let me ask you this, could a meteorite hit you in the head right now?

STABLER: I guess it's possible. Yes, sir.

FARESE: But this is not?

MATTINGLY: For the first time, the jury was allowed to hear Winkler's taped confession. And when the investigator asked why she shot her husband, we hear a soft spoken and polite Mary Winkler say problems had been building at home for some time and that her husband had threatened her.

MARY WINKLER, ON TRIAL FOR MURDER: He said something that really scared me.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Like what, what was it?

WINKLER: I don't even know. It was something life-threatening. MATTINGLY (on camera): But throughout the hour-plus recording, Winkler frequently seemed confused and unable to recall details of the moment she pulled the trigger. At the time, she said she didn't even know if her husband was alive or dead, but she did say she did not plan to kill him.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you plan to kill him or did it happen spur-of-the-moment?

WINKLER: Not planned.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It wasn't planned? It just happened? Were you scared or something like that?

WINKLER: I -- I don't even know right now.

MATTINGLY: Now in a Selmer, Tennessee, courtroom, cameras watch as Winkler sits quietly.

She once told investigators she did not want the public to think badly about her husband. And each day, she has been seeing wearing a cross around her neck and what appears to be her wedding ring.

David Mattingly, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTS: Just ahead on 360, a developing story, a twister in Texas turns deadly. We'll have the latest on the fierce storms that are sweeping the state.

Plus on the sandy beaches of spring break, amid a sea of hormones, preaching abstinence? A worthy spiritual mission, or is it mission impossible?

Part of our special hour, "What is a Christian? Sex and Salvation", coming up on 360.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROBERTS: Heavy weather tonight in Texas: 80 mile an hour winds near Ft. Worth, breaking windows and tearing up trees. According to CNN affiliate WFAA, one man was killed by falling lumber. RV's and tractor trailers were tossed around like toys. Roofs and power lines were also damaged.

Meteorologist Reynolds Wolf is working the late shift for us at the CNN weather center, tracking all of this.

Hey, Reynolds, what's it looking like now?

REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, John, things are actually getting a little bit better. It's hard to believe, looking at this radar and thinking it is much better, a big improvement, but things have -- have improved dramatically. At this time, we still have a few severe thunderstorms, but all of our tornado warnings have expired at this time. Still, this line is now moving east, the Dallas Ft. Worth area, about to move into Texarkana, as well as Shreveport, Louisiana.

We still have a potential of 60 to 75 miles per hour winds, gusts. We could also and see some damages winds that could cause all kinds of issues with trees, with roofs, power lines.

There is the potential, also, for penny to dime-sized hail. Earlier today, we had baseball sized hail reported at DFW Airport outside of Dallas.

And there is the potential that if we had some development in front of this line of storms, we may even see a tornado or two. But at that time, at this time, we don't have any tornadoes in the mix.

Now, this is just the beginning of what we could see through the rest of the weekend, as this system rolls into parts of the southeast, eventually to the northeastern United States, more tornadoes may be on tap for tomorrow in part of the southeast.

And as we get into Sunday and into Monday, possibly a strong Nor'easter developing for much of New England.

That's the latest. We'll send it back to you.

ROBERTS: Reynolds, thanks very much for that.

Kiran, I've got to tell you, a heck of a way to start your weekend and what a way to wrap up Friday the 13th.

CHETRY: Very true. And I'm thinking it's good you're staying in D.C. next week, because Monday you might not make it up here.

ROBERTS: Yes. Well, I'll choose to do that. Thank you, yes. I was thinking about that. I may luck out in the commute, better than Thursday when it was horrible up there, too.

CHETRY: Exactly. We'll just keep you there for now. All right, John.

Well, there's some better news about how one man is making a big difference in the lives of thousands of children. Growing up as a black child in a predominantly white neighborhood, Aaron Dworkin faced pain and loneliness, but he discovered a way to overcome his troubles and now, he's on a special mission for racial harmony.

CNN's Randi Kaye shows us how he's giving 360.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As a child, classical music was a lifeline for Aaron Dworkin. He remembers playing violin before learning to read. AARON DWORKIN, SPHINX ORGANIZATION: I have no doubt whatsoever that the violin saved my life. Classical music just always had this role to give me an escape from any of the negative things in life.

I was adopted when I was two weeks old. There was one black family in our school district and me. So I was a young black kid with white parents who played the violin, with a big afro. So it left me not really fitting in. And the violin was my outlet.

KAYE: Now, giving that musical lifeline to other young minorities is Dworkin's life's work.

Since he founded the Sphinx Organization in 1996, tens of thousands of students nationwide have discovered the power of classical music through free music programs.

And performance opportunities.

Sphinx even provides free instruments to students through its preparatory music institute in downtown Detroit.

DWORKIN: You have a child whose life is devoid of music, and then you open them up to music. Their lives change. It gives young people an opportunity to express anger, to express frustration but in a way that's actually beautiful. And you can see it on their face. It's priceless.

All right!

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHETRY: And if you'd like some more information on Aaron's non- profit organization, you can check out the web site, SphinxMusic.org.

And now, another mission, you probably heard it. You maybe have even said it: 60 is the new 40. Thank goodness 30 is the new 20. So does that make 100 the new 80 or is it all just a bunch of wishful thinking?

Well, 360 M.D. Sanjay Gupta has been investigating the secrets of living longer, and it's the focus of his new book and two-part series, "Chasing Life", that airs this weekend on CNN. And tonight, a preview, starting with that magic number, 100.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): I'm 37. And this forensic age progression by artist D'Lynn Waldron shows how I might look if I'm lucky enough to reach the century mark. Handsome, right?

I wanted to know if I have what it really takes to live to 100 or even beyond. To see how my life stacks up, I turned to one of the world's leading experts on centenarians, Dr. Thomas Perls.

Perls has devised a formula to predict how long you'll live, and he agreed to follow me over the course of a day. At the Gupta home, the day starts early.

GUPTA (on camera): Last night, I didn't get out of the operating room until very late, so I've only had about four hours of sleep.

(voice-over) Wrong answer. For most people, Pearls says sleeping fewer than eight hours a night will cost you a year and a half of life.

DR. THOMAS PERLS, EXPERT ON CENTENARIANS: No coffee in the morning?

GUPTA (on camera): No. Not a coffee drinker.

(voice-over) Bingo. Much better. Perls says more than two cups a day will trim life expectancy by a year or more.

As we drove to work, something else had him worried.

PERLS: So you're a neurosurgeon who decides to take on another full time job. So two full time jobs and then two babies. So automatically, like, on the calculator, in terms of stress, you'd be off the charts.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's the 8:40 hit.

PERLS: In terms of the number of hours, how many a week would you say you're working?

GUPTA (on camera): It's well over 80.

(voice-over) Perls tells most people to work less, fewer than 40 hours a week if they can.

PERLS: How many days a week do you exercise?

GUPTA (on camera): I try to do at least three or four.

(voice-over) This interview was a real workout.

Regular family time? Yes. Add years.

Blood pressure, good.

Cholesterol, not so good.

(on camera) My cholesterol is not great. It's 209.

PERLS: We'll punch your numbers in and see what comes out.

GUPTA (voice-over): Could I look forward to 100 candles on my birthday cake? Or was I headed to an early grave?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHETRY: Well, we're going to find out the answer. We have to watch Sanjay's two-part investigative series this weekend. Maybe he'll show us how to do it ourself.

"Chasing Life", it's this Saturday and Sunday, 8 p.m. Eastern. Secrets for living a long and healthy life. That's this weekend only on CNN.

Plus, you can pick up Sanjay's new book, "Chasing Life", in bookstores or you can order it online.

Just ahead on 360, actress Ashley Judd has a simple way for you to help save a life, and it won't cost more than a pizza. She's going to tell you how, coming up.

Plus, it's often said that sex sells, but can it sell religion? Why some Christian leaders are telling their flock that God wants them to have sex, lots of it.

It's part of our special hour, "What is a Christian? Sex and Salvation", starting at 11 Eastern.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROBERTS: Most people know Ashley Judd s an actress, but she is also an expert on simple things that could save millions of lives from the ravages of malaria, things like mosquito nets.

Ashley is the spokeswoman for Malaria No More, a group working to eradicate the deadly disease. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that a child in Africa dies from malaria every 30 seconds. That means that by the time that this segment is done, six children will have died. Think about that as you watch.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTS: What compelled you to get involved with this project, with this issue?

ASHLEY JUDD, ACTRESS/ACTIVIST: Well, 3,000 children dying a day of a mosquito bite is not acceptable to me. Malaria is preventable and treatable. And I'm very grateful to help be a part of the solution, especially by letting Americans know that for only $10, they can help a poor African buy a bed net and help save their life.

ROBERTS: Do me a favor. Explain what a bed net is and how that can help a child or adult save their life.

JUDD: A bed net is a simple technology. It is made out of muslin. It's one of those romantic things you saw billowing in "Out of Africa", for example. I have one here.

It has a simple loop which is attached to a ceiling and then it is generously sized so that it can completely surround a bed or perhaps the floor, on which the vulnerable person sleeps. It can accommodate more than one person.

And while they are under it, they are protected from the female mosquito, which carries the parasite that causes malaria. Again, it is very simple.

It is also pretreated with a long lasting insecticide, so this net can prevent malaria for up to five years. And it's so simple, but unfortunately, they're really not accessible right now to, especially, the rural Africans who most desperately need them.

And so the 25th of April is malaria awareness day in the U.S., the very first one. And all of us have the opportunity to help contribute these nets.

ROBERTS: You, the first lady, Laura Bush, also recently asking people to contribute $10 to buy these bed nets.

Do you find it difficult, though, to get Americans interested in a disease that doesn't really touch their lives -- there's not much incidence of malaria in this country -- and a disease that's prevalent in places that at least a half a world, if not more, away?

JUDD: Well, having the opportunity to talk on a show such as this is really helpful for raising awareness. And I believe, as President Truman said, that when Americans are given the facts they will do the right thing. And helping an African to prevent malaria is absolutely the right thing.

We're very fortunate in this country malaria was eradicated in 1951. The CDC, Center for Disease Control, actually is the result of our initial effort to eradicate malaria.

But Africans, unfortunately, don't have that opportunity right now. The infrastructure is poor. And it's -- you know, Malaria is this insidious, self-perpetuating poverty trap. There is $12 billion a year economic loss due to malaria, but it would only cost $3 billion a year to protect Africans from malaria.

ROBERTS: You've got the 360 soapbox beneath your feet now. What do you want Americans to do on the 25th?

JUDD: I want Americans to check out MalariaNoMore.org. I also want them to check out FiveAndAlive.org. I want them to reach deep into their pockets, get out that $10. Think of it as the cost of a pizza and for that, they can save an African's life.

ROBERTS: Ashley Judd, good to see you. Thanks very much. Appreciate it.

JUDD: Thanks so much.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTS: All very simple. Ten bucks, you can save a life.

More headlines for you now. Let's go back to Kiran. She's in New York. She's got the 360 news and business bulletin.

Hey, Kiran.

CHETRY: Hi, John.

Well, we start off with some sad news out of Iraq. Five American deaths today, the Pentagon saying the troops died in two separate incidents, both south of Baghdad.

Meantime, two insurgent groups claimed responsibility for yesterday's parliament blast inside of the Green Zone. U.S. and Iraqi authorities now say only one person died in that attack.

On Wall Street here at home, a positive day. All markets posted gains, the Dow adding 59 points, the NASDAQ gaining 11 and the S&P up five.

Well, President Bush and the first lady, they may live in the White House but they have to do what all of us have to do, and that's file our taxes, for 2006. The deadline usually April 15t, but this year you have an extra couple of days. You have until Tuesday.

Here's how it broke down for the first family. The Bushes had an adjusted gross income of more than $765,000 last year. They had to pay more than $186,000 in taxes, and they donated $78,000 to various charitable organizations.

Vice President Cheney and his wife made twice as much: $1.6 million. They had to pay more than $413,000 in taxes. And I believe they donated at least $100,000 or more to charities -- John.

ROBERTS: What does it say when the vice president makes twice as much money as the president?

CHETRY: You know, I think he makes money outside of his job in the -- of course, in the big White House.

ROBERTS: Good businessman, that Dick Cheney.

Hey, I guess we're not going to be watching much 360 from here on in, right? We're not going to be staying up this late very often.

CHETRY: That's two hours past our bedtime starting Monday morning. Right? Because of course, we hope everyone is going to watch. John and I will be starting a new gig, "AMERICAN MORNING", beginning Monday, 6 a.m. Eastern Time.

And so what does that mean for your alarm clock, John?

ROBERTS: Probably 2:30, maybe a 2:45 wake-up call. But I've got to tell you, sometimes as tough as the alarm can be, watching the sun come up on a brand-new day, there's just nothing like it.

CHETRY: That is -- that's very sweet. You're not going to see the sun because you're going to be stuck in a studio, but it's still sweet.

ROBERTS: I'll try to peek out as often as I can. See you on Monday.

CHETRY: All right, John. Great working with you tonight.

And that is it for us tonight. Anderson is up next with a 360 special: "What is a Christian? Sex and Salvation". You don't want to miss it.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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