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CNN Connie Chung Tonight

Skakel Sentenced in Moxley Murder; Are Terrorists Operating on United States Soil?

Aired August 29, 2002 - 20:00   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.
CONNIE CHUNG, HOST: Good evening. I'm Connie Chung.

Tonight: 27 years in the making, the prison sentence no one wanted, especially Kennedy cousin Michael Skakel.

ANNOUNCER: Twenty years to life: Kennedy cousin Michael Skakel sentenced to prison for the murder of Martha Moxley.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DORTHY MOXLEY, MOTHER OF MARTHA: I have no doubt that he's the one that killed Martha.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: Tonight, Connie asks Martha Moxley's family and closest friends: Has justice been served?

Disneyland and Las Vegas, terror targets? Four men indicted as part of an underground terrorist cell operating in Detroit. What were they planning? And are there more still in hiding?

Strike.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We don't want a strike. Hopefully, at the end of the day, we'll have something done and the fans can cheer instead of boo.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: If baseball players walk out, can America's pastime survive?

Are we there yet? A Florida convenience store gets a special delivery: twins.

This is CONNIE CHUNG TONIGHT. Live from the CNN Broadcast Center in New York: Connie Chung.

CHUNG: Good evening. Tonight: It was a sentence no one wanted. Family and friends of slain 15-year-old Martha Moxley had hoped for the maximum. Killer Michael Skakel had begged, sobbing for leniency. The judge had the option of giving Skakel anywhere from 10-to-life to 25-years-to-life.

On the story at the courthouse tonight is CNN's Deborah Feyerick.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Michael Skakel came to court ready to speak. But his words were not the words Martha Moxley's family wanted to hear.

D. MOXLEY: He didn't say he was sorry to us. I have no doubt that he's the one that killed Martha.

FEYERICK: Skakel's voice choked with tears as he appealed to the judge. Referring often to God and religion Skakel said -- quote -- "I've been accused of a crime. And I would love to be able to say I did it, so it would give the Moxleys some rest. But I can't do that," he said. "I can't bear false witness against myself."

He then told the judge -- quote -- "Whatever sentence you impose on me, I accept in God's name." That sentence: 20 years to life, not the maximum, but not the minimum either.

(on camera): Was there some sense of relief?

HOPE SEELEY, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: I think the relief for Michael was the fact that he finally got to be able to speak. And I certainly saw in his face a sense of relief for him being able to say that, "I am innocent."

FEYERICK (voice-over): Skakel waived his right to testify at trial and his lawyers are aggressively preparing an appeal. When the sentence was read, both the Skakel and Moxley families cried.

JOHN MOXLEY, BROTHER OF MARTHA: Twenty years to life, it's just difficult to compare that to what life would have been like with Martha. There's no such thing as fair here. There's no celebration. There's no party to go to.

FEYERICK: The judge denied Skakel bail, pending the appeal. If he stays out of trouble, Skakel will be eligible for parole in late April, 2013.

Experts say the sentence sends a message.

STAN TWARDY, FORMER U.S. ATTORNEY: I think there may be a signal that's being sent here by the judge that you don't need to keep him in prison forever; there are some mitigating circumstances.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FEYERICK: And, Connie, some of those mitigating factors, for example, may have been that Michael Skakel had an abusive childhood, that he wrestled with dyslexia and was always behind in his classes in his school, and also that he spent the last 20 years of his life trying to do good things, helping people get sober, helping people get their lives straightened out -- Connie.

CHUNG: Deborah, in sentencing him to 20 years to life, do you think the judge was really sort of cutting him a break?

FEYERICK: Well, what the judge was doing is, he was making him eligible for parole in less time than he would have been otherwise.

What that means is that Michael Skakel will be eligible for parole in about 12 years, a little less than 12 years. And then, if the parole board rejects that, he can apply every year after that. And the wording of the sentence, Connie, is such that, basically, the judge is sending the message that he shouldn't spend his whole life in jail. He should serve his sentence, the minimum amount of time he has to, but then he should be strongly considered for parole.

CHUNG: And, Deborah, I know you said that this is the first time that he was able to speak to the court. I'm curious to know what your take on it was, how he came across.

FEYERICK: He was very, very emotional.

He had prepared something to say with his lawyers. But, in the end, he didn't say what his lawyers wanted him to say. He said what was in his heart. And it was very emotional. He was sobbing throughout the entire statement that he made to the judge. He even spoke about a conversion he had, where he saw God back in 1982, and God told him, "Do it my way or do it your way." And that's when Michael Skakel began cleaning up his life.

And very interesting, we hadn't really seen that spiritual side of Michael Skakel. At the trial, he was very focused. He was very active in his defense, handing his attorneys notes, things like that. The jury -- some of the jurors we spoke to thought that he came across as very arrogant. Well, he wasn't arrogant today. He was a man who was really begging for mercy.

CHUNG: Deborah, just in 10 seconds, what did his lawyers want him to say that you said he didn't say?

FEYERICK: They didn't tell us. They didn't tell us what they wanted him to say. And he said: "You know, I'm speaking to you against the advice of my lawyers."

So, again, I think, for the first time, he wanted to stand up and say: "Here's who I am. Here is what I think. Judge me on who I am."

CHUNG: Thank you, CNN's Deborah Feyerick, in Norwalk, Connecticut, tonight.

And joining me now: a member of the Moxley family and two of Martha's friends, who have waited 27 years to find out what price Martha Moxley's killer would pay. We have Cara Moxley, who is married to Martha's brother. You just heard him earlier, John. And we have two of Martha's closest childhood friends, Mei Versailles And Jennifer Allen.

Thank you for being with us.

And thank you for coming back.

CARA MOXLEY, SISTER-IN-LAW OF MARTHA: Thanks for having us.

CHUNG: Cara, I know that you were there and you heard him sobbing and asking for leniency. How difficult was that for you to listen to?

MOXLEY: He showed another side that is there. Deep down, he obviously has some compassion in him and some good qualities.

However, it was disappointing to hear him still denying the fact that he did this terrible crime and not owning up to it yet.

(CROSSTALK)

C. MOXLEY: But not surprising.

CHUNG: How is your husband and your mother-in-law, Dorthy Moxley? How are they tonight?

C. MOXLEY: They're good. It's a very sad day. It's not a day of celebration, by any means. It's a tragedy for both families.

But we do think that the sentence was reasonable. There is no such thing as fair. Martha is not coming back. But we do think that the judge was very thoughtful in considering, No. 1, that he was a youthful offender at the time and weighing that with the fact that it was a very savage crime.

CHUNG: Jennifer, how did you feel when your best friend's killer refused to show any remorse, refused to admit that he was indeed the person who killed Martha?

JENNIFER ALLEN, CHILDHOOD FRIEND OF MARTHA MOXLEY: He's been doing this for 27 years now. I'm not surprised. He's still in a huge state of denial. That's very obvious.

In his statement today, there was a lot of anger. I heard anger directed at the court, directed at the Moxleys, directed at Mark Fuhrman, directed to practically everybody but himself.

CHUNG: A man into denial is what you're saying as well.

Mei, last night, you told us he could rot in hell. And now he's been sentenced to 20 years to life. He may be out of prison in maybe 11, 12 years. How does that sit with you?

MEI VERSAILLES, CHILDHOOD FRIEND OF MARTHA MOXLEY: He could be out in 10 or 12 years. I doubt he will be.

If that all he serves, it's more than -- if he had gotten off, he wouldn't be in jail. So we can only say -- we can only hope that it will be as long as possible, that he'll stay in longer.

CHUNG: Cara, I think your mother-in-law said that she was -- what was the word she used? Oh, that she thought the sentence was reasonable? Is that right? Didn't that surprise you?

(CROSSTALK)

C. MOXLEY: ... we talked about that.

Not really. I think we would have been devastated by a number in the teens. Something lower than 20 would have been devastating. But I think the judge was very thoughtful and considered our feelings, as well as the fact that maybe Michael had some good in him, that...

CHUNG: You're sounding so generous.

C. MOXLEY: Well, it needed to be weighed with the fact that he was a youthful offender. And he did take five years off what he could have gotten. So, it wasn't -- he could have been more lenient and he could have been harsher. And I think he was very thoughtful in his sentence.

CHUNG: All right, as I look at the two girlfriends, I have to think to myself, 27 years, and they have come back. It apparently meant so much to both of you, especially Jennifer, flying all of the way from California. Why was this so important to you to be here?

ALLEN: It's something I've been waiting for for 27 years.

I didn't talk about this for a long time. Like John, I just didn't talk about it. There was -- it was scary to talk about. So it's actually been helpful to be back here. And I've kept in touch with the Moxleys -- but coming back and just reacquainting again and meeting the friends that I didn't know and should have known.

C. MOXLEY: We should have met a long time ago. And we didn't. And we should have met at a happy occasion for Martha.

CHUNG: It's such a strong friendship. Obviously, her personality permeated all of you. And that's why you're bonded now.

ALLEN: Martha's the common bond. She's the link between all of us.

CHUNG: Thank you so much. Cara Moxley and Mei Versailles and Jennifer -- what is your last name now?

ALLEN: Allen.

CHUNG: Thank you. Allen.

(LAUGHTER)

C. MOXLEY: And I would like to say thank you, for John and Dorthy, to all of the people that helped us get where we are today, because we couldn't have done it alone. We had a lot of people that really, really...

CHUNG: Kept at it, working.

C. MOXLEY: ... were angels, as Dorthy refers to them.

CHUNG: Perfect.

Thank you so much for being with us.

C. MOXLEY: Thank you.

ALLEN: Thanks, Connie.

VERSAILLES: Thank you.

CHUNG: All along, Michael Skakel has maintained his innocence. And he repeated that claim today before he was sentenced.

Frank Garr doesn't buy it. He was the Greenwich Police Department's lead investigator in the case, now inspector for the Connecticut Division of Criminal Justice. And he joins us now from Norwalk.

Inspector Garr, thank you so much for being with us. We appreciate it.

FRANK GARR, INSPECTOR, CONNECTICUT DIVISION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE: You're welcome.

CHUNG: What was your reaction to the sentence?

GARR: Well, I think the best way to describe it is, I feel very satisfied that we were able to finally complete -- successfully complete this investigation and give the Moxleys the justice they so long and so over-duly deserved.

CHUNG: Are you satisfied with the sentence?

GARR: Yes, absolutely.

CHUNG: Now, Michael Skakel did not admit that he committed this crime. Is there any doubt in your mind that he did?

GARR: No, none whatsoever.

CHUNG: You took that initial call when the call came in that Martha's body had been found. When did you actually become convinced that Michael Skakel was the murderer?

GARR: Well, there was a long time, a long space of time between when I took that initial call and when I became I guess what you would consider lead investigator in 1991.

And from that point in 1991, shortly after we began the reinvestigation, a picture started to appear based on the information that we almost started getting immediately when we launched that reinvestigation.

CHUNG: Why do you think it took so long, Inspector?

GARR: I think there are two -- probably the two main reasons that it took so long to bring this to where we are today is, one and foremost, the lack of cooperation from the Skakel family; and, secondly, probably the lack of physical evidence that we had in the initial days of the investigation.

CHUNG: Michael Skakel's defense attorney during the trial, Mickey Sherman, said that he really thinks that Michael Skakel hates you, because, were it not for you, he would not have gone to trial.

Did you ever exchange looks with him during this period, during the trial period, or exchange any words with him?

GARR: I was never allowed to speak to any member of the Skakel member throughout this entire investigation. The first time I ever came face to face with Michael was the day I arrested him. I placed him under arrest. I advised him of his rights. And that's the extent of our conversation right to this point.

CHUNG: Really? Did you attend anything during the trial and the sentencing? Were you there today?

GARR: Oh, I had been obviously involved in the trial from day one.

(CROSSTALK)

CHUNG: Right. So did your eyes at least -- did your eyes connect at any point?

GARR: Oh, sure, there were those moments. But we never exchanged words.

CHUNG: And he never tried to talk to you either?

GARR: He made some cryptic remarks a couple of times walking through the lobby or during a recess standing at the defense table, those type of things. But I really don't put too much into those things.

CHUNG: All right, Inspector Garr, thank you so much. Congratulations for your work. And we appreciate your being with us.

GARR: Thank you.

CHUNG: Still ahead, our "Crisis in the Classroom" series continues: why the greatest threat to college-age kids may be themselves.

Stay with us.

ANNOUNCER: Next: charges of a terrorist cell operating on U.S. soil. When we return, the mother of one of those suspected terrorists speaks out.

CONNIE CHUNG TONIGHT will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KELLI ARENA, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Their mission, according to prosecutors, to provide weapons, fake identification and safe houses for others who would come to the U.S. and carry out an attack, part of what investigators say is an infrastructure of terror inside the United States.

BOB BLITZER, FORMER FBI DIRECTOR OF COUNTERTERRORISM: It's just terribly important to break up the infrastructure, because, not only do you interdict probably planned attacks, but, also, there are just thousands of leads that come out of these kinds of cases which tend to identify other people, both here and abroad, who are involved in various plots.

ARENA: Sometimes the support team is located overseas, as was the case with the September 11 hijackers. But for terrorists, getting support in the U.S. can be crucial.

DAVID ISBY, INTELLIGENCE ANALYST: They lack even a degree of sophistication in dealing with the West, many of these people. And this is something which people who have been born here or spent here for a number of years, these can provide them with it, so they aren't picked up early on.

ARENA: In the first assault on the World Trade Center in 1993, investigators say the network provided not only contacts for buying explosives, but places to store and mix the materials.

In the Detroit case, investigators conducting an unrelated raid on this house discovered a new support group and possible reconnaissance, videos which prosecutors say suggest the men were casing Disneyland in California, among other targets.

Investigators later found out some of the men in custody worked at the Detroit Airport and believe they were looking for security weaknesses. Prosecutors say the men belonged to the Algerian terrorist group Salafist, which is loosely connected to al Qaeda.

BLITZER: Finding them is difficult if you don't have some kind of predicate or some kind of piece of information that is going to put you on to one or more of these conspirators.

ARENA (on camera): Even so, officials say they do expect more indictments of so-called support personnel as bits of intelligence come in and are pieced together.

Kelli Arena, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHUNG: One of the alleged support personnel named in the indictment is Farouk Ali-Haimoud.

We are joined how from Detroit by his mother, Meriem Ladjadj, and attorney Kevin Ernst.

Thank you so much for being with us.

KEVIN ERNST, ATTORNEY FOR FAROUK ALI-HAIMOUD: Thank you. Good evening, Connie.

MERIEM LADJADJ, MOTHER OF FAROUK ALI-HAIMOUD: Thank you.

CHUNG: Ms. Ladjadj, would you tell us, do you believe that your son was in any way involved in terrorist activities?

LADJADJ: No. I do not believe that. Impossible. My son is not terrorist.

CHUNG: But he's a grown-up. Isn't it possible that he might have been involved in activities that you didn't know about?

LADJADJ: No. I am certain about it. My son is not terrorist. I would know it.

CHUNG: Why do you think he was arrested then?

LADJADJ: I guess it was just after September 11 and that everybody could be arrested. Myself or anyone fitting that profile could be arrested at that time. It was going crazy.

CHUNG: Yes, he was arrested and he was released. But then he was arrested again. And this case is under way. He's being named as one of those who was involved as a support personnel. So what would cause him to be arrested, do you think, if he didn't have anything to do with it?

ERNST: Well, Connie, if I may answer that question, first of all, it's important to remember that, right now, all we have are charges against Farouk, as well as the other people that you mentioned on your show. And charges are not evidence.

And the only difference between the time that the case was dismissed against Farouk, which you just alluded to, and yesterday, when the government charged this terrorist activity, which was not charged before -- the only thing charged before was possession of false immigration documents -- is a single government informant, or, as we call them in the profession, a snitch.

And all of the things that you mentioned, all of the allegations by the government are essentially based on this single snitch's testimony or his debriefing. It's important to note that...

(CROSSTALK)

CHUNG: What would your client be doing with fake identification papers in the apartment he was living in and tapes of Disneyland and the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas? Because I believe -- and you can correct me if I'm wrong -- there were no children among his roommates. They were all adults, were they not?

ERNST: Yes, they were all adults.

And, first of all, my client didn't have possession of the...

CHUNG: The fake I.D.?

ERNST: ... the immigration documents. They were just in the apartment. He happened to live there, but they were not found in his living area.

And, secondly, if you read the indictment, all it says is, there are some videotapes of the MGM Grand and of Disney World in California. I mean, those are completely innocent facts. How many millions of Americans go to those two places and take video or take pictures? But now, suddenly, it's suspect because why? Because the people that had them are Arabs?

I don't quite understand where you're going with...

CHUNG: Well, the question is -- that's why I mentioned to you that I don't think there were any -- any of the roommates had children or were children. They were all adults.

ERNST: Well, you don't necessarily take children to MGM Grand, first of all. And, second of all, a lot of people go to Disney World when they first come into this country.

But I think, more importantly, if you look at the indictment, nowhere is it even alleged that any of these men even went to those places.

(CROSSTALK)

ERNST: And I know, for example, my client has never been to California or Nevada.

CHUNG: He took a job at the airport.

ERNST: I'm sorry.

CHUNG: He took a job at the airport.

ERNST: That's correct.

CHUNG: And knowing that he had been arrested before, right after 9/11, wasn't that sort of a risky area for him to take a job in, because he was in past security? In other words, he was in an area that is already cleared through past security?

ERNST: Well, Connie, since when is it a crime in this country to be an Arab person that works in an airport? I mean, that's what is implied here, is that somehow that's wrong.

The fact is that Farouk, he had various jobs within the Arab community. There is a large Arab community in the Detroit area. And after he was arrested, and his picture was splashed all over the papers, and the news media, for weeks and weeks, everybody in the Arab community was so terrified, that he could not get a job there. And that was the only place that would give him a job. And he was vetted by the federal officials.

CHUNG: All right.

Mr. Ladjadj...

LADJADJ: Yes?

CHUNG: Can I just turn to her one more time?

ERNST: Certainly.

CHUNG: How has this affected your family?

LADJADJ: It affected my family terribly. My whole life, my whole life changed. My daughter's life changed suddenly.

Basically, I can say that I have no life. I am scared and I am lost. I don't know -- I am really, really saddened. And I'm angry at the same time. And I am shocked. I am shocked at what is happening.

CHUNG: Tell me, have you been to his apartment in Dearborn?

LADJADJ: Yes, ma'am.

CHUNG: Why do you think that there were fake identification papers there and these tapes of Disneyland and MGM Grand Hotel?

LADJADJ: Those wasn't my son things. And my son never left Detroit, except for visiting his sister. And he never went to California or Disneyland in California or anywhere.

CHUNG: All right.

I thank you so much, both of you, for being with us. We appreciate it, Ms. Ladjadj and Mr. Ernst. Appreciate it.

ERNST: Thank you.

LADJADJ: Thank you so much.

CHUNG: And before we go to a break, tonight's "Radar" looks at a terrorist group that operated in the U.S. a generation ago.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: During the '70s and '80s, terrorism on U.S. soil was a staple of the evening news: bank robberies, shootings, bombings, kidnappings.

Two of the most prominent groups were the Symbionese Liberation Army and the Armed Forces of National Liberation, which was fighting for Puerto Rican independence. Despite polls that showed most Puerto Ricans happy being Americans, the FALN carried out an estimated 130 bombings, killing five people and maiming 83 more.

In the early '80s, 16 members were captured in connection with various crimes: armed robbery, bank robbery, conspiracy, weapons possession, plotting to bomb military centers and more. But most of them got out well before the end of their sentence. How?

The answer when we return.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: How did members of the Puerto Rican separatist group the FALN get out of prison before their sentences were up? Despite opposition from law enforcement, the Justice Department and many Republicans, President Clinton offered 16 of them clemency.

SEN. PHIL GRAMM (R), TEXAS: I believe it is outrageous that, at a time when the greatest national security threat facing America is terrorism, that the president of the United States is pardoning convicted terrorists who carried out the worst wave of terrorist violence in the history of our country.

ANNOUNCER: The clemency offer sparked accusations the president was trying to help his wife's Senate campaign in New York. President Clinton said that, because none of the prisoners had been convicted of directly physically harming anyone, their original sentences had been too long. Most of those offered clemency walked free on September 11, 1999.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHUNG: We'll continue.

(NEWS BREAK)

CHUNG: We'll be right back.

ANNOUNCER: Still ahead: An expectant mom hits the highway and makes a pit stop for a very special delivery: twins.

CONNIE CHUNG TONIGHT continues in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHUNG: Pity Major League Baseball. The owners and the players are still struggling with that awful dilemma: How in the world do you divvy up more than $3.5 billion? We all know how tough that can be, right? Well, commissioner Bud Selig has ordered owners not to comment.

But joining us from Irvine, California, we've got big-time agent Scott Boras, himself a former minor league player. His clients now include Major Leaguers such as Barry Bonds and Alex Rodriguez. Thank you, Scott, for being with us. We appreciate it.

SCOTT BORAS, SPORTS AGENT: Enjoy being with you, Connie.

CHUNG: Scott, what's the latest. Do you know?

BORAS: Well, I know that they're working through the day and probably well into the night to try to come up with a creative measurement to get this resolved. And so we probably won't know much until early tomorrow.

CHUNG: All right.

Let's take a look at some of these numbers. The average player makes about -- more than $2.5 million a year. Even the lowest gets about $300,000 a year. And your client gets $25 million a year. Isn't this pretty darn ridiculous? You actually pushed the envelope by raising the bar.

BORAS: Well, I think when you talk about what the market is, I'm not sure we can appoint that to an individual. We can appoint that to the success of our industry.

The revenues of this industry have increased in the last five or six years from $1.6 billion to about $3.5 billion to $4 billion. And the demand for players and the revenues of the game have rewarded, I think, both the owners and the players with a significant interest in the sport.

CHUNG: Well, you cut this deal for Alex Rodriguez at $252 million. And he said he'll give some of it back. He'd be fine with giving some of it back. And then the players get on his case and say, "No, you're ruining or position, our bargaining position."

Isn't this truly ridiculous? And don't you think the fans out there are saying, a pox on both your houses, the owners, the players, and you're just part of the players?

BORAS: I think when you have a successful industry and you're talking about how you divide up the successes, Connie, from afar, it's going to look like: How can you, in a successful environment, not come to a conclusion that is amicable so the game can continue?

CHUNG: Yes, but, oh, come on. It's greedy players and greedy owners.

BORAS: Well, I think in an industry, in any industry, what goes to management and what goes to labor is always an issue. And when you are talking about how the fan feels about it, I'm not sure they really care. And the answer is, they want their -- the continuation of the sport, as we all do.

I think one of the things that have caused this problem is simply this, is that we allow franchises and owners to come in that pay $100 million. And then we have other franchises that are purchased in the same year for $700 million. And so, how you create a resolution to the expectancies of those owners is really the issue. And that's somewhat been handed down to labor.

CHUNG: Don't you think that both the owners and the players should take one for the fans and settle?

BORAS: Well, certainly, I think we're all in agreement there should be a settlement.

(CROSSTALK)

CHUNG: I know, but I'm saying that the owners and players should just take one for the fans. In other words, step back. Do it for the fans.

BORAS: Your assumption, Connie, is -- the players are not making demands here, by the way. They haven't made any demands in 27 years.

CHUNG: Oh, hello, not any demands? Why can't it get settled, then?

BORAS: Again, these are owner-initiated demands. The players would allow the system to continue as it existed before. For the last 27 years, the players haven't made any demands.

So, to suggest that -- and players have already agreed to make further concessions to try to get this thing settled. So I think the fans should be fully aware that there have been major concessions made in the last agreement and further ones in this agreement from what the players had before.

CHUNG: Don't you think the fans deserve better than this?

BORAS: Well, again, I think that all of us want to see the game continue. And as to how the resolution of this comes -- and I think there is a good chance that it may.

I think collective bargaining is a part of any industry. And baseball is, of course, front-page news. And, unfortunately -- we would hope the sport and play of it would be more front page. But, yes, I think the fans are very deserving. They have created success for both sides. And we hope to see it get done.

CHUNG: Do you think a strike is going to happen?

BORAS: I'm very hopeful that it won't, and for many of the reasons...

CHUNG: I mean in your gut, what do you think?

BORAS: I think it gets settled.

CHUNG: OK, good. We appreciate that. I'm glad you said that.

Scott Boras, thank you. And thank you for letting me vent to you, all right?

BORAS: Well, sometimes our job is to catch things. And if it's something a fan offers, we're more than willing and able do it, I hope.

CHUNG: OK.

Still head, "Crisis in the Classroom": why the biggest threat to students on campus may be themselves.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHUNG: When we talk about being kids, we often gloss over a very real aspect of youth: It's hard, sometimes really hard.

In the last 50 years, the reported suicide rate among America's adolescents and young adults has tripled. The risk is considered greatest among young white males. And some colleges have come under fire for their handling of suicidal students, making suicide a "Crisis in the Classroom."

Tonight, the adoptive parents of one college student who killed himself have joined us to share their painful story, Laverne and Joe Schieszler. And we're also joined by CNN medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

Thank you all for being with us.

LAVERNE SCHIESZLER, ADOPTIVE MOTHER OF SUICIDE VICTIM: Thank you.

CHUNG: Let's start with you, Joe. What kind of guy was Mike?

JOE SCHIESZLER, ADOPTIVE FATHER OF SUICIDE VICTIM: You know, Mike came to live with us when he was 9. And, obviously, he was a confused young man that had come from a troubled home.

And we watched him grow. And Mike was one of those kids that wore his heart on his sleeve. You knew if Mike was angry or happy or excited, because he couldn't hide a secret or tell a lie if he tried.

CHUNG: When he was in college, though, there were a couple of incidents that occurred that now you can look back on. And here he was. He was your son, even though he was your brother's biological son. So what was one of those incidents?

L. SCHIESZLER: There was an incident at school where he'd -- Mike was always for the underdog. And there was a young man there that Mike sort of befriended. And the other kids used to sort of pick on him. And so Mike sort of was always supporting him.

And I guess there was an incident where there was a few kids together and they were making some comments. And Mike sort of got angry.

CHUNG: And he stood up for the kid?

L. SCHIESZLER: Yes, he did. And he ended up punching, unfortunately, the window in his car.

CHUNG: His own car. He hurt himself. He didn't hurt anybody else.

L. SCHIESZLER: No, he wouldn't hurt anyone else.

CHUNG: So that's one incident.

And then, later on, he had a girlfriend.

J. SCHIESZLER: Right. He had fallen in love.

But he and his girlfriend, like most true love, had their tumultuous moments. And so he got in a fight with her at school. And there was a lot of yelling and screaming. And the security was called. And so, the fact is, the security put Mike under house hold.

CHUNG: So, he eventually went to an anger-management class. And that seemed to be working out OK.

L. SCHIESZLER: Yes.

CHUNG: All right.

Now, let's go to this critical day. You didn't know anything about what was happening this particular day, but you later learned what happened. Tell me what happened.

L. SCHIESZLER: I received a phone call from the hospital. And it was about 3:00, I think. And they said, "You have to get down here now."

And I said, "Well, what's going on?"

And she says, "There has just been an accident and you need to get here now."

And we received no communication from the school as to what had happened.

CHUNG: And when you got to the hospital, you discovered?

L. SCHIESZLER: Mike was in the intensive care and he technically was brain dead at that point.

CHUNG: Obviously, your son had committed suicide. What did you discover later had happened that day?

J. SCHIESZLER: As much as we could piece it together, about maybe 10:00 in the morning, Mike had made some phone calls to various members of his family, including us, and seemed to be in very good spirits.

L. SCHIESZLER: It was his birthday.

J. SCHIESZLER: Because his birthday was coming up. And his girlfriend had come up to school to visit him.

And so, anyway, Mike then made a call to, I think, to his mother, biological mother.

CHUNG: His biological mother.

J. SCHIESZLER: And he became very angry, for whatever reason. And we don't know. And Mike then stormed up to his room, because the phone was in the dorm hall. And his girlfriend followed him up to his room. And they then -- she told us that she had asked Mike: "What's wrong with you? Why are you upset?"

And he kept screaming, "Nothing, nothing" and got more and more agitated.

CHUNG: And that finally brought the security in.

J. SCHIESZLER: Yes, right.

The security officer, who was from the Roanoke police, came. And she opened -- forced Mike to open the door to his room. And he came out. And she noticed in her report that he had bruises around his neck. She calmed down the argument. Mike assured her that he was OK. And so she went way.

And maybe half-an-hour, 45 minutes later, another argument broke out in the room. The R.A., or resident assistant, called the security again. And the dean of the students came. And, at that time, again, they forced Mike to open the door. And when Mike came out, he had bruises all across his forehead and red and blotchy and what have you and cuts. And they asked him what it was.

And he told them that he was arguing with his girlfriend and he didn't hurt her, so he beat his head against the wall. And he then sat with Mike and ultimately forced Mike to sign a letter that the dean wrote out. I have a copy of it: "I promise not to hurt myself or anybody else." And then he told Mike to stay in his room. And he went downstairs.

L. SCHIESZLER: Alone.

CHUNG: Alone.

L. SCHIESZLER: Alone.

J. SCHIESZLER: Alone.

And that was the key. Then they heard loud music from Michael's room.

CHUNG: Yes.

J. SCHIESZLER: So they then decided something was wrong.

CHUNG: So they went up to the room.

J. SCHIESZLER: Yes, they went to the room.

CHUNG: Eventually, they forced their way in. And they found? J. SCHIESZLER: Michael hanging from his bunk bed, where he had put a belt in the mattress above him and...

L. SCHIESZLER: And hung himself.

CHUNG: Well, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, obviously, this young man was left alone at a critical time.

What should be done? How should a case like that be handled?

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it sounded pretty clear from seeing the bruises around the neck. And it sounds like he may have already tried to hang himself once. So, that's why you would get bruises in that area.

CHUNG: Young white males are at greatest risk. Why is that?

GUPTA: Men, more so than women, tend to be more impulsive. The second reason is that a lot of the attempts that men make actually go on to be completions.

CHUNG: More suicide attempts occur in the fall, obviously when school is about to begin.

GUPTA: That's right.

And this is among college-aged people again. And 19 to 24, they call it -- recent rejections, disappointments, academic pressures, failures.

CHUNG: You have now filed a lawsuit against the school. What do you hope to accomplish, Laverne?

L. SCHIESZLER: Our intention here is to try to get the schools to sort of pay attention.

If they can't find the signals from someone who is screaming so loud, as in Mike's case -- I don't know what more he could have done to say, "I'm in trouble" -- maybe they need to look at the situation and say, "We need to do something here."

CHUNG: Laverne.

Thank you, Joe.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

GUPTA: Thank you, Connie.

J. SCHIESZLER: Thank you.

CHUNG: We'll be back in just a moment.

And one final word: We should emphasize that Ferrum College released a statement saying -- quote -- "The college personnel who dealt with this situation are caring, competent and sensible people. And, of course, they did not and would not walk away from a student who they thought was suicidal" -- unquote.

Still head: Stuck in a traffic jam, they pulled into a nearby convenience store so she could give birth. And there they are, a live picture of the twins that were born on Tuesday. You're not going to believe the story on how they were birthed.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHUNG: You know, it's tough enough giving birth at a hospital. I mean, can we talk? Now, imagine having to do it at a gas station convenience store parking lot area.

That's what Nicole Williams did this week with twins, after proud papa, Scott Cannon, had to get off the highway when they were caught in a traffic jam on the way to the hospital.

And they join me now from St. Petersburg, Florida, along with Scott's mom, Linda Buckner, and the two most precious things ever picked up at a convenience store. Is it Shadai (ph)? Is that how you pronounce her name? And Jade.

NICOLE WILLIAMS, MOTHER: Shadai.

CHUNG: Oh, Shadai and Jade.

Thank you so much, Nicole, Scott and grandma.

Nicole -- I know. We're waving here.

Let's go back to Tuesday morning. It's 7:30 in the morning. You have a contraction. You go to the living room and your water breaks. So you think, "Uh-oh."

WILLIAMS: In the living room.

CHUNG: Yes, in the living room. So, you hop in the car -- well, not really hop in the car. But you get in the car with Scott. And you drop your three older sons off at mom's, right?

WILLIAMS: Yes.

CHUNG: And you're heading to the hospital. And then, all of a sudden, what happens?

WILLIAMS: We ran into a lot of traffic. And I told him that he needed to get off the interstate. He got off the interstate. He turned left on 22nd Avenue North. I told him he needed to pull over into somewhere to call 911, because we weren't going to make it anywhere.

CHUNG: You knew, right?

WILLIAMS: And she came out.

(LAUGHTER)

WILLIAMS: Oh, I knew. I felt her. She was coming. And I told him, "Here she comes."

CHUNG: And so your first baby...

WILLIAMS: And then I caught her.

CHUNG: You did. You caught her? Oh, my gosh.

WILLIAMS: I had to catch her. I lifted up off the seat a little bit. And I told him she was coming. And I caught her. And heard her cry. He thought it was something on the radio.

(LAUGHTER)

CHUNG: Scott, you barely pulled over and she was already out, huh?

SCOTT CANNON, FATHER: She already had the baby. She jumped way up in the seat. And I just heard the baby whining.

CHUNG: Oh, my gosh. So then you called the paramedics, right?

CANNON: I don't remember putting the car in park.

CHUNG: Oh, you don't?

CANNON: Yes. Yes.

CHUNG: You called the paramedics. And they came and what happened? This time, did you think you could make it to the hospital for the second baby? Or did you know that you were going to just have to deliver the second baby right there?

WILLIAMS: I knew she was coming. I knew that we weren't going to make it anywhere. They were talking about putting me in the ambulance to try to make it to the hospital. But I told them it was too close and she was coming. And they had to break her water. And once they broke the water, she came out like a bullet. It's the only way to describe it, only way to describe it.

CHUNG: So, Scott, were you holding your wife's hand and helping her? Tell me the story right. Tell me the truth. What happened?

Oh, the baby is beautiful.

Go ahead. Tell me what happened.

WILLIAMS: Thank you.

CANNON: I had to make a decision. My decision was -- I kissed her two times, then I grabbed my camcorder.

CHUNG: No way.

(LAUGHTER)

CANNON: She says she's glad I grabbed it, though. She's glad I grabbed it.

WILLIAMS: Yes, I am.

CANNON: But I didn't know what to do, either hold her hand or miss everything. And like I said, I wasn't trying to record it for the news or anybody, just for our own things. And I'm glad I have it, though. Glad I have it.

CHUNG: It is. It's unbelievable video, isn't it? You did a good job.

WILLIAMS: Definitely. Thank you.

CANNON: One guy grabbed the camcorder and was recording for us. That's when I was kissing her. And then the paramedics jumped in the car. And that's when I got the camcorder back and started recording.

CHUNG: That's great.

Now, grandma -- grandma, can you hear me?

LINDA BUCKNER, GRANDMOTHER: Yes.

CHUNG: OK.

This has got to be the most unusual birth that you've ever experienced, because you have, what, nine grandchildren, right?

BUCKNER: Yes.

CHUNG: And nothing like this ever happened, did it?

BUCKNER: No, of course not.

(LAUGHTER)

CHUNG: But aren't they the most beautiful babies you've ever seen?

BUCKNER: Aren't they the most beautiful babies you've ever seen?

CHUNG: They are.

BUCKNER: They're beautiful.

CHUNG: So, Scott, are you going to have to get a new car? I mean, you probably love that car.

CANNON: Oh, I wanted to get it bronzed. But, of course, I can't do that. I need an Expedition or something. That car is just -- I'm glad my brother came to the hospital today with my wife. And he was just up there coincidentally. And that's how we got home, because we all didn't make it in the car. BUCKNER: We couldn't fit.

CANNON: We couldn't make it.

WILLIAMS: So now we can't go anywhere together.

(LAUGHTER)

CANNON: Nowhere.

CHUNG: That's right.

Nicole, how are you feeling, because these babies were a nice size, like 6 pounds each, right?

WILLIAMS: Yes, they were 6 and 6.1.

CHUNG: So how are you feeling?

WILLIAMS: I feel pretty good. I don't feel as tired as I should, I don't think. I think I'm just so excited and overwhelmed. I can't sleep. I still -- I'm still trying to get over the shock that I had my babies in a car outside in the rain.

CHUNG: Oh, my gosh. A lot of people came around to help, though, didn't they?

WILLIAMS: Yes.

CANNON: Oh, I wanted to thank everybody that came from everywhere. People stopped pumping their gas and came...

WILLIAMS: Oh, yes.

CANNON: ... with umbrellas. Everybody started taking off their shirts.

WILLIAMS: Yes. The paramedics.

CANNON: Oh, goodness, yes, yes.

WILLIAMS: Bayfront Hospital for welcoming me after I was en route to another hospital.

CHUNG: Well, Nicole, Scott and grandma, thank you so much for sharing your wonderful story with us.

WILLIAMS: Thank you, Connie. Thank you.

CHUNG: And you give those babies a big kiss from me. They are so gorgeous.

WILLIAMS: Hang on. I'm going to give them a kiss right now.

CHUNG: All right, OK. You take care now.

(CROSSTALK)

WILLIAMS: Thank you. You, too.

CANNON: Bye-bye.

CHUNG: We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHUNG: Tomorrow, the man charged with protecting Princess Diana speaks out about her life.

And on "LARRY KING LIVE" next: Martha Moxley's mother and brother.

Thanks for joining us. And for all of us at CNN, good night and see you tomorrow.

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