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Denver Runway Mishap; Caylee Anthony's Home Searched; Canada Offers Aid to its U.S. Subsidiaries; Madoff Accuse of Running $50 Billion Ponzi Scheme
Aired December 20, 2008 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.
RANDI KAYE, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, I'm Randi Kaye at CNN world headquarters in Atlanta. Don Lemon is off tonight.
We start with breaking news from Denver where Continental Airlines 737 skidded off the runway and briefly caught fire. 112 people were onboard Flight 1404, which was bound for Houston. One passenger says she saw a firebreak out on the right side of the plane as it headed down the runway for takeoff. At that point the plane aborted takeoff and eventually skidded to a stop in a small ravine.
More than three dozen people suffered injuries. Some are being treated for broken bones. But none of the injuries is considered life threatening. An airport spokeswoman said it's too early to tell what caused the accident. She briefed reporters just moments ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KIM DAY, AVIATION MANAGER, DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT: Here's what I can tell you about the incident that happened tonight. At about 6:18 tonight, we had an aircraft that went off a runway. Police and fire responded immediately. There was indeed a fire. It was put out. All passengers and crew were evacuated from the aircraft. As far as we know, there were no fatalities, and we believe no critical injuries.
At least 38 people have been transported. This was a continental flight from Denver to Houston. It was Flight 1404. It was a 737 aircraft. Our priority right at this time is the safety of the passengers, making sure that any of them that want medical treatment can indeed get medical treatment.
At the moment, the airfield is operable. We have 40-minute delays. We are landing on 35 left and departing on 35 right. The accident occurred on 341 right at the Whisky/Charlie intersection. And that's really about all the information I have. If you've got any questions, I'll be happy to try and answer them.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE).
DAY: I have no way of knowing that.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: We heard reports of fire (INAUDIBLE). DAY: We know the aircraft did catch on fire. As you can imagine, this was a departing flight. There was a lot of fuel. I was at the site. The fire is out.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Can you talk about the circumstances of what happened with the fire? Have you talked to (INAUDIBLE), what happened and what caused the fire?
DAY: It is way too early for anyone to know what caused this accident, or the fire.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Do you know how much of the plane was engulfed?
DAY: I have no idea. I'm sorry.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Was the wing on fire?
DAY: I just don't know.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Can you talk about the types of injuries that people received? Are there head and neck injuries?
DAY: I'm sorry. It's just too early for us to have any of that information. Obviously, the fire department and Denver health and the paramedics are all on scene. But I don't have that information.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: How much damage have you seen on the plane? Can you talk about the damage you can see, you know, visibly, from the plane? Whether there are char marks on the side? A wing?
DAY: You know, it's just -- it's dark out there. What I could see is the plane was off the runway under ravine. But I really can't tell you anything more than that.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Off the runway where?
DAY: It went into a bit of a ravine.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: You said that was an intersection. Is there another plane involved?
DAY: No, there's not.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Was this on takeoff? Takeoff, when you guys pull out, it was on fire. (INAUDIBLE) it turned back, realizing there's problems, I've heard that.
DAY: My understanding is the plane was on takeoff. It was only about 2,000 feet down the runway when it veered off the runway.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: But it never actually took off?
DAY: No. UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: How many passengers were there total on the plane? And where are the other passengers that were not transported?
DAY: There are 112 passengers and crew. They were taken immediately to the fire station, which was very close to the site of the incident.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: And where are they now?
DAY: They may still be there. Some of them are transported. I can't tell you. The plan is for Continental to take care of them. There are buses to transport them to the terminal. They were going to take them to some secure area here. But I don't know. That's the airline's responsibility.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Did the evacuation happen?
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (INAUDIBLE) flights then tonight, or are they?
DAY: I can't tell you what Continental is going to do. I'm sorry.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Did the evacuation happen by the emergency slides?
DAY: The slides, yes.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: One more question? Can you elaborate on how the plane came to rest? You say, did it slide off? Did it crash? (INAUDIBLE)
DAY: I just have no idea. I just can't tell you. It's just sitting there. No, it does not look like it has a nose down. Just kind of sitting on the ground.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Is it like a drainage kind of thing? Can you describe with that.
DAY: You know, it's just a natural contour out at the airfield.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: There are some flight delays due to this mishap. But the Denver airport does remain open tonight. Be sure to stay with us this hour. We will continue to update this story as we get more information. In fact, we are getting a little more information right now from our affiliate KUSA on this story.
We can tell you that the station spoke with one of the passengers onboard that plane -- Maria Trehoss (ph). She told us that the plane was trying to take off. That it did get into the air for a few seconds and then slammed back down into the ground, into the ravine that that spokesperson was telling us about. This passenger says the plane then skidded to a halt after it went off the runway. This woman is actually pregnant, this passenger. She said she's fine. Her husband is fine. So is their infant. But she says she witnessed several people being taken away on backboards with head and shoulder injuries. That's coming from one of the passengers onboard that Continental airlines jet.
Tonight, we will continue to listen to what passengers have to say, and bring you more information as it comes to us. Obviously, still not clear whether or not weather had anything to do with this. But we do certainly know, Chris Smith, that it's pretty ugly coast-to-coast right now across the country.
CHRIS SMITH, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, Randi. It definitely is. As far as in the Denver area, nothing major going on in Denver wise. The temperature is in to the low 20s. It is breezy, but the runway was dry at the time. We haven't seen any snow or rain throughout the day today in Denver. So right now, it doesn't look like weather was a major factor and what occur there. Of course, we still have to see what's going on.
Sabre Flight Explorer shows that air travel still going pretty good. These are all outbound flights out of Denver. So flights are still continuing to take off this evening. Now, where things are not so nice, well, head up to the great lakes states, as you make your way up towards Wisconsin, making your way over towards Michigan. We have a nasty storm system here. We have winds 25 to 45 miles an hour associated with this. Blowing snow.
You're going to get anywhere from three, four, five, even up to eight inches of snowfall in some places as the storm system continues to push off to the east. On the back side of it, all that wind combined with cold, cold temperatures, it will feel like right now in Bismarck 36 below. 27 below in Pierre. 27 below right now in Des Moines. All this cold air going to continue to push down to the southeast and off toward the east coast.
This same storm system is going to begin to affect the northeastern United States as we go throughout the evening, overnight hours tonight and into tomorrow, where we could see in the upstate of New York, back up towards Vermont and New Hampshire, 8 to 16 inches of snowfall. 3 to 6 inches of snowfall across portions of Pennsylvania. So, again, a little bit of a break in the northeast. But you're going to get another wallop as we go into the day tomorrow.
Randi?
KAYE: All right. Thank you, Chris. We'll check back with you.
SMITH: OK.
KAYE: As Chris mentioned, fierce winter weather battering the northern sections of the U.S., from the Pacific Northwest all the way to the northeast. The story is cold temperatures, gusty winds, and in lots of places, more heavy snow.
Parts of Washington State are facing blizzard conditions tonight. Up to two inches of snow per hour. Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire are dealing with high winds, and up to eight inches of wet snow. Travel is a mess. There are eight-hour flight delays. Eight hours at Newark Airport. And people in the Midwest aren't being spared either. There's a blizzard warning posted for people living in parts of Iowa and Minnesota.
We turn now to a story that has gripped the nation for months. Police investigators have returned to the Orlando, Florida, home where little Caylee Anthony lived with her mother and grandparents. Police arrived tonight and they cordoned off the property with crime scene tape. As you know, the medical examiner yesterday identified Caylee's remains and concluded her death was a homicide. Those remains were found in a wooded area last week, just a half mile from the family home.
Let's get an update on what is happening there right now. Jessica Sanchez of WKMG is standing by. She is at the crime scene tonight for us.
And Jessica, what can you tell us, the latest from there?
JESSICA SANCHEZ, WKMG CORRESPONDENT: Well, here at the crime scene, it is no longer a crime scene. The deputies have cleared it. But what it is, is fast turning into attraction for people. You could see, they're setting up this makeshift memorial out here. And I think what this is for them is a little bit of closure for a little girl that a lot of them really didn't even know six months ago. But over the past six months have come to love. And that's what they're saying, is to come out here and to be able to do this is closure.
But when you really expand out and take a look at the scene. This is the crime scene that deputies have been working on for the past week, and it has been ravaged. It almost looks like a fire went through here, because this used to be very thick with brush and trees. They've taken a lot of evidence out of here. And what they're telling us is that a lot of the evidence that they did find here, they're thinking maybe links back to Casey Anthony's home. So they did serve a search warrant over there this afternoon. It was about 3:00. George and Cindy Anthony were home when those investigators arrived.
From what we could see on the street, George did not look very happy about it. But they still fully cooperated. Now, as far as what they found inside that home. Detectives really aren't elaborating on that. It was small pieces of evidence that they brought out in small bags. And it took them less than two hours to find whatever they were looking for.
But again, you know, they're finished with this crime scene. They're saying this investigation, obviously, it's not over yet. They're going to go through the evidence that they do have right now. And if they find the need to, they say they will back at the Anthony Family home again. If they think that there is more evidence that points toward the Anthony Family home.
Randi?
KAYE: Jessica, can you tell us anything about the reports that possibly some of the hair belonging to Caylee Anthony that was found at the crime scene is being tested? Can you tell us anything about that?
SANCHEZ: You're saying some of the evidence that was found here at the crime scene?
KAYE: Right. Some of -- possibly some of the hair that might have belonged to Caylee Anthony?
SANCHEZ: Well, what they're telling us, and they're being very elusive about some of the evidence that they have found here. But they're saying is that, with the skull, and it had some duct tape around it. And what they were telling us at the time is that it did look like it would be hair that would belong to Caylee. But after those results went to the lab, and they came back, they didn't say exactly what that evidence is. Only that it did point to the fact that it was Caylee. But Dr. G, the medical examiner, did tell us that the remains were skeletal, and that there was no soft tissue on them. So I think the hair that they did find on that skeleton is really what they're going to have to go by with a lot of the evidence out here.
KAYE: All right. Jessica Sanchez for us tonight live in Orlando, Florida. Thank you, Jessica.
And again, we are following that breaking news, which we brought to you at the top of the hour on that Denver accident. Continental Airlines Jet 1404 on its way from Denver to Houston tonight, skidded off the runway. 112 passengers and crew onboard. We will bring you the very latest.
Plus, so many people, so many losses, all tied to this man. We'll break down one of the biggest Ponzi schemes in history.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: If you're just joining us, breaking news from Denver tonight. What we know is this. The Continental Airlines 737, Flight 1404, bound for Houston, skidded off the runway on takeoff. 112 people were onboard. A fire briefly broke out but was extinguished. Everyone on board the plane escaped using emergency slides. We're told 38 people were taken to the hospital. None of the injuries appears to be life threatening. One passenger tells affiliate KUSA that the plane had begun to take off. The nose lifted up for just a couple of seconds, then suddenly came back down. She said the plane then veered off the runway and came to rest in a small ravine. We'll bring you much more information as it becomes available.
Issue number one tonight, the latest attempts to save the troubled auto industry, and the millions of jobs that depend on it. Canadian government officials today stepped forward and pledged about 3 billion U.S. dollars in short-term loans for the Canadian subsidiaries of U.S. automakers. Canada's prime minister said the money must be used wisely.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) STEPHEN HARPER, CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER: Today's announcement is not a blank check. Canadian taxpayers expect their money will be used to restructure and renew the automotive industry in this country. They expect all stakeholders, and I emphasize all stakeholders, will come to the table and work together toward sustainable, long-term solutions.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: The prime minister said the U.S. and Canada cannot afford a catastrophic collapse of the auto industry. Canada's decision follows Friday's move by President Bush to offer help to U.S. automakers. He announced a rescue plan that would give GM and Chrysler more than $13 billion in short-term loans. The CEO of GM expressed gratitude to the government.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICK WAGONER, CEO, GENERAL MOTORS: On behalf of the entire GM team, I want to thank the administration for extending a financial bridge to the U.S. auto industry, and to our nation's economy. This action will help to preserve many jobs and support the continued operation of GM and the many suppliers, dealers and small businesses across the country that depend on our company and our industry.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: In a statement, Chrysler's CEO Bob Nardelli said, quote, "we intend to be accountable for this loan, including meeting the specific requirements set forth by the government, and will continue to implement our plan for long-term viability. And Ford president and CEO Alan Mulally had this to say. "Ford is in a different position. We do not face a near-term liquidity issue, and we are not seeking short-term financial assistance from the government. But all of us at Ford appreciate the prudent step the administration has taken to address the near-term liquidity issues of GM and Chrysler.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: President-elect Barack Obama is getting more ambitious with his plans to get Americans working once he takes office. CNN has learned he will promise to save or create 3 million jobs. That's up from the 2.5 million he has been promising since late last month. Democratic official say he decided to raise his goal after meeting with his economic team.
Meantime, Obama's fast-paced transition is set to slow a bit in the days ahead. He and his family arrived in Hawaii earlier tonight for a two-week Christmas vacation.
Who knew what and when the Donald sounds off on Bernard Madoff scandal, and he doesn't hold back.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, ENTREPRENEUR: They had three floors of a major office building. How could one man be manipulating that much money without all of the people knowing -- without at least a large number of the people knowing about it? So I would certainly think that his sons are guilty.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: You know you want to hear more. Trump on Madoff, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Here's some numbers for you. Ten years, $50 billion. That's how long and how much money former NASDAQ Chairman Bernard Madoff allegedly bilked out of investors. Now that the jig is up, question is, who knew what was going down and when? Here's CNN's Joe Johns.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He was a Wall Street genius and pioneer who once proudly proclaimed that there was no way to cheat on the street.
BERNIE MADOFF, ACCUSED IN PONZI SCAM: By and large, in today's regulatory environment, it's virtually impossible to violate rules. And this is something that the public really doesn't understand.
JOHNS: But now, Madoff himself is accused of breaking the rules big time. And the government never caught him until authorities say he admitted his role in an alleged fraud he estimated at an astounding $50 billion. So, where was the sheriff of Wall Street? The Securities and Exchange Commission? At first, officials said they were on top of the case.
LINDA CHATMAN THOMSEN, SEC DIRECTOR OF ENFORCEMENT: And to bring everyone who was responsible for the conduct at the Madoff firm to justice.
JOHNS: SEC Chairman Christopher Cox says his agency appears to have screwed up repeatedly and in a big way, saying that credible and specific allegations regarding Madoff go all the way back to 1999. That he is gravely concerned by multiple failures of the agency and that he's launching an internal investigation.
So who were the whistle-blowers? Securities executive Frank Casey for one. Back in 2005, he and a colleague, Harry Markopoulos, started looking at Madoff's gravity-defying investment returns and figured something was up.
FRANK CASEY, SECURITIES EXECUTIVE: And Harry said, Frank, you know that this can't be right. It's got to be a fraud.
JOHNS: Casey says Marcopoulus even took it to the next level, firing off letter after letter to the SEC, all but predicting how the Madoff story would end.
CASEY: This is a Ponzi scheme. I mean, in giant letters. 36-type instead of 12-type. This is a Ponzi scheme. And he laid out 25, 28, if I can recall, red flag areas, that they need to investigate.
JOHNS: But Casey isn't congratulating the SEC for finally figuring things out because they got there too late. After all, billions of dollars apparently vanished through the doors of Madoff's office.
CASEY: The SEC is going to simply come in after the fact and clean up the bodies and the blood and not prevent the hit. It doesn't serve any purpose.
JOHNS (on camera): It's not the first time the SEC has gotten slammed for oversight in the last few years. But now, some critics are saying the case of Bernie Madoff just might turn the place inside out.
Joe Johns, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: Now, some of the people allegedly duped by Madoff happen to be friends of Donald Trump. He and Madoff rubbed elbows in some of the same circles. Here's what Trump told CNN's AMERICAN MORNING.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: The people in Palm Beach, many of those people have been just ripped off by this sleazebag, and you know you'll never -- they'll never see the kind of money that they've seen. You have some people gave 100 percent of their net worth to him in trust, because they trusted him, they trusted his family, they trusted everybody, and now they literally are selling their houses in order to live. And some of them mortgaged their houses in order to give that money to this Madoff. And it's really a terrible thing. I'd see him around Mar-a- Lago, I'd see him around Palm Beach and, you know, he's a disgrace.
KAYE: You would think you could spot a Ponzi scheme from a mile away. Well, think again.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was absolutely nothing about Bernie Madoff that would arouse any suspicion.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: A Texas family swindled. We'll tell you their story and learn some hard lessons.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: He's been called the most hated man in New York. Bernard Madoff is charged with running a $50 billion con game that came crashing down when the market fell. Christine Dobbyn of affiliate KTRK has the story of one Houston family that had invested with Madoff for decades.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOYCE GREENBERG, RETIRED STOCKBROKER: There is no provision in this for Madoff to take my money.
CHRISTINE DOBBYN, KTRK CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Joyce Greenberg said it was her father (INAUDIBLE) who first met Bernard Madoff in the early '70s. Even setting up a college fund for his grandchildren.
GREENBERG: Madoff did such a good job with my children's accounts.
DOBBYN: Greenberg, a retired stockbroker of 31 years, said she continued putting money with him for decades, along with her late husband, Jacob, and Madoff was very successful.
GREENBERG: There was absolutely nothing about Bernie Madoff that would arouse any suspicion.
DOBBYN: While Greenberg had closed the account, she decided to reopen it again in 2001. She's kept all her statements from each month.
GREENBERG: Wired, not only the money that had come out of the old account, but some additional money, back to Bernard Madoff securities.
DOBBYN: While Greenberg says she believes she has nothing left in her Madoff account, she did not have all of her eggs in one basket.
GREENBERG: The family has lost millions.
DOBBYN: But it is a different story for a long list of her relatives, including her 95-year-old stepmother. His Houston victim said she believes Madoff was a good investor for years, then something changed.
GREENBERG: The two questions that I asked, and that everybody who knew him asked is, when and why.
DOBBYN: And what concerns her the most is he was allegedly able to fool this veteran stockbroker. And so many of his clients who knew and trusted him with their life savings.
GREENBERG: That unless he has gold bars someplace in Switzerland, there apparently are not enough assets at the firm to return very much money to any of the people who invested with him.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: Bernard Madoff apparently had little trouble gaining people's confidence and their money. Some would say that's the definition of a successful con. So how do you protect yourself? Well, Stevie Casteel is a lawyer who specializes in wealth management. She joins us now with some insight that lots of folks here are watching tonight could probably use.
First of all, in the case of Madoff, you needed a -- I believe about $1 million to invest with him. So these were sophisticated investors. And they couldn't protect themselves. So how is the average person supposed to know that they're headed for trouble?
STEVIE CASTEEL, TAX ATTORNEY: I think that a lot of people trusted him. And absolutely, you and I, and all of our friends, we need to trust our money manager and whoever we work with. But more important than that is we still have to be smart. We can't just rely on trust alone. We've got to look at our investments. We've got to ask questions. We've got to look -- you know, there are some warning signs.
KAYE: What kinds of questions should you ask?
CASTEEL: Well, you should ask, who is -- there is a -- the money manager is only one piece of the puzzle. Then there's a custodian. That's like a fidelity or a Schwab. That's a person or a firm that actually holds the money, and keeps all the records and processes the statements. Well, Madoff -- in Madoff's case, the money manager, and the custodian --
KAYE: He was doing it all.
CASTEEL: Right. So you didn't have any checks and balances. And so one thing you want to ask is, you know, who is the custodian? You want a fidelity or a Schwab, a registered insured third party custodian, so that you have the checks and balances. That's one thing. Another thing is, ask about the returns. If the returns -- even more so than are they astronomical returns, are they consistent.
KAYE: Which is worse -- so consistent.
CASTEEL: Right. Well, right. Are they so consistent that they are good, even when the economy is doing badly? If they're always good, even no matter what the market is doing, then that's a reason to think, maybe I need to ask some more questions here.
RANDI KAYE, CNN ANCHOR: So his consistent returns of say, I think it's 10 percent or 12 percent should have tipped some people off?
CASTEEL: Right. Because they were consistent even when the market was down. Even in this economic downturn, you were still seeing those kind of results.
KAYE: You hear so many stories in this case of Bernie Madoff -- of people being completely wiped out, which tells me that they put all of their money with Bernie Madoff.
CASTEEL: Yes.
KAYE: Is that a good idea? Or is it maybe a good idea to spread some of your money around, especially if you have that much?
CASTEEL: Most of our client at (INAUDIBLE) have their money with several different money managers. Now, the down side about that is that they're all trying to diversify. Then the other -- the money managers need to know what the other money managers are doing. Or you might not be diversified. If I'm buying international, but he's buying international, and she's buying international, maybe I've got too much international.
KAYE: Right. CASTEEL: They ought to know what they're doing. But that's certainly one way to help not have all your eggs in one basket, is to spread it around a little bit.
KAYE: All right. So the key is to ask a lot of questions. Don't be shy. This is your money, your future.
CASTEEL: Oh absolutely. You've got to ask questions.
KAYE: All right. Stevie Casteel, thank you so much. Some great advice tonight.
CASTEEL: Thank you.
KAYE: Appreciate it.
We are following breaking news out of Denver airport tonight, where a plane has skidded off the runway. We will bring you the very latest.
Plus, Caylee Anthony's Florida home turns into a virtual crime scene. Police swarmed all over it tonight. What did they find?
Also, it is the case that put the issue of missing and exploited children on the map. Now it's finally come to a close.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: If you're just joining us, breaking news from Denver tonight. A Continental Airlines 737 skidded off the runway during takeoff tonight. A little bit after 6:00 local time. And briefly caught fire. 112 people were onboard Flight 1404, which was bound for Houston. One passenger says she saw a firebreak out on the right side of the plane as it headed down the runway. The plane apparently board aborted takeoff and eventually skidded to a stop in a small ravine.
Everyone onboard escaped using emergency slides. About 38 people suffered injuries and were taken to a hospital. Some are being treated for broken bones. But none of the injuries is considered life threatening. The airport's aviation manager spoke to reporters last hour.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KIM DAY, AVIATION MANAGER, DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT: There are 112 passengers and crew. They were taken immediately to the fire station, which was very close to the site of the incident.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: And where are they now?
DAY: They may still be there. Some of them are transported. I can't tell you. The plan is for Continental to take care of them. There are buses to transport them to the terminal. They were going to take them to some secure area here. But I don't know. That's the airline's responsibility.
(END VIDEO CLIP) KAYE: There are some flight delays due to this mishap, but the Denver airport remains open. Be sure to stay with us. We will continue to update this story as we get more information.
Also developing tonight, police investigators have returned to the Orlando, Florida, home where little Caylee Anthony lived with her mother and her grandparents. Police arrived tonight. They cordoned off the property with crime scene tape. The medical examiner yesterday identified Caylee's remains and concluded her death was a homicide. Those remains were found in a wooded area last week just a half mile from the family home.
It has been 27 years with no closure for John Walsh, a man who's devoted his life to helping crime victims. Now he and his wife are finally getting a sense of closure, in the case of their slain son, Adam.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE (voice-over): Two words John and Reve Walsh have been waiting 27 years to hear, case closed.
JOHN WALSH, ADAM'S FATHER: For 27 years we've been asking who could take a 6-year-old boy and murder him and decapitate him? Who? We needed to know. We needed to know. And today we know.
KAYE: Police say Ottis Toole, a drifter and convicted serial killer abducted and murdered Adam Walsh all those years ago. He's always been the suspect. He confessed to the crime twice, then recanted.
OTTIS TOOLE, SERIAL KILLER: (INAUDIBLE) it ain't true.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What isn't true? Tell me what's true.
TOOLE: I didn't -- I didn't know that kid.
KAYE: Toole died more than a decade ago while serving time for an unrelated crime. July 27th, 1981 Adam disappeared from this Florida mall. Two years later, Toole told investigators he had taken him, driven to a deserted road and decapitated him. The little boy's severed head was all that was ever found.
(on camera): Why wasn't Toole ever charged? Investigators had discovered blood-stained carpet in his Cadillac. But DNA testing then wasn't what it is today. And investigators couldn't prove the blood was Adam's. And there were reports of sloppy police work.
In 1994, detectives couldn't even find the carpet or the car for further testing. Plus, Toole's story kept changing.
WALSH: The not knowing has been a torture, but that journey is over.
KAYE (voice-over): If Ottis Toole were alive today, Hollywood police chief Chad Wagner says he'd be charged with Adam's abduction and murder. When Wagner joined the department last year, he promised to review the evidence with an open mind and concluded what so many before him never could, it was Toole.
WALSH: Reve and I tried very hard to make sure Adam didn't die in vain. Today, this is a reaffirmation of the fact that he didn't die in vain, that beautiful little boy.
KAYE: The chief says there isn't any new evidence that convinced him Toole was the killer.
REVE WALSH, ADAM'S MOTHER: Listening to the words that came off of Chief Wagner's lips just penetrate my soul.
KAYE: John Walsh had always believed Toole had murdered his son.
WALSH: I'm not about revenge. We never had been. I don't believe in vigilantism. I believe that Ottis Toole is probably getting what he deserves.
KAYE: For John Walsh, the loss left him spiraling into hell. But losing his son transformed his life. Today, he's a crusader for missing children, the most of "America's Most Wanted," also, co- founded the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
WALSH: For all the other victims who haven't gotten justice, I say one thing, don't give up hope. Don't give up hope.
KAYE: Hope is what you survive on when no one can tell you who killed your child. Randi Kaye, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: Peter Banks joins me from Washington to talk more about the Adam Walsh and Caylee Anthony cases, and how we can protect our own children. Peter is director of training and outreach at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Peter, good to see you.
PETER BANKS, NATIONAL CENTER FOR MISSING & EXPLOITED CHILDREN: Randi, good evening.
KAYE: What makes these two cases stand out, the Caylee case and Adam's case?
BANKS: Well, in Adam's case, of course, it was his mom and his dad that became the benchmark for the mission of protecting kids, not only in Florida, but also throughout the United States and the world. They never let up. They're always for the child victims and they're always trying to make sure that the right laws are passed so that we could better protect our kids.
And with Caylee Anthony's case, it's a -- it is your worst nightmare. It is an innocent 2-year-old child that just disappears, and nobody has any idea what happened to that child. But I think all of us, as moms and dads, can relate to seeing our kids, and to understanding how much protection they need, and what we need to do to keep them safe. And that obviously wasn't done. KAYE: Can you give us tonight a bit of a reality check? What is the situation for missing children in this country? How many are out there?
BANKS: Well, there are about 660,000 police reports that are made every year. Of those cases, the vast majority of these children come home safely, quickly and relatively unscathed. You know, we have had a number of research papers that have been checked on the worst case scenarios, the cases in which children are murdered in abductions.
You know, we find that about, somewhere about 120 cases a year that these kids are killed. On the other hand, when children are killed by their parents, that's about 13 to 1500 times a year.
KAYE: Yes, and that's something that I want to bring up. Because when we talk about these cases, and when we do stories on these cases, most people assume that most children who are abducted or murdered, it has to do with something who is a stranger. Stranger abduction. But in many of these cases, it is family related, or somebody who knows the family, is that true?
BANKS: We want to believe that the (INAUDIBLE) children is the guy under the bridge with a long raincoat to hook those in a ward. And generally it's people who gain legitimate access to children. But most of them are not abductions at all. They are seductions, where children go willingly albeit unwittingly with someone whose sole intent and desire is to victimize that child.
KAYE: And before we let you go, just quickly, talk to your kids, is that the key here?
BANKS: When you get up in the morning, you tell your kids that you love them, that you care about them, that they make you happy and they make you proud. Because if you don't tell them, somebody else will. And that person may not have your child's best interests at heart.
KAYE: Peter Banks with the Center for Missing & Exploited Children. Thank you for the work that you're doing. And thanks for joining us tonight.
He will fight and fight and fight. But how much fight does he have in him? The Illinois governor speaks out.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich did more jogging than talking after the feds released parts of their wiretap conversations. Conversations that suggest the governor was trying to sell Barack Obama's Senate seat. But the governor traded in his jogging suit for a real suit and spoke about the case.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. ROD BLAGOJEVICH (D), ILLINOIS: I'm here to tell you right off the bat that I am not guilty of any criminal wrongdoing, that I intend to stay on the job and I will fight this thing every step of the way. I will fight, I will fight, I will fight, until I take my last breath. I have done nothing wrong.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Chicago Mayor Richard Daley hasn't said whether the governor should step aside, but he did say that holding a special election to fill Barack Obama's Senate seat would be too costly. We'll, of course, continue to follow any developments in this story.
And also, we're going to take you back to Denver tonight, where we've been following that story of the Continental Airlines 737 Flight 1404, 112 people onboard. We will bring you the very latest as that plane skidded off the runway just a few hours ago.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Welcome back on this Saturday night. If you are just joining us, breaking news out of Denver tonight. A Continental Airlines 737 skidded off the runway during takeoff tonight and briefly caught fire. 112 people were onboard that flight. It's flight number 1404, which was on its way to Houston. One passenger said she saw a firebreak out on the right side of the plane as it headed down the runway. The plane aborted takeoff and eventually skidded to a stop in a small ravine.
Now, everyone on board did escape using those emergency slides. About 38 people suffered injuries, and were taken to a hospital. Some were told are being treated for broken bones, but none of the injuries is considered life threatening. Kim Day, manager of aviation at Denver International Airport just spoke a short time ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAY: All passengers and crew evacuated the aircraft by means of the slide. Denver fire and police responded immediately, and the fire was put out. There were no fatalities, but there were injuries. The latest information I have is that 38 people were transported to local hospitals.
CHIEF PATRICK HYNES, DENVER FIRE DEPARTMENT: They did find it north of firehouse number 4, north of taxiway Whiskey/Charlie. They described a surreal scene when they pulled up. Heavy fire on the right side of the aircraft. All chutes deployed from both sides of the aircraft, people evacuating and walking up the hillside towards them. They had to drive off road to get to the aircraft, but were able to extinguish the fire rather quickly. It was described as a heck of a fire fight from the commanding officer on the scene.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Now, there are some flight delays due to this mishap tonight. The Denver Airport does remain open. Be sure to stay with us, because we will continue to update this story as we get more information.
California's Proposition 8 banning gay marriage was passed by the voters. End of story, right? Well, not so fast. The battle could be headed to the state supreme court again. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Could California's Proposition 8 end thousands of same-sex marriages? Backers of the plan asked the state's highest court to nullify all the same-sex marriages that took place before the initiative was passed. But they have tough opposition. California's attorney general wants the ban tossed out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JERRY BROWN, CALIFORNIA ATTORNEY GENERAL: So it's our belief, and we have looked at this thing very carefully, that the court should strike down Proposition 8.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Prop 8 supporters have added some high-powered help to their legal team. Ken Starr is a lawyer who crusaded against President Clinton in the Monica Lewinski affair will serve as lead counsel.
And be sure to tune in tomorrow to the CNN NEWSROOM at 4:00 Eastern Time when Attorney General Jerry Brown joins Fredricka Whitfield live to talk much more about his plans to fight Proposition 8.
There is also controversy in Hawaii, where nearly two years ago public school teachers agreed to random drug tests. Now in return, they got an 11 percent pay bonus. But since the deal, not a single teacher has been tested. State officials say the teachers aren't holding up their end of the bargain. But the Teachers' Union says the test violate their privacy rights. Meanwhile, the state's Department of Education hasn't cut a check for the testing because of the high price tag. At $35 a pop, the department says the money could be better used for students.
What would you do if you found a wallet full of cash? Well, we'll tell you what honest Abe did, and, yes, that is his real name.
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KAYE: Honesty is always the best policy. But when you've got a name like "Abe Lincoln," you must really feel the pressure to do the right thing. And this New York man lived up to his name sake. He and his wife found a wallet containing almost $3,000 just lying on the ground. What did he do? He handed it over to police.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MASON FORRENCE, FORRENCE ORCHADS: It's a great story. And it's a great -- refreshing for humanity. You know, that, they're still a lot of good people around.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Police were able to track down the owner and return the wallet. That is honest Abe for you right there. The last thing you expect to see in a hospital is happy faces. But one clown troop wants to change that by prescribing healthy doses of something that's very contagious -- smiles. CNN photojournalist Emmanuel Tambakakus (ph) takes us to Clown School to show us why laughter is the best medicine.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're doing a free class before you guys do rounds.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The day you enter Clown School, it's not about you anymore.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Finish up your makeup.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My name is Asher McCanny (ph).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You have to empower the patient.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My name is Dossey Newman.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're asking permission of the patient.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My name is Arnold Martin (ph).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We create the environment.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My name is Michelle Showman.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're starting off with one game.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My name is Neal Sea Goldberg (ph).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Daggle, daggle, daggle.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We take our clowning pretty seriously.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It doesn't matter if you're totally right, just come on in.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A.K.A. Lucy (ph) the Clown.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Otherwise known as Marlin (ph) the Clown.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE) spaghetti.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The name of the program is Lev Leytzan or Compassionate Clown Alley.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where Lev is a heart and Leytzan as the clown.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We call it clowning.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The root of the program was working with Jewish youth. We teach them to use their heart to bring joy. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was a clown -- a clown for a few years, and now I'm back on the faculty.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've been practicing psychology for about 18 years.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Whoosh!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) me to do is bringing the scary and mundane for the patient into something exciting, beautiful and playful.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just take the situation and uplift it for the clowns.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Whoosh!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Give them a real sense of purpose.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That I'm really giving to other people.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We create moments for children or anyone within the hospital.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The ability to give is like -- is one of the greatest blessings that we have in this world.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's going to do some (INAUDIBLE).
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: During the month of December, like people are very -- think about it a lot and I think it's really nice, but you definitely have to take it throughout the year with you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think as a clown, you get more than you give. You can't hold back. You have to give it all. You have to give your heart and your soul.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: After you're done with pediatrics, if it's quite, go across the hall to the adult unit.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We walk out of a room, like hearing people laugh.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And to come out and you go, wow, I made a difference.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Spreading of giving, it's from one person to another. You know, it's a chain reaction.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's being part of something bigger than yourself.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Excuse me.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And being part of something that's not about you. It's just an amazing feeling.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just being able to have fun, and being able to take people and make them have fun with you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's the most exhausting thing you've ever done, but at the same time it's the most exhilarating.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Serious clowning. Behind every smile.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: The holiday may be a time for family, but for others it is a time of need. And there are ways you can help. Go to cnn.com/impact, and you will find links to non-profit organizations and charities where you can help at this holiday time.
If you are just joining us late in this hour, breaking news from Denver tonight. A Continental Airline 737 skidded off the runway during takeoff tonight, briefly caught fire. That happened just after 6:00 local time in Denver. 112 people were on that flight, flight 1404. It was bound for Houston, Texas.
Now one passenger said she did see a fire break out on the right side of the plane as it headed down the runway. The plane aborted takeoff and eventually skidded to a stop. It ended up, we're told, in had a small ravine.
Everyone on board escaped using those emergency slides that the planes use. About 38 people suffered injuries. They were taken to a local hospital. Some are being treated for broken bones. None of the injuries we've learned is considered life-threatening. Now we just heard from Kim Day, manager of aviation, at Denver International Airport. Here's what she had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAY: All passengers and crew evacuated the aircraft by means of the slide. Denver fire and police responded immediately, and the fire was put out. There were no fatalities, but there were injuries. The latest information I have is that 38 people were transported to local hospitals.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Now, we've learned there are some flight delays due to this mishap, but the Denver airport does remain open tonight. And be sure to stay with us, because we will continue to update the story as we get more information. You can tune in to CNN Sunday morning with Betty Nguyen and T.J. Holmes. That starts at 7:00 a.m. Eastern. They will have the very latest on this.
For now, I'm Randy Kaye at CNN world headquarters in Atlanta. I will see you back here tomorrow night, 6:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. Eastern. Have a great night.
