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Former NFL Quarterback Steve McNair Found Shot to Death; Disney World Employee Dead After Monorail Crash; British Foreign Secretary Delivers Warning to Iran; Ousted President Manuel Zelaya Vowing to Return to Honduras
Aired July 05, 2009 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Are Iran's religious leaders abandoning their support for President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad? Some surprising statements from some of that country's top clerics.
You're in the CNN NEWSROOM where the news unfolds live on this Sunday, the 5th of July. Hi there, I'm Brooke Baldwin.
Can you imagine? One park visitor says it's especially shocking because Disney World seems so perfect. The famed monorail system at Disney World in Orlando, Florida shut down today after an overnight crash that killed the operator of one of those two trains.
The victim we're now told identified as a 21-year-old Austin Wuennenburg. And this crash -- you're looking at some pictures from an iReporter this who sent up -- it happened right around 2:00 this morning. And I talked to that eye witness, and he told me a moving train ran into the back of a train that was stopped on the tracks there at that station.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The picture you're looking at now is actually once they brought trains back to the loading dock. What we first saw we were just getting off the ferry, we were probably one of the last families in Disney because they closed today at 1:00 in the morning.
And we were trying to -- we were actually leaving the park and we got off the ferry, we were going towards the exit which is eventually where you get the tickets. And we were about to get under the little roof, and we heard a loud explosion.
And when we all looked back, we noticed the two trains had crashed, and pieces of the monorail were actually falling to the floor beneath it. And a bunch of people were running from under it.
Then about 10, 15 seconds later they moved the trains towards the loading dock.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: Speaking of some of the people running, of course, I followed up, asked him if he saw anyone onboard the train. The witness you just heard, he wanted to remain anonymous, he told me he helped a family of six get off the trains. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There was a complete family on the train coming from Epcot in the first actual first train, the first car.
BALDWIN: Were they getting off easily? Did you see EMS? Did you see emergency crews on the scene? Were they able to walk away?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When we got upstairs, we were there 10 minutes, 15 minutes before police and fire rescue got on scene. We got upstairs, we got the doors open, and the family was able to come out.
They were just shooken (ph) up. I guess they didn't know what was going on, because you couldn't see forward. And they came out, the kids were crying. It was about want to say a family of six, mother, father and the kids.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: Family of six.
Well, despite some of the pictures you just saw, there were no reports of any serious injuries to any of the passengers. The Disneyworld monorail system normally carries about 150,000 passengers each and every day.
We did get a statement from Disneyworld from Mike Griffin, Disney's vice president for public affairs releasing this quote, he says "Today we mourn the loss of our fellow cast member. Our hearts go out to his family and to those who have lost a friend and coworker.
The safety of our guests and cast members is always our top priority. The monorail is out of service, and we'll continue to work closely with law enforcement to determine what happened and the appropriate next steps."
More dissent in Iran's disputed elections. Some influential Iranian clerics are now questioning the legitimacy of the country's presidential election. That is a challenge to Iran's supreme leader who supports President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's reelection.
It's called the DOM clergy. They're made up of top clerics and seminary students, and they issued this statement, saying, "It is astonishing in an election in plain sight of all extensively used public funds in order to promote one of the candidates and employed government power to bring in votes."
In another major development related here, Iranian TV reports Tehran has released a "Washington Times" journalist who was detained after that election happened just about two weeks ago now. A British embassy employee detained with eight colleagues is expected to be released today.
Today Britain's foreign secretary delivered a warning to Iran.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID MILIBAND, U.K. FOREIGN SECRETARY: What is significant is that the whole of the European Union, actually the international community more broadly, has been absolutely united in saying there is no place for this sort of intimidation or harassment, and that will be consequences if it continues. And I think that is an important part of this equation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: Miliband says despite the tensions, he wants to keep diplomatic channels open.
So just how significant is the split with Iran's religious establishment? What kind of power perhaps, or influence might they have the people, over the ayatollah? We'll bring in an expert on Iranian politics coming up in our 4:00 hour, that's eastern time, right here on CNN.
The stage is set for what could be a very dramatic showdown in Honduras today. Ousted President Manuel Zelaya is vowing to return to the capital there, to Tegucigalpa. But the country's interim government says they won't allow his plane to land in the airport. And if he does show up, they say they will arrest him.
Karl Penhaul is at the airport there. And Karl, set the scene for me. I understand some pro-Zelaya demonstrators are marching toward the airport. Who do you see?
KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Very much, Brooke, the line is being drawn in the sand right now.
Behind me, one of the vehicles that has just gone past, a pick-up truck with riot police, and another one has just gone past. There are now literally of both riot police and soldiers standing just down there about 20 yards away from where I am now. A military helicopter has just buzzed overhead.
On the other side of that line of riot police and soldiers, thousands of marchers who are marching in support of the ousted president Manuel Zelaya.
When I say "thousands," I can tell you that they were coming along a four-lane boulevard, and I looked from a bridge, and that line stretched back for about a mile and a half, and I still couldn't see the end of that march.
It's by far the biggest march that we have seen in support of the ousted president in a week since he was deposed by a military coup. Those supporters just want to make it to the airport is. What their aim is to secure a landing site for President Zelaya because he has said that he will return to Honduras today via the capital's airport.
We already have heard that he is on his way to the airport in Washington and has every intention of returning. That is now setting a stage for a clash between the protestors and the riot police as the protestors want to come through -- Brooke?
BALDWIN: And we understand Zelaya's not alone on that plane. The U.N. general assembly president is on board as well. There is an entire other plane to support the OAS leaders.
You mention, Karl, this kind of line in the sand. What might happen politically next if this sort of stalemate continues?
PENHAUL: Well, politically what has happened is that the interim government, the government that was ushered in by that coup one week ago, has said that it will not allow President Zelaya to land. They've already withdrawn permission for his plane to land, and the airport right now is partially closed.
What they've said is if Zelaya does land in Honduras, they will arrest him. They accuse him of trying to extend his mandate through a power grab. And they are also accusing him of treason.
But of course, he's very popular with the poor and working classes because of his efforts to reduce rampant poverty here in Honduras.
But politically today isn't going to be the important factor. What's going to be decided, the outcome of this today is likely to be decided on the street, and it may be decided with violence -- Brooke?
PENHAUL: Karl, we'll keep you near a camera. We'll wait and see exactly what does happen when Manuel Zelaya eventually lands, and if, in fact, he is arrested and what happens on the streets in Tegucigalpa and elsewhere in Honduras.
Karl Penhaul for us live in the Honduran capital. Thank you.
President Obama leaving later today on another overseas trip. His first stop -- Moscow for meetings with the Russian President Dmitri Medvedev.
The week-long trip also includes stops in Italy, in Ghana, in Africa. Senior White House correspondent Ed Henry has a preview.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ED HENRY, SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: The president's first stop here in Moscow all about trying to warm up the U.S.-Russian relationship, which got down right chilly in the Bush years because of tensions with then-president Vladimir Putin.
Mr. Obama and top aides talking about hitting the reset button. And so far in his outreach, the current Russian President, Dmitri Medvedev, has been bearing some fruit, Russia recently signing on to sanctions against North Korea.
Also, both sides hoping this week to officially announce that Russia has now agreed to allow U.S. military equipment to fly over Russian territory, very important at a critical juncture in the war in Afghanistan. Both sides also hoping to announce this week cuts in nuclear arms. And Mr. Obama appears to be trying to work through some of the sticking points by driving a bit of a wedge between Medvedev and Putin, who's still around as prime minister.
BARACK OBAMA, (D) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: The old cold war approaches to U.S.-Russian relations is outdated. It's time to move forward in a different direction. I think Medvedev understands that. I think Putin has one foot in the old ways of doing business and one foot in the new.
PENHAUL: Mr. Obama also lobbying for Russian cooperation in dealing with Iran's nuclear program. That of course will be a major topic of discussion at the president's second stop in the middle of the week when he goes to Italy for the G-8 summit.
In addition to Iran, of course, Afghanistan, as well as the financial crisis, climate change, and the industrialized nations trying to wipe out global poverty, all major topics of discussion there.
The president will wrap up his trip next weekend in Ghana. Obviously, there will be a lot of international attention on a visit to Ghana by the first African-American president.
Ed Henry, CNN, Moscow.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BALDWIN: As for the vice president, Joe Biden admitting the Obama administration made a mistake in sizing up the economy several months ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BIDEN: The truth is, there was a misreading of just how bad an economy we inherited. Now, that doesn't -- I'm not laying this on -- it's now our responsibility.
So the second question becomes, did the economic package we put in place, including the recovery act, is it the right package given the circumstances we're in?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: Biden says he stands by the administration's stimulus package. He says it will create more jobs as the pace of spending picks up. The vice president says it's still too early to tell if a second stimulus package might be needed.
If you are one of the 1.6 million people who have registered for a chance to attend Michael Jackson's memorial service next Tuesday at the Staples Center, better check your email. You could be receiving notice right now.
Out of all of those registered, only 8,750 people will be chosen, and then each will receive two free tickets for Tuesday's services in Los Angeles.
Coming up later in the hour, a CNN iReporter will be sharing his memories of Michael Jackson with me. He'll tell me how he got the news about Jackson's untimely death, and how he also shaped his career.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: News across America now.
A third person has died from injuries suffered in a massive fireworks explosion there in North Carolina. Official say a truck filled with fireworks blew up yesterday as crews were setting up for a show on Ocracoke Island. Two other workers we're told are if critical condition. It is still unclear exactly what triggered the massive explosion.
Talk about terrifying, this accident here in Merrillville, Indiana. Here's what happened -- a pedestrian bridge packed with people leaving a fireworks show collapsed there into the lake. At least 16 people were hurt, several of them, as you can imagine, plunging into the water and had to be rescued.
New legal troubles today for former Washington Mayor Marion Barry, back in the headlines. He has been charged with stalking. He was arrested yesterday after a woman flagged down a U.S. park police officer to make the complaint against him.
Barry, who is currently serving as a D.C. council member was charged with misdemeanor stalking. He has been released.
Mr. Barry served six months in prison back in the early '90s after being videotaped smoking crack cocaine in an FBI sting.
We are waiting right now to hear the results of autopsies on the bodies of former NFL quarterback Steve McNair and a companion of his. McNair and a 20-year-old woman were found shot to death in McNair's condominium in downtown Nashville, Tennessee.
Police say McNair was shot several times. As for the woman, she's been identified as 20-year-old Sahel Kazemi. She was killed by a single gunshot, and a pistol was found near her body.
Police will not confirm it was a murder-suicide. They say they are not looking for any other outside suspects right now, other outside suspects, I should say.
They also say they don't think McNair's wife was involved.
Autopsies were conducted today. We might hear about them any minute now. A news conference is set for later on this hour, and as soon as we that and get information, we'll bring it to you live.
The search for a serial killer is becoming even more urgent now with the death of a fifth victim. CNN's Richard Lui reports now from Gaffney, South Carolina. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RICHARD LUI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Abby Tyler, a much loved 15- year-old, died Saturday morning two days after being shot. The Cherokee County sheriff says she is the fifth victim of a serial killer within one week.
Her pastor remembered Abby.
CLYDE THOMAS, VICTIM'S PASTOR: Very vivacious, very quick smile. She lived her faith every day. She got that faith from her mother, her father, her grandparents. They passed that faith to her, and she lived that faith every day of her 15 years. She was a good model for all of us.
LUI: Abby was with her father at the family business on Thursday when she was shot. Her father was pronounced dead at the scene.
This picture of the family is from her church. The killings began a week ago with the shooting of peach farmer Klein Cash at his home. On Wednesday the bodies of 83-year-old Hazel Linder and her daughter were found bound and shot.
Police have issued this sketch of the suspect, a white male in his 40s with salt and pepper hair.
The town of Gaffney, population 13,000, is on edge, trying to celebrate the holiday weekend under a blanket of fear.
Taking precautions but also scared, one shop owner and resident told us how his son reacted to the concern of a serial killer.
BRIAN ZIEGLELHEAFER, GAFFNEY RESIDENT: He was actually fearful and scared and asked me not to stay up late because he was afraid that something would happen at the house because of what he hears. It's constantly in the news. People are talking. That's what they've been hearing for the last few days.
So he was fearful. He was scared. And he was concerned for my safety.
ROBERT BROWN, GAFFNEY RESIDENT: Anybody who works up here, somebody has a fire arm at all times just for protection.
LUI (on camera): You always wear it?
BROWN: No. Just working up here in the open like this, I wear it up here working. It stays in my truck all the time in the glove compartment or the dash. But I do carry it in my car all the time.
LUI (voice-over): And that is a more common reaction in this town as dozens of federal and state and local investigators work to track down the killer.
(END VIDEOTAPE) BALDWIN: And Richard Lui now joining us on the phone from Gaffney. Richard, I know Gaffney is so small, and I know they're so hard hit by this. And you were at one of the memorial services. You just emailed me, it is for two women killed Wednesday, mother and a daughter.
And now reports of another death overnight. What can you tell me about that?
LUI: Yes, Brooke. We just learned overnight that there was the death of a male. A coroner saying that no immediate connection, the county coroner, no immediate connection that he needs to perform an autopsy, which could happen today.
Also an affiliate on the ground here at WSPA that we were speaking with earlier saying that this person that passed away overnight looks to be a male in his 40s. It could be a beating, a fall, other type of attack. That is yet to be determined. That was overnight.
Then there's also another death that they are looking at on July 3rd, 35-year-old woman, a female, who was in a traffic incident. Evidently what she did, according to the Cherokee County PIO is that she committed suicide in the midst of being pursued in a traffic incident.
This is absolutely horrific for this county, as you've just described, Brooke. We're now seeing seven deaths in a space where they see only three to six to seven within the last two years. They are certainly mourning today.
And in fact today we are sitting in front of one of the churches, First Baptist church. They're lined up to give their respects to both Gina Parker and Hazel Linder, both mother and daughter, both schoolteachers that lost their lives.
BALDWIN: That is awful. Richard Lui reporting on a tough, though story. Richard, thank you. Hopefully you took a good look at that sketch that is the sketch that some of the authorities down in Gaffney have put together.
If you recognize that man -- here's another good look at it -- if you recognize this from Cherokee County sheriff's department, if you recognize this sketch, call your local authorities.
A major Hollywood studio joining what we'll call the green wave. A newly opened sound stage incorporates the latest in sustainable architecture, and guess what? I'll be your tour guide. Stick around.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: Hollywood powerhouse Warner Brothers has recently completed what it calls the first-ever green sound stage ever built by a major Hollywood studio. And I recently got to take a look inside, and now I'm taking you in on the tour.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BALDWIN: Big stars, elaborate sets, and lots of lighting. In Hollywood, making a movie takes money. But at Warner Brothers headquarters, their focus is on green of a different kind.
From the front seat of her solar powered golf cart, Shelley Billik is driving the studio's environmental charge.
SHELLEY BILLIK, V.P. OF ENVIRONMENTALISM, WARNER BROTHERS: You can imagine when you do make television shows and films, you have a lot of material.
BALDWIN: Shelley's job is to look behind the scenes and find ways Warner Brothers, which, like CNN, is owned by Time-Warner can reduce its impact on the environment.
Her latest project, Stage 23. It's believed to be Hollywood's first green south stage, with fly ash in the concrete, sustainably harvested lumber on set, and energy efficient lighting from above.
BILLIK: The perimeter lights, the house lights, the catwalk lights. We have some cooling technology that uses nighttime cooling for the data rooms. So we're really focused on reducing the energy use.
LEONARDO DICAPRIO, ACTOR: We face a convergence of crises all of which are a concern for life.
BALDWIN: Sometimes this green message takes center stage on the silver screen in documentaries like Leonardo DiCaprio's "11th Hour" and the movie "Syriana." According to WB, "Syriana" was the first film to be climate neutral by investing in renewable energy.
KYRA SEDGWICK, ACTRESS, "THE CLOSER:: For me I try to have the smallest carbon footprint that I can.
BALDWIN: Even stars like "The Closer's" Kyra Sedgwick are playing lead roles in reducing their environmental impacts. On the set, her crew has barred plastic water bottles, they eat off biodegradable plates, and recycle old strips.
SEDGWICK: These are called sides, and basically there have their lines on them. You can see mine of highlighted. And instead of using fresh, virgin paper for this, what we do is use sides, what we do is use paper that's already been used for scripts.
So we, you know, as you can see, you can read the other lines from, you know, an old script, and it's not -- it's all recycled and used paper, recycled by us.
BARRY MEGER, CEO, WARNER BROTHERS: We think in the long run it is good for business.
BALDWIN: Warner Brothers CEO Barry Myers says green investments pay off long term and advises even the smaller studios to follow suit. MEGER: Don't just assume that anything you're going to try to do environmentally is going to be economically not sustainable. I think you should look at it and make some investments. Look and how and in what way that investment pays back. And we found that it really works.
BALDWIN: Shelly Billik says the challenge is changing a culture, but anyone can help play a part.
BILLICK: No matter what you do, whether you're a journalist or a film editor or a builder, or whatever you do, you have some impact, and you can actually play a role in reducing that impact.
BALDWIN: Even in Hollywood, with the glitz, the glamour, and now the green.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BALDWIN: Kind of a cool assignment. Thank you, Warner Brothers, for taking me inside.
By the ways, that green sound stage you just saw, they're waiting with bated breath for this certification from the U.S. green building council. They should know sometime by the end of the year.
But the way, some of the green measures, yes, they are very costly up front, but they say they really do pay of long term.
So who gets to attend Michael Jackson's memorial service? Thousands of people are finding out right now. Check your email.
Plus could there be a national day of mourning for the pop icon? We will tell you who's calling for that honor.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: Happening right now, questions swirling today about what caused this Disney monorail crash -- this is a picture we got from one of our iReporters this morning. This happening in Orlando, Florida. It happened about 2:00 this morning. A 21-year-old operator was killed.
The Disneyworld monorail system normally carries about 150,000 passengers a day.
Honduran troops have seized control of the main airport in the capital just hours ahead of what could be a dramatic showdown. Ousted President Manuel Zelaya is vowing to fly home. Honduras's interim government says his plane, though, will not be allowed to land.
And President Barack Obama leaving on an overseas summit today. He is expected to hold two days of talks with his Russian counterpart Dmitri Medvedev. The week-long trip also will include stops in Italy, including the Vatican, and Ghana, and Africa.
Probably not surprised by this number -- a staggering 1.6 million people have now registered for a chance to attend Michael Jackson's memorial service Tuesday. And then out of that number, the 8,750 people who will actually receive tickets should be getting email notifications within this hour. Check your in-box.
Each winner will receive two free tickets to Tuesday's services in downtown Los Angeles.
And we have heard the family has not yet decided exactly whether Jackson's body will be brought to that memorial at the Staples Center Arena, nor have they officially announced the location for Jackson's burial.
The cause of Jackson's death still a mystery today. It is not expected to be determined until those toxicology tests are complete and those results should come back in a couple of weeks.
The Reverend Al Sharpton now calling for a national day of mourning for Michael Jackson. He spoke at a church in L.A. just a short time ago. And that's where we find our correspondent Susan Roesgen. She was at the service, joining us in L.A. Susan, I imagine the church was packed.
SUSAN ROESGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The church was packed, and the church was riled up by what Reverend Sharpton had to say, Brooke. We are waiting for him to come out and talk to the media here and try to get some more information about the Jackson family.
But inside he called the media coverage of Michael Jackson's death "disgraceful and disrespectful." He also said it was a double standard that we do not treat other celebrities, other entertainment who have died in the same way.
Of course at CNN, we've done very respectful tributes to Michael Jackson. But Reverend Al Sharpton had the crowd on its feet when he said we in the media are not being fair.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REV. AL SHARPTON, JACKSON FAMILY FRIEND: I'm saying show the same respect for Michael and Michael's family that you showed for Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROESGEN: Now he did call for a national day of mourning, but we don't know the specifics of that. I believe that he would have to have some sort of presidential declaration, perhaps even the approval of Congress for an actual national day of mourning.
And he called for an expedited or rushed job to get the postal service to put out a Michael Jackson stamp -- Brooke?
BALDWIN: That's unbelievable. I hear a lot of noise around you. I'm sure a lot of those people are getting out of that service.
Susan Roesgen, live for us in L.A. Susan, thank you. And make sure to join us Tuesday for around-the-clock coverage of that memorial, family, friends, fans saying good-bye to a worldwide music icon. Michael Jackson, the memorial, CNN all day Tuesday starting on "American Morning," 6:00 a.m. eastern time.
Grammy award winning singer Dionne Warwick sharing her thoughts and memories of Michael Jackson. She sang on the song "We are the World." It was a song Jackson co-wrote. Can you believe that all the way back in 1985.
Our Don Lemon spoke with Warwick and her son Damon Elliott about that experience.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Talk to us about this experience, Miss Warwick.
DIONNE WARWICK, SINGER: I've always described the experience as something that you really had to be there, very difficult to describe it. It was a room full of incredible artists, all on one accord, one purpose.
Most of the artists that were in the room had been invited by Quincy Jones, and they came directly from the American Music Awards to the recording studio.
I was performing in Vegas at the time, and he was just wonderful. He sent me back to L.A. on a private jet so I could be a part of this. And Quincy called me and said, listen, you got to come into L.A. tomorrow. I said but I'm working.
(LAUGHTER)
WARWICK: He said, well, he said you're going to be working here because have you to be here. It was the most incredible event that I've been a part of in a long, long period of time.
LEMON: Was Damon around for that? Damon, you didn't get to share that with your mom, did you? At least I'm sure you've heard her speak of it, but you weren't there for any of the taping, were you?
DAMON ELLIOTT, SONGWRITER/MUSIC PRODUCER: Actually, I was around. And of course, you know, I had to go to part of it, because I'm the biggest Michael Jackson fan breathing, I'll say that.
(LAUGHTER)
DAMON ELLIOT: And I begged mom, and she let me be a part of it, and one of many special occasions I was part of with mom.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BALDWIN: The "We are the World" recording and related merchandise raised a total of $63 million for famine relief in Africa. Michael Jackson's music served as a muse for a lot of musicians, including one of our own iReporters. He name is Ty Blanton, and he had a band that covered Jackson's hit songs of the 1980s. Ty Blanton joining us via Skype from Springfield, Massachusetts.
Ty, I cannot wait to show some of these pictures of you that I think we got in from the 80s. But I want to first ask you, did you sign up for tickets to go to the memorial?
BLANTON: No, I did not. I knew I wouldn't be able to make it. Certainly if I was able to make it out there, I would have.
BALDWIN: Yes, it is a bit of a haul from Massachusetts to L.A.
OK, so you started banging on the drums when you were five years old. You were you a musician at heart. You've grown up being in a couple of different bands.
But in terms of how Michael Jackson really shaped your career, you couldn't get a gig until when?
BLANTON: Well, basically what happened, my band started back in the early '80s, we were knocking down all the club doors, trying to figure out how to get a gig.
And finally one club in downtown Springfield said, can you guys do a Michael Jackson tribute? And of course we wanted the opportunity to perform, so we said, "Sure, we can."
And we put together a tribute, and tell you what, New Start took off right after that tribute. It was fantastic.
BALDWIN: We're looking at some of these pictures. This is you as Michael Jackson. Then in the other picture you are rockin' out that white jacket, my friend, in the bottom left picture. You still have those outfits? You still have the glove?
(LAUGHTER)
BLANTON: Well, they're somewhere. I'm not sure where they are right now, but they are around.
BALDWIN: You've got them.
Final question, Ty. When we talk about Michael Jackson and we talk about his life and his legacy, how will you remember the king of pop?
BLANTON: Oh, man. Well, I got to tell you, Michael Jackson was special to musicians around the world, just everything. Michael Jackson, his music was from his heart. His dance moves was from his heart.
And just everything about what he did just basically came from his spirit. Michael Jackson, rest in peace.
BALDWIN: Fair to say he changed you not only as a musician but personally speaking?
BLANTON: I didn't hear that.
BALDWIN: Would it be fair to says that he changed you not only as a musician but personally?
BLANTON: Yes. Yes, he did. Just you know -- anything to perform like Michael and just be -- he just worked hard. And he -- to be -- definitely --
BALDWIN: Ty Glen, we thank you for sharing your words. Good luck to you if you can find that white glove anywhere. Love to see that some time. Send me a picture. Ty, thank you.
BLANTON: Thank you, Brooke.
BALDWIN: Coming up in our 4:00 eastern hour, we will talk to twin sisters who knew Michael Jackson as a friend. We'll hear what they say about the icon they knew. They say he was a lonely but a kind man. They were backstage with him, if you believe it.
Also coming up tonight, CNN's Don Lemon had will be taking an in- depth look at Michael Jackson's life and his legacy, his childhood, his music, his finances, and his influence. Don't miss the "CNN Presents" special, "Michael Jackson, Man in the Mirror," 8:00 eastern, only here on CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(NEWS BREAK)
BALDWIN: It is a very special Independence Day weekend at the Statue of Liberty. For the very first time since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, visitors are allowed to go up inside the statue's crown.
The statue has been an American icon ever since it opened up in New York harbor back in 1886.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MELISSA LONG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: For generations of immigrants, the Statue of Liberty was the first glimpse of America. For returning soldiers and sailors, it was a reassuring welcome home. And for generations of tourists, it offered a breathtaking view of America's biggest city.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You come to New York -- it's not New York until you see her.
LONG: In the early years, visitors could go all the way up to the statue's torch, 305 feet above ground, using a staircase in lady liberty's arm.
But in 1916, with World War I raging in Europe, German saboteurs blew up an ammunition depot on the nearby New Jersey shore. Officials feared the force of the blast had weakened the statue's arm. They closed the torch to the general public, and visitors could only climb as high as the statue's crown.
That was the way things stayed for 85 years until another nearby attack that had an even bigger impact. The 2001 attack on New York's World Trade Center raised fears Lady Liberty could be the target of a similar assault.
Liberty Island was closed for three months. The statue itself was closed for three years.
Finally in August of 2004, visitors were readmitted, but only to the statue's pedestal. Officials said that even if the terror threat had eased, the narrow, steep, spiral staircase leading up to the crown was unsafe for crowds.
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg tried to put the best face on things. He claimed the view from the pedestal observatory is actually better than the view from the crown.
MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, (I) NEW YORK: This observatory also offers for the first time visitors to the statue the kind of sweeping panoramic views of New York Harbor that really were not accessible from the narrow apertures of the statue's crown.
LONG: Despite the political spin, visitors still wanted to go up to the crown, and two months ago the government announced plans to open up again with tight travel restrictions.
KEN SALAZAR, INTERIOR SECRETARY: We will limit the number of visitors in the crowd at any one time to about 10.
LONG: Visitors may never regain access to the torch, but now that they can visit the crown again, parents and grandparents can share memories with their children and grandchildren.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When I was a little girl I went all the way up to the crown. It was great.
LONG: Reservations are being taken on a first-come first-served basis, and because only about 240 people can visit a day, it is one of the hottest tickets in town.
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BALDWIN: That was CNN's Melissa Long reporting.
Like the statue's crown anytime soon, get out kind of fast. The crown will close again into more years for renovations to increase its capacity.
Here's a question for you, was the Iraq war worth fighting? Tell you what former Secretary of State Colin Powell has to say now.
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BALDWIN: American's celebrating this holiday weekend with parades and fireworks, but tens of thousands of US troops spent yet another Fourth of July abroad.
American forces were officially withdrawn from Iraqi cities and just last week. But 133,000 US troops remain in the country -- 57,000 are deployed in Afghanistan, and their number is expected to rise to 68,000 over the course of the next few months. Tens of thousands more are on duty and other overseas outposts.
Former Secretary of State Colin Powell says history will make the ultimate judgment as to whether or not the US war in Iraq was worth all the costs. Powell was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the 1991 Gulf War, and he set down and spoke with John King on CNN's "State of the Union."
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JOHN KING, CNN ANCHOR: "One of the striking scenes of streets as Iraqis celebrated this, essentially criticizing the occupiers and saying they had a great victory over the occupiers as United States forces pulled back from the major cities."
Did that strike you as odd in the sense that these people we are watching on the my monitor would not have the right to be out on the streets like this? Does the relationship, I guess, become poisoned over time?
GEN. COLIN POWELL, (R) FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE: No, I don't think it's become poisoned, but I think we should just pocket this. They are happy. They have made it clear from the very beginning that they wanted to be free and independent, and they didn't want to be an occupied nation, which is what they were when we were there. And now that's starting to change.
But this is not yet over. As General Odierno has said, and as the president said recently, it's now up to the Iraqis to solidify their representative government system and to make sure they have security forces that can handle all of this.
KING: And it's cost more than $700 billion, and more importantly, more than 4,300 men and women have been killed in Iraq. Looking back, was it worth it?
POWELL: Well, that's a judgment history will have to make. You never know what these costs will be. It is not just the Americans who gave their lives nobly, but thousands more were injured and live with those injuries.
So history will have to make a judgment. A dictator is gone, a despicable regime is gone, and the Iraqi people have been given a chance to have a representative form of government living in peace with its neighbors. We'll have to see what history --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: Former Secretary of State Colin Powell there.
Welcome US government says they intend to have all those troops out of Iraq by the end of 2011.
UN officials say 16 UN workers have been kidnapped in eastern Afghanistan. Local police say the workers were seized by gunmen while on a mine clearing mission near the province of Paktia. Officials say they have no leads as to who the gunmen were perhaps even a motive.
Music is always brought New Orleans back to life, and now one musician hopes his contribution will bring the cities lower ninth ward back to pre-Katrina days one download at a time.
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DON AARON, NASHVILLE POLICE: Was shot in time and ahead. At the scene, a semiautomatic pistol was recovered from underneath Mr. Kazemi's body.
Questions?
QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE)
AARON: We at this juncture believe they died sometime in the early morning hours of Saturday, long before they were discovered.
QUESTION: Who owned the gun?
AARON: The ATF is assisting us in tracing the gun, the initial purchase, and the ownership of the pistol. We'll be working to interview and that individual
QUESTION: Is there an indication that the guns may have been moved?
AARON: From what we know at this point, no. We think that the gun was underneath Mr. Kazemi's body when the officers entered the residence. It was not initially visible and was only discovered late in the processing of the crime scene.
QUESTION: What do you know about the relationship between McNair and Kazemi?
AARON: From what we've learned from friends, they apparently were involved in a dating relationship over the past several months.
QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE) whether it's a murder-suicide, or what you guys are looking at as far as I goes?
AARON: It is clear that Steve McNair's death as a homicide as the result of being shot four times. The police department is not yet classifying Ms. Kazemi's death. She does have a single shot wound to the side of the head, but there is more investigation required.
Were going to be interviewing persons throughout the day today and probably for the next several days. There's also quite a bit of laboratory testing that is necessary, ballistics testing, tissue sample testing from the Medical Examiner's Office, a variety of things that have yet to be done.
I would expect that it will be a number of days before a classification has been placed on Ms. Kazemi's death.
QUESTION: It says here that you guys were also talking to folks at other bars in the area. Can you talk a little bit about that?
AARON: We know from talking to witnesses that McNair was at the Blue Moon Lagoon bar as well as Loser's bar Friday night and into the early morning hours of Saturday.
We will be talking to the staff and management of those establishments about what he did there were conversations they may have overheard, who we talked to, that type of thing.
QUESTION: You still are not looking at other suspects, and have no reason to believe that somebody else had been in that residence?
AARON: Well, there were no signs of forced entry. The person who discovered the bodies actually had to use the key to get in.
As far as additional socially skilled, we have a lot of persons need to interview, persons who knew Ms. Kazemi, persons who knew Steve McNair, and we will follow those leads as they progress.
Again, it is clear that McNair's death is a homicide. Ms. Kazemi's death is not going to be classified until we can talk to the right people and make a final determination based on everything that's available to us.
There's a lot of information that has yet to be gathered, a lot of images that need to be conducted, a lot of laboratory testing that is still necessary.
QUESTION: If you're not going to classify, though, as a murder- suicide, is there any concern that there is a double murderer that is running around loose?
AARON: Well, as I said last night, based on the evidence at the scene, and based on what we know from Mrs. thus far, and you can glean certain ways in an investigation, but you can't be close minded and investigation.
No possibilities have been ruled out. Also there is still on the table as we talk to witnesses, as we look for laboratory testing, as we await the results of testing from the medical examiner's office, all options will remain on the table. We're not going to be close minded into one particular scenario.
QUESTION: Did you find gun residue on her hands? Did Ms. Kazemi have gun residue on her hands?
AARON: As part of the process of this investigation, gun residue testing will be done.
QUESTION: Is there any indication she was pregnant at this time? AARON: According to the medical examiner, there is no evidence of that at this juncture. But again, there is further testing that has to be done by the medical examiner's office, as would be the case in any autopsy.
QUESTION: You said you could lean toward certain things, but you are not going to draw any conclusions? Does that mean you're leaning towards murder --
AARON: No. Detectives have certain information available to them now. As far as where this case is going to end up, we don't know at this juncture. All options are remaining on the table.
QUESTION: Can you tell us a little bit more about Blaine's (ph) story. Yesterday, we had heard that he had actually walking past the two bodies into the kitchen, then returned.
Did he give you any indication how he could not have known what happened when he first opened the door?
AARON: When Mr. Neely arrived he used his key to get in and he saw McNair and Kazemi there in the living room area and he just walked on through the kitchen, probably believing they were asleep.
It was when he came out of the kitchen he saw the blood and he was greatly disturbed by what he saw and wound up calling a friend, Robert Gaddy. Robert Gaddy came to the scene. It was Gaddy who called the police department at 1:35 on Saturday afternoon.
QUESTION: Well, clearly, the story may not add up. I mean if both had been shot in the head, presumably, as much as 12 hours before they were discovered, there would have been plenty of blood all over the scene. Right?
AARON: I'm not going to discuss the scene. I'm not going to discuss the nature of the scene.
QUESTION: As far as the weapon involved, it's my understanding that Mr. McNair was possibly a gun carry permit holder? Did you -- was it his gun or can you rule out that it wasn't his gun?
AARON: ATF is working on tracing the weapon. We want to learn the initial purchaser and try to identify the trail of ownership, if there is a trail of ownership. All that is taking place.
QUESTION: What about any neighbors? Did anybody -- there were shots several times. Anybody reportedly hearing any gunshots or fighting or anything like that?
AARON: Not that I'm aware of.
QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE)
AARON: Not in Nashville. I'm not aware of any record anywhere else but I know she didn't have any other history in Nashville.
QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE)
AARON: I do not.
QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE)
AARON: I can't hear you. I'm sorry?
QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE)
AARON: Not that we're aware of at the moment.
QUESTION: Any kind of toxicology reports back on either of the victims?
AARON: Oh, no. Toxicology tests through a medical examiner's office typically takes weeks.
QUESTION: You mention you're waiting on ballistics before they get to determine whether the shots came from one gun or if there might be another shooter. Obviously I take that's something you're expediting. Is there a timetable on that?
AARON: Well, ballistics testing is being conducted. I can tell you from the information that we have at present, the evidence at the scene is consistent with the gun that was recovered.
QUESTION: So is there any...
AARON: But again, specific testing still needs to be done.
QUESTION: Were there any illegal substances found at the scene?
AARON: Not that I'm aware of.
QUESTION: He came home around 1:30. You said he died early in the morning. Is there any way to tell how soon after arriving at the apartment that he was shot?
AARON: No. The medical examiner's office believes that the two had been dead for a period of hours prior to the bodies being discovered. I can't give you a specific time as to when the shootings may have taken place.
QUESTION: Did you get any indication why he called a friend first and not 911?
AARON: My conjecture would be that he was shocked and horrified by what he had just discovered and for some reason his inclination was to contact Mr. Gaddy, who was a close friend of Mr. Neely's and a close friend, as you know, of Mr. McNair's.
QUESTION: Are there any surveillance tapes or security tapes that you may be reviewing at this time?
AARON: We have been checking the surveillance cameras in the area. I am not aware of any tapes that we have available to release at this juncture.
QUESTION: Yesterday you told us that (INAUDIBLE) at the condominium before Steve arrived in the early morning time frame. Do you know she might have arrived?
AARON: Now according to a witness, her vehicle, the Cadillac Escalade, was already there when Mr. McNair arrived so the presumption was that she was there when he arrived.
QUESTION: So we don't know how soon before.
AARON: No.
QUESTION: Did you visit the place the she lived full time? (INAUDIBLE)
AARON: No, it was my understanding that she had an apartment in the Hermitage area.
QUESTION: Did she have any record with your department?
AARON: Other than the DUI?
QUESTION: Yes.
AARON: No.
QUESTION: Did she file any police report that you know of?
AARON: Not that I'm aware of.
QUESTION: There's a picture of her taken (INAUDIBLE) other than he went to these two bars.
AARON: Well, we know that he went to at least two establishments. And we'll be talking to the management and staff -- the staffs of those two places to ascertain what he did, who he talked to, what was going on at those places.
QUESTION: There's been some information that perhaps there's been several police stops at that apartment complex before this occurred. Is there any knowledge of that, involving that?
AARON: What apartment complex are you referring to?
QUESTION: I mean -- actually I'm mentioning the apartment. Is there -- where the shooting occurred.
AARON: The condominium?
QUESTION: The condominium, specifically.
AARON: I'm not aware.
QUESTION: Not aware of any (INAUDIBLE)?
AARON: No. In fact, the Central Precinct commander said that area is very peaceful.
QUESTION: Don, if this turns out to be a murder-suicide, and as you piece together the final hours of both lives, how much, if this is a lover's quarrel, how do you believe will you guys delve into what the two might have been squabbling over?
AARON: Well, we have already begun talking to friends of Miss Kazemi and friends of Mr. McNair in an effort to ascertain were they having any squabbles, was one upset at the other, if so, why. That's a very important part of the investigation as we work to ultimately classify Miss Kazemi's death.
Again, it is important to re-say that nothing has been ruled out at this juncture. We're leaving all options open.
QUESTION: Does that mean...
(END OF COVERAGE)
BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Want to break away from this. What you've been listening to is the PIO with the Nashville Metropolitan Police Department talking about a very mysterious murder. Long-time NFL veteran Steve McNair, 13 seasons in the NFL, co-MVP back 2003, found shot to death in his condo in downtown Nashville just yesterday.
He was found some time in the early afternoon on Saturday. He was also found sitting near a woman, a woman by the name of Sahel Kazemi. We were just hearing the initial reports, the results from the autopsy, and what we heard was that there was a pistol that was found near Kazemi.
She was shot once in the head but police have not yet classified her murder. Was it a homicide, was it perhaps a suicide? They're not sure just yet but they did say that McNair was shot four different times, twice in the chest, twice in the side of his head.
McNair apparently, the night before, had been out in two separate bars in Nashville, came to his home and the assumption is that Sahel Kazemi was already there. This is just the beginning of some new information we're getting from the medical examiner. But they said they'll still need to do ballistics testing, tissue testing.
Could still be a number of days before they begin to classify exactly how Kazemi died. But they do tell us they aren't looking for any outside suspects in the case.
We'll join "Your Money" in just a moment. We'll be back at 4:00 Eastern Time with NEWSROOM.
