Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Toyota Announces Yet More Recalls

Aired February 09, 2010 - 11:00   ET

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

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Good to see you Betty. Thank you. It is February 9th and the top stories for you in the CNN NEWSROOM for a Tuesday morning. They have barely cleared the runways and here we snow again, another big blizzard sets the stage for travel chaos for the east and beyond. The U.S. Coast Guard, budget casualty, is safety getting short changed and we will check in with the CNN security desk.

Haiti almost one month after the earthquake, people getting by as best they can, the living and the dead still found in the ruins. Good morning everyone. I'm Tony Harris and you are in the CNN NEWSROOM.

So we begin with another bombshell announcement from Toyota. The company is already battered and it's taking another huge hit today. Toyota will recall more than 400,000 of its 2010 hybrids because of problems with the anti-lock braking system. Our Kyung Lah has the latest from Tokyo.

KYUNG LAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Toyota announcing a global recall of its popular Prius and three other hybrids. It started here in the home country of Japan, notifying the Japanese government here and as governments wake up around the world, they will soon be notifying governments in Europe and in the United States. A total of 400,000 vehicles will be impacted due to this recall because of a braking glitch.

According to Toyota, it feels just for a split second on certain surfaces that your brakes fail. The fix quite easy. For the 2010 Toyota Prius, it's about 40 minutes once you drive to the dealership and plug into the dealership computer, but there is no software fix yet for the other vehicles. So sales have temporarily been suspended because Toyota says it simply cannot guarantee that there won't be any accidents with all the recalled vehicles. Toyota's president making the announcement himself personally, saying that his company will do better.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AKIO TOYODA, TOYOTA PRESIDENT & CEO: Let me assure everyone that we will redouble our commitment to quality as a life line of our company with myself taking the lead and by keeping to the (INAUDIBLE) principle. All of us at Toyota, we tackle the issue in close cooperation with our dealers and with the suppliers. Together we will do everything in our power to regain the confidence of our customers.

(END VIDEO CLIP) LAH: But certainly these are mounting woes for the beleaguered auto maker. Already it has recalled 8.1 million vehicles worldwide due to sticky accelerators and faulty floor mats. Kyung Lah, CNN Tokyo.

HARRIS: So here is what we've done. We've dedicated a page on our website to the latest information on all the various recalls and vehicles involved. Here's what you do. Just log on to cnn.com/toyota.

And checking today's other big stories now. Slammed and slammed again. The mid-Atlantic getting ready for another big snowstorm. The region is paralyzed really from the weekend blizzard. Some areas got almost three feet of snow.

In Washington, U.S. government offices are still shut down. And up to 20 inches of new snow is headed that way. Much of the 20 inches, boy, much of the Midwest also got socked by the weekend storm. And with all of the snow removal, a lot of city and county budgets are stretched thin.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PENNY TRAINA, COLUMBINE COUNTY, OHIO COMMISSIONER: We're in the beginning of our fiscal year and so this is not a good way to start out the year on the financial side.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Much more ahead on this new storm. We will get the latest forecast from Rob Marciano and Reynolds Wolf will check in from Washington, D.C.

Flags at half staff in Washington today for the late Congressman John Murtha. The longtime Pennsylvania Democrat died yesterday from complications following gallbladder surgery. A source tells CNN, doctors accidentally cut Murtha's intestine during that surgery. No comment from the hospital. Murtha was 77 and funeral arrangements are still being made.

If it is true, it is nothing short of incredible. Evan Muncie pulled from the wreckage of a market in Haiti 27 days after the earthquake? Doctors say Muncie is disoriented so they aren't sure how he got water. CNN Sanjay Gupta in Haiti talked with Muncie's doctor.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. MIKE CONNELLY, PROJECT MEDISHARE: He was emaciated. It was obvious that he hadn't had anything to drink or eat in quite some time. He had open wounds that were festering on both of his feet.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You believe it. You believe it to be true? This would be the longest survivor so far of this earthquake. CONNELLY: Yeah. Yeah, I mean, there no reason for me to doubt it. That's what the bystanders relayed to us. The patient was so incredibly weak and frail when he came in.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Pretty amazing stuff.

He promised and they took him up on it, Republican leaders over at the White House this morning meeting with the president and their Democratic counterparts. Our White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux is covering for us. Suzanne, good to see you first of all. What was on the agenda?

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We heard a little bit about what was on the agenda. The president giving us a little preview before they started their meeting in earnest. He said that essentially he is trying to find some common ground here, but he's also willing to listen.

So, he is trying to push forward a bipartisan jobs bill that he hopes to get on his desk in short order. He's talking about tax breaks for small businesses and also some different ways to lower the Federal deficit and the debt. These are the kinds of ideas that appeal to both Democrats, as well as Republicans and so he believes if he puts this forward on the table, that essentially, they will be able to get something done. Here is how the president put it, Tony.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Part of what we'd like to see is the ability of Congress to move forward in a more bipartisan fashion on some of the key challenges that the country is facing right now.

I think it's fair to say that the American people are frustrated with the lack of progress on some key issues and although the parties are not going to agree on every single item, there should be some areas where we can agree and we can get some things done, even as we have vigorous debates on some of those issues that we don't agree on.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: And, Tony, of course, that is not going to be easy. This is not an easy job for this president or either side. We've got our cameras trained on the west wing in case they come out of that meeting to give us a sense of the tone, how they are talking to one another, whether or not they are really listening because it's February 25th. That is when the president says he is going to hold this bipartisan health care summit, live camera crews on television, to discuss ways to move forward on the health care reform bill.

Already some Republicans saying start from scratch. We are not interested in this legislation put forward by the Democrats. The president says that's not going to happen. White House aides say that's not going to happen. So already you've got some push/pull there, some controversy and debate over how that whole thing is going to turn out. We'll see how they set the tone in this meeting and see if that says anything looking forward.

HARRIS: I want to see more of that push/pull on camera is what I want to see. Suzanne Malveaux at the White House for us, Suzanne, appreciate it. Thank you.

The Taliban say their leader in Pakistan is dead. We will take you to the region to talk about how this may impact U.S. strategy.

Another blast of winter weather is causing airport delays. Meteorologist Rob Marciano is in the CNN weather center to bring us the possible snow totals over the next couple of days. It's not pretty.

And a reminder, the New Orleans Saints will have a victory parade later today. Here is the route through the city and you can watch it live right here on CNN at 6:00 Eastern.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: OK, a big blow to the Taliban. Several members of the terrorist group tell CNN their leader in Pakistan is dead. He was reportedly wounded in a drone attack in north Bazirastan (ph) last month and was seeking medical treatment when he died. Our Reza Sayah is in the capital of Islamabad and we will check in with Reza in just a couple of minutes to get the latest on that, what it means for Washington's strategy.

There is actually some good news for a lot of you hoping to pump up your 401(k) plans. We're focusing on your money right here in the CNN NEWSROOM. We're back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: As we mentioned just a moment ago, a pretty big blow to the Taliban. Several members of the terrorist group telling CNN their leader in Pakistan is dead. Reza Sayah is in the capital, Islamabad and Resa, good to see you. What are the Pakistani Taliban saying about all of this?

REZA SAYAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, for the first time, they are talking and verifying his death. Of course there has been a lot of mystery surrounding the condition of Taliban leader (INAUDIBLE) in Pakistan over the past three weeks. Last week a U.S. intelligence official told CNN that he was dead.

But up until today, the Pakistani Taliban was denying it but today three Taliban sources telling CNN that indeed Mehsud (ph) was injured in a U.S. drone strike back in mid-January and was in such bad shape that early this morning, he was being transported to get medical treatment, but he did not make it, according to these Taliban sources.

He passed away on the way to getting medical treatment. This is of course, a major setback to the Pakistani Taliban (INAUDIBLE) that very rapidly earned the reputation of being a brutal leader of the Taliban over the past few months. There has been a wave of suicide attacks all under his watch. And Tony, his death is also an indication of how potent these U.S. drone strikes are along the Pakistan/Afghan border. Two consecutive Taliban leaders in Pakistan killed by these strikes. Last August it was (INAUDIBLE). Now it's (INAUDIBLE) Tony.

HARRIS: And Reza, how does this maybe impact Washington's Afghanistan/Pakistan strategy?

SAYAH: Well, I think it's a boost, Tony. Keep in mind initially when (INAUDIBLE) Mehsud took over the Pakistani Taliban, concern was that he only focused on Pakistani soil attacks here, but that changed last month when all of a sudden, he appeared on a videotape sitting next (INAUDIBLE) to the Jordanian doctor, turned suicide bomber, who killed seven CIA agents across the border in Afghanistan.

So, obviously, that got Washington's attention. There was a string of targeted strikes against (INAUDIBLE) Mehsud by U.S. drones the past couple of months. This was a man who apparently had reached not just here in Pakistani soil, but across the border doing damage to U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan.

HARRIS: CNN's Reza Sayah for us in Islamabad, Pakistan, Reza, thank you.

Like your retirement savings, employer matches seemed to vanish from a lot of 401k plans during the recession. CNN's Christine Romans joining us now. Tell us if the match may be back? Is that true Christine.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's coming back Tony, coming back. This is the way that companies could save some cash recall quickly during the great recession. They could stop that match and they could buff up their cash flow.

And, now, maybe because they know that so many of their employees are restless, you know and maybe looking somewhere else, they want to make sure they are coming back with the perks where they can. Fantastic study by the same people who alerted us when these matches were going away, now finds that 80 percent of firms that suspended their match, now plan to bring the match back in 2010.

So big companies already have a plan, too, like American Express, FedEx and some others as well. It's interesting as well. They are starting some new perks, some new planning tools. Companies are recognizing that people need help with their retirement planning and this is one way even with 9.7 percent unemployment, they can keep the people they have happy.

One thing, though, employers are not very confident in our ability to save money for retirement. The same Hewitt study found that in 2010 now, 54 percent think their workers are going to be able to save for retirement. That's down from last year. No surprise, right, Tony?

HARRIS: Yeah.

ROMANS: Because how can you save for retirement when you're just trying to make the mortgage payment and buy your kids' shoes and make sure that you can save for college. So another thing here. Only one in five employers think that their workers are actually going to save enough to retire. Eighteen percent of these employers say they are very confident that you can save enough.

So, bottom line, they don't think that you're saving enough. Most studies say we're not saving enough but companies now that the great recession might be in the rearview mirror, more companies are stepping forward to try to make it a little bit easier. Some 59 percent now of companies have automatic enrollment in their 401(k)s. Most companies you don't have a choice, they just automatically enroll you.

HARRIS: Good information, good to hear that this may be coming back. We need it. All right, Christine, appreciate it, thank you.

A couple of feet of snow already on the ground and possibly 20 inches more -- can you believe that -- could fall on top of that in the next two days.

Another winter storm system is causing all kinds of problems. We're back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Checking our top stories now, another apology and another recall from Toyota. This time it is more than 400,000 hybrids including the 2010 Prius because of brake problems. Toyota's president says he is deeply sorry and will work to regain customer trust.

Childhood obesity, a top concern for the President Obama. Just a couple of hours ago, he signed a memorandum creating a new task force that will try to tackle the problem. First lady Michelle Obama is launching a campaign today to encourage more play time and healthier lunches for kids. And you can hear why the issue is so important to her. She talks live with Larry King tonight at 9:00 Eastern.

Who dat! Finally get some recognition. Man! What's that sound? That noise on the decibel scale, thousands greeting the Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints as they arrived home yesterday. The official welcome celebration, the parade is tonight at 6:00 Eastern and you can watch it live right here on CNN.

It's not Siberia that we're talking about here, but it sure looks like it. Boy, the mid-Atlantic paralyzed by the weekend blizzard and now round two. You're not going anywhere fast, buddy, or slow, for that matter. Right now 20 states are under winter storm watches or warnings. Look at that map. The nation's capital could get up to 20 inches of new snow. Reynolds Wolf checking out the scene in Georgetown. What does it look like there now before the second wave comes in, Reynolds?

(WEATHER REPORT)

HARRIS: Toyota's troubles. Who knew what and when? One insurance company says it notified the government years ago.

And a reminder. The New Orleans Saints will have a victory parade later today after winning the Super Bowl on Sunday taking down the Colts. Here is the route through the city. You can watch it right here live on CNN at 6:00 Eastern.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: For Toyota now, the auto maker announces another recall as the company president apologizes to consumers. Toyota's latest recall involves 437,000 vehicles, including the popular 2010 Prius hybrid. Last weekend Toyota acknowledged a problem with the anti-lock brakes caused by a software glitch. The brakes can take a second to engage on rough roads or in snow or rain. The company president says Toyota will work to recover its customers' trust.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AKIO TOYODA, TOYOTA PRESIDENT & CEO (via translator): As we indicate, we have been inquired about the safety and the quality of the Toyota cars and we do apologize for the inconvenience and concerns that we have given to the public and customers. I would like to take this opportunity to apologize.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: OK. Toyota's other big problem, sudden acceleration in some of its models. A top insurance company says it notified the Federal government about the problem as early as 2007. Ines Ferre is that part of the story for us. This is intriguing, 2007. Maybe take some time here and walk us through all of this.

INES FERRE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A lot of people must be wondering who knew what when?

HARRIS: Absolutely.

FERRE: That's the question. And we know that the insurance company State Farm said it receive numerous alleged accelerator problem complaints on some Toyota and Lexus cars over the last years. It had notified the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration about these problems in 2007. A State Farm spokesman says information from State Farm may help confirm a trend NHTSA is already aware of, or help identify a new one.

The question is did the government do enough, Tony? Did they act fast enough? We know there have been investigations. For example there was one in 2007 on some Lexus models that lasted a couple of months from August to October of 2007. And they determined that it was because of the floor mat issue and then, later, they had some floor mat recalls on some Lexus models. HARRIS: That's right.

FERRE: So now, lawmakers are also wondering did they do enough and we also know that tomorrow, there is going to be a House Committee -- an oversight hearing.

HARRIS: Good.

FERRE: And that is going to -- that hearing is going to talk about the accelerator issue. They want to know, Representative Darrell Issa sent a letter to the chairman of that committee saying, "Evidence suggests that for nearly a decade, both Toyota and officials at the (NHTSA) were aware of complaints related to unintended acceleration."

Tony, they just want to know who knew what...

HARRIS: Yes.

FERRE: ... and did these people do enough? Did Toyota do enough and did the administrators from the government also do enough?

HARRIS: So we've got a timeline.

FERRE: Right.

HARRIS: I mean, that's -- yes, a lot of the questions here cut to those two questions of what did you know? When did you know it? What did you do? Did you do enough? And maybe we'll start to get some of those answers, because I tell you what, you may not drive a Toyotas but there is probably a Toyota coming at you in the opposite direction at you would like to know that if that driver hits the brakes they will stop.

FERRE: Appreciate it, thank you.

Thank you.

HARRIS: And here's what we've done, if you would like to get the latest information on all the various recalls and vehicles involved, do this -- just logon on to our Web site CNN.com/Toyota.

And next hour, we will talk with Sarah Webster. She is the automotive editor for the "Detroit Free Press" and I will be asking her if the problems Toyota is having could affect other makes and models.

You know, there could be more trouble ahead for small businesses all across the country and it may come in the form of higher taxes. Stephanie Elam is in New York with details and a check of a little bit of a rally for stocks today.

Stephanie, let's start....

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Good news.

HARRIS: Some good news, that would be nice after the last couple of days. What is the latest on this tax?

ELAM: Yes, Tony, it actually could be a pretty major problem. What we're talking about is unemployment insurance tax. And a group that represents state officials say that companies in at least 35 states will have to pay higher unemployment taxes this year.

Here is basically how it works. Employers pay taxes on all of their workers. The money goes to a state fund that covers unemployment claims. But since so many people drawing unemployment benefits, those funds are dwindling and it is happening very fast. So the money has to be replenished and businesses, yep, they are the ones who will be paying the price for this one, Tony.

HARRIS: All right, so we can't overlook the timing of all this. We're still in the early stages of this recovery, so won't this set us back just a touch here?

ELAM: Yes. Higher taxes could make it difficult for employers to do some hiring and that is obviously what we want in this country right now. The economy needs it. After all, some of these increases are really big.

Take a look at Florida for example. They raised their minimum payroll tax from $8.00 a worker to $100 -- that's a big jump. Some lawmakers are really trying to limit these tax hikes, but states are caught between a rock and a hard place because millions of people are relying on unemployment benefits. So we will have to see how this plays out.

But I should point out that on Wall Street we are seeing a bit of a recovery today. The Dow is trading back -- oh, no! Just as I said that we went to 9,999.

HARRIS: Are we on triple-digit territory on gains?

ELAM: We were, now we are up 90 points and we're right back below 10,000. So we're right around there. We're still seeing solid gains, the Dow's up 87 points, Nasdaq better by 10 points at 2136. So pulling back off of our earlier gains, Tony, but we'll keep our eyes on it and so what happens by the time we get to the closing bell.

HARRIS: I'll take a day in the green, though, that would be nice.

ELAM: Just being in the green, right?

HARRIS: Yes, that would be nice.

Stephanie, take a look at this video. Seeing red -- a woman gets the full exploding dye treatment after a bank robbery in Wichita. I don't even know if I can't even make that out. Are you guys seeing it at home? I hope you are. Police say she showed up at Fidelity Bank and demanded money from a teller at a window. She managed to get away and police are still looking for her. I guess I'm making out a little bit better here. But now she has been caught on tape, dare we say, red-handed? Ha! ELAM: Bad dye job. Very bad.

HARRIS: Yes, bad pun, too.

ELAM: Very bad dye job. That's just not good. And also all that snow, so you can see all of the red around you in the snow. Just not good, not a good look.

HARRIS: Stephanie, I have got to go. We don't have all day, this is just a little quirky little funny moment. Talk to you next hour.

ELAM: That sounds good. Bye.

HARRIS: As you know, we've been going through hundreds of stimulus projects. Today, our Stimulus Desk is answering your questions, so send them our way. CNN.com/Tony. Our Josh Levs joins us next hour right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: The Department of Homeland Security saw an overall boost with the release of the 2011 budget, but one agency is actually seeing a bit of a cut and people are a little fired up about it. CNN homeland security correspondent Jeanne Meserve joins us from the Security Desk in Washington.

Jeanne, good to see you. What is going on here?

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN HOMELAND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: We are talking about the U.S. Coast Guard. The Coast Guard doesn't do one job, it does many jobs. It does, of course, search and rescue on the water. It does fisheries enforcement. It does drug interdiction.

And since 9/11, it has played a big part in terrorism, counterterrorism. You have probably seen these teams rolling around on the water, they're called MSSTs, that is Maritime Safety and Security Teams. They are sort of SWAT teams on the water and whenever there is a big security event on a waterside location, these are deployed. Now, some of them are on the chopping block.

Overall, we're talking about a $75 million decrease in the Coast Guard budget. How is that going to impact them? Well, specifically, they are talking about cutting five of those Maritime Safety and Security Teams, five Coast Guard cutters, four fixed-wing aircraft, five helicopters and 773 full-time positions. They think they will be able to do that through attrition.

Now, this is bringing roars of outrage. Particularly from some members of the New York Congressional Delegation because one of those MSST teams they want to eliminate is based in New York. Congressman Peter King of New York who is the ranking republican on the House Homeland Committee has said, and I quote here, "It makes no sense at all." He points out that New York is the number one terrorist target in the country, perhaps the number one terrorist target in the world. He says this is not a place to eliminate one of these teams and to reduce Coast Guard security in any way -- Tony.

HARRIS: It just makes you think that going forward, no one is going to be haps happy about any cuts to the budget moving forward.

But, Jeanne, what does the Obama administration have to say about all of this?

MESERVE: Well, they say, listen, it's a tough year. There are going to be some cuts around here, but we are putting the money in security that we need to put into security. They maintain that there are 35 vessels in New York, enough to deal with any situations here and they need the flexibility to be able to move these MSST teams around. They claim they will be able to do that to respond to any risk to any threats.

But this is not likely to satisfy Mr. King and other critics. There are a whole bunch of hearings coming up on the homeland budget and you can bet you will hear more screaming about this part of it.

HARRIS: A lot of screaming to come. Don't cut my program! Don't cut my program!

MESERVE: You bet.

HARRIS: All right, Jeanne, appreciate it. Thank you.

Top stories now.

Toyota is recalling 2010 Priuses in the United States as well as some Lexus hybrids. The company says it will take about 40 minutes to fix a software glitch in the brakes. Some drivers complain the brakes can hesitate a bit. Toyota says push firmly and they work without fail.

The "Who Dats" finally getting some recognition. Have a listen. The Who Dat Nation, thousands greeting the Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints as they arrived home yesterday. The official welcome celebration and parade is tonight at 6:00 Eastern time and you can watch it live here on CNN.

Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia, still buried under last week's blizzard and here comes another. The region will see another snowstorm event. Starting around mid-afternoon, another 10 to 20 inches could fall. Hang in there, mom! Twenty states are under winter warnings and watches.

Take a look at the map here. New York and Boston in the bull's- eye this time this go around.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HARRIS: There is still so much damage in Haiti. It is hard to believe it's been almost a month since the huge earthquake hit there. We will show you daily life in Haiti, that's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) HARRIS: Haiti, 28 days after the earthquake, here is what we know.

A survivor is dehydrated and emaciated after he was rescued from the rubble on Monday. Doctors have no reason to doubt the man's story. They say he must have had access to water.

New information about the Americans charged with trying to take 33 children out of Haiti. A police officer said he stopped the group in late January trying to bust 40 -- bus 40 children to the Dominican Republic.

Daily life in Haiti was a chore before the earthquake. Nowadays, it is really a full-time job. Our CNN's Anderson Cooper shows us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Nearly one month after the earthquake and the cleanup is only just beginning. Teams of Haitians paid by the U.N. move through neighborhoods sweeping and clearing. They are barely making a dent.

(on camera): To really clean up and rebuild Port-au-Prince it's going to require more than shovels and brooms and work crews. It's going to require heavy equipment, bulldozers and dump trucks, to get rid of the debris and then ultimately to rebuild.

At this point, you don't see dump trucks and bulldozers on a street like this, so families just do the best they can. They go through the rubble and they've been doing that for weeks now, trying to pick out whatever they can. Here they found clothes that they have been able on to salvage. They found this wooden cabinet which maybe they will reuse or sell.

And you find this a lot -- people pulling out scrap metal as much as they can and this they can sell for money.

(voice-over): People get by however they can. John Charles is selling electricity.

(on camera): So you have a generator and you're using that power to charge people's cell phones and then you charge them for that?

(voice-over): Yes, he says.

(on camera): Did you have this business before the earthquake or is this a new business?

(voice-over): No, he says. It's a new business.

Illoma St. Marks (ph) sleeps on mattress outside with her kids and grandchildren.

(on camera): So you're saying that they do have running water, but that there hasn't been any food handed out by the government or any other group in this area that she knows about. And she says she eats by just people give her some food here and there.

But pretty much everybody on this block and many blocks around it who lives on this street is now literally living on the street.

(voice-over): A few blocks away, Haitian government workers handout packets of water.

(on camera): It was pretty chaotic. There was not a lot of organization, so when a crowd started to form, the truck just decided to drive off and they ended up dumping a lot of the water in the street.

(voice-over): Heavy equipment is being used to tear down some buildings. This was once a technical school.

(on camera): According to Haitian government, more than 200,000 people died in the earthquake, but the actual death toll continues to rise. As they go through sites like this with heavy equipment, as they tear through the rubble and crush it into smaller pieces to be carted off, they are constantly uncovering more bodies.

We just noticed the remains of a person right there.

(voice-over): The newly discovered remains arrive daily at a city cemetery. This is all that is left of a woman named Yolin (ph) and her son Alex (ph). Maxo (ph) is Yolin's brother.

(on camera): How did you find her?

(voice-over): We found them mashed up with their legs apart, he tells me. Piece by piece, we got them out of the concrete.

The remains are pushed into someone else's old grave. There is no service, no prayer. Maxo said it was just important for his mother that they find the bodies.

(on camera): What will you tell them now?

(voice-over): Now I'm going to tell her that we buried them, he says, and she is going to be satisfied because that is all she needed. She is still going to cry. She wasn't able to eat. Now she will be able to eat slowly.

The gravekeeper shows me the list of all those buried today -- 25 people.

(on camera): Is this a pretty typical? Every day you see this many people?

(voice-over): Yes, he says. We find more people every day. My first day, we buried 300 people in one day.

(on camera): Three hundred?

(voice-over): When the grave is sealed, the gravekeeper scratches Yolin's and Alex's name into the wet cement. Two more victims of a month-old earthquake, two more names added to the list.

Anderson Cooper, Port-au-Prince.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: And you can watch more of Anderson's reporting from Haiti this evening. Before the quake, corruption and greed -- hundreds of millions of dollars vanished, we follow the money. "STEALING HAITI" a special "AC360" investigation starting tonight at 10:00 p.m. Eastern time.

Michael Jackson's doctor pleads "not guilty" to involuntary manslaughter and is told to surrender his passport. Hear what Joe Jackson says about the case.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: He is accused in the death of Michael Jackson. Now, Dr. Conrad Murray is free to return home, free to continue practicing medicine after posting bond on involuntary manslaughter charges. Does that feel weird?

Our Thelma Gutierrez reports from Los Angeles.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

THELMA GUTIERREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Before a crush of reporters and cameras, the Jackson family showed up to a Los Angeles courtroom to hear the charges against the man accused of killing Michael Jackson.

After turning himself in to authorities, Conrad Murray, Jackson's onetime personal physician, appeared before a judge and pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not guilty plea is entered.

PAUL CALLAN, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY & FORMER PROSECUTOR: Here they're saying, well, he didn't intend to kill Michael Jackson. He should have not have prescribed this drug in these circumstances, but it really doesn't rise to the level of second-degree murder.

GUTIERREZ: According to police, on the morning of Jackson's death, Murray administered various drugs to the singer to help him fall asleep. Later, Jackson stopped breathing and was rushed to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead. His death was ruled as a homicide resulting from a combination of drugs including a lethal level of propofol, administered through an intravenous line.

In court, the judge did not revoke Dr. Murray's medical license, but ordered him not to use anesthesia on patients.

SANDI GIBBONS, LA COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICIAL: The judge specifically said that he could not use propofol.

GUTIERREZ: Good enough for Murray's attorneys... ED CHERNOFF, DR. CONRAD MURRAY'S ATTORNEY: He'll be back home with his family and back to his medical practice this week.

GUTIERREZ: ... but not enough for the members of the Jackson family. Leaving the courthouse, they described their feelings about the latest development.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We don't like what happened.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're not happy, at all.

GUTIERREZ (on camera): Both sides will be back in court on April 5th, and that is when a judge will set a date for preliminary hearing.

I'm Thelma Gutierrez reporting in Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: Michael Jackson's father said he believes the pop star's death was part of a larger conspiracy. Joe Jackson appeared on CNN's "LARRY KING LIVE" just hours after the hearing for Dr. Conrad Murray.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE JACKSON, MICHAEL JACKSON'S FATHER: I'm looking for justice for my son. And to me, he is just a fall guy. There's other people I believe involved with this whole thing. But I think that if he were interrogated he would come clean and tell everything he knows.

LARRY KING, CNN ANCHOR: Did you want him charged with homicide or murder?

JACKSON: I was looking for justice, and justice to me would be the murder charge.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: OK, here is what we're working on for the next hour of CNN NEWSROOM.

What you need to know about Toyota's acceleration problem. Experts warn of an electronic malfunction and not just sticky gas pedals and floor mats. CNN's Special Investigation Unit correspondent Drew Griffin joins me live.

Plus, the one-two punch here. Mid-Atlantic states bracing for another big snowstorm even before they can dig out from the weekend wallop. Our meteorologists Reynolds Wolf and Chad Myers coming to you live on that front.

That's all next hour, right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Already snowed in and there is more on the way. The National Guard has been called in to help in Pittsburgh where residents and paramedics are having trouble getting around. Here's Cara Sapida with CNN affiliate WPXI.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CARA SAPIDA, WPXI REPORTER (voice-over): The snow-coated city called for reinforcements. The National Guard, hundreds of soldiers in their Humvees, desperately need to keep up with the high volume of calls for help, especially when roads like this are paralyzing for a paramedic.

SGT. SCOTT HAMILTON, U.S. ARMY: We talked to a couple of guys who said Saturday -- who weren't here Saturday, said they had to end up carrying one patient a half a mile down the road to the ambulance.

SAPIDA: Sergeant Scott Hamilton let us tag along on some of the 300 calls medics at Station 14 have received today, a good 1,200 since the snowfall began. All this when some of the city streets are too treacherous for even plows to touch. The Humvee, however, bulldozed right over it.

HAMILTON: We have a lot of our Humvees going out, a lot of the roads are still impassable for the local law enforcement and EMTs.

SAPIDA: Two hundred and sixty guardsmen are paired up with police and medics across town, turning dozens of Humvees into much- needed welcome wagons.

SPEC. DAVID O'DONNELL, U.S. ARMY: I have a medical background, I was a combat medic in Iraq, so I enjoy working with civilian EMS. And they enjoy working with us, they're very appreciate of everything we've been doing with them.

(END VIDEOTAPE)