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Apple's IPad Goes on Sale; Governors Receive Threatening Letters; Bullies and Suicides

Aired April 03, 2010 - 12:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to lead the newscast here, with a story that you all have been covering all morning long. We're talking about tighter security around some of the nation's governors. More than 30 of America's governors according to the FBI receiving letters demanding they leave office or else they will be removed. Here's how the governor of Massachusetts is reacting.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV DEVAL PATRICK (D), MASSACHUSETTS: The state police and the FBI are taking care of all that.

QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE)

PATRICK: The state police and the FBI are taking care of all of that. And I'm trusting them to do so and I have great confidence they will.

QUESTION: The state police (INAUDIBLE)?

PATRICK: No. No. Really the less we say about it, the better.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Our Susan Candiotti spoke with members of the group which says it's actually behind this ultimatum. First, though, CNN's homeland security correspondent Jeanne Meserve looks at what the FBI has found.

Wolf, those who have seen the letters -- and they run about 80 pages long -- say there's no threats to the violence to the governors, but there is an ultimatum: Resign from office in the next three days, or you will be removed. It doesn't say how.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN HOMELAND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The letters were received at state capitals in all geographical regions by governors of both parties.

GOV JIM GIBBONS (R), NEVADA: We have been advised by the FBI to take it seriously.

GOV MIKE BEEBE (D), ARKANSAS: What it basically said was that resign and reapply, and we will reinstate you if you will sign this deal. So, we just turned it over to the state police.

MESERVE: In an intelligence note, the FBI and DHS say they are not aware of any immediate threats to specific governors. But Nevada and some other states ramped up security. The letters were sent by the Guardians of the Free Republics, a so-called sovereign citizen extremist group.

MARK PITCAVAGE, ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE: They oppose virtually every law that's out there, from very simple things such as fishing permits or hunting permits, you know, up to criminal laws, commercial laws.

MESERVE: Online, the group promotes what it calls the "Restore America Plan" to remove what it sees as an illegitimate government. And people claiming to be leaders have discussed it this week on the radio.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The 50 men and women who occupy the office of governor in each of the incorporated states of the United States federal corporation were served.

MESERVE: Experts say the group is part of an explosive growth in right-wing activity.

MARK POTOK, SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER: I think the rage out there has to do with rapidly changing demographics in this country, racial demographics, the fact that a black man has been elected president, the terrible economy and all the angst and fear and frustration that that has brought.

MESERVE (on camera): Though the FBI and DHS say members of the "Sovereign Citizens" movement have engaged in violence this particular group says it wants peaceful change. But law enforcement worries that other group or individuals will see this as a call to violent action.

Jeanne Meserve, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: All right, our Susan Candiotti also working this story. So Susan, you've talked with people who say that they are members of this so-called "Sovereign Citizen" extremist group and they are allegedly claiming responsibility. What are they telling you?

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, hi, good afternoon. By phone, I spoke with two members of the group who says it's behind the letters sent to the governors. One of the people I spoke with is Tim Turner. He's identified as one of four so-called "elders" promoting what they call a "Restore America Plan."

Now, the FBI tracked him down and paid him a visit Wednesday, three days ago. Another member of that group called guardians of the free republics that Jeanne Meserve just talked about said the FBI spent a couple of hours with Turner. Both men said after that meeting, quoting here, "everything is fine with the FBI." And as for the letters to the governors, another member said this, "We have no interest in militia groups. We don't expect the governors to step down. We do want them to remember that they represent the people and act for the people. They don't represent foreign interests or corporations."

Now, we know that two days after that meeting in Alabama a government intelligence note was issued to be aware of those letters to the governors and the so-called extremist group behind them -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: And so the FBI, what is the FBI saying as to why they are paying close attention to these cases?

CANDIOTTI: Well, again, the FBI says that they have no indication that any violence is expected from this group. And they also said that they seem to be advocating the -- this group seems to be advocating more of a plan, a philosophy. They set up what they call "elders" and "common law grand juries" who can bring people up on charges and act as judge and jury. They say corporations are running America and they're at the direction of foreign interests. So, in some ways this is kind of a flashback to things that we were hearing in the mid '90s around the time of a federal agents raid on Waco and Ruby Ridge and the Freeman Movement. Remember that?

WHITFIELD: Yeah.

CANDIOTTI: The question, of course, is where all of this is headed.

WHITFIELD: All right, Susan Candiotti, thanks so much for that. We'll check back with you throughout the day on this story.

All right, meantime, another terrorism investigation related case. A Colorado mother now detained in Ireland last month is now in U.S. custody charged with providing materials support to terrorists. Federal prosecutors say 31-year-old Jamie Paulin-Ramirez and a Pennsylvania woman known as "Jihad Jane" traveled to Europe to live and train with terrorists and take part in a violent jihad.

Paulin-Ramirez voluntarily flew to Philadelphia yesterday and was arrested by members of a terrorism task force. Her 6-year-old son was placed in the custody of child services. Ramirez's mother says the boy should be home with her and she speculated on what drove her daughter to leave the country.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTINE MOTT, DEFENDANT'S MOTHER: She was looking for somebody to love her. They came in to that computer and have ripped my family apart.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: If convicted Paulin-Ramirez could face 15 years in prison. And we'll be talking to our legal guys about this case and others coming up.

Terror on campus, students repeatedly getting bullied to the point of suicide. South Hadley, Massachusetts, school officials are now talking about their case getting national attention. The death of 15-year-old Phoebe Prince, here now is CNN's Alina Cho.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GUS SAYER, SUPERINTENDENT, SOUTH HADLEY HIGH SCHOOLS: I have anonymous e-mails that I'm getting from all over the country, OK. Mostly they're disgusting. Mostly they are things like "you administrators should burn in hell," and stuff like that. And even worse -- that's a mild one. OK, I mean...

ALINA CHO, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT: How do you react?

SAYER: I try to ignore them.

CHO (voice-over): Ever since the D.A. announced charges this week against South Hadley high school students, classmates who prosecutors say bullied 15-year- old Phoebe Prince and drove her to kill herself, the community has been desperate for accountability. Who's to blame?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Rock-102, good morning. Who's this?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hi, my name is Al. I just want to make a statement that I think the administrators should be held accountable for what's going on.

CHO: Some say Principal Dan Smith and Superintendent Gus Sayer should resign because critics say they knew about the bullying Phoebe Prince endured and did nothing to stop it.

(on camera): The D.A. was pretty harsh in her assessment of what happened. Do you agree with her assessment?

SAYER: No, I don't agree with that assessment.

CHO: Gus Sayer says contrary to what the D.A. is saying, school officials did intervene in the Prince case, he says as soon as they were tipped off. The first hint, he says, was not months before Phoebe Prince died, as some have suggested, but exactly one week before she committed suicide.

SAYER: One involved one girl walking into a classroom and calling Phoebe an "Irish slut" right in the front of the classroom. That girl was brought to the principal's office immediately, and she was disciplined by the principal.

CHO: But he did not elaborate on what action was taken. Parents say the bullying went on in plain view of faculty for much longer than one week, harassment so severe it allegedly drove a 15-year-old girl on January 14 to hang herself in the stairwell of her home.

SAYER: Phoebe didn't reveal to people what she was being subjected to, and unfortunately, until January 7, we were not aware of what she was being subjected to. So, it was very little way we could have intervened in the bullying that took place. Do I wish that we had known more about what was going on with Phoebe? Of course I do. CHO (voice-over): In a statement to CNN, the D.A. said, "I do not intend to address Superintendent Sayer's assertions point-by-point. I will, however, say that Mr. Sayer does not have access to our investigative materials. Therefore, he can't have a basis for some of his comments."

Sayer says if anyone needs proof, this is it. All of the students charged in this case have either been suspended or expelled. As for his future...

SAYER: I work for the school committee here. If the school committee believes that I should resign, they will tell me so. And you know, they and I have an understanding that I will not stay in my job if they think I should leave. I'm not going to fight them over that.

CHO (on camera): Have they been supportive?

SAYER: Very supportive.

CHO: Sayer tells me the principal of South Hadley High School, Dan Smith, also has no plans to resign. Administrators have created an anti-bullying committee, and Sayer says he plans to focus on programs designed to teach kids about civil behavior and about the dangers of bullying.

Alina Cho, CNN, New York

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Well, sadly, there are other cases with a common thread, one from the Dallas area. 13-year-old boy allegedly bullied because he is short and he took his own life. And in Houston, a second grader reportedly picked on jumped out a second floor window at the school. The 8-year-old is OK. The school made him sign a contract promising that he wouldn't try that again. So, later on this afternoon we'll delve further into this topic with CNN's student news anchor Carla Suiz, what are kids saying about their experiences with bullies. That's later on this afternoon at the 3:00 Eastern hour, right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

All right, meantime, there's a flurry of excitement going on because the iPad is here. Did you line up before dawn to get yours? We'll see what all the hype is about coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, here's the quote. Maybe you felt this way. "I've been craving this for a long time," the words of one young man speaking of thousands who are lining up all day long. Many who lined up before dawn this morning. You're looking at pictures from New York to Chicago and Miami. Why? All to get an iPad. The new tablet-like computer that actually went on sale at Apple stores early this morning. Some Best Buy stores also had them in stock. At least they did early this morning. Who knows what their stock is like now.

And if you can still find one, it will cost you anywhere from $500 to $800. I can't wait to talk to Don Lemon because apparently he, too, was in the crowd waiting in line to get the iPad.

So, is this iPad worth those long lines and the price? Technology guru Mario Armstrong is with us now with his take on it. So, should it have been worth the wait?

MARIO ARMSTRONG, CNN TECHNOLOGY: Hey Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Good to see you.

ARMSTRONG: Good to see you , too. I got to tell you, should it have been worth the wait? That's a loaded question. Here's the deal. The iPad...

WHITFIELD: That means you're not a fan.

ARMSTRONG: That means I'm trying to stay -- I'm staying grounded. Now, this is a ground-breaking innovation. Let's not be confused by my stance. However, I do feel this is something that can -- I hate to use the word revolutionary, but I do think it has that potential or revolutionary but it's missing a few things.

WHITFIELD: Like what?

ARMSTRONG: Well, you know, it has some limitations. Let me run down a few. It has no USB, it has no camera, so we can't do like any videoconferencing. Really a small storage, no keyboard that really comes with it. No flash to play like maybe video interactively. But here is the thing, I'm saying all these things like no, no, no. It's still going to be successful, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Yeah, because I'm wondering is this supposed to be the all-purpose kind of, you know, computer, the replacement to your laptop, to your desktop? Likely, no, right?

ARMSTRONG: You're absolutely right. And that's why I still say it's going to be successful. And the reason I had hesitancy is to why people should go out and buy it. because I think that unless you're an early adapter, you should hold off. I mean, we're in a recession, people, so if you don't really have the extra money, hold off because newer versions will come out with more features.

However, I will say this, you know, if pros to this thing, there are a lot of them and you hit it dead spot-on. This is for the average everyday casual user. It's not going to replace your current laptop or your desktop computer at home. It has all the wonderful things you expect, Web browsing, being able to consume media. Viewing newspapers and magazines on this thing is amazing.

WHITFIELD: That's the feature that I like, yeah. I like that whole page turning.

ARMSTRONG: Yes. And the e-book readers out there need to really worry about this, the e-book reader market may need to really be concerned about something like this. So, you know, I think those pros really outweigh some of the cons, right now. WHITFIELD: So, I wonder now how much this iPad is now influencing the technology of the future. Are we going to see just like we did, you know, with the iPhone, a lot of other companies have come up with something very close to it.

ARMSTRONG: That's right. So, I brought a couple of things in just to show you something because I want to take a trip back in time, actually, because you're absolutely right. This, what I'm holding, is an older HP and this is called a tablet. Now, look at this, you would normally take a pen or stylus and touch a screen, but you could also...

WHITFIELD: Yeah, you see a lot of doctor's offices use that.

ARMSTRONG: Exactly. But you can also flip it out and it's also a full functioning laptop device. Now, this was out a few years ago. So, this technology isn't so new-new. But you have companies now, like HP getting into this game now that Apple's kind of jumped in. You have Dell, you have Asus, you even have Google and HTC showing off prototypes and different designs of products they are intending to unveil in this category.

So the innovation is not done. And the iPad will not be the only device in this space.

WHITFIELD: Wow. So, it's only going to get more sophisticated, more competitive for those makers of this kind of technology.

ARMSTRONG: That's right. And that's usually a good thing. When you bring on competition it brings more innovation. I really think it...

WHITFIELD: And brings the price down.

ARMSTRONG: Brings the price down, which is very important. And I think, Fredricka, on that note we might see that this whole iPad thing that's taking place will push computing devices to what I'm foreseeing a paperless classroom. I really think we're going to get to the point where we see students having digital textbooks not utilizing actual print textbooks because of these type of devices.

WHITFIELD: You know, and I should be all for that, but part of me says I don't think I like that because their penmanship, I mean, it's already suffering for a lot of young people. It's really going to be suffering after that if you don't get the practice of writing and spelling and all that.

ARMSTRONG: I agree with that. The compute ring should not replace some of the traditional things you need to do in a classroom. But, I do believe that being able -- what if every kid in America could have the same quality of textbook and be able to collaborate and share information. That might be a big differentiator.

WHITFIELD: OK, Mario, thank you so much. You know, I forgot to ask you, too about the iPad. So, all the people standing in line, are those all the people that signed up, the whole presale or could you have been someone who woke up this morning and said, I think I want to stand in line and get something.

ARMSTRONG: And great question. And you still can. So, it was two lines that was happening, one for the prepaid, one for the preorder. But up until 3:00 those preorders, if they aren't picked up, then those -- and some stores have inventory available for walk- ins, but those preorders will also become available after 3:00. So, people still have time if they want to go out and pick up one. Mine's in the mail. So, I am excited about that.

WHITFIELD: So lucky. Just bring it to me.

ARMSTRONG: Right. Hand deliver it with a bow wrapped around it.

WHITFIELD: That's right. OK, thanks so much, Mario. Good to see you.

ARMSTRONG: All right, Fredricka, you, too. Take care.

WHITFIELD: All right, we talked about a heightened security now as ex-supremists give 30 governors across the country just three days to get out of office. Our legal guys will being looking at potential charges these guys could face. Good to see you Richard and Avery. See you right after this break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, a look at our top stories, right now. Twenty-five people are found handcuffed and shot to death in a predominantly Sunni village south of Baghdad. Most of the victims belong to the Sons of Iraq, a group formed to reduce violence and protect citizens. Iraqi officials say they have arrested about two dozen suspects.

And a federal appeals court has ruled a convicted sex offender can use computers when he gets out of prison. Forty-six-year-old mark Russell sentenced prohibited him from owning or using a computer for 30 years after he is released. But the appeals court found that condition of his probation unreasonable for a white collar worker. We'll get another look at the top stories in a minute.

And this, which is also a top story for us, an anti-government group has sent letters to 30 governors demand that they resign or be removed from office. It's called, the group that, is Guardians of the Free Republics. And at least two states are taking them very seriously, the letters, and they've beefed up security. But, the FBI says the letters contain no direct threats to the governors, but fear that the letters could lead others to act violently.

So let's ask our legal guys about this. Avery Friedman is with us as well as Richard Herman. Avery, a civil rights attorney and law professor coming to us from Cleveland, Ohio. And Richard, a New York criminal defense attorney and law professor.

Good to see you.

AVERY FRIEDMAN, CIVIL RIGHTS ATTY: Hey, Fredricka. RICHARD HERMAN, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTY: Hey, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, gentlemen, well, let's talk about this situation of these letters sent to at least 30 governors' offices according to the FBI. So, Richard, what is the language that might have inspired the FBI to get involved?

HERMAN: Well, the language, Fred, is you should resign in three days. "You must resign in three days."

WHITFIELD: That's all it takes. Nothing more incendiary than that.

HERMAN: That's the threat and that's the threat that heightened the awareness of the FBI. You know, if they suggested, you know, it's in the best interest of the country if you resign, that wouldn't do anything, but when they put that three-daytime period on it that's deemed to be a threat, here. But, you know, I spoke with Susan Candiotti, they're talking about implementing change, they're talking about a philosophy. They're not really talking about a threat. And that's how the FBI perceived it.

WHITFIELD: So, Avery, it doesn't need -- the language in this letter need to spell out an act. It's as simple as giving a condition to these governors or this ultimatum that spells out a timeline.

FRIEDMAN: Well, I don't agree with that. I think actually the tough thing about this and some of the other cases we're going to be talking about is that very fine line between aggressive, rough speech under the first amendment or protected under the first amendment and going over the line.

Listen, the FBI, Fredricka, is saying there really is nothing to worry about. That's what they're saying. The fact is that this organization and similar groups are being investigated for potential threatening behavior.

WHITFIELD: So meaning there may be some chatter in the Internet involving this group and there may have been something else that preceded these letters?

FRIEDMAN: Oh, absolutely. In fact, coming up we're going to be talking about two women who actually were doing the same thing. It's not simply the speech. It's the idea of behavior and that's what the bureau is looking at and that's actually what law enforcement has to look at in order to protect these governors.

WHITFIELD: And so, you know, Richard, I wonder -- go ahead.

HERMAN: The bureau is afraid that other groups will read this language here and then be powered by it.

WHITFIELD: That's what I was going to ask you. Yeah.

HERMAN: Yeah. Right. Yes, that's what the fear is.

WHITFIELD: So, there's a prevention element going on here.

FRIEDMAN: Sure. It's what they should be doing.

HERMAN: Heightened -- and it is. You know, when two building goes down in New York City and two other planes go down, all these people get killed. There's a heightened sense of awareness and protection for our country and law enforcement has to take these threats very real.

WHITFIELD: OK, well, the threats were taken very real as it pertained to the so-called "Jihad Jane" and now another woman Paulin- Ramirez, Avery, why did she make the journey, I guess, from Colorado to Philadelphia only to be arrested? It doesn't sound as though this woman was resisting, but acquiescing.

FRIEDMAN: Well, I don't even think it was a acquiescing. I think the Irish law enforcement officials put her on a plane, a joint terrorist task enforcements waiting for her when she got off the plane in Philadelphia. We now have "Jihad Jamie" and Miss Paulin-Ramirez has now joined Colleen LaRose who was, as we know, "Jihad Jane," as part of a conspiracy to offer material support to terrorism and engage in violent jihad. In fact, both women are being held in detention in a federal facility near Philadelphia, right now. And Wednesday, Fredricka, there's going to be a hearing on whether or not she should even be released.

WHITFIELD: OK, so, Richard, Ramirez was -- does he her arrest come, perhaps, as a result of LaRose being cooperative, releasing some information, or helping authorities in the evidence gathering phase in order to lead to the arrest of Ramirez?

HERMAN: We don't know that yet, Fred, but obviously the investigation continues. It's on going. Other people are talking, they're following -- law enforcement are following other leads, other sources. You know, the Internet is a powerful tool for law enforcement. Text messages, e-mails, cell phones. I mean, the investigation continues. It's by no means done.

FRIEDMAN: Yeah, the big evidence here is actually in part what came off the Internet, Fredricka. Both in the first case involving this so-called militia group and these two women who were part of this conspiracy.

WHITFIELD: OK. Now let's talk about this other group out of Michigan, the Hutaree militia group. And we're talking about this group allegedly was trying to plot against to take police officers down and many places across the country and so Richard, now apparently they actually have court-appointed attorneys. Isn't that something else? And these court-appointed attorneys have actually saying that they should be free on bail while they await trial.

HERMAN: That's one of the toughest jobs in the United States, being a court-appointed attorney. And you get cases like this, they're going to fight, they're going to zealously try to represent their clients. But, Fred, they found so many weapons on the premise of these people and when you go make a bail application and you have all of these weapons, pistols, rifles, other bombs being prepared and made, there's no way you're getting bail. There's no way.

WHITFIELD: I'm confused, why in the world even make this kind of argument knowing what the allegations are, why would a court-appointed attorney or anybody, whether you're paid or not, you know, by privately or by the government, why would you make this argument for your client?

FRIEDMAN: The argument is even worse, Fredricka. The defense team is arguing for members of Hutaree that it is their right under the first amendment, freedom of speech, to threaten to kill law enforcement and their right under the second amendment, if you can believe it, to possess semi-automatic weapons.

It's a ridiculous position. I'm stunned with that sort of argument. I agree with Richard, I mean I don't know how these guys are going to possibly make bail. They're going to be held just like the Jihadi women in Philadelphia. No doubt about it.

WHITFIELD: OK, well, talk about ...

HERMAN: The last case -- Fred?

WHITFIELD: Yes, go ahead.

HERMAN: Real quick. The last case I had where a client got arrested where all these ammunition and guns, the prosecutor told me, here's your deal. Here's your plea bargain. Life in prison, that's your offer. I mean, that's what happens on these cases, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Well, Avery, you talk about this being stunning, we're going to talk about another stunning case, literally. We're talking about a pregnant woman who was tased.

FRIEDMAN: Three times.

WHITFIELD: Yes. Should I say allegedly or is this proven?

FRIEDMAN: No, no, no question about it.

HERMAN: No, she was tazed.

WHITFIELD: OK, real deal. OK. So, we're going to talk about that in what's next and ...

HERMAN: Three times.

WHITFIELD: ...by the police officer, right?

FRIEDMAN: Right.

WHITFIELD: OK, Avery, Richard, we'll talk to you in a few minutes right after this.

FRIEDMAN: See you.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) WHITFIELD: All right. There was actually some good news on the employment front this week and President Obama spoke about it in his weekly radio and internet address. The economy actually added 162,000 jobs in March. In fact, it was the largest gain in three years. But the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 9.7 percent and 44.1 percent of those out of work have been unemployed long term now.

The president admits that we still have a long way to go.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: All of us know how important work is, not just for the paycheck but for the peace of mind that comes from knowing you can provide for your family. As Americans and as human beings, we seek not only the security but also the sense of dignity, the sense of community that work confers.

That's why it was hardening news the last month for the first time in more than two years, our economy created a substantial number of jobs instead of losing them. We've begun to reverse the devastating slide, but we have a long way to go to repair the damage from this recession. And that will continue to be my focus every single day.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right, meantime, are you one of the 15 million Americans out of work? Well, coming up at 2:00 Eastern time, we're bringing in a job hunting expert to tell you how to compete with the millions of other applicants. How do you stand out in the crowd? Logon to my blog at CNN.com/fredricka and post some of your questions and we'll pose them to the expert and hopefully get some good answers for you.

All right, a central Florida doctor has posted a controversial sign on his office door. The sign tells supporters of President Obama to, quote, "seek urologic care elsewhere." Dr. Jack Cassell says he is against the president's health care reform bill. He also has literature in his office opposing the recently passed plan. At least one person has complained about the sign, and forwarded a picture of it to the Democratic Congressman Alan Grayson of that area.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ESTELLA CHATMAN, MOUNT DORA RESIDENT: I was dumbfounded and it was appalling to me.

JACK CASSELL, DOCTOR: Ninety-nine percent of my patients have been -- that's a very welcome sentiment.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Representative Grayson has filed a complaint with the State Medical Board, but the Florida agency says there is no law prohibiting Cassell from posting such a controversial sign. All right, convicted of killing one of a few doctors who performed late-term abortions. Well, the suspect and now convict wasn't going to let the judge have the last word.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCOTT ROEDER, CONVICTED OF KILLING A DOCTOR WHO PERFORMED LATE ABORTIONS: The blood of babies are on your hands (INAUDIBLE).

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: What's ahead for Scott Roeder now, our legal guys will be weighing in.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: A look at our top stories again this hour. A Colorado mom has been indicted on terrorism charges. Federal prosecutors say 31-year-old Jamie Paulin-Ramirez and a Pennsylvania woman known as Jihad Jane traveled to Europe to take part in a violent jihad. Paulin-Ramirez was arrested in Ireland last month as part of a murder conspiracy investigation. Well, yesterday, she voluntarily flew to Philadelphia where she was arrested by members of a terrorism task force.

And state and federal authorities are investigating a deadly refinery fire in Washington state. Five people were killed in the explosion early yesterday, two others were badly burned. Officials with the Tesoro Corporation say the accident happened during a dangerous maintenance process. They're also investigating.

And more controversy out of the Vatican this Easter weekend. The church is defending a statement by the pope's personal preacher that compared attacks on Catholic leaders over child sex abuse to aspects of anti-Semitism. The priest says he was quoting comments made by a Jewish friend during his sermon in St. Peter's Basilica on Good Friday. But Jewish groups representing victims abused by Catholic priests condemn the father's comments as, quote, unquote, "inappropriate."

All right, back to our legal guys now. We've got a host of other cases that we want to jump in on. Let's welcome back our Avery Friedman and Richard Herman.

All right, let's begin, gentlemen, with Scott Roeder. He's the man who was convicted in just over 30 minutes that it took a jury to decide he killed one of the few late-term abortion doctors in this country. And this time yesterday, it took just over nine hours to -- I shouldn't say just, that was a long time, over nine hours to sentence him to life in prison.

He's eligible for parole after 50 years, but before he was led away, he had some words, choice words for the judge.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROEDER: The blood of babies are on your hands (INAUDIBLE).

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: So, gentlemen, he was trying to send a strong message, but the judge did, too, Avery, giving him life in prison. And he automatically has an opportunity to appeal, right?

FRIEDMAN: Yes, sure he does. His beef is that he felt that Judge Wilbert here should have only granted 25 years after the sentence to be eligible for parole. While the judge gave him what's called the hard 50, adding 50 years on in terms of his eligibility. What it really meant, Fredricka, was because the judge found that Roeder stalked Dr. Tiller, that was exacerbating, that warrants the additional 50 years. That's why he'll be eligible at the age 102.

WHITFIELD: Oh boy. And so, Richard, this judge also sending a very strong message. There was a new law that was instituted not long before this crime took place and unfortunately, investigators were not able to link anyone else to this particular crime because Roeder said he acted alone.

HERMAN: Yes, well just because he said that, Fred, I mean, says who, you know. I'm sure the investigation's continuing there. But this guy took -- loaded his gun at home, came to a church, walked into the church and killed a doctor in the church. I mean, he got convicted of first degree murder. The guy seems to be a raving lunatic and that is going to be his appeal issue, whether or not he had ineffective assistance of counsel, should he have pleaded some sort of mental incapacity defense here, that's what he's going to base his appeal on try to save his life.

WHITFIELD: But don't you make that argument before there's a conviction, before there's a sentence? I mean, you don't make that kind of argument, insanity plea, for instance on appeal, do you?

FRIEDMAN: He did.

HERMAN: You do, and that's the point. He's making that his lawyer ...

WHITFIELD: Or I should rephrase that. You don't successfully make that argument, do you?

HERMAN: Yes.

FRIEDMAN: Look, this is driven by ...

HERMAN: Well ...

FRIEDMAN: ...ideology, it's not driven by mental capacity, Fredricka. He made that argument at the trial level. But the bottom line here is unless the trial judge abused his discretion on that hard 50 years, the three-judge court of appeals will not touch this verdict and it's going to stand.

WHITFIELD: OK. This next case, I really don't know where to begin because it's so shocking and it's so disturbing. Talking about a father who allegedly shoots his son after finding out -- we're talking about his 15-year-old son, after the 15-year-old admits to the father, that he, the teenager, had been molesting his three-year-old sister. And so, the father took it upon himself to execute his son. And so, we're talking about a second degree murder charge now for this father, Avery. Why second degree?

FRIEDMAN: Well, I think it should be ...

WHITFIELD: And how will, you know, his attorneys try to defend him on this one?

FRIEDMAN: Yes, I mean, I think it was premeditated. Clearly, the prosecution doesn't feel that it was. It was an act of passion. Although to be honest with you, Jamar Pinkney Sr., who committed this murder, walked his son down the stairs out of the house into the field and shot him in the face point blank ...

WHITFIELD: Oh gosh.

FRIEDMAN: ...because he thought that his son molested the child. There was conflicting testimony that ended yesterday.

WHITFIELD: But he thought -- but Richard, didn't the child tell the father or make this admission or is that the gray area, we don't really know what the -- kind of conversation -- what conversation actually took place?

HERMAN: That's the gray are, Fred and in fact, there's enormous amount of evidence to indicate there was no such rape or anything like that. There may have been hugging and stuff like that, but nothing else. This is a tragic, tragic, tragic case here. But this father also a raving lunatic who's going to spend a lot of time, if not his entire life, in prison and he deserves it.

FRIEDMAN: Yes, I agree.

WHITFIELD: Gosh, that case just leaves my heart heavy. I know it does a lot of other people, too. Let's talk about Malaika Brooks and what happened to her. I want to say allegedly, but you guys say, no, the proof is in the pudding. It happened. She was tasered by police. A pregnant woman, traffic stop.

Richard, explain this one.

HERMAN: It's absolute insanity, Fred. It's the end of the world, it's craziness. She's driving her daughter to school. She gets pulled over by a police officer who says she's speeding. He writes her a ticket and he says to her sign the ticket. She says I'm not going to sign the ticket. First of all, I wasn't speeding and second of all, I'm not going to admit guilt. I'm not going to sign the ticket.

He calls the precinct. They tell him arrest her. He tries to arrest her, she doesn't want to be arrested. She wants to take her daughter to school. He pulls out a taser, sticks it on her thigh, it doesn't work. Sticks it on her neck twice, tasers her.

WHITFIELD: Oh my gosh.

HERMAN: Pulls her out into the street, gets on top of her. This is eight months pregnant. Thank God the baby is healthy, no problem with the baby. And she went to trial on this, Fred, criminal trial. She was found guilty of failing to sign a ticket, but the jury was deadlocked on whether she should be found guilty of resisting arrest.

FRIEDMAN: Right.

WHITFIELD: Oh my gosh. So, wait a minute, so Avery, would there be any repercussions for the officer?

FRIEDMAN: Oh I think so. I think it clearly excessive force. The issue that the second highest court in America, the U.S. Court of Appeals ruled this week is that should the officers be protected from suit. That's the issue.

WHITFIELD: Right.

FRIEDMAN: And in a two-to-one decision and it is outrageous, I agree with Richard, the two-to-one majority said that the police should be insulated from liability after doing not once, twice, three tasers on this pregnant woman. What an outrage. The dissent -- common sense was basically, look it, she didn't sign the ticket. I'll see you in court. That's the end of it. Shameful, shameful.

WHITFIELD: Wow. That's a wrong strong case.

All right, Avery Friedman, Richard Herman, good to see you all and happy Easter and Passover.

FRIEDMAN: Same to you. You too. All the best.

HERMAN: Happy Easter and Passover, all right, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, take care. All right, thanks so much.

All right, severe storms, sunny skies and even some snow this far into spring. Chad Myers has all of that for you next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, much of Rhode Island still waiting for flood waters to recede. The entire state is now considered a disaster area after last week's torrential rain and many businesses are still closed, putting as many as 4,000 people temporarily out of work.

And they're cleaning up in southwestern Oklahoma, strong thunderstorms destroyed mobile homes and damaged several businesses in Rush Springs yesterday. Gale force winds are also battering the Vancouver area. Boats are a total loss in some parts and thousands of homes are still without power.

Our Chad Myers is joining us now. And so, wait a minute, in Rush Springs, are they considering that a tornado?

CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: You know, I called Norman, Oklahoma, this morning and I asked the Weather Service Office. I said, you know, they said, we were out there, we looked. We still don't know. We still don't know because many of the buildings were fragile, so to speak.

WHITFIELD: I see.

MYERS: So, fragile buildings can be destroyed with an 80-mile- per-hour straight line wind gusts. Doesn't necessarily have to be a spinning storm. So, they still have not determined that yet and we'll keep up to date on that when they finally do.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WHITFIELD: All right, taking a stroll across the globe. A walk around the world, that's coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: So, let's take a stroll around the world, shall we, in shoes of some of our CNN iReporters. We recently asked viewers cross the globe to share their favorite one-minute walk.

Here's just a few of hundreds we actually received.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEE CRAKER, BAGHDAD, IRAQ: Heading to work. Right after lunch, Al-Faw palace. Baghdad, Iraq.

JOHN DKAR, TRUJILLO CITY, PERU: This is Trujillo City in Peru, in South America.

JUAN PEREA Y MONSUWE, THE NETHERLANDS: Hello, world. This is Juan Perea Y Monsuwe coming to you live from the back forest in the deep south of the Netherlands.

CHRISTOPHER MCGOVERN, BELGIUM, WISCONSIN: Welcome to Belgium, Wisconsin.

JEREMY BERG, GOKASE, JAPAN: This is Gokase, Japan.

KAREN LONG, MADAGASCAR: One of my favorite walks outside of Antananarivo, Madagascar.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right. There were several others. As you plan your get away, vacation, just go to CNN.com/i-reports and you'll see many more beautiful one-minute walk.

All right, if you're looking for a job, we know it's tough standing out in a crowd of applicants, so we'll have a job-hunting expert in the 2 o'clock Eastern hour to help you out. Send us your questions to my blog at CNN.com/fredricka and we'll pose them to our expert and get some answers for you.

Stay with CNN throughout the day for the latest breaking news. Of course, right now "YOUR MONEY" begins.