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Delta Flight Makes Emergency Landing; Christine O'Donnell Under Investigation; Bellagio $25K Chip Recall; Crossbow Cannibal Conviction; Most Intriguing People of 2010; 'On the Case'
Aired December 30, 2010 - 16:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Brooke Baldwin, a lot of news happening now. We always begin this hour with rapid fire. I want to begin with this. A Delta plane, a 757 in fact, is on the ground in Colorado Springs, Colorado, but Colorado Springs is not where this plane was supposed to land.
The airline says the captain decided to divert to Colorado Springs after an indication of trouble. In fact, it was supposed to go from Detroit to Phoenix. All of the passengers evacuated, all on those -- you know, those inflatable slides. Delta is not yet confirming if there was, indeed, engine trouble or a fire on board.
Next, I just mentioned this, and now we're getting some live pictures. Let's go ahead and call those up, if we can, live pictures out of DFW. Here is the picture. Oh, that's why we are not showing it. I guess it is the bottom of a helicopter there, one of our affiliates, CBS affiliate, out of Dallas.
But just briefly, to recap, here is what is going on, DFW near the airport at the international cargo center, according to the DFW police and security down there, they are saying there is some sort of suspicious package inside this cargo center, so they have established a security perimeter. They have also evacuated the building. They say there were some 50 or so people inside.
They have also stopped traffic around the area. Now they are using one of those robots to try to find that package, try to take a look at it and see if it is potentially a real threat or not. Again, we are just getting news on that, and we are getting some intermittent pictures. So as soon as we get more on the situation out of DFW, we will bring it to you.
Next, we don't normally see surveillance video this crystal- clear. Look at this. This is an armed robbery in progress at a tobacco shop. This is Waco, Texas. The two clerks, and you see them, they're getting down on the floor. They give up about 150 bucks.
But if you watch closely, you see his right hand up? Got a gun. Bad guys turn for the door. The clerk sneaks out, sneaks the gun, fires on them. The clerk who fired the revolver says he is pretty sure he hit one of the guys, but, apparently, they did get away.
Next, the ruling is in. Someone strangle and drowned a beautiful swimsuit designer in this posh hotel in New York City. That is according to the medical examiner. The body of Sylvie Cachay was found in an overflowing bathtub just a couple of weeks ago.
The main suspect in this case, here he is, he is Nick Brooks. He is the son of an Oscar-award-winning songwriter. And he is charged with attempted murder and strangulation, at least until a court date next week.
Next, police in Wisconsin are treating repeat drunk drivers like sex offenders. Listen to this. The department is in Janesville. It is identifying them on this Web site. So far, the site lists the names and the addresses of nearly 200 people with more than five convictions.
They say it is the first agency in the whole country here to start a program like this, put this up on the Web. Cops say it will keep people -- keep people keeping tabs on their neighbors.
Next:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: God. Like, he touched my pillows.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's kind of weird having him go through your clothes?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm really -- uhh.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: Kind of weird, kind of icky. How would you feel? This woman's house in Denver had never been broken into before. And she had no idea an iPhone application she set up to watch her dog would end up catching a thief. In fact, that's what -- the video you are looking at.
For more than 12 minutes, this video catches the intruder -- there he goes -- rummaging through her stuff, her belongings, gets away with more than $500 worth of her own items. Denver police, they are looking over the video and over other evidence.
Next: Get ready to see more nutrition labels at the grocery store. Here we go, the government announcing that 40 of the most popular meat and poultry products will show nutrition facts, thing likes calorie counts, the amount of fat. The new rule goes into effect in 2012.
Next, want to learn a little American history? Here you go. I suggest you steer clear of textbook -- this textbook currently bouncing around in fourth grade bookbags in several Virginia school districts. It is full of goofs.
Parents, listen: wrong dates, factual errors about presidents, false casualty figures from the Civil War. Apparently it even teaches students that thousands of black soldiers, black soldiers, fought for the Confederacy. The book's publisher says, can't explain it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't think the author could necessarily be accused of being stupid and doing Internet-only research.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: The state of Virginia got a panel of historians together to fact-check that textbook. They found more than 140 errors -- 140. The publisher says it will fix them when it reprints the book.
Next, hitting the streets in Nashville, Tennessee, with a sign that will read "Will work for a business loan" sure did pay off for Veronica James. Here she is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VERONICA JAMES, WILLWORKFORLOAN.COM: I just got my story out there. And, as a result, I was put into contact with so many people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: You got that? There is the sign, "Will work for business loan." Veronica now has a booming business after receiving that loan to pursue developments of her own products. She also blogged her day-to-day experiences. And you can read them. Go to willworkforloan.com. Good for her.
Next, the queen of England has a new title today, great- grandmother. She is said to be delighted with the birth of her first great-grandchild. The baby was born to Queen Elizabeth's oldest grandson, Peter Phillips. He is the son of Princess Anne. Phillips' wife, Autumn, gave birth to an eight pound, eight ounce baby girl just yesterday. The baby is 12th in line for the throne.
Next, listen to this statistic here. More than a sixth of the British population will live to see their 100th birthday. Now, that's pretty decent stats. And by the year 2066, at least half-a-million people in Britain will be older than 100. The British government is reporting new life expectancy numbers and leaders are worried they're going to put a strain on the country's pension system.
So, for some context here, the average life expectancy of an American right now, just shy of 78.
Next, rapper and reality show star Flavor Flav wants to add another title to his resume, author. Call him author Flav. According to MTV, he will release his memoir, he's calling it "Icon," in March. The publisher says the autobiography will be a steamy tell-all, leaving nothing out. The book is to include details of Flavor Flav's early career with Public Enemy and his stints in rehab and jail.
And finally this, heating things up in Kentucky, a 23-year-old exotic dancer known as Summer, legally known as Kayla Anderson, is charged with arson and endangerment. She is accused of stealing her co-workers' costumes, bras, underwear, I'm talking lingerie, piling them up, setting them on fire inside the nightclub.
I know. You are scratching your head. You are like, why is she doing this? Police say she thought the other dancers were stealing her customers. Shame, shame.
(STOCK MARKET UPDATE)
BALDWIN: I want moms to listen to this, because this really struck a number of us today. Some pregnant women right now want to rush the birth of their babies. And they want to do it -- there's a whole timeline here -- midnight tomorrow. By midnight tomorrow, they want to have their babies. So, what do they get if they do that? That's ahead.
Plus, did Christine O'Donnell commit a crime during her Senate campaign? She says certain people are out to get her, and she is talking a lot today. She is naming names. That is coming up.
Also, you remember the heist at the Bellagio a couple of weeks ago? We talked about this. Police, they are still looking for the suspect. There he goes out of the casino. Well, now the casino is making a big, big change. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: A Vegas casino wants you to cash in your chips, and that is not a punchline. You remember this video? We were really hot on this story. It was a couple of weeks ago.
The guy in the motorcycle helmet -- that's the front of the Bellagio. Wait for it. We're going to show the guy, the surveillance video, perhaps. This guy is running in and out of the Bellagio with his motorcycle helmet. He's pulling off this -- basically a grab and dash.
Here we go. He is dashing. This is a robbery at Bellagio Casino. This was just a couple of weeks ago. Well, the bandit made off with $1.5 million in those chips. Most of them were valued at $25,000 a piece.
Well, the Bellagio getting pretty smart, making it harder for the thief to have a payday by putting its gambling patrons on notice. Here is what they are now telling everyone. Redeem your $25,000 chips by April 22. After that, sorry, they won't be worth any more than the plastic they are printed on.
I want to bring in Las Vegas gaming security expert Jeffrey Voyles.
And, Jeffrey, right out of the gate, is this just the Bellagio casino basically daring this bandit to come cash in his chips?
JEFFREY VOYLES, GAMING SECURITY EXPERT: Well, Brooke, yes, absolutely.
They are trying to tighten up window for him to -- for redemption. And it was difficult for him in the beginning to even do that, but even more difficult now with an April 22 deadline. It's going to be worth 90 cents to a dollar per chip, and that's not what he went for.
BALDWIN: That is quite a bit less than the 25,000.
VOYLES: Yes, it is.
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: My next question then is this. Because he can't be the only one walking around with these chips, does that mean that anyone who comes in to cash in these -- we will call them the old $25,000 chips from the Bellagio, will anyone turning them in be questioned?
VOYLES: Well, they certainly will.
But when someone is given a chip that size, we certainly know who that is. They are given that chip either from a cash transaction or a gambling transaction. So, it is noted in the accounts. The serial numbers are noted as well.
And the players, we know exactly who has them and who can redeem them when they come in. Some keep them on lockdown in a safety deposit box, because they're lucky chips or they just want to hold onto them for the next play. So, there's reasons for them to have them. There is no reason for him to have his.
BALDWIN: I see. So, that was my next question, if there were serial numbers --
VOYLES: Yes.
BALDWIN: .. because if this guy's smart, and I say that loosely, he won't cash in all his 60 $25,000 chips, but they will then be able to match them to the serial number.
(CROSSTALK)
VOYLES: Yes.
BALDWIN: In hindsight -- no, go ahead. Go ahead. Jump in.
VOYLES: No, certainly. Certainly. Yes, yes. He would walk in. One stack of $25,000 chips is a half a million dollars. So grabbing three stacks at 20 chips tall is pretty simple.
But once again, he knew exactly what he was going for. And he just didn't know how to redeem them. That was the failing part of his plan. It was well-executed at the right time, went in and got out two to three minutes. And now it is very difficult for him to redeem them.
BALDWIN: In your experience, Jeffrey, as a gaming security expert, you know, in heists like this one -- I don't know how many there are on average -- is the bad guy -- we know all the cameras are there. We see the video, even though he's covered head to toe. Are the bad guys eventually caught?
VOYLES: Well, it's sometimes very difficult to profile a casino robber, if you will.
You know, there's less than 1 percent of all robberies are casino-related. So the profiles are far and few between. So it makes it more difficult based upon that.
But most of the casino robberies are more sophisticated. They're collusion-based. There's a lot of intel. They get in, they get out, almost like the "Ocean's Eleven," but not to that extreme. But they certainly take time to plan these things, because they know there is a lot riding on this and there's a lot of people watching.
BALDWIN: So do you think he was a lone bandit here? Do you think this was very so much premeditated? I think there were reports of maybe a dry run at another casino. Do you think he was the only guy working this or there was very much so a lot of collusion, to use your word?
VOYLES: Well, there certainly is coalition. I'm not sure if it's -- I don't believe it is within the Bellagio property, but certainly collusion with other people.
But if it is within the Bellagio property or any casino property, this is very, very dangerous for casinos. This is the most dangerous aspect of our business, the inside, employee-type collusion is very difficult for us to find out and very difficult for us to determine. So having that intel from an outsider, with a criminal mind is very dangerous for us.
BALDWIN: Something we see, like you mentioned, you know, in the movies, "Ocean's Eleven," I feel but I feel like we don't often see this often in real life. So it's fascinating.
And, Jeffrey, have you back on when and if they catch the guy. Deal?
VOYLES: Thank you, Brooke, for having me. Yes.
BALDWIN: Great. Jeff Voyles, thank you.
He is known as the Crossbow Cannibal, a convicted serial killer with a disturbing past. And now, we are getting shocking new video of this man moments after one of his murders. That is ahead.
And what is going on with Christine O'Donnell? You know, there are all these reports she is under criminal investigation. Now, she certainly made the rounds this morning, she is speaking out, she is telling the media that certain people, certain people are after her.
Jim Acosta digging on this one for us today. He is in with the "Political Pop." We will have that conversation on the other side of the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BALDWIN: And now for "Political Pop."
I know you remember Christine O'Donnell. You remember her for her bid for Senate. You remember her declaring, no she is not a witch. You remember that ad? You remember she lost her race just as she had lost a previous Senate bid.
Well, the Delaware Republican and Tea Party favorite is under investigation now. She is under investigation by the FBI and the Justice Department for alleged financial wrongdoing back in 2008.
You see, it is a former staffer actually who filed this affidavit saying O'Donnell paid rent using campaign funds. Now she had actually owned the place she was renting. She reportedly had to sell it because the bank was about to foreclose on her.
O'Donnell appeared today on CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING." And here is what she said about the charge and that former staffer.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRISTINE O'DONNELL (R), FORMER SENATE CANDIDATE: We let him go because he gave so many people on the campaign the creeps. Since then, he has become obsessed, for whatever reason, with putting these charges out there that he has even started posting pornographic statement about me on Facebook. So let's take a more serious look at their more serious look at their so-called credible witness.
Now, this whole thing about rent. We rent a townhouse that we use for the campaign headquarters. And because of things like eggs being thrown at my home and my home being broken into and vandalized, I use that townhome as my legal residency and I pay the campaign rent in order to do that. I give the campaign money to have that as my legal residency, not the other way around.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: Now I want to bring in Jim Acosta, who is good enough to do "Political Pop" with me today. I remember you covered the O'Donnell campaign. In fact, I remember you go the big get, you actual got the interview with her. You join me now from Washington.
Jim, O'Donnell was talking -- in fact, I was on the treadmill this morning flipping back and forth, I think I saw he on a total of four morning shows, including ours -- and she's saying one thing, the former staffer saying one thing, she is saying quite another. And perhaps this is too early to ask but I'm going to, who's right here?
JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Boy, that's really hard to answer that question. I think that's really going tonight job of federal investigators who are looking into all of this. But when you look at the documentation, I mean, these are serious questions, Brooke, that Christine O'Donnell is going to have to answer.
If you look at the FEC filings from the O'Donnell campaign, from Ms. O'Donnell herself, it shows her money going from her campaign to somebody names Brent Vasher.
Now, who is Brent Vasher? He is the nephew of a former campaign staffer by the name of David Keegan. David Keegan, apparently is one of these former staffers whose testimony is the basis for this FBI investigation.
And he says, in an affidavit, that because Ms. O'Donnell got into financial trouble, she persuaded this Mr. Vasher to buy her home from her and then she started to use, in Mr. Keegan's words, her to own campaign money to pay the rent on that property.
This has a lot to do with how campaign money can and cannot be used and there are some gray areas here for the federal authorities to work out.
BALDWIN: But there is another charge here as well with, you just mentioned that former staffer who filed that affidavit, but isn't there -- this there is another staff here has also filed a separate charge. Is that correct?
ACOSTA: That's right. Well, there's a woman by the name of Kristen Murray. She also worked for the O'Donnell campaign for a brief period. And she actually recorded a robo-call on behalf of Mike Castle, that's the Republican O'Donnell defeated, basically saying that Christine O'Donnell is financially incompetent and that she also observed Ms. O'Donnell misusing her campaign funds.
And, you know, this is really going to come down to a question of whether or not it was appropriate for Ms. O'Donnell to use that townhouse as her campaign headquarters. And she was very upfront about it. I mean, she let CNN bring it's cameras into her office and townhouse earlier this year to, you know, watch her staffers at work.
When I caught up with her, it was at her campaign headquarters, she had actually moved into another office park separate and apart from her townhouse, that's how well she was doing raising funds. I mean, she had raised millions of dollars --
BALDWIN: Millions.
ACOSTA: -- after that campaign primary victory. Yes. So, these are some important questions here.
BALDWIN: But all of these allegations, it all has to do with money. And we know she has made multiple runs for office there in Delaware. Do we know, Jim, when she last actually held a job that would perhaps mean she made some money?
ACOSTA: We really don't. And that is something that Mr. Keegan talks about in his affidavit that Ms. Murray talks about in her comments to the media, is that you know, a lot of these people who worked around Christine O'Donnell never really saw her holding down a real job.
I mean, it seems as if during the last four years -- 2006, when there was a Senate race, 2008 and 2010 -- that her job was essentially running for the United States Senate and that her only means to, you know, basically pay for any of her expenses appear to be these campaign funds that were coming into her campaign.
So a lot of this is going to have to be sorted out by these federal authorities and you know, ultimately, they will be the ones to decide whether or not they feel like they have enough to bring a case.
She has not been indicted yet and she claims all this is a political smear orchestrated by, you know, front groups for the Democratic Party and that sort of thing. So she is not shrinking from this fight at all --
BALDWIN: No, she is not.
ACOSTA: -- as you saw this morning on all those talk shows.
BALDWIN: Yes, no she's not. And just want to point out, she has not been indicted.
Jim Acosta with the "Political Pop." Jim, thank you so much.
This is one of the biggest talkers today. Have you heard about? Women are rushing to give birth and they are on a deadline, by the way, a specific deadline, as of midnight tomorrow. But why is this and what is it in for these ladies?
Michael Holmes is apparently the guy to ask about ladies giving birth. He is going to join me live next.
He is like, why? Why me?
And is your favorite TV show guilty of violating ethics? You got to hear the list of the most politically incorrect shows on TV. That is ahead.
But first we have this list for you. As we go to break, we want you take a look at the top concert tours -- perhaps lucky enough to get to go to one of these -- in North America this year.
Coming in at number five, Michael Buble. He brought in $65 million.
Number four, Paul McCartney, always, always a sellout.
Number three, Dave Matthews Band.
So who would be the top two -- or actually top three, because there is actually a tie in here, folks. The top of the list right after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: So to complete the list for you. Which groups brought in the biggest crowds and made the most in North America this year in terms of concerts?
So here we go. Number two, this is actually a tie, Roger Waters and AC/DC.
And number one, I have been in the show, it is amazing. Nice. Bon Jovi, Mr. Jon Bon Jovi bringing in $108 million. The boys from Jersey still giving love a bad name more than 20 years later. I know you love some Jon Bon, Michael Holmes.
"Globe Trekking," time when we look closely at news happening around the world, and I'm bringing in Michael Holmes. This is his -- apparently your arena of expertise today.
MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Oh, yes. It is a wide and varied area, it appears.
BALDWIN: Apparently so --
HOLMES: If you have a tie at number two, then you shouldn't have a three. I'm just saying.
BALDWIN: Just two, one?
HOLMES: No, it would be one, two, two, four.
BALDWIN: By the way, thanks for dressing up for us today.
HOLMES: I know. I'm normally the jeans guy.
BALDWIN: I didn't recognize you without the jeans. Mr. International war correspondent here.
HOLMES: Yes.
BALDWIN: Let's talk first about the story, this guy, the Crossbow Cannibal.
HOLMES: Yes.
BALDWIN: Out of the U.K.
HOLMES: It is a chilling story on paper, let alone this one's got chilling images to go along with it.
The guy is -- Stephen Griffiths is his name, this is Britain. What you are looking at there, look, he killed three -- well, he's convicted of killing three prostitutes, he claims to have killed five or even more. This is from his final murder, where --
BALDWIN: This is right afterwards?
HOLMES: Right afterwards.
BALDWIN: With his crossbow.
HOLMES: Yes. Well, this is a day or so afterwards when he was bringing out the body parts after he chopped the woman up in his bathroom. The bit where he walks up here is immediately after killing -- BALDWIN: Here it is.
HOLMES: That's right -- on CCTV. This is the corridor outside his own apartment.
The sad thing here is he realized, the woman ran out of his apartment, he tracked her down and got her in the corridor, dragged her back and killed her. But then realized he was on the camera, so then he basically waves to the camera, knowing he is on tape.
The tape is not checked for about another two or three weeks. So he dismembers the body, takes the body parts out, chucks it in the river. And it wasn't until they checked the tape that they went, oh my god, look at this.
He also had a cell phone video on his cell phone of another murder of one of the other two murders. This is a just horrible, horrible thing.
BALDWIN: They recently convicted him, right, for life?
HOLMES: Right. Yes, he actually pled guilty, how could you not?
BALDWIN: Right, of course.
HOLMES: And he got a life sentence.
BALDWIN: And I'm afraid to ask, we know the crossbow part, but the cannibal part --
HOLMES: Yes. Yes, he cooked and ate parts of all three women. Just horrible thing, yes.
BALDWIN: Yikes.
Well, totally switching subjects to Spain. This is a story that you know, for women. Women giving birth. Apparently, they are on the clock in Spain. Want to give birth by tomorrow night.
HOLMES: This was called - actually I wrote it down. It's called the baby check law that came in 2002. And the reason it came in was because Spain was worried about its birth rate. Its birthrate actually was lower than the EU average. They were trying to lift the birthrate. So, they offered women - well, families -- $3300, equivalent of 2,500 euros, --$3300 to every baby they had. So of course, the birthrate was bubbling along nicely until, of course, the financial crisis strikes. And Spain is hit as bad as anyone.
And so, they've had to say, this is no longer going to happen. They got to pick a day to do it. They say New Year's Eve. New Year's Day it stops, all these women going off saying, "I'm in labor."
BALDWIN: I need to be induced!
HOLMES: I need to be induced! A lot of doctors say,, yes you can leave now. But some doctors are actually giving Cesareans, because they say if you're close and there's no medical reason why not, they are doing it. So, some women are getting the babies to out earlier, downloading earlier, if you like. And getting the $3300.
BALDWIN: They want their money.
HOLMES: Yes, ma'am exactly.
BALDWIN: Maybe they have many babies, mouths to feed.
HOLMES: Yes. Squeeze! Just get that thing out. Yes. Before midnight.
BALDWIN: OK. We're ending on that note.
(LAUGHTER)
BALDWIN: Thank you so, so much.
HOLMES; I will dress up next time as well. Thanks.
BALDWIN: Thanks!
All right. Two sisters -- you heard the story - two sisters who spent 16 years in prison for stealing, an armed robbery. They stole $11. Well, now they're about to get out and the whole thing involves a kidney. That is ahead.
Plus, what is going on in New York? We have been following this ongoing here for days and days. The snow, people are outraged because snow is still on the ground. But why did the cleanup start off so slow? That is behind this bitter, bitter back and forth. We have more on that.
They are lining up now. "Reporter Roulette" is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: Got a lot going on today. Time to check in with all of our resources at CNN. Let's play "Reporter Roulette." And I want to begin with Martin Savidge. You've been following this controversial prison release out of Mississippi involving these two sisters and a kidney. What's the story?
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Gladys and Jaime are the two sisters. They got a life sentence for armed robbery 16 years ago. Now, governor Haley Barbour says he is going to suspend their sentence, but there's a catch. That catch is a kidney. Turns out that Gladys has been in dialysis for some time. She needs a kidney, Her sister is willing to give it to her. And that's the stipulation to get out of prison.
BALDWIN: That's the get-out-of-prison-free card, the kidney.
And a lot of people saying today, applauding Governor Haley Barbour's response saying, I guess in the same breath this would be politically motivated? SAVIDGE: There are a lot of people who say yes, it is politically motivated. They believe that -- he is Republican, may challenge America's first black president in 2012. So, in essence, they believe that this is his way of beginning, perhaps that campaign.
However, they say he has done the right thing, he should be respected and remembered for doing the right thing.
BALDWIN: Martin Savidge, thank you.
Next here on "Reporter Roulette," I want to go to David Ariosto in New York, where it turns out manpower for snow cleanup may have been delayed on purpose. David, what's the story there?
DAVID ARIOSTO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, this is an ongoing developing story. But this morning, mayor Michael Bloomberg held a press conference in which he indicated that an investigation would take place over allegations whether sanitation workers here in New York intentionally delayed cleanup efforts amid city-wide budget efforts -- budget cuts, excuse me.
That move was corroborated or supported by city councilmen, who also came forward saying five sanitation workers acknowledged to him, came to his office and indicated that their supervisors told them to slow down, indicating quote, "that we need to show the mayor how much he needs us."
This, of course is just allegations but the governor, outgoing governor David Pataki (sic) -- weighed in this morning as well, this afternoon, also calling for investigations. If this is true, he called it a very serious, serious breach.
BALDWIN: Governor Paterson. Governor Paterson. What about the --
ARIOSTO: Sorry. Excuse me.
BALDWIN: That's okay. What about the city? How has Mayor Bloomberg responded, if he has, about these allegations that they purposely slowed down the snow removal?
ARIOSTO: Mayor bloomberg has been facing heavy criticism. He has been ripped apart in some of the local newspapers. Quoting "The Daily News" the other day, was "snow excuses."
But this blizzard struck right around Sunday afternoon, Sunday evening. And by Thursday morning, some residents in Brooklyn and Queens were just starting to clean their -- get their streets cleared. So, it's caused a high degree of frustration, anger, among commuters as well as those first responders, responding to emergency calls of hospital cases.
So, this is a very serious issue, sanitation and snow cleanup. If these allegations are in fact true, would represent a very high- profile investigation that would follow. Of course, none of this has yet been confirmed. These are just allegations at this point, really needs to be made clear.
BALDWIN: Huge, huge deal, though, if those allegations are, in fact, true. We'll follow the investigation. David Ariosto for us in New York. Thank you.
And finally here in "Reporter Roulette," Chad Myers on this emergency landing today in Colorado Springs. Talk me through it. What happened?
CHAD MYERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Delta jet left Detroit on the way to Phoenix. At 36,000 feet, had the light come on for the right engine, something's wrong, don't know what it is. Pilot came down to about 23,000 feet, finally decided to divert to Colorado Springs. Landed in Colorado springs safely but on the stopping in Colorado Springs runway had to use those brakes to the low is plane down, rather than use the engine braking. And so the rear landing gear, the main landing gear on the back side, caught on fire.
All of a sudden, the pilot said everybody out. Let's deploy the chutes. Everybody went off the chutes. Two injuries as they came down the chutes; everybody now is being rebooked somewhere else. I still don't see a plane from COX to PHX, Colorado Springs to Phoenix, so maybe they are just sending them on other smaller airlines.
BALDWIN: Yikes. So, this is 757? Remember, yesterday, it was the plane off the runway in Jackson Hole and now this today in Colorado Springs?
MYERS: Weather in Colorado Springs was perfect, though.
BALDWIN: Really? Yes, no, I didn't see any snow on the runway.
Chad Myers, thank you very much. And that is your "Reporter Roulette."
A model suffering from anorexia. She has died. She was 28 years of age and once made a Hollywood-type cry. So, what happened in this tragedy? The story is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: Time for "Trending" this hour. First up, I want to talk about TV shows. I actually watch a bunch of these. I don't know if you do. They make us laugh, but they're not always so, shall we say, politically correct. A study conducted by Workplace Ethics for Local Compliance, tallied up how many times a character or storyline went rogue in the show's fictional work environment.
So, here is the average number of workplace violations per episode. Topping the list, I love this show, "30 Rock," which averages 11 violations. Grey's Anatomy," known for sharing patient information, that is a no-no, placing second. Tied for number three, you have "CSI" and "House," six violations per episode apiece. "The Office" and "NCIS" racking up five violation each. And last on the list, a show called "White Collar," with four violations per episode.
Not making the list but definitely getting an honorable mention, "Ugly Betty" and "Glee."
Also "Trending" today, the world is now learning about the death of this French model. Her name was Isabelle Caro. She was just 28 years of age. She actually became the face of eating disorders back in 2007. Look at her. She actually was brave enough to appear in this shocking billboard campaign warning of the dangers of anorexia. Wow.
During fashion week in Italy, all bones. Now, earlier this week -- this year -- the model brought Jessica Simpson to tears in her TV series. Remember she did the "Price of Beauty," looking at beauty and how it is perceived around the world? She told Simpson she was told to lose weight as a model when she weighed all of 86 pounds.
Caro wrote a book published in 2008. She called it "The Little Girl Who Didn't Want To Get Fat." Caro wrote she had suffered from anorexia since the age of 13.
Incredible video of this road collapse. I will tell you what happened. That's just a guardrail, by the way, and where the road would have been. Tell you why that happened.
Plus, what would you think if this was your neighbor's house? This guy has got a little something to hide, apparently. You got to see this. It is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: You know all this freezing weather we have been talking over and over about there in the Northeast, in snow? Well, it hit the Southeast as well. And you can stay warm enough, as long as the heater is working, but keeping the plans alive, totally different story.
"You Gotta See This!"
I'm taking to you Sarasota, Florida. iReporter Carmen Ciricillo loves his shrubs apparently more than he loves his linens. Look at this. This is the attack of the beach towels.
Hey, he is a beach gear, has enough of them. He covered his beloved plants with everything he could think of. And here is what he said about the outcome --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CARMEN CIRICILLO, IREPORTER: This morning, all my neighbors probably think that I have about been hit by some type of towel hurricane.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: Towel hurricane. I agree with you there, sir.
San Bernadino, California. Look at this picture.
While storms lashed the East Coast, extreme weather also slammed the West Coast. That's a guardrail. No road.
And get this -- drivers were "advised to use an alternate route." You think?
Also in California, Encinitas this time, from a collapsed road or crumbled bluff, a severe winter storm soaked the soil for days. This is a beachside bluff that you can see totally gave way, covered that staircase, threatened a retaining wall, created a dangerous situation for beachgoers there.
Breaking this afternoon, an arrest warrant issued in the beating of a homeless man. The whole thing was caught on video. It involves a police officer's son. We are "On the Case" ahead.
But first, who is "The Most Intriguing Person of the Year"? You voted, and now the answer is in. I will tell you who won and who came pretty close. That's ahead.
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BALDWIN: And now I want to "Fast Forward." This is tomorrow's news today.
Tomorrow is the last day New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson has in office, which means time is running out for him to decide whether if he wants to pardon the infamous outlaw Billy the Kid. And this is a huge deal to historians and Wild West enthusiasts.
Remember, Billy the Kid was a cop killer in his heyday. And as we await the governor's decision, we're going to bring in one of the foremost experts on Billy the Kid to explain why this even matters more than 100 years later.
Also tomorrow, Deepak Chopra will be on the program, and we'll get his best advice for making resolutions at New Year's. Apparently, it's don't do it, don't make a resolution you can't keep. He's going to explain some other ways we can still all stay happy and peaceful in 2011.
And New York City already giving that ball a test run, testing out the New Year's Eve ball in Times Square. The ball -- here's a factoid -- weighs nearly 12,000 pounds. The lights will glow through more than 2,000 Waterford crystals.
And of course we hope you join us tomorrow night for coverage of New Year's Eve. Anderson keeper and Kathy Griffin are at it again in Times Square. So we hope you join them.
But that's not all. This year, CNN sending me, this girl, Music City, Nashville. That's where I'm headed tomorrow.
I'll live from 11:00 p.m. Eastern, all the way through midnight, Nashville time. But there is no ball drop in Nashville. It's the guitar drop.
So Anderson will be also be hitting it off to me to host a "Best of 2010" special. We'll be live from the Hard Rock Cafe. That is downtown Nashville. So grab your coat, grab your cowboy hat, come on down and say hi.
And who knows? Might put you on live TV. You never know.
So who is "The Most Intriguing Person of 2010"? We invited you to vote, and your answers are in.
Josh Levs is here -- drum roll -- to unveil the top 10 -- Josh.
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, you ready for this?
BALDWIN: Yes.
LEVS: So you know what happened. We invited everyone out there at CNN.com go ahead, get online, and vote for who most intrigued you this year.
Number 10, a bit of a surprise. Take a look at this guy.
The number 10 "Most Intriguing Person of the Year," Antoine Dodson. You remember this guy.
BALDWIN: Great. Now this is going to be stuck in my head for the rest of the day. Thanks.
LEVS: I know. You know, because he was originally talking about something serious, right --
BALDWIN: Yes.
LEVS: -- in this local news repot. But everyone thought he was hilarious. The news guys jumped on him, and bim, bam, boom. Look, he's now a viral video star.
Number nine, interesting one, Kim Jong-un, who is the third son and believed to be in the line of succession to take over control of the secretive kingdom of North Korea from his father, Kim Jong-il.
Number eight now, a name you and I were talking about all summer, Tony Hayward, CEO of BP. "Fortune" magazine calls him the disgraced CEO. He, as we all recall during the crisis, the oil disaster over the summer, made some comments that people didn't like.
Number seven, Elizabeth Smart, recently in the news because she went back and testified about her abduction eight years ago.
Let's go ahead to number six now, Edison Pena, one of the 33 miners who was rescued, and also happened to be a big Elvis fan, end up doing the night show circuit and also ran in the New York City Marathon.
BALDWIN: Amazing.
LEVS: Amazing guy. Number five now, Marisol Garcia. Speak about amazing, this is 20-year-old criminology student who has decided to become a top cop in a very dangerous border area of Mexico.
Number four, Steve Jobs, one of the biggest names in the technology world, the head of Apple, the guy behind iPad and so many other inventions exciting people this year.
Number three, someone kind of similar, at least in the same world. Mark Zuckerberg, head of Facebook, and more than 500 million active users. And Mark Zuckerberg portrayed in that movie "Social Network."
And finally, number two now, "Most Intriguing Person of the Year," according to CNN.com users, Brooke, is our president. It's always interesting to see where the president ends up in the list.
And let's do it, the number one "Most Intriguing Person of the Year," according to you, Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, a man who has said repeatedly that WikiLeaks is a lot of people, not just him, but he has kind of become the face of it, a man who remains stalwart about what they do, even in the face of massive criticism. That doesn't mean you like him, it does mean you are intrigued by him.
And Brooke, hands down, the winner of our poll for "Most Intriguing Person of the Year."
BALDWIN: Hands down, huh?
LEVS: Hands down.
BALDWIN: Josh Levs, thank you.
LEVS: You got it. Thanks.
BALDWIN: Hey, there's a city out there, a pretty big city, in fact, trying to scare smokers by showing them shocking and disturbing pictures. But now a judge says that's not allowed. It's considered this huge victory for big tobacco.
So guess who makes the decision in the legal fight now?
Midwin Charles -- there she is, in New York with us -- Midwin is "On the Case."
MIDWIN CHARLES, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Hey.
BALDWIN: Hey. She's next.
CHARLES: Hi, Brooke.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: So, a federal judge struck down this push by New York City to force the use of some very graphic anti-smoking ads. And I want to warn you, we're going to show you them, but they're graphic. The Big Apple's anti-smoking campaign would have required convenience stores to put up these posters showing decayed teeth, diseased lungs, stroke dangers.
I want to bring Midwin Charles, "On the Case" with us today.
And Midwin, you actually know the judge here. What is he trying to do?
CHARLES: I do. Judge Rakoff (ph), a very smart guy, a former federal prosecutor, used to be a partner at Fried Frank, which is a law firm I used to be an associate, where I used to work. Very smart guy.
I think what he is doing is he is sticking with the law. There is a federal statute that says on the federal government can regulate the advertisement and warning on cigarettes. And so, basically, what he's saying is that the city, New York City, overstepped their bounds and was in violation of that federal statute.
BALDWIN: Now, the images -- and we just showed them -- you know, look, yes, they are gruesome, but, yes, they're also very realistic of what happens when you smoke.
Why aren't New Yorkers going to be allowed to see them?
CHARLES: You know, he basically said that posting those images went against the tenement of that federal statute, and that New York City overstated their bounds. And what is interesting here, too, Brooke, is that the three tobacco industries, as well as the New York State Association of Convenience Stores, that filed this lawsuit also argued that it was against the First Amendment for these shopkeepers who have disagreed with the message. But yet, Judge Rakoff (ph) decided not to really touch that issue and only focused on this federal statute.
BALDWIN: Could the federal government -- I mean, what kind of role could they play here going forward? Could they possibly require similar warnings on cigarette packs and I guess overrule this judge?
CHARLES: I don't know that they would overrule this judge in that regard because his judgement -- or I guess his decision -- was favorable, at least, in recognizing the role of the federal government.
What I think the federal government might do is decide, you know what? Perhaps the warnings that we have issued so far are insufficient and we need to send a more clearer message. But listen, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that smoking is bad for you.
BALDWIN: Yes, it is.
Could the city come forward? Could the city of New York, Midwin, come forward and appeal the ruling? CHARLES: Well, they have -- one of their spokespersons has said that they are going to appeal this decision, so to the Second Circuit it will go.
BALDWIN: I want to switch gears, case number two. I want to get to the latest on this outrage.
This is out of Florida. This is over the beating of a homeless man which was caught on cell phone video.
Florida police have finally issued this arrest warrant for the man in this video, the guy beating up the other guy. The man in the red jacket, he's hitting a homeless man from behind, and then he runs awake and hits another guy.
Now, the homeless man totally knocked out, if you watched this whole thing through, which we definitely have. The guy in the red sweatshirt who was throwing the punches here, he is the son of a police officer in Sanford, Florida.
So, Midwin, question to you, the case is sparking a lot of outrage about how long it took to issue this arrest warrant. And this just happened today.
CHARLES: You're right. And I believe it took about three weeks. And there are two things going on here, Brooke.
One is the fact that this guy is the son of a police officer. And secondly, I think it's the victim involved.
I think the fact that this guy is homeless, unfortunately, someone who was marginalized based on the circumstances of his life, I guess the police there didn't feel that it was important enough to follow up quickly. Had the victim been a woman, or perhaps a businessman, or someone else of a different stature in society, they might have jumped on it a lot faster.
BALDWIN: And perhaps they wouldn't have jumped on it at all had someone not whipped out their cell phone and shot the video.
CHARLES: Exactly. I mean, where would we be now without technology, Brooke?
BALDWIN: It's amazing.
CHARLES: We really are catching so many things on camera.
BALDWIN: It's a good thing and it's a bad thing. Perhaps would you agree.
CHARLES: It is a double-edged sword.
BALDWIN: Totally.
Midwin Charles "On the Case."
It's always good to have you in. Midwin, thank you.
And I want to thank all of you for watching today.
Again, I'm Brooke Baldwin. I'll see you tomorrow from Nashville, covering New Year's Eve.
For now, I'm going to send it up to Washington, Suzanne Malveaux with "THE SITUATION ROOM" -- Suzanne.
