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Eight Dead in Mass Shooting; Cairo Returning to Normal; Egypt Uprising and U.S. Civil Rights; Super Bowl Ticket Suit; Windy Weather Across the Country Leaves Mess; Houston Police Again Accused of Abuse; States to Reduce Penalties for Teen Sexting; Woman Tries to Mail Puppy
Aired February 13, 2011 - 18:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: This hour, bloody terror on the streets of New York. A madman goes on a 24-hour stabbing rampage, randomly targeting his victims. Four people are dead. What took so long to catch him?
Egypt's new connection to America's civil rights hero -- how a forgotten Martin Luther King comic inspired activists. Dr. King's daughter joins us live this hour.
And how much money and groveling to satisfy Super Bowl ticketholders denied seats at last week's game? Apparently, a lot because they're suing the NFL and others for millions.
And look at these dramatic pictures. In developing weather news, wild winds whipping up fires out west. We're keeping watch to see where they are spreading.
We start in Mexico City where eight people are dead in a mass shooting in the suburbs, that's according to Mexican news agency Notimex. Seven died in a drive-by shooting, another victim was found dead on the streets. And police say this may be part of a turf war over the city's drug trade. We're going to get a full report on this in just a few minutes on CNN.
And Cairo -- in Cairo, Egypt's military leaders are wasting little time taking charge. The constitution has been suspended and parliament is no more. But the military says it has no intention of staying longer than necessary. It vows to return power to civilian leadership in six months or until elections can be held.
Egyptian activists warn of more mass demonstrations if the military does not act quickly to restore confidence. But there are growing signs of life returning to normal. A report from Cairo is just ahead.
Signs today that discontent is spreading across the Arab world. Hundreds of anti-government protesters marched in Yemen's capital. Security forces blocked their path when they got close to the presidential palace. Witnesses reported seeing scuffles between demonstrators and police. At least 12 people were arrested. Yemen's president has ruled for 32 years now and has pledged to step down two years from now.
Pro-democracy activists in Algeria hope their government will be the next to fall. Demonstrators reportedly clashed with police today, one day after a much bigger protest in the capital. Opposition groups are calling for another rally one week from today. The State Department says it's following the protests closely and that the rights of the Algerian people to assembly and freedom of expression should be respected.
Across Italy today, a wave of protests and -- against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators, mostly women, turned out in more than 200 Italian cities. Berlusconi has been dogged by a series of sex scandals. Protesters say they're fed up with the way he treats women and the way women are treated in the Italian society.
President Barack Obama tomorrow will unveil his new federal budget for 2012. The White House says it will cut deficits by $1.1 trillion over the next 10 years. Most of the details are still under wraps. But we do know the president plans a five-year freeze on non-security discretionary spending for a savings of $470 billion. He's also proposing $100 billion in cuts to the Pell Grant program.
A prominent Arizona businessman has resigned after being arrested on child prostitution charges. Michael Gilliland was CEO of Sunflower Farmers Market. He also founded Wild Oats Market, which has that later -- was later sold to Whole Foods. Gilliland is accused of soliciting sex from a girl who identified herself as a minor. Police say he set up a meeting with the girl online and then drove to a hotel to have sex.
The ultimate buzz killer just hit Hugh Hefner's Playboy mansion. The Los Angeles County Health Department is investigating if the mansion is linked to the illnesses of about 100 people. The victims told our affiliate KTLA they became sick after attending a fundraiser there earlier this month. The symptoms include fever, violent headaches and breathing problems. Some of the sick have already been diagnosed with a mild form of Legionnaires' disease. A "Playboy" rep told "The New York Post" it's cooperating and pointed out none of its staff became ill.
Boeing has unveiled the newest version of its legendary 747 passenger plane -- the 747-8 Intercontinental is designed to be quieter and more fuel efficient than previous versions, with added payload and longer range. It's also Boeing's biggest passenger plane ever, more than 15 feet longer than the most recent version of the 747. That's according to "The Wall Street Journal." First deliveries are expected in the fall.
We want to give you now more on that developing story, the one in Mexico we told you about. A deadly drive-by in a Mexico City suburb, eight people are dead. The drug war is the most likely explanation here.
Nick Valencia our national desk follows Mexico very closely.
So, Nick, tell us what we have learned about this incident. We talked about it yesterday. What about now? NICK VALENCIA, CNN NATIONAL DESK: Well, this is a different incident altogether from what happened yesterday, which makes it scary. This violence, drug violence, as it escalates throughout the country, you see more and more headlines like this. This time, you have a suburb just outside of Mexico City. Seven people shot on the street. One person found a few streets away with a gunshot wound. Two of those victims are women.
Now, Don, a little bit about this area. It's in Nezahualcoyotl. It's a small, little suburb also referred to as Ciudad Neza. It's actually an industrial part of town, industrial part of the city. Lower economic area, not entirely impoverished but it is lower class -- lower class of people that live in this area.
LEMON: I know we talked about a different incident yesterday, but it's all based in Mexico. This is a suburb. The other one was a tourist area and then -- but mostly, we see things happening like this in Juarez. We don't see this happening in these areas.
So, what's going on here? Explain to us, is there something different about this neighborhood?
VALENCIA: And that's absolutely right. A majority of the violence is concentrated in three states of Mexico. You hear about Ciudad Juarez all the time. Northern Mexico really is the battleground for the cartels. This area has been highly contentious recently. We just got off the phone recently with the Mexican attorney general's office, (INAUDIBLE), Jessica de Amante (ph) there with us, told us that this area has seen a recurrence of drug violence and prosecutors are very nervous about that recurring theme.
LEMON: Does that mean it's spreading, though? That's what I'm asking.
VALENCIA: It is -- last year, in the development of the drug war in 2010, what you saw, what worried people was that this violence starting to get to the fringes of tourist areas. Now, the violence is starting to become part of the tourist areas. Yesterday, we saw that happen in Guadalajara, Mexico, second largest city. And today, we see it just on the outskirts of Mexico City. A state -- this is in the state of Mexico -- state that has largely been unaffected by the violence now starting to see some of that -- some of that violence trickle on into the part of the town.
LEMON: Look at the pictures from yesterday, very disturbing what happened there in Guadalajara, and very disturbing what's happening in the suburb and all over Mexico.
Nick Valencia is following that for us closely -- Nick, thank you very much.
VALENCIA: Thank you, Don.
LEMON: Let's move on now and talk about the revolution in Egypt. Not the same as the civil rights movement witnessed here 50 years ago, but there are some similarities. We're talking to a couple of guests who know the civil rights movement very well, including the daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
It was once a lifetime moment for some ticketholders to have a trip to go to the Super Bowl. But when they got to their seats, the seats weren't there. The NFL has made offers to make up for the mistake but some have already filed suit. It's a class-action suit. We're asking one of the attorneys involved in the NFL offer, why isn't it good enough?
And caught on tape: a wrong-way driver on the interstate. It has an amazing ending.
And I'm online. I know you are, too. Make sure you check out my social media accounts and let's connect.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Today in Egypt was a beginning of a new work week, the first in 30 years without Hosni Mubarak as president.
CNN's Frederik Pleitgen is in Tahrir Square. The question now: quickly can Egyptian life get back to normal?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Only a few days ago, this place here was a battleground. We're right on Tahrir Square. But now, what's happening ever since Hosni Mubarak stood down is that shops are actually reopening here on the square. This is a souvenir shop. We've also seen travel agents that are reopening in a bid to try to get life back to normal.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I am very happy because we are in work here today.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Egyptians need to leave the square now.
PLEITGEN: There are still a few protesters here in Tahrir Square, but many are telling us that now they feel is the time to go home. They don't believe that the protests should continue. They think it's time to go back to work. Like these people over here are saying that now is the time to rebuild Egypt and to stop protesting.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. The most important thing now, we have to clean our square and then we have to go back to our work and to do our jobs so Egypt has a great zeal and then we have to do our best to make our country high and high.
PLEITGEN: At the same time, you have a lot of traffic that is coming back to Tahrir Square. Most of the area here is now open to cars, and as you can see, there are a lot of vehicles that are going through here. The streets are jam-packed as they were before the demonstrations, although right now, it's army soldier who is are directing traffic rather than the traffic police. You'll only see very few traffic police. But it is another sign that life is getting back to normal here on Tahrir Square and, indeed, in all of Egypt.
Fred Pleitgen, CNN, Cairo, Egypt.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: It is not all quiet in Cairo. After the tumultuous events of the past three weeks, this protest could be considered supremely ironic. Police officers marched, today's demand higher pay, better benefits, shorter hours, and more respect. The Egyptian police force has been harshly criticized for its violent clashes with demonstrators during the early days of the uprising. Bank employees also staged their own protest to seek better pay and for some top-banking executives to resign there.
Some disturbing news of those concerned about Egypt's priceless artifacts and antiquities. Egyptian officials now say an inventory of the Egyptian museum in Cairo reveals at least 17 ancient treasures are now missing, including a gilded wooden statue of King Tut. The artifacts may have been stole during a reported break-in on January 28th in the early days of the national uprising.
And despite some obvious differences, many people are now comparing the revolution in Egypt to the U.S. civil rights movement.
My guest right now, Nicolaus Mills who participated in the Selma March in 1965, today, he's a professor of American studies at Sarah Lawrence College. He's also the author of "Like a Holy Crusade: Mississippi 1964 -- The Turning of the Civil Rights Movement in America."
And with me now here in Atlanta, the Reverend Bernice King, the daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Thanks to both of you for joining us.
You both are seeing this cartoon that they said was -- that was printed 50 years ago and then it was translated into Arabic and into Farsi. And that that was the inspiration they believe in part for the protesters in Egypt.
Are you surprised by that? Did you know that, Bernice?
REV. BERNICE KING, MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.'S DAUGHTER: I didn't know it, actually, until last evening. A gentleman that I know sent it to me and I was not surprised because I know that the nonviolent movement that our father led has inspired so many movements across the world. And when it happened, I said, there has to be some influence of daddy in this.
I mean, when it is all said and done, we'll discover it. And so, I was delighted to discover it. There's a distinct difference. My father's nonviolence, we call it Kingian nonviolence. You seek to defeat injustice, or put injustice out of business and put justice in business. It's not about defeating a person.
And so, we have to lift that up and that's what we're trying to do through the King Center under my brother's leadership, et cetera.
LEMON: And, Nicolaus, you marched with Dr. King. What do you think? Do you see the similarities between Egypt and between the civil rights movement here?
NICOLAUS MILLS, AUTHOR, "LIKE A HOLY CRUSADE": Yes, I do. And I think Dr. King's daughter had it down perfectly.
I think what's really important, also, is the fact that in Egypt and in America, there was such a wide representation of people. That was true in the south in the movement that Dr. King led and particularly at Selma where you had blacks and whites from all over America coming in. It wasn't just a local movement. It was truly an interracial movement in the exact spirit that Dr. King wanted.
LEMON: And Selma in particular was the one that we talked about in this comic book that was originally printed by the reconciliation group, as we said, 50 years ago and then retranslated and this is a copy of that. This is a copy of the American version, the Americanized version -- the English version, I should say. And then on the inside, there's the Farsi version and also in Arabic, as well. And when you see that, I mean, that is an old comic book.
Nicolaus, you first, that has to warm your heart to know that a movement that you participated in had some influence over what's happening there now.
MILLS: Well, it doesn't just warm my heart in looking backward. It also warms my heart in looking forward. I think in this country, in recent years, there'd been an awful lot of division. So, I think the kind of unity and the kind of commitment that Dr. King spoke to decades ago still has relevance in the world and it ought to have more relevance for us today.
LEMON: Bernice?
KING: And that's what I was saying. It's timeless. It's relevant. For all of those people that said nonviolence doesn't work anymore, this is a common-day example that it continues to work and it galvanizes -- especially young people.
LEMON: Yes.
KING: I was inspired by the fact this was led predominantly by young people --
LEMON: By young people, it was a new revolution.
KING: -- which was the movement.
LEMON: Which was the movement. That's what I was going to say -- as you started to watch these pictures, which is, what, 19, 20 days ago now, coming out here on CNN and watching all those pictures that you go, did something click in your head and go, oh? Did you think that there was a possibility through that nonviolence in the beginning that this -- it would transpire into this?
KING: You know, I wasn't sure. I was concerned. And I was -- I was. I was ecstatic when I heard all of the reports and when the message spread about them insisting on being nonviolent, because in the end, nonviolence wins. Violence only leaves in its wake other violence.
LEMON: Yes.
KING: And so, this postures them now to be in a better position. My hope is people will understand that nonviolence is not just a tactic. They'd be embrace. But as daddy taught those in the movement, that it's a way of life and especially for courageous people and these young people were certainly courageous.
LEMON: Nicolaus, what advice could you offer to the people in Egypt now? Because now, they're searching -- it may have been the easier part as we have been saying. It may have been the easier part to get Hosni Mubarak out of office. Now comes the democracy, now comes putting all of those things they want into place.
MILLS: Well, I think now comes what really is a second stage of the civil rights movement which is kinds of personal equality and kinds of professional equality and kinds of social equality. And I think that's the part where the civil rights movement is had its first phase. I think we're still struggling with the second phase to make the kinds of equality we talk about politically real in people's lives and in people's schools and in civil life. And that's a much, much harder process to do.
So, I would hope as Fannie Lou Hamer said for them to keep on keeping on, but to really keep their eye focused on the economy and day-to-day politics next.
LEMON: Yes. Nicolaus Mills, Bernice King -- keep their eye on the prize, right?
KING: That's right.
LEMON: Thank you very much.
KING: Stay the course, nonviolently.
LEMON: Yes. We appreciate both of you.
KING: Thank you.
LEMON: Have a great evening.
A trip to the Super Bowl wasn't so super for close to 400 fans. When they got to their seats, well, the seats weren't there. The next step for many: a lawsuit. And we'll talk with one of the attorneys involved and ask why the NFL's offer of a free trip and a trip to another Super Bowl isn't good enough for them.
Also, last week, we showed the video of a teenager allegedly beaten by Houston police. Well, this is the same video. It's another one, again involving Houston police. Our legal analyst Sonny Hostin is here to talk about it.
And a mom's care package to her son, nice gesture. But sending a puppy in a taped up box? Not a good idea. She says it's a post office's fault not hers. Her courtroom claim, straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: As many of you may know, if you followed the Super Bowl, about 400 fans found out when they got to Cowboys Stadium that they didn't have seats. They were supposed to sit in a temporary area where seats were being added to try to break the Super Bowl attendance record, but the seats were not completed in time.
Michael Avenatti is an attorney representing plaintiffs in the class action suit filed over the tickets snafu. And I talked with him in Los Angeles and I asked him who the plaintiffs are in this case.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MICHAEL AVENATTI, SUPER BOWL TICKET SUIT ATTORNEY: The plaintiffs in this case, Don, are the fans that were displaced at Cowboy Stadium last Sunday, together with all of the fans that were delayed in getting to their seats.
LEMON: How many people are we talking about here?
AVENATTI: We're talking about approximately 2,500 to 3,000 people.
LEMON: All right. Why weren't they told before they got to the game that they didn't have seats?
AVENATTI: Well, that's an excellent question and one we hope to get to the bottom of, because it's clear to us, based on comments made by the NFL, that the NFL was fully aware before Sunday that there were problems with these seats and yet they ignored the problems, hoping that it would just simply go away.
LEMON: OK. So this is a class-action suit, right? Against whom? Who all is involved here? The NFL and --
AVENATTI: We have brought an action against the NFL, Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys.
LEMON: OK. And, again, in this suit, how many people involved in this class action?
AVENATTI: Approximately 2,500 people.
LEMON: Twenty-five hundred. In the class action, not just 2,500 who didn't have seats or were displaced?
OK. So, they're offering them, they said, triple the face value of a ticket, about $800. Do we know -- and plus other concessions -- do we know if everyone paid face value for the tickets or they pay more because they got them online or at some other site?
AVENATTI: Well, that's the problem. Face value is meaningless when you're talking about Super Bowl tickets. Very few fans had the ability to purchase tickets at face value. And the NFL knows that. On the Wednesday before the game, the NFL issued a press release noting that the average Super Bowl was trading at $4,118. And the cheapest ticket that the NFL was selling on its own Web site, the NFL Ticket Exchange, was close to $3,000. So, the NFL's offer of $2,400 doesn't even begin to compensate a lot of these fans for the cost of their own ticket.
LEMON: How much are you asking for? I understand it's millions. Is that correct?
AVENATTI: Well, we have alleged $5 million in the complaint. We think it's going to take about that to adequately compensate the fans.
LEMON: Wait, wait, wait, Michael -- $5 million for a super bowl ticket?
AVENATTI: No, we're not -- we're not talking about $5 million per fan, Don. We're talking --
LEMON: No, I understand that. But $5 million for missing the Super Bowl. I mean, just to the average person, it sounds like a lot of money.
AVENATTI: Well, the fact of the matter is, is that the average cost to attend the Super Bowl for a fan is somewhere in the neighborhood of $7,000 to $10,000. A lot of these people took out loans, sold assets, a lot of these people were die-hard football fans that made this a once in a lifetime opportunity. They got there and they were not given what was sold to them. It's just that simple.
LEMON: OK. So, let me get -- I understand that the NFL made two offers to the fans, to the 400 fans who did not get a seat to the game. You can get a free ticket to next year's Super Bowl, plus a cash payment of $2,400. Three times they say the face value of the year -- of the ticket and then others can get ticket to a future Super Bowl but you don't get the cash settlement. You say, still, that's just not enough.
AVENATTI: It's not enough because in many instances, it won't compensate people for what they spent for the ticket alone, let alone all of the travel experiences associated with attending the Super Bowl. What we have proposed is that the NFL step up and merely reimburse people for what they paid, along with some other nominal consideration, whether it'd be tickets or something of that nature. This really isn't that complicated. They need to take care of their fans and their customers.
LEMON: So, how much is this? If it's $5 million, how much is this for each fan who was displaced? How much are they asking? How much will they get?
AVENATTI: Well, what we're asking for is not a set sum. We don't know exactly what the sum of money is. What we're proposing is that the NFL reimburse these fans 100 cents on the dollar for whatever they paid for their ticket, plus their out of pocket expenses. I think it's entirely reasonable.
The NFL executives that returned from Dallas submitted expense reports for their expenses for attending the game. The NFL can merely do the same thing for these fans that they promised would have a seat only to then not provide what they -- what the fans purchased.
LEMON: OK, Michael, what's next with this case? Do you expect to see it settled or do you see it going to court? What's next?
AVENATTI: Well, we hope that it will be resolved and we hope that the league will do the right thing and resolve it promptly. The league brought in $8 billion of revenue last year. The Cowboys are valued at $1.8 billion. There's money that the league has at its disposal.
This is a rounding area -- rounding error. It's a drop in the bucket for the league to step up and merely do the right thing.
LEMON: All right. Michael, thank you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: Eight people shot to death in a drive-by. And the call for a revolution spreads. Two more countries take up the call for freedom. Your top stories are next.
And the biggest stars are up for the biggest honors in music tonight at the Grammies. We are live from the red carpet. Celebrity watching, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: We want to check your top stories right now. This one is in Mexico City where eight people are dead in a mass shooting in the suburbs, according to a Mexican news agency Notamax (ph). Seven died in a drive-by shooting. Another victim was found dead on the street. Police say this may be part of a turf war over the city's drug trade.
In Cairo, Egypt's military rulers are wasting little time taking charge. The constitution has been suspended and parliament is no more. But the military says it has no intention of staying longer than necessary. It vows to return power to civilian leadership in six months or until elections can be held. Egyptian activists warn of more mass demonstrations if the military does not act quickly to restore confidence, but there's growing signs of life returning to normal.
Signs today that discontent spreading across the Arab world. Look at those pictures. Hundreds of anti-government protesters marched in Yemen's capital. Security forces blocked their path when they got to the presidential palace. Witnesses reported seeing scuffles between demonstrators and police. At least 12 people were arrested. Yemen's president has ruled for 32 years and has pledged to step down two years from now.
Pro-democracy activists in Algeria hope their government will be the next to fall. Demonstrators reportedly clashed with police today, one day after a much bigger protest in the capital. Opposition groups are calling for another rally one week from today. The State Department says it's following the protests closely and that the rights of the Algerian people to assemble and freedom of expression should be respected.
Some windy weather blowing across the country and it's leaving a mess behind.
Our meteorologist, Jacqui Jeras, is here to explain.
OK, Jacqui. What's going on?
JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Man, it is wickedly windy. The winds bring in the nice temperatures. You don't want to complain too much. But these winds are so strong. The gusts have been reaching hurricane strength.
Let's show you the video we have out of Washington State. This is yesterday afternoon and evening hours, winds toppling trees, causing scattered power outages and some spotty damage across the state. And that storm system continues to be on the move, and bringing in all kinds of trouble with it. In the west, our weather pattern really changed. You can expect more wet and windy weather all the way through the week ahead. We have a series of storms. Next one will be arriving tomorrow. Another one on Wednesday. So be prepared for more of that.
Meantime, worst of the winds at this hour, across the upper Midwest, across I-90 corridor, down I-94 into Minneapolis, gusts could be reaching 40 to 60 miles per hour. That's enough to throw around your trash can as well. And that storm, by tomorrow, crosses the Great Lakes, moves into the northeast. So we have concerned about travel delays. It is going to be a nice day. It's bringing in that southerly wind, so that's bringing the temperatures a bit on the mild side. But we are expecting delays in Boston, New York City metros. As much as maybe 30 to 60 minutes. As well as Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., winds as well as some freezing drizzle. And Detroit looking for delays, about the same. Over an hour in San Francisco because of that approaching storm. Expect low clouds and rain throughout the day. And Portland and Seattle, an ugly mess over the next couple of days.
So a big wind maker. You have to give a little, take a little as we approach the spring months.
35 days to spring, Don.
LEMON: 35 days to spring.
JERAS: And, yes, I'm counting.
(LAUGHTER)
LEMON: All right. Jacqui Jeras, thank you. By the way, Valentine's Day.
JERAS: Tomorrow.
LEMON: I'm a Valentine's Day scrooge. You like it.
JERAS: You are. But he's wearing a red tie. Just saying it.
LEMON: Co-ink-adink (ph).
(LAUGHTER)
Thank you.
Last week, we showed you the video of a teenager allegedly beaten by Houston police. Take a look at this. It is not the same video. This is another alleged beating, again, involving Houston police. Our legal analyst, Sonny Hostin, is here to talk about it.
And caught on tape, a wrong-way driver on the interstate that has an amazing ending.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: I want to catch you up on a couple of interesting news stories that you might have missed during the week.
Divers in Hawaii have discovered a shipwreck that belongs to an ill- fated captain who inspired the book "Moby Dick." Wreckage of "The Two Brothers," it's called "The Two Brothers," was found near remote island in the Pacific Ocean about 600 miles northwest of Honolulu. It hit a reef and went down in 1823. The ship's captain, George Pollard, had lost his first ship two years earlier. It was rammed by a whale with an attitude, and also sank.
And elderly wrong-way driver caused a chain reaction accident on I-5 in Oceanside, California this week. It was all captured on cell phone video by another motorist. The driver, 83-year-old Clarence Kinny (ph), walked away with minor injuries. He was cited for driving the wrong way with a suspended license. Investigators say he appeared confused and couldn't say how he was in the wrong lanes. The other people in the four-vehicle pile-up suffered only minor injuries.
For the second week in a row, Houston police officers are taking a lot of public criticism because there's a new video that appears to show an officer beating up a suspect as he takes him into custody.
It's one of the topics I discussed with Sonny Hostin, our legal contributor for "In Session" on TruTV.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Let's talk about Houston, because another video surfaced that appears to show a Houston police officer beating a suspect as he takes him into custody. This incident reportedly happened about two years ago inside a hospital, Sunny. Last week, you and I discussed a different video from Houston that showed an apparent police beating during a different arrest. Community activists say the Houston P.D. needs to be cleaned up. Do they have a point, Sunny Hostin?
HOSTIN: They could have a point. I will say I'm not convinced that this is systematic from seeing this second video. It doesn't compare to the first video that was released. But I think it's interesting, Don, that they keep on sort of trickling out these videos.
LEMON: Yes.
HOSTIN: Drip, drip, drip. Is there more to come? If there is more to come, then perhaps they do need to be cleaned up. Perhaps we need to see what we saw in L.A. Perhaps we need to see what we're seeing in other jurisdictions, in Detroit, I don't know if it's there yet.
LEMON: OK. We want to get every side here, so let's get the perspective, the city's perspective here, Sunny. Houston's mayor says, "We are reviewing this video and continuing to gather information about this incident. I reiterate that police abuse will not be tolerated." And then the Houston Police Department has issued a statement which says, in part, "When we obtain a copy of the tape, we will review it and the case files to determine the facts of the particular incident."
So, Sunny, at what point does the Justice Department, if at all, get involved in this?
HOSTIN: Well, they are charged with looking at police misconduct. And it is a federal crime. And so perhaps, if it's found to be systematic, perhaps if it's referred to the Justice Department, they will start an investigation and that is when police monitorships are put in place, like in L.A., like in Detroit. I don't know. I've called around. I don't think that the Justice Department is looking at the Houston Police Department yet. But it could happen. It could happen.
LEMON: Especially, as you said, with this community activist going drip by drip by drip.
HOSTIN: It's dripping. It's dripping.
LEMON: Yes.
HOSTIN: We may be hearing more about the Houston Police Department.
LEMON: This is something, when this story first started to happen, I was like, OK, it's not a big deal, and then it starts to be a bigger and bigger deal. Let's talk about sexting now. There's a move under way in some states, like Texas --
HOSTIN: Yes.
LEMON: -- to reduce the criminal penalties for teens who use their cell phones to share explicit photos of themselves. Why are the states reducing the penalties for this?
HOSTIN: I think they are reducing it because it's such an epidemic. I've been calling it sort of the 21st version of "you show me yours, I'll show you mine." It's something -- I'm not saying it's right or wrong.
LEMON: But it is. HOSTIN: But it's something that kids do. And so prosecutors really need tools to deal with this because it's a federal crime to do it. It's sort of tied to child pornography laws.
Do we want to put kids in jail federally or with felonies and have them register as sex offenders for this kind of behavior that we know goes on? To reduce the penalties to misdemeanors makes a lot of sense, because they'll be held accountable, but it won't ruin their lives.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: You know, Sonny Hostin always has great insights into the cases. And she will join me every Saturday at 5:00 eastern right here on CNN.
The biggest stars up for the biggest honors in music tonight at the Grammys. We are live from the red carpet, celebrity watching.
What the heck is that? All right, we'll find out.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: It is the biggest night in the music industry all year. The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards Show kicks off soon in Los Angeles. Anything can happen when music superstars share the stage together and they're all trying to outdo each other.
Brooke Anderson knows that. She's the host of HLN's "Showbiz Tonight." She has red carpet duties where she always does a fantastic job.
So first things first.
(LAUGHTER)
What the heck was that -- I don't know. Was it Lady Gaga? What is that?
BROOKE ANDERSON, HOST, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT: Everybody is still asking that same question, Don. You say the Grammys, anything can happen on stage. Anything already has happened here on the red carpet. Because when lady gaga made her grand entrance, everything just stopped. Everybody just stopped and turned, mouths agape. What in the heck is that? She was in some sort of a gelatinous membrany-type egg pod. I'm not really sure. But it was to tease her performance for "Born This Way." That's her new single, Don. I don't know if you've heard it. But it just dropped on Friday. And that is the title track of the disk off the new album in May. And she wrote this album as a tribute to the gay, lesbian, bisexual transgender community, and wants to send a message with what she's doing here tonight.
And a lot of people were, you know, asking where did this inspiration come from? I spoke with her creative director, Laurie Ann Gibson, and I said, tell me, what is it? What is it? We'll get to in that second. Anything can happen, right? Look who we have right here.
NICKI MINAJ, PERFORMER: Hi, beautiful.
ANDERSON: Hi, beautiful, to you.
I'm Brooke Anderson.
MINAJ: Pleasure to meet you.
ANDERSON: You, my goodness, are making quite a mark on the red carpet.
MINAJ: Good.
ANDERSON: What is the inspiration for that? It's leopard print.
MINAJ: Yes, leopard print. I saw it on Chivanchi's (ph) runway and I requested it, and they obliged. And I'm really excited because, you know, I wanted to be on the red carpet for something that wasn't just a menage, not just a gown because everyone was going to do a gown. And I'm comfortable, which is a first for me on a red carpet. You know, I can walk. It's not a dress. It's pants. And it is like super comfortable.
ANDERSON: Are those leggings or pants?
MINAJ: These are leggings, actually, yes.
ANDERSON: You've got pockets?
MINAJ: Pockets. Very comfortable.
ANDERSON: Talk to me about the hair. Because it is even leopard print.
MINAJ: The hair is leopard print.
ANDERSON: Bride of Frankenstein at the top.
MINAJ: Absolutely. So what happens when you mix leopard print with bride of Frankenstein? You get something crazy. It's never been -- it's never been done before.
ANDERSON: OK. You make a statement anywhere you go. You were recently on "Saturday Night Live." How fun was that?
MINAJ: That was probably one of the best experiences I have had so far because, you know, I came from an acting background, so for me, that was like going back in that world and I loved it. The cast, you know, it's a historic show, historic cast. I just couldn't believe they allowed me to do that. I was only supposed to be the musical guest and it kept on getting -- they did the video short and then the skit, and I was blessed and thankful.
ANDERSON: So presenter tonight. Enjoy yourself. Congratulations, beautiful.
MINAJ: Thank you. Take care, Honey. Bye.
ANDERSON: Bye.
Don, Nicki Manji giving Lady Gaga a run for her money.
LEMON: Do you remember, Brooke, Madeline Kahn in "Young Frankenstein"?
(CROSSTALK)
(LAUGHTER)
LEMON: Remember, Madeline Kahn in "Young Frankenstein"? That's what it reminds me.
ANDERSON: She's embracing it. She's embracing that look and she's having fun with it.
But did you want to get back to Lady Gaga's creative director because we can listen to her if you want to, about the inspiration for the egg that Lady Gaga arrives in?
LEMON: Do we have time for that?
Yes, go ahead.
ANDERSON: Do we have time?
LEMON: They said we do. Let's listen.
ANDERSON: It's quick. OK, let's hear it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LAURIEANN GIBSON, CREATIVE DIRECTOR: The inspiration came out of that brilliant record she wrote, "Born This Way." And what's actually happening, as you saw the vessel is that she's incubating. And it was necessary to incubate her for a certain amount of time because tonight she's actually birthing a new race.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: So, Don, I'm not sure if she'll be sitting in the audience in that vessel or if she'll just wait to appear on stage and be birthed from the vessel. Laurie Anne was very cagey and wouldn't give me many details.
But Lady Gaga said she wrote the song "Born This Way" in ten minutes and it opened the floodgates for the rest of the album. So she wants to make a statement. She really wants to make an impact. So we'll see what she does on stage tonight.
LEMON: It she's in there. It looks like a gherkin, like she's in a pickle or something. One of those little baby pickles. (LAUGHTER)
LEMON: All right, thank you, Brooke. We appreciate it. See you soon.
ANDERSON: Not very appetizing. Bye.
LEMON: Right.
(LAUGHTER)
All right, well. It is an honor so big it takes two presidents to present it. We have that and other stories you can expect to make news in the week ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Now to our correspondents from Washington to Wall Street, with their preview of the big stories for the week ahead. We begin at the White House.
DAN LOTHIAN, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: I'm Dan Lothian at the White House. On Monday, President Obama heads to Baltimore County where he'll visit a school and lay out key provisions of his 2012 budget. Then on Tuesday, along with the first President Bush, he'll be awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor, to 15 individuals. Later in the week, on Thursday, President Obama heads west to San Francisco for a fundraiser, then up to Oregon where he'll tour an intel facility and talk about preparing the next generation for high-tech jobs.
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Brianna Keilar covering Capitol Hill. Expect Congress to sound off on Monday when the president's budget arrives at the capitol. But the big story we're following this week, the showdown over spending cuts, about to hit the House floor with debate and votes. This follows a week when Republican leaders had to bow to their conservative members who wanted even more cuts than leaders would initially commit to.
POPPY HARLOW, HOST, CNN MONEY: A big week ahead, and Wall Street will be watching closely as President Obama unveils his 2012 budget proposal on Monday. Right now, the national debt stands at $14 trillion and the president is expected to propose temporarily freezing on non-security discretionary items and he may also call for cuts in defense spending. Also coming up this week on Wall Street, the latest retail sales numbers, and also two key inflation readings. And we'll get the latest home building numbers, as well as a number of corporate earnings, including numbers from Dell and Comcast. That's all ahead. We'll track it for you on "CNN Money."
LEMON: All right, thanks very much everyone.
Let's go beyond the borders now, and international editor, Azadeh Ansari joins us with the big stories we're covering around the world.
First up, Italy's president in a big scandal, Silvio Berlusconi. What's going on?
AZADEH ANSARI, CNN INTERNATIONAL DECK EDITOR: He's always in the limelight, or at least he finds his way in the limelight, I should say. The thing is, we saw marches of tens of thousands of people across cities in Italy, and most of these were women, protesting against Berlusconi to resign. The bigger issue at play is they're calling for women's rights in Italy. And they're really upset how women are treated and portrayed in the media.
LEMON: Yes. He's not setting a good example, but they say the treatment of women in it Italy, they I don't like it at all. He's causing -- this is one of the biggest scandals he's facing.
Let's talk about the launch of the European space shuttle.
ANSARI: That's right. The European space agency is going to make history, Don. They're going to launch the heaviest space shuttle they've ever launched. And it's going to weigh 20 tons and it can carry up to seven tons of cargo. It's called the Johannes Kepler. Its primary mission is to service the crew members aboard the international space station. So keep your eye on this.
LEMON: All right. And a big contest?
ANSARI: It's the kissing contest.
(LAUGHTER)
LEMON: Mwah.
(LAUGHTER)
ANSARI: It's taking place -- we can put up our map here. It's in Thailand. These couples -- this started today. And they will be kissing up until Valentine's Day. They have to continuously kiss. They can go to the bathroom, but they have to have a chaperone. And the world record holder for the longest kiss is a couple from Germany. How many hours do you think they kissed for?
LEMON: 72 hours?
ANSARI: Shorter, 32 hours and seven minutes and 14 seconds.
(LAUGHTER)
That's a long time.
LEMON: I can't even be in the same room with someone for that long.
(LAUGHTER)
Thank you, Azadeh. We appreciate it. We'll be watching that.
All right, up next, a mom sends a care package to her son. Nice gesture, but sending a puppy in a taped-up box? Not a good idea. She says it's the post office's fault, not hers. Her courtroom claim, straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Now the Minnesota lady who tried to mail a puppy. Listen to her try to blame the post office.
Here's CNN's Jeanne Moos
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Pets are mighty cute in a box, or even with their head in a box.
(MUSIC)
MOOS: But who would put a pup in a box, take him to the post office and try to mail him from Minneapolis to Georgia?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was mailed priority mail.
MOOS: Stacey Champion's priority was to mail a puppy to her son for his birthday.
STACEY CHAMPION, MAILED PUPPY: I wanted to surprise him really, really good, by a poodle.
MOOS: Instead, she surprised post office workers last month when her package started to move and they heard panting.
(on camera): At one point, post office workers called the postal inspectors for guidance and held the phone up to the box so he could hear the panting inside. Worried that the breathing was becoming less frequent, he ordered workers to open the box.
(voice-over): Champion admitted lying to the postal clerk.
FABRIAN HOFFNER, HEARING OFFICER: Did you say it was a toy robot to the postal clerk?
CHAMPION: Yes, she kept throwing the box around. She kept throwing the box around. So I just told her it was a toy robot.
MOOS: Champion spoke at a hearing held so she could ask to get the pup back, plus a refund of the $22 she paid for postage.
The poodle-schnauzer mix, the main guest, was taken to animal control after Champion was charged with misdemeanor animal cruelty.
CHAMPION: They don't have a display of what should be shipped or what should not be shipped.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We always ask you, is it perishable.
MOOS: The post office inspector figures the pup would have perished during the three-day trip, either suffocating or freezing in the unpressurized hold of an airplane. Champion did poke air holes in the box, decorated with fake money, but tape sealed the holes shut. The hearing officer ruled the pup stays put at the animal shelter.
HOFFNER: Disgraceful. You cannot tell me that you thought you were doing the right thing.
MOOS: Maybe she thought her son would be opening a box in a happy scene like the ones on YouTube.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: I got a puppy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MOOS: This puppy will be put up for adoption. He has plenty of offers, if Champion can't afford to board him till the animal cruelty charges are resolved.
HOFFNER: You know you did wrong?
MOOS: Next time, keep the dog on the stamp.
Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
