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Tornadoes Batter North Carolina; Hunt for a Serial Killer; Trump on the Offensive; Fighting Getting Nastier in Libya
Aired April 16, 2011 - 22:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Right now on CNN.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh my.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, that's definitely. There we go. Now that's it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: New video just in from killer storms that are sweeping across a big part of country. Reports in the hardest hit areas and the latest from the CNN weather center in just moments.
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LEMON: The fighting getting nastier in Libya, and the people of Misrata faced with a new and unforeseen challenge, forcing them to warn their children about crude bombs.
General Honore tonight also with a warning to the Gadhafi forces accused of using illegal warfare.
And do you recognize this Hollywood star from his mug shot?
We'll have a report on his night in a New Orleans jail. He's accused of roughing up a woman.
I'm Don Lemon in the CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta. The CNN NEWSROOM starts right now.
And we begin with this. Running from deadly tornadoes in the Carolinas. This is what people had to do just to survive.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just told everybody, get down. Cover up. Get into a cubby holes, get into a tight space and make sure to -- get away from the windows. That's the best thing to do.
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LEMON: And for the last three days, a powerful system generating killer tornadoes has taken out neighborhoods of home, trees, power lines and killed 26 people.
Today, North Carolina has taken the deadliest hit yet. In one state, nine deaths and there could be more.
Three victims were in their mobile homes when the powerhouse of a storm struck early this evening. Thousands have no power now right now and dozens and dozens of reports of twitters are coming in.
And you can see here on the radar, just the intensity of the radar as the storms rip through in the last couple of hours.
We're going to join our affiliate now WRAL for their coverage of the tornadoes.
Reporter Kevin Holmes is reporting on a live report now. Take a look.
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KEVIN HOLMES, WRAL CORRESPONDENT: The power is still out and will likely remain out for some time, into the night. We've been showing you this video throughout the afternoon, and you never grow tired of seeing it. It's just incredible.
The video from YouTube of the funnel cloud as it bears down on Sanford. It came across Horner Boulevard, which is probably the busiest thoroughfare in Sanford about a quarter until 3:00, and it drilled right into the Lowe's Home Improvement store where I would say dozens of people were inside this afternoon.
It's Saturday. That's likely the busiest day of the week for Lowe's, and employees say they just heard this great sucking sound in the air and they herded people back to the rear of the store to keep people as protected as possible. Sanford police are telling us as many as 50 homes in the San Andrews neighborhood southwest of town were destroyed and multiple businesses.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: All right. Now we want to go now to an update from the police chief of Dunn, North Carolina. His name is B.P. Jones. This is our affiliate, WTVD. This is their report in progress.
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B.P. JONES, WTVD CORRESPONDENT: I'm sorry. My IFP cut out, so I'm sorry. I didn't hear you.
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LEMON: Again, we're monitoring our affiliates live because these storms are really powerful, and our Jacqui Jeras will tell us.
It's been a violent day when it comes to these storms. A violent night and a violent day. And this is really unprecedented, you said, especially for the Carolinas? JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, I've never seen anything like this personally in all my years forecasting the weather. North Carolina to have so many tornadoes in one day is just really incredible and unbelievable. The most tornadoes North Carolina's ever seen happened back in 1984. That was 22 tornadoes. And our preliminary -- these are just preliminaries so the numbers are going to change. But right now, reports are more than 80 in North Carolina alone, not to mention a few in South Carolina, as well as in the Virginia.
These are the storms as they rumbled through picked up about noon today. The worst of it rolled through between the hours of say 3:00 and 6:00. The threat of tornadoes diminishing now, but we're still watching an area here in the outer banks for that potential.
Let's show you the number of reports that we had. All of those drops that you can see on that Google Earth there is showing you where the severe weather reports were. And, unfortunately, this automatically switched over to hail instead reports of tornado reports. So I wanted to show you the tracks of these storms.
Sorry, I'm not able to do that at this time. But let's talk about where that tornado is right now. The one showing rotation on Doppler radar is right here into the outer banks area. This is for Deer County and Hyde County. A possible rotation around Nags Head.
These folks still need to be taking cover at this time. What a weekend this has been over all. A very powerful, potent storm. Three hundred tornado reports possibly over the last three days. Just incredible.
Best thing that I can tell you at this hour, Don, is that tomorrow -- everybody can take a little breath, no severe weather anticipated with this storm. It's going to be out of here. Over and done.
LEMON: All right. Jacqui Jeras, appreciate it.
We're going to continue to follow this developing story now.
The first to feel the storm's brunt on Thursday. Arkansas and Oklahoma, nine people died.
Then on Friday, a weather watcher captured the funnel cloud forming and people scrambling in Clinton, Mississippi. One person died in Mississippi.
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UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: They told us to take cover, and I went in the bathroom, we didn't shut the door, and this roof fell on my head, and so I stayed until it was over, and I don't have anything left.
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LEMON: Well, listen to this. Weather officials reported that winds in Clinton were tracked at 140 miles per hour.
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UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Wow.
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LEMON: Sparks flew in Alabama where tornadoes touched down in six counties on Friday. Seven people were killed and the governor issued a state of emergency.
We have new images of just how monstrous the weather was in that state. Take a look at what looks like a bunch of funnel clouds there. This video was taken by iReporter Earl Baumgardner. The footage is from just north of the town of Pineapple, Alabama.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Definitely looks like it's touching.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. It's going the other way. We're fine.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you get that? Wow.
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LEMON: And then late last night, it was Georgia's turn. In an Atlanta suburb a reporter gets rattled by the power and sound of thunder and lightning.
Meantime, rescuers were in overdrive. They freed one family who scrambled to the lowest part of their home.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where were you guys inside the house when the storm hit?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We ran down into the laundry room. And as soon as we got down to the laundry room that's when, you know, the trees started falling, and it was like -- it happened really, really fast.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you hear it falling?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. We heard hail and soon as we heard the hail, we ran down into the basement.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Fortunately, though, Georgia was spared any deaths.
In other news tonight, air traffic controllers taking the phrase sleeping on the job to a whole new level. Another one suspended just today in Miami, makes it seven just this year.
The incident was reported to a manager by another controller. A dozen controllers were on duty at the time. This follows an incident on Wednesday in an airport outside Reno, Nevada. The head of the FAA's air traffic organization, Hank Krakowski, resigned on Thursday.
Another movie star mug shot in the books. New Orleans police arrested Academy Award Winner Nicolas Cage late Friday night on charges of domestic abuse, battery, disturbing the peace and public drunkenness. Police say Cage was arguing with his wife about whether the house they were standing in front of was the one they been renting in the French corridor. Cage allegedly began hitting the cars on the street, then tried to get into a cab. That's when officers approached him trying to get him out of the cab.
The 47-year-old actor was freed on $11,000 bond with a court appearance set for May 31st. Get much, much more on this story later on in this hour.
Inside the mind of Long Island serial killer. What's he thinking and what's next for him? The answers from someone who knows about serial killers. That's coming up next.
And we know that you're looking for information on stories that we put here on the air. You have a voice on this show. You can reach out to us on any of those social networking sites.
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JIM CLEMENTE, RETIRED FBI SPECIAL AGENT: When you look at the choice of a particular victim, in a particular time, in a particular place, and a particular manner for a particular purpose, that's like holding a mirror up to the offender. He made these choices for personal reasons, and that reveals things, leaks out information about him.
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LEMON: Information from former FBI profiler Jim Clemente.
Who is killing women and dumping their bodies on Long Island? At least eight are dead. Police suspect a serial killer or killers.
Our Susan Candiotti is closely following this investigation as she found out, investigators are running into some snags in their search. Susan?
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Don, good evening.
Investigators are taking a break this weekend from making any water dives looking for clues or taking their helicopters up in the air in part because of this bad weather. But that doesn't mean the investigation isn't continuing behind the scenes.
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CANDIOTTI (voice-over): As investigators pick their way through twisted brush, dense weeds and sand dunes using divers offshore and high-tech FBI imagery from the air looking for any sign of more victims, one thing is clear. It's a perfect spot to dump a body.
LT. KEVIN SMITH, NASSAU COUNTY POLICE: You can pull it to the side of the road. You can open up your trunk. You can take something out and never be seen.
CANDIOTTI (on camera): You could call it a killing field?
SMITH: Possibly.
CANDIOTTI: There are so many questions.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're interviewing a lot of people.
CANDIOTTI (voice-over): But so far, no one's being called a suspect in the deaths of four women, all prostitutes, and four more still unidentified bodies found months later. It's not clear whether they are connected.
(on camera) We're talking about one killer or two killers?
SMITH: It's almost impossible to know that right now. We have bodies in various conditions, and states.
CANDIOTTI: There are possible links. Some victims were wrapped in burlap, families were told. A law enforcement says some additional remains were in black plastic, possibly a bag. Police know the alleged killer used throw away cell phones to contacts of victim whose advertised on Craigslist, including Melissa Barthelemy. Her mother says a man using Melissa's cell phone after she disappeared made seven taunting calls to the victim's little sister from crowded spots including Times Square where he couldn't be traced and allegedly admitted killing Melissa.
LYNN BARTHELEMY, AMANDA'S MOTHER: Yes, I believe 100 percent it's him.
CANDIOTTI: "Do you think you'll see her again?" The caller asks. "You won't. I killed her."
STEVE COHEN, FAMILY ATTORNEY: This was a calculating, stone-cold killer.
CANDIOTTI: His calls a creepy and chilling clue about a killer or killers who may be watching every move the police make.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CANDIOTTI: Come Monday, divers may be back in the water looking for clues and the FBI is taking up a Blackhawk helicopter with some high-tech equipment they don't really want to talk about in this ongoing chilling investigation. Don?
LEMON: All right. Susan, thank you very much.
Donald Trump always good for a good quote. His latest just this afternoon slamming the president. But surprise, he wasn't talking about President Obama. His target, in just two minutes.
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DONALD TRUMP, CEO, TRUMP INTERNATIONAL: Hey, whether you like him or not, George Bush gave us Obama, and I'm not happy about it, OK? I'm not happy about it. We have a disaster on our hands. We have a man right now that almost certainly will go down as the worst president in the history of the United States.
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LEMON: Donald Trump, on a roll. That's him earlier today in Florida revving up a Tea Party rally by blasting President Obama and George W. Bush, sort of a backhanded way.
Trump seems to be everywhere these days, and he's just one the topics that we're going to cover tonight with some very smart people.
Two of them as a matter of fact. First one is Will Cain. He's a CNN contributor. He is in New York tonight. And then there's LZ Granderson who is in Chicago. He is a weekly columnist for CNN.com and a senior writer and columnist for ESPN, the magazine and ESPN.com.
Thank you both for joining us.
Will, I'm going to start with you. So Donald Trump has said.
WILL CAIN, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: All right.
LEMON: He's had a great relationship with the blacks. He's got the birther issue, and some weird way he, I don't know if it was a backhanded compliment or slap to George W. Bush.
What's the deal with him? What's he trying to prove here?
CAIN: I had no idea how to answer that, Don. What's the deal with Donald Trump? I'm solid out of stuff for that.
Listen, if Donald Trump said ten things, one of them would be accurate. The thing is, what he said today about George W. Bush leading to Obama and he's not happy about that, I actually do agree with him on that.
LEMON: Yes. So, listen, is Trump for real? Is he going to help the Republicans, or is he really a gift to Democrats right now?
LZ GRANDERSON, COLUMNIST, CNN.COM: Donald is going to help Donald. And I think it's going to take us a while, but we're slowly starting to figure out the joke. And the joke is that Donald Trump is a reality TV star now. He makes his money from his political persona and he's tapped into this new energy to revitalize everything, and I think that's his primary motivation.
I have a hard time believing he wants to leave his plush life to run this country. And as soon as the rest of country catches up to the joke, I think we can all get a good laugh about it.
LEMON: OK. Well, you say it's a joke. You think the rest of the country may think it's a joke, but he's ahead in the polls for potential presidential contenders. Lz, you can't deny that.
GRANDERSON: Well, no. I'm not trying to say that he doesn't have some sort of clout, but it's the initial buzz. It's almost like a new toy. And as soon as that toy gets old, you're on to the next toy.
You know, I was talking to someone earlier today, someone inside the Obama administration, and I was telling them, I said you know, if Sarah Palin was introducing ticket two weeks before the election, McCain may actually be president. But we've had time to get the newness worn off. And I think that's what's going to happen with Donald Trump as well.
LEMON: Will, do you agree? Is it a novelty right now?
CAIN: Yes, that's got to be the only explanation for it.
LEMON: Yes.
CAIN: Look, there's no serious policy analysis of Donald Trump. There's no real political viability to Donald Trump. Look, Don, to be honest, he deserves about this much analysis. Donald Trump a buffoon, and that's the end of it. And I would like to see him go away. I think it would be good for Republicans for that to happen.
LEMON: OK. You said it. Remember that.
All right. Let's move on now.
Let's turn to Robert Redford. This week he was asked about Sarah Palin in an interview with AOL's Pop Beater Blog, and he had this to say.
Take a close listen. He said, "The country is made up of three categories -- traditionalists, cultural, creative people and the moderns. The traditionalists on the lower end of it are the people who don't want change. They are afraid of change, therefore they have anger. The fear card is a very big, powerful card and when you have people afraid of change, they'll do anything to prevent it. I think Sarah Palin, part of her strength is how limited she is."
OK. Will, is this another elitist comment that some conservatives would say, this is another Hollywood elite here? It almost sounds like people -- remember the comment from the '08 campaign, clinging to their guns that sort of thing?
CAIN: Yes. There's a nice symmetry to the segment, by the way.
First, we start with Donald Trump, who I'm ashamed of. Now, LZ, you get to be ashamed of Robert Redford after this.
Let me tell you exactly how he thinks of this issue. He divides the country into two groups. People like him, or that agree with him, who are lead to or essentially unlimited, he said, in their abilities and then people like me, who agree with me, who are limited.
If we're going to indulge in pop psychology, I'd offer Redford a different grouping, and that is, there are narcissist, people who believe they have unlimited abilities and that they can organize the country if we got out of their way. And then people who believe in freedom who just want the narcissists to mind their own business.
LEMON: OK. So L.Z., you said now you can be ashamed of Robert Redford. But I'm wondering if you agree, because in your new column for CNN.com, you write in an effort to win over ignorant voters, political campaigns are no longer targeting the movable middle as much as the easily misled. So, it goes on to say, "Am I advocating for some sort of elitism? You betcha. One of the more counterproductive by products of having our political system hijacked by campaigns obsessed with ignorant voters is that the word "elite" has been saddled with terrible PR."
What do you mean by that?
GRANDERSON: Well, I mean, first to go back, I don't claim Robert Redford so I don't feel the need to defend or feel ashamed by him. He's a great actor. And just as Donald Trump, he has his reality television show. Robert Redford is in the news because he's promoting a movie. And I don't think that we should separate those two things.
But with that being said, the reason why I wrote the column wasn't a partisan issue. It was about moving the conversation forward for everyone. For everyone who really wants to find a solution to the many problems that we face.
I think the terrible thing about Robert Redford's comment was that he said on the lower end. That word, whenever I read that quote over and over again, the part "the lower end" in relationship to traditionalists really offends me.
I don't think that because you hold on to the things that your mom and dad taught you, that puts you on the lower end. I think that anyone who doesn't believe that people evolve or can change, then that might put you on the lower end. But just because you don't want to change doesn't mean that you're automatically an ignorant, or a lower end sort of person. I think if anything is elite about that or snobbish, rather, it was that part of that statement.
LEMON: LZ, I have to go. I know you want to get in here.
Five seconds. I got to go. CAIN: Don, I was going to say I agree with L.Z. Elitism has been improperly stigmatized. It is good to be intellectually smart. The problem with what Redford said, he said only people who agree with him are elite.
LEMON: All right. Will, L.Z., thank you both.
GRANDERSON: Thank you.
CAIN: Thanks.
LEMON: All right, a candy bomb. You know what that is? It has no place on the battlefield, but the war in Libya isn't your typical battle.
Ahead we look at the weapons of war that Moammar Gadhafi is accused of using, including a bomb causing panic and terror among civilians.
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LEMON: Just a glimpse from Misrata of how the war in Libya is deteriorating into nasty ground skirmishes.
So the question is, how far will Moammar Gadhafi go to end the uprising? Rebel says he's using cluster bombs. Weapons so lethal, the international community has ban them.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is -- we put this up everywhere in the city warning people of these things.
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LEMON: A source in Misrata pass this video to CNN.
Pictures of the arms Moammar Gadhafi is allegedly using against the rebels. They include bombs that don't detonate right away, but can lay in the streets until innocent civilians pick them up. Sometimes children pick them up. Only then do they explode to devastating effects. The Libyan government denies using any banned weapons in combat.
Then what do we make of the so-called candy or perfume bombs? A rebel spokesman said they resemble a pretty bottle that explodes when it is picked up. And when asked, CNN contributor and retired General Russell Honore, when we asked him to take a closer look at these pictures and tell us what the rebels are up against, well, he also had a warning for Gadhafi's troops.
Take a listen.
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LEMON: So, general, let's start with the photographs. The photographic evidence, so to speak. The first one, the first one is a man holding shrapnel. What does this photo tell you?
GEN. RUSSELL HONORE, U.S. ARMY (RET.): Well, that looks like some replica of what we call, DPIs, you know, which is a dual purpose, improvised conventional munitions. Developed during the Cold War by, primarily by the U.S. to be used against large formations.
Tanks and people on the ground. They would shoot -- we would shoot them from aircraft, artillery, and in this case they would be shot for mortars. They create a lot of destruction, but they are also very dangerous because they have what we call a high dud rate that between 30 percent and 50 percent do not explode when they're shot. Thus, they almost act like land mines when they're on the ground.
LEMON: This next one, I want you to take a look at. And they are calling this one the candy bomb. Perfume bomb. And they're concerned about this one.
Do they always go off? And do they pose a certain risk to children as well? What is this?
HONORE: Well, this could be, again, not corroborated by NATO yet, this could be improvised explosive device. You know, a lot of folks have gotten good at making these things where they can blow up a vehicle. This could be an anti-personnel version. On the other hand, it might just be a very strong firecracker type.
Remember, Mr. Gadhafi is terrorizing his people. He's blowing them up with advanced munitions, and now he's putting -- if he is putting these candy bombs on the street, they're designed to terrorize people as much as they ought to cause damage. And this look like some type of improvised device they put on the ground to terrorize the people. And the soldiers that are doing this need to know that the world is going to catch him and he's going to be prosecuted.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: We go now to our top stories this hour.
A killer storm system has now claimed 26 lives throughout the southeast and Midwest with its deadliest toll tonight in North Carolina. Nine people died there today from a series of tornadoes. The weather service says three of the victims were caught in their mobile homes. Early reports of that more than 80 tornadoes hit the state breaking a record from 1984.
Just three days after an air traffic controller in this tower was suspended for sleeping on the job, another has been busted in Miami. It is the seventh incident just this year. That's according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The head of the controller's union said he agrees with the FAA that fatigue and scheduling must be addressed.
New Orleans police arrested actor Nicolas Cage late Friday night. Police charged the 47-year-old Cage with domestic abuse, battery, disturbing the peace and public drunkenness. Police tell us Cage got into an argument with his wife about where they were staying in the French quarter, became unruly, and that's when an officer took him in.
Cuba today commemorated an event most Americans would like to forget. Tanks rolled through Havana's Revolution Plaza marking the 50th anniversary, the Bay of Pigs invasion.
Cuban forces fought off the American-backed invasion in 1961, which turned into a major embarrassment for the U.S. The target was Fidel Castro. His brother current President Raul Castro looked on today as thousands marched.
If you're planning to take an Amtrak -- take an Amtrak tomorrow, you might want to buy your tickets right now. The rail line is planning to upgrade its computer system starting at 3:00 a.m. Eastern. That will knock Amtrak's ticketing and reservation system off-line. It's not clear yet when it's going to come back up.
And while you weren't looking, the postal rates, well, they just went up again. The regular stamp will stay unchanged at 44 cents. And that covers a one-ounce letter. But starting Sunday, each additional ounce will cost you another 20 cents, an extra 3 cents from the current rate. And mailing a postcard will cost you an extra penny -- 29 cents.
Now you know.
Jackie Robinson. You heard the stories about the man who broke baseball's color barrier 64 years ago, but you haven't heard this one. The long held secret surrounding the signing of Robinson that even his widow hadn't heard.
That's up, next.
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LEMON: "What Matters" tonight is Jackie Robinson. It was 64 years ago this week that he suited up for the first time with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Our Ed Henry has uncovered the story about a secret meeting the Dodgers general manager Branch Rickey had with his pastor before making the historic decision to sign Robinson.
Ed's beat is normally the White House, but his love of baseball shows through on this one.
Ed?
ED HENRY, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Don, after Barry Bonds' conviction on obstruction, there are some who say that the steroids era is the worst scandal in baseball history. But actually the biggest stain on the game was when they didn't let African-Americans play.
All of that changed 64 years ago this week when Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier. But for all of these years, we've never know how much of a role faith in God played in shaping that historic moment until now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HENRY (voice-over): Branch Rickey's decision to hire Jackie Robinson as the first African-American baseball player opened doors that changed sports and politics forever. And the details are etched in the memory of Ken Burns who did the definitive 18.5 hour PBS documentary of baseball.
KEN BURNS, DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKER: One of finest moments in all of American history, not just sports history, but American history. When on April 15th, 1947, a black man wearing the number 42 trotted out to first base.
HENRY: But we've learned a detail about the historic decision that until now was not known by Jackie Robinson's widow, Branch Rickey's grandson or even Ken Burns.
(on camera): You never heard the story?
BURNS: This is totally new to me.
HENRY (voice-over): It turns out just before signing the contract, Rickey secretly slipped into this Brooklyn church, the executive huddled with the pastor, Dr. Wendell Fifield whose daughter- in-law is speaking with us about it for the first time.
DONNA SHOR, DAUGHTER-IN-LAW OF REV. FIFIELD: He started pacing and wore a groove in the carpet. He went around and around the room for 45 minutes.
HENRY: Branch Rickey III, now a minor league baseball says his grandfather was deeply religious and determined to end discrimination, but also fretted about taking on the institution of baseball.
BRANCH RICKEY III, PRESIDENT, PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE: Jackie became something that was not acceptable. I think my grandfather's reputation could have very quickly gone down the drain.
HENRY: That weighed on the Brooklyn Dodgers executive as he paced this room for nearly an hour finally shrieking I got it and slumping down in a chair.
SHOR: He wiped tears from his eyes and said, Wendell, this was a decision so complex, so far reaching with so many pit falls, but still filled with so much good if it was right. I had to work it out in this room and with you and I had to ask God about it.
HENRY: To protect Rickey's privacy, the pastor told only his wife who wrote a five-page essay that we recently found in an archive. The pastor's wife said she wrote the essay, which appeared in the church bulletin with little notice after Rickey's death in 1965.
So that Robinson would know how much Rickey struggled with it, but Robinson died young in 1972 and his widow, Rachel told us the story never made it to her family until now. And she praised Rickey's courage.
RACHEL ROBINSON, WIDOW OF JACKIE ROBINSON: He needed all of the strength he could summon up, you know, to be able to take the step.
HENRY: Burns is now planning to use this story in a film about Robinson's life slated to come out in 2015.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HENRY: I had a chance to privately tell President Obama that I was going to be interviewing Rachel Robinson and he told me very directly, I want you to tell her something. The president said, I believe there's a direct line from what Jackie did to me being elected the first African-American president.
So I told Mrs. Robinson that when I interviewed her here in Manhattan at the offices of the Jackie Robinson Foundation, and she just beamed and said she loves hearing that the progress American made in another period of history is now linked to another. Don?
LEMON: All right, Ed, thank you very much for that.
A wild high-speed chase across the pond in the U.K. A suspected car thief weaving in and out of traffic, and an amazing clip and he's about to drive into the path of an oncoming train. We'll show you how this all ends after the break.
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LEMON: All right. Here it is. The ending of the scar chase in the U.K. we showed you before the break.
The driver, a suspected car thief, smashes through the railroad crossing arms, OK. The police wisely decide not to follow him through, because, watch, as the suspect gets away in the distance. Seconds later, a train plows through the crossing at a high speed -- police eventually caught up with the suspect and charged him. This video is from June, but British police just posted it Thursday when the guy started serving a 3-1/2 year sentence.
Imagine if they had kept chasing him. It would not have been good.
Royal watchers are gearing up for Britain's big wedding at the end of the month. Prince William and Kate Middleton, of course, will be the center of attention.
And for the soon to be princess, it's going to be that way in some ways forever. It's no exaggeration to say that life as she has known will never be the same. Here's CNN Max Foster.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MAX FOSTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): There's a reason why senior royals tend to end up in the military. They can't then be accused of cashing in on their positions like they would if they worked for a private company.
In the past, Kate has worked as a buyer for a fashion chain, and then for her parents' party-planning business. But as a princess, she'll effectively be limited to charity work.
The right to choose a career is one of the freedoms Kate's giving up. Another is her right to travel, unable to go abroad without government consent.
William has grown up with these restrictions and more. He didn't have the automatic right to marry who he wanted. He needed the approval of the queen and the government and, thankfully, Kate isn't a Catholic. By law, he can't marry a Roman Catholic and become king.
The British monarch is also supreme leader of the Church of England, so William's religious path was set even before he was born. Both William and Kate have also given up their right to privacy.
ROBERT HAZELL, BRITISH CONSTITUTIONAL EXPERT: In effect, young royals -- and Prince William knows this -- are public property, so far as the press are concerned. And the tabloid press in Britain are particularly inquisitive, and --
FOSTER (on camera): But that's the same for any celebrity, isn't it?
HAZELL: But celebrities -- other celebrities have chosen to become a celebrity. Prince William didn't choose this. He was born into it. It's his fate.
FOSTER: But he can reject it.
HAZELL: He could reject it, but he would then have to drop out of the line of succession and become a private person.
FOSTER (voice-over): Royals have been forced to choose between love and duty before. In the 1950s, the queen's sister, Princess Margaret, wanted to marry Captain Peter Townsend. The government wouldn't give its approval because he was divorced. So, Margaret, in order to keep her position, declined his proposal.
Max Foster, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: All right, Max.
The royal wedding is less than two weeks away, and tomorrow you're in for a real trick.
I'll be joined by Kate Middleton, live, during the 6:00 hour here on CNN. That's right. Kate Middleton, that's her name. You don't want to miss that, coming up.
And don't forget to check in on everything to do with the royal wedding whenever you want. You can do it by going to CNN.com/RoyalWedding. And watch CNN's live coverage on the big day, it's Friday, April 29th.
In the meantime, up next, you have to love stories like this. A high school student's effort to bring joy to our troops.
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LEMON: One of our 2008 CNN Heroes has reached a major milestone. Five years ago, Tennessee high School student Kaylee Radzyminski started sending CDs and DVDs to troops overseas. The project became her non-profit organization. It's called Tunes 4 the Troops, and this week, it celebrated a major milestone.
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ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST, "ANDERSON COOPER 360": Kaylee Marie Radzyminski became a CNN hero in 2008 when she was a sophomore in high school. At a time, her organization Tunes 4 the Troops had shipped more than 200,000 CDs and DVDs to U.S. military members overseas. It was Kaylee's way to say thank you.
KAYLEE MARIE RADZYMINSKI, CNN HERO: Tunes 4 the Troops has gone so far this past five years. There was absolutely nothing that I would change because it has made a difference in so many people's lives.
COOPER: Today, Kaylee is on a military ROTC scholarship at Tennessee Tech University which has become the new home of her organization.
RADZYMINSKI: Tunes 4 the Troops is now part of the service learning center here at the university. There's basically a staff and student workers that volunteer for community service hours. This way, Tunes 4 the Troops will be able to continue even once I graduate.
COOPER: This week, volunteers gather to pack the latest shipment of CDs and DVDs, which included a special milestone, the group's one millionth disk.
RADZYMINSKI: One of the guitarists from Lynyrd Skynyrd, show up at our packing party to actually pack the one million CD.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Number one million.
RADZYMINSKI: Once I graduate, I will be able to know that Tunes 4 the Troops have been in wonderful hands. And who knows, once I'm an officer in the United States army, I could potentially benefit from Tunes 4 the Troops getting CDs and DVDS. And, that's, I mean, pretty cool.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: Remember, all of this year's CNN Heroes are chosen from people you tell us about. So to nominate someone you know who's making a big difference in your community go to CNNHeroes.com.
An Oscar winner gets a mug shot. It happened last night, late last night as a matter of fact when New Orleans police arrested a big tinsel town name. We've got the mug shot after the break.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Watch out!
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LEMON: Actor Nicolas Cage starring in the movie "National Treasure: Book of Secrets," that was back in 2007. Last night, though, you can pretty much bet it was not a red carpet evening for Cage, that's because he was in jail.
New Orleans police arrested the Oscar winner on charges of domestic abuse, battery, public drunkenness and disturbing the peace.
CNN Wire entertainment editor Alan Duke live in L.A. with the full story.
So, Alan, any word from Cage's P.R. or Cage himself about his arrest?
ALAN DUKE, EDITOR, CNN WIRE ENTERTAINMENT: No. No word from his lawyer, his publicist or from the actor himself about what happened. What we do know about the incident last night is pretty much a description that the police provided us today about his arrest.
LEMON: OK. So from the police description, though, Alan, it sounds like he was a mean drunk, if it's indeed true. And his wife, Alice, is she all right?
DUKE: Well, she is OK. The police report said that she didn't have any injuries, no bruises. But apparently what happened was, allegedly, is he grabbed her arm and that would constitute the domestic abuse battery charge that he's now facing.
The other part of the charge is the public drunkenness and also disturbing the peace is what happened after the police arrived, when some onlookers were disturbed about his behavior. Apparently arguing with her saying this is the place we've rented.
He's in -- you know, this is where she says, no, it's not. And he was apparently heavily intoxicated. So somebody called the police. They came and, well, there was yelling, the way the police say. He was banging on the trunks of cars and he was yelling at them and they finally arrested him.
LEMON: OK. Just, quickly, because I want to talk a little bit more about that. Where is he right now? Is he still in jail? He is released, right?
DUKE: No. He got out.
LEMON: Yes. DUKE: He got out just afternoon today. Posted $11,000 bond. What's interesting is that Dog Chapman, you know, the bounty hunter of reality television fame, is saying that he is the one who facilitated the posting of the bond, $11,000 bond. Dog Chapman is in Hawaii, but apparently he arranged for that to happen. But he's free. Again, we haven't heard from him, though.
LEMON: OK. Here's what I wanted to ask. He said he was banging on the trunks of the taxi. So he's in New Orleans to do a movie, right? And is this art imitating life in any way, or -- I'm trying to figure it out.
DUKE: Well, the point is, the movie that he was making, or is making, is called "Medallion." It's about a $35 million budget and it is coming out next year.
Ironically, he's playing a former thief who is searching for his kidnapped daughter who was, according to the movie's description, was hidden in the trunk of a taxi. You know, Nick Cage is famous for method acting. And maybe that would be his defense.
LEMON: OK. And he has ties in New Orleans. He's had lots of properties there. And I asked you that because you said Dog, the bounty hunter, posted the $11,000 bond, but he's had tough financial time. He's had to get rid of several places down in New Orleans. He's had some problems with money.
Did he -- why did he need Dog to post $11,000 for a Hollywood actor not that much money?
DUKE: I don't know. Apparently, they have some relationship, some celebrity friendship. And so maybe that one call that he made was to Dog Chapman. That kind of makes sense, I guess, and it worked.
But, yes, he had a couple of really nice historic homes in New Orleans, that were foreclosed on about a year ago at an auction, along with some other properties that he's lost. Yes. He's had a lot of tax trouble it's and, of course, he blamed his accountant who then blames him.
LEMON: OK. For sure we have not heard the end of this, and I think we'll hear much, much more soon. So, anyway, but, you know, I go to New Orleans a lot. And he's a big legend down there, as is Brad Pitt and other people.
So, thank you very much. We appreciate it. All right, Alan.
DUKE: Certainly.
We want to catch you up on the day's top stories here.
A killer storm system has now claimed 26 lives throughout the southeast and Midwest with its deadliest toll tonight in North Carolina. Nine people died there today from a series of tornadoes. The weather service says three of the victims were caught in their mobile homes. Early reports of that more than 80 tornadoes hit the state breaking a record from 1984.
Just three days after an air traffic controller in this tower was suspended for sleeping on the job, another one is in trouble for doing it again. This one is in Miami. It is the seventh incident just this year according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The head of the controller's union said he agrees with the FAA that fatigue and scheduling must be addressed.
Cuba today commemorated an event most Americans would like to forget. Tanks rolled through Havana's Revolution Plaza marking the 50th anniversary of the Bay of Pigs invasion.
Cuban forces fought off the American-backed invasion in 1961, which turned into a major embarrassment for the U.S. The target was Fidel Castro. By the way, his brother current President Raul Castro looked on today as thousands marched.
If you're planning to take Amtrak, Sunday, I have a warning for you. You might want to buy your tickets right now. Hurry up. The rail line is planning to upgrade its computer system starting at 3:00 a.m. Eastern. 3:00 a.m. Eastern. That will knock Amtrak's ticketing and reservation system off-line. And it's not clear when it's going to come back up.
And while you weren't looking, the postal rates, they went up again. Seems like it happens every couple of months, right? A regular stamp will stay unchanged at 44 cents and that covers a 1 ounce letter. But starting, Sunday, each additional ounce will cost you another 20 cents. An extra 3 cents from the current rate. And mailing a postcard will cost you an extra penny. 29 cents now. OK?
And you're caught up on all the news. We thank you for joining us here.
I'm Don Lemon at the CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta. I'll see you back here tomorrow night at 6:00, 7:00 and 10:00 p.m. Eastern. You have yourself a good night.
