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Former Ron Paul Top Aide Died From Pneumonia, Was Uninsured; Future of Space Travel; Missing Autistic Boy Found Safe; Rick Perry Hits Campaign Trail in Virginia; NASA to Build Rocket for Space Exploration; Cindy Anthony Claims Daughter Suffered Seizures; 911 Tapes of Courthouse Shooting; Husband: Housewives Star Missing

Aired September 14, 2011 - 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: Meantime, just about top of the hour here. Take a look at this.

I told you I would highlight these types of stories, and today I have another one about a child who didn't have to die. We can do better. I'll tell you how. The news is now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN (voice-over): NASA reveals the future of space travel, a new rocket designed to take humans where they have never gone before.

Plus, were Casey Anthony's lies and bizarre behaviors caused by seizures? Her parents speak out for the very first time since a jury acquitted their daughter of murder. Sunny Hostin is on the case.

And --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're getting duct tape, epoxy, and superglue, and he's not leaving our sight anymore.

BALDWIN: A young autistic boy goes missing and the search includes the voice of Ozzy Osbourne.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: Welcome back, hour two. I'm Brooke.

And as I begin this hour, I actually want to go back. I want to take you back to Monday night, big moment from our Republican debate there in Tampa, Florida. CNN's Wolf Blitzer asking one of these candidates, asked Ron Paul, what happens when a person without health insurance gets ill, gets severely ill and requires expensive treatment? Who pays?

Listen closely, if you would.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. RON PAUL (R-TX), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This whole idea that you have to prepare and take care of everybody --

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: But, Congressman, are you saying that society should just let him die?

PAUL: No.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes!

PAUL: I practiced medicine before we had Medicaid, in the early 1960s, when I got out of medical school. I practiced at Santa Rosa Hospital in San Antonio, and the churches took care of them. We never turned anybody away from the hospitals.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

PAUL: And we've given up on this whole concept that we might take care of ourselves and assume responsibility for ourselves. Our neighbors, our friends --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Ron Paul says it's not the government's business. Ron Paul suggests financial reasonability lies with the uninsured's neighbors, their friends, their churches.

As it turns out, Ron Paul had a friend who died uninsured. This man there on the left, Kent Snyder, Ron Paul's 2008 campaign manager. Did Ron Paul take care of his friend?

I want to bring in Brian Todd, who has been trying to get some answers on this one today.

And, Brian, what have you learned?

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Brooke, as you pointed out just a moment ago, Ron Paul taking that stand the other night. He drew very controversial hollers of approval from the crowd, but did not bring up that story you just mentioned, a very personal story that relates directly to that issue.

As you mentioned, Ron Paul had that top aide, close friend named Kent Snyder. Paul says Snyder was the one who talked him in to running for president of 2008. In June of that year, Kent Snyder died of pneumonia. He was 49 years old. Had no health insurance. Colleagues and relatives say a preexisting condition made it impossible for him to get coverage.

I spoke with Ron Paul about this and he kept that Kent Snyder was cared for, that he was not put out on the streets. An aide to Paul tells us Snyder spent several weeks in the hospital and his bills totaled more than $400,000. The aide says that Paul's staff raised more than $50,000 toward that, but the rest of the bill was passed on to Snyder's estate.

Analysts say this at least shows that Paul is not a hypocrite, that he didn't push for any government-sponsored care for Snyder. But I asked Paul specifically whether this might make him and his followers seem a little bit heartless on this issue.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TODD: Some might be surprised that you don't take this more personally, given the experience that you had --

(CROSSTALK)

PAUL: How can I take it any more personally? Because he was a friend and did what I could to help him, but it is something that was so unfortunate. So it was a tough time for all of us. Our campaign really hadn't quite finished when he got deathly ill and I had known him for so many years.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TODD: Now, despite the fact that about $350,000 of Kent Snyder's bill was passed on to his estate, an aide to Congressman Paul says that to his knowledge, the hospital has not yet tried to make a claim for that money -- Brooke.

BALDWIN: So you mentioned you talk to his supporters and they say that, yes, they raised that $50,000, but in talking to Ron Paul today, did he tell, Brian, specifically what he, Ron Paul, did to help defray the cost of his late friend's hospital bills?

TODD: Well, he says that you know, this was really kind of -- it played out over just a few weeks, that he did everything he could to raise some money. They went on the Internet to raise money for him. They have done that before and since his death to defray those costs, but it does kind of, it makes Ron Paul -- at least -- analysts say it actually makes him look consistent on the issue, but how it makes him look personally toward his friend, he says, he reiterates over and over again, he was cared for. He got the care that he needed at the time. It was unfortunate what happened at the end.

As for the cost, he said he did everything he possibly could. He repeated that over and over again, did what he could to raise money on the Internet to defray those costs.

BALDWIN: To follow up on that, you have this bill, as you have mentioned, this medical bill, totals some $400,000 for this deceased friend of Ron Paul's. The supporters say they raised the $50,000 against that.

Would it be Paul's position, based on what we heard him tell Wolf Monday night to keep passing the hat at church, get friends to help until you make the remaining $350,000? Is that how he would say it would work?

TODD: I think he believes that that's part of how it would work. He implied in the debate the other night and since then that it is the role of friends, relatives, others to help, but also that churches and charities could help. He mentioned that. And you rolled that sound bite where he talked about that. When I asked him specifically, though, look, in this day and age, do you think that churches and charities could really take up that financial burden of $400,000 like was the case with Kent Snyder's bills?

He said, no, that couldn't happen today because the government has driven up the cost. He steers the issue back to his point that a government role in health care just does nothing but drive up the cost of health care.

BALDWIN: Just quickly, I would love to hear from Kent Snyder's family's perspective on things. I'm sure you have tried to call them. Any call back?

(CROSSTALK)

TODD: We have. No, not yet. We have tried to reach someone who we believe is his sister out in Kansas. We have not heard back from her.

BALDWIN: OK. Brian Todd, thank you very much.

TODD: Sure.

BALDWIN: And, by the way, don't miss Brian's report next hour with Wolf in "THE SITUATION ROOM." He will have a little bit more on the story 5:00 Eastern right here on CNN.

(STOCK MARKET UPDATE)

BALDWIN: And now listen to this.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There's a shooting. He's got an automatic.

911 OPERATOR: Where are you at? Who's got the gun?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't know who he is. He came in looking for Judge Cottrell. And I have been shot in my leg.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Just released, this chilling 911 happened during the moments that a gunman opened fire inside that Arkansas courthouse. We're learning why this man wanted to see a judge and how he was prepared for war. That is ahead.

Plus, his parents are homeless. They get evicted from their house. He's living with his special ed teacher and then he up and goes missing. Coming up next, you will hear my interview with one of the men who found him and why they used Ozzy Osbourne and Alan Jackson music to try to find him. This is a fascinating story with a happy ending. Don't miss it.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: In California, a missing autistic boy is now safe after being lost in the woods for just about 24 hours. His name is Joshua Robb. He is only eight years of age. And his autism means he may not always be able to understand what's going on. That gave search and rescue crews of course some added difficulty. Joshua might hide from the very people who are trying to find him to keep him safe.

Add to that frightening weather, the thunder, the lightning, actually forced some of those search-and-rescue crews to duck for cover more than once. And with so many factors working against them, the searchers used this unique approach. They blasted Ozzy Osbourne's "No More Tears" to lure little Joshua out of the woods. Ozzy is a favorite of Joshua's.

And 24 hours after his running from school Monday, one rescue team found him.

And just last hour, I talked to Justin Wheaton, one of the first to find missing Joshua.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JUSTIN WHEATON, RESCUER: Well, we were waiting for some more resources, some people that were going to help us track from the T- shirt that we had identified 100 percent his.

So we were just sitting there trying to stay on rocks, stay off the tracks, and we were just waiting. And I heard a mumbling and grumbling maybe 20, 30 yards off in this the bushes. And the second I heard it, I knew. I was like, well, that's a kid.

And we all jumped up and ran off in that direction. And sure enough, he was just standing there in a bush, no shirt, no shoes, just in his shorts and was very happy to be found.

BALDWIN: What did he say to you, Justin?

WHEATON: He didn't have many words. When we first found him, he said thanks. We tried, you know, getting him to eat something, getting him to drink something, put some clothes on him. As we were holding him because the helicopter was coming in, he said, "You saved me."

BALDWIN: Talk about this terrain. We were looking at some of the images. It looks like it could be steep slopes, loose rocks. I imagine that was tough enough for you guys to maneuver. You all are a professional search-and-rescue team. Let alone for this little boy to meander so far off the beaten path and survive.

WHEATON: Yes. It was rough. The search area that we had was only maybe about a mile, mile-and-a-half from the school, and it's level for a little ways, and then it just drops off into very steep terrain, heavily wooded, lots of rock, lots of loose trees, lots of animals out there and stuff, just not the kind of place anybody really wants to be.

BALDWIN: And then, Justin, other than the happy ending here, which we're reporting, what really caught our attention, the role of music in finding this 8-year-old, specifically Ozzy Osbourne and Alan Jackson playing over some loudspeakers? Why did some of the rescuers do that? Explain.

WHEATON: Well, it was a bizarre thing to be sitting there in your briefing and they give you the normal, oh, well, he's wearing a striped shirt, gray pants, sandals, and, oh, yes, he likes Ozzy Osbourne and country music.

So the parents had brought in a couple of CDs and there were teams up more in the neighborhoods driving around blasting Ozzy Osbourne to see if maybe he was in a house somewhere if he'd come out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: And how is 8-year-old Joshua doing now? He was airlifted to Loma Linda Medical Center to make sure he was OK. Appears to be in good condition.

But we can't tell you the story without sharing this angle about his parents there. Joshua had been removed from his parents' custody just about three weeks ago now after someone saw him tied to a pole as his family was packing to move.

He was living with a teacher after that. After his release from the hospital, he was turned over to Child Protective Services, and there is a custody hearing set for tomorrow.

Just in to us here at CNN, here we go. This is a pretty bizarre situation involving the infamous White House party crashers. You remember Tareq and Michaele Salahi? So Tareq Salahi says he thinks his wife has been kidnapped.

He says Michaele Salahi is missing. He has alerted the FBI.

Joe Johns is investigating this one for us. We'll get those details ahead, see what he finds.

But first, this --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. RICK PERRY (R-TX), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The voters are getting the message. Voters of New York sure got the message.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Texas Governor Rick Perry referring to a big win in the race to fill Anthony Weiner's old seat, and Republicans say the White House better be scared.

Also, Perry confirms he's meeting with a pretty famous billionaire tonight, a billionaire by the name of Trump. Is Perry looking for an endorsement?

That's next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: If it is interesting and happening right now, you are about to see it, "Rapid Fire."

Let's go, beginning with this, a courtroom outburst today from the man accused of trying to detonate a bomb in his underwear while on a plane back on Christmas Day a couple of years ago. CNN affiliate WDIV is reporting Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab said, "Osama's alive," and also said, "I'm being forced to wear prison clothes."

This is the first day of jury selection, and the Nigerian national is representing himself. The judge, though, already rejected Abdulmutallab's request to be tried using Islamic law. He is the one accused of trying to blow up that airline bound for Detroit on Christmas Day in 2009.

It has been less than two months since the death of Amy Winehouse, and today, on what would have been her 28th birthday, family and friends are celebrating her life by launching a foundation in her name. A charity set up by the late singer's father, Mitch Winehouse, focuses on helping young people in need due to ill health, disability, financial disadvantage, or addiction. Those are his words.

And he talked to my colleague. He talked to Piers Morgan last night about his daughter's death in a primetime exclusive.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MITCH WINEHOUSE, AMY WINEHOUSE'S FATHER: If she were sitting here right now, I wouldn't be surprised. It's just incredible that a force -- her force, her nature -- has gone, but it hasn't really gone, because I'm a firm -- as all my family are -- we're firm believers in life after death. And she's right here with us all the time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: He is big, he is green, and bendable and busted. You remember this video.

Police say the two 19-year-olds Jacob Kiss -- dressed in a Gumby costume -- and his buddy Jason Giramma turned themselves in as suspects in this San Diego 7-Eleven robbery, a la Gumby robbery just last week. The clerk thought the holdup was a joke. Now the case though is in the hands of the district attorney to decide if charges will be filed.

And a lot of people flock to the beach as summer ends, but what about walruses? Is that the plural, not walrusi (ph)? Walruses, as many as 20,000, are congregating on this.

Look at this. Just hanging out, Alaskan coastline. Their migration started three weeks earlier than last year, and experts blame receding Arctic ice which is at its third lowest level in reported history. Scientists fear the walruses may be headed toward extinction and plan to tag dozens of them just to try to track their movements and living patterns.

This just in from an iReporter, an amazing tribute to the victims of 9/11. This happened thousands of miles above San Marcos, Texas.

Fourteen skydivers boarded that plane, jumped out just on Sunday. Take a look at that. You see that what spells out: 9/11.

It took them four times, actually, to perfect that formation. It's amazing.

Two of the skydivers are firefighters, paramedics in the Corpus Christi area. They're the ones who came up with this sky-high plan.

And now Jim Acosta joins us from Richmond, Virginia, with the latest news off the "Political Ticker."

And Jim, Republican presidential hopeful and Texas governor, Rick Perry, got a pretty busy day there in Virginia, doesn't he?

JIM ACOSTA, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. He came to Virginia, which last time I checked, is not one of the early primary states. Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, those are the states where you'll find most of the presidential contenders these days. But Rick Perry came to Virginia to talk at Liberty University.

He gave a speech there. That is a school that is very important to the Evangelical Christian movement in this country.

He also spoke at an event here in Richmond to a group of Virginia Republicans. This is a state that is not all that important in the Republican primary season. It is a very important state when it comes to presidential battlegrounds in the general election.

And we asked Governor Perry at a media availability after his speech today whether or not he was getting a little ahead of himself.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: It seems as if you're already looking past the primaries, into the general election. Aren't you being a tad overconfident?

PERRY: I understand who the opposition is in this election cycle. And there are seven other individuals on that stage who are quite capable. But the fact of the matter is, my focus and I think as our focus all should be, is on the problems facing America today, and that is an administration that is trying to spend our way to prosperity.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Oh, OK. That's -- and so you notice there, we asked him whether or not he's getting a little ahead of himself. Why isn't he talking about these other candidates at these two events today? And he pivoted and he started talking about President Obama. BALDWIN: Well, let's pivot back to the historically Democratic district in New York, where we know it was Congressman Weiner's old seat now filled by a Republican. And Rick Perry not too shy about his feelings there either.

ACOSTA: No. He talked about that in his speech today here in Richmond. He also talked about it in his remarks to us afterwards.

This is something that, you know, nominees do. When they've already gotten the Republican nomination or Democratic nomination, they start making comments about special elections that have happened that are beneficial to their party.

This is something that the campaign of Mitt Romney was accused of, Brooke, not too long ago. Remember everybody was saying Mitt Romney's talking more about President Obama than he is about the rest of the field?

BALDWIN: Yes.

ACOSTA: That's sort of what Rick Perry is doing right now. It is the strategy of the front-runner.

BALDWIN: What about this, Jim? Word on the street that Perry has a meeting with none other than would-be GOP candidate Donald Trump. Do we smell an endorsement here?

ACOSTA: Yes. I don't know. Governor Perry, he confirmed that he's having this dinner date with "The Donald" later this evening. It has been called, I believe, the meeting of the hairs, instead of the --

BALDWIN: You're making that up.

ACOSTA: -- meeting of the -- no, I did see that out there. That was on Twitter earlier today, Brooke.

But, you know, Governor Perry can afford to do things like this. You know, for some of the other candidates, this might be viewed as a risky move, because Donald Trump, as we know, is unpredictable. He will say what is ever on his mind, and sometimes, those things aren't very politically correct.

But Rick Perry knows that Donald Trump has occasionally said to reporters that if he doesn't like the field that is out there, he may jump into this race. And Donald Trump, as you know, even though he jumped out of this race and decided not to run, his poll numbers were strong enough to have an impact in this race.

So I think Governor Perry's going up to New York to hopefully keep Donald Trump on the sidelines, where he'd like to keep him.

BALDWIN: OK. Jim Acosta, thank you so much.

Coming up next, a home that went ignored until it was too late -- too late for the 200 animals inside, and too late for a boy who would lose his life. If only someone had done something.

We can do better. Stay with me. I have to share this story with you.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: This is another one of those stories that makes me sad and it makes me angry.

Two hundred animals in one small, crowded house -- more than 100 cats, dozens of birds, rabbits, gerbils, a guinea pig, two dogs in cages caked with feces and mold. You would think a neighbor, a passerby might notice the stench. Maybe they were discouraged by the tarp around the yard that went up a year ago with a sign that reads, "No Trespassers."

If anyone dared to go closer, they would have found a woman inside with her five children and their elderly grandmother. What happened inside this home defies logic.

It all started when 14-year-old Matthew was reportedly left out in the front yard, unresponsive. He had to be rushed to the hospital. He and his siblings had been battling stomach problems that their mother later told police but she thought they were getting better.

As it turns out, Matthew would never recover. He died from bronchial pneumonia, and the medical examiner went on and says it was natural causes.

And while that may be the medical definition of how Matthew died, I have to ask you this -- what is natural about a teenager living in a small home isolated from the world with 200 filthy animals, a home that by all accounts you could smell from the street?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When I tried to talk with them, he don't answer. He'd just say hi or something. He don't say nothing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It smelled like something was dying in there. I always used to assume it was manure for the plants the lady used to water every morning.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: So, she watered her plants. Who nurtured the children?

Children's Services says it had never been called to that home before last week when Matthew died, but a spokesperson for the Department of Children and Family Services reminds us that social isolation is one of the most powerful risk factors for serious harm to children. He says, and I want to quote him, "If we never knock on that door that no one ever seems to open, we may never know how bad it is or how we could help."

Would you? Would you help Matthew and his brothers and his sisters if you could? Their mother now sitting in jail charged with felony child neglect.

I want to leave you with this. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LINDA ESTRADA, ANIMAL WELFARE LEAGUE: My heart weeps for the ones we can't save because they didn't do nothing wrong.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Again, I ask, what about the children? A 14-year-old lived in that home and died. Who weeps for him? Who weeps for the other kids. I do. We can do better.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: There are some new developments on the fate of those two American hikers held in an Iranian prison. Also, NASA unveiling the design of the rocket that's supposed to replace the space shuttle. It's time to play "Reporter Roulette."

And I want to begin with Mohammed Jamjoom. What are you hearing? We know there's a plane from Oman heading to Tehran. Who's on it? Might it mean these two American hikers could be released?

MOHAMMED JAMJOOM, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Brooke, that's the question right now. A western diplomat is telling CNN that there is an Omani plane on route to Tehran right now with an Omani official on board who would play a role in negotiating the release of those two American hikers.

There's been a lot of speculation if they would be released, if they could come though Oman and if Oman would play a part, because Oman played a leading role in the release of Sarah Shourd last year, and she did come though Oman on her way out of this region.

That having been said, though, Omani officials have not commented. We reached out to many of them. They're not confirming those reports at this time.

Whether or not they will be freed, contradictory information at this stage. Although President Ahmadinejad did say he thought they could be leased in a matter of three days, we heard from judiciary saying they're the final arbiters on this and the decision has not been made that is being considered at this time. Brooke?

BALDWIN: We will have to wait to see if Mahmoud Ahmadinejad makes good on his words. Mohammed Jamjoom, thank you for that.

Next on Reporter Roulette, John Zarrella is in Miami. NASA making a big announcement, wrapping up plans for the new rocket. John, tell me about the new rocket. What does it do, where can it go and what's the price tag.

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It will be a big one. It will be about 300 feet long, size of a football field, bigger than a Saturn 5 rocket. It could be ready, the first test flight, about 2017. Ultimately, it can fly. It's supposed to fly astronaut to an asteroid in 2025 and on to mars sometime in the 2030 time frame. About $18 billion over the course of the next five to six years to get this thing developed.

But boy, Brooke, NASA has been really going out. Everybody is saying let's get this rocket done. NASA said they had to stop. So now, they've made the announcement everybody's been waiting for. Now we'll see if they can build it.

BALDWIN: Quickly, John, any of your astronaut friends, would they want on this thing?

(LAUGHTER)

ZARRELLA: Every one of them I know is ready to go on this rocket. Absolutely.

BALDWIN: John Zarrella, thank you very much. That thing is huge. Thank you. That is today's Reporter Roulette.

Still ahead, Casey Anthony's parents, they are speaking out for the first time since she was acquitted of murder, but that is not the headline. Her mother, Cindy, suggests that Casey's lies and her bizarre behavior were caused by seizures, and she's getting specific. Elizabeth Cohen gives us the truth behind grand mal seizures, what they are, what causes them. And Sunny Hostin is on the case about why no one ever brought this up during the trial, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Casey Anthony's mother has a new excuse for her daughter -- seizures. Remember Casey. A jury found her not guilty in the murder of her two year old daughter Caylee, and a lot of people disagreed with that verdict. Well, Casey's mom Cindy went on the "Dr. Phil Show" this week and claimed Casey had grand mal seizures. Listen to her yourself.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CINDY ANTHONY, CASEY ANTHONY'S MOTHER: I don't know why she's having a seizure. Does she have a brain tumor? Were the seizures caused by stress? I don't know. I don't know if she had a seizure that day and blacked out. I don't know what happened, and that's what I want to find out down the road. And I'm not making justifications for that, but there's a cause for those. You don't just have a grand mal seizure.

DR. PHIL MCGRAW, PSYCHIATRIST: Your theory is that she is a victim in this in some way, a victim of an illness, a tumor, or something.

CINDY ANTHONY: I truly believe that because there was never any signs that Casey was an unfit mother. She was an awesome mother.

(END VIDEO CLIP) BALDWIN: Dr. Phil's response to that, he told Cindy she is in denial. But it got us wondering. First, what exactly is a grand mal seizure. We asked senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen. Elizabeth?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Brooke, a grand mal seizure is basically what most of us picture when we think of a seizure. Two important things happen. One, muscles contract violently and two, the person becomes unconscious.

Cindy Anthony said she's not sure why her daughter had these seizures and she said she would like to know the cause. There are several causes, things like epilepsy, brain tumors, strokes can cause seizures, and so can infections.

Now, again, what happens in a seizure, someone becomes unconscious because these signals are just going haywire in their brain. In her interview with Dr. Phil, Cindy Anthony wondered whether her daughter suffered from post-partum schizophrenia. Many of us have heard of post-partum depression. Post-partum schizophrenia is an even more extreme disease.

Caylee was two years old when she died. Post-partum depression or schizophrenia usually sets in within just months. Brooke.

BALDWIN: OK, Elizabeth, thank you very much.

So we know what a grand mal seizure is, but what about the legal side here to Cindy Anthony's claim? Sunny Hostin on the case. Sunny, the obvious first question, if Casey Anthony had suffered from these grand mal seizures, wouldn't her attorneys brought that up during trial?

SUNNY HOSTIN, CNN LEGAL CONTRIBUTOR: That is what people would think, but apparently, Cindy Anthony says they didn't want her to bring that up. That really was very contradictory to their theory of their case, right, because the defense case here basically was Casey Anthony had nothing to do with the death of Caylee Anthony. Casey Anthony happened upon her father holding Caylee and she had already drowned. And so to try to explain away Casey's behavior by discusses seizures would have sort of muddied up the waters for the defense theory. So it's not surprise to me that something like that would not be brought in front of a jury.

BALDWIN: Would it at all be used as maybe a reason for her behavior, her ever changing stories?

HOSTIN: Well, you know, some would say perhaps. We just heard what Elizabeth had to say. Grand mal seizures and this sort of schizophrenia, something that would come on right after the pregnancy. And in terms of grand mal seizures, we usually see those in epilepsy. I think what we're seeing is a mother really scarred by everything that's happened. Her father's torn apart. And she's trying to figure out why, what really happened to my family. And I think we're seeing a very tortured mother. BALDWIN: Also, this today, we found out Casey's lawyer, Jose Baez, now helping defend the American jailed in Aruba, Gary Giordano, for the presumed death of his companion, Robyn Gardner, another majorly high profile case for Jose Baez. First, your reaction to this and also where did he come from? What is his background?

HOSTIN: You know, I think -- I'm not surprised that Gary Giordano, in the situation that he is in. Anybody that knows a little bit about that case knows he's in trouble, right? He's in Aruba. He's not in the United States.

He's being held. He's been held for quite some time. At this point in time, Jose Baez is really the new Johnny Cochran. I mean, if you're guilty and you want to go home, you hire Jose Baez. If you're in trouble, you want the best go-to person in the criminal justice system right now, that person really is Jose Baez.

Because by all accounts, even though people have criticized him, he really connected with that jury in the Casey Anthony case and he is the reason why Casey Anthony is walking free. So you know, the question, the answer to the question, where did he come from?

Many people don't even know because while he graduated from law school in 1997, he really was admitted to the bar in Florida in 2005. So this is someone who didn't have a lot of experience going into the Casey Anthony case.

Apparently, she overheard some prison inmates talking about the fact that Jose Baez was a good attorney and she hired him. But as a trial attorney, Brooke, I can tell you that the best trial attorneys are those that are scrappy, those that connect with juries.

Not necessary those attorneys that have practiced a long time, but certainly, he has now the experience of a lifetime having tried a case like that and he really has become the go-to person. That's why Gary Giordano has him as his attorney.

BALDWIN: Yes, Sunny Hostin. Thank you very much on the case as always.

Still ahead, a man walks into an Arkansas courthouse. No criminal record, no priors. Asks to see a specific judge and then opens fire. Find out what this man brought that signaled he was prepared to do battle.

Also, we are hearing this very chilling 911 call from a woman shot in her leg during the whole rampage. That is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Police say the gunman in that Arkansas courthouse shooting was armed to the tee. He's kept firing even when his weapon has malfunctioned at times.

Chilling new details eking out today about what happened during that shooting rampage in Van Buren, Arkansas yesterday. The 48-year- old gunman fired more than 70 shots, even taking aim at nearby motorists before he was stopped.

Police did shoot and kill the gunman, both in his head and his torso. An administrative assistant was shot in her leg during that shooting spree. Several witnesses fearful for their own lives hid in the buildings vault and up in the jury room while dialing 911 for help.

For the first time today, we are hearing the voices of the frightened callers --

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

911 OPERATOR: 911, do you have an emergency?

911 CALLER: Help, I'm at the courthouse.

911 OPERATOR: You're at the courthouse? What's going on, ma'am?

911 CALLER: There's a shooting. He's got an automatic.

911 OPERATOR: Where are you at? Who's, who's got the gun?

911 CALLER: I don't know who he is. He came in looking for Judge Cottrell. And I've been shot in my leg.

911 OPERATOR: You got shot in your leg? Where are you at in the courthouse, ma'am?

911 CALLER: I am upstairs. I am in the top jury room.

911 OPERATOR: Is the guy still in there? What did he look like? Describe him to me, ma'am.

911 CALLER: He's outside? He's outside.

911 OPERATOR: He's outside right now?

911 CALLER: Yes.

911 OPERATOR: Is he a white male, black male? You're doing fine, just work with me, OK?

911 CALLER: He's white.

911 OPERATOR: What was he wearing?

911 CALLER: I didn't see. I don't know. He has on a, like a green jacket, I think is what it was. He's got an automatic.

911 OPERATOR: Listen to me. I'm going to transfer you to EMS, OK? Don't hang up for me. I have a subject on the line right now at the courthouse. She's been shot. Ma'am, tell him exactly where you're at inside the courthouse.

911 CALLER: I am in the jury room up on the second floor, the jury room. (END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: Police say the gunman had three semiautomatic handguns, a semiautomatic rifle and was wearing a tactical vest, which was loaded with even more ammunition.

We are a mere 9 minutes away from "THE SITUATION ROOM." Let's get a quick check with Wolf. See what he has coming up on the show. Wolf, I was just sneaking a pick at your Twitter page.

You have a big interview, too, really. Let's talk about the first one, we know that Governor Perry and Donald Trump are having dinner tonight in New York and you, sir, are having Mr. Trump on before that.

WOLF BLITZER, HOST, CNN'S "THE SITUATION ROOM": Just before the dinner tonight in New York. The front-runner for the nomination, Governor Perry is going to have dinner with Donald Trump in New York. A lot of these Republican candidates making a visit to see Donald Trump in advance of their more assertive shall we say run.

So, yes, Donald Trump is going to assess what's going on. Does he like Rick Perry? Does he like Mitt Romney? What about the other candidates and what about him? He's still toying a little bit with the idea of running in this election under a certain circumstances. We're going to press him on that.

So that interview with Donald Trump coming up in the next hour. In our 6:00 p.m. Eastern hour, we have an interview with the former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Bill Richardson. He's just out of Cuba, U.S.-Cuban relations right now at stake.

He tried to get an American who's been serving a prison sentence in Cuba free, failed to achieve that goal. We're going to talk about what's going on in Cuba and Havana right now. He spent the last several days there. A lot's at stake in U.S.-Cuban relations.

So we'll speak to Bill Richardson live in the 6 p.m. Eastern hour. It's a big "SITUATION ROOM" show coming up at the top of the hour. I say that every day, but I really need it.

BALDWIN: It's a big show really, really this time. Wolf Blitzer, we believe you. We'll be tuning again. Thank you very much.

Still ahead here though, a developing story involving the infamous White House party crashers. The husband says he thinks his wife has been kidnapped. He says Michaele is missing. He in fact has alerted the FBI. Joe Johns has been digging on this one. He is next.

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BALDWIN: Do you remember the Salahis, the D.C. Housewives stars who crashed that state dinner at the White House back in 2009? Well, today, Michaele's husband thinks she may have been kidnapped says authorities are doing nothing. And that is not the only drama we have to talk about today. Let's check in with Joe Johns and Joe, let's begin with Michaele Salahi. She was, you know, one of the several in the "Real Housewives of D.C." so if you watch the show, wouldn't be too tough to recognize her in public. Her husband says she's been abducted. What makes him think that?

JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: Well, this is a couple that's been made famous or even infamous, by stunts generating publicity for them, including their arrival in the international media scene by showing up unannounced at a White House state dinner.

Well, now, and totally don't know what to make of this, Tareq Salahi in a somewhat odd public statement has announced his wife, Michaele Salahi, has gone missing. He put out the statement through his manager. Salahi says he was afraid the local authorities are not taking the situation seriously.

The local authorities in question who happen to be the Warren County, Virginia Sheriff's department, have not responded to several calls and e-mails trying to clarify the situation. So what we do know is that most law enforcement organizations do not take a missing person's report seriously until the person's been missing for at least 48 hours.

It hasn't been that long yet. Still, Tareq Salahi says he contacted the FBI. The manager says the last time Tareq saw Michaele was at their home in Virginia around 11:00 yesterday. Tareq says Michaele told him she was going to get her hair done, but apparently never went to the appointment. She was also supposed to go to a dance class, didn't go there.

Tareq claims he got a call from Michaele late last night around 7:00 from an Oregon cell phone number. She told him she's going to her mother's house, but what's most confusing here is that Tareq claims the sheriff's deputies have actually told him his wife already called them.

Informing them she was OK, just dealing with some family issues, but he's claiming he thinks she was forced to make that call under duress by an abductor so a lot goes into it there, Brooke.

BALDWIN: So, what is the husband -- what is he specifically asking for?

JOHNS: Well, he's just asking for the authorities to take a very close look at it very seriously and take his report seriously, apparently. Again, we've reached out to the sheriff's deputies and they haven't said a word to us about what's going on here and we'd love to hear from them.

They also tell us they're swamped with calls the media. Another important point, we know that a bankruptcy auction at the winery the Salahi's own in northern Virginia is scheduled to occur this weekend and court records show they owe a lot of people a lot of money. A law firm almost half a million dollars, owe an accountant $700,000. I talked to the auctioneers, the equipment that they're putting on auction and a winery is still expected to go on auction as scheduled, even if they say if Mrs. Salahi isn't there.

BALDWIN: OK, so like you say, you made multiple phone calls to the Warren Country Sheriff's Department, but essentially, just want to make sure I'm getting this right. It needs to be 48 hours before they can actually file a missing person's report and by no means has it been that long yet.

JOHNS: We found that to be standard operating procedure with law enforcement authorities pretty much around this region and no indication that that's changed. The authorities haven't said anything to us about it, but he said in a statement that the authorities told him they talked to Mrs. Salahi. He just doesn't think that's good enough.

BALDWIN: I see, well, we'll continue to follow it. Hopefully, she's OK. Joe Johns, thank you very much.

And that does for me here in Atlanta. I'm Brooke Baldwin, thank you so much for watching.

Now let's go to Wolf Blitzer, "THE SITUATION ROOM" starts now.