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Day Two of Conrad Murray Trial; U.S. Hijacker Arrested in Portugal; Protesting Wall Street; Seven Arrested In SAT Scandal; Nature's Light Show; Talk Back Question; WWII Underwater Shipwreck
Aired September 28, 2011 - 12:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Top of the hour. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.
Let's get you up to speed.
Michael Jackson's personal assistant is expected to testify today in the manslaughter trial of Dr. Conrad Murray. We expect he'll take jurors through the minute-by-minute events that unfolded June 25, 2009, the day the singer died.
And Jackson's famous family is back in court, as the second day of testimony begins. They heard prosecutors lay out their case that Murray allowed Jackson to overdose on anesthesia. Prosecutors say Murray stockpiled four gallons of Propofol in the days leading up to Jackson's death.
I talked with an anesthesiologist last hour who says the use of Propofol for sleeping goes against procedure.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. ZEEV KAIN, CHAIRMAN, DEPARTMENT OF ANESTHESIOLOGY, U.C. IRVINE: Propofol infusion can cause you to stop breathing, can drop your blood pressure, can practically kill you. That's why you must be monitored by medical personnel and all these monitors.
So, very, very uncommon. I've never heard about a case like this.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: And we'll bring you portions of today's testimony, live here on CNN.
The executors of Michael Jackson's estate are in court as well today. They're asking a judge to turn over $30 million to Jackson's mother, Katherine, who cares for his three children. Some of that money will go to charity. The estate has earned $310 million in the two years since Jackson's death.
A Florida judge could release a jailhouse video of Casey Anthony today. The footage shows Anthony's reaction when she learned her daughter's remains had been found. The judge refused to let the jury see that tape, calling it, "highly inflammatory." That jury acquitted Anthony of murder.
It took 41 years, but the FBI got a longtime fugitive. George Wright escaped from prison back in 1970, driving off in the warden's car.
He allegedly hijacked a Delta jet in the 1972, dressed as a priest. The FBI says Wright forced agents to deliver a $1 million ransom, dressed only in swim trunks to prove that the agents had no guns. Wright flew to Algeria and vanished until Monday.
The FBI found Wright, now 68, living the good life in a Portuguese resort town. He is fighting extradition.
A typhoon roared away from the Philippines today, heading towards southern China. The storm killed 21 people in the Philippines. Another 33 are missing.
The typhoon brought torrential rains that put many areas under water. Take a look at this right here. The storm was so powerful, that it grounded this huge cargo ship.
For a second day, workers are hanging outside the Washington Monument. They're checking each marble block. That earthquake that shook the East Coast last month did more damage than first thought.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: These engineers are going to have to inspect every stone. It will take at least a few days. Park officials say they can work through heavy rain, but if the there's any threat of lightning, they'll have to stop. The monument's been hit by lightning several times in its history.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Engineers say despite the cracks in the monument, it is structurally sound.
U.S. immigration officers say they have arrested almost 3,000 illegal immigrants. The weeklong sweep covered all 50 states. Agents say everyone that they have in custody has a criminal conviction. The suspects come from 115 countries.
Health officials now say 13 people have died after eating tainted cantaloupe grown in Colorado. Melons marked as "Rocky Ford Cantaloupes" contain listeria, a bacteria that can be deadly, especially among older people. Officials say most of those who died were over 60.
All right. Now back to our lead story, the involuntary manslaughter trial of Michael Jackson's doctor, Conrad Murray.
Court reconvened just a short time ago. Jurors will hear from Jackson's personal assistant about the chaos that played out on the morning of the pop star's death.
CNN's Ted Rowlands joins us live now outside the courthouse in Los Angeles.
So, Ted, bring us up to date on what has happened so far.
TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the witness you're talking about, Michael Amir Williams, is scheduled to come on next. Right now, the defense is finishing up their cross-examination of Paul Gongaware, and he is the co-CEO of AEG.
This is the guy that negotiated the contract with Dr. Murray, and the prosecution threw him up there to establish that Murray was a greedy doctor, that he was in it for the money. And Gongaware said that originally, Murray wanted $5 million, but that they haggled back and forth, and actually Michael Jackson was part of that negotiation to get it down to $150,000 a month. Of course, Murray was never actually paid by AEG. That's what the defense will try to establish as they finish up their cross of Gongaware.
But everybody anticipating Michael Amir Williams, because this will be the beginning of the part of this trial where we get the details of what happened in those hours and minutes as Michael Jackson perished and before those critical -- that critical time. And he will also talk about Dr. Murray's actions during that time, which the prosecution really hammered home in their opening, saying that Murray didn't tell EMTs that he had given Propofol to Michael and that he also didn't tell the emergency room doctors.
So that part of the trial begins fairly soon here, after Gongaware's testimony.
WHITFIELD: All right. And I know it's very early, but have there been any rumblings perhaps from the attorneys of Dr. Conrad Murray whether he intends to take the stand?
ROWLANDS: Well, I'll tell you what, you know, the defense always will hold that until the very end. But the way that the defense is shaping up their case, in their opening they said, we are going to provide you with a lot of the unanswered questions. To accomplish that, you really do have to put Murray on the stand.
And every legal expert will tell you that a doctor is hard to convict, no matter what. If you put a doctor on the stand, and they come across as legitimate to a jury, it's very difficult for a jury to say that a doctor's decisions, whether they were right or wrong, if they were made in good faith, it's hard to get a guilty verdict against a doctor.
So, nothing's been said either way. I've talked to defense sources. They're obviously looking at it as a possibility, going through the practicing with Murray to see if they need to put him on and if they think he can withstand the cross-examination. So we'll probably have to wait until the end of the trial, but absolutely, it's on the table in this case.
WHITFIELD: All right. Ted Rowlands, thanks so much, in Los Angeles. All right. Here now is your chance to "Talk Back" on one of the big stories of the day.
Today's question: Why do Republicans love New Jersey Governor Chris Christie?
Carol Costello has more now from New York -- Carol.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Fredricka.
Chris Christie is not running for president until he is -- maybe. The only thing we know for sure is many Republicans want him to run desperately. Christie is enjoying every single moment of it, and he delivered a speech fit for a presidential candidate at the Reagan Library.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), NEW JERSEY: -- insisting that we must tax and take and demonize those who have already achieved the American dream.
That may turn out to be good re-election strategy, Mr. President, but it is a demoralizing message for America.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Sold. You could feel the crazy for Christie vibe at the Reagan Library.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My Italian mother, she told me to tell you that you've got to run for president.
(APPLAUSE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We need you. Your country needs you to run for president.
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: "The Daily Beast" says Republicans, unhappy with the current field of candidates, have a messiah complex. They want a conservative, authentic, man's man.
You mean like Rick Perry? It seems just like yesterday that conservatives were begging Rick Perry to run, but that was then. Christie is now.
So the "Talk Back" question today: Why do Republicans love Chris Christie?
Facebook.com/CarolCNN. I'll read your comments later this hour. WHITFIELD: All right. We look forward to that. Thank you, Carol.
COSTELLO: Sure.
(NEWSBREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right. Here's your chance to "Choose the News." Text "22360" for the story that you want to see.
Text "1" for "Aussie Female Fighters." Australia is about to become one of only a few countries with women on the front lines, but not everyone is hollering for joy.
Text "2" for "World War II Sunken Treasure." A team of treasure hunters work to recover a shipwreck carrying a cargo worth $1 million.
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And you can vote by texting "22360." Text "1" for "Aussie Female Fighters"; "2" for "World War II Sunken Treasure"; or "3" for "Liz Taylor's Jewels."
The winning story airs later this hour.
After more than four decades on the run, one of the FBI's most wanted fugitives is back in police custody. George Wright hijacked a plane when Richard Nixon was in the White House, and he had been on the run ever since. Finally, he's been caught.
The story now from CNN's Deborah Feyerick.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: U.S. Marshals started tracking George Wright about a decade ago, and they finally got the lead they needed. Along with FBI agents and Portuguese authorities, they arrested George Wright in Sintra, Portugal, which is a charming tourist town about an hour from Lisbon.
That's where Wright was living under an assumed name, and he is now fighting extradition. Why? Well, in the early '60s, he was convicted of killing a World War II veteran during a gas station robbery. He was serving up to 30 years for that crime when he escaped a New Jersey prison in the warden's car. He made his way to Detroit, where he joined the Black Liberation Army.
Then, in 1972, Wright and four other Black Liberation members hijacked a Miami-bound Delta flight out of Detroit. Wright, who was dressed as a priest, apparently smuggled a gun on board in a hollowed- out bible. Once the plane landed in Miami, Wright and the other hijackers demanded $1 million in cash, the most ever asked, for the safe release of some 80 passengers.
FBI agents had to deliver the money wearing bathing suits, a way of guaranteeing that they weren't carrying any weapons. The hijackers forced the pilots to fly to Boston, where they got more fuel and another pilot. They then flew across the Atlantic to Algeria, where they asked for asylum. The government there briefly detained and then released them.
Now, four of the hijackers were arrested in Paris about four years later. Wright's next appearance in a Portuguese court is expected in two weeks.
Deborah Feyerick, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: The 1978 hijacking led to new laws. The FAA ordered all airports to inspect passengers and their carry-on baggage before boarding.
Checking stories across the country now.
An underground gas leak set a major intersection on fire last night in Roseville, California. People in nearby businesses were ordered to evacuate. The same intersection caught fire a year ago because of a gas line leak.
And people living in Tucson and Phoenix were hit with another big dust storm last night, their fourth of the year. These storms are called haboobs and generally take place in desert regions or during very dry conditions.
An 8-year-old in Florida was so moved by a September 11th memorial, that he convinced his brothers and sisters to actually give their birthday presents to U.S. troops. At least 80 kids attended the siblings' birthday party. The money will be donated to Soldiers Angels, an online organization that sends care packages to troops.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BOSTON MCFARLAND, 7 YEARS OLD: "Dear Army, thank you for fighting in the war for our freedom. I know a lot of you have died. It means a lot to me."
I just thought about it and came up with it.
LISA LUBICK, MOTHER: I honestly was surprised that four kids agreed, collectively agreed, to give up their presents. It's pretty amazing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Indeed, that is pretty amazing.
All right. Wall Street started the day on the plus side. Some say lately, that could be amazing, too. Alison Kosik is at the New York Stock Exchange.
So how are the markets looking right now?
ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: So much for that rally.
(STOCK MARKET REPORT)
WHITFIELD: OK. So, protesters are back in the financial district, apparently, today. Tell us about the group and why they're there, what they're saying.
KOSIK: You know what? They're kind of angry for all sorts of reasons.
You know, there's really not one cohesive message that's coming out of this group. They've got a list of grievances that's a mile long. But I'll tell you what, they truly do believe in their cause or causes, and they are getting some celebrity help.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KOSIK (voice-over): On day 11 of Occupied Wall Street, the number of protesters didn't appear to be growing, but their star power was.
SUSAN SARANDON, ACTRESS/ACTIVIST: I think that all change starts from the bottom up, and I think people have gotten tired of hearing the same little news quotes every day in and day out, and it's time for a new paradigm.
KOSIK: The protesters have descended on lower Manhattan to express their outrage against a financial system they say is broken, but no one can agree on how to fix it.
JULIEN HARRISON, PROTESTER: Most people agree, you're right, the system isn't working for most average Americans. So that's what we want to focus on. What do we agree on? What do we, as Americans, agree on, and what can we do about it?
KOSIK: Organizers say that lack of focus hasn't stopped the movement from growing, but it is fueling skepticism about their ultimate goal.
(on camera): There are so many reforms Occupied Wall Street wants to see happen, and this sea of signs really gives you a good idea about how many different demands that they have.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's usually summed up as social and economic reform.
KOSIK (voice-over): But it's clearly a protest against corporate America and Wall Street, and yet it's a big corporation these protesters are relying on to get their message out. (on camera): You bought a computer from one of the most valuable companies in this country, Apple is next to Exxon as the most valuable company, so it sort of flies in the face of what you're sitting here for, for day after day.
BARBARA ROSS, ORGANIZER: I think that's a very good point. And it is true that this Mac is -- you know, represents the values that I'm not for. But I'm just one person, and 90 percent of my life is in the direction that I want to be.
KOSIK (voice-over): One of hundreds who really believe in their cause, so much so they've traveled thousands of miles to be here.
JOSH NELSON, PROTESTER FROM DENVER: It's a matter of working the same job for next to nothing for the rest of my life, or creating a system in which there is an opportunity for advancement.
KOSIK (on camera): Has your boss called you yet?
NELSON: I called in. I told him there was a family emergency.
KOSIK: I think he's going to know the truth now.
NELSON: I hope not.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KOSIK: So his boss probably knows where he is at this point.
So this group is called Occupied Wall Street, but the funny thing is, is it's not actually doing that at this point. There are barricades that are blocking people from actually coming close to the New York Stock Exchange where I am. They're actually protesting a couple of blocks away.
So, I asked them, "For how long are you guys going to be here?" Most of them told me, "As long as it takes to see change in this country."
Fredricka, they may be here a very, very long time.
WHITFIELD: Interesting. OK. They've invested days, and they are promising days more. All right. We'll be checking.
KOSIK: They are.
WHITFIELD: Thanks so much, Alison.
All right. He's been hiding for months now, but a military spokesman in Libya says he knows where to find Moammar Gadhafi. We'll show you where the former dictator may be holed up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right. She was an important player in the Libyan revolution, helping rebel fighters get hold of medicine and supplies. That was until a neighbor ratted her out to Gadhafi's forces.
Our Jill Dougherty has this report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN FOREIGN AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Enas al-Dukali (ph) helped win the Libyan revolution, but she's not finished yet. This 26-year-old computer engineer was working at Tripoli's Urban Planning Agency when the conflict began.
Government security agents suspected her of helping the rebels target Gadhafi forces in the capital, which she now acknowledges. She was arrested and thrown in prison, and she agreed to retrace those painful steps with us.
Our first stop, the interrogation center where she was beaten and held for almost three weeks.
"I was questioned in this room. I slept here," she says. "I used to hear voices and screams of people who were being tortured."
(on camera): Did they threaten you here? Is this where they threatened you?
(voice-over): "Yes, they told me they weren't going to rape me," she says, "but they had ways of making me talk."
(on camera): And there would be screaming, and you could hear the voices?
ENAS AL-DUKALI (ph), BEATEN FOR HELPING LIBYAN REBELS: Yes.
DOUGHERTY (voice-over): Downstairs, we see the filthy cells where the men were held.
Enas (ph) was transferred to the notorious Abu Salim prison.
(on camera): Did they let you go outside?
(voice-over): She was ordered to be executed September 1st. One week before that, rebels took Tripoli and freed her and the other prisoners.
"It was a beautiful feeling," she says. "I'm very proud of the revolutionaries of Libya. Without their help, I wouldn't be alive."
Enas (ph) still is helping the rebels, collecting medical supplies and clothing for the men who are fighting the last battles. Yes, she's suffered, she says, but other women suffered even more, many were raped. Her sufferings were worth it, Enas says. The Gadhafi regime is over.
Jill Dougherty, CNN, Tripoli.
(END VIDEOTAPE) WHITFIELD: Breaking down the issues in the manslaughter trial of Michael Jackson's doctor. We'll get some insight from criminal defense attorney Holly Hughes about the testimony so far and what we may be able to expect going forward.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(NEWSBREAK)
WHITFIELD: A second day of testimony is under way in the manslaughter trial of Michael Jackson's doctor. On the stand right now is a woman the concert promoter contacted to broker an agreement between Dr. Conrad Murray and Michael Jackson.
Up first today was an executive of AEG, the company promoting the concert tour Jackson was planning. The jury will also hear from Jackson's personal assistant. He is expected to testify about what happened at the estate the morning the pop star died.
So let's get some insight on what's happened so far in the Conrad Murray trial.
Joining us right now again is criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor Holly Hughes.
OK. So right now, this attorney that is on the stand is talking about the agreement brokered between AEG, the concert promoter, and Dr. Conrad Murray. So, how specific or how detailed have they gotten so far, and what kind of contract, and what was said in that deal?
HOLLY HUGHES, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: What this is, it's a services contract. Basically, they're contracting -- Michael Jackson and AEG are going to contract for the services of Dr. Murray.
This is the partner of that law firm who actually drew it up. So they're getting a little technical. They're talking about how it went back and forth, who did you have contact with, who did you speak to about the terms of this contract, where did your information come from to actually draft it up. So she's been able to testify that AEG gave her the initial terms.
She drafted it up, sent it out to Conrad Murray. And she actually testified. The prosecution is trying to paint Dr. Murray as sort of money-grubbing, and it's really all about the money for him. And what she testified to, which helps them, is that when he got the draft of the contract, he came back and he said, well, I still want to be paid for those three months when the show is on hiatus, when he's not working on that show, when it's dark. I still want to get paid for those three months.
So, that's sort of where we are now in testimony.
WHITFIELD: So this is a contract about payment. Has she testified thus far that this is also a contract that spelled out the kinds of services that Dr. Murray was to give Michael Jackson and during that hiatus, would he still continue to give him medical care, or was it simply payment, even though they hadn't seen each other during a three-month hiatus?
HUGHES: We don't know, because she hasn't testified to any of that.
But I suspect what we're going to see is, the contract is going to be entered into evidence and the jury will actually be able to read it. What she did tell us so far is that the terms of the services came from AEG. So you can be sure that those things were addressed in that contract. But the interesting thing also comes up is Michael Jackson never signed or executed that contract.
Now, Dr. Murray wasn't supposed to technically start working under this contract until everybody signed it, all the parties, AEG, Michael, and the doctor, but he would still be paid starting from May 1 of that year. So even though he wasn't technically on the payroll, he was still going to get paid, which is another interesting point when you talk about, it's all about the money.
WHITFIELD: Now, when did he actually, Dr. Murray actually sign this contract? Is she already testifying that that signature came very late in the game?
HUGHES: Actually, yes, that's a great point, Fred. What she said is, she received that contract back with Dr. Murray's signature on June 24, which is the day before Michael Jackson died, which is why...
WHITFIELD: What does that mean?
HUGHES: ... it was never executed by Michael or by AEG.
WHITFIELD: But he had already received payments?
HUGHES: He had been being paid, retroactively, back to May 1.
WHITFIELD: Interesting.
HUGHES: Yes.
WHITFIELD: All right. Now, a personal assistant of Michael Jackson is also to testify a little bit later, highly anticipated. That will help establish the demeanor of Michael Jackson that morning, the morning of his death.
HUGHES: Absolutely.
And the other thing the personal assistant is going to be able to talk about is what went on in the house after Michael was found in distress, after it came to Dr. Conrad Murray's attention that his patient was in trouble. What did Dr. Murray do? So the assistant is going to be able to talk about, I got this phone call, it didn't say call 911, it said, just something's up, come on up here, help me clean up the room.
They're going to get into the nitty-gritty here. This is going to be an extremely important witness for the prosecution. WHITFIELD: I asked Dan Simon earlier. He said it was too early. The attorneys hadn't necessarily revealed whether Conrad Murray would take the stand. But, in your view, a case like this, how could he not take the stand?
HUGHES: I think he's going to have to, because basically what they're doing is attacking his standard of care as a physician. They are saying this man did not do what he was supposed to do.
So even though he is innocent until proven guilty under our legal system, the jury is still going to want to hear, because if they say Michael took it himself, who was in that room that night, Fred? Dr. Murray and Michael Jackson.
So during that crucial time frame, when something went terribly wrong, there were two players present. One of them is deceased. If we want to know what happened, we're going to have to hear from the other one. Dr. Murray is going to have to tell his side of the story.
WHITFIELD: Holly Hughes, thanks so much.
HUGHES: Thanks.
WHITFIELD: And, of course, we will continue to monitor the testimony in the trial and bring you live coverage here on CNN as the developments happen.
For complete trial coverage throughout the day, you want to tune into our sister network, HLN.
All right. He changed the way people listen to music online. The founder of Napster tells our Dan Simon what he sees coming next in the digital revolution.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: A reminder to vote for today's "Choose the News" winner. Text 22360 for the story that you want to see.
Text one for Aussie female fighters. Australian women will soon be on the front lines of battle. Text two for World War II sunken treasure. We take you to the bottom of the sea, where a team of treasure hunters is working to recover what may be the biggest shipwreck haul ever. And text three for Liz Taylor's jewels. Diamonds certainly seemed to be one of her best friends. You get to see the star's famed collection. The winning story airs later on this hour.
All right, some major news in the tech world today. Amazon unwrapped its new tablet just in time for you to wrap it up for Christmas. It's called the Kindle Fire. The device will be a direct competitor to Apple's iPad, which commands 75 percent of the tablet market.
And anticipation is growing for iPhone 5. Apple just sent out invitations for next Tuesday's expected unveiling of the new phone. Digital lifestyle expert Mario Armstrong told our Ali Velshi what to expect in the latest version.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARIO ARMSTRONG, DIGITAL LIFESTYLE EXPERT: It's safe to assume, by looking at their ads sometimes, they give little clues or their invitation. They give little clues. And this one has it's all about talk. So you assume that it's going to be something phone-related, not an iPad 3, you know, announcement or anything like that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Among the rumored upgrades, a bigger screen, better cameras, voice recognition, and more carriers.
All right. He was the guy behind Napster and the first president of Facebook. Now, in a CNN exclusive, Sean Parker tells our Dan Simon what he sees as the next big thing for online music fans.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Snoop Dogg performing at a private party for Silicon Valley's young elite, just one of several marquee acts that also included the Killers and the band Jane's Addiction. An event that had incredibly had been planned only two days earlier by technology pioneer Sean Parker. He decided at the last minute to throw a party to coincide with the big Facebook conference in San Francisco and bring attention to his latest Internet adventure, but more on that in a moment.
(on camera): How much fun are you having?
SEAN PARKER, INTERNET ENTREPRENEUR: Putting this event together in the last 48 hours was both incredibly fun and also incredibly stressful.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "THE SOCIAL NETWORK")
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: You're a zillionaire.
JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE, ACTOR: Not technically.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: What are you?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SIMON (voice-over): To many, Parker is best known as the guy played by Justin Timberlake in the movie "The Social Network." Parker was the first in the Facebook, and adviser to company founder Mark Zuckerberg.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "THE SOCIAL NETWORK")
TIMBERLAKE: Drop the "The," just Facebook.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SIMON: In Silicon Valley, Parker was already a legend as the co- founder of Napster, the music piracy site that fundamentally shifted how consumers get their music from store-bought C.D.s to the Internet. He talked about he and another Sean, Sean Fanning went from being hackers to Internet trailblazers.
PARKER: Fanning and I immediately realized that we had an interest in more than just computers and software and hacking and security that we actually had an interest in doing something with a broader cultural importance. One of those ideas was Napster.
SIMON: Eleven years later, Parker has returned to his music roots as one of the largest investors in Spotify, a London-based music service he recently helped bring to the U.S. He has stirred the company into an alliance with Facebook where users can now listen and share music with their Facebook friends in real time.
PARKER: It's my belief that by bringing network effects and the power of social to the music business, you know, we will create the dominant music platform in the world.
SIMON: A bold statement in a business category now dominated by Apple. But Parker's intuition has served him well. And though he says being rich isn't as glamorous as it seems, it certainly wasn't evident on this night.
Dan Simon, CNN, San Francisco.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: All right, they're having a lot of fun there.
OK. So, a Long Island New York high school is at the center of a first-of-its-kind cheating scandal. Students are accused of paying someone else to take their SATs.
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Text one for Aussie female fighters. Australian women will soon be on the front lines of battle, but not everyone is jumping for joy. Text two for World War II sunken treasure. We will take you to an amazing underwater discovery from World War II, a shipwreck worth millions. And text three for Liz Taylor's jewels, speaking of treasure. Elizabeth Taylor's famed jewel collection is making its way around the world before going up for auction. The winning story airs a few minutes from now.
All right, the SAT is billed as the most widely used college admission test, and seven New York students have been accused of cheating on it. But it's the way they allegedly did it that has people asking, could this happen again? CNN student news anchor Carl Azuz following the story.
This really is very fascinating.
CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Uh-huh. It's absolutely fascinating. And it could have happened at another school. And really what happened here was that teachers at Great Neck North High School, now this is a renowned high school in Long Island, they started hearing rumors that some students were paying another students to take the SAT for them.
So what they started doing, what prosecutors started doing as part of this investigation, is looking into who was doing really well on the SAT but not doing so well academically. And that led them to arrest six students at Great Neck North High School, as well as a seventh student. You see him right here. He's Sam Eshaghoff. He's a graduate of Great Neck North High School who now goes to Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. Prosecutors say he received between $1,500 and $2,500 a pop to take the test, posing as these other students.
WHITFIELD: So, interesting, because the kids, the students had that kind of money to actually hand over to him allegedly for him to take the test. But there was a girl in there. How was it that he was able to kind of assume the identity of all of these kids in order to take the test?
AZUZ: You know, as far as how he posed as a girl, that's sort of an unanswered question at this point. We're not sure exactly -- we don't know her name because they're minors and so they haven't released the names of the students who were accused of paying him to take the test for him.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
AZUZ: But what police say Sam Eshaghoff did was, the student's -- you don't have to take the SAT where you go to school. In fact, I remember when I took it, Fredricka, I took it in another town.
WHITFIELD: Yes, me too.
AZUZ: And so what prosecutors say these students did was, they signed up at another school to take the SAT, where they wouldn't be recognized, people wouldn't know who they are, and Sam Eshaghoff, they say what he did was, he had fake IDs with these students' name and information but his own photo. And so the administrators at these other schools wouldn't know him from Adam, so they went ahead and let him take the test. And, up until now, it worked.
WHITFIELD: Quite an elaborate scheme. OK, so now let's talk about these charges. Pretty serious.
AZUZ: Oh, yes, very serious. I mean he's pled not guilty to these. The lawyer says, don't judge him yet. But the charges Sam Eshaghoff is facing include first-degree falsifying business records, first-degree scheme to defraud and second-degree criminal impersonation. They say the other students are charged with misdemeanor charges. What's unclear is if these other students are found guilty, if that will affect their college prospects.
WHITFIELD: Wow, Carl Azuz, fascinating stuff. And, sadly, you know, their lives are -- they have this mark now before they've even really gotten started.
AZUZ: If they're found guilty, they will. It will be interesting to see how it shakes out.
WHITFIELD: Right. All right, thanks so much, Carl.
AZUZ: Thank you, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, today's "Talk Back" question, why do Republicans love Chris Christie? Markus says, "better question, why do Democrats still love Obama?" We'll read more of your responses straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right. In Denmark, strange lights in the sky, but they're nothing to be worried about. It's just nature putting on a spectacular show. These time-lapsed pictures are from one of our Danish i-Reporters. The Northern Lights are usually seen in areas north of there.
Well, Chad Myers, explain to us -- it is pretty extraordinary.
CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes.
WHITFIELD: I think folks would naturally be a little freaked out when they see that initially after saying, oh, that's really pretty. Wait a minute. What is that?
MYERS: If you live that far north, you've seen them before.
WHITFIELD: OK.
MYERS: You know, you live in Minnesota, you've seen them before. But it was a very large solar flare that came out called the coronal mass ejection now.
WHITFIELD: Wow.
MYERS: Yes, I mean you just can't call them solar flares. They have to be really -- they have to be technical about it.
Anyway, this came out on Saturday and Sunday and eventually into the ionosphere. And, boy, if you go up into the pole areas, you could really see of it.
All of this solar activity came out of solar spot -- sun spot number 1302. And it is not done. The CME came from 1302 on Saturday and it came with a big, big, just a huge area of -- even the International Space Station could do (ph) it -- of this magnetic pole energy. They're called Aurora Borealis, or in the southern hemisphere Aurora Australis. Anyway, here you have -- let's take a look at some of these pictures because really all you want to do with this is just say, ohh. You know, this is the segment that says, things that make you want to say ohh, because you can see it from the ISS, the pictures coming here from our i-Reporters --
WHITFIELD: Neat.
MYERS: They are just so incredible. I have actually -- I have seen the Aurora Borealis, I've seen the Northern Lights just one time in my life. I was in northern Minnesota, up in the Detroit Lakes area fishing, and it was just something. You -- almost -- you just can't take your eyes off it. It's mesmerizing.
WHITFIELD: That is fascinating.
MYERS: And this one was so impressive, you could actually see it in some of the mid-latitude areas.
And this isn't over. We are now going into a sun spot cycle. A big maximum -- this isn't going to be over until 2013.
WHITFIELD: Really?
MYERS: We'll have pictures like this all the time.
WHITFIELD: So it sounds to me like people need to start making some arrangements. If they don't live there, then start, you know, booking those flights so they can get lucky and see something like that.
MYERS: Well, that's -- this is -- that's the good part.
WHITFIELD: Wow.
MYERS: Now the bad part is, when you get a big ejection like that, you can actually do some damage to the power grids, you can do damage to the satellite.
WHITFIELD: Oh, my God.
MYERS: One big one happened in the 1800s and telegraph booths -- you know the guys that are going -- caught on fire because the power that came down from the sun hit the wires.
WHITFIELD: Oh, my goodness.
MYERS: The wires sent the power to the wooden boxes that these men and women were in and caught these boxes on fire.
WHITFIELD: Oh, my goodness!
MYERS: So there's a bad side to them too.
WHITFIELD: OK. So we won't get as excited as I thought we should.
All right, thanks so much, Chad.
MYERS: You're welcome.
WHITFIELD: Of course, you've been sounding off on our "Talk Back" question of the day. Carol Costello has some of your responses.
Carol, I know folks are fired up. So of them are really kind of zingers.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They are. They always are.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
COSTELLO: And a very spunky group of friends.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
COSTELLO: This is the "Talk Back" question, why do Republicans love Chris Christie?
This from Joshua. He said, "wake up, everyone, the question should be, why haven't we made more of an effort to convince Christie to run for president?"
This from Edward, "because we know Christie would virtually destroy Obama and he would actually make things better for America, get us out of debt, fix the education system, correct issues with illegal immigration, and overall help America progress economically."
This from Rob, "because Americans now see how scary the thought of having Rick Perry as president really is."
This from Tom, "because the Republican Party has turned into a two-faced what have you done for me lately, willing to say or do almost anything to win. Unfortunately, it seems to no longer be a party of ideals and ideas."
Keep the conversation going, facebook.com/carolcnn. And thanks, as always, for your comments.
WHITFIELD: Oh, yes, I know people are conveying their messages, you know, via tweet and FaceBook, but it's nice to get a card every now and then, isn't it? You like greeting cards?
COSTELLO: I do. I do.
WHITFIELD: Well, there is still a market for them. And, in fact, they've expanded quite a bit now. Your choice have gotten quite creative. So if you've lost your job, don't be surprised if you might get a nice little Hallmark greeting card that kind of empathizes, sympathizes with you. The companies said, you know, Carol, that they had to, you know, widen the range a little bit more, and that customers actually asked for this. So they're not making fun, they're not poking fun, they're not seizing the opportunity, but they're actually delivering on what people have asked for. Pretty fascinating, right? COSTELLO: If I were fired and someone sent me a card like that, I don't think I'd be too happy.
WHITFIELD: Oh, you wouldn't?
COSTELLO: I just made up a rhyme, though, for Hallmark, you know, just on -- just, I mean, it was instantaneously in my brain. Roses are red, violets are blue, I lost my job and so will you.
WHITFIELD: Oh, my goodness! And so will you.
COSTELLO: No, but that's what some of the messages are like. Would you want to get that, even if it's like a joke?
WHITFIELD: I'm sure it's a little bit more comforting than that, that's what I'm hoping.
COSTELLO: Some of them are.
WHITFIELD: That's what I'm thinking.
All right, Carol, thanks so much.
COSTELLO: Sure.
WHITFIELD: OK. Well, you at home, you also told us what you wanted to see. Your "Choose The News" story just moments away.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right. How does $25 an hour waiting tables sound or $80,000 a year to drive a truck? Then head to Watford City, North Dakota. Watford sits on top of the Bakken Formation, holing anywhere from 4 billion to 24 billion barrels of oil underground. Oil companies are paying top dollar to get it out. And local businesses are boosting their pay to compete.
All right, you voted, we listened. Your "Choose The News" winner is an amazing underwater discovery worth hundreds of millions of dollars. A team of treasure hunters is working to recover what may be the biggest shipwreck haul ever. CNN's Ralitsa Vassileva has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RALITSA VASSILEVA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): An eerie scene from the bottom of the sea. Here lies the "SS Gairsoppa." The British cargo steamer was torpedoed by a Nazi U-boat (ph) back in 1941, taking all but one of the 85 people on board and its precious cargo to a watery grave. Using the latest high-tech in deep water robots, Florida-based treasure hunters Odyssey Marine Exploration located the wreck about 300 miles off the Ireland coast. The ship went down carrying tea, pig iron, and some 200 tons of silver, now valued at more than $210 million, making this a highly sought after salvage.
MARK GORDON, CEO, ODYSSEY MARINE EXPLORATION: And, you know what, if the tea hasn't floated away, good chance the silver hasn't floated away either.
VASSILEVA: While the wreck now lies in water even deeper than the Titanic, Odyssey's chief executive believes that won't prevent a full cargo recovery.
GORDON: We're very fortunate because we found this shipwreck sitting upright on the sea floor with the cargo holds opened. And the process of unloading the cargo won't be too different than if it were sitting alongside a dock, although we are going to be doing it in about, you know, 5 kilometers of water depth.
VASSILEVA: Odyssey crews hope to start bringing that silver to the surface next spring.
Ralitsa Vassileva, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: And if your choose -- your choice, rather -- your "Choose The News" choice did not win or you just want to check out the runner's up, we'll have links to them on our page at facebook.com/suzannecnn.
All right, the CNN NEWSROOM continues right now with Randi Kaye.
