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New Details in Death of Natalie Wood; Secret Service Protecting Herman Cain; Basketball Coach as Syracuse University Charged with Child Sexual Abuse; Penn State Child Sex Abuse Investigation Continues; Deadline Looms for Congressional Super Committee

Aired November 18, 2011 - 15:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back, hour two. I'm Brooke Baldwin. Here's what we're working on for you. What really happened to actress, Natalie Woods? Thirty years after her death, the investigation is reopened.

Also, a public water system in Illinois the possible target of a cyber-attack, and the feds yank a drug's approval for use against for breast cancer.

Time to play "Reporter Roulette."

We will begin with Kareen Wynter in Los Angeles.

Kareen, I know there was a news conference just a short time ago. Big question is, why? Why now? Why reopen this accidental drowning case?

KAREEN WYNTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Why now, Brooke?

Well, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department says it has substantial, new, credible information, enough information to make them want to take a second look at this case.

They wouldn't talk about who they are interviewing in terms of people or statements, but they were clear to mention that it has nothing to do with the timing here of Natalie Wood's anniversary. It will be 30 years in a few weeks since she died in 1981.

But speaking of statements here, what about the statements of her former captain who was on the yacht the night that Natalie Wood died? His name is Dennis Davern. And he has been quite public, really open about saying that he lied to investigators more than three decades ago, that he wasn't forthcoming to them, that he has new revealing information, not just that, but that Natalie's former husband, Robert Wagner, who was on the yacht that night, that he was engaged in some sort of cover-up.

So there is all of this coming out. We asked about what about Wagner? Is he going to be questioned here? What's his status? They were clear to say that he is not a suspect. As for Dennis Davern, they said that -- we asked if he could face charges, perhaps perjury for lying. They said, we're not going to elaborate on that, but we do want to talk to him and we want to hear what his story is today vs. the story that he gave several decades ago. We will have to see what happens, how this plays out, Brooke.

BALDWIN: What about Robert Wagner, though, specifically, Kareen? What is the publicist saying today?

WYNTER: Of course he's speaking out. He sent the media a statement saying -- quote -- "The actor's family fully support the efforts of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and trust they will evaluate whether any new information relating to the death of Natalie Wood Wagner is valid, and that it comes from a credible source or sources other than those simply trying to profit from the 30-year anniversary of her tragic death" -- Brooke.

BALDWIN: Kareen Wynter in Los Angeles, Kareen, thank you.

And in just a couple more minutes, we're going to show you how the news first played out some 30 years ago. You're going to hear directly from the captain who says Robert Wagner is in fact responsible for Natalie Wood's death.

Next on "Reporter Roulette," was a public water system in Illinois hit a by a cyber-attack? The Department of Homeland Security is now investigating.

Brian Todd following the story from Washington.

Brian, what happened? What do you know?

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Brooke, we know that a cyber-security expert named Joe Weiss has obtained documents from the Illinois state government, documents which he says indicate that there was a cyber- attack, but the Department of Homeland Security is not going that far yet.

They say they're investigating this. They say it was definitely a failure of a water pump in the Springfield, Illinois, area, but the department is saying right now they don't want to go so far as to say that this was a cyber-attack. But Joe Weiss, who is a credible expert, said he did get these documents from the Illinois state government.

And according to Weiss, on November 8, a water district employee in that area noticed problems with the industrial systems at a water facility. A computer repair company checked the logs and determined that the computer had been hacked. We talked to Weiss a short time ago. he said that they traced the I.P. address to an address in Russia. But again DHS not commenting about any of this. There is a DHS statement that they sent us a short time ago saying, "DHS and the FBI are gathering facts surrounding the report of a water pump failure in Springfield, Illinois. At this time there is no credible corroborated data that indicates a risk to critical infrastructure entities or a threat to public safety."

It says that, "If DHS ICS-CERT," which is their cyber-security arm, "identifies any information about possible impacts to additional entities, it will disseminate timely mitigation information as it becomes available," essentially saying to other utility companies that it will share that information with them, but again DHS saying right now it's only looking into this, can't determine for us yet if this was a cyber-attack. but one credible expert says it definitely was.

BALDWIN: OK, Brian Todd, appreciate it. Thank you in Washington.

Next on "Reporter Roulette", important news for breast cancer patients.

The FDA says that the drug Avastin should not be used to treat metastatic breast cancer.

CNN senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen is here.

What is going on? Why revoke this?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Brooke, there was so much excitement about eight years ago, when they approved Avastin for advanced breast cancer, but now the FDA says, look, we have been studying it for these past eight years and we don't think it really helps women and in fact it can hurt women by causing bleeding and other possibly fatal problems.

They are saying, look, this is no longer approved for breast cancer patients.

BALDWIN: But there have to be other women out who say, yes, this medication absolutely helps me. What about them?

(CROSSTALK)

COHEN: Right. Those women have actually been very vocal. I actually met one about a little over a year ago. Her name is Ronnie Villarreal.

And she had advanced breast cancer and she said when I met her that she got an extra year-and-a-half of life. That was what she felt Avastin helped her get. And it gave her more time with her child. She sadly died about six months later. But that would be about two years that she thinks Avastin helped her get.

But then again on the other hand, there are women who say, I took Avastin and it gave me false hope and it actually made me sick. There are women sort of both sides of this.

BALDWIN: What does the change in policy mean for women now moving forward?

COHEN: Right.

Well, for women who are currently taking Avastin, they may get some really unfortunate news, because a doctor can skill prescribe this to a woman with breast cancer, because it's already approved for other cancers. So a doctor could still prescribe it. But it's $90,000 a year. And now that the FDA has said we don't think it works for breast cancer, insurance companies probably aren't going to pay for it. So there's a good chance that women who are on this drug will be told, we are not paying for this anymore. Some of those women will be understandably very upset.

BALDWIN: Interesting, though, because so it's still OK for other cancers, just not breast cancer.

(CROSSTALK)

COHEN: Right, because they say that it works for other cancers, but it doesn't work for breast canner.

BALDWIN: Got it. Elizabeth, thank you.

(CROSSTALK)

COHEN: OK. Thanks.

BALDWIN: And that's you're "Reporter Roulette" for this Friday.

Now, a lot else unfolding this hour, including more abuse allegations involving a big-time coach at a big-time university and children. CNN's Ed Lavandera has just arrived in Syracuse. We're going to take you there live.

Plus, just a short time ago, we heard from investigators who are reopening the case surrounding the mysterious drowning of Natalie Wood. We will hear from the yacht captain who says Wood's husband is responsible for her death.

Also, this:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This place is good at doing nothing. That may be the best option.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: One congressman says the super committee should do nothing, let the clock run out. But as that clock continues to tick, some lawmakers may be looking for a way out.

And Secret Service is now protecting Herman Cain. But why? Is someone targeting him? There is news just in on this story -- that and more. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: We have now learned that Herman Cain now has Secret Service protection. And that makes him the first Republican candidate during this year's campaign to get that. So the question is, why? Why has this happened?

Joe Johns has been working the story for us in Washington.

Joe, what's the answer? Why?

JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: Well, the answer is that -- and this is according to sources inside the government -- Herman Cain has gotten a number of unspecified threats.

And it doesn't sound like they were necessarily very specific. The intimation to us is that at least some of these threats came from online sources. And that essentially is the reason why he's gotten Secret Service protection. He also apparently asked for it and there is sort of a process that is followed.

This request will go to the Department -- the Department of Homeland Security -- excuse me -- and then she will look at that very carefully, go to the top leaders of the House of Representatives and the Senate. They are sort of an advisory committee. They weigh in a little bit. And then, boom, you have got Secret Service protection for an individual candidate who's running for the president of the United States if that person appears to be a viable candidate at this stage. And that's how he got it.

BALDWIN: So, just put this in perspective for us. Is this rare, that a candidate at this point in the game is covered by Secret Service? Who else has had Secret Service protection this early on?

JOHNS: None other than Barack Obama, who went on to become the president of the United States. He got Secret Service protection pretty far along -- or pretty early, I should say.

The bottom line is, you know, this is a candidate who has -- he's out there. He's looking pretty good in the polls. He has gotten a lot of bad publicity, certainly, riled up a lot of strong feelings. But the better part of valor at this stage, according to the people in the United States government, is to go ahead and let him have Secret Service protection.

It's interesting, too, Brooke. The campaign sort of put out this nation that they were trying to essentially get Secret Service protection because the media was posing such a problem for Herman Cain.

Well, we talked to sources inside the government today and they say media had absolutely nothing to do with it. His news coverage had nothing to do with it. This is simply about threats and he asked for this protection, and also he looks like a viable contender for the Republican nomination at this stage. So the people who get to make this kind of decision decided, yes, we're going to go ahead and give him Secret Service protection.

BALDWIN: OK.

Joe Johns in Washington, Joe, thanks for the explanation there.

(NEWS BREAK) BALDWIN: She was one of Hollywood's most glamorous stars, until she was found dead floating off of Catalina Island. Now police are reopening the investigation into Natalie Wood's death some 30 years later. Two well-known celebrities are right in the middle of this mystery. That story and what the yacht captain is now saying, that's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: "On the Case" today, the Natalie Wood investigation has now been reopened some 30 years after the actress drowned in nighttime waters off of California's Catalina Island.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LT. JOHN CORINA, L.A. COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE: We have received information, which we felt was substantial, enough to make us take another look at this case.

QUESTION: Is Robert Wagner a suspect?

CORINA: No.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: I'm going to talk to investigator reporter Michelle Sigona about this in just a moment. She's been talking to some folks who are up on the investigation, the coroner's report from many years ago.

But, first, I want to take you back to that fateful night back in 1981. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN (voice-over): Natalie Wood was one the most popular, most- sought-after actresses in Hollywood, which made her death in 1981, at just 43 years of age, all the more shocking, even to today, for some, still unexplainable.

It was Thanksgiving weekend when Wood and her actor husband, Robert Wagner, were sailing on their yacht Splendour, meant to be a relaxing break. The two would be joined by actor and friend Christopher Walken in a sail off Catalina Island. Instead, tragedy struck Saturday night, November 28.

Wagner and Walken apparently got into some sort of heated argument. Wagner later told authorities his wife didn't see the argument. Instead, as the coroner recalled at the time, Wood apparently decided to go for a ride by herself on a smaller boat.

DR. THOMAS NOGUCHI, FORMER L.A. COUNTY CORONER: Shortly after midnight, Sunday morning, she apparently attempted to get on to the dinghy, slipped and fell in the water.

BALDWIN: Natalie Wood, still dressed in a nightgown and socks, was discovered floating around hours later about a mile from the yacht. The autopsy showed she died with dozens of bruises on her body. Still, coroner Noguchi south to quash rumors Wood was killed for committed suicide, insisting the "Splendor in the Grass" star died of accidental drowning.

He also characterized that Wagner/Walken argument as nonviolent. Was alcohol to blame? An autopsy showed Wood had been drinking, but was hardly drunk. Even more perplexing, Lana Wood later claimed her sister Natalie didn't even know how to swim, a claim which still raises the question, why would Natalie Wood even consider getting in a boat in the darkness in pajamas just to go for a ride on her own?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: A lot of questions.

Let's go to Michelle Sigona, investigative reporter and international crime correspondent in Washington.

And, Michelle, obviously the L.A. County Sheriff's Department says it has some new information, multiple sources -- they wouldn't say anymore than that -- multiple sources coming forward.

You talked to the coroner's office. What are they saying to you?

MICHELLE SIGONA, INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER, MICHELLESIGONA.COM: I did.

Well, what Mr. White did for me, Brooke, was he pulled up the original police report. And we really went over that in detail to see if there were some inconsistencies or something that popped out.

And what I did learn was that between 10:00 and 10:30 on the night of November 29, that everyone was out at a restaurant. They were last seen. They had some drinks and they got on to the boat. At 11:45 p.m., that was the last time that Natalie was seen alive.

And then at 1:30, Mr. Wagner did in fact make a radio call in for help to try to get some help out there to say, she's missing. We need some assistance out here. And at 7:44 a.m., that's when her body was found about 200 yards north of that dinghy.

And so we went over the report. I wanted to make sure that those facts were 100 percent accurate. And then I asked. I said, is it possible that you may exhume her body and reinvestigate this case? And he said, you know what, anything is possible. The sheriff's office could ask us that. We could move in that direction.

It's not saying that he's going to. He said, this year alone we have probably exhumed two or three bodies and reinvestigated them.

BALDWIN: Wow.

So earlier today, the captain of the yacht appeared on CNN and he was talking to Suzanne Malveaux. And she was asking him what happened that night. Here's what he told her.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DENNIS DAVERN, FORMER CAPTAIN OF THE SPLENDOUR: Christopher and Natalie were sitting on the sofa. And within -- within a split- second, Robert Wagner picked up a wine bottle and smashed it on the coffee table and yelled out, "What are you trying to do, 'blank' my wife?"

And at that moment, Christopher got up and went into his stateroom. And Natalie was so devastated that she went into her stateroom. And Robert Wagner followed Natalie. And they continued arguing in their stateroom.

And I went up on the bridge and then turned on the music because I didn't want them to feel like I was eavesdropping on their personal problems at that time. And there was like a lot of physical activity going on in the stateroom.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What do you mean?

DAVERN: Well, just noises of movement in the stateroom.

MALVEAUX: Like violence, yelling?

(CROSSTALK)

DAVERN: ... voices. Yes.

And then the argument went to the aft deck, and they argued back there for a little while. And then it became silent.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: And then, I should say, he also pointed out that he and Robert Wagner -- and, again, this is his story, his perspective.

(CROSSTALK)

SIGONA: That's right, just his perspective.

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: Right. Waited multiple hours before they called the Coast Guard, but, again, his perspective. He's admitting he didn't tell the police the full truth back in '81.

So, Michelle, how credible really is this captain?

SIGONA: At this point, I think investigators will take any new information that they have. They will take -- if he has new information that he suddenly remembers or wants to come clean with or come forward with, whatever the case may be, they will take that into consideration, along with these other multiple sources that they quoted earlier at the press conference to be able to reevaluate them.

The problem in this case is going to be the hard-core evidence. Is there specific evidence linking Mr. Wagner to a homicide? At this point, there doesn't appear to be. It's not saying that over the course of investigation some things might pop up, but at this time, this is only ruled an accidental drowning.

I do know for sure, according to the coroner's office, that there was alcohol in her bloodstream. And we just have the facts of the timeline of the case. As far as anything else goes, that's some things that will be uncovered in this particular investigation at this time.

You have to ask, why 30 years later? Why now? Why Thanksgiving weekend, on the anniversary? Things do come up in anniversaries. I can tell you that, that anniversaries especially surrounding cold cases and surrounding cases for a long time, people do come out and they do start to remember things.

And so at this time, I think investigators are looking into this. They're reopening the case, they're taking the facts and they will re- interview some people and see what they come up with.

BALDWIN: So in part of this re-interviewing process, does that also mean, Michelle, that they will talk to Robert Wagner and they will talk to Christopher Walken again?

SIGONA: I'm sure. Absolutely. You have a small group of people that were on this yacht, a small group of people that have information to close in that timeline.

And they are really the only ones to link to this investigation. So how could you do this reexamining of things and not talk to them? If they don't, it would be very surprising. So I'm sure that they will. And using some new technology and using some new things, they may go back out.

And a lot of times we have seen this recently very publicly sort of reenacting these crimes and going back over this case. Why not? If they have people coming forward, they want to dedicate two investigators to this, what they said earlier, then go ahead with it.

BALDWIN: As you point out, they want all the information, all the new information that you can get.

SIGONA: You got it.

BALDWIN: Michelle Sigona, a pleasure, thank you.

SIGONA: Good to see you. Have a good day.

BALDWIN: The clock is ticking down for the congressional super committee. They have five days left to trim more than a trillion dollars from the national deficit, really less. They got to get it to the CBO by Monday. But, surprise, surprise, no one can agree on how to do it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This place is good at doing nothing. That may be the best option.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: So will they make a deal and what will happen if they don't? That's next.

But, first, one man's quest to go green has him searching for ways to turn diapers, used gum, and worm waste into eco-friendly products. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN (voice-over): You can call Tom Szaky trashy and get away with it.

TOM SZAKY, CEO, TERRACYCLE: My friends and I, we were trying to grow some plants and realize that worm poop was one of the best fertilizers to feed them. It's really organic waste fed to worms. And that suddenly started getting me to think differently about waste.

BALDWIN: Tom started manufacturing worm poop, packing his organic fertilizer in used plastic bottles, selling what he calls waste in waste under the name TerraCycle. Eight years later, TerraCycle turns all sorts of non-recyclable waste into recyclable eco-friendly products.

SZAKY: We collect close to a billion pieces of waste every month from close to now I think around 25 million people across 19 countries.

BALDWIN: For example, juice pouches are made into school folders and kids' backpacks and TerraCycle also gives back.

SZAKY: We pay the shipping and make a donation to a school or charity in the country where you collect it.

BALDWIN: Up next, figuring out a way to make products from diapers and used chewing gum.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: It's the deal or no deal of politics. The super committee charged with cutting down our debt has until next Wednesday to make the cuts. But if it doesn't, we've heard the warnings.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The economic impact, we're not going to send the right message. The whole rest of the world is watching.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The economic future of our country -- our national debt is our biggest national security threat.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: And super committee says they are all too aware of that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. JEB HENSARLING, CO-CHAIR, JOINT SELECT COMMITTEE OF DEFICIT REDUCTION: We are painfully, painfully aware of the deadline, and it's staring us in the face. And we have 12 good people who have worked hard since this committee has been created to try to find sufficient common ground for an agreement that would simultaneously address both our nation's job crisis and the debt crisis.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Let's go to chief analyst Gloria Borger in Washington. And Gloria, so I guess we need to be talking plan b, plan c, I don't know where we are at this point. Congress, are they getting ready if and when the super committee fails?

GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: Look, I think they are going to punt this one. It's very sad to say. They are working hard and there are good meaning people in the super committee. But it still comes down to the same old issues, Brooke, the question of tax hikes versus entitlement cuts.

And what they are doing now, members of Congress are doing, is they are trying to rationalize their own failure. Say if the committee fails, then the Democrats are saying, you know what, these cuts may not be so bad because we've walled off the entitlements and protected the poor and they only take effect in January of 2013, and by the way, half the cuts come from defense spending.

And the Republicans are saying, you know what, we can try and roll back the defense spending cuts and that's part of national security and defense credibility, and let the Democrats take us on on that one. So if they fail, they are trying to figure out ways to get around it. But they lose credibility with the American public.

BALDWIN: They're also losing credibility because they've known about this deadline. Why do these budget talks come down to the last possible moment, day?

BORGER: Well, it is as if Congress understands that it's become a crisis-activated institution, period. They can't do anything unless they're up against the wall. So they set this deadline at Thanksgiving, happy Thanksgiving, the deadline for Congress to pass it at Christmas, merry Christmas, because they know themselves pretty well, and they're like, OK, we're going to get this done because we all want to get home for the holidays, so we have to set this crazy deadline for ourselves.

But guess what. In the end they may not make it and it just made slide. And I think they are the ones who are going to suffer because the American public is going to say, you promised us that this was going to be a solution when you kicked a can down the road after the debt ceiling debacle in late July and you're not keeping your word.

BALDWIN: So if it slides, punt, you know, kick the can down the road, whatever phrase you want to use, how does that affect President Obama? What does he do, then?

BORGER: Well, it's interesting, because I've been talking to people over at the White House. Right now the president hasn't gotten involved in these negotiations. Lots of Republicans are saying he ought to come back and get involved. When that happened last time on the debt ceiling, some say, particularly the Democratic Party, it didn't work out so well for him.

Clearly I think at the White House they believe that if Congress does nothing they can blame a do-nothing congress. I think the real question out there, Brooke, is whether Congress tries to roll back some of these cuts, say on defense spending, what would the president do? Would he veto that or would he look for some kind of compromise so it can pass? The White House has not said that they would veto any and tempted to roll back the attempts but they let it know that they wouldn't be happy with it. So that still has a way to play out.

BALDWIN: Gloria Borger, thank you. Have a good weekend.

BORGER: Sure. You, too.

BALDWIN: Also, speaking of Washington, CNN, don't forget Tuesday night Wolf Blitzer moderating the big debate. The Republicans running for president are going to hold another debate, this time steps away from the White House. This time the Republican national security debate co-sponsored by the Heritage Foundation and the American Enterprise Institute. It is 8:00 eastern time Tuesday night.

Another college football athletic program rocked by allegations of sex abuse by another person of power, a coach. CNN's Ed Lavandera who has just arrived on the campus of Syracuse University. We're going to go to him live with more on that.

But, first, his image is based on his size. But Fat Joe is not so fat anymore. The rapper explains why he's slimmed down in today's "Human Factor." Back in two minutes.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Fat Joe, you've heard of him. He's huge in the rap world, but not quite as big in person anymore. After losing half a dozen friends to heart attacks last year, he decided it was finally time to get his own weight under control. CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. San Gupta shows us experience how.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(MUSIC)

FAT JOE, RAPPER: You know, I was talking to my trainer yesterday, and he said when is the last time that you were slim? And I swear to god I think it was a month or two months old, that was it. I was Fat Joe ever since.

GUPTA: Fat Joe, Joey Crack, Joseph Antonio Cardenja -- the larger than life rapper grew up in public housing and was taught from an early age that food equals love. So when Joe hit the big time, he felt he deserved all of the good food that his lavish lifestyle could afford.

FAT JOE: I'm rich now. I can go to Mr. Chow and eat all of the lobster and steak I want.

GUPTA: Then in 2000, Joe's friend and fellow raster Big Pun suffered a fatal heart attack.

FAT JOE: I think I weighed about 450, 460 in my heaviest. And I always took pride in being fat. That's why my name was Fat Joe, and I always represented the big people. But I realized at a certain point, all my big people are dying.

GUPTA: Last year alone, six of Joe's friends died of heart attacks. Most were younger than him but just about the same size.

FAT JOE: I couldn't see a clearer picture of me being -- what's the difference of me or him being in a casket and my daughter running around the funeral home and she doesn't have a dad no more.

GUPTA: So Joe's eating healthier food in smaller portions, more frequently throughout the day, even when he's on the road. He's lost 100 pounds and counting.

FAT JOE: And this breaking news, this is like my best, best, best friends on earth don't even know this, but I was diabetic for 16 years since I was 14 years old, and being that I lost weight, no more diabetes.

GUPTA: When he's not working nowadays, chances are you'll find fat Joe at the gym. But even though he's dropped the pounds, Fat Joe says he has no intention of dropping the name.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: And quick reminder, don't miss "SANJAY GUPTA, MD" this Saturday and Sunday morning 7:00 eastern. The doctor will have a close look at health care reform and the smartest decisions that you can make during open enrollment season.

We're going to go live here next Syracuse University in 70 seconds.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Syracuse University's athletic department is reeling today amid allegations of child sex abuse. Longtime associate basketball coach Bernie Fine is now on administrative leave. Two of the team's former ball boys have accused him now of molestation. Ed Lavandera is now on campus in Syracuse. Ed, what do you know so far? Can you specify what the allegations -- what are they?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, these allegations are coming, as you mentioned, from two former ball boys. Both of them spoke with ESPN. That report broadcast last night on the sports network. One of the men's names is Bobby Davis, 39-years-old now. He said that this abuse happened back in the 1980s and 1990s, during a 16-year period and that these incidents happened hundreds of times. Listen to what he told the network last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BOBBY DAVIS, ALLEGED SEXUAL ABUSE VICTIM: It probably went on in sixth grade, 11, 10-years-old, and he started to try to touch me and things like that. And honestly I don't even remember if I thought that was supposed to happen, you know. I know I cringed up and didn't want it to happen. I just remember being disgusted in a sense, and that's when he started to try to touch me in my privates.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAVANDERA: Brooke, this incident was investigated but the city of Syracuse police department back in 2005 when Mr. David apparently approached the police department about that. They have since reopened the investigation. We're trying to find out why. We've made repeated attempts to get in touch with officials from the police department here in Syracuse but haven't had any luck with that today. They haven't returned any of our phone calls.

But the university -- Syracuse University is putting that assistant coach, Bernie Fine, on administrative leave. This is a statement that the university released last night. "I want to tell you what we know about and what we're doing about the situation. First, it has been announced Bernie Fine has been placed on administrative leave pending a new investigation by the Syracuse police department. He has vehemently denied the allegations and should be accorded a fair opportunity to defend himself against these accusations."

Now, the university also says that in 2005, as the police were investigating, they hired a law firm to do its own investigation, and according to the university, none of the accusations were able -- they couldn't corroborate any of those investigations.

Now, of course, the basketball coach here at Syracuse University, a man by the name of Jim Boeheim, he is another a legendary figure in the world of sports here. He's run the basketball program here at Syracuse for more than three decades. We spoke with one student reporter here who works in the sports department. He talked about Jim Boeheim is to Syracuse what Joe Paterno is to Penn State University. Of course, this story is coming on the heels of that.

Jim Boeheim released a very powerful statement last night defending his assistant coach, saying "This matter was fully investigated by the university in 2005 and it was determined that the allegations were unfounded. I have known Bernie Fine for more than 40 years. I have never seen or witnessed anything to suggest that he would have been involved in any of the activities alleged. Had I seen or suspected anything, I would have taken action. Bernie has my full support." So strong words from the Syracuse head basketball coach.

BALDWIN: Yes, a powerhouse when it comes to basketball there. We'll be watching for you, Ed Lavandera, on campus at Syracuse University.

Ed just mentioned, let's talk Penn State. Now to the Penn State scandal. Just into us here at CNN, the NCAA has just sent a letter to the university about investigating the program over the child sex abuse case unfolding there. Mike Galanos is on campus. He just popped on the microphone to get us this news there. We're going to go to him live next.

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BALDWIN: All right, getting some news in from the NCAA as it pertains to the story that's been unfolding at Penn State University. I want to go to Mike Galanos who is there on campus at University Park. And so Mike, specifically, it's the president of NCAA sends this letter to the president of Penn State talking about evaluating the university's accountability. Accountability with regard to what?

MIKE GALANOS, ANCHOR, HLN: How they handled this. It's a three page letter, Brooke. Let me get you some highlights. Terminology used - "honesty," "responsibility," "a principle of honesty," also citing terms like "deceit" and "dishonesty."

Where does Joe Paterno take a hit? Listen to this language, Brooke. It says "It shall be the responsibility of an institution's head coach to promote an atmosphere for compliance within the program supervised by the coach and to monitor the activities regarding compliance of all assistant coaches and other administrators involved with the program who report directly or indirectly to the coach." So there obviously Joe Paterno taking a hit.

And also talking about moral values, how with teachers of young people, it's their responsibility not to just avoid improper conduct or questionable acts, but their own moral values must be certain and positive that those younger people will be influenced by a fine example, meaning you have to get involved here.

And Brooke, it wraps up with four questions Penn State has to answer by December 16. Among them, has Penn State exercised institutional control? That's why the NCAA is in on this one, how has Penn State monitored the situation.

Question three, have each of the alleged persons involved or have notice of the issues identified in or related to the grand jury behaved consistent with principles and requirements governing ethical conduct and honesty." So a lot there, Brooke. And it wraps up saying that basically the NCAA and the university is taking a hit. We need to lift people up and they cannot be victims through this. So scathing letter, Brooke.

BALDWIN: Absolutely. Mike Galanos, thanks for reading parts of it just in from the NCAA. Thank you so much, Mike.

Coming up next, guess what I did last night? BET, Soul Train Awards. Recognize that guy? I'm calling him Wolf "beat boxing" Blitzer as of today. You're going to find out why. Recognize those ladies? More fun pictures. We'll share them with you, next.

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BALDWIN: So, as you know, we're a couple minutes away from "THE SITUATION ROOM" with Wolf Blitzer. Let me let you in on this little secret, here. Mr. Blitzer was up a little late last night as was as was Fredricka Whitfield, Suzanne Malveaux. I had so much fun with you. Thank you for including me in on the BET Soul Train Awards.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST, "THE SITUATION ROOM": It was a good time at Soul Train Awards, the FOX Theater. It was exciting. I didn't want it to end. The four representatives from CNN on the red carpet.

BALDWIN: We called ourselves the "Wolf Pack."

(LAUGHTER)

BLITZER: The ladies looked lovely, didn't they?

BALDWIN: We saw Gladys Knight, your boy, Cee Lo, Earth Wind and Fire. We met mall Malcolm Jamal Warner. That was kind of exciting.

BLITZER: You're forgetting my best friend.

BALDWIN: Doug E. Fresh. I snapped the picture. Your big moment. Last year, you were doing the Dougie and this year -- you explain.

BLITZER: We will surprise all the viewers out there. It airs the Sunday night after Thanksgiving on BET Centric, you know. There I am up on the stage with Dougie fresh, and it's very, very cool, if I say so myself. Did you have a great time?

BALDWIN: I had a great time. I was floating, Wolf, so thanks for that.

Meantime, what do you have coming up on the show?

BLITZER: We've got a lot of news coming up. And one of the important things we're going to do, Bernie Sanders, the independent senator from Vermont who caucuses with the Democrats as you know in the U.S. Senate, he is outspoken. He is really, really so far disappointed in the president of the United States. We have a serious discussion on Social Security and Medicare and whether or not he is ready at this point to go out there and campaign in Vermont for President Obama's reelection. I want our viewers to watch the interview we taped a little while ago, they will see it in "THE SITUATION ROOM." A lot more news going on and. We have some good stuff as usual.

BALDWIN: As usual. Wolf, thank you very much.

I have a serious story coming up as well. It's being called the worst case of child neglect Ohio has ever seen, a teenager who weighs less than a two-year-old girl. That story's next.

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BALDWIN: I'm going to leave you with this. Makayla Norman, I want you to remember that name, because 14-year-old Makayla died minutes after she was rushed to a Dayton, Ohio hospital last March. Authorities call it the worst case of child abuse they had ever seen. Makayla weighed just 28 pounds, she had bed sores. "Vile, filthy," that's how prosecutors described the home here. You're seeing some pictures.

Makayla had cerebral palsy and needed constant care. And today everyone who is supposed to have provided that care is charged in connection with her death, involuntary manslaughter in the case of Makayla's mother and her home nurse. Two other nurses who were supposed to oversee Makayla's care are charged with failing to report child abuse or neglect. The County prosecutor says the women's conduct, quote, "transcends all bounds of human decency." He contends Makayla Norman would be alive today if just one of the women had acted responsibly. We can do better.

"THE SITUATION ROOM" with Wolf Blitzer starts right now.