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Calls for Justice, Accountability in Trayvon Martin Case; GOP Voting in Louisiana Primary; Enterprising Veterans; Earn Money While Surfing; Big Bagel Battle; More "Bounties" in NFL; Women and Knee Pain; "Hunger Games" Mania Hits Theaters

Aired March 24, 2012 - 16:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: And we continue to follow the growing public outrage over the shooting death of Trayvon Martin. Protesters are rallying across the country this weekend demanding justice for the death of the unarmed Florida teen.

The demonstrators are demanding police arrest George Zimmerman. He was the neighborhood watch volunteer who admits he shot the 17-year- old, but he says it was in self defense.

Let's bring in CNN's George Howell. He's in Sanford, Florida, the town where the shooting happened. So George, with all of the momentum and the discussions that have been going on around this case, what is happening there today?

GEORGE HOWELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, surprisingly, a rather quiet day here in Sanford, which is contrary to what we have seen earlier this week with so many rallies and protests. Just the other day, we did see a one-hour prayer vigil here in Sanford at Allan AME Church. People coming together to pray for Trayvon Martin's family.

We are also now starting to hear from George Zimmerman's side of the story. His attorney is starting to speak. And we asked him specifically about one question, the question that has everyone really talking, was this shooting racially motivated?

Take a listen to what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CRAIG SONNER, GEORGE ZIMMERMAN'S ATTORNEY: Absolutely not. George is friends with people in the African-American community. He was actually a mentor to -- for a woman who has -- doesn't have a husband and she was -- he took in a mentorship program, he took the 14-year- old young African-American boy, take him every other week, he'd take the young boy and his wife had take -- I think she has a 13-year-old daughter, and took them every other week for two or three hours, to go see -- to go to the mall, go to the science center, to play basketball, go to lunch, to do things like that during that period.

And I have spoken with the mother, who is an African-American woman. And she doesn't believe that he is racist. He actually helped in a fundraiser for one of the African-American churches in the area.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOWELL: Craig Sonner says he's only spoken with his client by phone. He says that George Zimmerman is cooperating with this investigation and has spoken to police at least more than once.

Now, while Zimmerman is still at this point not arrested, not charged with anything, one man, one Florida man, is in jail today, behind bars, for apparently sending a threatening e-mail to Police Chief Bill Lee. The headline for that e-mail saying that he's coming for you. Threatening e-mail, threatening his family. He was arrested for sending that e-mail. With regards to this case -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: OK, so meantime, George, you know, what about George Zimmerman? What is his attorney saying about his whereabouts? Is he in hiding, is he in hiding in the state of Florida? Has he left the state entirely? What?

HOWELL: At this point, we believe that he may be here. His attorney said that, and was very clear, in saying he's told his client to keep a low profile, to stay out of the public. He indicated that his client is aware that he has received several death threats. And the attorney says those threats, you know, are very serious. He's told him to stay out of the public light.

WHITFIELD: All right, George Howell, in Sanford, Florida, thanks so much.

So Florida is among 21 states with a "Stand Your Ground" law. It allows people to use deadly force if they feel seriously threatened. Former Florida state lawmaker Dan Gelber argued against the "Stand Your Ground" bill before it passed in 2005.

I spoke with Gelber earlier, and he told me a case like the killing of Trayvon Martin was exactly what he feared.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAN GELBER (D), FORMER FLORIDA STATE SENATOR: I don't think people do stupid or malicious things because of this law, but people that do stupid and malicious things have a defense that they should not be entitled to because of this law.

I mean Mr. Zimmerman is going to have the ability to muddle up the waters in this because of this law, and he shouldn't have. He clearly did something wrong. He clearly, if that young man's life means anything, it means that justice has to be done here. But he's going to be able to have a defense in this case or at least start one, and apparently, the detectives initially believed he had one because of this law.

WHITFIELD: So now that former Governor Jeb Bush has weighed in and says that this is not the intent of the law. It didn't appear based on all of the public accounts, eyewitness accounts, that George Zimmerman was being pursued by Trayvon Martin but instead it was the other way around, and that this law may have been misused in this case. Do you believe that that is impetus enough for a real movement to try to repeal this law? And if so, what will it take?

GELBER: Well, I think the "Stand Your Ground" part of the law needs to be repealed. We didn't need the law. It was unnecessary. It was a solution in search of a problem. But obviously, this case, and others, by the way, it's been used 100 times in Florida since 2005. I think a legislature, they're in session next week, on a special session redistricting. They should just stay there an extra day and repeal it.

It made no sense to pass it and it is giving defendants in cases a defense that they should not be entitled to. It's -- and it devalues life because the truth is you ought to be able to -- you should be obliged to de-escalate a dangerous situation. Deadly force shouldn't be your first resort, and it's allowed to be under this law.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Join CNN's Don Lemon at 7:00 tonight for a one-hour special on the Trayvon Martin killing.

As the national outrage intensifies one group in particular caught our attention. Mothers. Hear their unique perspective and the advice they give their children in hopes that they don't end up dying young.

You'll also hear from neighbors and friends of both Trayvon Martin and the admitted shooter. It's CNN NEWSROOM special report with Don Lemon. The Trayvon Martin Killing. Tonight 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

All right, hundreds of demonstrators rallied against health care reform today near the U.S. capitol building. On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments about whether the Health Care Reform Act is the constitutional. Demonstrators insist the act is illegal and they say it infringes on their freedom.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Fourteen years ago, who had the power to decide on your health care? Do you want to decide about your health care? The problem is that the people who pay have the power. And we are not going to let the government take over our health care.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: And a man is in jail in Sacramento, California, today after airport security caught him trying to board a plane with four loaded handguns. Harold Waller reportedly had one pistol in a holster and three in his carry-on bag. Police found more guns and ammunition in his parked car. He's being held without bail and faces a rather long list of charges.

And six children and two adults are dead after a fire swept through a house in Charleston, West Virginia. All of the children were 8 years or younger. One adult managed to escape, and a seventh child is on life support and not expected to live. In a news briefing a short time ago the mayor of Charleston confirmed there were no working smoke detectors in the home.

And way out in space, the crew of the International Space Station took emergency precautions today. They jumped into their escape capsules when a hunk of space junk got too lose for comfort. There was a slight chance the debris could have hit the space station. It didn't, it passed. All clear.

It's a Republican primary day in Louisiana. Polls show Rick Santorum with a double-digit lead. We're going live to Metairie, Louisiana next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, some stories making news outside the United States now.

Renewed fighting erupts in the Syrian city of Homs. More than 40 people are reported killed today in violence across the country. A Syrian army general who defected to the opposition says that scattered rebel groups are now aligned under the so-called Free Syrian Army.

And Pope Benedict XVI is in Mexico. It's the first full day of his trip to Latin America. Today the Pope met with Mexican President Calderon and led a mass tonight -- and will lead a mass, rather, tonight. He travels to Cuba on Monday.

And then this boat is really far from home. A fishing boat that disappeared in last year's tsunami in Japan turned up this weekend off the coast of British Columbia. It took a year to drift nearly 5,000 miles.

All right. Let's get you caught up on the political developments right now. GOP voters in Louisiana are casting their votes in the state's Republican primary. Rick Santorum is expected to win.

Let's get straight to Joe Johns in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana.

So, Joe, they are still voting there in Louisiana, but Santorum hit the campaign trail not in Louisiana but in Wisconsin today. He figures he has spent enough time there in Louisiana, moving on to the next primary later on in the week?

(LAUGHTER)

JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: That's absolutely right, Fred. He's in Wisconsin, and Mitt Romney is actually out on the West Coast in California, going to do some fundraising there in the early part of the week. Santorum decided he was going to go ahead, hit the road, went up to Pennsylvania for a while. Now, in Wisconsin, where the voting is scheduled right around the first week of April.

And he was out there campaigning today. Really hitting Mitt Romney very hard on a variety of issues, and also pulling out that now famous Etch A Sketch metaphor. Listen to his sound bite from Wisconsin today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICK SANTORUM (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Today, you'll say he's against Obamacare, and still defend Romneycare which is something I quite don't understand. Today, he'll say he's for more drilling. And the reason is, well, who is he talking to? He's talking to conservatives. He wants your vote. But as we found out, when he's in front of a different audience in the fall, will take out the Etch A Sketch, shake it up a little bit, and we'll be -- oh, here we got -- my daughter, that's my daughter Sarah Maria. There you go.

(APPLAUSE)

That's my 14-year-old. She played Vanna White in this little show here. So you take out the Etch A Sketch. My public policy isn't written on an Etch A Sketch. It's written on my heart because I'm a conservative. I don't just run as a conservative.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JOHNS: Now you might have thought he had started focusing again more on President Obama after his campaign rolled out that Web video called "Obamaville," which is sort of a twilight zone rip-off with some very scary images of what the campaign predicts America will look like if two years from now in the event President Obama is re-elected. But it's clear Rick Santorum is continuing on both fronts hitting Mitt Romney as well as going after President Obama.

Fred, back to you.

WHITFIELD: OK. And you know, it doesn't appear as though Santorum wants to let go of the Etch A Sketch kind of schtick. And it's getting a lot of mileage, isn't it?

JOHNS: Yes, well, it is, and I have to tell you, when you look at some of the other people in this play right now, including President Obama, Newt Gingrich, and others, they like that metaphor because they think it sort of clearly describes what one of the chief complaints is about Mitt Romney, if you will, and that is the notion that he does have the ability to try to change positions and change point of views very skillfully and seamlessly.

So it's also called flip-flopping in politics, and they have all been trying to make that point. So the Etch A Sketch is sort of a useful metaphor.

WHITFIELD: All right, Joe Johns, thanks so much. Keep us posted on the results there coming out of Louisiana later on this afternoon and evening.

And of course you want to join us every Sunday afternoon, 4:00 Eastern Time, when we dedicate an entire hour to the presidential contenders in their words. All those running for the White House 2012.

All right, after the break, "Reclaiming Your Career." Find out how you can earn money from your home.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: When U.S. service members get out of the military, they may want something more than just a 9:00 to 5:00 job. That's where a new Veterans Administration program This helps military members open their own businesses.

Athena Jones has the details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WADE FRANKLIN, U.S. NAVY VETERAN: I got out March 1st of this year. So that was about three weeks ago.

ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Navy veteran Wade Franklin has plans. After serving for nearly seven years, deploying to Japan, South Asia, and Afghanistan, the former officer is going into business for himself.

FRANKLIN: One thing about the Navy, they really, you know, taught me how to make good decisions and how to, you know, manage things. And I felt, hey, I think I want to take a chance on myself.

JONES: Franklin is opening a UPS store, and this Virginia neighborhood is one possible location.

FRANKLIN: I know I don't have business experience, I don't understand the business world, it's -- you know, that's a limitation there, but you know with franchising, I can really -- they give you that support.

JONES: UPS waived the nearly $35,000 franchise fee for 10 veterans this year, and Franklin is one of them. He'll still have to invest thousands in getting the store up and running so he's applying for a $170,000 loan.

FRANKLIN: They tell you how to run it but you get to pay the bills.

JONES: Franklin found the opportunity at UPS through VetFran, a program that helps returning service members open franchises. VetFran has helped more than 2100 vets go into business since the 1990s and wants to recruit 75,000 vets and military spouses to be be franchise owners or employees by 2014.

Steve Caldera runs the program.

STEVE CALDERA, INTERNATIONAL FRANCHISE ASSOCIATION: The franchising industry is -- it's a proven model, it's structured. It's very scalable. And one that lends itself well to veterans given the structure that they have to follow each and every day to be successful in the military.

JONES: The hope is that efforts like these will help bring down the unemployment rate among veterans. For post 9/11 vets, it's 7.6 percent. Below the national average. And nearly 5.4 more than a year ago. Franklin is just beginning the process and hopes to open shop by late summer.

(On camera): Any advice for other veterans who might want to try to do what you're doing?

FRANKLIN: Execute a plan, and any military member should know how to do that, whether they've been the person taking the order or the person giving the order. You know the plan, you should know how to execute it.

JONES: Athena Jones, CNN, Arlington, Virginia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: So many moms and women are spending time online. Why not make money while doing it? In our "Reclaim Your Career" segment, the renaissance of the Tupperware moms.

Lili Gil is a business strategist and cofounder of Excel Alliance, a cultural marketing firm.

Lili, good to so you.

LILI GIL, ENTREPRENEUR AND MARKETING STRATEGIST: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right. So you have five ways for stay-at-home moms or dads to earn some extra cash while browsing online. Let's begin with blogging. How do you make money doing that?

GIL: That's right, you know, women are so powerful online, and many of us don't even know it. There's actually 42 million women that are engaging in social media every week. So why not make money while you're doing that. And blogging is a great way. You know the Mommy Blogger Network has turned so important to big advertisers and people that are willing to pay money to get a little bit of the share of the voice of these moms that you could be one of the moms that is actually expressing digitally.

You can go to sites like Blogger Word Press and create your free space and start writing, start writing about things that you love. And there's different ways to make money. A lot of people ask me, OK, how in the world can you just make money by writing, right?

WHITFIELD: Yes.

GIL: There's affiliate marketing, there's Google AdSense , paid posts, direct advertising. We probably need a little bit more time to explain what each of those are, but start by picking a topic, do it genuinely, have an authentic voice, and the more you accumulate people reading you, the more you get to value yourself as a blogger. Some of them make anywhere from $100,000 -- $100, I should say.

WHITFIELD: I was going to say, what, really?

GIL: But --

(LAUGHTER)

GIL: Yes. Right, change of career right now.

WHITFIELD: That's incentive right there.

GIL: $100, $100 all the way to $10,000 weekly, just by writing. That's number one, and a way to get your voice heard.

WHITFIELD: OK, OK. And then you say you can, you know, search, shop, and review. Is there a place in which you do that?

GIL: That's right. This is the next generation of a loyalty program. Imagine, you know, those little cards we use when you go to the supermarket or when you travel and have a frequent flyer card. Imagine a version of that digitally. There's a site called Swagbucks and it's actually true to its name.

You basically get swag bucks the more you do online. So as you're watching videos, as you are reading, reviewing, posting, sharing, shopping within this platform, you're accumulating points. It plays off of game mechanics and kind of, like, what I like to call Perkonomics, so you're accumulating perks, the more you do, like a loyalty program, and you can make some cash and earn some fun things along the way.

WHITFIELD: Wow. And then you can get paid to surf and then get paid to tweet?

GIL: That is my favorite, because a lot of people may be saying, OK, blogging. That's too much work. Perkonomics, that sounds complicated, but if you're surfing every day, you know, we're checking e-mail, Facebooking, or checking, you know, stuff that people send us, do it within a platform that is going to pay you money.

And that's what PeopleString is all about. You can become a stringer, as they call the users, and it's like, imagine multilevel marketing. You know when you get paid and then the people you referred and the people that they refer also, it all accumulates up to you as a stringer that browses within this platform, and they share up to 70 percent of the advertiser revenue with you when you sign up.

WHITFIELD: Wow.

GIL: And the other one that you mentioned --

WHITFIELD: I know. I so much.

GIL: We might as well do it if you -- that's a law. If you're already browsing, might as well get paid for it. And the tweeting is fascinating. I myself learned this one recently. I think I'm going to sign up because if you are tweeting a lot, you can actually get your tweets sponsored.

WHITFIELD: OK.

GIL: That's right, it's like an eBay for tweets.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

GIL: It's called Sponsortweets.com. You sign up and depending on how many people are following you, that increases the value of you.

WHITFIELD: OK.

GIL: And you can get paid to just tweet and post and promote other people's products and services, which is great.

WHITFIELD: All right, cool, and your handle was liligil, so people can check you out on your tweet and ask you about how to become a virtual sales rep, too, because there are perks in that one, too.

Lili Gil, thanks so much.

GIL: That's right.

WHITFIELD: Good to see you. Appreciate that great ideas on making some money.

GIL: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: And not having to leave you own home. All right.

All right. It is a big battle over bagels? Josh Levs has that for us. Huh?

JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It really is, I know, right? It's got some people up in arms. They're slamming "Consumer Reports" now. All because of decisions made by these bagel tasters. Who has the nation's best bagel?

WHITFIELD: I was going to say, who gets that job? Bagel taster, sign me up. I'm a foodie.

LEVS: You are going to find out. You are a foodie. You're going to like this. We'll also going to talk about what this says about New York. I'm going to break it down, this whole boiling bagel battle is just seconds away.

(LAUGHTER)

WHITFIELD: We'll take a bite of that.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: OK, there's quite the controversy brewing over bagels. Some New Yorkers are calling out the taste experts who dared to name the nation's best.

Josh Levs here to explain. We were not on the list. We're quite critical of bagels.

LEVS: Right.

WHITFIELD: You and I were sitting here having this conversation about chewy, crunchy, soft?

LEVS: But we probably agree that, you know, because we're based in headquarters in Atlanta, but anytime we're up in New York, doing some segments up there, we always want to get the bagels up there. So because that is what people think, right, that New York has the best bagels. So this is -- this is what happened. Now there's this controversy because of "Consumer Reports," no joke, because what happened was --

WHITFIELD: Serious.

LEVS: Yes. This is really -- you know, the other day, I was working on this story about Syria and Iran and Israel, and then I tweeted about this story from our partners at "TIME" about the bagel battle, this is the one everyone is talking about.

WHITFIELD: People are fired up.

LEVS: So let me tell you what the deal is.

WHITFIELD: OK.

LEVS: So "Consumer Reports" decided to do a study of who has the really good bagels, right. the best bagels? And they said look, nothing comes quite up to the level of a great New York bagel, but they said these come close. And they praised Dunkin' Donuts.

WHITFIELD: And you want that.

LEVS: I actually like the Dunkin' Donuts one.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

LEVS: And Lender's Original.

WHITFIELD: All right.

LEVS: And Costco's Kirkland signature.

WHITFIELD: Let me try.

LEVS: Let's some video of the tasters again. So here's what happened. So they put this out, they put out their examination, and they have good things to say about the flavor, and they have this whole process in which these people tasted these bagels. So now some New York foodies, the bagel aficionados.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

LEVS: Are saying, what, are you crazy? How can you compare these store bought bagels to our bagels.

WHITFIELD: Forget about it.

LEVS: So the "New York Post" put out a story calling it a smear job. They said the study must be aimed at out-of-towners who don't know they locks and their (INAUDIBLE) fish. So clearly some people are upset, how dare you compare frozen bagels.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

LEVS: To our delicious bagels.

WHITFIELD: I must say I was kind of surprised, Lender's was on the list.

LEVS: And --

WHITFIELD: I'm not saying, do like Lender's but I was surprised.

LEVS: And now, (INAUDIBLE) moment, Lender's is actually in the news for another reason, because Murray Lender has just died at the age of 81.

WHITFIELD: No.

LEVS: This week. And we have a little picture of him, I think. From our CNNMoney.com story. But so basically, you know, that praise that's been heaped on Lender's bagels came at a good time for his company.

WHITFIELD: OK. All right.

LEVS: Out of "Consumer Reports." So obviously, you know, best wishes to the family there, but I will tell you, everyone is talking about this. I have it up on Facebook and Twitter. Every -- more people are talking to me about this bagel thing.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

LEVS: Than almost any of the other stories we've been talking about.

WHITFIELD: But we're very serious about our food.

LEVS: People care about this stuff.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

LEVS: And I just got through that without talking about --

WHITFIELD: Big bagel battle. Don't say that too quickly too many times. Just so.

OK. Well, we'll have to check you out. And, you know, stay on top of the whole --

LEVS: Enjoy the bagels.

WHITFIELD: Bagel Battle. All right, thanks so much, Josh.

LEVS: You got it.

WHITFIELD: All right. One NFL team's secret bounty program shocked so many fans, it seems the New Orleans Saints are apparently the only ones paying for the big hits. We'll have new details on that.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. A look at our top stories right now. A house fire early this morning kills eight people. Six of them young children, after a family birthday party. It happened in Charleston, West Virginia. One child survived and is in intensive care. And fire officials say all the kids were related.

And hundreds of demonstrators rally against health care reform near the U.S. capitol buildings today. On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments about whether the Health Care Reform Act is constitutional. The demonstrators insist the act is illegal and they say it infringes on their freedom.

And several other rallies are being held across the country protesting the shooting death of Trayvon Martin. Demonstrators are demanding police arrest George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch volunteer who shot the 17-year-old unarmed. A grand jury is scheduled to convene in April.

Reports are emerging today that more NFL teams had so-called bounty programs. Those programs gave players money to physically hurt members of the opposing team. It's a scandal that started with an investigation of the New Orleans Saints.

Here now is Ed Lavandera.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Big games. Big hits. Big scandal. NFL players rewarded not only for big plays but for intentionally trying to seriously injure their opponents. An NFL investigation recently found the New Orleans Saints under the leadership of former defensive coordinator, Gregg Williams, had a wide-ranging bounty system in place from 2009 to just last year.

"Sports Illustrated's" Peter King has been following this story closely.

(On camera): Do you think all of this is driven by Gregg Williams or was driven by Gregg Williams?

PETER KING, SENIOR WRITER, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: I think Gregg Williams spurred a lot of it on, but I also think he had to have players on his defense who were very willing to cooperate. And very willing to let this culture exist. I mean, Sean Payton, the head coach, and Mickey Loomis, the general manager, have admitted, and they're right, they lost institutional control of the defensive side of the ball. And so, you know, I think they're to blame.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): The Saints' head hunting reported reached a fever pitch when one player, linebacker Jonathan Vilma, bid $10,000 of his own money to take out Brett Favre in the 2010 NFC Championship game against the Minnesota Vikings.

(On camera): Is this far and above beyond anything that you have heard of in the NFL when it comes to these pay-for-performance? KING: I'll be honest, I have never heard of a team paying money confirmed, to put -- try to put a guy out of the game.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): While the Saints' sweeping bounty system might be unheard of, former players we spoke to weren't shocked that there was some incentive program going on.

(On camera): Was there a similar bounty program with the Buffalo Bills while you were there under Gregg Williams?

COY WIRE, FORMER NFL PLAYER: What appears to be as a -- as a bounty program in New Orleans is different from what I experienced in Buffalo. In Buffalo, we had a pay-for-play player driven performance technique. You know, we had a way to motivate each other. We had a pot. You know, you get fined if you show up late for a meeting. You get fined if you have a mental error during a game or in practice.

And the players put money into the pot. And from that pot, you're also rewarded for positive play. For causing a fumble, for making an interception.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): We reached out to the Bills about Wire's assertion that there was a player driven incentive program. The team tells CNN it's sticking by a March 3rd statement in which Bills CEO Russ Brandon said, "We are unaware of any type of bounty program occurring during Gregg Williams' tenure as our head coach. And we would not have tolerated that type of behavior."

(On camera): I keep hearing from a lot of people out there, they don't understand, what's the big deal?

KING: Because the NFL players pride themselves on being such a fraternity. And when we get together on Sunday, boy, we go at each other's throats, but we're all brothers. I don't know any other fraternity where somebody tries to knock out and break the leg of one of his brothers or do whatever to one of his brothers. It's just -- it's over the top. It's wrong.

LAVANDERA (voice-over): So wrong in the eyes of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell that he's dropped the hammer on the Saints for their bounty system. Suspending head coach Sean Payton for a year without pay. He also suspended Saints general manager Mickey Loomis for eight games this coming season. But Goodell saved the worst punishment for the man at the center of the bounty scandal, former Saints defensive coordinator, Gregg Williams. He's been suspended from the league indefinitely, effective immediately.

Ed Lavandera, CNN, New Orleans.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Tomorrow night, "CNN PRESENTS" investigates the program that paid cash rewards for hits that injured opponents, plus a look inside the culture of an NFL locker room. That's right here on CNN, 8:00 p.m. Eastern time. All right, for middle-aged women, knee pain is a common complaint. You need to get to the root of the problem and find ways to treat it. Well, Elizabeth Cohen has more in today's "Health for Her."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Women with knee pain know how miserable and debilitating it can truly be.

DR. KEN MAUTNER, ORTHOPEDIST, EMORY UNIVERSITY: When women are younger, they tend to get more tendonitis or irritation issues around the knee. And then as they age, especially when they accumulate previous injuries, it may lead to arthritis and further changes.

COHEN: The American College of Rheumatology says nearly two-thirds of women ages 50 and older have some degree of knee pain. It may come and go or stick around. Osteoarthritis is often to blame.

MAUTNER: Women are more at risk for arthritis than men are. And specifically when women go through menopause, we think that estrogen may have some protective effect on the cartilage of the knee.

COHEN: But sometimes the pain is due to overuse injuries. So how do you know what the best treatment is? See your primary doctor to start determining the cause. He or she may need to send you to a specialist. Discuss options like acetaminophen or anti-inflammatory medications with your doctor. Also don't forget to use exercise as medicine. Do exercises that strengthen the muscles around the knee.

You may also need physical therapy. Avoid high-impact exercises. Instead, focus on low-impact ones, and keep in mind, weight is also a leading cause of knee pain.

With this week's "Health for Her," I'm Elizabeth Cohen.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: The much-anticipated "Hunger Games" is playing right now in a theater near you. Cast members sat down with CNN to discuss the film and to talk about how this movie is different from the rest.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: "Twilight" or "Harry Potter," for instance, I mean, you know, you're dealing with elements like magic and werewolves and vampires. Our movie, it's real people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: So will "Hunger Games" be able to match "Twilight" and "Harry Potter's" success. Our movie reviewer weighs in next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. One of the year's biggest films just hit the theaters. The "Hunger Games" grossed nearly $20 million during the first midnight screenings on Thursday. By yesterday, it had raked in $68 million.

I asked our movie reviewer Grae Drake if the movie lived up to the hype.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GRAE DRAKE, ROTTEN TOMATOES: There's a reason that this movie has sparked the passion of the entire world. I mean, over "Fandango," this is the highest grossing first picture of a series that we've ever seen in all of our 12 years.

WHITFIELD: Oh, my gosh.

DRAKE: I know. It's going to be gigantic. Before it even opened, it had already outsold the first "Twilight" movie in presales.

WHITFIELD: That's amazing.

DRAKE: The reason is that this movie is everything that "Twilight" can never be. The biggest central theme of this movie is about rebellion. It's about standing up for what you believe in and for expressing your genuine concern for your fellow human being which is something that people are really hungry for right now, pun sort of intended.

WHITFIELD: "Hunger Games." OK. Let's take a bite out of that. Let's watch.

(VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Oh, my. OK, Grae. I'm starving. Tell me more.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DRAKE: Oh, my gosh. It's such a great clip. Jennifer Lawrence is spectacular in this movie. Not only because she has some serious bow hunting skills. She looks great covered in dirt, and she really just carried this entire film on her back. There's something in this film for everyone.

WHITFIELD: She's an overnight star.

DRAKE: This is why I'm so -- she really is.

WHITFIELD: A big one.

DRAKE: Already an Academy Award nominee from "Winter's Bone." And she's deserving of every bit of praise that she's getting because there's something in this movie for everybody. Now unlike the other book adaptations we've seen like "Harry Potter" and "Twilight," those tend to be geared towards younger audiences. But for this one, men are going to love it, women are going to love it, kids are going to love it, but I tell you what, if you're a parent, beware.

WHITFIELD: Yes. I was going to say, stop me at the kids' part, though, because I do hear, and we just -- we gave you the whole premise of it, of the storyline of, you know, killing. I mean killing other kids.

DRAKE: Yes.

WHITFIELD: So it's pretty violent, yes? I mean too violent for kids to be going to this movie?

DRAKE: It is no joke. Now this movie is rated PG-13, that's only because there's not a lot of blood in it. But as an adult, I was sitting in the theater completely spellbound, I don't think I breathed the entire film. And just because there's not gushing amounts of blood coming out of people jugular veins, doesn't mean that it's not incredibly intense to watch. If you're a parent, you should definitely see this before letting your kids see it.

WHITFIELD: Before your kids see it. All right. Steal yourself before you see "Hunger Games." That's great.

All right, health care reform protesters on Capitol Hill today. And they are there to urge the Supreme Court to strike down President Obama's signature legislation. We'll have more right after this.

But first each week, CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta profiled innovators from all walks of life and all fields of endeavor. The program is called the "Next List." Well, tomorrow, he talks to Hugh Herr, a double amputee who believes there is no such thing as disability, only bad technology.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HUGH HERR, BIOMECHATRONICS RESEARCH GROUP: I'm just in love with -- enamored with the design of the human body. Its elegance, nature has often these very powerful principles, if captured in a technology, in a device, can be very, very extraordinary in their capacity to help people move again. So it's -- that's the basic thesis of our work. We steal from the cookie jar of nature. We apply that and we build synthetic constructs that (INAUDIBLE) functionality.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right, tune in Sunday, 2:00 Eastern Time for the "Next List." And then of course stay tuned for the CNN NEWSROOM at 2:30 Eastern Time.

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WHITFIELD: All right. Time for a CNN equals politics update. We're keeping an eye on all the latest headlines at the CNNPolitics.com desk. And here's what's crossing right now.

The Republican presidential candidates are going head to head today in Louisiana. The state is holding its primary right now. The latest polls show Rick Santorum with a double-digit lead over Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich.

And Republicans are calling for a repeal of President Obama's health care reform law just two days before the Supreme Court is set to review challenges to several provisions. In the weekly GOP address, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said the law is exacerbating problems with Medicare and pushes costs even higher, he said.

And those Supreme Court arguments on health care are apparently a hot ticket. Companies in Washington are providing a line standing service for people who actually want to watch the debate but not stand in line for tickets. Some stand-ins have been waiting outside the court since yesterday, more like sit-ins. Tickets will be handed out when arguments begin on Monday.

And for the latest political news, you know exactly where to go, CNNPolitics.com.

All right. New York says its new DNA law is a model for the nation. We'll break it down after this.

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WHITFIELD: All right. We have much more in the NEWSROOM straight ahead with my colleague, Don Lemon, who's going to give us a preview.

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: I want to talk to you because you know this national outrage. You've been covering this growing over this Trayvon Martin case in Florida. And one group in particular that got our attention was minority mothers. Especially black moms, let's just be honest, who have to have the talk, they call the talk, with their sons.

WHITFIELD: Right.

LEMON: Have you considered that?

WHITFIELD: Gosh, consider, we know that conversation is coming. Our little boy is only 7, but my husband and I all the time, well, before he was 7, well before this case, have talked about, like, boy, when is it going to be appropriate to have the conversation because it is a requirement, it really is a prerequisite, you know, in households.

LEMON: Sadly it is.

WHITFIELD: Period.

LEMON: Listen to Lynn Barner who had the talk with her son, and then, you know, we'll talk after that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LYNN BARNER, PARENT: The best thing you can do to me and daddy think you should do is to be very polite. Very polite. And say, I'm visiting someone. Tell them exactly what you're doing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: She's a columnist with the "Seattle Times." I spoke with her yesterday. We're going to talk about that in this special that we have coming up. WHITFIELD: How old is her son?

LEMON: Her son is 11.

WHITFIELD: Gosh, yes.

LEMON: Yes, sad, huh? But it's a reality, and also this law, Fred, that we have been talking about, "Stand Your Ground," Congressman John Lewis, the John Lewis, and I spoke about the law as well. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. JOHN LEWIS (D), GEORGIA: We should respect law, but this is a very bad law. And it should be repealed.

LEMON: Why?

LEWIS: The state of Florida -- because it gives people a license to be an executioner. To just get rid of someone.

LEMON: A license to kill.

LEWIS: Yes. And it should be repealed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: License to be an executioner, he believes the "Stand Your Ground" is. We're going to have that coming up at 7:00 tonight. You're going to hear from neighbors, friends of both Trayvon Martin and the admitted shooter and community leaders as well. You're going to hear from them. We'll have extensive coverage next hour for you, Fred, and then at 7:00 as well.

Our special report, "KILLING OF TRAYVON MARTIN," tonight, 7:00 p.m. Eastern right here on CNN, and send in your comments, #CNNtrayvon. CNNTrayvon.

WHITFIELD: We look forward to that discussion at 7:00 because that really is what it is. It's a discussion, and this is one that's inspired so many new layers of the talk. The discussion in so many households across the country. And so we look forward to this 7:00.

LEMON: Yes, I want to hear more about how you plan to do it with your son, too.

WHITFIELD: Thank you. Yes. Appreciate it. We're still trying to work it out. We really are. It's a discussion that my husband and I have all the time when we, you know, certain crossroads, and we're like, oh my gosh, when? He's only 7 now. When it is too early?

LEMON: Yes.

WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks so much, Don. Appreciate that.

All right, a check now of some of the other stories making news this hour before we get to Don Lemon, coming up. New York is the first all-crime DNA state in the nation. What does that mean? Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the bill into law. It allows investigators to collect DNA samples in both felony and misdemeanor convictions.

And country duo Sugarland will not have to give depositions next week in the Indiana State Fair stage collapse investigation. The judge gave them until mid-April to submit video depositions. Seven people died in the collapse last August just before Sugarland was to perform.

And finally, an update on March Madness and your brackets. Don, how are you doing on that?

(LAUGHTER)

LEMON: Not saying.

WHITFIELD: I'm out. Kentucky --

LEMON: Terrible.

WHITFIELD: -- North Carolina, Baylor, and Kansas, are all one win away from the final four after wins last night in the NCAA college basketball tournament. Florida tips off against Louisville in just a few moments.

And Bonnie Schneider in the Weather Center. Bonnie, are you into this whole bracket thing?

BONNIE SCHNEIDER, CNN METEOROLOGIST: You know, I have to admit, not really.

(LAUGHTER)

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: That's OK.

SCHNEIDER: It sounds like you both are out so I'll go with that.

(LAUGHTER)

WHITFIELD: It's OK. Well, we know you are into the weather right now. What's going on?

SCHNEIDER: That's my passion for sure.

WHITFIELD: Yes, it's a given.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WHITFIELD: All right, sounds good. Sort of. Not for them maybe but big picture. Thanks so much, Bonnie Schneider. Appreciate it.

That's going to do it for me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Much more on the NEWSROOM straight ahead at the top of the hour with my colleague Don Lemon.

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