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U.S. Coast Guard Team Is Rescuing Some 270 Miles Off the California Coast; U.S. Soldier Saved an Afghan Child; Trayvon Martin's Case has been Focused on Racial Issues; Another Unarmed Young Black Man was Shot by Police

Aired April 01, 2012 - 22:00   ET

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

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. I'm Don Lemon. Thanks so much for joining us. We're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Over the next hour we'll get you up to speed on all the top stories and get you ready for the week ahead.

First off, a race around the world has turned into a rescue attempt some 270 miles off the California coast.

(VIDEO CLIP PLAYING)

LEMON: This is video of the crew from the boat that sailed from Singapore on a 40,000-mile clipper around the world race, but now a monster wave has ripped away the yacht's steering wheel and left at least three of 13 crew members hurt. The coast guard has dropped supplies. A cutter has made its way to the yacht, and at least two of the injured have been moved to a smaller ship.

I want to go now by telephone to coast guard petty officer Caleb Critchfield. Sir, thank you very much. Were you able to get help out to those people yet?

PETTY OFFICER CALEB CRITCHFIELD, U.S. COAST GUARD (via telephone): Yes, we were. The coast guard cutter is on scene. They deployed their small response boat to go out to the yacht, and we were able to recover two of the injured people and get them on board the small boat.

LEMON: OK. So they are on scene right now as you and I are speaking rescuing these people, correct?

CRITCHFIELD: Yes, sir.

LEMON: OK. The entire crew won't be taken off at first, you said only the injured. There are three injured. You are getting two off persons. Are we to assume these are the two who more seriously injured?

CRITCHFIELD: Yes. I think it would be safe to assume that. I'm not sure what the plan is. But, I think that they are trying to get the two people off the small boat on to the Halo and will be flying back to the San Francisco International airport where the coast guard station is located and from there we'll get them to emergency medical services.

LEMON: OK. The weather has played a huge factor in this, petty officer. There were concerns earlier about getting a helicopter up and putting another boat in the water. What are the weather conditions now? Do they concern you even though you've gotten people into the water to get them? Are you still concerned?

CRITCHFIELD: You know, I don't know what the weather conditions are right now, but I do know that the weather always plays a factor. We're -- the coast guard is used to working in difficult conditions, and our primary concern once again is to get these people the medical attention that they need.

LEMON: Petty officer, good luck to you and your crew and the people on board. Thanks you very much for joining us tonight.

CRITCHFIELD: Thank you.

LEMON: On to our other story now.

Every day, the killing of an unarmed teenager in Florida seems to rise to a whole new level. Now Trayvon Martin's parents are preparing to take their case all the way to the justice department. They are asking for a federal review of a local prosecutor's interactions with police investigating the case. The unarmed teenager was shot and killed more than a month ago in Sanford, Florida.

Meanwhile, thousands of people gathered in Miami today to take part in a hometown rally calling for justice in the Martin case. His parents were joined there by civil rights leaders.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SBYRINA FULTON, TRAYVON MARTIN'S MOTHER: We just want the public to know that he was a regular teenager, that he was respectable and he was loved by his family and his friends.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: They are continuing to ask for neighborhood watch captain George Zimmerman to be arrested. Zimmerman says he shot the teen in self-defense.

As you know, the story doesn't end there. It's sparked outrage and sometimes uncomfortable conversations in homes and neighborhoods all across this country. This color divide is front and center in tonight's "no talking points" and we are going to do something different tonight.

Helping us navigate this sometimes difficult topic, Charles Blow, a noted op-ed columnist for the "New York times" and Buck Davis, a renowned diversity expert. We are going to take on the topic in about half an hour here on CNN. And if you have any comments or questions, make sure you tweet us and include the hash tag ntpcnn or Charlesmblow, @charlesmblow or @donlemonCNN. Trayvon Martin has become a household name but have you heard of Kendrick Mcdade? He's another unarmed teen shot to death a week ago, sparking outrage in Pasadena, California. The police chief led a town hall meeting, Saturday, to respond to questions about the killing. A 911 caller said, Robbers had taken a gun to his face and taken his laptop. Police, a two officer, then came upon the 19-year-old McDade and fired as he was reaching towards his waist band, but no weapon was found on McDade and police learned later that the caller had lied about the men having guns to get a faster response. The caller has been charged with involuntary manslaughter.

An 83-member conference of world leaders today formally recognized a Syrian national council as a legitimate government in Syria. And at that same meeting, secretary of state Hillary Clinton said the U.S. will nearly double its funding support for the opposition forces. This comes as a relentless government crackdown continues without relief. Reports say 80 people were killed today, including 21, in the city of Homs.

A woman who went to prison fighting for democracy is now Myanmar's newest symbol of freedom. Voters elected Aung San Suu Kyi to parliament today, though the result is still unofficial. She won the Nobel peace prize for her decades-long fight for democracy. Her opposition party called today's victory momentous. Myanmar has lived under military rule for 50 years, and the army still holds the balance of power.

Pope Benedict began a hectic holy week schedule with a Palm Sunday mass in St. Peter's square on Sunday. Palm Sunday marks Jesus' arrival in Jerusalem leading up to his crucifixion. The pontiff just returned from a six-day trip to Cuba and Mexico and after meeting with former dictator Fidel Castro and others, the Cuban regime says it will agree to the Pope's request to make Good Friday a holiday.

Mitt Romney's team pulls a fast one playing an April fool's day joke on their boss. I'll tell you about that next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Review of the week in politics now.

Wisconsin, Maryland and the District of Columbia are holding Republican presidential primaries on Tuesday. Front-runner Mitt Romney is brimming with confidence, but his challengers insist they are in for the long haul.

Rick Santorum is disputing claims that his decision to forge ahead could hurt the party come November.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICK SANTORUM (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Four years ago we had a nominee in March. How about d that work out for us when we didn't have the right nominee in the Democrats went into the middle of the summer, fighting it out, slugging it out? The democrat established what was saying the same thing, oh, we've got to end this. It's going to hurt us, it doesn't hurt us. No, it doesn't. What hurts us is not getting the right candidate.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Newt Gingrich has cut spending and staff and even cut back on his public criticism of Mitt Romney, but Gingrich is vowing to launch a comeback that he compares to Kansas in the final four.

As for Mitt Romney, he's all but predicting victory in Wisconsin which holds Tuesday's biggest pot of delegates. At a town hall in Middleton today, he referred to himself as the probable Republican nominee, and he also picked up a couple of endorsements. "Milwaukee Journal Sentinel," a newspaper and the state Republican senator, Ron Johnson - senator Johnson and Congressman Paul Ryan also made sure that Romney remembered today is April fool's day.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And so, I hear Paul Ryan goes out there and gives the same introduction, what he just said. He's down there, and so, now let's welcome Ron Johnson and Mitt Romney, the next president of the United States. And so, the two of us go out there and I feel -- it's completely empty. There's -- there's nobody there. It's like oh, boy, this is going to look really bad on the evening news, let me tell you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Mitt Romney and the other Republican hopefuls often cite President Obama's health care reform law as the key reason why the president should be defeated. Now the law is in the hands of the Supreme Court, and a lot of court watchers think it is in big trouble.

In fact, CNN's Jeffrey Toobin came out of the hearing last week and said he thinks the individual mandate will soon be history.

I spoke with CNN contributor Will Cain and CNN.com contributor Lz Granderson who is also a senior writer for ESPN, and asked him if Toobin is right.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WILL CAIN, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Well, I don't know if I can go as far as Jeff has there just because the judges asked some tough questions, some very tough questions, doesn't necessarily mean we know how they will vote. That being said, they continued to ask the government over and over and over what is your limiting principle? Essentially the answer to the question if Congress can do this, what can't it do? And the solicitor general and the Obama administration, the government in general, has been unable to answer that question.

If you cannot answer that question, the Supreme Court is going to have big problems extending, you know, congress' constitutional powers over forcing people to buy insurance.

LEMON: James Carville says if the health care loss gets tossed via the high court, that that will be good for Democrats. Is he just laying the groundwork in case of a legal defeat here?

LZ GRANDERSON, CNN.COM CONTRIBUTOR: I don't think that he's just blowing smoke there. I think, you know, the president is in a unique position in which he can spin whatever verdict comes out in June for his positive if he gets ahead of the message, you know. If the Supreme Court obviously upholds the law, then it looks like a plus for him.

But if it strikes it down, then he's able to go back to his voting base, able to go back to independents and say I tried to make sure that I covered "x" number of millions who weren't insured, and the Republicans stopped that, and they drove it all the way to the Supreme Court and all the conservatives on the Supreme Court stopped people from having insurance so I think he can spin this for political positive, but I don't think you -- if it fails, I don't think that's good for Americans, but it's good for Democrats politically.

LEMON: So, you think they can spin, it even if they say no. You think that, Lz, they can spin this.

GRANDERSON: Absolutely. Absolutely.

CAIN: Yes, I don't think so.

GRANDERSON: You can go in front of a crowd -- you can go in front of a crowd and say I tried to do this to help Americans without insurance, and everyone who has insurance stopped you. The Supreme Court who has federal insurance, they all stopped you. The Republicans in the congress, they all have insurance. They stopped you. They are the reasons why you cannot get covered. They are the reason why if you had a pre-existing condition your insurance company can still boot you off. They are the reason yes, you can definitely spin, that if you get ahead of the message.

LEMON: Will, that's not a compelling argument. I mean, I think if you do have a pre-existing condition and you're in need of health care that might be a compelling argument to some people.

CAIN: You can try. You can try to spin that. I think that's what James Carville is doing it. He is spinning it so fast. But, I think that's not going to outweigh the message that the president's signature legislation, his legacy legislation. The one he has hung his hat on, has been deemed by the Supreme Court of the United States to be so far outside the purview of American governmental pour that it is unconstitutional. I think that will weigh much more heavily.

LEMON: OK. Let's move on and talk some Republican politics now.

Romney, predicting a win Tuesday in Wisconsin. He is lapping the field in the delegate count. He is picking up endorsements, and if you watch any of the major news networks and you see the people from the Republicans, conservatives, all saying it's time -- most of them are saying it's time to get behind Romney, time to get behind Romney.

The question is Gingrich, Santorum, is it looked like they are becoming a sideshow? Who wants to go first? Raise your hand. Go ahead, Will.

GRANDERSON: It's been a sideshow.

CAIN: There it is. LZ's got it.

No. He just nailed it. I mean, they have been a sideshow for quite a while now. This thing mathematically has been absolutely over. Ten count, and -- and Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich can't do the math and Rick Santorum's case, has his own math. I mean, I can't help them out here. Yes. They have turned into a sideshow.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: All right. Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney will spend Monday in Wisconsin. By the way, Newt Gingrich has several campaign stops planned in Maryland.

Thanks to Will and LZ.

A young soldier on duty makes the ultimate sacrifice to save a child's life. He is now being hailed as a hero. His story is right after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Family and friends stood in the cold rain to meet the body of army sergeant Dennis Weichel. The young brave soldier was killed in Afghanistan, but he wasn't killed fighting the enemy. He died trying to save a live.

CNN's Pentagon correspondent, Barbara Starr, has more on this heroic soldier.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE CHILD: Daddy! Daddy!

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Three months ago specialist Dennis Weichel made a surprise visit home from his tour in Afghanistan. Now the flag flies at half staff over the Rhode Island state capital until the 29-year-old father of three is laid to rest. Weichel was killed in eastern Afghanistan saving the life of an Afghan child.

According to the army, when Weichel's armored convoy came across Afghan children in the road, he and others got out to move the children out of the way. But at the last minute, a little girl ran back to pick up some shell casings. Weichel saw her in front of the trucks and pulled her to safety at the last minute. But he was hit accidentally by the truck, and died a short time later.

Captain Christopher John Ahlemeyer, Weichel's platoon leader during a previous tour duty in Iraq, has been hit hard by his death.

CAPT. CHRISTOPHER AHLEMEYER, WEICHEL'S FORMER PLATOON LEADER: First I was overcome with emotion. You know, I deployed with him. He was one of my guys. But then I took a step back and I realized that he would have done that. He would have really done that for anyone. That's the type of guy he was.

STARR: Dennis, he says, always responded to children.

AHLEMEYER: We would roll into local communities and villages, and set up security, and you'd see children, you know, peeking out the windows. It was Sergeant Weichel's calm demeanor and the way he handled children that these kids -- he welcomed them. And these kids would come out. He would ensure that every single child received something, whether it is the smallest thing as a pencil, or a booklet to write in.

STARR: During those days back home, everyone could see Dennis Weichel's own children meant everything to him.

SERGEANT DENNIS WEICHEL, SOLIDER DIED SAVING AFGHAN CHILD: It's exciting. These are the most important things to me, my kids. So, I will start to see them on the holidays.

STARR: Dennis Weichel was promoted posthumously to sergeant. He is survived by his fiancee and his three children who were so thrilled to see him just a few short months ago.

Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: All right, Barbara.

What's going on in Washington, on Wall Street and in Hollywood? I've got your look ahead next.

And then later this hour, pored over police files, public records, surveillance video, phone records to give you the time line moment by moment the night Trayvon Martin was killed.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Let's get you a quick primer now for your week ahead. What can we expect from the big news and the big news-makers? Let's start in Washington.

DAN LOTHIAN, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: I'm Dan Lothian at the White House. In what is a rarity President Obama is not expected to travel to week, but his schedule is full with bill signings and meetings with world leaders.

As part of the North American leader summit on Monday, the president will host the president of Mexico, Calderon and the Canadian Prime Minister Harper. Then on Wednesday, President Obama will sign the stock act that bans members of Congress and their staff from insider trading, and then the jobs act on Thursday, and then finally the president and first lady will wrap up the week by marking the start of pass over with a sadder here at the White House here on Friday. POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM CORRESPONDENT: I'm Poppy Harlow here in New York. A shortened trading week coming up but investors will be looking out for key economic data sets to be released. We'll get the latest manufacturing and construction spending numbers as well as March auto sales.

The markets here in the U.S. will be closed for Good Friday, but on Friday morning we will get the all-important jobs report from the month of March. Wall Street and Main Street are both hoping the uptick in job creation that we've seen in recent month continues. Some questions though about if it really has legs. We'll track it all for you on CNN money.

NISCHELLE TURNER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: I'm "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" Nischelle Turner. Here's what we are watching this week. Reality star and entertainment journalist, Giuliani Rancic, will join us to give us an update on her health.

Plus, Wilson Phillips will be here to talk about her new album and we will ask Carney Wilson about her second weight surgery. Catch "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" exclusively weeknights at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific, on HLN.

LEMON: All right. Thank you very much. And there's plenty more news to come in the next half hour.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON (voice-over): Just the facts. The Trayvon Martin killing. We cut through the emotion and track the events of that night.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You really want to know what happened in those couple of minutes.

LEMON: Does it all add up?

Rescue at sea, a race around the world, now a fight to stay alive. The U.S. coast guard with the latest on the rush to rescue the crew of this crippled ship.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Checking your lead lines right now.

The U.S. coast guard has taken two injured crew members off the crippled yacht drifting about 270 miles off the California coast. The boat was caught in a storm and smashed by waves. At least three people were hurt. The ship reportedly can't communicate or steer. The 40,000-mile competition pits amateur sailors with each other in an around-the-world race.

Secretary of state Hillary Clinton says America will stand with the opposition against the government of President Assad. Speaking at a conference of world leaders in Istanbul, she said the U.S. will nearly double the aid it now gives to the free Syrian army.

Opposition forces say they can't hold on forever. They report 80 people killed Sunday, including 21 in the city of Homs. The Syrian national council is now promising to pay soldiers to fight the Assad regime.

It is the story that no one can stop talking about, the shooting of Trayvon Martin. It seems like every day we learn about a new piece of the puzzle, and every day the outrage only seems to grow. But rather than allow the rhetoric to overshadow the facts of this case, we're going to step back and walk you through the night that Trayvon Martin was killed minute by minute.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON (voice-over): 7:11 p.m., February 26. A rainy night in Sanford, Florida. George Zimmerman calls 911 to report a suspicious person in his neighborhood. That call would last four minutes.

GEORGE ZIMMERMAN, ADMITS THE SHOOTING OF TRAYVON MARTIN: Hey, we've had some break ins in my neighborhood, and there's a real suspicious guy. (bleep). The best address I can give you is (bleep).

This guy looks like he's up to no good or he's on drugs or something. It's raining and he's just walking around looking about.

911 MALE DISPATCHER: OK is this guy white, black or Hispanic?

ZIMMERMAN: He looks black.

911 MALE DISPATCHER: Did you see what he was wearing?

ZIMMERMAN: Yes, a dark hoodie, like a gray hoodie, and either jeans or sweatpants and white tennis shoes. He's here now. He's just staring.

LEMON: 7:12, phone records show Trayvon Martin is on the phone with his girlfriend. 7:13, Zimmerman is giving the dispatcher directions when he says the subject took off.

911 MALE DISPATCHER: Are you following him?

ZIMMERMAN: Yes.

911 MALE DISPATCHER: OK. We don't need you to do that.

ZIMMERMAN: OK.

LEMON: 7:15, Zimmerman hangs up with 911.

911 MALE DISPATCHER: OK. No problem. I'll let them know to call you when they're in the area.

ZIMMERMAN: Thanks.

911 MALE DISPATCHER: You're welcome. LEMON: At the same time at 7:15, Trayvon Martin's girlfriend tells ABC news she's still on the phone with him.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE GIRLFRIEND OF TRAYVON MARTIN: He said this man was watching him. Trayvon said what are you doing and then the man said what are you doing around here? Then somebody pushed Trayvon because --

LEMON: 7:16, the line goes dead. At about the same time, a neighbor's call to 911 reveals background screaming and then a gunshot.

911 FEMALE DISPATCHER: Do you need police, fire or medical?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE CALLER: Maybe both. I'm not sure. There's just someone screaming outside.

911 FEMALE DISPATCHER: OK. Is it a male or a female?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE CALLER: It sounds like a male.

911 FEMALE DISPATCHER: And you don't know why?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE CALLER: I don't know why. I think they're yelling help, but I don't know. Just send someone quick please.

911 FEMALE DISPATCHER: Does he look hurt to you?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE CALLER: I can't see him. I don't want to go out there. I don't know what's going on. They're sending --

911 FEMALE DISPATCHER: So you think he's yelling help?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE CALLER: Yes.

911 FEMALE DISPATCHER: All right. What is your --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE CALLER: There's gunshots.

911 FEMALE DISPATCHER: You just heard gunshots?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE CALLER: Yes.

911 FEMALE DISPATCHER: How many?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE CALLER: Just one.

LEMON: 7:17, Officer Timothy Smith, the first to arrive, and according to the partial police report, the officer says I was advised by the dispatch that the report of shots fired. And in the span of two minutes Smith canvasses the scene, spots George Zimmerman wearing a red jacket and blue jeans, observes a black male wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt laying face down in the grass, questions the man in the red jacket who admits to shooting the suspect and still being armed. Secures the 0.9 millimeter gun and places the man in handcuffs. The officer observes the man in handcuffs bleeding from his nose, and back of the head, according to the police report. All of this in about two minutes, the police report says, a very tight time window, according to senior law enforcement instructor, Alex Manning.

ALEX MANNING, SENIOR INSTRUCTOR, STATE POLICE ACADEMY, GEORGIA: You really want to know what happened in those couple of minutes. Were they still running? Was he walking around looking for Trayvon, or was Trayvon heading out of there? So in those two minutes you really don't know what exactly happened.

LEMON: 7:19, two minutes after Smith, a second officer arrives, Ricardo Ayala, who observed Zimmerman already in Officer Smith's custody. Sometime between 7:19 and 7:30, Ayala says he tries to get a response from the subject on the ground, a sergeant arrives, checks the pulse. There is none, and both officers begin CPR.

Another sergeant arrives and takes over chest compressions from officer Ayala. The fire department arrives. Attempts to revive the subject, and at 7:30 a paramedic pronounces the subject, Trayvon Martin, dead.

Then the police report says Zimmerman is placed in the back of Officer Smith's patrol car and given first aid, but exactly when that happened is a matter of dispute. Criminal defense attorney Holly Hughes.

HOLLY HUGHES, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: We don't even know what time the EMTs arrived. If it took them five additional minutes to arrive, you're now down to five minutes for them to perform a complete medical examination on him. If he's in that bad of shape, they are not going to do something that takes five minutes. They are going to bandage him if he's got a gushing gash in the back of his head.

LEMON: The time stamp on this Sanford police surveillance video shows Zimmerman and officer arriving at the station at 7:52, 35 minutes after the first officer arrived at crime scene. The police station is a 15-minute drive away.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: Earlier I was joined by Alex Manning, senior law enforcement instructor, and I asked her after she just saw what she just saw what that time line revealed to her. Here's what she had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MANNING: This reveals there was little, if any, medical attention given to George Zimmerman. If the paramedics were with Trayvon Martin until 7:30 when they pronounced him dead, according to my conclusions that I have, taken about 14 to 15 minutes for them to get Zimmerman from the same -- to the police station, I have them only attending to Mr. Zimmerman between 7:30 and 7:38, about eight minutes, to do an assessment, to treat him for any wounds, he wasn't injured that bad. LEMON: Wow. And as a law enforcement person you are taking a stand and say that you can't believe that within that amount of time.

MANNING: I can't believe it. Unless I'm missing something, this is a partial report, but if I just look at what I have, eight minutes is the most time they spent treating Mr. Zimmerman.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: All right. Now we've invited a couple of pros, and we're going to come at this case a little bit differently now. It is a frank conversation about profiling about, stereotypes, and the things others -- other shows wouldn't go as far and wouldn't even touch it. They wouldn't go near it.

Up next, we are going to have Charles Blow, a noted op-ed columnist for the "New York times" and Buck Davis, a renowned diversity expert. We're going to talk to them. They are part of our special edition of "no talking points" tonight right after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Time now for "no talking points."

So, tonight we're doing things a little different here. We've invited two people to help guide us through a color divided, divide that has become a flashpoint as the story of Trayvon Martin and his death unfold.

Charles Blow is a noted op-ed columnist for the "New York times," and Buck Davis is a renowned diversity expert.

Charles, to you first. I want to put up something that you tweeted, Charles. You said I don't want to look beyond Trayvon right now. I don't want to deal with the larger implication. You said my soul needs this case to be resolved. What do you mean by that?

CHARLES BLOW, OP-ED COLUMNIST, THE NEW YORK TIMES: Well, I mean, I think that there are a lot of people involved at this point who have larger views than what I'm applying to this case. There are civil rights groups who have large agendas that include civil rights in this case but also all sorts of civil rights for, you know, voting access and things like that, and they have their right to bring all that to this case.

For me it's much more simple. There is a 17-year-old boy in a grave in Florida. He was put in that grave on March 3rd. He will never get to be a day older, and the simple question for me is did the man who shot a hole in his chest on the night of February 26th, did he have a reason for doing that? Was it a justifiable homicide, or did he cross the line in some way and should be charged and brought before a jury and let that jury determine whether or not he is guilty or innocent. And I think that what Trayvon has done has really touched something in a lot of people in a lot of different ways.

Yes, go ahead. LEMON: I want to -- we're going to get to that. But let me -- people of all backgrounds are speaking out about this, but let's be honest here. Some black leaders have been accused of a rush to judgment. Some black members of the media have been accused of a rush to judgment. Critics say more information is need. You respond to that?

BLOW: No, I -- I am -- I have a zillion questions, right, and I often ask questions both on social media and in the column that I wrote on March 16th was the first time I ever wrote about this which included a litany of questions which I feel like need to be answered for people to feel better about this case and about the justice system, and a lot of that will come out if in fact Mr. Zimmerman is ever charged and brought before a jury.

However, I do take umbrage to this point which is that people keep getting upset that people are keeping this case alive. There would not be a DOJ intervention and FBI intervention if people had not brought this case before the public and the public had not responded the way they did.

The police department captain would not have stepped down if there was not public pressure from the media and from the public, and the -- the state attorney would not have recues himself if that not were the case.

There is a role for people to bring things to the light, and there is a role for the public to say we want justice in this case, and that doesn't mean that you say Zimmerman is guilty or innocent. It is to say that there is enough evidence here from what we know now to suggest that a charge at the very least; a charge is not a conviction.

LEMON: Probably cause.

BLOW: A charge should be brought.

LEMON: You are talking about the probable cause.

BLOW: Exactly. And he should go before a -- a jury should figure out whether or not he is guilty or innocent.

LEMON: OK. Charles, if you can respond quickly to this, and I know that this -- this has really gotten a lot of people, you know, sort of emotional, because I want to bring Buck in. But, I want to ask you in the column, you talked about in your column, you wrote about the burden of young black males in America. Explain.

BLOW: There is a real issue with young black men and authority figures and a lot of times that expresses it selves with their interactions with police. That is not to say that you don't worry about your kids when they are in neighborhoods that are known to be -- that have crime, we do. That doesn't mean that you don't worry about your kids when they are around their friends and they may be introducing something or asked to experiment with something. You do, and all of those things do happen. But layered on top of that is the very real reality that you also have to worry that people in positions of authority, people armed with guns may also find your child suspicious even if they are doing absolutely nothing wrong, and that is another layer of concern that young black men in this society have to deal with, and that is just a fact.

LEMON: OK. So Buck, basically what Charles is talking about profiling in this case, and I think what you say, you rather use stereotyping, and I'm going to in plain language, do you think that -- and I don't mean to condescend to anyone. I just want to be able to get this out.

Do you think that most white Americans understand or get the issue of profiling or stereotyping in a way that Charles is talking?

BUCK DAVIS, DIVERSITY & INCLUSION EXPERT: I think that we understand the definition. I think it's a leap for us to understand the experience, and I'm talking in generalities here. I have never had the experience of having a police officer pull me over for driving a luxury vehicle only to have the police officer say you don't look like you belong in this car. You don't look like you fit in this automobile. I've never had that experience. I

n the absence of that experience, it makes it hard for me to truly understand the dynamic of racial profiling at its core. Are you following me?

LEMON: Yes. I am following you.

So, and so, then what does it mean then? Is this something that you can't get just because you don't experience it? Things that I can empathize with but I don't live them so, therefore, but just because I don't live them doesn't mean that they are -- that they don't exist?

DAVIS: Exactly. Bringing the awareness of how stereotypes play out in our society is so important for us to be consciously aware of. Racial profiling is stereotyping in the worst form. Do I stereotype? Absolutely. We all have normal natural reactions to different types of people.

LEMON: You teach diversity and you still stereotype black men?

DAVIS: Every day that I'm making a dollar, I'm talking about this and I'm find myself in certain moments stereotyping different types of people. For instance, I was in North Carolina a couple weeks ago and I was waiting for my car to be valet and this sharp dress African-American man walked up towards me in a black jacket, I wouldn't hand me my keys. My automatic reaction is this is the valet. He quickly said what makes you think I'm the valet and I quickly said I am so sorry my racist thoughts made me feel like I'm the valet. So, that's me, not on my best day.

LEMON: Yes. But, I think it's interesting when you said my racist thoughts. No one wants to be cast as a racist.

DAVIS: No.

LEMON: Or having racist thought.

DAVIS: Right. But it was a racist thought because steeped in a bias that he's an African-American man, standing here with the black jacket on. I need to have my car valet. I must be with him. That was on my - that was on not so good day.

This week in Chicago I had a better day walking through Nordstrom needing some showers and my thought was a very handsome African- American man dressed, approaches me and my thought was can you get me a sides 13 and it didn't come out of my mouth. We don't get in trouble for what comes out of our head. And the behaviors that are companied who stereotypes.

LEMON: OK. Do you think George Zimmerman, who is a Hispanic by the way which is interesting, do you think it's possible that he may have been possibly profiling? Someone answer me, it's a foregone conclusion that it was not. That it was profiling.

Do you think him may be aware of that or some people are unaware he's stereotyping or profiling because of the way we grew up?

DAVIS: I don't know what's going through George Zimmerman's head. I'm not aware when I'm stereotyping most of the time. I try to manage my thoughts though. We need to start politician our thoughts as they come through our head to ask us, why do we think that about this person? Why are we behaving in a certain way? What's driving that interaction with someone different than me?

LEMON: Do you think, and quite honestly by this story that's been -- because it's been portrayed in black and white. Do you think white people, especially white men in general, feel attacked by this story?

DAVIS: I think that some do. I think that some don't. I don't feel attacked by this story at all. But I think that it's what race represents in the story, so all of us are bringing that story to this experience.

If your story more closely aligns with that of Trayvon Martin's then you're probably policing the facts for how this is an injustice. If your story more closely aligns with George Zimmerman, then there's likelihood that you're probably policing the facts for how is this murder justified?

So we're bringing that a new layer on race and it makes it a very volatile case that reminds us of a lot of pain in this country.

LEMON: OK. We've got to run. Charles, bottom line, of course, where do we go from here?

BLOW: Well, I mean, I think that we're still waiting for the special prosecutor to come through and say whether or not they will bring a charge against George Zimmerman, and there's a lot of pressure right now for them to come to make sure that they have done a thorough investigation and that they come back and say, you know, everywhere they go they are able to explain that to the public in a way that is credible and that the people can actually buy.

And I think that what we ultimately will end up with, just my hunch, is that George Zimmerman will be charged with something. Whether or not he'll ultimately get a conviction or an acquittal, that's a different story, but I do believe eventually he will be charged.

LEMON: All right. Thank you, Charles, appreciate it. Thank you, Buck Davis, very much. And you know this is what we do with "no talking point" all the time. Here's tonight's "no talking point.

As a white man, Buck doesn't know what it's like to walk in my shoes nor - and Charles' for that matter. And as a black man, I don't know what it's like to be white or to be a woman. I'm a man.

But what I can do, what we can all do while this is still fresh is examine our motives, conscious or unconscious, empathize, take nothing for granted, keep calm and carry on, and that's tonight's "no talking point."

Conan O'Brien is ready to take over the Internet. Today, he has announced he's bought one of the biggest tech websites out there, and I don't think anybody believes him. That's next.

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LEMON: At last, the long road to the NCAA championship will come to an end Monday night in New Orleans. The tournament known as March madness is now down to the final two, Kentucky and Kansas. One of them will be crowned champion by making it to the title game. Kentucky lived up to its pre-tourney number one overall ranking beating Louisville.

The Jayhawks slipped by Ohio state for the right to play the wildcats. It's going to be an interesting one to watch.

Country music's biggest stars turned out for tonight's academy of country music awards. Carrie Underwood's opening performance of her hit "good girl" kicked off the show, I should say. Among the early winners, Miranda Lambert, for female of the year and album of the year as well, Lady Antebellum for vocal group of year and "American idol" alum Scotty McCrery took home new artist of the year and tone of the year with "easy girl" are the L.A. beyond fan Well, Kenny Chesney had the most nominations, nine.

Congratulations to all the winners.

Conan O'Brien took his April fool's prank to the Internet. And sure, nobody bought it. Nobody bought it. It's still classic, though, Conan.

Earlier today O'Brien announced he fired the Pete Cashmore, CEO of the very popular tech Web site Mashable.com and put himself in charge. Here's part of his announcement. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CONAN O'BRIEN, HOST, CONAN: I'm sick and tired of scanning the Internet looking for any news about technology. I'd go to Mashable; I see the atrocious job they are doing so I decided it's time for me to take over. That's why several hours ago I called Pete Cashmore and I told him you're out. Get out! You're through, Cashmore. Through! Get out.

Now, of course, keep in mind I was screaming get out on a phone call, and he was talking from home. So, it wasn't clear what I was throwing him out of. Going to be a lot of changes around here, OK? So stay tuned because I'm in charge now, all right? Stay tuned. And I'll be sending out a lot of tweets. Let's get a tweet out there.

By the way, how do you tweet? That's one bad Blackberry.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(LAUGHTER)

LEMON: Conan.

All right. One hundred years ago this week, the most luxurious ocean liner in history was ready to set sail and two weeks later it was at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. We are going to peak at new museum celebrating one of the world's greatest triumphs and tragedies.

With the Supreme Court considering the constitutionality --

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LEMON: Right now, the U.S. Coast Guard is working to save the crew members of a crippled yacht about 270 miles off the California coast. A small ship has taken two of the injured people off the boat. They will be taken via helicopter back to San Francisco. Three crew members were reportedly hurt on the yacht when it was caught in a storm and smashed by waves. The 67-foot yacht was taking part in an around-the-world race when it was disabled by a huge wave.

Another unarmed African-American teen was shot to death a week ago by police in Pasadena, California. Police say officers fired on 19-year-old Kendrick McDade as he was reaching towards his waist band. A 911 caller had said he had just been robbed by two men with guns when police game upon McDade. No weapon was found on McDade.

Police learned later that the caller lied about the man having guns to get a faster response. The caller has been charged with involuntary manslaughter.

One hundred years ago this weekend, construction was completed on the biggest, most luxurious ocean liner history. Only two weeks later the RMS "titanic" smashed into an iceberg, sank into the Atlantic and disappeared. A new museum in Belfast where the "titanic" was built gives us a peek at the ship.

Here's CNN's Nic Robertson.

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NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): "Titanic" Belfast, an exhibition center linking past to present, built in the very place that the ill-fated liner began its short life.

Even today the scale of the "titanic" still seems staggering. That is the back of the boat there, the stern, and this blue line here traces the outline of the "titanic" where it was built in the slip here. The front of the ship right up there, almost touching the exhibition center.

Inside it's like stepping through time. And I think we're going to another floor.

CLARE BRADSHAW, HEAD, SALES AND MARKETING, TITANIC BELFAST: We are. Yes, we are. As you go through the ship, you move right up to the corridors where you would have had the cabins. It's all about using modern technology to tell a 100-year-old story.

ROBERTSON: You feel like you're going up in the ship.

BRADSHAW: And now you're up at the first class level.

ROBERTSON: Claire Bradshaw's job is to market Belfast Hodge's new property, and that includes a replica staircase made famous by Kate Winslet and Leonardo Dicaprio away from the grandeur of the exhibit. There are other mixed feelings.

The (INAUDIBLE) shipyard that built the world's largest ocean going liner was once synonymous with bigotry. Archived film footage inside the exhibit captures Belfast in those bygone days.

Protestants had the plum jobs like ship building and Catholics often went hungry.

The "Titanic" exhibit is trying to build on today's piece and sink once and for all some of the city's sordid history.

BRADSHAW: "Titanic" quarter is becoming a new era of our history. It's where people come and study, it's where people now move, people work and it's all about our city as a whole and a whole new beginning and none of the divide from before.

ROBERTSON: How many visitors come to this modern incarnation of Belfast innovation will help make or break that future.

Nic Robertson, CNN. Belfast, Northern Ireland.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: I'm Don Lemon at the CNN world headquarter in Atlanta. Thank you so much for watching. Have yourself a great week. I'll see you back here during the week or next weekend.