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Violent Weekend for Police; Closer Look at Angela Corey; Will Hilary Rosen's Words Start Nasty White House Race?
Aired April 13, 2012 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, ANCHOR, "CNN NEWSROOM": Thanks, Carol.
Hello, everyone. I'm Fredricka Whitfield in for Kyra Phillips. It is 11:00 on the East Coast, 8:00 on the West, and we've got a very busy hour ahead. Let's get straight to the news.
Newark, New Jersey, mayor, Cory Booker, is being hailed as a hero today. Booker ran into a burning building and helped carry one woman to safety. The building was next to Booker's home.
Booker says two Newark detectives saw the family late last night and got most of the family out before the mayor arrived on the scene, but one woman was still trapped in the back of the house.
Here's how Booker responded a short time ago to someone who referred to him as a super hero.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYOR CORY BOOKER (D), NEWARK, NEW JERSEY: There are people that do this every day. The police officers that I was with showed really quick action and got into the building really quick. They're firefighters that do this every single day.
I'm a neighbor that did what most neighbors would do, which is to jump into action to help a friend. I consider all of us lucky. There was a time I got through the kitchen and was searching for her and I looked back and saw the kitchen in flames.
It was a really frightening experience for me. I didn't think we were going to get out of there and so I feel just very grateful right now, very lucky to be with you here today, and it's over the top.
I think I did what most other people would do to help their neighbors out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: And perhaps you noticed the bandage on Booker's right hand. He suffered second-degree burns. The woman was also burned. She is in the hospital in stable condition.
Arizona has enacted one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the nation. Governor Jan Brewer signed the controversial new abortion measure into law. She says it falls into line with her personal views on abortion.
The law bans most abortions past the 20th week of pregnancy. That's four weeks earlier than most other states. There are allowances in the Arizona law for what they call medical emergencies where the mother's life could be in danger.
The new law also requires an ultrasound 24 hours before the procedure.
In the spy business, secrecy is everything and now a former CIA officer is accused of breaking that cardinal rule. John Kiriakou in the sunglasses there is being arraigned today, charged with revealing classified national defense information to journalists.
Among other things, he allegedly revealed the identity of a covert operative. The five-count indictment says he violated the Espionage Act and lied to the CIA. Kiriakou was an intelligence officer from 1990 to 2004.
George Zimmerman remains in jail for shooting Trayvon Martin while some members of the community continue rallying. More than 75 pastors are converging in Sanford, Florida, to address the racial tension there.
Meanwhile, Zimmerman made a brief appearance in court yesterday. No bond was set, but we're just now learning a bond hearing is tentatively scheduled for April 20th at 9:00 a.m. His arraignment is set for May.
And now a look at the prosecution's version of what happened the night Trayvon Martin was killed in it. In it, investigators bluntly state that Trayvon Martin, quote, "was profiled by George Zimmerman," end quote.
We'll get more into this and learn more about the man hired to defend Zimmerman in just a few minutes.
An ex-NFL great is tackling the toughest problem he's ever faced, dementia. After his playing days, Alex Karras turned to acting. You may remember him as the adoptive dad on "Webster."
Well, Karras blames his situation on the head injuries that he suffered as an all-pro defensive tackle for the Detroit Lions. Well, now he has joined a lawsuit against the NFL filed by other ex-players aimed at making the game safer by reducing head injuries. He says the league isn't doing enough to protect players.
The U.N. security council is meeting today to talk North Korea and the botched missile launch. U.N. officials called the move deplorable. Experts are concerned that North Korea will try to recover from the embarrassing failure with a nuclear test or a military move.
The long-range missile broke apart shortly after launch and then fell into the ocean yesterday. But North Korea is heralding the launch as, quote, "an inspiring deed, an event of historic significance," end quote.
The General Services Administration is being hammered by Republicans today for even more over-the-top spending. A new report reveals excessive spending beyond the now infamous Las Vegas convention. It includes more than $300,000 to relocate an employee from Denver to Hawaii and fake awards, including a "jackass" award used as an excuse to hold lavish dinners for employees, all funded by taxpayers.
Republicans say the information comes from a report by the GSA inspector general. Hearings are scheduled to begin next week.
And states across the U.S. are stepping up to fill a gap in the health care system. The "New York Times" reports that over 20 states have introduced bills that would limit out-of-pocket payments by patients for expensive drugs, especially those used to treat life- threatening diseases.
Supporters of the bill say the federal health care law is still in an uncertain territory and this would help fill the gaps in the meantime.
U.S. stocks opened lower today amid slowing Chinese economic growth and big bank earnings reports. JPMorgan Chase, the first U.S. mega-bank to post first quarter results. Earnings fell 3.1 percent.
This overshadowed the bank's revenue, which was higher than expected. Wells Fargo's earnings beat expectations, but its stock also fell.
Let's take a look now at the markets. The Dow is now down 86 points there at 12,900. We'll keep watching the markets for you.
All right, TSA out with a new technology to make sure passengers are who they say they are. Just last hour the TSA demonstrated a new boarding pass and identification authentication technology. It's designed to enhance the ability to identify altered or fraudulent documents at security check points.
And Jesse Jackson says the recent Tulsa, Oklahoma, shootings show, quote, "a pattern of attacks on blacks in the U.S." Now, he's asking the Department of Justice to intervene.
We'll talk with the Reverend Jackson live in Tulsa next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Was a shooting spree in Tulsa a week ago a hate crime? Here's what we know. Three of the five victims shot dead were all African-Americans. One of the shooters, Alvin Watts, is believed to have killed two of them along with this man, 19-year-old Jake England, who confessed to shooting three people.
England also posted a message on his Facebook page before the shooting using a racial slur to describe how a black man killed his father. Police believe the shooting spree at four separate locations was random and the Tulsa County district attorney says prosecutors are reviewing the case to see if hate crimes are appropriate.
But one man, Reverend Jesse Jackson, says he's disappointing the shooting spree hasn't already been labeled a hate crime. He's meeting with Tulsa officials today to discuss the investigation and he joins us right now from Tulsa.
Good to see you, Reverend Jackson.
REVEREND JESSE JACKSON, CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER: Indeed.
WHITFIELD: So what do you hope to accomplish today during that meeting with officials?
JACKSON: You know, we're meeting with officials, legislators from around the state and mayors and Pastor Scott here at the St. John First Baptist Church because, when you're in your own community and there's random, revengeful killings, it creates anxiety and fear. There's a certain mistrust here.
And the good thing is the mayor and the police chief moved quickly and they were able to get these two men in custody and put a bond so high they could not reach the bond, but the pain lingers.
We're going from here to a funeral of Mr. Clark, one of the victims of that killing and people here are very unsettled and so the role of the FBI and the popular justice must be pronounced in this situation.
WHITFIELD: So the D.A.'s office says it doesn't have any material that supports this is a hate crime, thus far. If it were considered a hate crime in the state of Oklahoma, it would be considered a misdemeanor and in the past of those who have been convicted of hate crimes are facing, you know, just a few months in jail or maybe a fine.
What is the danger in your view if this is not considered or prosecuted as a hate crime on the state-level?
JACKSON: Well, the bar for hate is too high and you've seen 11 prosecuted hate crimes in the state. There's a certain pattern here ...
WHITFIELD: In that county, just since 1999.
JACKSON: Indeed. In the case of Trayvon Martin, there have been 30 blacks killed by police officers, security officers this year, 16 since Trayvon Martin. There is a pattern here where people are to unleash their fears with these laws of "stand-your-ground" and carrying concealed weapons.
A combination of these anxieties and fears and the "stand-your- ground" laws and access to assault weapons, it raises the bigger question, the need for equal protection under the law and blacks are not being afforded that.
WHITFIELD: So you are comparing this case and the Trayvon Martin case in Florida. You are saying this does exemplify what you've been quoted as saying, a toxic environment that is raining down.
And this is why, too, you believe that the Department of Justice needs to be looking at this Tulsa case and that this Tulsa case might be a microcosm of racially-tinted crimes that are taking place across the country.
JACKSON: You know, last year 11-11-11, an AK-47 shot in the White House. Fortunately no one was there and it was 800 yards away. If someone had been on the back of the White House, they could have been hit.
Violence is on the rise and the sell of these automatic weapons is on the rise. That's why we need to have a commitment now to turn this pain into some commitment to remove the access to concealed weapons, remove the laws that encourage vigilantism, revive the ban on assault weapons.
And this is really a struggle within (inaudible) of what kind of nation shall we be? But here in Tulsa today, people are coming together and rallying together. Hopefully white and black can find common ground, removing the threat.
But I mean, toxic. You call the president stupid, to say he's not an American, he's not legitimate, he's not a Christian. These are attacks at the highest levels of those running for office on the president rains down.
And so there's an environment now that's kind of a permissiveness towards the violence. This permissiveness must end and give way to a kind of redemption and reconciliation. That will make us whole and lend itself to healing.
WHITFIELD: We have reached out to the Department of Justice. We still don't have a response if they are indeed investigating this crime that took place last weekend in Tulsa as a hate crime.
What are you learning as to whether the Justice Department would be involved? Does this have the components of a case that would be investigated on a federal level?
JACKSON: You know, there's been a reach out. You know, when Emmett Till was killed, the Department of Justice was slow to reach out and in three weeks those who killed him were acquitted so they could not positively identify the body. Obviously, it was so mangled.
When Medgar Evers was killed, for 30 years, the killer walked the street, so there's a kind of devaluing of black life and we expect the Department of Justice to be aggressive.
It's fairly obvious that these five people were in their own neighborhoods, attending to their own business. They were randomly killed for some kind of revenge and hate.
There should not be a bar so high that hateful killers are allowed to be able to get off with less charges than what it really is. This is really threatening. No one is safe. Anyone could, any official could have been killed in this way. Any child walking the street.
We have reason to have anxiety. I'm glad the two who did this killing are behind bars, but those of that kindred spirit are still on the loose and that must come to an end.
WHITFIELD: And let me just ask you about the Trayvon Martin Case. Now we know there's a new attorney representing George Zimmerman. There's a bond hearing we've just learned moments ago. That will be for George Zimmerman at the end of the week. And, of course, we are also talking about an arraignment that will take place later on.
What are your views, thus far, on the process, on his arrest and on these pending courtroom actions?
JACKSON: Well, you know, of course, there's very slow justice. After global protests and 45 days, he's now -- George Zimmerman is in jail. That's a first down. Not a touchdown. It's not a victory. It's just a relief.
A touchdown, you remove these, in 24 states, these laws of "stand-your-ground," these self-defense laws that have tripled the amount of killing since they've been in place. That must be challenged.
We must provide a ban on assault weapons. What value are assault weapons except to kill people. You don't hunt with them. You only kill people with them.
We have become the most violent nation on earth, the most homicides, the most killing of each other. We must -- you know, a million have been killed, Americans, since Dr. King was killed, a million Americans.
We must lift the tone and go to higher ground, but right now, Mr. Zimmerman is in the judicial process. But the movement now to revive the ban on assault weapons and to end these "stand-your-ground" laws must be the heavy lifting that must take some time. We'll be fully engaged in that.
WHITFIELD: All right, Reverend Jackson, thanks so much for your time. I know you have a busy day.
Soon after this interview, you'll be going to the funeral of the first victim of that shooting that took place last wee and then I know you'll holding a news conference later on today, 2:30 Eastern time in Tulsa, to further discuss the shootings.
Of course, stay with CNN for our continued coverage.
All right, George Zimmerman, his arrest, second-degree murder charge, are just the start to what could be a very long legal battle.
What we know about the man who is defending Zimmerman and what an affidavit reveals about the night Trayvon Martin was shot. That in just two minutes. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: This morning dozens of pastors held this press conference in Sanford, Florida, after holding a three-hour assembly. The racial tensions in the community is the focus of that as George Zimmerman now sits in a 67-square-foot cell charged with second-degree murder.
His first appearance on Thursday was brief. No bond was set. His arraignment is now scheduled for May 29th.
But the debate still centers around what really happened the night George Zimmerman shot and killed Trayvon Martin. We're now getting a look at the prosecution's version.
Martin Savidge is right there in Sanford, Florida, with more on that. Martin?
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Fredricka.
Yes, this is what's known as the probable cause affidavit and, essentially what it is, it's a thumbnail sketch of the prosecution as to why they are going after George Zimmerman.
And it's pretty straight-forward. It's because the state of Florida maintains that George Zimmerman was the instigator in all of this.
Take a look at one specific paragraph and, as we do that, it says, quote -- and it's talking about Trayvon Martin, I should point out, and we remember from the night of February 26th, he was walking back from a convenience store when this all began.
"Martin then walked back to and entered the gated community when he was profiled" -- and that's the keyword you'll hear more of -- "by George Zimmerman. Martin was unarmed and he was not committing a crime."
So that in a nutshell is what the state is saying, that this all began with George Zimmerman making that decision to profile and, as we know, call 911 and several minutes later Trayvon Martin was dead.
Fredricka?
WHITFIELD: And, Martin, now what?
SAVIDGE: Now comes bond and we've just learned a short while ago that there's going to be a hearing that's been tentatively scheduled for one week from today where the attorney, Mark O'Mara, will be trying to get George Zimmerman out from the correctional facility behind us here where he has been.
And then he next step after that is, of course, to refute everything that the state has just outlined in that affidavit. In other words, the defense will begin to build its own case.
Fredricka?
WHITFIELD: OK. And earlier we saw the pastors gathered there in Sanford. We're talking about George Zimmerman now in jail and a new attorney that's also been attached to him.
How would you describe the mood? What are people saying, talking and feeling there in Sanford?
SAVIDGE: Well, you know, of course, for the past couple of weeks, Sanford has been at the epicenter of what been a pretty emotional story. Now with George Zimmerman taken into custody and the legal system is starting to take its course, there is in this community a sigh of relief and a hope that cooler heads will prevail, that some of the emotion can be drawn down a bit.
And that's exactly what those religious leaders were gathering to say. There was some good that came out of this. People did come together. They did motivate and move on a specific issue and, as a result, important dialogues were held. People started talking about issues that need to be spoken of.
WHITFIELD: All right, Martin Savidge, thanks so much in Sanford, Florida.
All right, this is just the start of what could be a long legal battle. Days after his legal team stepped aside, shooter George Zimmerman is now represented by this man, Mark O'Mara. He is highly respected. Known as being very calm and careful with his words. What might be his defense strategy?
To give us some insights into that, let's bring in CNN legal analyst, Sunny Hostin, from "In Session" from our sister network, TruTV. So, Sunny, what do you know about O'Mara?
SUNNY HOSTIN, CNN LEGAL CORRESPONDENT: He's been an attorney for over 30 years. He has 30 years of criminal experience. He was a former prosecutor, and many believe that former prosecutors make the best defense attorneys because they know the system. They know how prosecutors work.
He's considered to be fearless in the courtroom, but measured and that's the perfect combination for an attorney, especially one that has to speak in front of the media, and I think we saw that. We saw someone that certainly was even tempered, was measured, was cautious.
But I think we saw a different person in the courtroom. He took control in the courtroom, asking for records to be sealed, representing his client, clearly vigorously.
So we also know, though, Fredricka, which I found fascinating, was that he was a television legal analyst like myself. He commented on the Casey Anthony case and, before being retained by George Zimmerman, commented on the Trayvon Martin matter.
WHITFIELD: In fact, most recently on our affiliate, WKMG, let's listen to what he had to say. This was before his representation of George Zimmerman.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Can you confront someone, shoot them, and get away with that?
MARK O'MARA, GEORGE ZIMMERMAN'S ATTORNEY: Well, under certain circumstances with our laws the way they are today, the answer would be yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: With this law on the books, it sounds like people have a license to kill.
O'MARA: Other people call it the "license-to-murder" statute because it doesn't require actions to avoid the confrontation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Now that's interesting. He does attribute that to other people call it this shoot to kill, shoot to murder, et cetera.
But you have to wonder how he will defend George Zimmerman when George Zimmerman himself said for a very long time through the representation of his other attorneys, "stand-your-ground" is exactly what was going to help him in his defense.
HOSTIN: Yes, well, of course, Mark O'Mara was very cautious in that interview, he was very measured, and I don't think anything that he said would be inconsistent with his defense.
He talked about the fact that "stand-your-ground" eliminates the sort of duty to retreat because a lot of places have self-defense laws, but part of it is you have to retreat if you can. You have to run away if you can. You don't confront and stand there.
So we know that George Zimmerman told his brother apparently and may have also told the police that Trayvon Martin attacked him and that he was defending himself and, therefore, had no duty to retreat.
So this is going to be a significant issue at trial. Who was the first aggressor? Who started the confrontation? When you look at the affidavit by the prosecution, it's clear that they have completely disregarded that version of events and they do not believe he was the initial aggressor or confronted George Zimmerman. Rather, they seem to say that the opposite happened.
WHITFIELD: And, Sunny, we don't have the full story as to what precipitated the confrontation. We know the other team said publicly they couldn't find their client, but then, in the end, investigators say they always knew where George Zimmerman was.
So what does this say about George Zimmerman that he would now attach himself to this highly respected, highly regarded Florida attorney?
HOSTIN: You know, it's a smart move in a case like this and I think we see a very different type of attorney. The two former attorneys were very aggressive. They had sort of just a different defense style and I've seen both styles be successful in a courtroom.
But this is very interesting that this new attorney, well respected in the community, and what I also noticed in the courtroom with Angela Corey, there was a wonderful beginning of a relationship between Angela Corey and Mark O'Mara. Very, very important dynamic.
Because I recall being a prosecutor and defense attorneys not starting out on the right foot with me and that does change the dynamic of what is an adversarial process. So this was a smart move by George Zimmerman or George Zimmerman's family to have someone that is so even tempered, so well respected, with so much experience.
WHIFIELD: Is it also an important dynamic that, as a legal analyst, he's media savvy and that could bode well for him as they move forward in what will be a very highly publicized legal process.
HOSTIN: No question. No question about it and, again, we saw such a different style in terms of all of the press conference and all the media that Mark O'Mara did. He's clearly very media savvy.
Although, Fredricka, I suspect that we may see some sort of gag order in this case. This is such a high profile case. Many judges don't want the case tried in the court of public opinion.
This is a very new judge that's been assigned to the case. She's only been on the bench for a little over a year, but I wonder if we'll even be hearing from the attorneys as this process continues.
WHITFIELD: All right, Sunny Hostin, thanks so much. Always good to see you.
All right, adopting can be a tough road for any want-to-be parent, but it's especially hard for the gay community. One man is working to change that next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Anyone who has gone through the adoption process knows how hard and long that journey can be. And if you're gay, that road becomes even harder. This week's "CNN Hero" struggled for more than a decade to fulfill his dream of being a parent. So David Wing Kovarik started Families like Ours, a nonprofit that helps LGBT families navigate the system.
(CNN HERO)
WHITFIELD: Remember, "CNN Heroes" are all chosen from people you tell us about. To nominate someone making a difference in their community, go to CNNheros.com. Your nomination could help them help others.
All right, it's been a rather violent 24 hours in this country. A town with just seven police officers lost one of its own just days before he was set to retire. Plus, in another city, gunfire erupts inside a popular family restaurant. We'll be right back with more on those stories.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: It's been a violent 24 hours for police officers in this country. We begin in New Hampshire. Just days before retiring, a police chief was shot and killed during a drug bust late last night. It happened in Greenland, a small town of just 3,500 with a police force of just seven. Michael Maloney served as Greenland's chief for a dozen years. He was a married father. A New Hampshire attorney general says the community is in mourning. Maloney and officers were part of a drug task force that suddenly came under fire. Four other officers were wounded, two are in intensive care. All were trying to arrest Collin Mutree (ph). That's when the shooting started.
General Attorney Michael Delaney now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL DELANEY, NEW HAMPSHIRE ATTORNEY GENERAL: They attempted to gain entry into the residence when they arrived. As they attempted to gain entry into that residence, gunshots were fired, and the officers were struck. Following the accident, tactical teams arrived, and attempted to begin negotiations with the individuals inside the residence. The tactical team was able to initially gain brief contact with Mr. Mutree (ph) and had some brief conversation with him. That conversation ended shortly thereafter. And for a long period of the evening, there was no contact with the individuals inside the residence.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: And that led to a standoff. It lasted hours. Early this morning, a robot camera found Mutree and a female acquaintance dead. Police say it looks like murder/suicide.
Many want to know why a man so close to retiring would take part in such a dangerous operation. No one knows, but this has hit the community hard.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DELANEY: The law enforcement community in New Hampshire is certainly grieving this morning, but they have come together, federal state and local agencies to do the job that law enforcement officers do every day, secure the safety and protection of our citizens.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Chief Maloney was only 48 years old.
In Modesto, California, a sheriff deputy was killed with another man as they tried to serve eviction papers. The neighborhood looked like a war zone as the SWAT team moved in. Deputy Robert Paris served 16 years with the sheriff's department. The sheriff says, he, quote, "lost his life protecting the citizens of the community." That shooting also led to a stand off with the alleged gunman barricading himself inside the home. After police tossed in a grenade, the House caught fire and was destroyed. Officers haven't yet moved in, but they believe the gunman is dead inside the burned-out home.
In Ohio, a despondent father shot and killed his daughter who was at a restaurant celebrating her birthday. Police say Kevin Allen killed his 10-year-old daughter and his wife and wounded another daughter before leaving the Cracker Barrel restaurant in Brooklyn, Ohio. He was killed by police outside when he refused to drop the gun. In a 911 call just before the shooting Allen's wife said she had just told him she was leaving him.
All right, back to the Trayvon Martin case. There have been cries of racism against George Zimmerman and the Sanford Police Department. But there's one high-profile and well-respected African- American who says the argument is a mistake.
Bill Cosby sat down with our Candy Crowley to talk about the Trayvon Martin case and the issue that he says he should be talking about.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: So you saw more a gun issue than a race issue?
BILL COSBY, ENTERTAINER: How are you going to solve a race issue when it becomes he-says, she-said, or he-said, he-said? And the other question is, what is solved by saying he's a racist? That's why he shot the boy. What solves that? This, and what is he doing with it? And who taught him and told him how to behave with this?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: And you can see more with Candy Crowley on CNN's "State of the Union," Sunday, 9:00 eastern time.
George Zimmerman is facing a second-degree murder charge. Some have said it seems harsh given the circumstances, but it comes as no surprise to those who know the special prosecutor in the case, Angela Corey, who is known to be a tough prosecutor with more than 20 years experience.
A closer look at Ms. Corey's record from CNN's George Howell.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANGELA COREY, FLORIDA SPECIAL PROSECUTOR: Today we filed an information charging George Zimmerman with murder in the second degree.
GEORGE HOWELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A stiff charge from a prosecutor who has built a reputation for being tough. That's exactly why Angela Corey's biggest supporters say she's the perfect fit in the controversial case against George Zimmerman for the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin. PAM BONDI, FLORIDA ATTORNEY GENERAL: It's Governor Scott who appointed Angela Corey after discussing it with me. She's ethical. She's honest. She's tough as nails. She's compassionate.
HOWELL: Corey was the first woman elected as state attorney for Florida's fourth circuit court. Before that she spent more than two decades working as a prosecutor.
Tom Falace, who has faced Corey in the courtroom many times, says she's a seasoned prosecutor who stands firmly by her values.
TOM FALACE, ATTORNEY: She's hardcore, right wing, Republican conservative, which is -- you know, plays very well down here. I, you know, obviously disagree with her on probably every political thing we could ever bring up, but that doesn't take away from the respect that I have for her as a lawyer.
HOWELL: But then there's the study by criminologist and criminal justice professor, Michael Hallet, from the University of North Florida, who examined Corey's tenure as state attorney.
MICHAEL HALLET, CRIMINOLOGIST & CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF NORTH FLORIDA: Defense lawyers are not big fans of Angela Corey.
HOWELL: Hallet found her aggressive style has had a profound impact on the number of convictions in her district.
HALLET: One criticism she's endured prior to the Trayvon Martin case here in Jacksonville was she was too aggressive on first-time offenders.
HOWELL: The most egregious example, say her critics, the case of 12-year-old Christian Hernandez, accused of killing her 2-year-old brother. Corey was criticized for indicting him as an adult for first-degree murder.
And according to Hallet's study, while crime and arrest rates are down in Florida, Jacksonville jails are more full than they have ever been.
HALLET: We found that the answer to that is basically Angela Corey.
HOWELL: Hallet says Corey's style is to seek the highest charges possible.
But Corey says her objectives are clear, to protect the victims.
COREY: Those of us in law enforcement are committed to justice for every race, every gender, every person of any persuasion whatsoever. They are our victims. We only know one category as prosecutors, and that's a "V." It's not a "B," it's not a "W," it's not an "H." It's a "V" for victim. That's who we work tirelessly for.
George Howell, CNN, Jacksonville, Florida.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: And a real footloose story. One town says no to dancing in skating rinks. "Street Level" is next.
(SINGING)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Time now for stories making news at "Street Level."
In Milton, Washington, a courageous act by a couple of kids riding on the school bus saved everyone's lives. This is video from the security camera on the bus. It shows the driver suddenly losing consciousness. When one of the kids realized something was wrong, he jumped up and steered the bus to safety. You can see a friend rushed over to help him out. Unfortunately, the bus driver died later.
In North Carolina a middle school student has been suspended for hugging his teacher. Apparently, it's against the rules. The student says after he hugged the teacher, she grabbed him by the arm and took him to another teacher who wrote him up. The boy's family has filed a police report against the school and the teacher. School officials could not be reached for comment since it's spring break.
On Kodiak Island, Alaska, the FBI is investigating the shooting death of two Coast Guard members. Officials say it looks like a double homicide. The victims were killed after they arrived for work yesterday morning at the communication station. No one has been arrested yet, but security has been increased at the base.
In Atlanta, 67 more public school educators have been barred from the classroom over a cheating scandal. And another 83 cases are being reviewed. The school system came under scrutiny last year under the same up roar. A state investigation found investigators -- educators, rather, involved in a cheating scandal on a standardized test.
And in western Florida, a real-life story mirrors an on-screen drama. Like in the movie "Footloose," nightclubs and skating rinks have been permanently banned. The city council hopes to, quote, "protect the quality of life" for residents. Officials say several nightclub killings in recent years resulted in this drastic action.
A Democratic strategist sets off a political firestorm with moms at the center of it. But was the message manipulated? And is this the start of a nasty White House race? "Fair Game," next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: A political analyst's words have morphed into a campaign issue for the presidential candidates. I'm stalking about Hilary Rosen's comments about Ann Romney and that she, quote, "never worked a day in her life." The words of Rosen. Was it a slam on women who don't work outside the home, or a statement about Romney's wealth? Well, it's become "Fair Game" in the campaign. Let me bring in Democratic strategist, Keith Boykin; and Republican strategist, Boris Epstein.
Hilary Rosen has since said she misspoke. Did the meaning of her message get manipulated for the sake of politics?
Mr. Epstein, you first.
BORIS EPSTEIN, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: It didn't get manipulated. It was clear as day what she said. It's both a women's issue and a wider social class issue. What Hilary Rosen was saying is women who don't work outside the home don't work. I wonder what her opinion of Martha Washington, Dolly Madison, Eleanor Roosevelt or Jackie Kennedy is. It's a clear dig at the social classes of America that has dominated the Democrat/Liberal agenda. It's a disdain. It's social warfare. It has no place in politics and it's honestly wrong.
WHITFIELD: Keith, how do you see it?
KEITH BOYKIN, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST; Well, I remember when Hillary Clinton back in 1992 made a comment about not sitting home and baking cookies and everybody made a big stink about that issue. This is more about class and not about gender. This is not a comment from the president or the campaign. It's a comment from one person and she's basically making a statement that I think a lot of people could understand if it's not taken on out of context.
I spoke to my mom about this today. My mom started working when she was 18 and worked until she retired. A lot of women, particularly women of color, have never really had a choice about whether they could stay at home or not. They have been forced to have to work and never had to be able to do one or the other.
I think most American voters aren't going to be persuaded by this, most women aren't going to be persuaded at this. They're not going to say this is a guy who couldn't even make a decision about the Equal Pay Act, the guy who says he's going to cut spending for Planned Parenthood. They're not going to look at him and think because somebody not affiliated with the Obama campaign made a comment. I don't think that's going to help Mitt Romney.
(CROSSTALK)
WHITFIELD: Except some women will argue that many women who stay at home, it doesn't necessarily mean that it's because the family can afford -- that that is a luxury. That it may be the case that they can't afford daycare or other measures that it would cost to take care of the kids, so somebody has to stay at home. And it's an issue of it's a one income family but they're not necessarily wealthy fighting.
EPSTEIN: When you see them fight, their key favorite is, again, a line that has been taken by the left, talking about people who have a choice or don't have a choice to stay at home. You're exactly right. Some families make a decision for the mother, for the woman to stay at home and work at home, to bring up the kids and raise the kids. That's a decision that cannot be disdained. It's a decision that should be respected.
(CROSSTALK)
EPSTEIN: Hold on, Keith. Let me finish.
We live in America. And in America, families and people have the right to choose whatever is best for their family. We shouldn't criticize, least of all should anyone go after a woman like Ann Romney, who has battled M.S., who has battled cancer, and who is an example for all of us.
(CROSSTALK)
BOYKIN: This is exactly the point. The Republicans have been suffering from the gender gap for decades. Mitt Romney is struggling in the polls with women. They're grasping at straws. They're going to try to make an issue out of this, even though it's not anybody in the Obama campaign, and they'll try to show this is somehow reflective that the Democrats don't care about women. And nobody believes that. That's the reason women have abandoned the Republican Party for decades and they still are. I don't see how the Republican Party can win an election if they continue to alienate more than a majority of the population.
EPSTEIN: I appreciate --
(CROSSTALK)
WHITFIELD: Quickly --
CROSSTALK)
EPSTEIN: -- your concern about us winning the election but, in reality, we won plenty of elections. And '08 was a fluke thanks to a bad economy and that's why Obama won. But in reality --
(CROSSTALK)
WHITFIELD: OK.
(CROSSTALK)
WHITFIELD: Real quickly, so the Mitt Romney camp is running away with it. Just take a look at this latest campaign statement as a result of what was said yesterday.
"So stand with Ann." You know, very quickly, however, the Obama administration from the president to the senior adviser also came out quickly, said that the words were inappropriate. In fact, this is what the president had to say during interviews yesterday about this very matter.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: There's no tougher job than being a mom. And when I think about what Michelle's had to do, when I think about my own mom, a single mother, raising me and my sister, that's work.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: So, gentlemen, is this being blown out of proportion?
Keith, you first?
BOYKIN: Yes, it is being blown out of proportion and there's a good reason for it. There's an 18-point percentage gap between the Obama supporters and the Romney supporters among women. Women just don't believe Mitt Romney. They don't trust Mitt Romney. They don't like Mitt Romney. And, yes, he's going to try to put Ann Romney out there because she's a humanizing face to make people like him more.
At the end of the day, people are not going to vote for the first lady or the family. They're going to vote for the man. And Mitt Romney is not likeable to most women. He's not the candidate they're going to vote for. And it's not because of this issue. It's just because of Mitt Romney.
WHITFIELD: Boris, last word.
EPSTEIN: Keith, the Democrats should take a point from the president. The president knows that Hilary Rosen stepped in it with this issue. The president knows it's a bad point for Democrats.
And while Keith is right, the Democrats have had an advantage among women, something like this, statements like this against women, and honestly social warfare, do not play well for the Democrats, and it's the reason they will lose in 2012.
(LAUGHTER)
WHITFIELD: Keith, Boris, thanks so much, gentlemen. Appreciate that. You all have a great weekend. Something tells me we'll still be talking about this possibly into the weekend.
Thanks so much, everyone, for watching. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. The CNN NEWSROOM continues right after a short break. Gary Tuchman will be on the other side, in for Suzanne Malveaux.
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