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Biden Does It Again; Skeleton Tattoo Possible Smoking Gun; Living To Walk Again; Grisly Discovery Near Retiree Haven; Drone Strike Kills Eight Militants; No Survivors In Plane Wreckage; President Partying With The Stars; Skidmarks On A Landmark; Prince Charles Does The Weather; Digging Up Yard, Looking For Stolen Art; Vets In Fight For Jobs; Possible Break In Unsolved Art Heist; Bloodiest Day In Damascus Yet; Obama's Gay Marriage Risk

Aired May 10, 2012 - 14:00   ET

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

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, there. Top of the hour. I'm Brooke Baldwin. If it's live and if it's now, I've got it.

First, a possible break in this cold case. We are getting word that crews right now are digging up the backyard of a mobster. Why, you ask? Because more than two decades ago, you may remember this, someone stole artwork. I'm talking half a billion dollars potentially in worth from this museum in Boston. The unsolved heist, one of the most famous in American history. And today authorities are using everything from a ground penetrating radar to a ferret -- yes, a ferret -- in the search of this guy's home, Robert Gentile. We're going to have more on that.

But first, let's take you to the White House because folks there, they're scratching their heads a little bit today. They're grumbling under their breath, even wondering out loud what the heck to do with Joe Biden. Annoyed is a word we're hearing -- actually deeply annoyed to be specific -- that the vice president forced his boss' hand on the topic of gay marriage. It's like, geez, when will it stop. Jessica Yellin, she's been digging on this.

And, Jessica, just plain and simple, has Vice President Biden just totally blown it with the president, committed that one blunder too many here?

JESSICA YELLIN, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: No, no, that's going too far, Brooke. Look, the bottom line is, sources I'm talking to across the board are saying now that the president was going to come out for same-sex marriage at some point before the Democratic convention. You can read it whichever way you want, whether it's because his hand was going to be forced, because there would be a party platform playing, it was also what he believed. In any case, what the vice president did was force the timing up sooner than they wanted it. And, yes, it's true now that the vice -- that the president's aids, many of them, are deeply frustrated that the vice president forced the timing on it. He got ahead of the president. You heard the president say, what, he got out a little -- over his skis. And, you know, one of the things I've heard that's joked around here is, this is the Obama administration not the Biden administration. BALDWIN: So he's a little over his skis, but it is the Obama administration, after all, and I know they're buddies. I know the vice president definitely prides himself, you know, on giving the president counsel.

YELLIN: Yes.

BALDWIN: But you're telling me now that he had been back there in the Oval Office cautioning the president that embracing gay marriage might perhaps have repercussions. And then he gets out there, what was it, this past Sunday, and does it himself.

YELLIN: So I'm told by -- different stories by different people. But there are a group of officials who are saying that at times in the past the vice president had counseled the president that there were political dangers in coming out in favor of same sex marriage. And then the vice president's position had changed, and had the presidents as we've known, and so, you know, what they said privately and what they say publicly, you know, has, quote "evolved."

BALDWIN: Sure.

YELLIN: What a word we've all been using. The bottom line with all of this, Brooke, is that they know here, the president's aides, that Vice President Biden sometimes makes gaffes and sometimes messes up, and you get the good with the bad with Joe Biden, and they say on all sides they're willing to take the downsides. Already Biden is doing public events and he'll do more next week. So we'll see him out on the road. He's not being -- you know, he's not in the dog house exactly. But is there some frustration? Yes.

BALDWIN: Maybe just a wee bit. A wee bit. But, no, no dog house for the vice president. Jessica Yellin, our chief White House correspondent.

Jessica, we appreciate that perspective.

Meantime, you know, many in the African-American and Latino communities, they're not exactly thrilled with the president's comments. And while they may support him on many, many issues, they do disagree with him with regard to same-sex marriage. So next hour I will speak with Tony Evans. He is pastor at the 9,000 member Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas. And we're going to talk about precisely this.

Now, more news unfolding. "Rapid Fire. Roll it.

Some call him America's toughest sheriff. But today he is being called a civil rights violator. The Justice Department announced a civil suit against Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpio. He's nationally famous for his firm stance against illegal immigration. But this suit claims he goes way too far.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

THOMAS PEREZ, ASSISTANT U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: There is reasonable cause to believe that MCSO and Sheriff Arpio engaged in a pattern or practice of discriminatory policing of Latinos.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: The moment everyone's been waiting for here in the John Edwards trial, not going to happen. Prosecutors will not be calling Rielle Hunter to the stand before resting their case today. Edwards is accused of using campaign donations to cover up his affair with Hunter.

We can tell you, though, we are on verdict watch at this hour for the man accused of horrific crimes against the family of Jennifer Hudson. So right now the jury is deliberating in this case of Hudson's former brother-in-law, William Balfour. Prosecutors say he killed Hudson's mother, brother, and her seven-year-old nephew a couple of years ago.

Newly elected Russian President Vladimir Putin will not be attending next week's G-8 Summit at Camp David. Putin called President Obama to say he needs to finalize his cabinet. Prime Minister Medvedev will attend in his place. Putin and Obama are shown here. This was a meeting -- this was 2009 in Moscow. The White House says they will meet next month around the G-20 Summit in Mexico.

A lot more brewing here. Watch.

In a place where so many Americans retire, a shocking scene, bodies found without their heads.

I'm Brooke Baldwin. The news is now.

Just 24 hours after President Obama made a lot of liberals very happy, he is asking for big time cash at George Cloony's pad.

Plus, accusations fly that sheriff's deputies had a secret clique celebrating their shootings. And now proof may lie in a special tattoo.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: You remember the TV cop drama, it was called "The Shield." It wove the tale of Vic Mackey and his strike team. This click of detectives who flaunt the law in their search for what they consider justice.

Well, "The L.A. Times" today is reporting on this alleged secret clique within the Los Angeles County Sheriff's elite gang unit. They actually call themselves the "Jump Out Boys." And according to a report in today's "Los Angeles Times," take a look here," this tattoo -- here you go -- may very well be more than merely a badge of membership. It could be a smoking gun in an internal affairs investigation. And Robert Faturechi is "The L.A. Times" reporter who has been digging into this investigation.

I read a piece of yours a couple of weeks ago and you're back out today with this tattoo, Robert. And so I want to begin with that. We'll put the picture back up. Talk to me about this tattoo. Tell me what it involves and what it signifies.

ROBERT FATURECHI, "L.A. TIMES" REPORTER: Well, the tattoo looks like a lot of tattoos we see among law enforcement subcultures. The skull is common. The bright glowing red eyes. The ace and the eight represent the dead man's hand in poker.

Tattoos in and of themselves, though, sometimes worrisome among police subcultures, aren't necessarily a sign of misconduct. What has investigators out here in L.A. worrying about this tattoo is the suspicion that when officers with the tattoo would shoot someone for the first time, smoke would be added to the barrel of a gun. Now, officers --

BALDWIN: So, hang on, hang on. Let's -- let me interrupt. Let's throw the picture back up, because I want to take a look at this.

FATURECHI: Sure.

BALDWIN: So you're telling me, this is all according to this investigation, these allegations, that they would then add smoke and that would signify additional shootings within, what, as they're working within this gang unit, yes?

FATURECHI: Right. That's the suspicion, that this was a -- that the smoke would be a distinction you would earn upon being involved in an officer-involved shooting. Now, that doesn't necessarily mean that they were bad shootings. But one concern is that shootings that -- though within policy, may have been avoidable. That this could tempt officers to be involved in that kind of thing. But, most importantly, shootings, even when they're good shootings, even when they're within policy, they're expected to be events of last resort, not events that are to be commended or celebrated in this kind of fashion.

BALDWIN: And that, from what I understand and from your reporting is sort of what's worrisome for the L.A. Sheriff's Department. Obviously, you know, these men, and potentially women as well, have this camaraderie, this bonding over a pretty tough line of work, right, but it's the possibility of maybe this badge of honor for shootings, nefarious shootings. How many people might be involved in this "Jump Out Boys" clique?

FATURECHI: Well, when we broke the story a few weeks ago, what detectives had was simply a brochure that was discovered that laid out the "Jump Out Boys" creed. And that time, you know, the department was saying, look, this group might have no members. This might all be a hoax. It might be fantasy. Now we've learned that one officer has come forward and admitted involvement and named about six others.

BALDWIN: One officer came forward -- forgive me, I didn't hear the last bit of that -- and named?

FATURECHI: And named six of his comrades.

BALDWIN: Six of his comrades. What is the L.A. County Sheriff's Office doing about this? FATURECHI: Well, there's currently an internal affairs investigation. They have obviously interviewed the guy who came forward. They'll be interviewing several other members who he's named. And they're going to be interviewing supervisors in the unit to figure out how this could have happened and how long it was going on.

BALDWIN: Are they worried? Are they angry? Are they giving these guys --

FATURECHI: I'm sorry?

BALDWIN: Are they worried? Are they angry? Are they giving this group the benefit of the doubt?

FATURECHI: Look, I can't imagine that this is news that they're welcoming. It was just about a year ago that we broke the story of another deputy clique that formed within the largest jail in L.A. County, Men's Central Jail. It was a group of, you know, deputies who worked the third floor, the 3,000th floor. They called themselves the "3,000" clique. And they even had a gang like three finger hand sign.

BALDWIN: Wow.

FATURECHI: Now, that all came to a head when they got into a brutal fight with two of their fellow deputies at an employee Christmas party.

BALDWIN: Wow. And so this is not necessarily new, but certainly alarming depending on, I guess, what these investigators find.

Robert Faturechi, we appreciate it and we're going to follow this right along with you and the "L.A. Times." Thank you, sir.

FATURECHI: Thanks for having me.

BALDWIN: Chilling new information here in the manhunt for one of the FBI's most wanted. Police have been told an obsession of Adam Mayes is at the heart of this case.

Plus, a Ferrari stunt backfires and goes horribly wrong. We have the video and the backlash.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: In today's "Human Factor," chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta introduces us to Krystal Greco, a Maryland teenager who woke up one morning with a life changing injury, but was determined not to let it change her life.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: At x, circle left 20 meters.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Riding horses has been her passion since she was four years old. First came lessons. Then shows. She even worked in a barn. But two years ago, all that came to a screeching halt for 16-year-old Krystal Greco.

KRYSTAL GRECO, 16-YEAR-OLD PARAPLEGIC: I was getting a shower. I felt some muscle cramps in my mid-back.

GUPTA: She got out, got dressed --

GRECO: I felt a sharp explosion of pain.

GUPTA: By the time she arrived at the hospital, she couldn't walk. The cause, a ruptured disk in her spine.

GRECO: They told me that I had a bruised spinal cord and that I was a paraplegic from the waist down.

GUPTA: Krystal had congenital stenosis. It's a narrowing of the spinal canal that encases the spinal cord. After surgery, she was transferred to the International Center for Spinal Cord Injury at Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore.

GRECO: It is very, very, very intensive therapy for at least two hours twice a day every day.

GUPTA: She pushed herself hard, determined to walk again and get back on a horse.

GRECO: Well, I wanted to get back to my normal life. I didn't want to sit and mope.

GUPTA: Seven months after leaving Kennedy Krieger, she was competing in horse shows again. Horseback riding mimics the natural movement of the limbs and helps with flexibility, balance, muscle strength. It enhances the exercises she was already doing at the hospital and at home. Doctors call her recovery remarkable. She's regained movement in her hips and her knees and sensation has returned to her legs. For now, Krystal can walk, up to 300 feet with the help of leg braces and a walker.

GRECO: Eventually I do want to walk again. And I can see that mentally as a realistic goal.

GUPTA: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: Obsession may it at the heart of this murder/kidnap case that's led to a massive manhunt and a desperate search for these two young girls. The FBI has now placed Adam Mayes on its 10 most wanted list. That happened yesterday after Mayes was officially charged with kidnapping 12-year-old Alexandria and eight-year-old Kyliyah Bain. Mayes is also charged with murdering the girl's mother, Jo Ann, and older sister Adrienne at their home in Tennessee. Their bodies were found at Mayes' home in Guntown, Mississippi. And Mayes ex-wife, Teresa, is also charged with murder and kidnapping in this case. Now, Teresa Mayes' mother-in-law says her former son-in-law was obsessed with Jo Ann Bain's younger daughters.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOSIE TATE, ADAM MAYES' FMR. MOTHER-IN-LAW: He live, sleep, eat and breathe nothing but these two children. Please, you've destroyed one family. You're destroying my family. You took my daughter from me. Please, turn yourself in. Don't hurt anybody else.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: The attorney for Mayes' ex-wife tells CNN that Adam Mayes was really close to the girls and, quote, "did not want them to go to Arizona." The family was preparing for the move when Jo Ann Bain and her daughters were reported missing.

It's a place where many Americans retire. It's serene, safe. But, today, this town is on edge. More than a dozen bodies mutilated beyond recognition. Is there any indication Americans are being targeted?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Sleepy, quiet, relaxed, great weather. Those are just some of the ways people are describing this area. It's called Lake Chapala. It's the largest fresh water lake in Mexico and really a paradise for thousands of thousands of retirees from both the United States and Canada. But a grisly discovery could shake Lake Chapala's image of safety and serenity because 18 bodies were found there Wednesday, chopped up, stuffed inside these two abandoned vehicles and not too far from a highway actually leading to Guadalajara. In fact, some of these bodies so badly mutilated, police are just trying to figure out if they're male or female.

The discovery here, a troubling sign that the bloody war among Mexico's drug gangs could be encroaching on the tranquility sought by so many American and Canadian retirees. Rafael Romo is our senior Latin American affairs editor.

Eighteen bodies so mutilated they can't tell the gender? It's horrendous.

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN SENIOR LATIN AMERICAN AFFAIRS EDITOR: Exactly. And this happens not too far from Mexico's second largest city of Guadalajara. And also, as you mentioned, this community, called Ahehek (ph), which is right next to Lake Chapala, which is a favorite of Americans and Canadians and other international visitors. Now, there is no indication that these Americans, (INAUDIBLE), are being targeted. It seems to be a fight between two very powerful drug cartels in Mexico, Sinaloa and Los Zetas (ph). And this has been happening from the beginning of the year. It's just an escalation of a turf war.

BALDWIN: So it is an escalation? It is an escalation?

ROMO: Definitely. Well, in Guadalajara, they found 26 bodies last November. Not in the same condition that these were. I mean, this was horrible, beheaded, mutilated, and, as you mentioned, it was difficult for the morgue to determine if some of these bodies were male or female. But we have seen similar occurrences in the state of De La Cruz along the Gulf Coast and also in Guadalajara five months ago.

BALDWIN: You talk about this area, Ahehek.

ROMO: Ahehek.

BALDWIN: Ahehek. And I was reading "The Houston Chronicle." They've been covering this as well. This one -- this one person in that town says I hate that my town has changed. You can't hide behind a curtain and pretend everything is fine. Things are not fine. I am devastated by it. I'm thinking of everyone watching who has loved ones --

ROMO: Exactly.

BALDWIN: Who, you know, you work so hard during your life, you go retire in this lake community and here you are incidentally caught between the cross hairs of these drug cartels.

ROMO: This is an idyllic place. It's -- it has weather that is -- some people even say better than San Diego, just to give you a point of reference. This is very beautiful. Right next to Lake Chapala. A favorite for generations of Mexicans, later a favorite for generations of Americans. And to see something like that happen is just incredible. But, again, it's part of the same turf war that's being played out.

BALDWIN: When we talk about these bodies found near Guadalajara, do we have any idea -- I mean I know they're so badly decomposed. We said they probably have yet to even identify them. But would one surmise that they are affiliated with these cartels?

ROMO: All indications, according to Mexican officials and the prosecutor of the state of Jalisco (ph), who's overseeing this investigation, are that this was indeed an attack from one cartel to the other and that all of these people might have been connected to drug trafficking one way or another. So if there's any good news in this is that no civilians are being attacked.

BALDWIN: Got it.

ROMO: No foreigners are being attacked. It seems to be specifically mainly a fight between these two cartels and they're not going against any other people.

BALDWIN: So frightening nonetheless. Rafael Romo, thank you so much.

And as the feds are investigating more terror plots involving body bombs, the U.S. unleashes a surprise on al Qaeda.

Plus, just 24 hours after President Obama made many, many liberals very happy, he is about to ask for their cash. Where? George Clooney's house, of course. We have the inside scoop.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: A U.S. drone strike kills eight militants connected to al Qaeda in Southern Yemen. Today's attack targeted a convoy of senior leaders of the militant network Al Sharia.

Security officials said the drone strike was followed by strikes by Yemen's Air Force and just in really seconds ago, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta addressed this specific strike in today's defense briefing. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEON PANETTA, DEFENSE SECRETARY: As I said time and time again, that we will go after al Qaeda wherever they are and wherever they try to hide. One of the places that they clearly are located is Yemen.

We have obviously the United States both military and intelligence communities have gone after al Qaeda and we continue to go after al Qaeda. The recent threat that concerned all Americans about the possibility of another effort to take down an American airliner has come out of Yemen.

And it is for that reason that we will continue to take all of the steps necessary to try to go after those that would threaten our country and threaten the safety of American people.

We have operations there. The Yemenis have actually been very cooperative in the operations we have conducted there and we will continue to work with them to go after --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Secretary Panetta there speaking about we talked about this before, al Qaeda and the Arabian Peninsula, AQAP, and the threat that they very much pose on us in the United States.

No survivors found so far after a new Russian passenger plane crashed in the mountains of Indonesia. This is footage of the wreckage. Investigators say at least 45 people were on board for a sales promotion flight. The plane vanished from radar screens right before the crash, but no word yet as to what exactly happened.

If President Obama is looking for validation over his support for gay marriage, he has the right audience for it tonight. A room full of Hollywood liberals, the president has a fundraiser this evening at George Clooney's house in Studio City, California.

The guest list we're told is under wraps, but you can expect many, many of Clooney's A-list pals will be there. By the way, the expected haul, $15 million.

Want to bring in our showbiz correspondent, Michelle Turner. That is not chump change, my friend. MICHELLE TURNER, CNN SHOWBIZ CORRESPONDENT: No, no.

BALDWIN: And as we talk, Clooney, obviously that means serious star power at the dinner tables, yes?

TURNER: Absolutely. But you know, George Clooney is also co- hosting this with Jeffrey Katzenburg, Brooke, and so along with Clooney that brings that A-list movie star Jeffrey Katzenburg brings the money.

Because, you know, he is a very successful Hollywood producer. So the people on his list are really those folks with the really deep being pockets. So expect it to be a mix of Hollywood producer types, the films, studio executives and the movie stars.

This definitely will be an exclusive event. Now I am told that the celebrity endorsement that they're giving to the president tonight is totalling about $6 million right now, the tickets, $40,000 a piece.

Get this, the value of the tickets, the street value, about $200. They're shelling out a lot of money for a ticket that really isn't worth much on the street.

BALDWIN: Wow, just 200 bucks. Just like way more than trying to get a Super Bowl ticket, I guess, and when we talk, we've, of course, think about sports and think about that.

But you know, you talk about producers and Hollywood A-listers and actors, but it is also, you know, raising money from regular folks as well.

TURNER: Yes, definitely. I mean, this is a little bit unprecedented. Because what they have done is they have enacted this raffle, the Democrats have, and they asked people for a mere $3 donation to the campaign. You can get a chance to win a trip to this fundraiser tonight.

They're picking two people, flying them out to the fundraiser at George Clooney's home. Apparently, they're going to be able to sit at the head table with President Obama and George Clooney and rub elbows with all of these Hollywood elites for $3. This raffle, the campaign says netted them $9 million. People really turned out for a chance to go to this fundraiser.

BALDWIN: Do we have any idea what's on the menu?

TURNER: You know what, that's a good question. That's a very good question. Here is what we do think is happening. There have been reports that Wolfgang Puck will be catering the meal tonight.

So you know it will be pretty good food. But I am told by some of the people that I have talked to that have worked on previous campaigns and really been a part of a lot of fundraisers that the meals usually aren't that fancy.

I mean, if you think of kind of banquet food a lot of times, that's what you're served here. You know, the campaigns try to keep it as sterile as possible because they want to make as much money as possible and don't like to put a lot of money into the event.

But this one I think will be a little better than most because when you have Wolfgang Puck cooking for you it is not small potatoes.

BALDWIN: I mean, you're rolling pretty well when you eat Wolfgang Puck food I supposed, but it better be good if I'm paying that kind of money for my seat at the table. When we're talking about $15 million, I know to you and I that sound like a lot of money, but really, is it? Is it a record or not?

TURNER: Well, yes and no. It is a record for an individual event that is going directly towards the candidate. It is not a record for an individual event that goes towards the national committees for the Democrats or the Republicans.

Back in May of 2004, President George Bush raised $38.5 million in one day, but that of course went to the RNC and didn't go directly to his campaign.

So there have been people that raised more money. But this is expected to be the most money raised to go individually to a presidential campaign.

BALDWIN: The money involved in politics, it is stunning.

TURNER: I know.

BALDWIN: Michelle, thank you.

TURNER: Yes, it is.

BALDWIN: Now this. Hello, skidmarks on a landmark. This is a Ferrari if you know your cars doing doughnuts on top of a 600 year old city wall in China.

This was part of a PR stunt that back fired big time, offended the Chinese. Cleaners couldn't get the tread marks off. That's the problem. Ferrari says, sorry, sorry about the damage there.

We have a guy right now who looks like he is auditioning to be our weather anchor.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good afternoon. It will be cold, wet and windy across most of Scotland and we're under the influence of low pressure and this weather.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Yes, that's Prince Charles. He and wife, Camilla stopped by the BBC's Glasgow Studio this morning for its 16th anniversary. Word is he did use the teleprompter. Next month, Queen Elizabeth celebrates 60 years on the thrown. I hope you join me and Piers Morgan for all the festivities of the diamond jubilee. It all starts Sunday, June 3rd, 11 a.m. Eastern right here on CNN. It's going to be fun.

FBI agents, they bring a ferret and beagles to the home of this reputed mobster. What they're doing is they're digging up this yard today. They're looking for stolen art. I'm talking art to the tune of $500 million. Plus this --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have thousands and thousands of road hours as a truck driver in the National Guard and you don't have a license to drive civilian.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Men and women in the United States military, they are returning home only to fight the battle of unemployment. We're going to show you one unit's struggle to find work.

Just a quick note for you, if you're heading out the door, keep watching us. Grab the cell phone. Keep watching us on mobile phone or if you're at work and you can tune in from the desktop. Go to cnn.com/tv.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Listen to this, 13 works of art stolen in this daring heist and now after 22 years, a potential new lead in a reputed gangster's backyard. So as we speak the FBI is digging at Robert's home. This is Manchester, Connecticut.

They say they're looking for guns. That's according to Ryan McGuinn, Jentil's lawyer, but McGuinn says they're actually looking for $500 million worth of art, 13 pieces stolen from the Gardner Museum. This happened back in 1990.

I am talking Vermeer, Rembrandt, Monet, this is back March 18, 1990 when the city of Boston had a bit of a Saint Patricks Day hang over. At least two men dressed as police officers talked their way into the museum.

They tied up security guards, robbed the museum, got away clean. He is now 75 years old. In fact, right now he's actually in jail on federal drug and weapons charge from a February arrest.

So how did this art trail lead to him and his house in Connecticut? We're going to ask a reporter who was covering this for the "Boston Globe." That's next hour.

I do now want to share a really special moment with you. This Marine father comes home from Afghanistan. His son, Michael has cerebral palsy and doctors said he would never walk on his own, but Michael has a surprise.

My goodness, the moments will bring tears to your eyes. The 6- year-old walks to his father for the very first time. Staff Sergeant Jeremy Kuhny has five other children with his wife Melissa.

Hundreds in the meantime of U.S. veterans are returning home only to face the harsh reality of unemployment. Actor and veteran J.R. Martinez is teaming up with CNN to bring you their stories.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

J.R. MARTINEZ, ACTOR: I was asked to be part of this documentary and I absolutely said yes off the bat. Because it is important to raise awareness about guys coming home and how difficult it is for them to find employment.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have been watching you the whole year and the whole time you knocked it out of the park and we're so proud of you and glad to have you home. Let me here a big Georgia who. All right.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Coming home and find work, that's what's on everybody's mind right now.

MARTINEZ: A federal law protects the jobs of National Guard soldiers. Those who had jobs before they left can go back to them but half the soldiers in the 877 are coming home unemployed.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When you left your job you were supposed to let them know you were going tore military service. Did you all do that?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Some of our soldiers are going on multiple deployments because they don't have employment in the civilian sector and others where they work is going out of business so the protections in place aren't applicable. Sometimes they're getting terminated against the protections in place.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You have to return to work under the Usara guidelines.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Some are young and don't have transferable skills and some don't know how to turn a military resume into a civilian resume.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A lot of certifications and stuff from the military don't transfer. You can have thousands and thousands of road hours, truck driver in the National Guard, and you don't have the license to drive civilian.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What you're about to go into is no different from a combat zone. You're going home and no different than a combat zone.

MAJOR PAMELA ELLISON, NATIONAL GUARD BUREAU: The 877th out of the Georgia National Guard is not unique in their challenge. We're seeing units coming back and experiencing similar rates of half or more than half of their unit being unemployed. It is never been critical like it is now.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: Well, this coming Sunday, CNN is going to take you on a journey with citizen soldiers as they struggle to serve country and also family. J.R. Martinez narrates. We're calling it "Voters in America, Vets Wanted." It is the first in a series of documentaries. We hope you watch it, DVR it, 8:00 Eastern only here on CNN.

Two suicide attacks, dozens killed, this is the bloodiest day in Syria since this so-called ceasefire. But who is behind it?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Today, the bloodiest proof yet whatever ceasefire has been broken in Syria, it's not working.

YouTube video shows the precise moment the second car bomb went off. This is Damascus, the capital of Syria. The government says these two bombs killed 55 people, injured at least 372 others, 372 others.

About one month ago, the U.N. put together a ceasefire to try to stop the violence and straight to Arwa Damon. She is live for us in Beruit.

Arwa, help us, you know, put all this in perspective. Because we're talking about two cars, they were loaded with more than 2,200 pounds of explosives. I mean, you reported on it. You have been in countries and seen this devastation daily. Just put this in perspective for me.

ARWA DAMON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, what is especially disturbing about this attack is the fact that it does bear the hallmarks of al Qaeda style attacks we have been seeing increasingly taking place in Syria.

Now this may have been the deadliest single attack to take place in Damascus, but ever since December we have been seeing similar attacks, suicide car bombers going off in Damascus and Syria's second largest city on a nearly monthly basis.

All position activists have been warning about the phenomenon they're calling the radicalization of the revolution. The longer the chaos exists in Syria, the more extremist groups are able to thrive and grow.

And opposition activists are warning unless the bloodshed is somehow brought under control we're only going to be seeing more and more violence of this nature.

BALDWIN: So you mentioned these particular bombs that we're talking about today they have the hallmarks of al Qaeda. Do we know who set these bombs off? DAMON: No, we don't. There's been no claim of responsibility at this stage. Now since the beginning of the year this group calling itself the front has emerge and had claimed responsibility for the vast majority of the bombings that have taken place there.

At this stage no claim of responsibility just yet. We saw the head of the U.N. observer mission to Syria touring the site, seeing for himself the damage first hand, and he had this message to put out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Whomever inside Syria or outside Syria that is supporting this, they need to understand that it is only giving more suffering to the Syrian people. They have to stop and give the Syrian people a chance to move in a peaceful direction without having innocent people being killed in the street.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DAMON: And, Brooke, what is painfully clear every single day that goes by is that the suffering of innocent civilians, the bloodshed somehow does need to end.

But at this point in time, there really is no cease-fire and with no ceasefire there is no peace plan and at this stage there is no real plan B, a viable alternative that the international community is really able to stand behind.

BALDWIN: Yes, I mean, it is laughable now at this point to even talk about any kind of ceasefire. But it is disturbing to hear about the reports and the groups and that there is no plan B.

We know you're following it and we appreciate it. Arwa Damon horrendous what's happening in Syria.

Also want you to take note because on Monday, Anderson Cooper, he will be live from the Syrian border to go in depth about the crisis that really just seems not to have an end in sight. His coverage begins 8:00 Eastern right here on CNN.

He is one of America's most high profile pastors, African- American who is against same sex marriage. We'll speak live with Tony Evans about the president's risky move and whether this cost him voters in the black community come November.

Plus, roller derby, you may see it in the Olympics in the near future, they hope in 2020. So you know what? I tried it out even got a nickname. Things got a little rough.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Trending today, the Olympic torch lit in Greece at the original stadium used more than 2,000 years ago. Actors dressed up in ancient Greek outfits and lit the torch in the old-fashioned way using the good old sun and mirror. And now the torch is off Great Britain. Where it will be carried some 8,000 miles over the course of 70 days before the summer's Olympic Games in London.

Speaking of the Olympics here, two words for you, roller derby, you heard of it? It could be an Olympic sport in eight years if these tough talking ladies have their way.

Their bouts are selling out. There is a new documentary that explores the sport. So I wanted to learn more and lace up skates. Thanks to the Atlanta roller girls and I learned how to jam.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN (voice-over): Roller derby, one of eight sports that could join the Olympics come 2020. It is an all female contact sport played by all different types of women.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have nurses, lawyers, stay at home moms, computer programmers, graphic designers.

BALDWIN: Where it is okay to wear fish nets and face paint, yes, costumes, so is this actually a sport? Yes, it is. A lot of you know the roller derby of the past, very staged, for show, and today's roller derby has real athletes and enforced rules and I am about to learn how to play.

Here is how it works. Two teams of girls pick out a skater to be what's called a jammer for each of their teams. Jammers then race around the rink trying to lap the other team while their group tries to slow the opponent down. That means a lot of contact or what these ladies call hits.

"HATE ASHBURY", ATLANTA ROLLERGIRL: Very physical, very competitive sport, nothing is staged. It is all real.

BALDWIN: That's "Hate Ashbury," yes, she is a college professor, and her real name is not hate. It is Michelle. Ladies here take on an alter ego on the rink and a lot of them don't know one another's real names and it is my turn.

(on camera): What did we think? Which one?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Battling something.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Battling girl.

BALDWIN: Battling Brooke. Battling Brooke. Totally works.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You have the power to take that back.

BALDWIN: Yes, preach it. Battling Brooke.

(voice-over): The sport of roller derby is so fascinating a documentary that's out explores the whole thing, the name derby baby. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The whistle blows and we're playing by rules that are enforced and it is serious competition and they want to win.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're getting more into the sports realm than the entertainment.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The question is how big can we go? What could we do with this concept that is roller derby?

DAVE WRUCK, CO-DIRECTRO, "DERBY, BABY!": It is a completely all volunteer sport. There is no profit motive. Yet you can bring together 30,000 women under the same umbrella and they can manage to make this thing thrive into something that's amazing and incredible source of female empowerment.

BALDWIN: Just how big is it getting?

ROBIN BOND, CO-DIRECTOR, "DERBY, BABY!": Australia, New England, very big in Europe, Scotland, Ireland, France, and London is huge, England. This sport is doubling in size constantly.

BALDWIN: And I can see why. Roller derby rocks. Yes. Eat my dust. Eat my dust.

(END VIDEOTAPE)