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U.S. Drone Crashes in Maryland; New Nightmares Facing Middle Class; Sandusky Trial Update

Aired June 11, 2012 - 15:00   ET

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

ALINA CHO, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, everybody. Glad you're with us. It's 3:00 in the East. I'm Alina Cho, in for Brooke Baldwin.

And we begin with breaking news in Maryland, where U.S. officials say an unmanned drone has crashed near Salisbury, Maryland.

Our Chris Lawrence joins us live from the Pentagon with details on this.

So, Chris, just how unusual is this?

CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Very. You hear about this happening all the time in places like Afghanistan, Pakistan. Drones do go down.

But to go down on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, highly unusual. Just got off with some Navy officials who say this was a routine training flight. And we're also getting some new information about how they were able to determine that. Apparently, as soon as they lost contact with this drone, they sent out a manned aircraft and the pilot was able to put some eyes on the wreckage and determine, A., that it crashed, and, B., that it looks like there were no injuries on the ground at the crash site.

It's in what has been described as sort of a marshy area of this Nanticoke River on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. But this drone, the Global Hawk, it flies -- can fly up to 11 miles high. And it can fly for 30 hours at a time. It's used for a lot of reconnaissance because it can fly for so long and it can fly above the weather.

Here in the United States, it's been used to keep track of wildfires burning in California. It was used to survey some of the damage after Hurricane Ike. And of course it's been flown overseas as well. In fact, one of the five drones that the Naval Air Station Pax River in Maryland, one of the drones that they have is currently deployed with the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet. The other four go through routine training and that's what happened here. This drone was on a routine training mission and it went down.

CHO: Unbelievable and again highly unusual.

LAWRENCE:

CHO: Chris Lawrence live from the Pentagon, Chris, thank you very much. Also happening now, Spain's bank bailout is expected to give the U.S. markets a big boost. Guess what? Stocks are down with just about an hour to go until the opening -- closing bell, rather.

(STOCK MARKET UPDATE)

CHO: Also developing now, the presidential appointee involved in a hit and run is back in Washington, D.C. We're talking about U.S. Commerce Secretary John Bryson. He was driving in Los Angeles County on Saturday night when the sheriff's department says he rear-ended a stopped car.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DEPUTY TONY MOORE, L.A. COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT: At some point after that traffic collision occurred, he got out of vehicle, made contact with the individuals, but for some reason got back into his vehicle and left the scene. And when he left the scene, he struck the vehicle a second time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHO: And after hitting that car, sheriff's deputies say he drove off and just a few minutes later hit another car before being found unconscious behind the wheel.

The Commerce Department says Bryson suffered a seizure.

CNN's Brianna Keilar is live for us at the White House.

So, Brianna, the commerce secretary, I understand, spent the night in the hospital in California. He's already back in the nation's capital. So, what is the White House reaction to all of this?

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Mostly, Alina, the White House is referring a lot of things to the Commerce Department. And there are still some details that need to be filled in at this point.

The Commerce Department says that there was no drugs or alcohol involved in these crashes. And at least preliminarily, that's what the L.A. Sheriff's Department says, but White House Press Secretary Jay Carney sort of talking about this. I asked about the timing of this seizure that the Commerce Department said the secretary had in relation to the accident, because all the Commerce Department has said is that he was involved in accidents and that there was a seizure.

Here is what Jay Carney said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: What was the timing of the seizure in relation to the accident?

JAY CARNEY, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: I would refer you, as I said in the past, to the Department of Commerce for more details. KEILAR: I have been asking them for hours.

CARNEY: I -- I just don't have those details for you. So I think I would refer you to the Commerce Department.

KEILAR: Can you explain why there seems to be a parsing of -- it -- it just seems the Commerce Department is saying he was involved in accidents and he had a seizure, but there's really nothing connecting the dots and it's really an important point.

CARNEY: Well, again, as I have pointed out, there was a -- the commerce secretary was alone, he had a seizure, he was involved in an accident. I -- you know, I would refer you to the Commerce Department for more details.

Those circumstances I think speak to some of the, you know, difficulty in getting details. But beyond that I just don't know and I would refer you to the Department of Congress.

KEILAR: Doesn't it seem like it's causal though, the seizure...

CARNEY: Again, I'm not a -- I'm certainly not a doctor. I certainly didn't...

(CROSSTALK)

CARNEY: ... was not a presiding doctor on this case, so I would refer you to the Department of Commerce.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: So it appears, Alina, that this may have been very much a health-related accident. But at the same time, the White House is being very careful. We learned from Carney that President Obama has not spoken with Bryson, but that his chief of staff, Jack Lew, has. The White House was informed of this last night. President Obama learned about it this morning -- Alina.

CHO: Well, good for you for continuing to ask, Brianna, even though you weren't getting many answers. But I do want to know did the White House say anything about putting Bryson on medical leave or a leave of absence or is he back to work already?

KEILAR: No, there was no -- I wouldn't say he's back to work. There's nothing on his public schedule today. But I think it sort of speaks to the fact that he was able to travel from L.A. back to Washington in terms of where his health is.

No, Carney said that Secretary Bryson has served effectively. And in terms of really does this affect his service as secretary of commerce, those questions are very much unanswered, it appears as the White House tries to track down some of these details and decide exactly where they're going, if anywhere, with this.

CHO: Well, I know he is facing a felony hit and run charge, but given what has happened in terms of medically with him, it looks like that that charge may drop. So, Brianna Keilar, thank you so much for that update. Appreciate it.

And a lot more news developing this hour. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHO (voice-over): Egypt's former ruler dying. Not long after Egypt's former ruler, Hosni Mubarak, gets life behind bars, his health takes a turn for the worse.

Plus, a family of five once made six figures. Now they are living off food stamps.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I thought for sure that he'd go right back into the corporate world.

CHO: The new nightmares facing the middle class.

And she's already survived breast cancer. Now an emotional Robin Roberts reveals another health scare.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHO: Eleven minutes after the hour. Welcome back.

The Egyptian government says former President Hosni Mubarak is in a coma today at a prison hospital in a Cairo suburb. Mubarak's attorney describes his condition as -- quote -- "very critical" with water apparently building up around his heart.

Even so, that lawyer says a government prosecutor has denied a request to move the former leader from prison to a military hospital.

Joining us now from Washington is Hala Gorani of CNN International.

So, Hala, I know his condition took a turn for the worse in just the past 24 hours. What's the latest?

HALA GORANI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the latest is according to the prosecutor's spokesperson that a defibrillator has been used on Hosni Mubarak, of course implying that his heart might have stopped.

Today, we understand that he was having these heart issues, which you mentioned there, but also that he slipped into a deep coma at one point and that his lawyer requested a transfer from Tora prison to a hospital where he could be treated, but that transfer request was denied.

Authorities in Egypt are saying, look, they have the equipment and the medical staff they need in Tora prison to take care of Hosni Mubarak, who is 84 years old, by the way. But just last week, the state news agency reported that he was in a deep depression, that he was having a nervous breakdown nine days now after he was sentenced in connection with the killing of protesters during the initial uprising, the initial revolution in February of 2011. His two sons and wife filed a request to be moved near him in the prison so that they could visit him, and that request was in fact granted to them. So, he is able to see his two sons and his wife. That's what he know so far about his condition.

CHO: Hala, this is an area of world that you know very well. I know you have visited many times and reported from there.

I'm just curious to know -- Mubarak obvious is the former leader of Egypt, but he's the best-known name and certainly a lot of strong feelings about him on either side. Is there any way to predict how people might react if and when he dies?

GORANI: I don't think there is.

I think it possibly could be similar to the reaction to his sentencing in connection with the killing of those demonstrators. But I think you just have to look at this generationally really as far as Hosni Mubarak is concerned. Most Egyptians have known no other president.

Now, we have a runoff election June 16 and 17. So a new president will end up being elected in Egypt. But what's important to really understand in connection with Hosni Mubarak is that it's like pharaoh in Egyptian society, finally deposed and then eventually at some point he's going to pass away. And that is going to be the end of a chapter for this country.

But there's so much uncertainty as far as where this country is headed next. You have the second round of a presidential election with either a Muslim Brotherhood candidate or the former prime minister of Hosni Mubarak. It's one of those two men who will end up leading Egypt. And for revolutionaries, that's definitely not the best-case scenario. For some, it's actually a real nightmare.

CHO: Well, right. And when he was convicted and sentenced to life in prison, I know there was so much talk about the fact that a lot of his deputies were not and in fact they were acquitted. And so I know you're watching all of this for us.

GORANI: Yes.

CHO: Hala Gorani, we thank you so much for joining us.

Well, a witness says it was a massacre for no reason at all. Police in Alabama are looking for the man they say is behind it, shooting six people near Auburn University, including two football players.

And ABC's Robin Roberts is in the headlines. She's going to need a bone marrow transplant. We will have her emotional revelation next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHO: Fresh pictures just into CNN. This is a developing story we're watching out of Baltimore, these aerials courtesy of WBAL. Talking about a fire at an abandoned warehouse in Baltimore, again, nobody inside an abandoned warehouse, but we're just bringing this to you now, just learning that it's been upgraded to a five-alarm fire.

And you can see it's all hands on deck trying to put this fire out, again, a fire at an abandoned warehouse in Baltimore. We will bring you more details as they come in.

Also developing now, police believe he killed three people near the Auburn University campus. And at this hour, his whereabouts are anybody's guess. Desmonte Leonard is accused of opening fire at an off-campus fire. Two former Auburn football players are among the dead.

Our David Mattingly is following this for us.

So, David, any word on a motive? What caused all of this?

DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, when you look at the headlines and see that Auburn football players were hurt in a shooting like this, it make you think that this guy was gunning for them. That's not the case.

Nobody burst into this party trying to hurt football players. What happened, it was an off-campus party at an apartment complex. And people were just hanging out having a good time. An argument started between a couple of men over a woman, according to witnesses. That escalated into a fight. Shots were fired and then six people ended up getting shot, three of them killed, two of them Auburn football players.

CHO: And I want to talk about those wounded in just a second, but a little more about the manhunt. Is it all hands on deck? Just how big is this manhunt, how wide is it and how many people are involved? Do we know?

MATTINGLY: Well, the suspect, Desmonte Leonard, he is 22 years old. He's from Montgomery, Alabama. And the search is actually focusing on Montgomery right now.

They think he might be in that area. In fact, Montgomery police have arrested a guy and charged him with lying to them about Leonard's whereabouts, saying that he had contact with him and could have -- and then lied about that when they questioned him about it.

So they're focusing very hard on his hometown of Montgomery.

CHO: And let's talk a little bit about the wounded, three people killed, three people wounded. How are those people doing? Are they in the hospital?

MATTINGLY: Well, this is such the sad thing about it. All these guys, 19, 20 years old, they were just hanging out at a pool having a party in the summertime, like anybody would do near a college campus and -- when this happened -- and right now one of the wounded was an Auburn player. He was released from the hospital, treated and released. He's expected to recover completely and continue playing in the next season.

But there was another young man who was shot in the head and people are watching very closely to see what happens to him.

CHO: All of the victims so young.

MATTINGLY: Right.

CHO: Under 20 years old, right, or thereabouts.

All right, David Mattingly watching this for us, David, thank you very much.

Another story that really touched us today, she's beaten breast cancer and now "Good Morning America"'s Robin Roberts says she will whip a rare blood disease that will require a bone marrow transplant. Here she is speaking today about her upcoming treatment on the show. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBIN ROBERTS, CO-HOST, "GOOD MORNING AMERICA": My big sister is a virtually perfect match for me. She's there with Diane and Anne Sweeney and she is going to be my donor. She's going to be my donor.

(APPLAUSE)

ROBERTS: I know. Yes. Thank you, Jesus.

And doctors tell me that is going be a tremendous help in me beating this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHO: Just last hour, we talked about the battle Robin Roberts is facing. Listen to Dr. Gail Roboz of Cornell University.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. GAIL ROBOZ, CORNELL UNIVERSITY: The process is a big deal. It involves chemotherapy and possibly chemotherapy plus radiation depending on the protocol that they will use for her.

And even after the transplant is all done, and she's out of the hospital, she will need lots of support, especially for those first few months of recovery.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHO: Of course we wish Robin Roberts the very best in her recovery.

Turning to politics now, President Obama and Mitt Romney accusing each other of being out of touch in new attack ads today. Republicans are calling it Obama's McCain moment, when President Obama said the private sector was doing fine on Friday. It's Mitt Romney's newest attack line in this Web ad released today. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The private sector is doing fine. Where we're seeing weaknesses in our economy have to do with state and local government.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHO: This is all part of a renewed effort to portray President Obama as not in touch with the American worker.

And not to be outdone, the Obama camp fired back with its own web Ad in -- intimating, rather, that Mitt Romney doesn't value teachers and firefighters.

Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: He says we need more firemen, more policemen, more teachers. Did he not get the message of Wisconsin? The American people did. It's time for us to cut back on government and help the American people.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHO: We will have more on our breaking news. A drone has crashed on American soil. It happened near Salisbury, Maryland. And we have just gotten into CNN the very first pictures from the crash scene.

We will bring those to you next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHO: Want to bring you new video now of that drone crash we have been telling you about in Maryland. We brought it to you at the top of the hour, a fiery scene there. It's out of Salisbury, Maryland, and bit of a marshy area.

Here's what we know. The unmanned RQ-4A Global Hawk, as it's called, it's a drone. It went down during a routine training flight. Again, it's unmanned.

Our Chris Lawrence is watching all of this from the Pentagon. He tells us this is highly unusual. He's monitoring the scene. And we will have more details as they come in.

And now to a traditional instrument with a cutting-edge twist.

Cameron Carpenter is a professional organist. Indeed, he designed a digital version of his instrument, calling the greatest organ in the world. It's this week's feature on "THE NEXT LIST."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAMERON CARPENTER, MUSICIAN: What I'm interested in is bridging the gap between the organ of the past and the organ of the future. I'm now creating a touring organ, which will be actually two touring organs.

One will be in the U.S. and one will live in Europe. The instrument that I want is an organ which will answer my every need and which will give me something for every genre of music that I want, that will hybridize all of the organs that I love, but which will be totally free of all of the room fulls of wood and metal junk.

My name is Cameron Carpenter and my work is the playing of the organ in an unprecedented way.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHO: And to hear more from Carpenter and his organ, tune into "THE NEXT LIST." That's this Sunday on CNN at 2:00 p.m. Eastern time.

Up next, drug cartels, they are not just along the border anymore. Agents are finding cartel guns and contraband in U.S. states nowhere near Mexico.

Plus, these crowds here, you're about to see want a taste of Apple's latest and greatest. Just wait until you hear what Apple is putting into its new laptops. Here's a hint. It's better than HDTV.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ALINA CHO, ANCHOR, "NEWSROOM": Half past the hour. Welcome back.

It's video with big repercussions. A man in California appears to be beating his son with a belt. It happened during a backyard game of catch. He's an elected official and a tee-ball and soccer coach.

Our Sunny Hostin is on the case. The neighbor, Sunny, who shot this video, shows it to police. Police then arrest the guy. His name is Anthony Sanchez. He's accused of felony child abuse. Do they have a case against him?

SUNNY HOSTIN, CNN LEGAL CORRESPONDENT: They sure do if the prosecutors decide to bring case against him. They do have a strong case.

In California, Alina, you can be charged with this felony child abuse if you intentionally harm a child and it results in a visible or even an internal injury.

In this case, what better evidence than a video taken of the alleged crime? So I suspect that there could very well be criminal charges that arise from this case.

CHO: You're a mother. That's so hard to watch. I have to say.

HOSTIN: It's terrible.

CHO: We should mention that Sanchez did resign over the weekend in light of this coming out. He did quickly post his $100,000 bond. But he was not issued a restraining order to stay away from the child. We're talking about a felony child abuse accusation and no restraining order. Is that standard procedure, Sunny?

HOSTIN: Not necessarily. That's something that many people are talking about. It's sort of the talk of the town. Typically, child protective services, when you have a case like this, does get involved, does perhaps recommend a different course of action.

This, again, is just breaking. We don't know if that's going to happen, but my understanding is that the family is away on a trip. He chose not to go away with his wife and his child and his stepson as a direct result of this sort of pending matter and so the child is not under his watch at the moment.

CHO: All right, Sunny, I want to move onto this other story that really got our attention. The KKK, as you know, wants to adopt a highway. Now, you know that program where you keep a section of the highway clean in exchange for a sign acknowledging your community service.

So this Georgia chapter of the KKK actually submitted an application to adopt a one-mile stretch of road in the Appalachian Mountains right near in North Carolina border. State of Georgia, obviously, trying to figure out whether it will allow the group to do so.

We should mention that a spokeswoman from the local KKK chapter told us, quote, "we're not racists." I'm quoting here. "We just want to be with white people. If that's a crime, then I don't know. It's all right to be black and Latino and proud, but you can't be white and proud. I don't understand it." End quote.

"All we want to do is adopt a highway," go on to say. "We're not doing it for publicity." All right, so, that's the statement there I'm quoting.

Sunny, afraid to ask. What do you think about this? KKK says it just wants to adopt a highway to clean it up. I mean, in some ways, isn't the DOT in a bit of a pickle here?

HOSTIN: The DOT certainly is in a pickle because this case has already been tried. It's been tried in Missouri and the Supreme Court found that the KKK could not be prevented from being a part of the program because of its political beliefs.

And so in Missouri -- and we're showing right now a picture of a sign from Missouri where the KKK was victorious and was allowed to participate in this program.

Now, of course, Georgia want a different result from what the Supreme Court found. They want to challenge the Ku Klux Klan in Georgia. That could lead to a very lengthy amount of litigation and perhaps just the same results.

So some are saying, Alina - get this -- that perhaps Georgia will just withdraw from being a part of this "adopt-a-highway" program rather than allow the Ku Klux Klan to be part.

CHO: That would be such a shame, but you know, civil rights groups, as you know, call the KKK a domestic terror group. Can they be denied on those grounds? Is that a loophole?

HOSTIN: It could very well be, but I just don't suspect it's going to win the day. Because, again, there is precedent. This fight has already been fought in Missouri. It's already arrived at the Supreme Court. And I don't believe that there will be a different result here.

So I know I'm going to get tons of e-mails about this, but this is the state of law now.

CHO: Get ready. You'll have to respond. All right, Sunny Hostin, great to see you. I'll see you back in New York. Thanks so much.

HOSTIN: All right, thanks, Alina.

CHO: Scores of structures destroyed in a fast-moving wildfire in Northern Colorado and we're getting word from Apple on software advances and the company's big plans for the future.

It's time to play "Reporter Roulette." First to Chad Myers on that wildfire situation in Colorado. At last word, Chad, racing up to 40 feet per second?

CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Just really flying because of the winds. The wind brings in oxygen, fans the flame like an old blacksmith would take that old bellow and make the coals hotter so that he can bend the iron. Same idea with the wind.

Here is I-25. Denver would be down in the south, Estes Park. Now, 36,000 acres, multiply it, do the division. That's 60 square miles that are burnt right now. This thing has only been going just a few days. Sixty square miles already burnt.

Now, the good news is mostly a national forest area, but at this late hour, we just got a brand new press release from the press conference there. Now, 100 structures have been lost, so not all of this fire is in the national forest. So there are actually people being evacuated as the winds have changed direction.

The wind change is a little bit of good news for the firefighters as long as the firefighters know it's coming. When the winds shift direction, it actually tries to blow the fire back toward the area that's already charred with nothing to burn.

Now, that's great as long as the firefighters get out of the way when that turn of the wind happens because sometimes that turn can be quite violent. So there you see, Phos-Chek coming out of the air tankers. They're doing everything they can with this.

But even people now in Denver, I've been seeing tweets on the Tweet- deck here saying, "We can't see the mountains. The smoke is so thick from my buildings in downtown Denver, we can't even see past the foothills because the mountains are completely gone."

You should be able to see the whole front range and the fourteen-ers behind, Loveland, A. Basin. You can't see that at all with this much smoke now choking there at the front range.

CHO: All right, Chad Myers, thank you very much.

Up next on "Reporter Roulette," CNN's Dan Simon in San Francisco for us on the long awaited announcement from Apple Computers today. So, Dan, what's the big news?

DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The keynote address just ended a few minutes ago. Tim Cook, the Apple CEO, delivering the keynote. Here are the highlights.

The computer company releasing a new machine for high-end users. This is a new MacBook Pro. It's 15 inches. It's basically like that thin MacBook Air on steroids. It's got a high resolution, retina display, as they call it.

But here is the thing, Alina. It's going to cost you, the entry level unit, $2,199. If you trick it out and get all the extra bells and whistles, you're looking at almost $4,000 for this machine.

Let's also talk about software. Apple previewing the new operating systems for its technology, including the iPhone and the iPad. Some of the features that we saw include broad, Facebook integration. Something we've never seen before. Also, enhanced Siri features. That's the voice recognition system, virtual assistant.

And also a whole new mapping experience, including turn-by-turn directions. Alina, if you have a standalone GPS unit. I think you can pretty much give it away, put it in the dumpster. You don't need it anymore. The phone will do everything for you.

Alina?

CHO: I'm just learning to use my iPad, for Pete's sake. All right, Dan Simon, thank you very much.

And up next on "Reporter Roulette," Gustavo Valdes in Atlanta on that threat of Mexican drug cartels in small town America. The Justice Department says drug cartels now have staked claims in close to 1,300 towns and cities. That's up from 50 just in 2006.

So, Gustavo, why the huge rise?

GUSTAVO VALDES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Alina, while the DEA says that although the Hispanic population has grown, most of them are not criminals. However, the creation of these Hispanic centers within the cities of the United States is giving cover to the drug cartels from which they can operate.

We saw one of those centers in Wilmington, North Carolina. Typically, you see these hubs in major cities like Phoenix or Atlanta, but small cities from the Pacific Northwest to the East Coast are seeing this increase in drug cartel activity and the area of North Carolina is one of those towns.

However, the DEA is having some success fighting this criminal activities.

CHO: All right, Gustavo Valdes, thank you very much.

That is today's "Reporter Roulette."

Up next, the summer craze that lets you fly through the air with the greatest of ease. Forget the circus. Take a look at that. We're going jet-packing, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHO: Forget the pool. That's so last year. If you're looking for a fun way to keep cool this summer, I've got one word for you, jet- packing. Apparently, it's all the rage. Can you see why? Just look at that.

Our tech expert, Katie Linendoll, got the chance to take one of those bad boys out for a spin and she joins me now, live.

Katie, you're so lucky. It looks fun. Give us the scoop. What is jet-packing and how does it work?

KATIE LINENDOLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: My Facebook status update read "sore from jet-packing." I don't think anyone believed me.

Here's the deal. I've been following jet-pack technologies for years and this particular unit is a little bit different because it's hydro- powered and made completely for recreational use.

It is made by Jetlev. They started working on the technology since 2000. A prototype became available in 2008 and, last year, the unit actually hit retail. You can purchase it for a thousand dollars or you can actually just go out and experience it for about 250 bucks.

I want to give you some of the specs because it was really remarkable in terms of strapping on the unit and taking to the skies. Thirty- feet in height is the max ceiling level. Also, you can go about 30 feet under water and 35 miles per hour.

CHO: Is that you?

LINENDOLL: Yes, that's me.

CHO: Oh, man.

LINENDOLL: It was totally crazy. 35 miles per hour in speed. There's that 33-foot hose that attaches to a boat unit. It pumps out 1,000 gallons of water per minute and it actually has 500 pounds of thrust, so a lot of technologies working behind the scenes here.

CHO: Were you scared or was it fun?

LINENDOLL: Oh, my gosh. I was terrified. You don't realize how intense it is until you sit into this 25-pound jetpack unit. You walk into the water and you have to hit the ignition.

Now, the first time you go jet-packing, I have to tell you, they control the throttle from the shore, so they're actually controlling your speed and your up-and-down. There's a walkie-talkie so you can hear them in the ear.

It took me about eight minutes to get off the ground and the crazy part about it is you have to keep your hands in 90-degree neutral position the whole time. You can only move your hands millimeters at a time to control your movement, which is the hard part.

But the big deal here is, 40 of these units available worldwide, eight locations in the U.S. and they have global expansion. This is really catching on. Although, it's expensive at 250 bucks for a 30-minute package. I've got to tell you. I never thought I would be jet- packing.

CHO: I can't believe you didn't take me with you on this.

LINENDOLL: Next time, for sure.

CHO: Man, this looks like so much fun. All right, Katie Linendoll, thanks so much.

LINENDOLL: thank you.

CHO: Some label him the man who brought down Penn State. Now, Jerry Sandusky will face a jury of his peers as he goes on trail. Opening statements today. Sandusky's accused of molesting ten boys over 15 years and some chilling moments inside the court today.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHO: Happening now, Jerry Sandusky is facing one of his alleged victims in a courtroom. He's referred to as Victim Number Four, but he's the first witness called by the prosecution.

Sandusky, the former Penn State assistant coach, is accused of sexually abusing that witness and nine other boys over a 15-year period.

Our own Susan Candiotti is outside the courthouse for us. So, Susan, what has this alleged Victim Number Four said so far in court?

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Alina, it's been very dramatic testimony. This person who is now testifying is now 28-years old, but he testified that, going back to 1997, he alleges that Jerry Sandusky raped or sexually assaulted him or molested him more than 40 times, sometimes, he said, as often as two to three times a week in several different locations, both on campus and off campus.

He testified that he didn't tell anyone about it because, he said, "I was to scared to."

And in one piece of testimony, he also explained that during a bowl game when they were out of town and he was in a hotel room, he testified that he and Jerry Sandusky were in the bathroom of that hotel room when Jerry Sandusky's wife came into the hotel room.

At that point, he said that Jerry Sandusky was allegedly just about to sexually assault him, but when he heard his wife's voice, the witness said that Jerry Sandusky bolted out of the bathroom and that he, the witness, locked the door and that's where it ended. He said he stayed in the shower.

But, Alina, he also testified about various gifts he received from Jerry Sandusky and we saw photographs of those in court. We saw some of these things being brought into the courthouse this day, including a set of golf clubs, a hockey stick, a snowboard, and other Penn State paraphernalia, including football jerseys.

Alina?

CHO: All right, our Susan Candiotti outside the courthouse on the Sandusky case, following it all for us. Susan, thank you very much.

We're just a couple of minutes away from the top of the hour. What does that mean? That means Wolf Blitzer in "The Situation Room." My friend, Wolf, is here with a preview. Hey, Wolf, what do you have?

WOLF BLITZER, ANCHOR, "THE SITUATION ROOM": We have a lot of news coming up at the top of the hour. The latest on the commerce secretary, the alleged hit-and-runs out in California, what's really going on. We have reporters covering this story.

We're also going to speak with a retired U.S. CIA spy, Hank Crumpton. He's here in "The Situation Room." How serious are these national security leaks that have generated so much attention over the past few days? He's been on the front lines in the espionage war over the years. We'll talk to him about that.

Ryan Lizza, the excellent reporter from "The New Yorker" magazine, now a CNN contributor, he's done a lot of reporting on what a second Obama administration, a second Obama term, would look like. Where would the priorities be? What would the president try to do? Ryan Lizza will join us in "The Situation Room," as well.

All that plus Syria. A lot of news happening today. You're doing an excellent job down in Atlanta, Alina.

CHO: You're biased because we're friends, Wolf. That's great tie.

Right back at you.

BLITZER: You're a fashionista. You should know.

CHO: Stop it. All right. See you at the top of the hour. I'll be watching. Thanks, Wolf.

Up next, how tough is the economy from the front lines? We'll catch up with a family who went from six figures to food stamps.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) CHO: Live pictures now out of Baltimore. We're watching this developing story, an abandoned warehouse on fire. You see the smoke there. Firefighters have been on the scene for a while now. We thought that they were getting a handle on it, but it's just been upgraded from a three-alarm to a five-alarm fire.

Again, a fire at an abandoned warehouse in Baltimore, nobody inside. We are watching that developing story very closely.

And there, you see the flames. This was from a little bit earlier, the flames and the smoke as firefighters try to get a handle on it, all hands on deck there in Baltimore. We'll bring you more details as they come in.

Other news now, six months ago. we introduced you to a family from suburban New Jersey who had been living a solid class lifestyle, making six figure. Then, in an instant, it was gone, joining the working poor.

Their story has become all too common in America and our Poppy Harlow went back to see how they're doing now.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM CORRESPONDENT: How dramatic was the decline?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was almost instantaneous.

HARLOW: Unwilling to show their faces, but wanting to share their story, this family went from living on $130,000 a year to just $15,000. The father watched his six-figure telecom job of 20 years go to India.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In the white collar world for two years, two and a half years, I've banged my head against it. It doesn't want me back.

HARLOW: The unemployment ran out and the savings.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The first thing we talked about was the food and how we were going to eat more macaroni-and-cheese.

HARLOW: We wanted to know how the family is doing is now, so we came back here to middle class, suburban New Jersey, six months later, to find out.

Did you ever think it would be this long?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No. No.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I thought for sure he'd go right back into the corporate world within a month or two.

HARLOW: But it's been four long years and they're still barely making it on an $18,000 income.

United Way says it takes $60,000 a year for a family of four to get by here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I went from making $10 an hour selling shoes, and now I'm in a janitorial supply company making about $14, $15 an hour.

HARLOW: The good news is it's at a small business that's growing, but since they're making a little more ...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They gave us less food stamps, so that's more out of our paycheck. It's the health insurance for the kids that's my main concern.

HARLOW: Is it still tough, though?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

HARLOW: Here's their reality. Unable to sell their house, they stopped paying the mortgage in 2009. They expect to be evicted any day. Their 18-year-old won't be going to college next year.

UNIDENTIFIED SECOND MALE: I don't have the money to do it, and I just don't want to get a loan and be in debt for a while.

HARLOW: They still rely on the food pantry.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Only one box feeds like maybe two, three people.

PHYLLIS TONNESEN, DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES, MORRIS COUNTY, NEW JERSEY: This is the worst we've ever seen.

HARLOW: Morris County's food stamp caseload is up 240 percent since 2007.

Is there a sense of desperation now?

TONNESEN: Yes. They thought they had the American dream. You know? And suddenly, here they are, applying for food stamps and Medicaid.

HARLOW: Dad wants new leadership and a plan to create jobs.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm for Mitt Romney. Yes.

HARLOW: Why?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One thing is, it changes the current structure, so, you know, anything to get rid of the incumbent and move on to somebody else.

HARLOW: But mom's had it with politics.

UNIDENTIFED FEMALE: They'll never feel it. They'll be taken care of the rest of their lives. I don't see how they can possibly change things for people if they don't know what it feels like to be in the situation.

HARLOW: Through it all, though, perspective.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's a lot of other people who are a lot worse off than we are.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

POPPY HARLOW: And when the family does lose their home, they tell me they're going to stay with friends and family until they can save up enough money to eventually, hopefully, get an apartment.

But here's what really stood out to me, Alina. I asked both the mother and father if they believe that one day they will get back to the level they were at, become middle class once again.

Neither of them believe that that is possible at this point and, as you heard, when it comes to politics, they're not sure if new leadership can change the situation for them at all.

Alina?

CHO: Such a sad story. All right, Poppy Harlow, thank you very much for that update.

Thanks for joining us. I'm Alina Cho in the CNN "Newsroom." We're so glad you were with us today. I'll see you back in New York, but the news continues.

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

WOLF BLITZER, CNN: Alina, thanks very much.