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Donny, Marie Osmond Discuss Las Vegas Show; Defense in Sandusky Case Rests; Assisted Suicide, a Family's Struggle; Mitt Romney to Speak at Latino Gathering; Hurricane Chris Forms in Atlantic.

Aired June 21, 2012 - 11:00   ET

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

KYRA PHILLIPS, ANCHOR, "CNN NEWSROOM": Hello, everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips. It's 11:00 on the East Coast, 8:00 on the West.

Closing arguments in the Jerry Sandusky trial and a small ray of good news for the defense. Three more charges are dropped, 48 still in place. We are inside the courtroom.

And a court in Canada back on the case of the porn actor accused of murdering, dismembering and mailing the body parts of a Chinese student. At issue today, mental health.

Also this hour, our Dr. Sanjay Gupta looking at death. Doctors who help patients die, families who may be opposed, states where it is legal or not.

We begin this hour with a free speech decision from the highest court in the land. A unanimous decision that could make prime time television even less family-friendly than it is now.

Our justice correspondent Joe Johns joining me now with the pretty -- I guess you could say -- eye-opening details. Joe, let's talk about what is at issue here and how this is a coup for broadcasters.

JOE JOHNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's true, Kyra, but I caution that we probably shouldn't go too far in calling this a sweeping ruling. This is all about what goes on broadcast TV and how much power the Federal Communication Commission has to regulate it after the fact if they don't have a rule in place to handle the situation.

We are talking about three incidents here. Two concerned so- called "isolated utterances" of obscene words during two live broadcast aired by Fox television stations. The third occurrence occurred during an episode of a television program broadcast by the ABC television network.

This goes all the way back to like 2002 and 2003. In the ABC case, a partially nude woman was shown for just about seven seconds or so. The networks were sanctioned by the Federal Communications Commission which sort of changed the rules on what they call fleeting expletives.

In the case of ABC, the commission found the display indecent and posted $27,500 fine, if you will, on each of the 45 ABC stations that aired that episode and so the court looked at this and ruled that the FCC didn't follow proper administrative procedures.

In other words, that it didn't give the networks proper notice that it was going to take this action, so in terms pretty much every American can understand, this would be a failure of due process under law.

So in a lot of ways, it is certainly going to be a viewed as a very important First Amendment case, but in the formal sense it is not really even about the First Amendment or freedom of speech. The big picture is this is more about the need for federal agencies to follow their own rules.

Kyra?

PHILLIPS: OK. And now I'm sit back as a parent saying to you, Joe, what will my kids hear and not hear on television?

JOHNS: Right. You know the truth is, in looking at the ruling, it appears pretty clear that the court has allowed the FCC going forward to put in place its own rules and whatever rules it wants to in relation to indecency.

This was about them basically doing something after the fact without a rule in place. If they put a rule in place and it's properly put in place, then it appears that the Supreme Court is not going to attack that part of the story, at least not yet.

PHILLIPS: Quickly before we go, this goes all the way back to -- what was it -- early to 2003 when Bono used the "F" word, right, during the Golden Globes.

JOHNS: Right, right. Absolutely. One of the several utterances listed, it's kind of shocking to see justices actually writing about this and, of course, I'm not going to use it, but the quote was, "This is really, really blanking brilliant." That is one of the three or four that I have seen here that I feel most comfortable sort of repeating on the air, excised.

PHILLIPS: Joe, thank you very much. We do expect more big rulings, of course. Healthcare reform, immigration enforcement and more as soon as Monday, we are told, the high court will wrap up its term.

All right, riveting new details surrounding Trayvon Martin's final moments and it's directly from the man who is now charged with Trayvon Martin's death, George Zimmerman.

His defense team released audio and video of Zimmerman's interrogations was police and, in those tapes, we actually hear from Zimmerman just hours after he says that he shot and killed Trayvon in self-defense.

Now, we even see him walking us through the scene, detailing the minutes before he pulled the trigger.

Martin Savidge has been following this for us. He's been going through all the various video and audio. Where do we begin? It is pretty compelling.

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is very compelling and, of course, you have to keep in mind it is just hours after the death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin and it is George Zimmerman being interviewed by authorities in the Sanford police department.

You have, first, two audio interviews that were done, the kind of interrogations we are accustomed to seeing in those rooms. Then there is the next day where George Zimmerman takes authorities out back into the housing area where this all played out and he walks them through it, step by step.

But let's begin with the audio portion and this is George ...

PHILLIPS: This is the initial interview the night of the shooting?

SAVIDGE: Right. There were two of them that were actually done. The first one that was done was just an hour or two after the shooting and that's done by a police officer talking to George in an interview room.

Then another one is done with a detective interviewing George Zimmerman.

Let's begin with the first sound and this is basically George Zimmerman describing what happened.

PHILLIPS: OK.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

GEORGE ZIMMERMAN, ACCUSED KILLER OF TRAYVON MARTIN: I don't remember much after that. I just remember I couldn't breathe and then he still kept trying to hit my head against the pavement. I don't know if there was a sign or what it was.

I just -- when I slid my jacket and my shirt came up and when he said, "You are going to die tonight," I felt his hand go down on my side and I thought he was going for my firearm.

So I grabbed it immediately and, as he banged my head again, I just pulled out my firearm and shot him.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

SAVIDGE: And, of course, that is George Zimmerman describing Trayvon on top of him and how he supposedly was beating him and that's why he had to pull out his weapon, George did, and shoot and kill the young man.

This is only one side, we should point this out quite clearly. Trayvon Martin did not survive and could not tell his account.

PHILLIPS: OK, then, days later, he actually re-enacted for police what happened. SAVIDGE: Actually the next day the next day.

PHILLIPS: This was the next day?

SAVIDGE: So it is still very fresh and this is what, about all of this ...

PHILLIPS: And now we see video, correct?

SAVIDGE: Correct and this is where the authorities say, "Walk us through. Tell us what happened." So let's take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ZIMMERMAN: I was still on the phone with non-emergency and I started walking ...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.

ZIMMERMAN: ... down this way and, because I didn't see a street sign here, but I knew if I went straight through that that's Retreat View Circle and I could give him an address because he said, "Give me the address of the house you're in front of," and there's no address because these are the back of the houses.

So I walked here and I didn't see him at all. I was walking and I was still on the phone with non-emergency.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.

ZIMMERMAN: I got to about -- I got to about here and I had a flashlight with me. The flashlight was dead, though, and I looked around.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Now, OK. Go ahead. Then I have a question.

SAVIDGE: I was just going to point out to you this is George walking them through the complex there. A couple of things, of course. You see the bandages on the back of his head.

PHILLIPS: Right.

SAVIDGE: This goes to the injuries he said he sustained in the fight and then, on top of that, you see the sidewalk there which is the same sidewalk George Zimmerman maintains that Trayvon was beating his head against and that he was in fear of losing consciousness.

So what this does is it just adds a visual to the information we already had. We already knew most of this, but now you see it and I've got to say there's a significant difference when you see it. It all begins to add up.

But it is only George Zimmerman's account. PHILLIPS: And how do you think this will play into his credibility? Obviously, that's been a big concern because of the issue of this fund, you know, how much money he had, didn't have, being honest about that.

SAVIDGE: Yeah, credibility here is key because this is self- defense case and it's his words saying why he had to do what he did. It makes a lot of sense, as you watch George Zimmerman go through and point out and say, I was here, I was there.

There's a lot more of this video. In fact, the part we really want to bring to you and we're still bringing it in -- by the way, that's him getting his DNA swab -- is going to be when he says that Trayvon Martin jumped out of the bushes and attacked him.

And, of course, that has always been the point that George Zimmerman makes. Trayvon Martin was the aggressor.

Now, if you back it up and say, wait a minute here. If George Zimmerman hadn't called authorities and notified them of what he said was suspicious black youth, we know that Trayvon Martin had every right to be in that community, so it doesn't in any way decide this case.

But it does certainly make it much more compelling when you see George Zimmerman, walking and talking in that neighborhood.

PHILLIPS: Right. Hearing and seeing just a day after the event. OK. Martin, thanks so much.

And Sanford Police Chief Bill Lee, by the way, who got hammered for the way his department handled the Trayvon Martin case, was fired yesterday. Lee will receive a three-month severance and a week's salary in addition to any earned time-off.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: We are learning more about the health of Hosni Mubarak right now. His attorney says the former Egyptian ruler's recent health crisis actually started when he slipped in a prison bathroom. He hurt his neck and develop a blood clot after that fall.

Now, conflicting news, much of it grim, emerged about the 84- year-old's health on Tuesday. His attorney says that he was taken off of life support yesterday, that he's out of a coma and actually on an upswing.

And an update on the Canadian porn star suspected of killing and dismembering a student. Luka Rocco Magnotta will appear in Montreal court via video link in just a few hours.

He was arrested in Germany and extradited back to Canada earlier this week and actually pleaded not guilty for first-degree murder and four other charges.

Magnotta is accused of murdering and dismembering 33-year-old Jun Lin and then allegedly mailing Lin's body parts to politicians in Ottawa and schools in Vancouver, but today, Magnotta's lawyer is expected to make a special request that could provide insights about his mental health.

Let's get back to our Paula Newton who has been following this for us. She's in Ottawa today. Paula, what more can you tell us about the hearing?

PAULA NEWTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: He's going to appear in less than three hours. What is key here is that his defense attorney is expected to ask for a psychiatric evaluation.

In doing that, once he is evaluated, a report is done within about 30 days. They then evaluate what the options are. Is he mentally ill? Was he mentally ill at the time of the crime? This opens up the possibility of a defense being that Mr. Magnotta was not criminally responsible.

Now, this is a controversial topic, especially when you involve forensic psychiatrists and the state of mind of someone being accused of this kind of a horrific crime. We are all waiting for the other shoe to drop to see if, in fact, his defense lawyer does make that request as expected.

Kyra?

PHILLIPS: Why isn't he appearing in person? Why a video link?

NEWTON: This is interesting and people have been debating this back and forth. But police have told me, look, this is for security reasons and we also don't want to turn this into some kind of a spectacle. You can imagine the security to try and get him from a detention facility in Montreal to the courthouse.

Also, though, you have to keep in mind Mr. Magnotta is in solitary confinement and has no contact with any other prisoners and he is on suicide watch. Police feel that as long as they can continue to hold him this way, they will.

PHILLIPS: All right and final question. Magnotta didn't fight extradition, right? He was cooperating with the police.

NEWTON: Yes. And that's sped up the extradition probably by months, I'm assuming, considering he was caught in Berlin. Now, what is happening, though, is police were very candid with me before he arrived in Canada, saying, look, we are going to try to interrogate him right away.

They gave it a shot. They say they continue to try and speak to him. He is not being cooperative.

Kyra, just feature the family of Jun Lin, still in Montreal right now. What they really want to know is where the remaining body part is, the head of the victim in this crime. And I think that right now Montreal police are saying look, this family is distraught. But, of course, considering that he pled not guilty, I'd imagine the kind of advice he is getting is not to cooperate at all and police say right now he's not cooperating in any way, shape or form with their interrogation.

PHILLIPS: All right. We will follow the hearing. Paula Newton, thanks so much.

Authorities say they are also looking now into the animal abuse allegations against Magnotta and examining the suspect for possible links to other crimes.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Commerce Secretary John Bryson has resigned. He says it is for health reasons. The move comes after he was involved in a series of traffic accidents in California. Authorities found him unconscious behind the wheel after an accident. An investigation is now under way.

Our Dan Lothian is at the White House now with more on the breaking news. Dan, there were still a lot of questions remaining. What exactly was behind these traffic accidents? What was the situation with these seizures he said that he was having?

DAN LOTHIAN, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's right. I think that, even with this announcement, there's still a lot of questions outstanding.

As you know, he stepped aside after that accident earlier this month, saying that he had to deal with some of his medical issues and then last night sending this resignation letter to the president, also sending a letter to the employees at the Commerce Department.

In the letter that he sent to the president, he said, in part, quote, "I knew that I could be a distraction from my performance as secretary and our country would be better served by a change in leadership of the department."

He also went on to tell the folks at Commerce Department that he was pleased with the progress that he was able to make there in the short time that he was commerce secretary.

He said, I thank you. Many thoughtful and kind notes over the last week that people have sent to him. He said, it has been an honor and pleasure to serve you.

Just a short time ago, we got a statement from President Obama saying, quote, "Last night, I accepted the resignation of John Bryson as secretary of the Department of Commerce. I want to extend my deepest thanks and knew appreciation to John for his service over the past months and wish him and his family the very best."

Now, Dr. Blank who has been filling in for the commerce secretary while he was on this medical leave will continue to act in that position. Unknown at this point who will get that permanent position. Kyra?

PHILLIPS: Dan, before I let you go, what's the status of these investigations with regard to were these hit and runs? Were they medical situations? Do we even know yet?

LOTHIAN: Sorry. I did not -- can you repeat that question again?

PHILLIPS: With regard to the traffic accidents he was involved with, there have been allegations these were hit-and-runs. Do we know if they were tied with seizures, with a medical condition? Is that what the investigations surrounding the incidents are solely about? Do you have any details about that?

LOTHIAN: We don't, beyond what we have been reporting now over the last couple of weeks. Simply that he did have these seizures. It appears that the seizures were connected to the hit-and-run, but no clear indication if this is something that happened after the fact or that these seizures contributed to the accidents themselves.

And, as we pointed out at the top of this report, there's still a lot of questions. I think that perhaps, even with him stepping aside now permanently, that a lot of questions will still continue to be asked.

PHILLIPS: Got it. Dan Lothian at the White House there. Thanks so much.

President Obama is expected to meet with Bryson to thank him for his services at about 3:00 p.m. Eastern.

The cases ran cold for more than 30 years. Now, a winning bachelor on the popular show "The Dating Game" is being arraigned for the murder of two women. New York prosecutors say that 68-year-old Rodney Alcala is the alleged serial killer that they have been hunting for.

But here is the twist. He hasn't been the run. He's already been on death row in California for murdering four women and a 12- year-old girl.

Deborah Feyerick is on the story in New York. So, Deb, this story seems to have a lot of twists and turns.

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, it really does. When you look at that picture on him on "The Dating Game," Kyra, he was right in the middle of this alleged serial killing spree.

Now, he's a convicted child molester, a rapist, a serial killer. He posed as a photographer and he was offering to take pictures of some of his victims. He was considered charming, friendly. He appeared on "The Dating Game," as you see, and he also apparently worked at a summer camp for girls in New Hampshire back in the 1970s.

Now, authorities believe that he was in New York between the period of 1968 and about 1977. He was targeting women soon after in California as well. He was first convicted of kidnapping and molesting an 8-year-old Los Angeles girl and then convicted of murdering a 12-year-old girl.

He has since been convicted, as you mentioned, of the four other California women. Police found about 100 photographs in a storage locker and so that is part of the lead. They are looking to see who those women may be, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: So what exactly led investigators to these two women in New York?

FEYERICK: Well, investigators won't say specifically. It could be those pictures, but the D.A. opened a cold case unit. Investigators began taking a look at the case, re-examining it.

One of the victims, Cornelia Crilley, a 23-year-old flight attendant, was raped and strangled in her Upper East Side apartment. The killer allegedly bit the woman and investigators were able to get a dental impression from Alcala who is on death row.

There was also subsequent DNA testing of saliva from the wound. Investigators interviewed about a hundred witnesses.

The other victim, Ellen Hoover, was also 23, living in Manhattan. She was found not far from her family's Westchester home. The southern California killings began soon after and those were pretty much slam dunks for the prosecutors in those cases, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Wow. Deb Feyerick, thanks so much.

During Alcala's appearance on "The Dating Game," Alcala was introduced as a successful photographer, as Deb mentioned. He succeeded in charming that bachelorette from the other side of the show's wall, but she ended the show, declining the date.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONNY OSMOND, SINGER: I'm Donny.

MARIE OSMOND, SINGER: And I'm Marie.

D. OSMOND: And you are watching Kyra Phillips ...

M. OSMOND: ... in the "CNN Newsroom."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: All of us reporters, producers and writers at CNN have been given an adventurous network assignment. It is called "Travel Insider.: When we are out and about maybe on vacation or heading to our favorite restaurant, we have been asked to write about it.

Well, it was my turn this week and I decided to take to you Vegas, but this trip is not exactly what you are thinking. I don't gamble. Heck, I don't even stay up late anymore, but I did make a special exception all for the glory of reliving my childhood.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Yes, my cousin Cammie and I went to see Donny and Marie. Growing up, we never missed their show and thanks to Cammie and her subscription to "Tiger Beat" magazine, I always knew what the Osmonds were up to.

Now, 30-plus years later, we got a chance to meet two of our favorite stars and I now see why everyone loves them. They gave me a hard time from the minute I started rolling.

D. OSMOND: This is the weirdest interview I've ever had in my life.

M. OSMOND: I know. No kidding.

PHILLIPS: Really?

D. OSMOND: Yeah. Go ahead, Kyra.

M. OSMOND: We will just talk to each other.

PHILLIPS: Tell me what's weird.

D. OSMOND: Well, you are the cameraman and the interviewer.

M. OSMOND: Should we talk to your eye or the lens? Where would you like?

PHILLIPS: Where would you like?

D. OSMOND: What questions would you like to ask us, Kyra?

PHILLIPS: This is what I would like to ask you.

M. OSMOND: You have four seconds. Go ahead.

PHILLIPS: I have four seconds? OK, I will ask you a really serious question. Why should people come see you in Vegas?

D. OSMOND: Because it is the best show in Vegas. We were just voted -- I'm not making this up -- we were just voted best show in Vegas. And best performers. And ...

M. OSMOND: Best vocalists.

D. OSMOND: Me, not her.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Actually, Donny and Marie are both amazing. Not only does the Vegas show bring back all our favorites like Donny's yo-yo and his "Dancing With the Stars" moves, but Marie actually sings opera, dedicating the song to her son who passed. I will tell you what, it sends chills up your spine.

Donny and Marie are charming, entertaining and funny as ever.

So what exactly does it take to have number-one records for 50 years and look so good?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

D. OSMOND: Lots of plastic surgery.

(LAUGHTER)

(CROSSTALK)

D. OSMOND: OK. You are not going to get a serious answer from us. But, try

M. OSMOND: Can I tell you? We feel so blessed. I mean, to be able to still be performing -- this fall will be our 50th --

D. OSMOND: 50.

M. OSMOND: -- year of performing.

D. OSMOND: 50 years in show business.

M. OSMOND: And -- you know, we're just -- amazing since I'm 29. It is miraculous. But -- we feel so blessed and so fortunate. We go on stage every night and see multiple generations. Kids from 3 to 80. And all the young ones are coming to see me.

D. OSMOND: Whatever. You want a serious answer?

PHILLIPS: Give me a serious answer.

D. OSMOND: We work our butts off.

(LAUGHTER)

We work hard.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Yes, they do. And they are tons of fun. Go see them. The Donny and Marie show, the Flamingo Hotel, Las Vegas. A little bit country, a little bit rock 'n' roll, a little bit heartwarming nostalgia.

For my entire interview with Donny and Marie, go to CNN.com. That's this week's "Travel Insider."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) PHILLIPS: Back to our top story. A legal victory for broadcasters and potty mouth celebrities on TV. The U.S. Supreme Court today threw out FCC regulations against so-called profanity or nudity in primetime television. The feds had slapped fines on FOX and ABC under what had been dubbed Golden Globe's Rule. You may remember Bono's comments from 2003. He called the awards really, really f'ing brilliant. Networks called the regulations vague, arbitrary. Just about 90 minutes ago the justices unanimously agreed.

This news just in from Washington. Commerce Secretary John Bryson resigning. You will remember he took a medical leave after being involved in a hit-and-run accident that his office blamed on a seizure. We will bring you more details as we get them.

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN Breaking News.

PHILLIPS: We are going to take you to Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. Lawyers for and against Jerry Sandusky summing up their cases for the jury.

Susan Candiotti watching closing arguments.

Susan, what exactly has happened?

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, defense just wrapped up after speaking with jurors for more than an hour and a half. And this was more or less the opening line, quote, "The system decided Mr. Sandusky was guilty and the system set out to convict him." And with Jerry Sandusky's wife, Dottie, sitting in the spectator's row, crying softly during the presentation, Sandusky's lead counsel, Joe Amendola, spoke forcefully and brought up a lot of themes he brought up during the case, such as accusing the alleged victims in this case of conspiring, accusing the state of coercing and coaching these young men to testify against Jerry Sandusky. And he pointed out at one point that they even heard a tape recording of what the investigators were saying to the victims. One victim in particular, telling him about other victims who had said they, too, accused Jerry Sandusky. At one point, even mentioned oral sex in particular.

He also addressed directly the NBC interview with Bob Costas did with Jerry Sandusky. Telling the jurors that Sandusky was very brave to have done that interview. and he said that he repeatedly denied that he was sexually assaulting any young boys and denied he was a pedophile. He said what more could Jerry say?

He talked about Coach Mike McQueary's testimony, that he saw something sexual happening in a shower. He said, "I'm not calling him a liar but I'm telling you that he was mistaken. He assumed something that he saw."

And in the end, as he was summing up, he told the jurors, Jerry Sandusky's first book was called "Touched." He said his next book will be called "Slammed."

He told the jurors that he has a heavy heart and he believes that they do, too. And he asked these jurors to find Jerry Sandusky not guilty.

Next up, a short break. And then prosecutors will have their chance to speak to the jury -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: And we'll talk again.

Susan Candiotti, thanks so much.

When it comes to the battle for the White House, everyone agrees that Hispanic vote will be key in who wins in November. Hispanic leaders are center stage now in Florida for a gathering of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials. Mitt Romney is due to speak in about an hour. And he's got his work cut out for him due, in part, to past harsh rhetoric on illegal immigration. Here is one example.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MITT ROMNEY, (R), FORMER MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNOR & PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And I've indicated I would veto the Dream Act if provisions included in that act to say that people who are here illegally, if they go to school here long enough, get a degree here, they can become permanent residents. I think that's a mistake.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Jim Acosta covering the event for us in Orlando.

Jim, what can we expect from Romney as the day continues?

JIM ACOSTA, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I will tell you, we are expecting to hear from perhaps officials from the Romney campaign before the GOP nominee or unofficial GOP nominee's speech in just about half hour from now. We will get guidance, we think, fairly soon as to what he will be talking about.

They did tell us yesterday to expect him to sort of lay out some of his positions on the immigration issue. but as you just pointed out a few moments ago, he's laid them out extensively throughout the course of this campaign. And he has taken a hard line stance on this issue, saying he would veto the Dream Act during the campaign, saying that the undocumented should self-deport. Those are positions that have put him at odds with a lot of people in this crowd, I will tell you, Kyra, at this conference of Latino-elected leaders. And it comes at a time when he's under a lot of pressure. As you know, late last week the president unveiled that new policy change on deportations for young, illegal immigrants. And ever since then, the Obama campaign has been saying hey, wait a minute, where's Mitt Romney stand on this issue? Romney has been saying he is looking to Marco Rubio, who speaks here tomorrow. So it is going to be interesting to hear what Romney has to say a little while from now -- Kyra?

PHILLIPS: Also, Jeb Bush, right, potential V.P.? He will be speaking, too. That should be interesting, Jim.

ACOSTA: That's right. The reason why is because Jeb Bush said in recent weeks, and said it repeatedly, look, the Republican Party has to take a more moderate stance when it comes to this issue of immigration. That puts him at odds somewhat with Mitt Romney. It is going to be interesting to see the contrast. President Obama is here tomorrow as well as Marco Rubio. We are going to see a lot of news being made on the front of immigration over the next 24 to 48 hours. But as for Mitt Romney, we will see what he has to say in a few moments -- Kyra?

PHILLIPS: All right. Stay with CNN for all the latest.

Jim Acosta, thanks.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: About half of all Americans say they support a right to physician-assist suicide, but it's only legal, strictly speaking, in two states. That leaves a lot of desperate people struggling with painful conditions. One group has made it a mission to try to ease that misery.

But in an exclusive investigation, our chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, finds that some families and law enforcement think they have gone too far.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Jena Van Voorhis has had a long history of mental illness. When he was 58, she took her life. According to the Final Exit Network, she's one of hundreds that they helped along to a peaceful death. Vickie doesn't see it that way.

VICKIE THOMAS: JANA'S SISTER: I think she would still be here if Final Exit had not been involved.

GUPTA: Jana submitted her application to Final Exit. At the time, Dr. Lawrence Eggbert was the group's medical director, and determined Jana was ready to die.

VICKIE THOMAS: They had what she sent them, which said odd things about her health. Said liver cancer and -- what else did it say?

TOM THOMAS, JANA VAN VOORHIS' BROTHER IN LAW: Rat poison.

VICKIE THOMAS: Yes.

TOM THOMAS: And all sorts of real strange things.

GUPTA: One day in March of 2007, Vickie received a suspicious call, asking them to check on Jana.

TOM THOMAS: But a day or two later we did go over to check on Jana because we were not able to reach her by phone. That's when we found her dead.

GUPTA: Jana died by suffocating herself with a tank of helium. It's Final Exit's method of choice.

TOM THOMAS: Their theory is that they don't want to be part of any physical activities with the person who is going to die. So they explain how to do it. They show them how to open the valves and have them do the valves themselves.

GUPTA: Ultimately, Eggbert, along with three other Final Exit members, were tried for conspiracy to commit manslaughter. Eggbert was acquitted while the other Final Exit members pleaded to lesser charges.

VICKIE THOMAS: Do you remember where this was?

GUPTA: For the Thomases, there are only pictures left.

(CROSSTALK)

TOM THOMAS: Everybody is all dressed. Look at Jana. She looks great.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: That's interesting. You just mentioned the acquittal.

GUPTA: That's right.

PHILLIPS: But they never denied aiding in the death.

GUPTA: It is fascinating. We investigated this quite a bit. It is a gray area of the law, Kyra. I mean, the idea that they say, look, we didn't buy any of the equipment that someone used to kill themselves. We didn't actually -- you know, use the equipment for them. We basically just provided some instruction. We weren't enthusiasts. We weren't cheerleaders. We didn't -- so it is very gray. And as -- the way you are looking at it, a lot of people look -- it is tough. That's way why people are evenly split on this. They say we were acquitted because we didn't actually assist a suicide.

PHILLIPS: It's interesting. I was telling you I interviewed him. It was more than a year ago. And I remember talking to people -- seeing the comments that -- on his web site and literature that -- you know, a lot of people want this. When they are in a bad situation and they are dying from cancer and -- that -- that was sort of how he responded to me, too, is that, you don't understand how many people out there want this option.

(CROSSTALK)

PHILLIPS: That is interesting. It makes you think about your own mortality, too. If you were in pain, dying --

(CROSSTALK)

GUPTA: It does. And your loved one's mortality.

PHILLIPS: Right. And you're suffering and they want to go, would you go this route?

GUPTA: Right. He's a doctor, an anesthesiologist, so I asked him the same thing. He was describing to me exactly what happens when the -- when someone is killing themselves. He has been present over 100 times. He says it is horrifying to watch, still. He says that people who are terminally ill thank him right before this happens. Then, that's his sort of his rationale for this.

It is a slippery slope. Obviously, a lot of people disagree with him. The family of Jana thinks he crossed the line. And that's obviously where it gets contentious.

PHILLIPS: Did you actually go home at night and maybe have a conversation with your wife about this?

GUPTA: Absolutely.

PHILLIPS: It is one of those things you go home and think, wow, what would I do?

GUPTA: This one of the big issues. When we talk about our own mortality and think about the end of our lives or lives of our loved ones, this is -- it doesn't get bigger than this. He's right at the cutting edge of that.

PHILLIPS: That's fascinating.

Thank you so much. Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

GUPTA: You're welcome.

PHILLIPS: Don't miss this weekend, because Sanjay's exclusive investigation, into "Your Right to Die," will air this Saturday, 4:30 p.m. eastern and Sunday, 7:30 a.m. eastern.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: All right. Taking a look at the live pictures right now from the White House. Vice President Joe Biden launching a public service announcement about dating, violence and sexual assault. And with him, off to the side, is Phillies Shortstop Jimmy Rollins, a pro athlete featured in the PSA along with Biden and President Obama. The campaign is launched in a bid to try to reduce violence against women, specifically between the ages of 16 and 24 we are told. And according to the White House, one in 10 teens has reported being abused by a girlfriend or boyfriend. We are following that for you.

Empowering women through sports. Here in the states, we revel in the legacies of women athletes like Babe Detrick Harriet (ph) and to the current sensation of soccer like abbey Wombac (ph). But in other places in the world, women are not as equal when it comes to sports. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton wants to change that. Today, she announced a new initiative, a global initiative with ESPN.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) HILLARY CLINTON, SECRETARY OF STATE: We at the State Department believe in the power of sports to bring across barriers off all kinds, language, cultural, racial barriers, and increasingly across the divide of gender. People can find common ground in sports and that can, therefore, be the beginning of developing better understanding and respect and even friendships that extend outside of the arena or the playing field.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Rene Marsh joining us from Washington.

Tell us what exactly the initiative would do, some of the details.

RENE MARSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, in short the goal is to simply bring more girl power to the world of sports. Now, think of it as a global sportsmen or thing program. The State Department and ESPN will work together to identify women worldwide who are emerging leaders in sports. And we are talking about coaches, managers, administrators and sports journalists. And then they are matching them with American women who are top leaders in these fields. And the global network of women here will nurture the next generation of girls and women athletes.

Now, some of the sports leaders that we are talking about here tapped to help in the program. Rutgers University's women's basketball coach, Vivian Stringer. You are seeing video of the team there. And soccer player, Mia Ham, and those are just to name a couple there.

PHILLIPS: Let's talk about the sports and how they are expected to help the women globally?

MARSH: Well, Kyra, there are a lot of places and instances where girls can't play sports. and the whole hope is that this will bridge the divide and create opportunities. There are girls out there with the burning desire to play sport and maybe they don't have access to coaches or a team, so this program is working to change that -- Kyra?

PHILLIPS: And Clinton pointed out, a number of things about this correlation between women and sports.

MARSH: Yes, that is right. She brought up interesting points there today and she said that the United Nations have found that girls worldwide who play sports are more likely to attend and stay in school. They are likely to finish their education. And they are more likely to be in better health and also earn more money throughout the course of their lives.

PHILLIPS: Let's not forget, too, this is the 40th anniversary of Title IX, which is the law. This opened up the playing field for women in the world of sports and everywhere else in the U.S. But there is, of course, a lot to be done.

MARSH: You are absolutely right about that. This weekend marks the 40th anniversary of Title IX, which you mentioned, which called for equal opportunity for women when it comes to the education and sports, when it comes to schools and universities. And many people will agree that Title IX has done a lot of good for women in sports. But when you talk about just sports on the whole, you talk to people who are in the sports arena, they would say that there is still more to be done when you look at the local level at schools and universities. And female teams may not be offered the same resources as their male counterparts. and then when you look on the professional level and the proportion of women in management positions, and when it comes to the teams, the proportion is not even. So a lot of people would say that there is still work to be done when it comes to women and sports -- Kyra?

PHILLIPS: Well, it is great what Hillary Clinton is doing.

Rene, thank you so much.

For more information on the project and how it works go to state.gov.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: A storm has formed in the Atlantic a few days ago is now a hurricane. Chris, it is the first hurricane in the Atlantic this season.

Chad Myers is watching it all for us.

Hello, Chad.

CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Not the last. Chris is not impressive right now, but earlier, a nice eye right there in the middle and 70 miles per hour probably now. And at the time, it was 75, making it the first hurricane, Hurricane Chris. This thing is not all that impressive and it won't hit any land, but let me show you in a second what is more impressive than this. There it goes. It is going to make a loop and head back into the ocean and lose ground and speed really because there is not much warm water out here, and in fact, looking at the models, we like the show them to you, and look at how schizophrenic that thing is heading out to the middle of the Atlantic. and because it is cold out there, this storm has no chance of getting too big. But the problem is an awful lot of warm water in the Gulf of Mexico, and by this time on Saturday we could be talking about Debbie. Let me tell you how impressive this is. The first hurricane of the season should be in august. The first named storm should be July 11th. We could have four named storms, and now, "D" for Debbie. And four named storms on average when we should have one, which means we could have an impressive season. There it is a couple of models taking it to Florida and many of them taking it to Texas, but I won't make a prediction on in one at this point -- Kyra?

PHILLIPS: All right. We will stay up to all of the developments, Chad. I will have to rethink the developments.

Thank you for watching, everyone.

NEWSROOM INTERNATIONAL starts right now.