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William Lind Found Guilty of Child Endangerment; Jerry Sandusky Convicted But Ordeal Not Over; New Evidence Released in George Zimmerman Case; Divorce Rate for Baby Boomers Doubles; Sandusky on Suicide Watch; Opposition Forces Gain Steam in Syria; Study: Loneliness Can Hurt Health

Aired June 23, 2012 - 17:00   ET

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

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. I'm Don Lemon. You're in the CNN Newsroom. We're going to get you up to speed on today's headlines. Former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky is under suicide watch this hour in Pennsylvania's center county jail. Sandusky will be sentenced in about 90 days. He had no reaction and kept a blank expression after last night's conviction on 45 counts of child sex abuse. A full update on today's developments just minutes away.

And this is just in the CNN to the severe weather center. They are tracking a new tropical storm in the Gulf of Mexico right now and some of the other bands are creating a threat of tornadoes in southwest Florida. Tropical storm Debby is packing winds of up to at least 39 miles per hour. The storm has an uncertain track and could threaten anywhere from Texas to Florida in the next 48 hours. We'll update you. A bloody wave of violence continues in Syria this evening as dozens more people have been killed.

At least 75 people were killed in fighting today. Opposition forces continue their 15-month long fight against a violent government crackdown. The United Nations says, at least 10,000 people have been killed since the uprising began. Tension is mounting this evening in Egypt's Tahrir Square. This ahead of the presidential election results that are going to be announced in about 16 hours. The candidates, a member of the Muslim brotherhood versus the former Prime Minister under the post leader Hosni Mubarak. Military leaders are bracing for potential chaos no matter which candidate wins.

And as we just mentioned, a tropical storm is churning in the Gulf of Mexico and is creating tornado conditions. Computer models can't yet pinpoint the likely tracks of the National Hurricane Center says, coastal areas from Texas to Florida could be threatened by tropical storm Debby. Brand new development just in now.

So, Bonnie Schneider is tracking it for us. Give us the latest information. A tornado sighting in southwest Florida?

BONNIE SCHNEIDER, AMS METEOROLOGIST: That's right. We had tornado warnings in southwest Florida but we have a lot more information about Debby than we did just moments ago because now the National Hurricane Center has officially named the storm as tropical storm Debby with maximum winds at 50 miles per hour. This is a strong tropical storm with a center of circulation 220 miles south-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River. So, let's take a look at the track. Because this one really had us on the edge of our seats literally. It's now going to move west.

Look at this track. We are watching this storm over the next few days. Let's take a closer look. You can see that it stays as a tropical storm but a very strong one. By Wednesday the forecast takes it south of Houston, Texas, but winds are at 70 miles per hour. Remember 74-mile-per-hour winds are greater. It means hurricane force strength. So, we're going to be watching this storm throughout the week because now the track is following the model that took it more towards Texas.

There was such a divergence in the models all day long. Some were taking it towards Florida. Some were taking it towards Texas. But the National Hurricane Center now put this track with the cone of uncertainty that encompasses some bigger cities like Houston all the down through Brownsville. But with that said, the tropical storm force conditions will be felt within the next 36 hours. Where? We have warnings issued. We'll zoom in here and you'll see that we have a tropical storm warning that is in effect from the coast of Louisiana from the mouth of the Pearl River westward to Morgan City. This does not include the city of New Orleans. That's important to note.

But it does mean that you will see winds as strong as 39 miles per hour or greater even in the next 36 hours. So, if you haven't already made your plans to maybe take in what's outside that's loose or anything that can blow about, I would recommend that you do that because the winds are going to get strong and the threat for flooding exists in this region as well. So, we're monitoring that and we'll keeping a close watch on this system in the Gulf of Mexico, Don. Now, tropical storm Debby taking a track westward and we'll be monitoring it as it goes through the very warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. This is a strong tropical storm.

LEMON: If you want to keep track at home stay tuned. Bonnie, thank you very much. We will get back to you definitely.

LEMON: Warnings of extreme fire conditions this weekend in Colorado. Firefighters battling 200-foot high flames are telling residents in some neighborhoods to get out. Windy conditions are causing the Hyde Park fire to grow erratically. The number of acres burned has now jumped to more than 75,000 making it the second largest fire in that state's history.

Meantime, in Saratoga Springs, Utah, fast moving flames and falling ash from a wildfire surrounded homes. CNN affiliate KTVX reports a number of families barely made it out in time. Fifty six hundred acres have already been scorched and fire officials expect that number to grow.

Flood waters as high as five feet are swamping parts of Minnesota. The only way to get around the town of Rutledge is by boat and people are finally getting a look at the scope of the damage. Homes are surrounded by water and roads and bridges are washed out. The mayor of the hard hit city of Duluth estimates the flooding has caused at least $100 million in damage.

From celebrated coach to convicted sex abuser, Jerry Sandusky's attorneys say, his client was up against a tidal wave of public opinion and last night's guilty verdict on dozens of sex abuse charges was not surprising to him. Sandusky is in protective custody this hour under suicide watch at the center county, Pennsylvania jail.

And earlier today, CNN caught a glimpse of Sandusky's wife, Dottie, arriving at the jail to deliver a package to her husband.

CNN's Jason Carroll standing by for us now live. Jason, the events that unfolded in the last 24 hours, amazing. And I watched the coverage last night and it just was riveted and I was fascinated by the people out there and the crowds and also Sandusky's reaction. What are you hearing from his legal team right now? Are they laying the groundwork for an appeal?

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It would definitely seem so, Don. Absolutely without question. You know, I can tell you that even just a few days before this trial was set to get under way, I spoke to a defense source who told me that the defense felt as though they were six months behind in terms of trying to prepare for the trial. He needed much more time. Telling me, quote, "that because of the lack of continuances that the judge kept denying." And that basically means, Don, that the defense team kept asking the judge for some sort of a delay. The judge kept saying not going to give you a delay. You're going to have to keep proceeding.

One source telling me they thought that was outrageous given the mountain of evidence and materials that they kept receiving from the commonwealth. I can also tell you, Don, that the defense team felt so shaky about this they had discussed with Jerry Sandusky on more than one occasion about accepting some sort of a plea deal even leading up to the trial. Once again, this just a few days before the trial was set to get under way. And even this morning, Karl Rominger, the defense team spoke on the morning show talking about that they had asked recently to be removed from the case. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KARL ROMINGER, SANDUSKY'S ATTORNEY (VOICE-OVER): We actually asked to resign from the case and that was done in secret. Joe Amendola and I asked Judge Cleland if we could withdraw from representing Jerry Sandusky because we felt we were ethically unable to go forward.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: When did you ask to resign the case?

ROMINGER: We did that the morning before jury selection started. We got an informal ethics opinion from the bar hotline and we were told that under rule -- I think it's 1.16 if I'm quoting it right or 1.6, that is 1.16, if an attorney has an ethical duty to be prepared and adequately able to represent the defendant. If he can't, he must ask to withdraw from the case. We did that. It was denied.

(END VIDEO CLIP) CARROLL: Now, whether or not, Don, they have grounds for an appeal that's still very much under question. But what is not a question is the community's reaction to the guilty verdicts that came in. At least a number of members of the community were out here last night. You heard the cheers when you saw the footage. Also weighing in some of Jerry Sandusky's neighbors, specifically a woman Sue Strauss. She knew Dottie, she knew Dottie Sandusky and at first Don, she said that she did not believe the allegations. She did not believe the accusers...

LEMON: Jason, before we get to that.

CARROLL: ...but as more and more evidence came in, she started to believe them.

LEMON: Jason, before we get to that. Can I ask you a question? Because you mentioned the attorneys saying that they weren't prepared and they asked to withdraw from the case. Are they -- could they be setting up -- I'm not an attorney. I don't want to assume that you are. Could they be setting up something that he wasn't adequately represented there for its part of their appeal to go back and say that they weren't -- they didn't have -- Jerry Sandusky didn't have the adequate representation, didn't have enough time to put on an adequate defense and this may be grounds for an appeal? That's why they're floating this?

CARROLL: Well, once again, it's anyone's guess whether or not this is going to be grounds for an appeal. Once again, throughout this entire process we've seen the Sandusky team try a number of different ways to get a delay in this trial and nothing has seemed to work. So, you know, once again it's anyone's guess at this point whether or not they have the grounds for an appeal. I think you're going to get some legal analysts who are going to say they had an adequate time. They passed on a preliminary hearing. That would have been an opportunity to bring up a lot of these issues that are now being raised now.

LEMON: Yes. All right. Thank you very much. Jason, good answer. Great reporting out there. And we will continue to check back with you. Thank you, Jason. One of the jurors from the Sandusky trial is speaking out. He told the "Today" show that the witnesses who took the stand were believable and that they helped seal the verdict.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOSHUA HARPER, SANDUSKY JUROR: It is hard to judge character on the stand because we don't know these kids, but most were, you know, very incredible. I would say all. And -- but then also the fact that we saw this corroborating story between all of them. It was very convincing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: That same juror told "Today" that Jerry Sandusky's reaction to the verdict reinforced his belief that Sandusky was guilty.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) HARPER: That was just confirmation again, you know, I looked at him during the reading of the verdict and just the look on his face, no real emotion, just kind of accepting, you know, because he knew it was true.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: So many facets to this case coming up at 7:E0 Eastern right here on CNN. Be sure to catch my interview with the attorney for the Sandusky witness known as victim number four. Ben Andreozzi will join me to talk about the trial, his client, and information you haven't heard before about this case. It's coming up right here at CNN Newsroom 7:00 Eastern tonight.

A wave of violence continues in Syria. Two sides fighting for government control. We'll take you behind the front line of the opposition forces.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Tomorrow will be a pivotal day in Egypt's future and observers fear it could be a violent one as well. Cairo's Tahrir Square is already overflowing with people anxious to know who will be named president. The Muslim Brotherhood candidate is claiming victory but there is unofficial word that tomorrow the military which holds most of the power in Egypt will name the former prime minister as the new president. That would almost certainly lead to angry protests.

And speaking of angry protests, intense clashes today between riot police and Sudanese protesters in the country's capital. Crowds have been rallying against spending cuts and austerity measures there for the past week. The protests really got heated up at Friday prayers with crowds calling for the removal of President Omar al-Bashir.

As many as 75 people were killed in uprisings today in Syria. Twenty two of them in a turbulent town in the eastern part of the country. Even medical personnel rushing in to help victims are being killed as opposition leaders continue their 15-month clash with government forces.

And there is proof those opposition forces are gaining steam. Not just their numbers but also the peculiar place they're getting their weapons. CNN's Barbara Starr has more from the Pentagon.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's just one Syrian armored vehicle under attack by opposition forces. Opposition forces that have grown from handfuls to nearly 40,000 by some estimates now attacking Bashar al-Assad's regime every day. Some weapons are being smuggled into the country but a senior U.S. official with access to the latest information says, there's also an increasing number of weapons from the Syrian military, itself. How the rebels get them says a lot about what is going on.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ANDREW TABLER, WASHINGTON INSTITUTE FOR NEAR EAST POLICY: They just purchase them from officers. So, you know, the Syrian system is quite corrupt. Many times when people are stopped at checkpoints soldiers ask if they'd like to buy any ammunition.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STARR: There is no sign of collapse by Assad's most elite military units, but the rank and file may be less loyal. Opposition sources tell CNN, some Syrian troops may deliberately be missing their targets, a sign of support for the people.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TABLER: I've heard that on a number of occasions. It wouldn't surprise me. And that also can be these kind of slowdowns in the government and army and the bureaucracy are a way of resisting the Assad regime's reaction to the uprising.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STARR: U.S. officials say, there is no way to confirm the reports but it's now clear that opposition forces are strong enough that Assad's most elite units cannot always respond everywhere they are need.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE LITTLE, PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY: You have an opposition, set of opposition groups that is finding ways -- not totally coalesced but they are finding ways of organizing themselves more effectively.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STARR (on camera): No one is saying that the Syrian regime is about to crack, but just this week two brigadier generals and two colonels defected and that Syrian pilot that's defected to Jordan, U.S. officials believe he is a Syrian colonel with intelligence about Syrian military operations.

Barbara Starr, CNN the Pentagon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: All right, Barbara. We all know about high blood pressure, high cholesterol and things like that can cause serious health problems. But did you know you can add loneliness to that list, too? A new study says, it can even be deadly.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: All right. This is very important, is just in. We're keeping an eye right now on tropical storm Debby. Bonnie Schneider, meteorologist right to her, Bonnie, what do you know?

SCHNEIDER: Well, Don, we are tracking tropical storm Debby. Right now in the Gulf of Mexico over 225 miles the center of circulation is from the mouth of the Mississippi. Notice the strong winds at 50 miles per hour. So, this is a strong tropical storm and the track instead of heading towards Florida, it's heading westward. And this is the storm that will sit in the Gulf of Mexico for days. We'll be tracking this all week. Notice how intense it gets. Almost a hurricane by Wednesday with maximum winds at 70 miles per hour. Where landfall will occur, we just don't know yet. It is a very widespread area.

But what we do know, the immediate threat in the next 36 hours, areas of coastal Louisiana will experience tropical storm force winds. That's where there is a tropical storm warning right now. Not including the city of New Orleans. We're also tracking, Don, the tornadoes that have been rolling through areas of southwest Florida in Collier County, we have some warnings. We have one more that is more in the rural area of Hendry County but we're monitoring severe weather in Florida all enhanced by Debby in the gulf.

LEMON: All right, Bonnie. Don't go far. We'll going to need you. Thank you very much. It's a question for you. Is loneliness deadly? Here's what new research is suggesting, that older Americans who say they're lonely have far more health problems, which interfere with every day activities. In fact, the study found lonely older adults are nearly 50 percent more likely to die.

Psychologist Wendy Walsh joins me again. You'll also see her on "The Doctors" as well. So, Dr. Wendy, thank you for coming on again. We knew loneliness can make us feel awful but are you actually shocked by this study?

WENDY WALSH, HUMAN BEHAVIOR EXPERT: Oh, I'm not shocked at all. Remember, attachment is my whole specialty. The interesting thing about this statistics is, this is after they factor out for depression, for physical illness, and for age. Loneliness was the big factor that caused a higher death rate in people over the age of 60.

LEMON: OK. So why is companionship so valuable to us not just for our emotional state but without it, it seems to make us sick according to these studies?

WALSH: We are wired to bond. We are meant to be in a tribe. Our hunter gather ancestors would have died if they were left alone in a forest. Remember, Don, what is the big punishment we used in our prisons? Solitary confinement. It's a bad thing. On the other hand, the important thing, one interesting thing about this study said that companionship like a lot of these people who reported high levels of loneliness were actually married. So companionship may not be the thing. Its meaningful relationships where you actually have an emotional connection to somebody.

LEMON: OK.

WALSH: And you feel cared for.

LEMON: Are you ready to analyze me now? Because I'm going to say this.

WALSH: Uh-oh. Here we go.

LEMON: Loneliness is not the same as being alone. It's two different things. And it's because -- I actually really like being alone, and, you know, not always being in a relationship. So, some people may find that odd. I know people do. But loneliness and being alone is not the same thing. I mean, everyone doesn't fit into this study, do they?

WALSH: Everyone doesn't necessarily fit into this study but we have to remember that there is a wide scale of attachment styles that people have. Some people are more preoccupied and vigilant and feel lonely in relationships that somebody else might feel quite comforted by. Other people are more emotionally avoidant and feel uncomfortable with too much emotional closeness. Not talking about you necessarily, Don.

(LAUGHTER)

But we are seeing more and more in America, researchers are noticing that more people are becoming emotional avoidant and one of the factors is they're attributing that to our high mobility rate. The more places you move as a child, the more schools you go to, the more your parents have to change jobs or change lovers or change marital partners, the more you learn to say good-bye and not get close.

LEMON: And you know, I often wonder now when I'm older, you know, a senior, am I going to go oh, my gosh? You know, what's wrong with me? I'm still alone and by myself. So, anyway, what about old folks who just don't have access to peer groups or they don't really have chances to meet people? Is there anything that they can do to stem that sort of feeling of loneliness?

WALSH: You know, in the article I read in the "New York Times" on this study, they quoted a 95-year-old former jazz singer who described it this way. She said, you know, you start to feel ignored and abandoned so you start kind of going with it. And before you know it, your eyes are on the sunset, so you start walking that way. So, it's really important for elderly people to reach out, join groups, be a vibrant part of our community. We need your wisdom. Please. My kids need grandmothers. Where are you? Why aren't you calling? So, it's really important to be part of the culture and you may have to initiate that if you're over 60. They don't come for you necessarily.

LEMON: Thank you, Dr. Wendy. Your check's in the mail. Appreciate it.

WALSH: Thanks, Don. Take care.

LEMON: All right.

It is the first case of its kind. A high ranking priest in Philadelphia found guilty of endangering children. The trial of Monsignor William Lynn setting a precedent in the Catholic Church.

But first, for this week's "Smart is The New Rich," you go to your doctor once a year for a checkup but have you ever thought about giving your financial portfolio a checkup?

CNN's Christine Romans says, right now is the perfect time to see how your portfolio is doing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): The debt crisis in Europe, slowing growth in China, gridlock in Washington, a fiscal cliff looming. Enough to make the markets jittery but Karen Stone is calm.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAREN STONE, INVESTOR: I watch it go up. I watch it go down. I'm pretty aggressive. Yes. At this point, I don't have any need to take the money out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Karen is a 29-year-old realtor living in New York City. She doesn't have a retirement plan through her job, so she has hired financial planner Stacy Francis to help her look long term.

(on camera) Stacy, we're about half way through 2012. Markets are up. Stocks are still up. But it has been a pretty volatile year so far. Tell me about a woman like Karen Stone. What should her asset allocation, her risk tolerance be?

STACY FRANCIS, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER, FRANCIS FINANCIAL: Well, it really can start with a rule of thumb and that is, take your age minus from a hundred. So, for Karen, we would expect her to have about 70 percent stocks. Her portfolio should be primarily focused on growth oriented stocks and value mostly in the equities area. But also she does need fixed income, as she nears retirement.

ROMANS: Let's think about it as a mid-year portfolio checkup if you will. How often should you reassess?

FRANCIS: Well, we go to our doctors once a year for a major checkup. Guess what? Your portfolio at least once a year. You want to shift to factor that ideal asset allocation.

ROMANS: Right.

FRANCIS: Because over time, stocks most likely are going to grow faster than your bonds.

ROMANS (voice-over): Karen is comfortable keeping her portfolio at arm's length allowing her to focus on her career instead of her investments.

STONE: I just found out that my money actually grew over the last quarter. And I'd like, OK, they're doing something right. You got this. You know? Let me go deal with what I know best and you do what you know best.

ROMANS: Christine Romans, CNN, New York. (END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Half past the hour. Here are your headlines on CNN.

Former Penn State assistant football coach, Jerry Sandusky, is under suicide watch in Pennsylvania Center County Jail. Sandusky will be sentenced in about 90 days on 45 counts of child sex abuse. He had no reaction, a more blank expression as he was led out of the courthouse following the verdict. Defense attorneys say they will file an appeal.

We now have Tropical Storm Debby on the loose in the Gulf of Mexico, a strong storm with 50 mile an hour winds and heavy rain and heading west. Tropical storm warnings are up for Louisiana but not as far west as New Orleans, not yet anyway. Outer bands trigger tornado warnings for southwest Florida earlier today.

Warnings of extreme fire conditions this weekend in Colorado. Fire crews battling 200-foot high flames are telling residents to get out. Hot, windy conditions are causing the Hyde Park Fire to grow erratically. The number of acres burned has now jumped to more than 75,000 making it the second-largest fire in state history.

Massive crowds in Egypt are getting bigger by the hour tonight. They are waiting to find out who their next president is going to be. The result of Egypt's presidential election will be released in a little over 15 hours from now. Military leaders are bracing for an uprising no matter which of the two candidates becomes president.

Now to the trial of two Philadelphia priests in cases involving child sex abuse. Monsignor William Lind was convicted of child endangerment for putting children in harm's way by covering up sexual abuse. He was on trial along with a fellow priest accused of abuse.

Here's CNN's Sarah Hoye.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SARAH HOYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Monsignor William Lind was found guilty of one count of child endangerment and acquitted on two other charges. Lind is the highest-ranking church official to ever face criminal charges for his role in the investigation of child sexual abuse by priests.

Lind, who took the stand in his own defense, said he repeatedly sent word of child sex abuse up the chain of command but operated under strict orders from his superiors.

He was accused of endangering the welfare of a child for allegedly covering up allegations of molestation and rape against priests by shuffling them from parish to parish.

Lind's bail was revoked and he was taken into custody. Sentencing is August 13th. The monsignor faces up to 21 years in prison. Also on trial was Father James Brennan who was charged with the attempted rape of a 14-year-old altar boy in 1996. The jury was unable to reach a verdict on the charges against him.

Now defrocked priest, Edward Avery, was due to go on trial with Brennan and Lind but he pleaded guilty in March after admitting to sexually assaulting a 10-year-old altar boy in the late '90s. He was sentenced to two and a half to five years in prison.

The trial marks the first time U.S. prosecutors have charged not just the priest who allegedly accused of committing the abuses but an official, Lind, who stands accused of failing to stop the assaults.

Sarah Hoye, CNN, Philadelphia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: By now you've seen the headline. Jerry Sandusky convicted of 45 of 48 charges of sexually abusing boys. Ahead, we'll look at what's next in this case.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Jerry Sandusky will likely spend the rest of his life behind bars. The former Penn State assistant football coach was convicted on 45 of 48 counts related to the sexual abuse of boys but the ordeal, of course, is far from over.

Trial lawyer and legal expert, Karen Conti, joins me now from Chicago.

Karen, this is --

(CROSSTALK)

KAREN CONTI, LEGAL EXPERT & TRIAL ATTORNEY: Good evening.

LEMON: Yes, hello. This story, as difficult as it is to talk about, we must. People need to know, and actually maybe some good will come out of this.

We know that Sandusky's lawyers plan to appeal this despite the enormous number of convictions against him. What about Jerry Sandusky's wife, Dottie? Karen, we've been hearing a lot about that, maybe talk that she might face charges going forward.

CONTI: My guess, Don, is that she is not going to be charged. If she were going to be charged, I would think the prosecution would have done it at the same time that Sandusky was charged, and then maybe say to Sandusky, you plead guilty to all of this so these kids don't have to go through this and in exchange we'll let your wife off. They would have used that as leverage.

Also, at this point, you know, the kids would have told the prosecutors, yes, she was in the room or, yes, she knew about it. But short of some evidence that she actually facilitated this, not that she turned her back -- that's not a crime -- but if she actually facilitated it, conspired to do it, then that would be a crime. My guess is we just don't have the evidence of that.

LEMON: An accomplice of some sort. OK.

CONTI: Right.

LEMON: We talked about appeal. They're going to appeal. Just quickly here, what are the chances? I mean, there are 45 counts of 48 charges. I mean --

CONTI: I mean, I just don't see a good appeal, appellate issue here. There were so many witnesses, I just think this guy is never going to see the light of day.

LEMON: Can we talk about civil charges now for the -- what are the chances of civil lawsuits from these victims?

CONTI: Well, there's already one on file, and apparently, the university has invited the victims to come and mediate their claims, which is a good move on their part. I think these people are going to file lawsuits. I think they're going to win if they go to trial. I think that is really important to know that we've got two other university officials who are being charged with perjury and failure to report this crime.

LEMON: Yes.

CONTI: These crimes. So if those prosecutions are successful, then they have a stronger case because the university will then have been charged with the knowledge of what Sandusky was doing and, therefore, didn't do anything about it and, therefore, could have prevented some of these things from happening.

LEMON: That's where the money is.

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: The money is with the university and not with Jerry Sandusky. He really has no money right? At least not enough to compensate these victims for what they want.

CONTI: Well, if he was acting in the course of his employment, with the university, then they can tag the university. But I think what the university would do to defend this is to say this was in his respect as a charity worker not as a university person. So if anyone is liable, it's the charity and not the university. They're going to be pointing fingers at each other no doubt. Hopefully, this will be resolved because nobody wants to see another 20 trials and more shame on this university.

LEMON: Hey, I have to ask you quickly. Just a couple moments here. What about additional charges? We heard his adopted son, Matt, and there may be others. Does it really matter at this point? Obviously, it matters to the victims but he is going to spend the rest of his life behind bars, and you say you don't see an appeal working here.

CONTI: No, I don't. And listen, I think that we've had enough of this. I think that we have all these charges that went into conviction. The sentence is going to be way off the charts. I just don't see that they're going to put this kid through it again for some reason. There is an appeal that is successful maybe we see additional charges but I really doubt it, Don.

LEMON: Karen Conti, thank you. Appreciate it.

CONTI: You're welcome.

LEMON: Tons of new evidence released in the George Zimmerman case, including his interview with police and a re-enactment of the night he shot and killed Trayvon Martin. We'll talk with Karen about what this could mean for the case against Zimmerman.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: This week George Zimmerman's defense team released never- before-seen video and audio recordings. Have you seen this? Unbelievable stuff. This is right after the shooting, within a day or so after the shooting of Trayvon Martin. This is where he sort of re- enacted for police what happened the night he shot and killed Trayvon Martin.

Karen Conti is back, of course, trial lawyer, legal expert.

Karen, why did lawyers decide to release this now?

CONTI: Well, I think they're very helpful to Zimmerman. I think it shows that he consistently has said this is what happened. He consistently has said there was a threat to his life. His head was bashed into the sidewalk. He thought Trayvon was going for his gun. And he was consistently saying the same thing to the investigators. So I think this is very helpful. And I think the lawyers are probably thinking maybe there is a jury pool out there who is going to view this and maybe take it under consideration.

LEMON: So do you think it will -- do you think it helps his case then, right?

CONTI: I do think it helps his case. And because the case is so political and so in the public's eye, I think they know that it's very important for the judges to know what the public sentiment is. And I don't know about you, but if you watch this, these videotapes, he is very consistent and very convincing that this is, in fact, what happened. If there's nobody else to counter what he says, I think that he is going to walk away from this.

LEMON: You know, I've heard other attorneys say this will never see the light of day at least when it comes to a jury or when it comes to trial. Why is that? Why don't they believe that? Why do they believe it won't see --

(CROSSTALK)

CONTI: I'm not sure, Don. Because what's going to happen, and what I anticipate is going to happen, is George Zimmerman is going to get on the stand and is going to tell a story. And then the prosecutors are going to try to put these tapes on the stand to impeach him, meaning to say you are a little inconsistent with what you're saying, to try to make him look like he is lying or not remembering correctly. In so doing, I would, as a defense lawyer, put those tapes on the stand and say, look at how consistent he was right from the beginning. So, yes, I think they are going to come out at trial. I don't know why attorneys are saying otherwise.

LEMON: And, listen, they're saying there is much more information to come -- they've been calling this an information dump, you know, when they just hand this stuff out to the public. This happened earlier in the week. There's also a stress test, another video of him being interviewed at the police station. And they believe that more is going to come. Again, to have these released, oftentimes, they want to save the evidence for trial, but this, you believe, all of this information is coming from the defense and is being used for George Zimmerman, at least in the court of public opinion now, and then will make its way into the official courtroom.

CONTI: Yes. I think so. And remember that we're going to have a little hearing before the real trial where a judge is going to have to determine whether or not we have a Stand Your Ground Law defense.

LEMON: Right.

CONTI: And, you know, he is setting himself up for a really good defense here. You know, he was being pounded on the ground, he was being suffocated with his hand. He was saying you're going to kill me, you're going to kill me. He was saying, help, help, this guy is killing me, reaching for his gun. That is about as strong a Stand Your Ground defense you're going to get. And I'm not sure I like that law. But, listen. As it's written in the books that's a solid, solid defense to this case and I see an acquittal coming.

LEMON: This sort of popped into my head because you remember the last week we were talking about George Zimmerman and his wife and, you know, lying to a judge. So how does this -- does this buffer that and does this make up for that in any way?

CONTI: Well, I suppose it does.

LEMON: We're talking about credibility here, right?

CONTI: Yes. We are. But that whole thing about going back into jail because he lied about his passport or lied about his assets, I don't think the jury is going to get to hear that. Would a jury member know about that? Perhaps. But, yes, this is going to help. This is going to help because, again, I think it just shows that he was saying the same thing right from the start.

Karen Conti, thank you very much.

CONTI: You're welcome, Don.

LEMON: The divorce rate for baby boomers has more than doubled in the last 20 years. And we'll look at why so many couples are calling it quits.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

T. JACKSON KAGURI, CNN HERO: HIV/AIDS came striking like a machete in the corn field, killing men and women, leaving 1.2 million children orphaned. The grandmothers stepped in and closed that gap. Some of them have up to 14 children to raise.

I was born and raised in Nyaka Village and moved to America. I went to Columbia University.

I came to visit. I looked in these eyes of women who carried me as a child and said, now is the time to also give back.

(SINGING)

KAGURI: I am T. Jackson Kaguri from Nyaka Village.

Boys happy this morning.

We started with $5,000 my wife and I had saved for a house. We provide free education to children who are orphaned by HIV/AIDS.

(MUSIC)

KAGURI: We provide them uniforms, health care, the library, clean water, and we started meeting their needs.

(LAUGHTER)

KAGURI: We teach the grandmothers skills so they can support themselves.

11 years later, this project has produced close to 600 students and helped about 7,000 grandmothers.

I feel humbled looking in the faces of the children smiling, focused on what their dreams are going to be.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: 'Til death do us part? For baby boomers, not so much anymore.

CNN's' Athena Jones found more and more people over 50 years old aren't following those words.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Margie White is a recently divorced 59-year-old. She and her ex-husband, Dick, were college sweethearts.

MARGIE WHITE, DIVORCED BABY BOOMER: I met Dick the first week of my freshman year in college. JONES: They married and had two sons. But over 37 years together, they grew apart.

MARGIE WHITE: I had said to Dick a couple of times over the course of our marriage, one of us will get a second chance. We really did struggle.

JONES (on camera): It's interesting that you say, one of us will get a second chance. What did you mean by that when you said that?

MARGIE WHITE: I meant, that until death do us part, one of us -- after the other one died, we'd get a second chance.

JONES: That's sad.

MARGIE WHITE: It is. I began to realize how sad that was, that that really is sad, and that both of us deserved a second chance.

JONES: They divorced last year. Both say it was amicable.

Dick now lives a few miles away, but still helps out with things around the four-bedroom house they once shared.

DICK WHITE, MARGIE'S EX-HUSBAND: There were some fundamental differences, in the way we went through the world. We, I think, are, in many ways, better friends now than we were when we had to live together.

JONES: The White's story is becoming more common. Divorce rates for people over 50 more than doubled over the last 20 years. In 1990, fewer than one in 10 people who divorced were 50 or older. In 2009, that figure was one in four.

A Bowling Green State University study identified several factors that could explain the rising rates.

SUSAN BROWN, BOWLING GREEN STATE UNIVERSITY: Increasingly, these are baby boomers. They were the first generation to come of age when we saw the rapid acceleration in premarital cohabitation and divorce in the 1970s and early 1980s. And we know that remarriages are more likely to end in divorce than first marriages.

JONES: Longer life spans and changing ideas about what makes a good marriage are other factors.

BROWN: When you're 60, 65, you retire, well, I could live another 20, 25 years. Do I want to spend my life with this person? Is she or he making me happy?

JONES: Margie and Dick say they're happier now, but that doesn't mean they don't have concerns.

DICK WHITE: I religiously carry my cell phone, so that if I fall down and I can't get up, well, I'll just get the phone out of my pocket and call somebody.

JONES: As for Margie --

(on camera): Now, do you have any hope or plan to remarry?

(LAUGHTER)

MARGIE WHITE: Hope springs eternal, doesn't it? I would like to have a life partner. I don't know about marriage.

JONES (voice-over): Athena Jones, CNN, Annandale, Virginia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: All right. And for her 16th birthday, a California teen thought she was just going to throw out the first ball at an Oakland as game. She didn't know the best birthday present was just across the field.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: The red carpet is ready. And daytime TV's finest will be working it for tonight's Daytime Emmys. Tonight's Daytime Emmys. Not only can you watch the award show live on our sister network, HLN, at 8:00 p.m. eastern, we'll be checking in on the red carpet during our 7:00 hour right here on CNN and we'll be judging -- we'll be the fashion police, all right? So join us at 7:00 here on CNN, in one hour.

In California, a 16-year-old girl got the surprise of her life during an Oakland As game. Ali Pierce threw out the first ball, then her dad, an Army specialist in Afghanistan, wished her a happy birthday in a video, right? But she wasn't expecting her dad to walk out with the team. I'm going to start crying. She started crying tears of joy. Scott Pierce says he's been planning the surprise for six months. He wasn't supposed to be back from Afghanistan until October. Those always get you. Very nice.

I'm Don Lemon at the CNN Headquarters in Atlanta. See you back here in one hour from now.

"THE SITUATION ROOM" with Mr. Wolf Blitzer begins right now.