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U.K. to Deploy Extra Olympics Troops; Massacre Suspect's Apartment Booby Trapped; Massacre Suspect's Odd Court Appearance; Syrian Threatens to Use WMD If Attacked; Candidates Silent on Gun Control; Largest International AIDS Conference Underway in D.C.; Olympian Battles Crohn's Disease; 1,200 More Troops for Olympics Security

Aired July 24, 2012 - 09:00   ET

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

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Deadly propaganda. A massive explosion the Taliban claims at a large U.S. base in Afghanistan. A vehicle loaded with explosives ramming the front gate. The blast felt miles away.

Rigged to kill. Inside James Holmes' apartment. New information this morning on what investigators saw when they went inside. Explosives, wires, gasoline. Police telling CNN it looked like a setup in Afghanistan, not the United States.

Home sweet home. Finally, the good news we've been waiting for. The value of your house going up for the first time in five years.

Plus this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Don't hit your head on the dock.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No way.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: It's called speed kayaking. Or at least just trying to be that. Our Rob Marciano taking a dip while trying out this lesser known Olympic sport.

Get your life preserver. NEWSROOM starts right now.

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

COSTELLO: But we do begin with breaking news this morning. More security concerns for the Summer Olympics. With opening ceremonies set to begin in just three days. Good morning to you, I'm Carol Costello. The British government is deploying 1200 extra troops to keep athletes and fans safe.

Zain Verjee joins us now from London. Why are they doing this thing?

ZAIN VERJEE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Basically, there was a mess- up, Carol, by a private security company that was supposed to deliver security. And what happened was they total messed up. So the number one message that you need to get this morning is that here in London the army is in charge of security.

Basically, you're looking at protecting heads of states, governments, prime ministers, presidents from around the world. You've got kings and queens that are going to be here. Celebrities from all over the world. Hollywood's A-listers here hosting amazing parties and they're going to be attending the games as well. You've got the athletes and the fans. And so security has to be topnotch.

I want us to take a look at the numbers just to give you a breakdown of what's happened here, OK? This private security company called G4S was not able to supply 10,400 guard as they promised. So at the 11th hour, 11:59:59, they said, oops, sorry, we can't do it, so UK had to draft in the military. So basically today they said they were going to deploy an extra 1200 troops, and that's on top of the 3,500 that they had already deployed.

So we're looking at a total security, police as well as military, in London, at 18,200. The British government is saying this is such a big deal, they want a no risk approach. Also it's a totally logistical nightmare, too. For example, take a head of state. The Russian President Vladimir Putin. Don't know if he's going to be here or not. So he may come at the last minute, and that could cause a lot of security protocols that have to be kicked into place at the last minute. So some of the fine details of the big picture that they need to get their game on -- Carol.

COSTELLO: So give us the bottom line here because with all these last-minute changes, could make for some uncomfortable feelings as far as the athletes are concerned, too.

VERJEE: You know, the athletes and a lot of the British people are saying that with the army and the military in charge, and the uniforms, the boots are on the ground, that they feel much better about it actually. They feel a lot safer. You're going to have the military, who's accustomed to fighting wars, also going to be handling things like bag checks, X-ray scanners, metal detectors. There's an electric fence around the stadium.

You know, CCTV, this is one of the places where -- you know, anything that you do can be seen in this country and the city. So that's going to be on.

And then, Carol, there's six surface-to-air missiles in east London on top of buildings all for security. So people say with the military, they feel safer.

COSTELLO: Zain Verjee reporting live for us from London.

Let's turn our attention now to Colorado. Bursts of gunfire killed and wounded so many in minutes, but police say James Holmes may have spent months plotting the sophisticated death trap inside his own apartment.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) COSTELLO (voice-over): We now have a better idea of why bomb experts spent more than 24 hours assessing the booby-trap before making their first move. Inside the apartment, 30 improvised explosive devices. One law enforcement official says the setup was unlike almost anything found in the United States. It's more similar to what insurgents use in Iraq or Afghanistan.

The IEDs were wired to a central control box that had to be diffused, and that task was daunting. CNN's source says the complexity of the wiring looked like spaghetti.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Let's talk more about that. CNN's Poppy Harlow has been working her sources to bring so many of these new exclusive details to light. She joins us by phone from Aurora.

Poppy, tell us what else was inside that apartment.

POPPY HARLOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT (via phone): Well, we know, as you mentioned, Carol, that there were 30 of these IEDs. There were also containers, glass containers and gas cans, filled with what I'm told from law enforcement officials are about 10 gallons of gasoline. Those were taken offsite with those IEDs late Saturday and exploded.

But I want to read you a quote that came from my source. What my source says is that this person rigged the apartment to, quote, "enhance the thermal effect of the explosion." I'm told imagine the fireball you would have an explosion that would knock down walls of nearby apartments. That flame would have consumed the entire third floor of the apartment complex. And by the time the fire trucks would have arrived, I am told, they would have arrived to a building that would have been, quote, "completely consumed in flames."

So what you're looking at on your screen is what officials detonated, those gas containers, far away, east of Denver. But imagine if that would have exploded, Carol, inside the apartment building.

One other thing that my source tells me that really stood out to me was that they believe that this apartment was rigged in the, quote, "right way," that it would have successfully blown up. We've been told it was very sophisticated set up, this was someone who knew what they were doing. It was not crude. It was done correctly.

And as you mentioned before, this was more similar, I'm told, to something that they might see in Iraq or Afghanistan. They did tell me they have seen things similar to this in the U.S., but very, very rarely.

COSTELLO: Poppy, a question. So would it -- would the apartment blow up if someone opened the door? And then the other question I had, did the suspect tell police his apartment was booby-trapped? And if he did, why?

HARLOW: So let's get to your second question first. Yes. We are told that James Holmes, when he was arrested, told police -- I don't know if he said it was booby-trapped but that he told police there were explosives in his apartment. So that's a big question. Sort of did he have this moment of clarity, Carol? If so much time was spend setting up this apartment in such a complex way, booby-trapped to explosives, why tell first responders who would likely have been the ones to go into that apartment?

And as Police Chief Dan Oates has said, it was rigged to kill. Make no mistake about that. So why did Holmes tell police? That is a question that no one has an answer to right now.

Your second question, Carol, yes -- remind me of your second question again, Carol.

COSTELLO: I just wondered if -- was the apartment rigged to explode when the door was opened.

HARLOW: It appears that way. It appears that way. That's not clear. That wasn't made clear to me by the source. But the way that all of these were tied, and that, quote-unquote, "trip wire," that was the first thing that was disarmed by the robot on Saturday afternoon that went in. And that was key. That was the first sort of obstacle for law enforcement. Disarm that trip wire. Then use water to basically disarm the control box in the kitchen.

So the thought here is, yes, that if the door was open or someone entered the apartment that this would set off. And remember, Carol, there was loud techno music blaring out of this apartment. And a neighbor from downstairs, Kaitlyn Fonzi, went upstairs to inquire, complain about the techno music. Felt that the door to this apartment was unlocked. Then made the last-minute brilliant decision frankly not to go in.

If she had gone in, what could have happened? She had told CNN that, you know, obviously she was very afraid having known what was in there now. But, you know, that could have ended her life. It could have, you know, ended the lives of all of the people in that -- in that apartment complex or first responders.

So I think the big outstanding question now, and I don't know that we'll ever get an answer, is why would he tell police that there were explosives if it was set up to detonate and kill?

COSTELLO: Yes. So many questions. Poppy Harlow reporting live for us.

James Holmes, the suspect, his first appearance in a Colorado courtroom was bizarre. I mean was he slipping into madness? Was he faking it?

He was sporting that mop of orange hair. And his expressions ranged from shock to confusion to sleepiness.

CNN's Jim Spellman was inside the courtroom from that hearing -- for that hearing, rather. He joins us now from Aurora.

So, Jim, describe what it was like inside the courtroom. JIM SPELLMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There was a lot of anticipation. People were there an hour and a half, two hours early. One-half of the room was press. The other half was family members and some court officials.

The main thing everybody at first wanted to know was, will he have red or orange hair? Of course we saw that right away. He came in shackled, so he was sort of shuffling. The thing that immediately struck me was how small and weak he seemed. He seemed almost frail. He scanned the crowd quickly. And then he sat down and he looked more or less in the direction of the judge. And I didn't see him look towards the crowd again.

Now the family members that were in the seats in the courtroom, though, I saw most of them not take their eyes off him for the entire 15 minutes. Even while the judge was talking and the prosecutor, defense attorney, they just were staring at him. It took so much courage, I think, for some of these people to even show up.

Mikhaila Hicks was a woman that was there. She still has a bullet fragment in her jaw. She sat there and watched him. She seemed so strong to me that while he seems so weak sitting there with his red hair and his prison jump suit with a bulletproof vest underneath, it was really intense for these family members. And afterwards, they were allowed to go to a special room where they were -- they could see a replay of the event themselves.

They, of course, can't make any noise or, you know, express anything in the courtroom. There they were allowed, and a lot of anger came out. And I know one woman cried and broke down and left and just couldn't look at him anymore -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Jim Spellman, reporting live from Aurora.

Within moments of Holmes' bizarre court appearance, the Internet buzzed with speculation. Was he already building toward an insanity defense?

We want to get some perspective on all of this from CNN legal contributor Paul Callan.

Good morning, Paul.

PAUL CALLAN, CNN LEGAL CONTRIBUTOR: Good morning, Carol. And you know, I wanted to go back to Poppy's question about why he would have told the police if we have one second. I hate to divert.

COSTELLO: Sure.

CALLAN: But I think the reason he admitted to the police that the apartment was wired was that the wiring and the bomb setup was meant as a diversion. He was hoping the loud music would cause the neighbors to call the police. They would respond, trip the bomb. You would have a massive explosion. And there would be a huge police response to the apartment building. That would be going on while he was shooting people in the theater. So I think maybe it was a diversion. And of course once he was caught, there was no need for the diversion anymore. That's one possible theory that's out there as to why he did it.

COSTELLO: OK. So with that -- no, with that theory in mind, I mean, people looked at this guy in court and they said, he's faking it. He's like -- his attorneys wanted him to act like that. And that's why he was -- but if he had planned all of that, and had a definite plan in mind, how likely is it that he is suffering from some sort of mental illness?

CALLAN: Well, one can suffer from very severe mental illness and still be capable of planning. But in terms of using the insanity defense at trial, it's very, very difficult. If you have the type of mental illness that still allows you to understand the difference between right and wrong and to plan, that's -- it's called the McNaughton test. And if you understand the difference between right and wrong, and you can plan a crime, generally you are not going to be able to prevail with the insanity defense.

So all of this planning is really going to hurt a potential insanity defense in this case for him.

COSTELLO: Paul, it's difficult to fathom how Holmes went from a bright teenager to what he looked like in court yesterday. I mean take a look. I mean, how will his attorneys play this, do you think?

CALLAN: Well, I think they'll play it in a couple of ways. I think first of all whatever they come up with in terms of mental illness, and I am betting they're going to say that he suffers from some sort of schizophrenia that doesn't manifest itself until you're in your 20s. But will -- that remains to be seen. They're obviously going to juxtapose those pictures of what he looks like now and what a, you know, successful, normal, kid he was to say that obviously he was insane when this happened.

The second thing, of course, is that this is a death penalty case. And they will be using his prior history, his prior success in life. You know, he was a good student apparently, and succeed at least in that realm, to try to get the jury to say, you know something, we're not going to give him the death penalty. So I see two aspects for using the mental disability defense, if it were.

COSTELLO: Paul Callan, thanks so much for joining us this morning.

CALLAN: Nice being with you, Carol.

COSTELLO: Good to have you here.

Another kind of evil this morning. This is a new video. A view from the Taliban, and its attack on what it claims are American soldiers.

This video posted to a Taliban Web site shows what the Taliban says is a huge attack on an American base last month. ABC News says a suicide bomber detonated a 10-ton bomb outside Camp Salenro in Afghanistan killing two American troops and wounding dozens of others. The blast was so powerful it reportedly was felt for miles. CNN has not been able to confirm the story, the video, or the source.

In Syria, a new threat this morning from the Assad regime to use chemical weapons on any countries that might attack. That announcement evoked a harsh response from President Obama.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We will continue to make it clear to Assad and those around him that the world is watching, and that they will be held accountable by the international community.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Mohammed Jamjoom joins us from Abu Dhabi with more.

Good morning.

MOHAMMED JAMJOOM, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. What happened yesterday in Syria was very significant. There was a press conference given by the Syrian Foreign Ministry in which for the first time, Syria revealed that it actually had chemical and biological weapons.

Now the spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry in Syria said yesterday that those weapons would not be used against Syrians. They would only be used if Syria was faced with foreign threats, foreign aggression. But today, what's interesting is you're seeing the Syrian government walking back from those comments. In fact, Jihad Makdissi, the spokesperson who gave that press conference yesterday, actually tweeted out earlier that his comments were taken out of context, saying that his comments were only a response to false allegations by the international community, that Syria had a weapons of mass destruction program. So interesting that Syria kind of backtracking on this big announcement they made yesterday. Yet concern is still growing, especially inside Syria.

We spoke with a member of the rebel Free Syrian Army today who said that they have intelligence that the Damascus regime has moved some of their chemical weapons stockpile about 15 days ago. That some of those stockpiles went to the southern border of Syria and another to the coast of Syria -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Mohammed Jamjoom reporting live this morning.

Finally, some good news on the housing market. It's a small step, but homes are finally selling for more. How much? We'll tell you.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: The debate over gun control is going nowhere. As you know, Friday's movie massacre in Colorado has once again raised the question of whether it's time for tougher laws. Today, we definitely know that's just talk. But, hey, at least the candidates agree on something. They agree to do nothing.

Here's Mitt Romney on CNBC and then you'll hear the president.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I still believe that the Second Amendment is the right course to preserve and defend and don't believe that new laws are going to make a difference in this type of tragedy.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I hope that over the next several days, next several weeks and next several months, we all reflect on how we can do something about some of the senseless violence that ends up marring this country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: John Avlon is a CNN contributor. He's also the senior political columnist for "Newsweek" and "The Daily Beast."

Welcome, John.

JOHN AVLON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Hey, Carol.

COSTELLO: Do you think we'll really reflect months from now on ways we can stem the violence in this country?

AVLON: I think if we don't do it now and in the coming weeks, hoping for collective action in the coming months is a bridge too far.

Here is the ironic thing: both Romney and President Obama have backed for example assault weapons bans in the past. But because we have a divide over gun legislation in this country that isn't left versus right as much as urban versus rural. In fact, we use our guns differently in urban and rural areas.

We have a stalemate when it comes to presidential politics. Principles get put aside, and even practical problem solving gets put aside, all in pursuit of swing voters in swing states. And it really holds a rational political discussion about this issue back.

COSTELLO: Well, that's the thing, John. We can't even have a discussion about it, because if you even begin to discuss it you're either anti or you're for. There's no middle ground here.

AVLON: That's right. And yet there is. I mean, that's what's so frustrating. It's become politically incorrect to even have a policy discussion about this.

And yet, if you look at polling, over 80 percent of Americans believe that there should be perfectly stringent and increasingly stringent background checks before people buy guns. A reasonable debate about why a 100-round magazine cartridge is so readily available, stricter enforcement of current laws.

There is common ground on this issue, but politicians have been cowed into not wanting to deal with it because they don't believe that the headache is going to be worth the progress they may or may not make. It takes leadership. And we last saw this in 1994 when Bill Clinton took on the NRA and we got an assault weapons ban passed for 10 years.

So it does take leadership. But actually the poll support is there for reasonable restrictions that are consistent with respecting the Second Amendment.

COSTELLO: But when you look at other polls, John, you have to admit it's not a top concern that Americans have right now, so why get into it?

AVLON: No. Well, that's exactly the rationale. You add that to the 10-1 lobbying split between the NRA and groups like the Brady organization. And that's exactly what politicians say.

Look, we have had over 180 deaths because of mass shootings in the last five years alone. But we have 10,000 gun deaths a year in this country. So the real question becomes if not now, when? Can't we have this conversation?

Because it's a reasonable rational conversation to have, and there is common ground to be found. The NRA is very fond of saying that guns don't kill people. People kill people. That is true.

But it's also equally true that people with guns kill people. Unfortunately, sometimes a lot of people. And we can have a conversation about ammunition, about increased background checks, without artificially polarizing this debate. It's called problem- solving.

And it takes a little bit of principle. It takes a little bit of courage, but it's the right thing to do after we honor the victims, moving forward as we reflect on incidents like this.

COSTELLO: But it's probably not going to happen. I'm just being a realist. You heard what Mitt Romney said and what President Obama said.

AVLON: Yes.

COSTELLO: We're not going to have that conversation. In a few weeks, we won't even be thinking about it.

AVLON: That's right. And here again it's both these individuals backed assault weapons bans in the past. But it's not considered worth it politically.

So it does come with the question -- you know, after Congresswoman Gabby Giffords was shot, there was a bill put forward about restricting not guns, not gun sales, but these excessive magazine cartridges that really aren't consistent with the purposes of hunting or self defense, which is what most people use their guns for.

Guns are a part of American culture. It is wrapped in the Constitution. We can all respect that. But we shouldn't be kept from having a reasonable conversation, especially in the wake of tragedies like this.

And when people in Congress think it's not worth the political headache, the people who suffer gun violence every day should make them feel the heat a little bit more, because this is a real concern for people across this country.

COSTELLO: John Avlon, thanks so much for being here this morning.

AVLON: Thank you, Carol.

COSTELLO: Thanks, John.

What was he thinking? That's the question a lot of people are asking after seeing the accused Colorado massacre shooter in court. But should we be talking about him at all? Or even show you his picture now? It's our talk back question today.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Now is your chance to talk back one of the big stories of the day. The question for you this morning, should we talk about the accused Colorado shooter? The blogosphere and media are abuzz with questions about James Holmes and how he looked in court, with bright red hair, the bug eyed stare, and the nodding off. We asked ourselves, is he psychotic? What's wrong with him?

Tom Teves who's son Alex died trying to save his girlfriend doesn't care. If it were up to him, we'd never see Holmes face again.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM TEVES, FATHER OF SHOOTING VICTIM ALEX TEVES: I'd give you a challenge. I would like to see CNN come out with a policy that said, moving forward, we're not going to talk about the gunman (ph). What we're going to say is, a coward walked into a movie theater and started shooting people. He's apprehended. The coward is in jail, he will never see the light of day again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: It's a question that media outlets have wrestled with before. Remember this mugshot of Jared Lee Loughner who is accused of shooting Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords? He is smirking, almost defiant.

Some newspapers blew up the pictures. Others reduced it, highlighting other photos that were involved in the shooting. Either way, the photo was burn into our collective consciousness. Experts say while the craving for fame may be one reason people kill, that's not the only reason. Notorious serial killer Henry Lee Lucas blamed his crime on abusive upbringing. Some like Ted Bundy seem to love killing for the sake of killing.

According to truTV Shirley Lynn Scott, quote, "Serial killers are human black holes, an embodiment of the darkness, desire, and power that we must repress within ourselves," end quote. Perhaps then it's worth exploring why these people kill, if only to try to prevent it from happening again.

So the talk back question this morning, should we talk about the accused Colorado shooter? Facebook.com/CarolCNN, Facebook.com/CarolCNN. I'll read your comments later this hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Oh, you can hear it there. The opening bell on Wall Street ringing. Stocks have had a bad few days. The Dow dropped more than 100 points yesterday.

Alison Kosik is at the New York Stock Exchange to tell us why. Good morning.

ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

After that rough Monday, let's see if stocks with stabilize. And what's happening overseas is again the focus of the day. And the news overseas is mixed.

On the one hand, investors are weighing the upbeat report in China showing that manufacturing contracted but at a slower pace. And on the other hand, Moody's cut its outlook for Germany's credit rating from stable to negative.

And the big issue here is that with the potential for more bailouts in Europe and Germany footing most of the bill, a full-blown downgrade could have implications that are wide reaching for financial markets.

Here in the U.S., corporate earnings continue to roll in. Earnings from UPS came in and they are a big disappointment. Their report card is a reflection of the global economic slowdown, especially overseas. It turns out there were fewer exports from Asia to the U.S. and Europe.

Wall Street is not taking that well too. UPS shares right now falling 3 percent.

The overall market not moving too much, Carol, but the day is still young -- Carol.

COSTELLO: That's a good way to look at it. Alison Kosik, thanks so much.

For the first time in 22 years, the International AIDS Conference is back in the United States, and the U.S. is pledging millions of dollars more in the global fight against AIDS. In Washington, the AIDS quilt now on display. It drew a huge crowd.

CNN's chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta is at the conference.

Good morning, Sanjay.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.

COSTELLO: So what are some of the big things going on there?

GUPTA: Well, you know, one thing I want to point out right off the top is this is the first time, Carol, you may know this, but the first time in 22 years that they have had this International AIDS Conference here in the United States. A lot of people ask why that is. It's a yearly conference.

It's because really, and this may surprise people, up until 2009, officially people who had diagnosed HIV/AIDS from other countries were banned from entering this country. So despite all we have known about transmission over the last couple of decades now, that ban was in effect up until three years ago.

So this is a big deal sort of in the world of international AIDS conferences, having the conference here in D.C. The last time was in 1990 in San Francisco.

A couple of big things that people are going to be talking about, Carol. Quickly, first of all, there's a medication that just got approved by the FDA known as Truvada. It was on the market already to treat people with diagnosed HIV/AIDS, about but now they are talking about it as a preventative, using a medication as a prevention.

If this carries through and it seems to have the efficacy (AUDIO GAP) that it does in trials, it's going to be a big deal. Sort of a 30-year milestone if you will, Carol.

And there's something else as well. In just a little bit, I'm going to be talking to a guy named Tim Brown. He is also referred to as the Berlin patient in the medical literature. As far as we know, and we'll verify this later on, he may be the first and only person in the world to have been cured of AIDS --

COSTELLO: Wow.

GUPTA: -- in the form of a bone marrow transplant. But it's a lot -- it's a big area of research for people out there. So we are focusing on in on these two things.

But there are 20,000 people here. There's activists, Elton John, Annie Lennox, a lot of musicians. But certainly scientists from all over the world that activists who are part of this conferences as well.

COSTELLO: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, we're going to talk to you more about that patient that has been cured of AIDS. Fascinating story. We'll see you next hour. Thanks, Sanjay.

America remembers a space pioneer. Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, has died. She had been battling pancreatic cancer for nearly a year and a half. Ride flew into space twice, both times on the space shuttle Challenger.

After retiring from NASA, Ride worked to encourage young girls to get into science and math. Ride was 61.

And this morning we honor this amazing woman.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: More Jackson family feuding. This time it gets physical. Authorities showed up at the Jackson family home Monday to settle a squabble.

"Showbiz Tonight's" A.J. Hammer joins me from New York. Seriously?

A.J. HAMMER, HOST, "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT": Yes. Carol, this seems to be a family battle that's just spiraling out of control. It was reported a scuffle which took place at Katherine Jackson's home in Calabasas, California. That's the home that she shares with Michael Jackson's children.

Now, according to a Los Angeles county sheriff's spokesman, a battery report was in fact taken after the incident but no arrests were made, and he wouldn't identify exactly who was involved because the investigation is ongoing. However, a source that has first-hand knowledge is telling us that Janet, Jermaine, and Randy Jackson were all on the scene there.

And this of course is the latest drama to happen just as Los Angeles County sheriff's detectives closed a missing persons case that was open for Katherine Jackson, who was found to be with her daughter Rebbie in Arizona. They say Katherine is fine.

But her lawyer is not satisfied, saying that the sheriff's deputies who tried to talk to her in Arizona were blocked from seeing her and the attorney is now asking for the FBI to investigate.

So you have a scuffle, you got the FBI, you had Katherine supposedly missing, and now fine. Yes, huge drama.

COSTELLO: And on top of all of this, the family is tweeting about it.

HAMMER: Yes. And this is really odd to me. I mean, nothing really ever surprises me with the Jacksons. But it's wild how public they are making this.

I want to read to you what Paris Jackson tweeted last night about being out of touch with her grandmother, Katherine. She said, "Eight days and counting. Something is really off. This isn't like her at all. I want to talk directly to my grandmother."

Now, Jermaine Jackson is also been on Twitter. He called this a farcical false alarm, and he tweeted that Michael's children were not being blocked from speaking with their grandmother, who he added "is safe and well and in Arizona with her daughter and her sister Rebbie, resting up on doctor's advice. She is merely an 82-year-old woman following doctor's orders to rest up and de-stress away from phones and computers."

So they have taken this very public, Carol, and it will be interesting to see if that continues, because it can't be good.

COSTELLO: I just got word, A.J., we have surveillance video of the scuffle. I hope you will look at that and bring us that video in the next hour.

HAMMER: I will be looking into it. Absolutely.

COSTELLO: Thanks, A.J.

A.J. is also back next hour with some details about Mariah Carey's new million dollar job as a judge.

Security concerns in London just days from the start of the Summer Olympic Games. More than 1,000 British troops are being added to the military force already deployed to protect athletes and the like.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Forty-five minutes past the hour. Checking our top stories now:

More problems for Pennsylvania. The Justice Department is demanding the state produce detailed documents about their voter ID law within 30 days. This formal investigation is looking into whether the state's law requiring a photo ID to vote discriminates against minorities.

In money news, home prices are on the rise for the first time in five years. According to the real estate listing Web site Zillow, nationwide home prices are up two tenths of a percent from this time last year and in June, prices rose for the fourth straight months -- not a lot but at least it's going up.

In weather news, still no break from the scorching heat. Parts of the Mississippi River Valley will see temperatures topping 100 degrees. And that heat is going to stick around at least until Friday when things could cool off to 90.

This morning, we are learning more troops are needed to keep the Olympics secure. The British government deploying an additional 1,200 troops after calling up 3,500 troops a few weeks ago. A private security contractor said it could not provide all the security personnel it had promised.

Now it's time for an Olympic trivia challenge. Which of these odd-sounding competitions will take place at the London games? Each of these events are real. They really happened at one point or another. Two of them will be featured in these summer games.

So your choices: race walking, solo synchronized swimming, trampoline, roller hockey, and live pigeon shooting. Really?

ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Actual events.

COSTELLO: Actual events. We'll have the answer for you in a few minutes of which of those sports are in these Olympic Games.

For one U.S. Olympian, the biggest hurdle she has to overcome is her health. And Rob Marciano is here to explain that one. Good morning.

MARCIANO: Good morning Carol. Yes.

Her name is Carrie Johnson. And she is not only a kayaker, but a speed kayaker. There is a difference. She compete in the last couple of Olympic games. But while she was doing that she was also battling a disease that causes intense pain, fatigue and suddenly weight loss. Not exactly good news for an athlete. Well, she'll have to keep that at bay again in order to have a shot at gold.

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MARCIANO (voice-over): Carrie Johnson starts graduate school this fall to become a veterinarian. But before she hits the books, she is hitting the water. Sprint kayaking in her third and final Olympics, she'll race in both the 200 and the 500 meter sprints. Johnson has yet to earn a medal, but she is determined to finish strongly.

CARRIE JOHNSON, U.S. OLYMPIAN: Every athlete is lining up on that start line, you know, with the goal and the dream of winning an Olympic gold medal. But I think if you can paddle away and say, I did absolutely everything that I could do, then you have to be satisfied with that.

MARCIANO: Johnson won gold in the 2011 PanAm Games, but her success hasn't come without struggle. She has Crohn's disease, an incurable intestinal ailment that also causes fatigue.

JOHNSON: When I have the harder days, I have a real appreciation for just being able to train.

MARCIANO: While it kept her out of the water for a little while, Johnson views her disease as extra motivation, pushing her through nearly six hours of training a day.

(on camera): What's going through your mind technically? How long do you want that paddle in there, and how strong is the stroke, and how are you balancing? There's got to be a lot of things to think about.

JOHNSON: Using your legs is actually a really important part of paddling, which people don't realize. That really starts the rotation that brings the boat forward.

MARCIANO: And all of this while not falling in?

JOHNSON: Yes.

MARCIANO: Because the boat that you're on is pretty skinny.

JOHNSON: It is the widest part is just pretty much wide enough to get your hips in. So it is very unstable if you're not used to it.

MARCIANO: And if you're just some reporter getting in there, what are the odds of me staying afloat?

JOHNSON: We've never had anybody get into the boat for the first time and stay up, even the Olympic rowers.

MARCIANO: So I'm going in?

JOHNSON: You're going in.

Grab the cockpit. And step in with one foot. Step behind and sit down. Grab the paddle right around where the grips are.

MARCIANO: Yes.

Oh, there's no way. There's no way. No way I'm staying up. How in the world do you balance on this thing? Oh, my god.

JOHNSON: Don't hit your head on the dock.

MARCIANO: Yes, ok. There's no way. You're right. One second. That's impossible.

An Olympian I am not. Clearly.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MARCIANO: That's for sure. It was like -- it was like sitting on a tight wire. I have never such -- felt such unbalanced before.

COSTELLO: It's weird you felt it right away that you're going to tip over.

MARCIANO: Yes. There was no way and -- and she does this at -- going, you asked me how fast during the break -- she goes five meters per second. So ten knots I mean. We were on a speed boat filming that and you saw her arms I mean, she's pumping alone. She competes in the 200 meter and the 500 meter race, and 200 meters she goes about 40 seconds.

COSTELLO: Gosh, so that's 12 miles per hour.

MARCIANO: Yes pretty much, 12 miles an hour.

COSTELLO: Pretty much?

MARCIANO: Yes.

COSTELLO: It's amazing.

MARCIANO: I can't run that fast.

COSTELLO: I just can't imagine how strong your core would have to be to balance that thing and then you're moving your -- your shoulders and your arms.

MARCIANO: I mean you saw her shoulders and arms. I mean, that -- that girl is strong for sure.

COSTELLO: She's rip.

MARCIANO: That is an under-funded event. I mean, her coach is a volunteer, he's fireman and he comes out a couple of times a week to train her. So this is one of these things where you have to have some serious personal perseverance. She's battling Crohn's disease as well. It's her third and final Olympics and we'll be rooting for her August 7th, so it's kind of late in the games, tune in August 7th.

COSTELLO: Oh we will be rooting for her. So stick around. Because here is your chance.

MARCIANO: Oh yes.

COSTELLO: Are you ready?

MARCIANO: Yes. What was your trivia question?

COSTELLO: Ok, so do all of you and Rob know the answers to our trivia question? Two of these wacky but real Olympic events will be played in London. Race walking, solo synchronized swimming, trampoline, roller hockey, live pigeon shooting.

So which of those will actually be played at the London games?

MARCIANO: How can there be solo synchronized swimming? Isn't that kind of a contradiction?

COSTELLO: That is true, that's weird. That's what they call it.

MARCIANO: Well, I know trampoline because we did a segment on that a couple of months ago but the other what?

COSTELLO: Race walking.

MARCIANO: Race walking.

COSTELLO: Race walking, so the people with the weird hip movements.

MARCIANO: Right.

COSTELLO: They're in. MARCIANO: So we have, well, I know that live pigeon shooting is big in the Bronx but it probably internationally hasn't gotten there yet.

COSTELLO: They just use sling shots instead of guns.

MARCIANO: That helps too, that helps.

COSTELLO: Thank you, Rob.

MARCIANO: Ok.

COSTELLO: We'll be right back.

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COSTELLO: We asked you to "Talk Back" on one of the big stories of the day. The question for you this morning, "Should we talk about the accused Colorado shooter?"

This from David, "The victims would like us all to stop talking about it, wouldn't you if you were one? We should let them start healing. And they can't do that with people talking about it on every TV station in the country."

This from Xavier, "We should. We still don't know how he is as a person, even though he is playing us all in the courtroom with his acting."

This from Peter, "One of the surviving victims believes it was all an act in the courtroom, I tend to side with him. The shooter, no, I won't say his name, is acting this way trying to avoid the death penalty."

This from Wes, "For the same reason we talk about Adolf Hitler or any other horrible person in history. We need to understand who these people were and why they committed such atrocities."

And this from Fred, "He should not be our focus anymore. Once convicted, ok. But for now we should focus on the brave, the heroes, and the strength of the survivors."

Facebook.com/carolCNN -- more of your responses in the next hour of NEWSROOM. Also coming up -- also, the next hour of newsroom starts right now.

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COSTELLO: Happening now in the NEWSROOM: guns and ammo. Just how easy was it for accused Colorado shooter James Holmes to stock up on bullets? Our Joe Johns with a CNN exclusive.

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JOE JOHNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You have 100 rounds in there. How long does it take to get 100 rounds off? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 30 seconds.

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