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Sources: Terror Info Came Partly From Yemen; Marriage Ends With Cyanide; Monteith's "Glee" Character Will Die; Arkansas Rejects School Gun Plan; Reputed Mob Boss: Trial Is A Sham; How A Budget Can Add Up To More Freedom

Aired August 02, 2013 - 14:30   ET

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

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BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Here is the breaking news we are just now learning coming into us here at CNN. U.S. intelligence now has specific information pointing to a potential attack from al Qaeda in Yemen. Barbara Starr is working this one for us today from the Pentagon. Barbara, what more do you know?

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Brooke, as all of us at CNN have worked all day here to put the pieces together, what we are learning now is that Yemen, a country, you know, in the Middle East of great concern to the U.S. because of a very strong al Qaeda element, now appears to be really in the cross-hairs of the intelligence community's concern. Al Qaeda in Yemen has been growing in strength. They have been watching a threat there for some weeks we are told.

We are also now told that in recent days, the threat began to come together in the eyes of U.S. intelligence. They began to see more specificity in terms of believing and assessing that al Qaeda there might be in the final planning stages of an attack against U.S. or western interests. That along with approaching the end of the holy days of Ramadan has led to this concern across the region, led to the U.S. shutting down embassies, let to everybody being on watchful alert over the next several days.

But it looks now like it is emanating, beginning in Yemen with al Qaeda there in that country and the threat growing across the region, they believe, in terms of what they have to be on the lookout for -- Brooke.

BALDWIN: All right, Barbara Starr, thank you very much. We'll have much more, of course, on this directive with regard to U.S. embassies at the top of the hour. Barbara, thank you.

A star doctor was trying to get pregnant. Her husband allegedly tricked her into taking a concoction to help her conceive. Dr. Autumn Klein died suddenly of cyanide poisoning back in April. Klein's husband, Dr. Robert Ferrante, has pleaded not guilty in his wife's poisoning death.

Poppy Harlow has been tracking this one. She also talked to the wife's friends, neighbors. Poppy, what do you know? POPPY HARLOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, there, Brooke. This is a suspected murder mystery that has rocked Pittsburgh involving two star doctors, a husband and a wife. And after a three-month investigation police allege that Dr. Robert Ferrante murdered his wife, Dr. Autumn Klein, with a lethal dose of cyanide. Now he is sitting in the jail behind me facing criminal homicide charges he denies, charges that he vehemently denied.

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HARLOW (voice-over): New details in the suspected murder mystery, for the first time, we're hearing how Dr. Robert Ferrante allegedly prepared his wife's creatine regimen in order to help her get pregnant. According to police search warrant, Ferrante He prepared five grams of creatine for his, Dr. Autumn Klein, to take in the morning and evening by mixing it into a sugary drink or putting it on her toast.

DEBBI CASINI, PATIENT OF DR. AUTUMN KLEIN: She was so kind, compassionate, and caring. It was -- she was a good soul.

HARLOW: Debbi Casini remembers her 41-year-old doctor, the head of women's neurology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

CASINI: I could not imagine anyone wanting to murder her.

HARLOW: But in their criminal complaint police say her husband, 64- year-old Dr. Robert Ferrante murdered her with a lethal dose of cyanide. The two had a 6-year-old daughter together.

(on camera): What did she say about her daughter?

CASINI: It was the love of her life.

HARLOW: Did she talk about her husband at all?

CASINI: Not at all. Not once.

HARLOW (voice-over): One of the theories the prosecution will work off of is that the cyanide was mixed with the creatine Klein took. A source close to the investigation tells us the levels of cyanide in Klein's system were significant enough to make her collapse in 30 seconds. And says when Ferrante was questioned by police about his wife's death his demeanor was indifferent.

WILLIAM DIFENDERFER, DEFENSE ATTORNEY FOR DR. ROBERT FERRANTE: He maintains his innocence in this thing. Absolutely denies he had anything to do with her death. He is extremely concerned about his 6- year-old daughter. I'm sure the commonwealth will say it's a strong circumstantial case. In my opinion it's not.

HARLOW (on camera): Why do you think it's not?

DIFENDERFER: I'm not getting into it.

HARLOW (voice-over): Klein's parents were in court this week when Ferrante pleaded not guilty to criminal homicide.

BLITHE RUNSDORF, NEIGHBOR: They'd just been to vacation. They'd been for at least a week in Puerto Rico.

HARLOW: Blithe Runsdorf lived across the street from the couple.

(on camera): Now that you've seen the criminal complaint and allegations, are you surprised?

RUNSDORF: Absolutely. I think stunned is too little a word for how we feel about this. A thing that I think bothers most of us is what's the motivation?

HARLOW (voice-over): A possible motive, police allege in the affidavit Ferrante thought Klein may be having an affair.

CASINI: I really believe she could have done so many greater things. That's what makes this all so awful.

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HARLOW: Now the big question is, what will Ferrante's defense be? We asked his attorney. He said he's not going to fight this out in the media. We're going to have to wait for the trial to hear that. At the same time, the D.A.'s office here tells me that they have not yet decided whether or not they will seek the death penalty in this case -- Brooke.

BALDWIN: Poppy, thank you very much.

Coming up next, the hit TV show "Glee" reveals how it will handle Cory Monteith's death. Thing is, they're leaving something very important out. We'll discuss that coming up.

Plus, the next host of the Oscars revealed. The show, surprise, surprise, may include a little dancing.

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BALDWIN: And the envelope, please. We now know the name of the superstar comedian who is hosting the next academy awards show. How awesome would it be if she, like, danced all the way up to her podium, Ellen Degeneres, announced the big news on Twitter. Here's what she tweeted. I'd like to thank the academy, my wife, Portia, dear. There goes the orchestra. Keep in mind this is certainly not Ellen's first trip to the Oscar rodeo, if you will. She hosted the academy awards once before back in 2007.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's get started.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everyone, spread out and hide. Spread out and hide. Find a place to hide. Go over there.

(END VIDEO CLIP) BALDWIN: A school shooting, bullying, teen pregnancy, homosexuality, it may be a comedy drama series, but "Glee" is not afraid of the heavy stuff. Now the hit TV show will have to grapple with perhaps its toughest subject thus far, the death of one of its own. An episode is currently in the works written around Cory Monteith found in a Toronto hotel room just last month dead from a fatal cocktail of heroin and alcohol.

With me now, Stacy Kaiser, psychotherapist and Krista Smith, CNN entertainment commentator so ladies, welcome to you. Let me begin here, Krista, with you because we know that during this third episode Fox is airing, you know, public service announcements about substance abuse. This is the storyline that has people talking and mourning because Cory Monteith's character will die not from drugs. We did a whole special here on CNN about sort of the uptick in heroin especially in young people. Why are they avoiding it?

KRISTA SMITH, CNN ENTERTAINMNET COMMENTATOR: Well, I'm not sure that they entirely are. I mean, from what I understand from what Ryan Murphy has said, they're not exactly sure how he's going to die. They did say that it would probably not be from drugs. I know they're also going to be doing a PSA talking about the face of addiction and what addiction looks like and how someone like Cory who seems so clean cut and was always very professional and the life of the party and incredibly popular did suffer from the demons of addiction.

BALDWIN: And with the demons of addiction and this loss for this show, I mean, Stacy, I'm thinking, you're a psychotherapist. I remember when the story broke. You see these pictures of these little girls. You think about the "Glee" audience, these preteens who were laying flowers at this hotel. I mean, at their age, do they understand what's happening?

STACY KAISER, PSYCHOTHERAPIST: You know, I have teenage daughters myself who watch "Glee" and I can tell you that they were devastated. Part of what I think is challenging is for these younger girls in particular, some of the biggest fans of the show, they think that Cory is fin, his character. Fin is all American good guy, the nicest person. He would never do drugs. He doesn't drink. So they wouldn't expect that he would be like this. So now they are really having to understand the crossover between the fantasy of television and the reality of the real kid that was truly struggling.

BALDWIN: Krista, I also say, you know, I salute "Glee" and Ryan Murphy for not shying away from tough topics. I remember that whole shooting episode. Do you have any idea sort of how this decision was made among, of course, Ryan Murphy, but the cast to write in this death?

SMITH: Well, I think the thing you have to realize is the "Glee" cast really is a family. These kids were all unknowns. They were catapulted into stardom. I think a lot of credit goes to Ryan to being kind of the godfather, a father figure, to all these actors. I think he's taking his notes from how Lea Michele is. As we all know, they were also involved in a personal relationship. I think he's taking the temperature on how she's doing and how all the cast members are doing.

BALDWIN: I'm glad you brought that up especially Lea Michele. She was dating Cory. She's tweeted about Cory since his death. She just recently tweeted this. First day of "Glee" today and at my first wardrobe fitting for Rachel Berry for season five, I've missed her so much. Stacy, how in the world, not just Lea, but the rest of the cast, as Krista points out, this really is a family. How do they continue on with the show?

KAISER: Yes. I think it's really traumatic for all of them. Part of what I think is difficult for the ones that were particularly close to him is they were trying to help him. It's got to be hard for them not to beat themselves up wondering what could I have done? That said, there oftentimes is some joy in doing things that you did with the person who you once lost. I always recommend to people if you loved doing something with someone, go do it even though they're gone and they are getting to do that every day. They're getting to sing and dance and act, which I think all of them love to do. So in some ways, they're still continuing to pay tribute to him even though he's gone.

BALDWIN: OK, thank you both very much, Stacy Kaiser, Krista Smith. I said Toronto hotel room. He passed away in Vancouver. Thank you, Ladies, very, very much.

Coming up next, in one state a school district had plans to arm some teachers. They trained them. They bought guns, but now the state attorney general is pulling the plug. You'll not only hear why, but you'll hear the superintendent's response, next.

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BALDWIN: It has been nearly a month since that massacre at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut, took the lives of 26 people, 20 of them little children. As it always does, the national conversation about what to do about gun violence has all but disappeared. But the tragedy is very much so still resonating, has an impact.

In Arkansas, for example, one school district's plan to allow teachers and staff to carry weapons to school to protect the kids was just rejected by the state's attorney general. David Hopkins, he's the school superintendent at the school district, Clarksville, Arkansas. He joins me from Little Rock.

Also here with me today, Tanya Miller, she's a defense attorney, but will really be talking today as a former federal prosecutor. Welcome to both of you. Mr. Hopkins, let me begin with you to set this whole thing up. I know that you all were planning to go ahead with the plan. You've already trained the staff and teachers. How were you planning on arming them?

DAVID HOPKINS, SUPERINTENDENT, CLARKSVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT: Right. What we were doing is we were trying to provide a local solution to this issue. Our board, we sat down and we tried to devise this plan where we would go through the state, state police department, which they have a board that issues security guard commissions to licensed security guards.

And we put in the paperwork to be a licensed security handler, so to speak, for our guards inside our business, which is our school, and then we had those guards commissioned. We received all the proper paperwork. We had those guards commissioned through the commissioning board which is, again, a division of our state police. And we did all due diligence in trying to ensure that everything we put together met the muster of the law and that we were doing the right thing to try to protect our kids locally.

BALDWIN: Just so I'm crystal clear, Tanya, you can help me on the legalese here. There is this sort of little known law in Arkansas, right, when it comes to security in schools. Sounds like this school district was trying to -- try to arm the teachers, ala security guards, to protect the kids and it didn't work.

TANYA MILLER, FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR: Right. What they were trying to use was a statute in Arkansas, which basically regulates private security companies and private security officers. There is a board in Arkansas that gives licenses and commissions these organizations to carry guns and to provide security. This statute applies to private entities. The attorney general said school district, not a private entity. It's a public entity. So you can't use that statute for that purpose.

BALDWIN: So Mr. Hopkins, I know you were going through with the training and everything. How did parents react to this? Those parents who, I'm sure, were critical of this, what did you tell them?

HOPKINS: Well, I mean, initially with the attorney general's opinion, it dropped almost like a bombshell. Because we had -- we had talked to that agency that issued that license, and we were not the first school district to receive that. In fact, there were a number of school districts that already hold that license in the state. It's my understanding that this also putting in jeopardy the security programs in several state-funded hospitals also because of this.

I know that the discrepancy here is about a private business. But I believe that the language, what they were trying to get across, is that we were not going to allow our guards to go guard the local McDonald's. We were setting our guards up privately.

BALDWIN: I understand. So far it is a no-go for this attorney general. We'll follow it through and see if there's any kind of a loophole or not. David Hopkins, Tanya Miller, thank you very much.

MILLER: Thank you.

BALDWIN: Coming up next, the trial of the reputed Boston mobster, we have just learned whether Whitey Bulger will take the stand. In fact, he got rather colorful in telling the judge his decision. That is next.

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BALDWIN: To Boston we go. Fireworks at the trial of reputed mob boss James Whitey Bulger. Bulger angrily told this judge today he will not take the stand and then he told the judge this trial is a sham. He proceeded to explain why. The wife of a man Bulger is accused of killing yelled at him, I'm quoting her, you're a coward, she yelled.

Bulger's lawyer said earlier today he is prepared to forfeit $822,000 of his assets to her family and another alleged victim's family. The families had won a judgment. This was back in 2009, but an appeals court tossed it out on technicality. Bulger faces 19 counts of murder as part of racketeering conspiracy. Closing arguments set for Monday.

And in a couple of minutes this shocking story about this college professor, the chair of a Psychology Department at Illinois University has a very secret past. When he was 15 years of age, he killed his family. He was released, changed his name, got a job without revealing a thing about this crime, and now some folks are calling on him to resign. University leaders, they have an entirely different take. We are talking live to the woman who uncovered this man's history.

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BALDWIN: Despite the slow economic recovery, Gallup has found that only about a third of American adults prepare a household budget. Some economic analysts say that could be making many of us less financially secure and in a way, less free. Tom Foreman has this week's "American Journey."

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TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Grabbing a pizza on the run is a treat Ellen Moncure and Joe Wong enjoy. Even with modest incomes, a house in Brooklyn and two kids, it's also something they know they can afford because they are among the relatively rare Americans who have put together and follow a household budget.

ELLEN MONCURE, BUDGETS HOUSEHOLD: I think that I gain from budgeting a sense of security, a sense that I am able to control a little bit of the uncontrollable future.

JOE WONG, BUDGETS HOUSEHOLD: We do try to re-evaluate the budget every now and then, every few months, to make sure we're hitting the targets.

TUCHMAN: That seemingly simple trick can be devilishly hard. In part because economic advisers say so many people find the idea unpleasant.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just listen to the word budget. It's not a very appealing word, is it?

TUCHMAN: Yet Amanda Steinberg who started dailyworth.com said a good budget does not have to account for every penny. People just need to make sure big important items such as household expenses, insurance and savings are covered. And once they are, the budgeter can confidently spent money on things that he or she simply wants.

AMANDA STEINBERG, FOUNDER AND CEO, DAILYWORTH.COM: But oftentimes that means we're going to create a life that turns into a hamster wheel because it's so expensive and hard to maintain. So that if you create a budget you have some visibility into what your life should cost so you have the freedom to spend money and you're not staying up late at night wondering how you're going to pay the bills.

TUCHMAN: Gallup found intriguing details. Wealthier people and conservatives are slightly more likely to track spending and savings. Those with lower incomes and liberals are slightly less likely. Even those who do budget admit it is hard to start. But the reward is peace of mind and guilt free pizza, too. Tom Foreman, CNN.

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