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British Police Investigating New Information About Princess Diana's Death; Wildfires Rage In Idaho; More Rain For Southeast; Murder Mystery In Long Poke, California; Uprising In Egypt Continues
Aired August 18, 2013 - 17:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAMELA BROWN, CNN ANCHOR: You are in the CNN NEWSROOM, I am Pamela Brown filling in for Don Lemon on this Sunday. So nice to have you along with us.
We start in Idaho that is where a massive wildfire is forcing thousands of families to pack up and leave their homes. We have photos right here. Take a look of the huge wildfire there. This is from ireporter John Koth in Haley, Idaho. Strong winds or stoked planes creating huge clouds of smoke yet again today. More than 1,000 firefighters are battling the blaze and more than, as we mentioned, more than 1,000 firefighters there. They have a lot to contend with. Evacuation orders now cover 2,200 homes and six communities. Snow- making guns from the Sun Valley resort were activated today to help fight the wildfire. Idaho governor, Butch Otter, toured affected areas today and talked with fire crews.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. BUTCH OTTER (R), IDAHO: They look the worst for wear but seeing smile on their face and then their attitude about how they are being treated and how they are being supported by our local folks, by the county folks, the city folks, the state department of lands; it really tells me that we are working this thing out. We are working it the right way.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: Yet, with all of the efforts the wildfire is only nine percent contained.
So, I want to bring in Bronwyn Nickel. She is the public information officer for Blaine County, Idaho, on the phone with us.
And Bronwyn, I want to get straight to how close this wildfire in to people's homes of Blaine County. I know that there is evacuation order in place.
BRONWYN NICKEL, PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER, BLAINE COUNTY: Yes. We do have about 2,300 residents that have been affected by the mandatory evacuation area. And the fire is very close to people's homes. It is down in neighbors. It's along streets to neighborhoods and it's in people's front yards, so it's very close to homes.
BROWN: And where are evacuees gathering for shelter and help? What are the availabilities of resources for some of these having to evacuate?
NICKEL: We do have a Red Cross shelter set up in Haley, which is one of the affected communities, but it's in the southern part of the town where the Red Cross shelter is. A lot of people are staying there. We do have some very generous communities south of us that have opened up their fairgrounds and camping areas and people are headed south to go camping so we're trying to find space for people and we're lucky that we have generous communities nearby that opened up space for that.
BROWN: And making matters worse out there, the strong winds, Ron, a thousand firefighters battling that blaze, but they have to contend with. Tell me about that.
NICKEL: So, we have a red flag warning in effect for us this afternoon. We do have very strong winds along the ridges about 25 miles per hour in the south-southwest direction which is pretty much the opposite of what you'd want in this type of situation, that wind is pushing the fire closer and closer to homes. We expect those hot, dry, windy conditions to continue for the next day or so. So we're just gearing up for that.
BROWN: And can you just give us an update quickly on whether there's been any injuries, how many homes were burned, that kind of thing?
NICKEL: Thankfully, we haven't had any injuries. We have been very lucky that way and hope it stays that. We have lost two structures, one outbuilding and one residence. We have strike teams working incredibly hard to protect people's homes and that's their sole -- so they're out there, the sole job to do that and they're working around the clock to make sure people have safe property.
BROWN: And how about how many acres this fire covered? As we mentioned, it is nine percent contained at this hour.
NICKEL: It's grown to over 100,000 acres as of today. And the information that we are hearing from the operations commander at the fire camp is that his expectation is that will grow. We certainly don't know by how much, but it is over 100,000 acres at this point.
BROWN: Unbelievable. Well, hopefully those winds calm down soon.
Bronwyn, thank you for joining us.
NICKEL: Thank you.
BROWN: And from fire to water, the southeast these days have been feeling a little bit more like the Pacific Northwest. States like North Carolina, Florida and Georgia have been getting drenched and there's more rain to come.
Take a look at this video. This is out of Wilmington, North Carolina, and our meteorologist Jennifer Delgado breaks down how much water those states are getting -- Jennifer.
JENNIFER DELGADO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Well, Pamela, we are still talking about very soggy weekend for parts of the southeast. And look at these numbers that we are talking about. And some of these locations, they picked up more than ten or 11 inches of rainfall where they should for this time of the year.
We are looking numbers going back through June. Atlanta, ten inches more. Fort Lauderdale, I'm certain, this is not helping for people coming down there for vacations. And unfortunately, more rain is on the way.
As we look at the graphic here, we can point out to you, some locations three to six inches of rainfall for the Florida panhandle, South Carolina as well as in Georgia, two to four inches. And we still do have many flood watches in place and warnings as we go through today. And we could still some of these for tomorrow, as well, because the ground is just so saturated. Nowhere for this rain to go.
And so, looking at Monday's forecast, guess what? More rain for parts of the southeast. Sunshine, beautiful conditions for parts of the Midwest. It's going to start to get a little hot for areas including Texas. But I was going to add that heat in for the Midwest as well into the northeast, mid-Atlantic and as well as New England. But more rain for parts of the southeast.
As we talk more about the temperatures, let's end on some good news. These numbers are going to be incredible, return to summer like conditions. If you notice for Chicago, we are going to be above average by Wednesday. We are expecting a high of 90 degrees. We should be at 82. We didn't forget about you in New York City. How about this, 86 on Tuesday, 88 on Wednesday, and then on Thursday, 86 degrees, as well.
Pamela, I think we can go outside and enjoy that up there.
BROWN: I would say so. Jennifer Delgado, thank you so much.
Well, an attorney for one of the former Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky's abuse victims said that his client has settled the civil suit against the university. Sandusky, of course, was convicted last year on multiple child sex abuse charges.
Attorney Tom Kline tells CNN that the client never would have been abused if school official has not mishandled earlier claims of abuse including the one reported by the former assistant coach, Michael McQuery.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TIM KLINE, ATTORNEY FOR SANDUSKY'S VICTIM 5: My client, Victim Number 5, was assaulted in the shower at Penn State just six months later so the incident which involved my client could have and should have been directly stopped and could have been stopped had the appropriate reporting taken place. So my client actually may end up a witness in that trial if subpoenaed just as he testified live and in person, of course, in the Sandusky trial and again at the sentencing hearing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: The school's former president, vice president and athletic director, all face trial on an obstruction of justice and other charges.
Meantime, in San Diego, organizers there are gathering signatures to force a recall of Mayor Bob Filner. Volunteers are spread out in a road race today circulating petitions. A March and rally are also set to begin this hour. Filner, of course, is facing multiple accusations of sexual harassment and last count 16 women have gone public with accusations against him.
And federal investigators had determined that the autopilot was engaged until the final seconds before Wednesday's crash of the UPS cargo plane. And NTSB board member said that based on flight recordings analyzed so far, all flight and engine data appear to be normal before the plane crash while landing in Birmingham, Alabama. The pilot and the co-pilot died in that crash.
Scotland Yard is taking another look at Princess Dian's death. Just ahead, we will dig deeper in to a report that says she was murdered.
We will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROWN: Well, it is late at night in Cairo right now but we're tracking news of a deadly street battle there in Cairo. Militants reportedly attacked police vehicles transporting prisoners from one prison to another. More than 35 people are reported killed in the fighting that followed strict again in solid information on the Cairo at this hour. A city wide curfew is in effect right now. Stay right here. We are live from Egypt with the latest of this new fighting coming up in just about half an hour from now.
And in the meantime, new claims about the death of Princess Diana, nearly 16 years ago. Relatives of a British Special Forces sniper reportedly claim a member of the British military killed her and Now Scotland Yard is assessing the credibility of the claim.
Atika Shubert has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A brutal car crash in a dark tunnel chased by paparazzi. Princess Diana's death in 1997 was a violent tragedy. Conspiracy theories abounded including an allegation that she and her companion, Dodi al Fayed, were murdered by a member of the British military.
But multiple investigations by both French and British police dismissed that. A judge led inquiry in the UK concluded that her death was an unlawful killing caused by the gross negligence of the driver of her car and the vehicles chasing her.
But now, British Scotland Yard said they are scooping new information on her death, assessing its relevance and credibility. According to the British press association, the information allegedly comes from the parents-in-law of a former British soldier. This comes just weeks after the birth of Prince George, Princess Diana's grandson, third in line to the British throne, the son of Prince William and Kate Middleton. For many in Britain, the image of the young family brought back warm memories of Princess Diana with the new born Prince William in her arms.
(on-camera): August 31st will be exactly 16 years since the death of Princess Diana. Now, this new information, whatever it may be will almost certainly reignite controversy around her and speculation about how she died.
Atika Shubert. CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BROWN: Thank you, Atika.
And her tireless work with charities has woven throughout the legacy of Princess Diana and her son, Harry, is helping move that work forward. Earlier this month, the price visited Angola to assess the progress of the land mine removal there, that was an effort dear to his mother's heart.
And Diana's grandson, Prince George, will be one month old this week. His father, Prince William, is back at work as a search and rescue helicopter pilot in North Wales after paternity leave.
And the prince sat down with CNN's Max Foster to talk about life since the arrival of Prince George and being a dad. You can see parts of that interview Monday morning on "NEW DAY" with Kate Bolduan and Chris Cuomo and that began at 6:00 a.m. eastern time. So, you don't want to miss that.
And coming up, we have a fascinating story for you. Experts say a real life jaws may be stalking the swimmers out at a California beach. It believed to have killed two people already and there's a race to find him before he strikes again. We will take you inside the hunt for a serial killer shark, right after this break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROWN: There is a murder mystery in the small town of Long Poke, California. Two men visiting surf beach were viciously attacked and killed, the same way exactly two years apart. The killer, a 16-foot great white shark. Bizarre coincidence or the work of a serial killer shark? That's the question in this week's "Science Behind."
Discovery shark week expert and filmmaker, Jeff Kurr, joins us now to talk more about this. And he put a lot of time working on the attacker of beach for the shark re-documentary, "Great white serial killer."
Nice to have you with us, Jeff. First off, I just want to establish.
JEFF KURR, SHARK EXPERT/FILMMAKER: Great to be here.
BROWN: You believe they were killed by the same great white shark. Is that right?
KURR: Well, we don't have any hard evidence it was the same shark, just a lot of freaky coincidences. The fact that it happened on the same day two years apart, the fact that the shark was roughly the same size, and we are talking about an animal over 16 feet in length which is extremely rare for a great white shark. So, that mean, there has to be a really short list of suspects.
Lot of things pointing towards the single shark, but I guess if I was a prosecuting attorney, I couldn't convict a single shark because all I have, really, is circumstantial evidence to this point.
BROWN: So, we have always heard that sharks don't like the taste some human blood, unlike "Jaws." But it seems like, according to your theory, that this shark is different. What makes it different? Why do you think that it likes the taste of human flesh and blood?
KURR: Well, I don't think it likes human blood. I don't its targeting humans at all. I think these two attacks were actually accidents, the shark just happening to be coming to this beach. And that's the weird thing that we investigated in this film, "great white serial killer." We want to figure out why a great white shark might come to this beach. Because when you look at the statistics, there has only been five fatal shark attacks off California since 2000. The last two occurred at surf beach. And in the course, in film we discover, it might be a toxic chemical in the water that is affecting marine life and attracting sharks to the beach.
BROWN: This is really startling information. What else did you find in the course of making this film?
KURR: Well, there was actually an attack if 2008 which goes with the two-year theory -- 2008, 2010, 2012. And that correlates with white shark migration patterns up and down the coast. Every two years, large pregnant female, white sharks migrate from the San Francisco area out to the pacific down to Mexico and it might be passing right by surf beach on the same day every two years.
They are much like, you know, homing pigeons. They have like a built in GPS that allows them to find places like this and they are creatures of habit. They return and they return again and again. But it is definitely not a malicious thing. They're not targeting humans. They're there probably to find seals that might have been affected by the toxic chemical.
BROWN: OK. So you think that it was more accidentally targeted the humans thinking it was something else, essentially, right?
KURR: Yes. It was just bad luck. I mean, humans and white sharks are actually together in the water a lot and people don't realize the sharks are there. I have flown in helicopters up and down the coast of southern California and looked down and seen white sharks in among the people. They rarely attack. The weird thing is that it's happened at Surf Beach, you know, in 2010 and 2012. And, you know, if the shark is true to its nature, I'm thinking it may come back again in 2014. So that's -- we want to get the warning out. People should be cautious in October of 2014 if the shark does again return.
BROWN: So I'm assuming you will not be at Surf's Beach October of 2014?
KURR: I will be there, definitely.
BROWN: OK. I won't be there.
KURR: I want to figure it out. Nobody else should be there. I'll probably be out there in a kayak with go-pro cameras trying to get some ID shots of this animal, maybe DNA to solve the case.
BROWN: You are a brave man, Jeff Kurr. I have to say. I have a strong fear of sharks and when I read about this story, I just -- I couldn't believe it. It is fascinating stuff.
Thank you so much for coming on the show and sharing what you know about this. Thank you.
KURR: Thanks, Pamela.
BROWN: Well, what was supposed to be a celebration quickly took a turn for the worst. A guy falls out of a hotel window at a bachelor's party and we have the details just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROWN: A quick look at some of our top stories on this Sunday.
There's a new conspiracy theory in the death of Princess Diana nearly 16 years ago. Parents-in-law, the British Special Forces sniper reportedly say the British military killed her. And according to a British newspaper, the couple released the claim after their daughter's marriage to the sniper fell apart. Scotland Yard is now assessing the credibility of the new information but says this is not a reinvestigation of Diana's death.
And a fast-moving wildfire in Idaho is forcing thousands of families to pack up and leave their homes. We do have new photos of the huge blaze. Take a look here. This is from ireporter John Koth in Haley, Idaho. Strong winds are once again stoking flames creating huge clouds and smoke there in Idaho. More than 1,000 firefighters are battling the blaze and they have a lot to contend with.
The Beaver Creek wildfire has burned more than 1,000 acres and is only nine percent contained and officials believe it will continue to spread.
Sad story here. A bachelor party at a Colorado hotel results in the death of a friend of the groom. Our Denver affiliate KUSA reports the 29-year-old man was sitting on the ledge of a window when a screen gave way. He plummeted five stories to the roof a parking garage early yesterday. Police say alcohol was found in the room but they believe the death was an accident.
A Georgia woman accused of misleading the investigation of her husband's murder could learn her fate tomorrow. Andrea Sneiderman was initially charge with the arranging the murder after having an affair with her former boss, but those charges were reduced to perjury and hindering the investigation. Rusty Sneiderman was shot and killed back in 2010. The ex-boss, Hemy Neuman, was found guilty but mentally ill. Andrea Sneiderman pleaded not guilty to 13 counts.
The 16-year-old kidnap victim, Hannah Anderson, is preparing for a public memorial service to honor her mother and brother next weekend. Authorities say family friend, Jim DiMaggio tortured and killed before 8-year-old Ethan and the mother, Christina, before he kidnapped Hannah. Their bodies were found in the burning home.
Hannah was later rescued and DiMaggio killed by FBI agent in Idaho. Earlier this week, Hannah wrote, my two angels next to a photo of her mother and brother on Instagram. The San Diego Union Tribune reports, the joint memorial service is set for Saturday in California.
Well, tonight, CNN brings you dramatic details of the kidnapping and the effort that led to her rescue in the Idaho wilderness. Anderson Cooper "Special Report, kidnapped, the rescue of Hannah Anderson" airs tonight at 6:30 p.m. eastern time.
And let's go to Cairo now. That's where the initial protests that where calmer and reports of violence fewer today but that didn't last long in Egypt. Just n the past few minutes, we are getting new details of a street assault and fight between militants and security officials that left many people dead.
CNN's Nick Paton Walsh is in Cairo for us.
And Nick, we know you can't really move around too easily because of the curfew. But, what do you know about this incident in Cairo? What can you tell us?
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, during the day, large number of Muslim brotherhood individuals taken prisoners during the clearance in the mosque here in central Cairo. They were being moved from the center of the city to a prison on the outskirts to its north.
Now, it appears during this, some state media reports conflicting here, but some suggest militants attacked part of the convoy, some suggest that maybe a police officer traveling with these prisoners taken hostage. At the end of the day, they are all clear that there are now 36, at least of those prisoners dead suffocated to death by teargas that seems to have been fired in to the vehicle they were traveling in.
But this comes after a day of comparative calm here in Central Cairo. The Muslim brotherhood planned two large protest marches to move towards two government buildings and the military always threatened to use live ammunition to repel anyone that may threatens state institutions. As dust and the curfew you mentioned, Pamela, set in, the marches were scaled back significantly. We have seen one or two small scattered protests around Egypt and the government, well the head of the army, General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, saying that there were quote room for everyone in Egypt where there is a suggestion, maybe, he is suffering towards brotherhood, but frankly, many putting it out of context of days of really hard line rhetoric against the Muslim brotherhood. Real concern that the violence could rear its ugly head again, Pamela.
BROWN: Right. And in light of that, Nick, we are hearing that some of the government authorities are actually considering banning the Muslim brotherhood there in Egypt. What are you hearing about that?
WALSH: Well, that does fit with the pattern that we have been hearing in the past few days, the Muslim brotherhood terrorist and more was framing the fight against them and the global war on terror. I remember from the last decade, putting the brotherhood as an illegal organization, they have been that for decades before. They found power after the fall of Hosni Mubarak that would certainly, though, many argue force them further underground, does that risk them getting more violent being to play more of its extremists? We have to see. It's still a government signal. They haven't passed a law but fits in with the intense crackdown we have been seeing, Pamela.
BROWN: All right, Nick Paton Walsh. Thank you so much for reporting there in Cairo and stay safe.
Well, the events in Egypt are closely watched all over the world, but specially by Egyptian people living outside their homeland.
Our Alina Cho is in the part of Queens, New York called little Egypt.
ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Pamela, I think it's safe to say that emotions are running high here in little Egypt. People are angry. They are fearful. One man was reduced to tears. You know, when you walk around the streets here, when you visit cafes, all of the TVs are set to the news coverage. People are obviously watching the developments very closely.
Most of the people we spoke to said that they support the military that ousted President Mohamed Morsi. They say that even though he was a democratically elected president, he made promises to take care of the Egyptian people and didn't deliver.
They also say that Morsi's Muslim brotherhood is a terrorist group. But mostly, around here, the tone seems to be one of concern for the homeland.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: What's going on there, what's --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What's going on? Killing people in the streets, innocent people.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Eighty-four children in one day, why? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm a Muslim, and you know, but I'm against the Muslim brotherhood and what they are doing. You know? We thought when he come to the power he would work for the Egyptian people but he was working for his organization or his Muslim -- it's not fair.
CHO: Why is this bringing you --?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because Egypt is my country. That's it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: Stunning to see a grown man cry when talking about the situation in Egypt, but I have to tell you, Pamela, when you look at the bloodshed day after day, no signs of letting up, relatives living close by, I suppose it's hard not to get emotional. Pamela?
BROWN: Absolutely. That was a really powerful interview. Alina Cho, thank you.
Well, it is said that coffee can help fight depression or it might raise your blood pressure. On the other hand, it could lower the risk of diabetes. Now a new study is saying it might send you to an earlier grave. So, is it bad, is it good? So many conflicting reports, and our doctor breaks it all down, sorts it all out for us right after this break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROWN: Well, just days after learning that childhood obesity rates are dropping in the U.S., some sobering news of overweight adults. According to a study in the American Journal of Public Health, obesity kills nearly one in five U.S. adults who die between the ages of 40 and 85. That's nearly three times greater than previously thought. And even more sobering, researchers expect adult obesity deaths to rise and perhaps lead to declines in overall U.S. life expectancy.
All right. Well, here's a little fun fact about me. I really like to drink coffee, a lot of it. And I have a feeling that I am not alone. I'm sure a lot of you like to drink coffee, as well. So the next story coming up definitely caught my attention, and I'm sure it will catch yours. The Mayo Clinic just released a study about coffee, and it found that if you're 55 and under and drink more than four cups per day, you may be at greater risk of dying early. And not just from heart problems or something like that, but from all problems.
So I brought out our Dr. Devi on the show to break this down for us. So, you know, we see all of these studies that seems like every other week, Dr. Devi, we hear coffee's good, it's bad. This latest study basically saying, you shouldn't drink any more than four cups. Can you tell us more about what led to this conclusion?
DR. DEVI NAMPIAPARAMPIL, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, NYU SCHOOL OF MEDICINE: Sure, Pamela. I feel the same way as you about coffee, actually. I love my morning cup, so this study was a little bit concerning. It came out this past week and it showed that basically if you're under 55 and you're a heavy coffee drinker, you might be more at risk to die of any cause, not just heart-related problems or something related to digestion.
Now, one thing to keep in mind, in an ideal study, what you do is you look at people who are noncoffee drinkers, and you give them large amounts of coffee to see what happens. This study actually looked at people over the course of 30 years, and they didn't actually do that. What they did was they looked at people who were already coffee drinkers, heavy coffee drinkers and people who are not and just let them continue with their usual habits. So there might be thing that is are different about people who drink coffee regularly compared to people that don't drink coffee. And those might be factors, as well.
BROWN: What about the age? You said it applies to people under the age of 55. Do you know why that is?
NAMPIAPARAMPIL: Well, we don't know for sure, but there are other studies looking at people who are a little bit older, so different age range, between 50 and 70. This is another powerful NIH study that came out about a year ago. And they found in that group that coffee was protective.
So we don't know -- I mean, there might be different reasons why people of different ages drink coffee. People who are younger may be drinking coffee for reasons related to work or stress. I know, for example, the time I drank the most coffee in my life was during residency, and that was because I was exhausted all the time. But I felt like I was under a lot of pressure to actually get things done and drank a lot of coffee at that time. But I felt like I was under a lot of pressure to actually get things done. So, I drank a large amount of coffee at that time.
So, it might actually be more related to sleep or sleep deprivation and also related to perhaps even the type of coffee that people drink. So, we don't know if people in different age groups drink more espresso versus filtered coffee versus other types of coffee.
BROWN: And not only that, I know a lot of people drink the venti cups of coffee, sometimes four of those. So, that doesn't help. And this study talks about the smaller cups, you know, eight ounces.
What are we supposed to believe here, though, Dr. Devi? You know, there was a recent report that came out saying that coffee could actually lower risk of early death. What do you think we should believe, and how much coffee do you think we should drink?
NAMPIAPARAMPIL: I think it's hard to say for sure. At least in terms of individual people, I think we need to look at people's symptoms. So, if you're a coffee drinker and you're actually having, let's say, palpitations or you're having problems with reflux or heartburn, then I think you probably need to cut down anyway. We see people also have a lot of headaches or chronic pain sometimes related to caffeine use, having large amounts of coffee. So, I would say then it might be good idea to kind of cut down.
But I definitely think we need to look at why people drink coffee. So, for example, if somebody's drinking large amounts of coffee because they never get any sleep, I think that's a bigger thing to look at than actually the number of cups they're drinking. So, we need to look at sleep deprivation. For example, even just last week somebody in New Zealand, a lady who drove 200 miles just texting and driving and sleeping at the same time under the effect of sleeping pills.
So, definitely the reasons that people drink caffeine, the reasons that people stay awake or don't sleep, these are all factors to be considered.
BROWN: Yes, I read -- that's such a crazy story. More and more people are relying on sleeping pills, according to the numbers out there and as a result probably drinking more coffee, as well. So, lots of factors to look at. Thank you so much, Dr. Devi, for breaking it down for us. We appreciate it.
NAMPIAPARAMPIL: Thanks so much.
BROWN: For those of you sports fans out there still arguing over whether the designated hitter rule is bad for baseball, here's a new controversy to get you all fired up. Are you ready for instant replay in baseball? That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROWN: Recognize who that is? Rock n roll all night, party everyday, and score some touchdowns, too. A little bit of everything. The legendary rockers Kiss are the owners of the arena football league's new Los Angeles franchise. The team will be aptly named the L.A. Kiss. They'll join the league in 2014, and every fan who buys a season ticket will be invited to a free Kiss concert. Pretty good deal there.
And let's continue to talk about sports here because this is a controversial story. I mean, a lot of sports fans, baseball fans in particular - you know, pro-football already has instant replay, and now baseball managers may get a chance to challenge calls on the field.
Terrance Moore joins me now. He is a sports contributor to CNN.com and a columnist for MLB.com. Terrance, let's talk about this. I know everyone hates to see an umpire make a bad call, but fans also complain that baseball games are just too long. If this actually goes in to effect with these instant replays, what do you think? Do you think it's going to make these games even longer?
TERRANCE MOORE, CNN.COM SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR: Well, first of all, Pam, this is a brutal idea. Okay? And let's start with this. The World Series has been played for more than 100 years. Nobody can come up with more than say, two or three calls maybe that perhaps could have cost a team a world championship. By Major League Baseball's own statistics, one out of every five games has a blown call. So, you know, that's not an issue here.
And what's going on, the bottom line, this is the knee-jerk society of America rearing its ugly head again. And to get to your point, next year, when all these games start lasting the time to fly from here in Atlanta to Mars, those same people who want instant replay, they will be screaming about instant replay.
BROWN: All right. We'll have to see about that. But in all fairness the league claims it will be able to review a umpire's call in less than two minutes. So, no long delays. Do you think that's realistic?
MOORE: OK. Let's say, for instance, they're telling the truth. Which they aren't. But let's say if that's the true, what they're not telling us, the supporters of instant replay, are all the other horror stories. For instance, each manager gets three challenges. But if a manager wins the challenge, he gets another challenge. And then another challenge. So, that's more time right there.
The pitcher, all right, during these challenges, the pitcher is not warming up or barely warming up. He's going to want to warm up after the decision is made. That's more time. And then the other thing is, even though they're saying that you're not allowed to argue after these challenges are decided, we all know that arguing is in the DNA of your average baseball person. These games will never end.
BROWN: Yes, and look what we see in football.
All right. Let's shift our focus and talk about the Alex Rodriguez saga. Just seems like it will not go away. He's appealing his suspension for alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs. And now "60 Minutes" is reporting that he actually implicated two other players even while insisting that he's innocent. His attorney is denying all of this. But what is your reaction to this latest report?
MOORE: Well, I'll tell you what, Pam. It seems like every day, if not every hour, there's another horror story involving Alex Rodriguez. And this is one of the worst ones because if it's proven true that he is squealing on his fellow baseball players, he will never again be able to be in a Major League clubhouse. And in addition to this, within the last 24 hours, you have got this nasty dispute again between Alex Rodriguez and the Yankees over his medical records. It just goes on and on. It's just outrageous.
BROWN: Yes. You wonder if the suspension does go through after the appeal and he's out for the rest of this season, the rest of next season, will he be able to go back and join another team and get back in the league? You look at his age, as well as a factor. What do you think?
MOORE: Oh, I mean, that's too much stuff out there. As you say, if the suspension does go through here, he will never again play Major League Baseball.
BROWN: Wow. That's a strong statement there, Terrance.
All right. Finally I want to get to this study. This is out of Emory University in Atlanta. And it tried to determine the most loyal and supportive NFL fans. So, let's take a look at who's on top. The Dallas Cowboys, that's followed by the Patriots, Jets, Saints and Giants. Does this really mean Dallas is truly America's team? I have to tell you, Terrance I come from a family of Dallas Cowboy fans, and they are die hard fans! (LAUGHTER)
MOORE: Well, I got to tell you this, Pam. Your Dallas Cowboys have only won one playoff game since 1996. So, they are not America's team. America's team is the team number they had at number 14 on the list, the Green Bay Packers. I mean, you look at the Green Bay Packers. The Packers are the only professional team that is owned by the public. They have this great history, and they've actually won a world championship in this century, which your Dallas Cowboys have not done that.
BROWN: All right. You didn't have to remind me of that, Terrance, okay?
(LAUGHTER)
BROWN: All right, we can't let you go before we take a look at the bottom five here. Detroit is 28. Tampa Bay, then Arizona at number 30. The Falcons are next to last, and the Oakland Raiders are right there at the bottom. What do you think? Why are these teams at the bottom?
MOORE: Well, Pam, as you can tell, I probably don't think too much about this survey. And only thing to figure out is, they don't have a star on the helmet and they don't play in a $1.2 billion stadium. Outside of that, I think the survey is very flawed.
BROWN: All right. Well, there you have it. Terrance, thank you for coming on the show and talking with us. It was a pleasure talking with you.
MOORE: Thank you. Good to see you, Pam.
BROWN: You, too.
Remember Wild Thing from the movie Major League? That character had nothing on Washington Nationals pitcher Steven Strasburg. Strasburg was ejected last night in the second inning after throwing three straight wild pitches. Washington manager Davey Johnson had hinted payback would be coming after Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper was hit by a Braves pitcher three times in four games. Johnson was also ejected.
And the tragic sports story to pass along for you now. Diontre Turmin (ph), an Atlanta area high school football player died after breaking his neck in a preseason game. The 16-year-old cornerback went limp immediately after making a tackle and he remained unresponsive on the field. Diontre had already been offered a scholarship to the University of Kentucky and was being heavily recruited by other schools.
Well, his attorney says Olympian Oscar Pistorius will go to trial in March next year for shooting his girlfriend to death. And the attorney says the trial will probably last more than a year. But first, the South African track star must be indicted, and that's happening tomorrow. CNN's Robyn Curnow has more on what that hearing may reveal.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
REEVA STEENKAMP, MODEL: Hi, I'm Reeva Steenkamp (inaudible).
ROBYN CURNOW, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): She was one of South Africa's top models and on Monday Reeva Steenkamp would have turned 30.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Here it comes.
CURNOW (voice-over): August 19th, instead marked by a return to court for her boyfriend Oscar Pistorius. The second appearance since he was granted bail in February. The Olympic star is charged with the premeditated murder of Steenkamp. She was shot and killed by Pistorius inside the bar on Valentine's Day. Pistorius said it was a tragic mistake. He heard noises and thought Steenkamp was an intruder. The state says it was intentional and after a two-month delay, the prosecution says the investigation is finished and their indictment is ready. KELLY PHELPS, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: So now on Monday we start to get an indication of which of those initial allegations they have now managed or feel that they have managed to back up with evidence.
CURNOW: Also, on Monday, a trial date is expected to be set. A family spokesperson tells CNN the defense is preparing for a long trial full of more postponements.
PHELPS: Similar sorts of cases have taken as long as two years, three years in order to get from the beginning of the trial to sentencing, for example. And over a year to get to a conviction stage.
CURNOW: A trial that the family of Reeva Steenkamp said they will not attend.
Robyn Curnow, CNN, Pretoria.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BROWN: Well, Carnegie Hall is a little like the Super Bowl for musicians. And many people work their entire lives for a chance to play there. Well, one didn't have to wait that long. She is just 11 years old, and you are going to meet her, up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROWN: While others her age are likely playing video games, Daniela Liebman is getting ready to play at Carnegie Hall. She is only 11 years old. She is a piano prodigy who first showed signs of her talent before most kids can even tie their shoes. CNN's Rafael Romo has her story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DANIELA LIEBMAN, PIANO PRODIGY: Hi, my name is Daniela Liebman.
RAFAEL ROMO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: She is not shy in front of the cameras. She's not shy either when she performs in front of large audiences in concert halls around Mexico. Daniela is only 11 years old, but the Mexican-American musical prodigy has already won international piano competitions in Spain, Germany and the United States.
LIEBMAN: How I started was my dad's a violinist, so he started me when I was three, learning in general music, like, learning the notes, singing. And well, then, we started seriously at the age of 5, saying I'm going to be a concert pianist for the rest of my life.
ROMO: Liebman is getting ready for the biggest opportunity of her young life. This fall, she will perform as a soloist with the Park Avenue Chamber Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall in New York. Her father says that when he noticed Daniela had an unusual ability to understand rhythm and music, he sent her to take lessons with a renowned piano teacher.
ROBERT LIEBMAN, DANIELA'S FATEHR: When she started to play the piano, she got very quickly the idea she could express her feelings through her fingers.
D. LIEBMAN: You've got to feel the music. You feel -- I feel it's part of me. That the piano is playing me instead of I'm playing the piano.
ROMO: Maria Luisa Martinez, her mother, says her daughter is still very much a little girl.
MARIA LUISA MARTINEZ, DANIELA'S MOTHER: She is on, like right now, rolling on the floor. She plays with the dog. She doesn't take care of her shoes. She is a kid. She is a kid, and we love her. We don't want to stop seeing her as a kid.
ROMO: The young pianist finds inspiration at the (INAUDIBLE) theater in her native Guadalajara, the same theater where her hero, Placido Domingo, made his debut. And where she also started a career that moved as swiftly as her fingers over ebony and ivory.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BROWN: Incredible story there.
Seattle police took on a different task this weekend.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Seattle cops are pretty cool.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: These are delicious.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: These are so good.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: It's called Operation Orange Fingers. The mission: to teach pot smokers a few lessons during the city's Hemp Fest. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROWN: Cops handed out Doritos to marijuana smokers in Seattle this past weekend. And curbing the munchies was not the ultimate goal here. The Doritos giveaway happened at a Seattle's Hemp Fest, a festival celebrating marijuana. Police are using Doritos to educate people in Washington State's new marijuana laws. That campaign is called Operation Orange Fingers. Messages on the Doritos bags explain new rules for using recreational marijuana in Washington State. Adults are allowed to possess up to an ounce of marijuana there.
And now, here are the five things you need to know for your week ahead. We are calling it our Weekly Five.
Monday, "Blade Runner" Oscar Pistorius will be in court, where he will be formally charged with premeditated murder. It's the same day his girlfriend would have turned 30 years old. Pistorius admits shooting her to death, but he says it was an accident.
President Obama welcomes the 1972 Super Bowl champion Miami Dolphins to the White House on Tuesday. The team missed the honor 41 years ago because of the Watergate scandal that engulfed President Richard Nixon.
George Zimmerman's wife, Shelly, is due in court Wednesday for the start of her perjury trial. She is accused of lying under oath during an April bond hearing about whether she could afford her husband's legal fees.
President Obama will be talking economics and the importance of a college education when he rolls into western New York on Thursday. It's all part of the administration's two-day economic bus tour. Mr. Obama will also make a stop in Pennsylvania.
And on Friday, we'll get an important indicator how the country's housing market is doing when the new home sales report is released. Last month, sales surged 8.3 percent. And that's your weekly five.
And you are in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Pamela Brown filling in for Don Lemon. Nice to have you here with us.
