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FDA Regulates Pet Food; Party Problem For Maryland's Attorney General; German Intelligence Prepares For Trip To U.S.; Three Children Die In New York Apartment Fire; Thirteen-Year-Old Aims To Stop Bullying; A Look At Available Evidence In Martha Moxley Case; Possible Turning Point In Debate Over Captivity Killer Whales; Who Pays What For Starbucks 'Round The World

Aired October 26, 2013 - 15:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: All right, it's 3:00 on the East Coast, noon on the West. For those of you just now joining us, welcome to the CNN Newsroom, the third hour this afternoon. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Here are the top stories we're following for you.

Right now, protesters in D.C. showing their anger over the U.S. spying on international allies and U.S. citizens.

The FDA regulates the food we eat but what about the food we give our pets? The push to make food safer for our dogs and cats.

And a party problem for Maryland's attorney general, he is in hot water for going to high school -- a high school bash rather and not stopping the underage drinking.

An intelligence team from Germany is preparing to come to the U.S. after claims the NSA spied on foreign leaders. Those claims have sparked sharp criticism from abroad and also at home. There's a big rally going on right now in Washington. People have been speaking out and speaking all day about their disapproval of the NSA program.

Erin McPike is live for us right now in Washington.

So Erin, let's begin with the news of a team from Germany coming to the U.S. What will happen once they arrive?

ERIN MCPIKE, CNN GENERAL ASSIGNMENT CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, the White House has acknowledged that these new revelations have certainly caused some tension with Germany and they've acknowledged this meeting. Just earlier today, Caitlin Hayden, who is the spokeswoman for the national Security Council at the White House, put out a statement and I want to read part of that to you.

She says we understand that German officials plan to travel to Washington in the coming weeks and the U.S. government looks forward to meeting with them. We expect a range with relevant officials across the interagency, but we do not have specific meetings to announce at this point. And Fred, I would point out that just yesterday, a spokesman for the state department sort of acknowledged that this has been difficult because, of course, Germany is trying to draft a U.N. resolution with Brazil. And Germany has also talked about having a conference with France to address some of these problems. So obviously, Germany is not happy with the United States over this, Fred.

WHITFIELD: OK. Now, let's talk a little bit more about the rally taking place in the nation's capital there. What's been said, what's been done? What are people hoping will come from this rally?

MCPIKE: Well, this is the largest rally we've seen yet, protesting mass surveillance by the NSA. And, in fact, Edward Snowden who is the whistleblower who brought this all to light has basically given his stamp of approval to this rally. And just within the last hour or so, a statement was read at the rally that he provided to the ACLU. And we want to play part of that for you.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JESSELYN RADACK, GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT: We have not forgotten that the fourth amendment in our bill of rights prohibits government not only from searching our personal effects without a warrant but from seizing them in the first place and doing so in secret. Holding to this principle, we declare that mass surveillance has no place in this country. It is time for reform. Elections are coming and we are watching you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCPIKE: So that statement was something that Edward Snowden provided and it was just read before all the protesters gathered for that rally. But, of course, this rally is about the piece of surveillance that is on the domestic side. So, data collection of private citizens in the United States and it's more about that as opposed to the anger over the surveillance of foreign leaders -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Erin McPike, thanks so much.

The White House said this week that the healthcare.gov Web site should be running smoothly by the end of November. The Republicans responded today in their weekly radio address. Congressman Fred Upton said Americans should expect reliable service from the Web site. He also said the deadline for individuals to sign up should be pushed back because the site is still, quote, in his words "not ready for prime time."

All right, three children are dead after an apartment fire in New York. And fire crews say a candle they used to light the kitchen started it all.

Alexandra Field is following the story for us in New York.

This is tragic, Alexandra.

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, investigators say the tragic fire that killed three young brothers in the Bronx last night was an accident. It started with a candle lit in the kitchen, the fire spread just a day after the power company Con-Ed had cut electricity to the apartment. A spokesman for the company said there were thousands of dollars with the unpaid bills. The flames quickly swept through the apartment building killing a 5-year-old boy, a 2- year-old boy and their 4-month-old brother. A neighbor says she could hear them screaming, but flames and the smoke were so thick, she couldn't help.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CYNTHIA WOODS, FRIEND OF THE VICTIM: So, I'm down stairs in the faucet and I kicked the door open. I tried to get the kids because I heard the kids hollering, but the fire was heavy. So I fell and I couldn't get into the house to save the kids. I couldn't get them. I couldn't get the kids out. I hear them crying and it was burning and I couldn't get them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: That is heartbreaking, Alexandra.

So, you know, the boys' mother and their two sisters were taken to the hospital. The girls are both in intensive care. Three other people were also taken to hospitals. What more do we know about the circumstances and where the investigation goes from here?

FIELD: Well, at this point, they are telling us the fire clearly was an accident started with that candle, the unfortunate timing here knowing the electric had been cut off the day before, the flame spread, it was a six-story apartment building.

So, Fredricka, a number of other people in that building and as we reported, three other people injured, also the mother of those three young boys and their two sisters among the group taken to the hospital -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: Terrible situation.

All right, thanks so much Alexandra Field there in New York.

A bombshell revelation in the Jonbenet Ramsey murder case. New documents just unsealed point fingers at her parents.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Grand jury documents have been unsealed in the Jonbenet Ramsey case. Nearly 17 years after the 6-year-old's death. They show the grand jury in 1999 voted to indict her parents on charges of child abuse resulting in death.

Tom Foreman has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The new documents only add to the mystery of what happened to 6-year-old Jonbenet Ramsey, found dead in her Colorado home the day after Christmas 1996. The grand jury said both of the girl's parents, John and Patsy, did unlawfully, knowingly, recklessly and feloniously permitted a child to be placed in a situation which posed a threat of injury which resulted in the death of Jonbenet Ramsey.

Furthermore, the documents accused each parent of helping someone suspected of a crime to avoid arrest, whether helping each other or another, that's unclear. The Ramseys insisted the killing was the work of an unknown intruder.

PATSY RAMSEY, JONBENET RAMSEY'S MOTHER: There's a killer on the loose. If I were a resident of Boulder, I would tell my friends to keep -- keep your babies close to you, there's someone out there.

FOREMAN: Although at first the murder looked like a botched kidnapping, the Ramseys were suspected. Their daughter had been struck on the head and strangled with a thin piece of cord tightened with a broken paint brush from Patsy's hobby kit. A random note contained little known details of the family's finances and history. And state investigators thought it was in Patsy's handwriting. There were no clear signs of forced entry, and tension between investigators and the family rose rapidly.

John Ramsey would much later suggest he was not surprised by the police scrutiny.

LARRY KING, CNN HOST, LARRY KING LIVE: Why did they think it was you?

JOHN RAMSEY, JONBENET RAMSEY'S FATHER: Because the police always go after the parents, and we understand that.

FOREMAN (voice-over): But prosecutors would not go after them even though the grand jury apparently wanted to.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We do not have sufficient evidence to warrant the filing of charges.

FOREMAN (voice-over): Five years ago, authorities took the unusual step of clearing John and Patsy Ramsey based on suspicion of DNA evidence even though she died of cancer and he had moved away.

(on camera): Indeed, most of the people connected to this story investigators, officials, witnesses have all moved on. And the release of these documents really changes nothing. The case remains technically still open but there is no sign of any real progress and still no answer to the question, who killed that six-year-old girl in her own home on Christmas night?

Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Thanks so much, Tom.

So, one reporter in Boulder, Colorado, has been following every step of this case for 17 years now. Charlie Brennan broke the story in January of this year about what was in that sealed grand jury report from 1999. And then he pushed for the release of the actual document. And he told me why that was so important to him.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHARLIE BRENNAN, REPORTER, BOULDER DAILY CAMERA (via phone): I realized after publishing this story in January about the existence of the indictment there were still many people who kind of looked at it as a, well, maybe it is, maybe it isn't, maybe there was, maybe there wasn't, and I just realized as a journalist that she nailed the story down with absolute certainty is important to obtain and show to the public the actual indictments that reflected the decision of the grand jury back in October of 1999.

WHITFIELD: So in addition to the indictment, there were the DNA test results, tests that came nine years after this indictment clearing the Ramsey parents. So, don't those test results who make the indictment irrelevant or is it still important in your view?

BRENNAN: Well, you could almost word it -- in a way, you could almost argue the indictment is irrelevant even after the DNA issue in that the charge that is specified in the indictment, child abuse involved in death had a three-year statute of limitations that would've expired in 2002. So nobody is going to jail based on these indictments.

However, reference the 2008 exoneration by then D.A. Mary Lacy. That is viewed by many prosecutors, particularly those that I've talked to in Colorado somewhat as scams. They say the business of the prosecutor is not clearing people but charging people and it is only by charging somebody that you then de facto have cleared other people. But the important thing is Mary Lacy the D.A. who issued that exoneration has been out of office for five years and her successor, the current boulder D.A. (INAUDIBLE) does not consider his hands to be tied by that exoneration.

WHITFIELD: When talking about that indictment or that grand jury indictment, what kind of evidence in your view did they have to come to that determination that somehow the parents may have been responsible?

BRENNAN: That grand jury sat for 13 months. They did not meet for every day of every week certainly for those 13 months, but they were taking testimony on and off for 13 months. And the grand jury process, of course, is such that a lot remains secret about not only the evidence that they saw but even the witnesses that came before them. I was one of the reporters that covered the grand jury. We saw many of the witnesses that come and go, but we didn't see all the witnesses come and go. We don't know the evidence, all the evidence by any stress of the imagination that the jury heard. Consequently, we really can't know even to this day specifically on what evidence these indictments are based.

WHITFIELD: Is it your view that this case will never be solved?

BRENNAN: I believe that the only way this case would ever be solved at this point is if there was a confession that was backed up by irrefutable physical evidence.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Thanks so much, Charlie Brennan from the "Boulder Daily Camera."

All right, tainted dog treats have made thousands of family pets sick across the country. How the government is stepping in to try to prevent it from happening again.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. The federal government has safety regulations for the food you and I eat, but what about for your pet? There are almost no laws regulating production of food for your furry friend.

But as CNN's Rene Marsh reports, that could soon change.

RENE MARSH, CNN AVIATION AND GOVERNMENT REGULATION CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fred, the food and drug administration is proposing new rules for companies that make dog and cat food. The rules would require the same methods that keep human food safe like better sanitation. The goal is to protect animal foods from bacterias, chemicals and other contaminants.

The head of the FDA says the announcement, quote, "addresses a critical part of the food system."

Now, earlier this week, the agency reported more than 3,000 pets may have gotten sick from jerky treats made in China and the U.S. right now, there are almost no rules on pet food safety. But the FDA has issued multiple recalls in the past few years. Just last year, a salmonella outbreak at a facility in South Carolina led to a recall of 30,000 tons of dog and cat food. Forty-seven people across the country got sick from handling that food.

Now, the new rules would also apply to animal feed for livestock. People can, of course, become ill if they eat sick animals. So, it's not just the pets that the FDA is worried about, the rules still need final approval -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, Rene Marsh, thanks so much.

So for more on the possible new changes, I'm joined by consumer advocate, Chris Waldrop. He is the director of the food policy institute for the consumer federation of America.

So Chris, good to see you.

CHRIS WALDROP, DIRECTOR OF THE FOOD POLICY INSTITUTE, CONSUMER FEDERATION OF AMERICA: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: So, what are these new FDA pet food regulations going to do?

WALDROP: Well, they're going to for the first time ever require pet food manufacturers to meet federal standards and federal requirements to make sure that they're producing pet food safely. And this is something that's never been required before of pet food manufacturers. And hopefully, will prevent these types of outbreaks and these types of contamination events from occurring.

WHITFIELD: How far down the line are we talking?

WALDROP: So, this is going to be -- the FDA just proposed the rules. It's going to take some time for them to make comments and finalize the rules. So, it's probably another year or so before they actually get them on the books and start enforcing them.

WHITFIELD: So, until that happens, how concerned should we be about the product from overseas in particular that are on the shelves?

WALDROP: Well, there is concern because we've seen a number of outbreaks linked to imported food products, both on the human and the animal side. And there is concern that the FDA doesn't have the resources or the capacity to really inspect those products coming into the stores. So, getting these rules in place as soon as possible is going to be the benefit of both humans and animals.

WHITFIELD: And are we saying there have been no problems, no safety problems with U.S. products?

WALDROP: Absolutely not. We've seen the same sort of problems and outbreaks here in the U.S. linked to domestic foods. And FDA is also proposing rules that would address those, as well. And the sooner we can get this whole package of rules on the books and being enforced, the better protected consumers will be.

WHITFIELD: So in the meantime, how can we protect ourselves, our pets?

WALDROP: Well, for pets for sure, we don't know what the contamination that is causing these pets to get sick. We don't know what the source of that is. So, when it comes to the jerky treats, these chicken jerky treats and doctor treats, I would say just don't serve them to your pets because we just don't want to risk the fact they could get sick.

WHITFIELD: You think it's meat-based kind of products we should not be in terms of treat feeding to our pets?

WALDROP: Yes, so the FDA has identified chicken jerky treats and duck jerky treat. Duck jerky treats as the ones that are causing the problems. And, you know, I would advise just not serving any of those types of products to your pets.

WHITFIELD: All right, no chicken, no duck.

All right, thank you so much, Chris Waldrop. Appreciate your time. Thank you.

WALDROP: Thank you. WHITFIELD: All right, Maryland's attorney general right in the middle of a raging teen party and he's running for governor and he's taking heat for not trying to stop the underage drinking that was taking place. Find out what he has to say for himself.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, bottom of the hour now. Welcome back. I'm Fredericka Whitfield. Here are five things crossing the CNN news desk right now.

Number one, Germany is sending an intelligence team to the U.S. after claims that the NSA monitored Chancellor Angela Merkel's cell phone. Well, today the national Security Council says it's prepared to meet with German officials in the coming weeks, but no dates have been set.

The NSA has been criticized in Washington today in another way. Protesters there rallied against the NSA's domestic surveillance program.

And number two, a group of high school students from Kentucky escaped a massive fire that broke out on their bus on a Tennessee highway. They were on a field trip to the Great Smoky Mountains national park when a passenger saw smoke coming from the rear of the bus. Thirty- three people were onboard including the driver. No one was hurt. The exact cause of the fire is unclear. But bus company officials suspect the bad alternator.

And number three today, Senator Ted Cruz marks the opening day of pheasant hunting season in Iowa with Congressman Steve King. Cruz also delivered a speech in that politically critical state and reiterated his call for the resignation of health and human service secretary, Kathleen Sebelius. He said she should lose her job for the Obamacare Web site's technical problems.

And number four, tracks are Lolo Jones is one step closer to the winter Olympic games. Jones is now a member of the U.S. bobsledding team. She is among nine women to make the national squad. If Jones performs well over the next few months, she could participate in the 2014 games in Russia.

And number five, actress Marcia Wallace has died. She was a regular on the "Bob Newhart Show." If you recall him, you might know her as the voice as the schoolteacher on the Simpsons. Wallace was 70-years- old. Several reports say she died of complications from breast cancer.

Maryland's attorney general is under fire for his behavior at a beach house party. He's been criticized for showing up at the party but not doing anything about underage drinking reportedly going on.

Here now is Brian Todd.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A wild beach week party in Bethany beach, Delaware, with teenagers dancing on tables. But look at the man near the center in the white shirt, that's Maryland's attorney general Douglas Gansler who is running for governor. He says he was at the party in June just to talk to his son. But underage teenagers reportedly admitted they were drinking alcohol and now the photo has surfaced and Gansler is taking serious heat for not stopping it. Substance abuse expert Michael Gimbel.

MICHAEL GIMBEL, SUBSTANCE ABUSE EXPERT: You have an obligation to protect our children, to stop them from hurting themselves. Now, call the police, stop the party, do something to protect the children. It's all of our obligations as parents.

TODD (voice-over): The "Baltimore Sun" which broke this story quotes Gansler as saying he doesn't have moral authority over other people's children and he defended himself at the news conference.

DOUGLAS GANSLER (D), MARYLAND ATTORNEY GENERAL: I wasn't the leader of the party, for example -- I wasn't the chaperone. I didn't buy the beer or anything like that. I showed up, talked to my son and left.

TODD (voice-over): He also says he didn't have legal authority to stop anything at the house since he's the attorney general of another state. But another embarrassment, Gansler's been in a PSA speaking against underage drinking.

GANSLER: Parents, you're the leading influence on your teen's decision not to drink.

TODD: I asked about accusations that he's hypocritical.

GANSLER: Hypocritical would be strong. I mean, again, should I have recognized -- should I have decided -- what I could have done was investigate whether there was drinking going on and then taken action on that.

TODD: Gansler says at the time he wasn't sure there was drinking going on.

GANSLER: There could be Kool-Aid in the red cups, but there's probably beer in the red cups.

TODD: This comes on the heels of another scandalous story on Gansler.

"The Washington Post" reports that Gansler often ordered the state troopers who drove him to speed, to run red lights, to drive on shoulders with lights flashing even on routine excursions. Gansler says those accusations are untrue.

Brian Todd, CNN, Silver Spring, Maryland.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: A cousin of the Kennedy family is hoping to get out of jail after his conviction for a 1975 murder was thrown out. Does Michael Skakel have a shot at freedom? A decade ago, Jaylen Arnold became the youngest person diagnosed with Tourette's Syndrome. Well today's he's leading the charge to put an end to bullying for students across the country. Here's Dr. Sanjay Gupta with today's "Human Factor."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JAYLEN ARNOLD, HAS TOURETTE'S SYNDROME: I'm Jaylen, and I have Tourette's Syndrome. And I used to get bullied for that. A lot.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Cool, calm, confident. Thirteen-year-old Jaylen Arnold is on a mission to banish bullying for all.

ARNOLD: I've felt the pain of being bullied. And I know I've been bullied bad, but I know there are over 100 kids that are beak bullied 100 times worse than I was.

GUPTA: You see, he has Tourette's syndrome. It's a neurological disorder which causes respective movements and sounds called tics.

ROBIN ARNOLD, MOTHER OF JAYLEN: Jaylen began ticking at the age of 2. We went through several doctor appointments. Pediatrician was like, oh, my goodness, I think this is classic Tourette's case. He was only diagnosed at 3 because in order to be diagnosed with Tourette's, they have to on the behavior for one whole year.

GUPTA: Jaylen's mom Robin uploaded a video to YouTube hoping it would help children and parents alike better understand her son's disability. The video has racked up around 200,000 views. And it also captured the attention of actor, Dash Mihok, currently starring on the hit series "Ray Donovan."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DASH MIHOK, ACTOR: I was a fighting (ph).

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GUPTA: Together, Dash and Jaylen captivate their student audience working with Jaylen's Challenge Foundation to put a stop to bullying.

MIHOK: I'm here because I have a young brother named Jaylen Arnold, who reminds me of me as a kid. He has a message to bring to the world and doing it at an age that I wish that I had had the bravery to step up and reach as many people as he does.

ARNOLD: And we came up with Jaylen's Challenge because I wanted to stand up. I wanted to do something, make a difference.

It hurts to think about how much torture and how miserable a kid's life can be just because one person is causing them to feel that their self-esteem and that they're worthless.

MIHOK: We going to bully. No way.

(SHOUTING)

GUPTA: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Kennedy cousin Michael Skakel is trying to convince a judge to let him out of prison on bail while he awaits a new trial in the 1975 murder of his neighbor Martha Moxley. Skakel has been behind bars for more than a decade after being convicted of murdering her when both of them were teenagers. A judge threw out his conviction earlier in the week, and our Randi Kaye takes a look at the evidence in this long-running murder mystery.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): One of the first pieces of evidence police find at the scene of Martha Moxley's murder part of a stainless steel golf club shaft about a foot long. Another smaller piece of the blood-stained club is also found along with the head of the six iron, all covered in blood. Investigators also find several patches of blood in the area. The medical examiner determines Moxley sustained five to 10 blows to the head and at least four stab wounds from the broken golf shaft.

DORTHY MOXLEY, MARTHA MOXLEY'S MOTHER: They hit her so hard that the golf club broke. And then they took the shaft and they stabbed her with it six or seven times.

KAYE: But if Michael Skakel murdered Martha Moxley, where is the forensic evidence linking him to the brutal crime? There isn't any. No fingerprints, no footprints, not even his blood is found at the scene. Also, there's no trace of defense wounds on Moxley. This is Skakel's defense attorney the day he was arraigned in March 2000.

MICKEY SHERMAN, SKAKEL'S DEFENSE ATTORNEY: There's no scientific evidence or anything that links Michael Skakel to this crime.

KAYE: This affidavit reveals prosecutors relied mainly of the word of witnesses, a challenge because of the more than 20-year gap between the murder and the trial. One witness tells police Skakel brought up the murder, telling her he had been drunk at the time and might have committed the murder during a blackout.

Another witness reports he broke down in tears crying, "I don't know if I did or didn't. I don't know."

And finally, a third witness claims Skakel admitted murdering Moxley with the golf club when she quote, "did not submit to the advances." The same witness said Skakel told him because he was related to Ethel Kennedy, he could get away with murder.

(on camera): Tru TV reports other evidence collected at the scene includes a human hair belonging ot a white male. But it doesn't match any of the suspects. The single hair belonging to an African-American male found on the blanket used to wrap the body is dismissed as belonging to one of the first officers at the crime scene.

(voice-over): And there's this, a composite sketch someone witnesses saw in the neighborhood. Skakel believes it would have convinced the jury he didn't do it if only the jury had seen it. His defense attorney never showed it during the trial.

The unused sketch is one of the key reasons Skakel argued his defense lawyer was incompetent and that he deserves a new trial. At a recent hearing to push for his client's freedom, Skakel's new lawyer presented the composite sketch along with a picture of Kenneth Littleton, who worked as a tutor at the Skakel home. He had also been questioned at the time of the murder. Littleton's lawyer has told reporters he's innocent. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is Skakel's cousin.

ROBERT F. KENNEDY, JR., MICHAEL SKAKEL'S COUSIN: Michael was 11 miles away with five eyewitnesss at the time that the murder was committed. He has an airtight alibi.

KAYE: With his conviction set aside, Michael Skakel now has a second chance to prove it.

Randi Kaye, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And here's more with Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. about why the case needs to get a second look in his view.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KENNEDY: The family members who were contacted were never prepped for their testimony. So they were never given the statements that they had made at that time about where they were that night and what they were doing that night. So for 27 years, they hadn't thought about this.

And it's not like they were thinking the whole time, oh, well, Michael Skakel is a suspect, what really happened because Michael Skakel had never been a suspect in this case. So, what they'd been doing that night, they had been far away from where the murder was, and it was a tragedy and a curiosity for them. But it wasn't something where they were thinking, you know, there's -- it wasn't something they were preoccupied with for 27 years.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: And, again, Kennedy said Skakel had an airtight alibi for the night Moxley was killed, claiming witnesses saw him 11 miles away at the time of her death.

All right. Should killer whales be kept in captivity? Up next, we'll take a look at what may have been a turning point in that debate.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Killer whales have been a huge attraction at aquariums for years. Some say it raises awareness and helps in research. Others charge it is simply a cruel way to treat animals. Martin Savidge looks at what could be a turning point in the debate.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Sea World Orlando, 2010. In front of horrified visitors, veteran trainer Dawn Brancheau is dragged into the water, mauled and drowned by the killer whale she'd worked with for years.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All of a sudden the whale latched on to her and took her under.

SAVIDGE: It's more than a tragedy, it's a turning point. In its wake, the Occupational Safety Health Administration orders Sea World to keep trainers out of the water with its star performers. High-flying days like these are over.

Sea World turned down our repeated requests for interviews, but in an op-ed noted its staff has been interacting with captive killer whales daily for nearly 50 years. "The tragedy of Dawn's death cannot and has not been ignored, but neither should the literally millions of safe interactions we've had with killer whales over that span of time."

ANNOUNCER: As part of a publicity stunt --

SAVIDGE: But critics say there have been many incidents suggesting otherwise. Video clips of captive killer whales gone wild are easily found on the Web.

ANNOUNCER: The whale bites down on her leg and won't let go.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's pulled under, helpless as the whale drags him below.

SAVIDGE: Killer whales, also called orcas, are not actually whales but dolphins. Animal activists claim they're too intelligent, too socially dependent on their families and just too big for captivity. Neuroscientist Laurie Marino says they are one of the few creatures besides us that are self-aware and blames their aggression in captivity on a basic problem: they're stir crazy.

LORI MERINO, NEUROSCIENTIST: This is not an individual and not a being that is going to be appropriately stimulated by throwing a hoop in the water or doing stupid pet tricks.

SAVIDGE: Sea World says it continually provides its killer whales a stimulating and challenging environment. And as for understanding them, Sea World says a bunch of what we know today came from studying captive orcas.

Marine veterinarian Greg Bossart studies bottlenosed dolphins. By comparing the health of those in captivity against those in the wild, he says, we can learn of problems in the ocean. GREG BOSSART, MARINE VETERNARIAN: There are emerging diseases we're seeing. New viruses. We're seeing things like antibiotic resistant bacteria in these dolphins, which is a terrific spin-off from pollution from man.

SAVIDGE: Former trainer Colin Baird says captivity has taught us a lot about killer whales, but believes now we've learned enough and should let them go.

(on camera): Why do you think they're still in captivity?

COLIN BAIRD, FORMER KILLER WHALE TRAINER: Well, there's dollars to be made. And, you know, big draw for these facilities that have them.

SAVIDGE: It's a business?

BAIRD: It's a business.

SAVIDGE: While the issue of captivity is certainly debatable, what isn't is the popularity of places like these. Zoos and aquariums set new attendance records almost every year.

(voice-over): Sea World Entertainment's parks pull in 11 million visitors and $1.5 billion a year. And supporters say there's a lot more to it than just entertainment. Performances educate and inspire.

PAUL BOYLE, ASSOCIATION OF ZOOS & AQUARIUMS: People are having less and less daily encounter with animals. And so these are kinds of exhibits are teaching people about the wild. If people don't know animals, they won't care about them.

SAVIDGE: Unfortunately, opponents say, audiences are not the only ones held captive by the show.

Martin Savidge, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And orca whales are thought to be the most intelligent in the animal kingdom. CNN Films follows the history of killer whales in captivity leading up to the death of a Sea World trainer in 2010. Watch "BLACKFISH," CNN, Sunday night at 9:00 p.m. Eastern time.

All right, if you've been complaining about the cost of your daily cup of coffee from Starbucks, you'll want to hear our next story. Stay tuned.

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WHITFIELD: All right, you're not alone, if you get your morning fix at Starbucks. And, you know, the coffee isn't really the cheapest around. Well, now some consumers in China are complaining that they're paying too much for their Starbucks compared to the rest of the world. So, Richard Quest got some fellow CNN reporters to show us who pays what around the globe.

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RICHARD QUEST, CNN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: It has become a staple of the morning routine, the Starbucks grande latte. Here in New York, $3.95 before tax. Now, for the rest of the world.

DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: China is the center of this brewing controversy. A cup of grande latte will cost you 30 kuai, that's about $4.92. After state media trashed Starbucks about its pricing, Chinese have trashed state media saying that perhaps it's all just a bit of a storm in a coffee cup.

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SHASTA DARLINGTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Here in Sao Paulo, the grande latte, as it's called, costs 80 reais and 30 centavos, that's about $3.80. Now, they are already 62 Starbucks coffee shops here and room to grow, considering this is the second biggest coffee- consuming country in the world.

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JIM BOULDEN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I don't think I've ever ordered a grande latte before, but here in London, it's about 2 pound 50 for this drink. I calculate that at around $4.

Now, here in the UK, Starbucks has come under fire for some of its tax policies and for actually admitting there are too many branches. But I would say $4 for a cafe latte in central London, not bad.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Grande latte for Sumnima! Here's your latte. Thank you.

SUMNIMA UDAS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Thank you very much. So a grande latte, it's still quite a new trend in New Delhi as Starbucks only entered the Indian market about a year ago, and it cost me 176 rupees or $2.87.

It's cheaper here than many other countries because Starbucks sources its coffee beans locally, so no freight charges are required and the operating costs are much lower.

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QUEST: This is the way the cups stack up, whether it's New York, London, Sao Paulo, Delhi, or Beijing. The purists amongst you will no doubt shriek, "PPP!" Purchasing Power Parity! Have we accounted for the fact that a dollar here may not buy as much or more somewhere else?

Well, maybe not. But the principle remains. Enjoy your coffee.

Richard Quest, CNN, New York. (END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: All right.

Hey, this just in in the sporting world, NASCAR race today, Darrell Wallace has just become the first African-American to win a NASCAR race in truck racing. Wallace took the victory after 96 laps at Martinsville Speedway today in Virginia. He's also the first black driver to win a NASCAR race in half a century. The last was Wendell Scott and that was back in 1963, so congrats to Darrell Wallace.

All right. When country artist Casey Musgraves put a song with gay supportive lyrics on her album, several people told her that country radio stations just wouldn't play that. When that song called, "Follow Your Arrow" released this week, those people were proven wrong.

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CASEY MUSGRAVES, COUNTRY MUSIC SINGER (singing): So make lots of noise, kiss lots of boys and kiss lots of girls if that's something you're into.

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WHITFIELD: Country stations across the country are playing that song, and CNN caught up with Musgrave this week and asked her about what inspired the song. Here's Nischelle Turner.

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NISCHELLE TURNER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Fred, you know, Casey Musgraves is one of the hottest artists in country music right now with one of the most popular songs on country radio. It's called "Follow Your Arrow." It's a song she calls a positive anthem for all people, but especially young women. The song is being buzzed about now because of a line in it where she says "kiss lots of boys or kiss lots of girls if that's something you're into." It's a hot topic because it's not often that you see country artists taking this sort of stand in their music, especially with a seeming nod to gay rights.

Now, we caught up with Casey after she performed at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles earlier this week and we asked her why this type of song now.

MUSGRAVES: I think it's 2013. And I think it's time we all just really accept each other and really love each other. and I'm just really excited for that, to be in that time period.

TURNER: Casey also says to her, her lyrics aren't even controversial.

MUSGRAVES (singing): If you save yourself for marriage, you're a bore.

MUSGRAVES: If you listen to the lyrics, it's a really positive anthem for people of all kinds across the board just to do whatever makes them happy. Because, you know, at the end of the day you're not going to be everybody's cup of tea, and that's okay. You just got to make yourself happy, and that's what it's about.

TURNER: Casey says this song is about following your heart and not just about supporting same-sex marriage. In previous interviews, she said she was told that "Follow Your Arrow" would not get a lot of play on American country radio because of its lyrics. But country music is embracing this song, which some say is a big and welcome change for the genre.

Remember, it was just 10 years ago that the Dixie Chicks faced death threats and had to install metal detectors at their shows because of comments they made about President Bush and the Iraq war. There's a little change going on here. Fred, back to you.

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WHITFIELD: OK, thanks so much, Nischelle Turner.

We got lots straight ahead in the NEWSROOM. My colleague, Don Lemon, is going to pick it up from here. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Thanks for hanging out with me afternoon. I'll see you again tomorrow. Now you're going to hang out with this man, yes.

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: You know what, Fred? I was watching Nischelle's story. I mean, we have really sort of short memories, right, as Americans, don't you think?

WHITFIELD: Yes, I guess. It depends on what.

LEMON: It depends on what, right?

WHITFIELD: For me usually, it's every day. I forgot what I had for lunch today already.

LEMON: All right. I'm just talking to you because there's something in the prompter that I don't recognize. This is not -- there we go. Okay, now it's fixed.

WHITFIELD: OK. Now you can take it away.

LEMON: Fred, have a great one, see you.