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Arctic Blast to Hit Half the U.S.; Paul Walker's Official Autopsy Released; Pot Buyers Brave Winter Storm; Enforcing New Pot Laws in Colorado; Wanted Man Who Faked Suicide Found Alive; Warren Weinstein's Family Hopes for His Release; Accused Priest Killer Jailed Hours Before Crime; Was NFL Player Cut for Same-Sex Marriage Views?; Poor Families Struggle to Stay Warm

Aired January 04, 2014 - 13:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Quote, "What are the nuns doing that they can't answer?" Then he continued. Quote, "I am Pope Francis. I wish to greet you in this end of the year. I will see if I can call you later. May God bless you."

And that from the Pope. Well, the nuns decided that they would just wait to call the Pope. And hopefully he'll call back. Well, good luck on that. We'll have much more on whether he did, indeed, call them back.

All right. We're going to have much more ahead in the NEWSROOM, and it all starts right now.

Hello, again, I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Here are the top stories we're following for you in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Round two. Here it comes again. A powerful arctic cold front is going to put nearly half of the U.S. in a dangerous deep freeze again, just days after that monster snowstorm slammed into nearly two dozen states.

And buying pot legally at a store. People in Colorado are lining up in droves just to do that. But what they do after they get out of those lines could still land them in jail potentially. We'll tell you why.

And the family of an American taken hostage by al Qaeda three years ago are speaking out after seeing him alive on video. What they want you to know this hour.

All right. The wave of nasty winter weather that's blasted about a third of the U.S. with heavy snowfall, fierce winds and bone-chilling temperatures. At least 13 deaths are now blamed on this monster storm and the dangerous conditions are about to get even worse. An arctic blast is moving into the plains right now and marching east and it's going to produce the coldest temperatures the country has seen in 20 years.

That's not welcome news to the millions of people who are already experiencing temperatures near zero.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The cold. The cold is everything right now. The doors are frozen shut.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Right?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, so it's hard.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Oh, boy, it is hard. Sub-zero temperatures could sweep as far south as Alabama, in fact, but the Midwest will suffer the most. Minneapolis, you can see wind chill temperatures as low as negative 65. That just doesn't even seem possible. That would be the second coldest wind chill on record. Officials are doing something that they rarely do in that state, they're closing school on Monday.

All right. Let's talk about how it's not only impacting those on the ground but also in the skies. It means a whole lot of cancellations of air travel. Lots of flights cancelled today as well as yesterday. It is a real mess. In fact, you see at the bottom of the screen, 850 flights were cancelled today. So that means a lot of folks are kind of bunking it right there in the terminals.

Oh, boy. Is that uncomfortable? But they're hoping that when flights resume, they're going to be the first ones on board. We'll keep them posted as well as you because we know a lot of folks are actually watching us right now from those terminals, wondering when those flights are going to get back in the air.

All right, so the storm has made it very difficult for a lot of people, for travelers and everybody else, but at the same time, folks are kind of having a little fun with it all. They've been sending in pictures, they have been posting at iReports and even posting it on social media.

And here to talk about all of that, Jennifer Mayerle, who's watching it all for us.

You're from Minneapolis, you told me, right?

JENNIFER MAYERLE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I am.

WHITFIELD: My gosh, 65 below?

MAYERLE: It's incredible to think about.

WHITFIELD: That's nuts.

MAYERLE: That happened once when I was in high school there, but not since then.

WHITFIELD: My goodness.

MAYERLE: Which is incredible to think about the temperatures, and my parents and my friends up there.

WHITFIELD: Yes, they are there.

MAYERLE: They are about to get.

WHITFIELD: But you're glad you're here.

MAYERLE: I'm glad I'm here inside right now.

WHITFIELD: I know.

MAYERLE: You know, a lot of people on social media, they like to share with their friends and their family, their followers.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

MAYERLE: What they're seeing and experiencing, and with this storm it is no different. Take a look at this first picture from New York. This is Glen Head, New York. Send in from Karache (ph). This is -- her dog Milo, it is a golden poodle and this is Milo's first snow. Take a look.

WHITFIELD: He looks fine.

MAYERLE: Looks like the dog likes it. Kind of trying to figure out maybe what that cold stuff is right there.

(LAUGHTER)

Tamara Peterson sends in this next picture of a man walking his dog. And this is down the street in Brooklyn and it just looks pretty desolate there. I think most people have the right idea there in Brooklyn, staying inside and staying warm.

WHITFIELD: It is pretty when you're the only one out, though.

MAYERLE: Isn't it just gorgeous?

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: How gorgeous and wonderful that is.

MAYERLE: It almost looks like a postcard or something that's set up there.

WHITFIELD: Yes. It does.

MAYERLE: Over in New Jersey, someone else had a different idea. This guy decided to get out and get some exercise in the cold, I guess, before those really, really, cold temperatures hit. That's Ocean City Beach, and thanks to iReporter Adam Reed for sending in this picture of that man snow skiing right across the beach.

And of course, we want to see what everyone else has to offer, what you're seeing. Stay inside, take a picture, take some video, send to CNN.com/ireport.

WHITFIELD: Yes. Be safe while you do that. MAYERLE: Absolutely. Stay inside, stay warm.

WHITFIELD: All right. Jennifer, thanks so much. Appreciate that.

All right, so 140 million people will be getting hit with this new round of winter weather.

Samantha Mohr is tracking the path of this brutal cold front.

Samantha, some folks are having a little fun with it, but this is painful.

SAMANTHA MOHR, AMS METEOROLOGIST: No, and it could be painful. You were talking about frostbite, it can happen within a matter of minutes with this cold air and this incredible wind chills. So we need to take it seriously because if you get stranded out in this, it could be deadly.

Arctic air like we haven't seen in decades will be settling in here. And you can also see low pressure is going to be heading up and intersecting this cold air. So as we have the moisture following through the cold air at the surface, we'll have that wintry mix and there's some very heavy snow potentially on the back side of this system.

So of course, that means we're going to see that snow moving in, and that means delays. In fact let's take a look at the current situation here. We've had over 900 flights cancelled in and out of the U.S. about 160 or so plus out -- in and out of Chicago's O'Hare so far today.

You can see this is our Flight Explorer, shows where the planes are right now. Not as many in the air today as there would be due to this inclement weather situation. And then as we head into our Sunday, so through the afternoon, overnight and into tomorrow, we're going to see that snow moving into Chicago. It will continue to intensify overnight, some five to 10 inches expected here.

So delays expected into our Sunday in Chicago. Denver, snow and wind will cause some delays there. If you happen to be heading in or out of Los Angeles or San Francisco, we'll likely see some delays there as well due to low ceilings. And then of course New York, D.C., and Atlanta, all expecting to see some delays here as well as we head into our Sunday.

There you can see the snow moving into Chicago right now, extending back into Iowa where we've seen a freezing mix as well. So some roadways out there are slick. So you want to take it easy. And we have those winter storm warnings here in the pink, in this case being in the pink is not a good thing. Because being in the pink means you're going to see some heavy snows and gusty winds.

Those frigid wind chill temperatures. It won't take long to come up with frostbite or even worse, Fredricka. So we want to urge people to stay inside because it is serious. WHITFIELD: Yes. It is very serious. Thank you so much. In fact, 13 people have died from this first round of the storm. So we know the potential also is very great in the second round.

Thanks so much, Samantha.

MOHR: You bet.

WHITFIELD: So it may be rough going across most of the country because of this bad weather, but actually some great news today from Houston.

Former first lady Barbara Bush was discharged from the hospital today after spending a week there. She was admitted to the hospital in Houston on Monday for signs of pneumonia. The former first lady is 88 years old.

"Fast & Furious" actor Paul Walker died within minutes of that terrible car crash according to the coroner's final report. We'll have more details right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Sad news in the world of rock and roll. Singing legend Phil Everly has passed away.

The Everly Brothers soared to the top of the music world in the late 1950s and early '60s. They were best known for "Wake Up, Little Susie." Phil Everly's wife told the "L.A. Times" that he died Friday in California due to complications from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He was 74 years old.

The final coroner's report on Paul Walker's death is out and it reveals the actor's life ended just like his movie title, "Fast & Furious." The 15-page document reveals Walker and his friend died soon after their Porsche had crashed.

Our Casey Wian has details.

CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fred, the final autopsy report for actor Paul Walker contains few surprises but lots of graphic details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WIAN (voice-over): Millions of fans of Paul Walker's "Fast & Furious" movie series were shocked in November when a real-life car crash killed the 40-year-old actor. The Los Angeles County coroner's final autopsy report shows Walker's death was gruesome and swift.

Walker was a passenger in an ultra high performance car driven by his friend Roger Rodas on November 30th. The autopsy states the driver was driving a red Porsche Carrera GT at unsafe speed, approximately 100- plus miles per hour.

JIM TORP, WITNESS: When they passed us, there were no other cars around them at all. WIAN: The driver lost control, spun, struck a sidewalk, tree and a light post. Exclusive video obtained by CNN shows the moment of impact and a full minute later, the car bursting into flames.

ANTONIO HOLMES, WITNESS: There is nothing, we tried. Went through fire extinguishers.

WIAN: Concerned that Walker and Rodas may have been alive that entire time not supported by the autopsy. It says both bodies were found in a pugilistic stance like a boxer, perhaps bracing for impact. Walker's was burned so badly, only his lower back, buttocks and feet were uncharred. He had multiple bone fractures. Only a scant amount of soot was found in Walker's throat, indicating he wasn't breathing for long.

The body of Rodas was in an even more gruesome condition. He died instantly.

JUAN MANUELOS, FAN: In Hollywood, they never get hurt. They're always driving fast. In reality we do have to be concerned. We have to be concerned this could happen to any of us. We got to follow the rules, follow the speed. Reality we can't be too fast and furious.

WIAN: The final autopsy confirms the coroner's initial ruling on cause of death, an accident.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WIAN: Walker lives on on film, the seventh installment of the "Fast & Furious" franchise, which was partially shot at the time of Walker's death, is scheduled to be released next year -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: Thanks so much, Casey Wian. Meanwhile, entertainment Web sites report that Paul Walker's character will be retired, not killed off in the next film.

The pot lines in Colorado are very long these days and the sales are high. But what happens if you get caught with too much weed in your system? What police will be doing.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, the new pot law in Colorado means you can legally buy and sell marijuana, even grow your own at home and give it away, but it doesn't mean that you get a free ride. If you're caught with too much in your system.

CNN's Miguel Marquez reports on the ups and downs of the new pot law from the Mile High City.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Out of the cannabis closet and into a new era of legal recreational marijuana. The great Colorado smoke out is on.

Weed, a powerful drug, coming from across the country to partake. (On camera): You are able to walk into a store and buy marijuana today. What did that feel like?

ERIK MEISNER, DROVE FROM OREGON TO BUY COLORADO POT: It is overjoying, like, to not have to hide it, and you know, be able to use what makes me feel better.

MARQUEZ: So I take it you guys are excited about this.

(CHEERS)

MARQUEZ (voice-over): At Medicine Man Denver, one of the state's largest dispensaries, driving snow wind or cold didn't deter the faithful. The line in the hundreds all day long.

(On camera): What does today feel like?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Freedom.

MARQUEZ (voice-over): With new freedom comes new responsibility. Signs are everywhere. The dos and don'ts of pot, illegal for under 21s to light up, public health officials fear abuse. At greatest risk, kids.

DR. JEFFREY GALINKIN, CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER, CU TOXICOLOGY: Over half of the admissions for addiction in this state in kids under 15 and teenagers, they are from marijuana.

MARQUEZ: And drivers can get busted, the legal limit five nanograms of THC in your blood.

(On camera): I don't smoke.

GALINKIN: Right.

MARQUEZ: But if I had one puff of a marijuana cigarette, will that put me over the five nanogram limit?

GALINKIN: Yes.

MARQUEZ: One puff?

GALINKIN: Yes.

MARQUEZ: For how long?

GALINKIN: It's really unknown. By -- after -- by two hours, it will probably be gone.

MARQUEZ (voice-over): THC dissipates to lower levels relatively fast, even in habitual users.

LT. MARK DRAJEM, SUPERVISOR, DUI UNIT, DENVER POLICE: If they fail a roadside test, we take them in to our DUI room and we do a series of other tests that take up to about two hours to complete.

MARQUEZ: It is possible to be pulled over high, and hours later, get a pass on the blood test.

For now, pot aficionados, law enforcement, and policy makers settling in for the long ride.

Miguel Marquez, CNN, Denver.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: All right. So here is the quandary for you. When was -- when pot was illegal, it was easy to recognize who was breaking the law. If you were selling or using it for fun, you could be busted. Well, now it might be more difficult since people can grow their own at home and even give it away for free.

So Tom Raynes is a former state prosecutor and now the executive director of the Colorado District Attorney's Counsel. He's joining us now from Denver.

OK. So break it down for us. While this is legal, to a degree, it still has to be -- the law has to be enforced. The use of pot still has to be enforced. How difficult will it be to do that?

TOM RAYNES, EXEC. DIRECTOR, COLORADO DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S COUNSEL: You know, Fredricka, there are numerous challenges, and whether we're talking about driving or just possession in general, folks really need to understand their rights. Obviously under the current law now, an individual can have one ounce of marijuana in their possession. If they have more than that, they're committing an offense. It's a low level offense at the beginning but it can work its way up to a felony if they have way too much, over 12 ounces.

As far as driving, your report mentioned some of the driving issues. We're very concerned about the -- a possible increase in folks driving while under the influence of marijuana.

WHITFIELD: So you're concerned about that. But does that mean that law enforcement is equipped, is prepared, to look for the signs, know when there's probable cause to stop someone?

RAYNES: That's a great question. And really, you know, for decades, it's always been illegal to drive whether you're impaired by alcohol or any drug. And so the techniques that law enforcement has used will continue to be used in the same ways. They have to stop people for the same reasons, reasonable suspicion of illegal activity. They have to develop probable cause based on everything they see at the roadside, talking to the driver.

But just the odor of marijuana itself will not be enough to get them toward probable cause for an arrest. If they do develop probable cause based off numerous other possibilities, whether it is how they talk, how they answer questions, how they perform the roadsides, then there's potentially an arrest. It's after the arrest when they're taken for a blood test.

WHITFIELD: And then talk to me about the sales, the policing of the sales. While it is legal for marijuana to be sold in, you know, licensed stores and retailers, people will be paying something like, you know, $60 for the same amount that on the street they may have paid, you know, for $25 for that same amount.

So how do you now try to control, I guess, the incentive to be greater to buy from the black market? How do you police that? Because people will be looking for a deal, so to speak.

RAYNES: Well -- yes. No. Thank you. Obviously the hope is that people want to be safe with their own criminal record and that they're going to buy from the retail outlets. Obviously they still have the medical outlets that they can buy from if they have a medical card.

Some of the concerns revolve around home grows because while an individual is entitled to have six plants in their house per person, they're also allowed to keep the entire yield from those plants in their house. It's hard to get into a house without an owner saying, sure, come on and see what I have because now just smelling marijuana outside the house isn't enough for an officer to get probable cause to go in.

So we do have concerns about diverting large quantities of marijuana out of state from home grows and then like you mentioned, the low price on the street versus the increased price due to -- you know, retail outlets have to make money.

WHITFIELD: So --

RAYNES: There's some high state taxes involved.

WHITFIELD: Right. And that's what the -- you know, the disparity of the price is, that's where that comes into play. So bottom line real quick, does this make life easier or more complicated for law enforcement there in Colorado?

RAYNES: Well, I think it's more complicated, and that's not judging it good or bad, like it's just more complicated. And that combined with the interaction with federal law further complicates the issue.

WHITFIELD: OK.

RAYNES: So law enforcement has a difficult task. We hope people treat -- are responsible with the product. We hope retailers are responsible and hopefully we can get a grasp on this.

WHITFIELD: All right. Tom Raynes, former state prosecutor and now executive director of the Colorado District Attorney's Counsel, thanks so much for your time. I appreciate it.

RAYNES: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: And this programming note, CNN's "AC 360" will be exploring marijuana legislation in a series of reports all next week, "GONE TO POT" starts Monday night, 8:00 Eastern.

All right. A man who faked his own death after allegedly stealing millions of dollars was found very much alive. Ana Cabrera has the story of his arrest not far from the alleged scene of the crime.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANA CABRERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Hiding in plain sight, Aubrey Lee Price, the man wanted by the FBI for wire fraud, vanished more than a year ago in an apparent suicide. Nearly a year after he was presumed dead, the fugitive was apprehended by police in a traffic stop on New Year's Eve.

TRACY MORRIS, FRIEND OF ALLEGED VICTIM: I cannot believe he had the nerve to hide out so close to home, number one.

CABRERA: Price is alleged to have embezzled $21 million from more than 100 investors between 2010 and 2012. Prosecutors say, instead of investing money held at Montgomery Bank and Trust where he worked, he created a dummy company in New York to funnel the funds through fraudulent wire transfers and phony investments.

Before going on the run, Price wrote a 22-page confession letter to his family, saying he planned to kill himself off the coast of Florida, by jumping off a ferryboat. The letter was the beginning of an elaborate plan to stage his own suicide.

These photos show Price dressed in shorts and a T-shirt, arriving at the Key West airport, carrying a suitcase. This is the day of his disappearance of that year.

JOHN CHAPMAN, ATTORNEY FOR INVESTORS: He's got a bag I see he's towing behind him. Might be packed with investor money, for all I know.

CABRERA: Surveillance video from that day shows him at the ferry terminal in Key West, where he led investigators and his family to believe he took his own life. But without evidence of a body, the FBI continued to look for him. That search ended Tuesday, thanks to a Glen County, Georgia, sheriff who stopped Price's vehicle for having darkly tinted windows.

The bold fugitive will now be brought to justice. He faces up to 30 years in prison.

Ana Cabrera, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Price told authorities that his family didn't know he was alive. He had his first court appearance this past week. He has not entered a plea as yet.

All right. For the millions of people dealing with the aftermath of a huge snowstorm, brace yourselves because you're about to get hit by another round of fierce winter weather. What you need to know about this new arctic blast.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) WHITFIELD: The family of an American kidnapped by al Qaeda keeps hoping he will get his freedom. Warren Weinstein was captured in 2011 while in Pakistan. And a recent video released by the terror group shows him looking frail but still alive, asking the U.S. government to bring him home.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WARREN WEINSTEIN, TAKEN HOSTAGE BY AL QAEDA: I am therefore appealing to you on the humanitarian basis if nothing else and asking that you take the necessary actions to expedite my release and my return to my family and to my country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: Our Anderson Cooper spoke to his family on how they are holding up as they wait for his return.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR, AC 360: First of all, Elaine, I am so sorry for what you and your family are going through. How are you holding up? I mean, how do you deal with this day to day?

ELAINE WEINSTEIN, WARREN WEINSTEIN'S WIFE: I find if I'm busy, I can at least function. I find a place to go, friend to be with. And if all else fails, I go visit my grandchildren.

COOPER: And the video, seeing your husband, I mean, this was the first time in how long you had seen him?

E. WEINSTEIN: Over a year.

COOPER: How did he look to you? And what do you see when you see him?

E. WEINSTEIN: He looked pale, he looked sick. He looked troubled. He just looked like he was in -- like he was in distress. And it was terrible to see him that way.

COOPER: And in the video he says that he feels like he has been forgotten. For you and for all of you, that must be -- I mean, it's not true and for him not to know that has got to be heart-breaking.

E. WEINSTEIN: I think that he said that but I am not sure he meant that. I think that words were put in his mouth.

COOPER: Alisa, to see the video is it -- I mean, it's horrific in one sense, is it comforting in another just to actually see a visual image of him?

ALISA WEINSTEIN, WARREN WEINSTEIN'S DAUGHTER: Yes. You know, it was so nice to hear his voice again. There's something comforting about that and seeing his face, you know, knowing he's alive is amazing to -- an amazing feeling.

COOPER: What happens in this sort of situation? I mean, I think people try to -- imagine what you're going through. Is there anything for you to actually do?

E. WEINSTEIN: Not really. We ask if anything is being done. We're told everything possible is being done and that's what we have to settle for.

COOPER: What do you want people to know about your dad?

JENNIFER COAKLEY, WARRANT WEINSTEIN'S DAUGHTER: He is an amazing man who has dedicated his life to, you know, helping other people and doing everything he can to help family and friends. And, you know, just he is an amazing person who doesn't deserve this to happen to him. He deserves to be home with his family and, you know, to be able to enjoy life, and not be missing everything and, you know, not allowed to do things that he wants to do. He needs to come home.

A. WEINSTEIN: And also just what an incredible father and husband and grandfather he is. I mean, even though he was across the world from us, we all spoke to him every day. Sometimes more than once a day, he was always connected, he was online or calling us using Skype or Vonage, and just being connected to us constantly.

COOPER: I understand his grandkids learned how to use Skype at a very early age like 2 years old or something?

COAKLEY: I found myself in the office talking to him at 2. I thought, you know, my dad put -- we called and just left him sitting there, but in reality, he was the one who hit the button, he wanted to talk to grandpa and he knew how to do it.

COOPER: And Jennifer, you had to tell your 7-year-old daughter -- you had to try to explain this to your kids. How do you explain something like this?

COAKLEY: I mean, how do you explain something like that? That's not something you want to have to tell a child, you know. We sat her down and basically, you know, used the most child appropriate way to try to explain the situation to her. She asked some very smart questions and she's -- you know, she's dealing with it, but it's been really hard on her.

COOPER: This is obviously a broadcast which is seen internationally. If either he could hear this or perhaps somebody involved who is holding him could hear this, what do you want them to know? What is your message?

E. WEINSTEIN: Well, if he's listening, we want him to know we love him, we want him to know we miss him terribly, that we think about him almost every moment of every single day. We would do anything in our power to get him home and he shouldn't lose heart. He shouldn't lose faith. He should just worry about taking care of himself, trying to stay healthy, trying to stay strong, and know that we're fighting for him.

COOPER: I hope this helps. And I hope he gets this message and the people holding him get the message as well. Thank you very much. And I wish you strength. E. WEINSTEIN: Well, thank you for having us. We truly appreciate it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: That was Anderson Cooper talking to Warren Weinstein's family.

All right. Not so good news for millions of people digging out of a huge snowstorm. Brace yourselves because you're about to get hit by another round of fierce winter weather. What you need to know about this new arctic blast.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: A powerful arctic blast is about to barrel across the U.S. adding insult to injury to the tens of millions of people who were hit by this week's massive snowstorm.

The National Weather Service says this could be a historic event, with temperatures plummeting to record low levels in parts of the Midwest, and that cold air will head east at the start of the week.

Southern states will also feel the pain, and we could see zero degree temperatures as far south as Nashville. One New York resident who knows what that feels like handed out his sage advice.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, it's nasty out here, really nasty. I could have stayed home, I would have stayed home. Stay home. If you don't have to come out, stay home. That's it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: That huge snowstorm that blew through the eastern half of the U.S. this week is now being blamed for at least 13 deaths. 140 million people will be getting hit by the new round of winter weather.

Samantha Mohr is tracking the path of this brutal cold front.

This is a rough winter. But I think a lot of people including yourself predicted this is going to be a tough one.

MOHR: Yes. I mean we're in this persistent pattern that's trough over the east. But this time this trough and the jet stream extending well into the south, and this cold air actually emanating from the North Pole, moving across Canada, and down across the country. So this week likely the coldest week we have had in decades.

And you can see we have wind chill warnings here in that purplish lavender color. Including some 12 states or so, about a dozen states. And these temperatures likely to get down to wind chill temperatures. That's when you factor in the temperature and the wind and how it would feel to exposed skin, likely getting down to some 40 to 60 degrees, 60 degrees below zero, just incredible here. In fact, we'll likely see records smashed all over the place, like in Minneapolis. The record at 14 below will likely be smashed by around 18 below on Monday. And these are high temperatures, these aren't low temperatures. And we'll likely see such records in Chicago and Cincinnati as well, and in Detroit and Cincinnati, we've only ever had five days where it stayed below zero all day. So this is exceptional.

And we could very likely have the coldest day ever in Chicago. And then in Minneapolis, we're talking about wind chills down to 60 degrees below zero, so let's take a look at how this is all going to play out as that cold air moves in on Sunday during the afternoon. It will continue to move in overnight with those wind chills around 34 below zero in Duluth.

In Green Bay, of course, we're concerned about the big football game and those wind chills, it's going to be around 25 below at the end of game time on Sunday. So that is going to be a huge game as the 49ers come into Lambeau Field, and it's going to be tough for the players as well as for the fans.

WHITFIELD: It will indeed. I don't know who it's going to be tougher on, but tough none the less.

MOHR: The fans.

WHITFIELD: Yes. Probably, because yes, just sitting there kind of freezing.

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: You're right. Even though I think they're handing out some glove warmers and even, you know, hot chocolate.

MOHR: Beverage.

WHITFIELD: And yes, hot coffee, but whoo, die hard. Good luck to them.

All right, thanks so much, Samantha.

MOHR: You bet.

WHITFIELD: All right. Meantime, police are uncovering the events that led up to the murder of a priest on New Year's Day. And it's a grim picture. It appears the man accused in the death was actually in police custody just hours before.

Here is David Mattingly.

DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, with the suspect in custody, there are now questions about how local law enforcement here did their job. Could the murder of Father Eric Freed have been prevented?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATTINGLY (voice-over): Gary Bullock had already confronted law enforcement twice, got arrested, spent eight hours in jail, all in less than a day before he became the suspect in the murder of beloved Eureka priest, Father Eric Freed.

Arrested by Humboldt County sheriff's deputies for public intoxication during the day New Year's Eve, Bullock had to be taken away from the county jail for a high heart rate. He acted up at the hospital and had to be physically restrained by deputies before being taken back to jail.

Court records show Bullock was already on probation for misdemeanor cocaine possession. A spokesman for the sheriff says the department was not required to hold him until a judge reviewed his case so he was let go.

Bullock only had to walk three blocks to the Saint Bernard Church where he was described as making strange noises. A security guard called Eureka City Police, who didn't know the details of the problems Bullock just had at the county jail.

CHIEF ANDREW MILLS, EUREKA, CALIFORNIA POLICE: They saw the paperwork he is released on a public intoxication charge after being held for, I think, eight hours.

MATTINGLY: Eureka officers decided Bullock wasn't doing anything illegal and did not qualify for an emergency psychological hold.

MILLS: They asked him specific questions about himself. He asked for housing. He asked for a place to stay for the night.

MATTINGLY: So they didn't arrest him. Instead, officers directed Bullock to a nearby shelter and watched him walk away. Police now say Bullock never went to the shelter and was spotted shortly thereafter back at the church. This time police aren't called.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MATTINGLY: The sequence of events at that point are still being put together. Investigators are relying heavily on surveillance video from cameras at the church. They'll be also seeing whatever they can learn from the autopsy which is being conducted today -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks so much, David Mattingly. Appreciate that.

And a shocking claim from a former NFL player, Chris Kluwe, claims he was cut by the Vikings because of his views on same-sex marriage. Could the allegations prove to be a PR nightmare for the team? That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Minnesota Vikings say they're investigating a former player's claims that he was cut because he supported same-sex marriage. In an op-ed on Deadspin called "I Was an NFL Player Until I Was Fired by Two Cowards and a Bigot." Chris Kluwe made that shocking claim. The team denies it but it's looking into his allegations. Jane Shortal from our affiliate KARE details the controversy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRIS KLUWE, FORMER NFL PLAYER: You know, I think it's something that the team --

JANE SHORTAL, KARE REPORTER: If ever there were a way to get in the last word, Chris Kluwe has done it. He dropped an 11-page attack on Deadspin, claiming the Vikings canned him largely because of his activism for same-sex marriage.

KLUWE: You know, really the only thing that changed from the previous year to when I got cut was I had started speaking out about same-sex rights. And, you know, when I looked at everything else that had happened, you know, that's the only logical conclusion I can draw from -- you know, from all the evidence that's there.

SHORTAL: Kluwe names names, among them former coach Leslie Frazier. Kluwe says Frazier told him to stop speaking out on this stuff. But Kluwe's clear targeted in this article is special teams coach Mike Priefer. Kluwe claims Priefer said to him, "I would wind up burning in hell with the gays." And Kluwe claims Priefer said in a special teams meeting in November, 2011, quote, "We should round up all the gays, send them to an island, and then nuke it until it glows," end quote.

Kluwe says those statements by Priefer were followed by a tense relationship between the two until last spring when Kluwe was cut from the team. In a statement, Mike Priefer denies all of these allegations made by Kluwe and says, quote, "I do not tolerate discrimination of any type and am respectful of all individuals. I personally have gay family members who I love and support," end quote.

As for the Vikings, they said today, "We were made aware of Chris Kluwe's allegations for the first time today. We take them very seriously and will thoroughly review this matter. Any notion that Chris was released from our football team due to his stance on marriage equality is entirely inaccurate."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right. Let's dig deeper into this issue with Cyd Zeigler. He's the co-founder of Outsports.com. It's a Web site focused on LGBT issues in sports.

So, Cyd, good to see you. So you talked with Chris Kluwe after the article came out. What did he say to you?

CYD ZEIGLER, CO-FOUNDER, OUTSPORTS.COM: Well, Chris said that his reason for doing this, and that's the most important piece, was to shed light on something that is happening behind closed doors in the NFL. I know the NFL has gotten a lot better on these issues as have many teams. And many players are talking about the end of homophobia in sports, but we still don't know what is going on behind some of these closed doors. And though Chris said this was an isolated -- a couple of isolated incidents, he wants to make sure that this coach and other coaches like him never use language like that ever again.

WHITFIELD: So he feels that he is no longer on the team in large part because of his advocacy for same-sex marriage and being outspoken about the issue. Is that being supported by anyone or anything else?

ZEIGLER: You know, I think nobody really knows other than the front office, and the coaching staff, why he was let go. There are so many factors that go into hiring somebody and firing somebody. Part of it is job performance. Part of it is cost, you know, in a salary cap league, he is a million dollars more expensive than the person they replaced him with. He's a little older.

And he was also the most outspoken person on the team on various issues from Ray Guy getting into the Hall of Fame to LGBT issues and same-sex marriage. So, you know, this is one of the pieces, though, I imagine if he -- you know, if he was a potential Hall of Fame candidate and he was a superstar quarterback, they would have tolerated whatever he said.

WHITFIELD: So he's 32. Is he hoping to play on another NFL team?

ZEIGLER: Yes. You know, the last -- this past pre-season he was with Oakland Raiders. They ended up not keeping him. He had tryouts with a couple other teams over the course of the season who are looking to replace their punters or because of injuries. And Chris would love to but he also knows that this column signaled his death knell. The death knell of his career.

Now coach is going to hire him after this because he has violated the sanctity of the locker room and he has exposed of some of what goes on inside these private conversations with the public. So he knows the chances of him getting -- playing in the NFL again probably evaporated with that column.

WHITFIELD: And do we know, is there anything more to this, that it's not just he's advocacy for same-sex marriage or conversations he had but -- does it have anything to do with his own life, or whether there -- whether he's coming out or whether there's any pressure that he should come out or if it's even about -- anything about in his personal life?

ZEIGLER: If Chris had -- I mean, Chris is -- Chris says he's straight. He's married to a woman. They have a family. I have never heard anyone speculate that he's gay. I don't think he's gay. I just think that Chris is a really special guy. Of all the athletes I've talked to, there are few who have perspectives on issues and think the way he does.

You know, Scott Fujita is another one, I think he's the former linebacker in the NFL who just -- takes such pride in equality and civil rights. So I have never heard that he's gay or that he even could possibly be gay. I don't think that's the case.

WHITFIELD: Cyd Zeigler, thanks so much for your time. Appreciate it.

ZEIGLER: Go Patriots.

(LAUGHTER)

WHITFIELD: All right. Half the country is about to get slammed by a second round of brutal winter weather. We'll show you how that will impact travel this weekend next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: "YOUR MONEY" starts at the top of the hour. Christine Romans gives us a preview.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredricka. Invest in what you know. It's the famous Warren Buffett quote. In a record setting year, only one stock could be number one on the S&P 500. It's a company you well know, but is it too late to get in? That's coming up next on an all new "YOUR MONEY."

WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks so much, Christine. "YOUR MONEY" starts in just a few minutes. At 2:00 Eastern Time.

All right, there's no snow or ice falling in Alabama, but temperatures have been well below normal there.

Melissa Crabtree from our affiliate WIAT shows how low-income families are struggling to stay warm.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOWANNA GLAZE, TRYING TO STAY WARM: (INAUDIBLE) 30 to 40 minutes to keep it going.

MELISSA CRABTREE, WIAT REPORTER: Towanna Glaze has one main concern about these days. Don't let the fire go out.

GLAZE: We heat with wood. And that's about how we heat with, wood and kindling to keep warm.

CRABTREE: With no insulation and a large section of their home exposed to the elements, Glaze and her two sons are forced to sleep in the living room next to this wood heater.

GLAZE: But we'll make it. We've got plenty of wood.

CHRIS SIDES, TRYING TO STAY WARM: Just to make this fire going, we're good.

CRABTREE: Nephew Chris Sides who lives next-door neighbor in this tiny trailer, he depends on a propane heater to stay warm.

SIDES: It's a little dangerous but I keep an eye on it all the time. I don't keep it going all of the time. I have an electric heater, too, that I use when I'm not using the propane.

CRABTREE: He says for his parents who also go without insulation and essential heating it's tough.

SIDES: It sounds horrible, don't it? It sounds horrible, don't it?

CRABTREE: But Glaze says when you're on a fixed income, you learn to live with these kinds of challenges.

GLAZE: The house is cold.

CRABTREE: There's just no money to fix the property or insulate.

GLAZE: I just got out here and lit firewood and staked it up. Carry some in when needed.

CRABTREE: The problem is, Glaze says, it seems the heater's chimney is starting to cave in her 1940 ceiling. The only home she's ever lived in. For now she says it's just the chance she'll have to take to keep her family from freezing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right. It's cold out there indeed in so many states.

And now to the unlucky other millions of people who are suffering through dangerous and very uncomfortable weather conditions, Samantha Mohr is tracking the path of this new cold front that's going to be impacting even more people.

MOHR: I know. We're still reeling from yesterday's system, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

MOHR: That brought in all of the cancellations, thousands of cancellations as far as flights are concerned, and now this next system is moving in. It's developing across much of the south central U.S. It's headed towards the northeast, and along with it we'll see that wintry mix, some heavy snow behind it, and then comes the arctic air and that arctic air will be settling down into the deep south as well.

So when you take a look at our flight explorer and we get information from Flight Aware, we've already had over a thousand flights cancelled in and out of the U.S. today and a couple of thousand delays being reported in as well.

And you can see all the planes, they are up in the sky. We are -- absolutely, some folks are getting to where they need to go but just a little bit behind schedule eventually.

So let's take a look at what we're expecting as we head into Sunday. Chicago, conditions will be going downhill today and into the overnight hours and tomorrow due to the snow and wind we'll likely see delays. Denver, snow and wind delays expected here as well. And then we're also going to see those delays in Los Angeles and in San Francisco due to low cloud cover there.

So even if you're flying to the West Coast, you'll likely see some problems. Of course, there's that big domino effect once you have all these flights canceled for everyone to get rerouted and back on schedule again.

And then Sunday, as well, in New York and D.C. due to low clouds we could end up seeing some delays there, even into Atlanta as we head into tomorrow. We may see a little bit of frozen precipitation early tomorrow and then again overnight. So we'll definitely see delays coming in and out of Atlanta's airport as well -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Yes. OK. Folks need to pack a little patience as they try to travel.

MOHR: Yes.

WHITFIELD: Thanks so much, Samantha.

MOHR: You bet.

WHITFIELD: All right. Well, it's been looking like the 1960s in Chicago, at least when you look at the murder rate. We break down the surprising crime numbers in a number of big cities.

And three pull-ups on a fitness course could be standing between women and the U.S. Marine Corps. Why the Marines are reexamining their new physical requirements.

Plus it could be a natural way to slow down Alzheimer's. Which vitamin is surprising doctors in a new study? All that and more starting at 2:30 Eastern Time.

I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Back here in the NEWSROOM in 30 minutes. "YOUR MONEY" starts right now.