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Neiman Marcus Investigates Breach; Outrage Grows Over Water Contamination; FEMA Sending 75 Water Trucks To State; Ariel Sharon Dies At Age 85; Rodriguez Suspension Reduced To 162 Games; Feds Now Investigating Bridge Backup Caused By Chris Christie's Top Aides; Mom Defends Cursing Toddler; Family Claims Sex Assault Changes Dismissed Because Of Man's Political Connections; New Gadgets That Might Be A "Dud"; Mentally Ill Teen Killed By Police

Aired January 11, 2014 - 12:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, again, everyone. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Here are the top stories we're following for you in the CNN NEWSROOM. Scandal, revelations, just released documents shine new light on the traffic jam that's become a political log jam for New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. Who knew what and when?

Don't drink the water. Don't even wash your hands with it. You can only flush. That is still the message to 300,000 people who have no clue on when their tap will run clean.

And mourning a world leader, Israel's former prime minister, Ariel Sharon, has died after eight years in a coma. We'll look at his controversial military and political career.

Let's start with this. Upscale retailer, Neiman Marcus may be the latest victim of cyber hacking. The company says it's investigating a possible security breach that may have compromised customer's credit card information. Let's bring in Jennifer Mayerle. Jennifer, what happened with this breach?

JENNIFER MAYERLE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This breach, Neiman Marcus learned about it in mid-December. From there, they talked with police. They started working with Secret Service. They started working with the forensic team and that forensic team determined on January 1st, at the beginning of this year, that it was in fact a security breach and that Neiman Marcus may have been a victim and what that means for customers is that they, too, could be victims.

Credit card information may have been compromised and what we don't know right now is how widespread this is. How many customers, what time frame this happened over. Neiman Marcus says they will contact customers when possible and they are addressing this issue.

They released this statement saying, "We have begun to contain the intrusion and have taken significant steps to further enhance information security and of course, we are all well aware that this has been happening for a couple of weeks now. This comes on the heels of Target's security breach. So, this is --

WHITFIELD: Which started out with 40 million people, but then grew to maybe 100 million people impacted so, what is the latest with Target and its investigation and how do you reassure customers if you're, you know, worried about whether your information is in the hands of someone?

MAYERLE: A lot of good questions. It did grow to 70 million more as they announced yesterday and now, it's not just the credit card and the debit card information that we're talking about. We are talking about some of the personal information that is also out there. We're talking about your names, mailing addresses, phone numbers and e-mail addresses.

So that personal information is out there on top of the credit card and debit card information and you know, as we've been talking about this with the Target breach, it's a good idea to do a number of things. Whether there is a breach with Target, Neiman Marcus or any other kind of situation where your information has been stolen.

So some of the things you can do to protect yourself it seems simple, but you really want to make sure you're doing it. Monitor your bank statements. Take a look at those very closely if there is anything that seems out of the ordinary, contact your bank. Contract your credit card company.

Don't click on any strange links. If you get an e-mail from someone you don't know, ignore it or contact who it came from to. Make sure it's good before you do anything with it. Be aware of phishing scams, people looking for extra information about you.

And it's also a good idea to contact a credit monitoring service. This is something that Target is doing for their customers in the wake of this security breach there that they can have a credit monitoring service, look at their information for a year. And Fredricka, people still have time to sign up for that.

WHITFIELD: My goodness, OK, maybe that's a little reassuring to a lot of folks, but I know a lot more are unnerved now even more so.

MAYERLE: Yes, pay attention.

WHITFIELD: Thanks so much, Jennifer. Appreciate that.

All right, now, to the plight of 300,000 West Virginians who haven't been able to drink, wash or cook their tap water since Thursday. That's when officials discovered a chemical used to wash coal had leaked into the Elk River and contaminated the water supply for nine counties.

Federal and state governments have responded to the crisis, but officials still aren't able to tell everyone when they'll be able to get clean, safe tap water again and the patience, of course, is running thin.

Alina Machado is in Charleston, West Virginia. So Alina, I understand you're learning new information about the possible health impact of this leak on people who may have been exposed to the contaminated water in what way? ALINA MACHADO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, we just learned that 91 people were seen in the emergency room. About four of those people were actually admitted. The severity of their symptoms ranged and also, their symptoms included nausea, dizziness, headaches, sore throat, those kinds of issues.

Now aside from the health concerns related to this chemical spill, there's also the inconvenience of having to deal with not having usable, running tap water in this area. This is an incredibly difficult situation for the more than 300,000 people who are being affected right now.

Now, the only thing people can really use their tap water right now is to flush their toilets. They can't use to wash their hands or brush their teeth or cook with it. So you can imagine how challenging that is for these people.

Now, authorities here learned about this leak on Thursday. They say they first heard about it when residents started calling them to report the smell of licorice in the air. They investigated it and ended up here at this chemical company. It's called Freedom Industries.

I'm going to move out of the way so that you can actually see the place where they were able to track this leak. That tank is where authorities say the leak happened. Now, we did hear from the company president yesterday and here's what he had to say about all of this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GARY SOUTHERN, PRESIDENT, FREEDOM INDUSTRIES: I would like to start by sincerely apologizing to the people in the affected counties of West Virginia. Our friends and neighbors, this incident is extremely unfortunate and unanticipated. We are very, very sorry for the disruption of everybody's daily life.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is the apology enough?

PHILIP TULLY, RESIDENT: No, I mean, there is economic -- this is a disaster. This is the BP oil spill in West Virginia. There are no restaurants. No water. We can't wash our dishes. I bought the last paper plates in here. We cannot prepare meals. We can't wash dishes. Everything has to be frozen meals.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACHADO: You can really get a sense of the level of frustration here among the people who are dealing with the situation. Add to that, the fact that restaurants here are closed. Most of the businesses are closed and Fredricka, we really don't know how long this is going to be this way.

WHITFIELD: My goodness, and then in what way is the federal government and federal officials responding or investigating?

MACHADO: Well, we know that FEMA has stepped in. There is an emergency declaration that's been made and FEMA has sent in truckloads of water to help the people while this situation resolves. We also know that the U.S. attorney has launched an investigation and they have said that even if this was an act of negligence, there could still be a criminal violation. So Fredricka, there is still some stuff to happen here.

WHITFIELD: All right, Alina Machado, thanks so much in Charleston, West Virginia.

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, died today after eight years in a coma. He was 85. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his deep sorrow over his passing and said this. Quote, "The state of Israel bounds its head on the passing of former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Ariel Sharon played a central role in the struggle for the security of the state of Israel over all its years," end quote.

Senior international correspondent, Ben Wedeman, joins me live now from Jerusalem. So how is this news impacting people there?

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The reaction, Fredricka, has been fairly muted given the fact that really Ariel Sharon has been out of the political scene since January of 2006, when he suffered from that brain hemorrhage that left him in a semi- vegetative state for the last eight years.

Also on the 1st of January was when news came out that his situation had deteriorated, that his kidneys were failing, that he had a blood infection and other medical complications. So, it doesn't really come as a surprise.

Really when I was here in January, 2006 when he went into that coma, you really felt it much more than you do today in the sense I think Israelis, many of them do mourn the passing of Ariel Sharon. They've sort of come to terms with his death long before his death was actually announced -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Now, he was a controversial figure to some people. You know, how might he be remembered? We heard the words of Netanyahu, or at least I read the statement of his words, paying homage to Ariel Sharon, but in general, how might Israelis be remembering him?

WEDEMAN: Well, I think you won't find too many Israelis who say that he didn't play a large role. Whether it was negative or positive was another question, but even his opponents, even people who were in the opposition when he was prime minister, do acknowledge that this was the man from the very birth of the state of Israel in 1948 to 2006 when he went into that coma. He was a key player.

He for instance in 1973 during the October war, he was the man who turned what looked like a severe defeat for the Israelis into a victory by launching a stunning operation across the Suez Canal that surrounded the third Egyptian army and led to a cessation of hostilities at the time.

He was a man who was behind the 1982 invasion of Lebanon. He built the wall in the West Bank that many Israelis credit with putting an end to terrorist attacks in this country although many Palestinians would argue with that. So he is a man who mixed legacy to many Israelis, but definitely a big one if you want to put it that way -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Ben Wedeman, thanks so much.

All right, the clock is ticking for cops in Pennsylvania. They're looking for a road rage killer. They worry he could strike again and thousands of revealing documents released in the scandal surrounding Governor Chris Christie.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: This just in. The suspension of the New York Yankees Alex Rodriguez has been reduced to 162 games. That's according to the baseball player's agent. The suspension is linked to this performing enhancing drugs scandal and the investigation of that. Here is a statement. I think this is coming from Rodriguez? Yes, OK.

"The number of games sadly comes as no surprise as the deck has been stacked against me from day one. I have been clear that I did not use performance enhancing substances as alleged in the notice of discipline or violate the basic agreement or the joint drug agreement in any manner and in order to prove it, I will take this fight to federal court. I will continue to work hard to get back on the field and help the Yankees achieve the ultimate goal of winning another championship."

That coming from Alex Rodriguez. Jason Carroll live for us on the phone now from New York with more on this. So Jason, how did this come about?

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): Well, first of all, let me just say that this has been a huge blow to the Rodriguez camp. They've been expecting this for some time. I'm told they knew that the 211-game suspension would probably in all likelihood not be thrown out altogether. This came about, Fredricka, after our baseball chief arbitrator concluded the hearing, which ended on November 21st, heard both sides, allegations from both sides.

Allegations that Alex Rodriguez had used performance enhancing drugs, that he was somehow connected to that anti-aging clinic, Biogenesis, in Florida, the man who ran that clinic, and then he took performance enhancing drugs. Not only that, but he also obstructed the investigation into whether or not he took those performance enhancing drugs.

All along, Alex Rodriguez has denied that he took any performance enhancing drugs, denies that he obstructed any sort of investigation and in fact, last at Major League Baseball saying that Major League Baseball used criminal tactics in terms of how they investigated and went after him.

So here's where we stand now. Right now, MLB has handed down -- the arbitrator has handed down a 162-game suspension. That would effectively, Fredricka, put Rodriguez out for a year. He is not going to stand for that. His team is not going to stand for that. They are going to continue to fight. So what they're going to do now is they are going to take it to court.

They're going to take their case to court. It is unlikely based on all the legal analysts I've spoken to. A number of people who know the situation in and out, they say it's a very slim chance that a federal judge is going to overturn an arbitrator's decision, but Rodriguez and his team are going to continue to fight.

And what they're going to do is I'm told they are going to -- in all likelihood, ask the judge to intervene in the case and issue fourth an injunction to allow Rodriguez to continue to play baseball while he continues to fight.

WHITFIELD: So, the arbitrator has reduced the number of games. Rodriguez comes out with a statement, which says you know, he'll likely take it to federal court. But the amount of time that it would take before a federal court were to address this, might a year already pass, I mean, might the suspension still be upheld while he is trying to appeal this decision or get a federal court to weigh in?

CARROLL: Well, I don't think a year would pass and what they would do is once again, they would ask a judge for an injunction to allow them to continue playing into spring training, et cetera, while he continues his legal fight. You remember, even while the arbitrator was looking at this, Rodriguez was allowed to continue to play throughout last season and he's going to hope that he can continue to do that through the next season as well.

But once again, Fredricka, at this point, it seems at least from the legal analysts I've spoken to, from a lot of people who know the ins and outs of this, it seems it's a tall order that a judge, federal judge is going to overturn the decision by an arbitrator from two private parties. That's a tall order.

But Rodriguez and his team are committed to this. They feel as though MLB did not act properly and they feel as though Rodriguez was targeted. The only way he can continue to fight is to take it to the federal level.

WHITFIELD: Interesting. All right, Jason Carroll, thanks so much for bringing us this with this information just now coming in. Appreciate that.

All right, also add to this conversation with "The Washington Post," we have Mike Wise on the line with us. So, Mike, how do you see this? Are you in agreement? That it's unlikely that a federal judge if one were to get involve here, would overturn an arbitrator's decision, meaning the suspension would stay?

MIKE WISE, "WASHINGTON POST" (via telephone): Yes, I feel the exact thing. This is probably going to be A-Rod's fate. Alex Rodriguez is going to miss an entire Major League Baseball season. He can go through all the appeals he wants. The bottom line is that at some point, he's going to have to accept that the commissioner's evidence was found to be worthy enough to ban him from baseball for a year. I don't know if it's the end of any sort of chapter. It is the beginning that there is no post steroid generation in baseball. It's still going on and we have to accept it.

WHITFIELD: Now what about the New York Yankees? Would they be batting for him, Rodriguez? Trying to do what they can to influence the MLB so that he could play or did they simply throw up their hands and say, OK, the arbitrator has spoken. The MLB has spoken. This is the way it is.

WISE: I think the New York Yankees have always walked a fine line between acting as if they wanted to support their player and also really doing the best by baseball. And you know, like, people think that Alex Rodriguez is a (inaudible) at clubhouse. The times that I've been in there and the reporters I've spoken to who cover the team on a daily basis. The biggest thing about Alex Rodriguez, his talent is so prodigious. It really doesn't match some of the field.

At this point I think, given his age, given that the Yankees would own him, I can't imagine them sticking by him the second time he's been hit on the wrist. I just can't, at some point I understand the union has to do it by its members. But if the New York Yankees are standing by their man, so to speak, they look as enable as anybody in this sort of saga.

WHITFIELD: Now what about the Yankees? Do they have to honor, I mean, if he's suspended in large part because of the investigation of performance enhancing drugs, do they have to honor his contract? Does he continue to get paid?

WISE: No, nobody who's, nobody in baseball, that would fall under morality clause in any contract regarding Major League Baseball team and its employee/player. So, I can't imagine for the life of me that the Yankees will be, would be on the foot for that kind of money if in fact an arbitrator suspended him from the game and upheld, reduced his suspension, but held him out of the game for 162 games, which is essentially a year. There's no way in my mind, you know maybe, Jeffrey Toobin or somebody in the legal department, can clarify that, but I'd be shocked if the club was on the hook for that salary.

WHITFIELD: OK. Now, let me read to you and our audience, what the Major League Baseball Players Association is saying. The MLBPA strongly disagrees with the award issue today in the grievance of Alex Rodriguez even despite the arbitration panel's decision to reduce the duration of Mr. Rodriguez's unprecedented 211-game suspension. We recognize that a final and binding decision has been reached.

However, we respect that the collectively bargained arbitration process, which led to the decision in accordance with the confidentiality provisions of the JDA. The association will make no further comment regarding the decision. How do you interpret that statement from the player's association?

WISE: Fred, you just read the very first part of that?

WHITFIELD: Sure, the MLBPA strongly disagrees with the award issued today in the grievance of Alex Rodriguez even despite the arbitration panel's decision to reduce the duration of Mr. Rodriguez's unprecedented 211-game suspension.

WISE: I think I guess that's what you have to say because you're essentially backing your membership irrespective of the facts, irrespective of the notion that everybody in baseball and outside of baseball, knows Alex Rodriguez to be a performance enhancing drug user and if there was some kind of semantics or technicalities that they want to present as evidence, why he shouldn't be, I would be fine with that.

But we're looking at an organization who turned a blind eye along with Bud Selig, the commissioner of baseball and many of his lawyers under him, to the notion that this was rampant in the sport in most of the '90s and much first part of the new millenium. Now, they've started to clean it up. The drug testing is stiffer, but let's be clear. This problem started way back when, when the people in charge knew what was going on and didn't take any kind of action.

And you know, I don't even -- I understand, Alex Rodriguez, may lose a lot of money and I understand all these things, I still think this goes back to, this goes back to the bigger problem, which was Alex Rodriguez was a member of an organization which -- came out and said I'm not using performance enhancing drugs anymore. He partnered with the gentleman by the name of Mr. Hooten.

He lives in Plano, Texas. His son was a cousin of Taylor Hooten. One of these kids who went down to Mexico and wanted to be big like his friends, wanted to pump 350 pounds on the bench like Barry Bonds. He went down to his friends in Mexico and he came back and he actually got off the -- will tell you now that steroids in teens leads to violent mood swings.

Well, sure enough, sure enough, Mr. Hooten comes home one day and hangs himself in his room. And anyone that doesn't want to connect that to what's going on now and A-Rod actually worked through a foundation. He said, I can't have you anymore. Really hurts me because I know this is almost an addiction for you.

WHITFIELD: Many tentacles to this story. Bottom line, for Alex Rodriguez, that 211-game suspension has been reduced to 162 games. We're going to talk more about this throughout the afternoon. Mike Wise of the "Washington Post," thanks so much for your perspective. Appreciate that.

WISE: You're welcome.

WHITFIELD: And we'll have much more straight ahead in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is no shrinking violet and seldom seems to care what others think of his leadership style. Now he's facing the biggest scandal of his administration and how significant is it that few in the GOP leadership are backing his actions or words in that two-hour news conference this week. Christie fired his deputy chief of staff, Brigitte Anne Kelly, and dumped his campaign manager, who was in line to be the GOP's state party chairman. An e-mail trail reveals they were behind lane closures that backed up the George Washington Bridge in September.

They apparently did it as punishment because the Fort Lee mayor did not endorse Christie's re-election. Christie maintains he knew nothing of the bridge closure, denies playing any role in the planning or execution of it. So why is there so much scepticism among his constituents and even some Republican leaders?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I found it hard to believe that he didn't have any idea like that going on because I felt like to block up three lanes --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It would not injure any possible presidential run by doing something like that to the state, to the town of Fort Lee.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I still like him. I still like him. He's a good governor. He's done great for the state, but like I said, this embarrassed him very much so.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Always demand that you would have a press conference and deny some kind of responsibility on some level. That's not cool.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right, both skepticism and support from his constituents. So, Governor Christie said bottom line, he's a victim.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOVERNOR CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), NEW JERSEY: A person close to me betrayed me, a person who I counted on and trusted for five years betrayed me. A person who I gave a high government office to betrayed me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Congressman Leonard Lance is a New Jersey Republican who supports the governor. So, Congressman, should he have known what his top aides were up to before it happened?

REPRESENTATIVE LEONARD LANCE (R), NEW JERSEY: He asked his top aides whether they were involved and they said they were not and unfortunately, that proved not to be the case. Fredricka, the underlying behavior is appalling. It should not have happened. Of course, it should not happen ever again, but I thought that the governor took decisive and forceful and immediate action this week.

WHITFIELD: So, you think he did the right thing. His demeanor was on point during that two-hour presser, then why is it as you heard from some of his constituents, some are saying, how is it he couldn't know? Especially when you heard the governor himself underscore in that press conference that his top aides, his office, it's like a family.

LANCE: I believe that he was not told the truth and that is what he said this week. Let me say that the chief executive of state or the president of the United States will be confronted with challenges and one measure of a person is how that person reacts to those challenges and Governor Christie reacted immediately and forcefully and decisively earlier this week.

WHITFIELD: Do you find it odd that there are a number of Republicans, whether it be in Washington or even there local in New Jersey, who are a little reticent to come out and say full heartedly they are supporting the governor? Whether it be during or immediately after that press conference? Does that bother you?

LANCE: The governor indicated in his press conference that he was humiliated. He apologized to the people of New Jersey. He apologized to the people of Fort Lee and he apologized to the state legislature and therefore, he took responsibility and let me say that I believe that his decisive action this week was in the tenor of his administration.

Fredricka, the reason he was re-elected overwhelmingly in November was based upon the public policy decisions he has made in his first term in office. A 2 percent property tax cap in New Jersey, a pension reform and he has done this in a bipartisan capacity with a Democratically-controlled state legislature.

WHITFIELD: Do you think there are some Republicans who kind of take issue with that? That perhaps he professes to be someone who does things in a bipartisan manner, there might be some Republicans who still don't like the idea that he was willing to stand alongside the president of the United States, Democrat, that for some Republicans, just feels like payback for them?

LANCE: I believe that he put New Jersey first during Superstorm Sandy and that was imminently appropriate for the governor of New Jersey. And we need greater bipartisan cooperation in Washington and certainly, I think that Governor Christie has acted that way in his capacity as governor for the last four years.

And I expect more of that in the future. He is reforming New Jersey. He is doing it with a Democratically-controlled state legislature. He is forceful in personality and I believe that the reforms that he and the legislature together have put into place in New Jersey will benefit the state for many years to come.

WHITFIELD: Congressman Leonard Lance of New Jersey, thanks so much for your time. Appreciate it.

LANCE: Thank you very much, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Her toddler was taken into protective custody after he unleashed a slew of obscenities. The toddler in a video that has gone viral. Straight ahead, you'll hear from the mother who's defending herself and find out what happened.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: The 16-year-old mother of a Nebraska toddler seen in a profanity laced viral video is defending her son. Both of them are now in protective custody. Last week, the Omaha Police Officers Association posted this video from Facebook on its web site, saying it's an example of a quote, "cycle of violence and thuggery," end quote.

Male and female voices are heard in the background encouraging the little boy to use obscenities and racial slurs. We're going to play some of the video, but let me warn you it is disturbing and it might be difficult to listen to or even watch.

The boy's mom, 16 years old, told the affiliate, KETV, that she doesn't condone what happened, but says her son is like every other kid.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He had a clean diaper, the house was clean. Kids cuss. Every kid does it. He's a smart little boy. All that stuff he did, he doesn't do that. My son doesn't cuss like that. I don't allow it. For everybody that thinks I'm a bad mother, I'm not.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: She and her son are now in child protective custody for safety reasons unrelated to that video.

All right, it was a case that made national headlines, a teenage girl and her mother claim they were run out of town after accusing a classmate of sexual assault. The boy, now 18, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of child endangerment, but some wonder if he got off too easy. Here's CNN's Kyung Lah.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KYUNG LAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Is there anything you or your client wants to say?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, not at this time.

LAH: Maribel was quiet as 19-year-old Matthew Barnett left the courthouse a free man. The reaction on social media was loud and swift about his plea deal. Hash tag justice4daisy, "The system has failed and sickening." Barnett faces no jail time and two years' probation for pleading guilty to misdemeanor child endangerment. He admits he left then 14-year-old Daisy Coleman drunk, freezing and not wearing a jacket outside her mother's house is January.

JAY R. HOBBS, MATTHEW BARNETT'S ATTORNEY: The misdemeanor charge which Mr. Barnett pled guilty accurately reflects the conduct for what he should be held accountable. LAH: What Barnett did not face charges of raping the young victim. Daisy Coleman alleged she and 13-year-old friend, Page Parkers, were raped by Barnett and another high school boy after a night of drinking. The case of the other boy who was 15 at that time was handled in juvenile court. Charges against Barnett, who was 17, were dismissed.

Daisy's family claimed the real reason was Barnett's political ties. His grandfather was a popular four-term state representative. Daisy and her family were run out of Maribel. A stark example they say of victim blaming.

A national outcry followed and Special Prosecutor Jean Baker was appointed to re-examine the case who says the justice system worked.

JEAN PETERS BAKER, JACKSON COUNTY PROSECUTOR: My job is to analyze evidence. In this case, it was -- there was insufficient evidence to go forward on a sexual assault.

LAH: Daisy's mother tells CNN she expected this outcome from the prosecutor saying, considering all the evidence that had been lost, destroyed, tampered with or returned, there wasn't a lot she could do. Baker read a statement from Daisy Coleman.

BAKER: Today I am grateful that the defendant took responsibility by pleading guilty to the charges. I am ready to move forward.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LAH: It has been difficult for Daisy to move on though. Over the weekend, this last weekend, her mother says that her daughter tried to take her own life after being bullied on Facebook. Her mother says that instead of coming to the courthouse, she chose to stay by her daughter's bedside. Daisy's mother saying she felt the prosecutor did the best she could, but maintains political power was at play here in the original investigation. Kyung Lah, CNN, Maribel, Missouri.

WHITFIELD: The Consumer Electronics Show is usually about cutting edge, cool gadgets. Well, up next, a few that might not make the cut.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, we've been checking out the Consumer Electronics Show and we've seen a few gadgets that might be the next big thing, but as our Samuel Burke explains, not everything is going to be a home run.

SAMUEL BURKE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, we are here at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas and it feels like the booze go on for miles and miles. So of course, you're going to find some good and some bad. Adrian, what were some of the worst ones that you saw this year?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Cannon is kind of back this year with another sort of crazy consumer idea where they want to have a pocket camera that has the lens on the front, but also a camera on the back that takes a selfie of you as you take your shot or whatever you are photographing. It's an interesting idea, but it's one that you can already easily do on your smartphone and there's no real reason to pack that into a pocket sized camera.

BURKE: I remember when you did that last year so that's two years in a row. One of the ones we saw here, the Neptune Kind, you've heard of smart watches. I think this is actually a smart phone on a smart watch. It's really that big.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I'm already not a huge fan of smart watches because they are trying to imitate smart phones and really, I don't need my smart phone on my wrist. I need it in my pocket so I was kind of bombed out by that one.

BURKE: Any other bad stuff?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, there is a company here called "Phone Soap" selling a case that has a UV light in it so you can stick your phone in it and it will sanitize it for you, which just seems completely pointless. I don't understand also why anybody would ever want that in a million years.

BURKE: I want to add one to this. It's not one of the worst ones, but I think it was one of the scariest ones. Just Audley driverless car, which isn't driverless, it's driverless just for small stretches at a time. But we almost had somebody rear end us because it stopped so suddenly. I was very, very, very scared, but it is a great concept. I can tell it's going to be the future. We're just not there quite yet.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, it might have been a little brash for them to demo it out on the road. It is very much a future concept that is years and years away and it will get better with time I think.

BURKE: We'll have the best ones next year and the worst ones next year.

WHITFIELD: All those thumbs up and a thumbs down. Samuel Burke at the Consumer Electronics Show. Thanks so much.

All right, the family of a mentally ill teen wants answers. They say cops used excessive force in the shooting death of their 100-pound son.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: The family of a mentally ill 18-year-old boy say he didn't deserve to die at the hands of police gunned down in his own home, but the detective who fired the fatal shot said the boy was threatening another officer's life. Our David Mattingly has the story.

DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, funeral services are today for Keith Vidal as the question still looms, why did a police detective believe that lethal force was necessary.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) MATTINGLY (voice-over): Shortly after he shot and killed 18-year-old Keith Vidal, we could hear South Port Police Detective Byron Vassey on the radio saying he was defending himself.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know if you've been advised or not but shots fired. I've had to defend myself against the subject.

MATTINGLY: Apparently suffering through a schizophrenic episode and holding only a screwdriver, Keith Vidal had been hit with stun guns and was on the floor of his home, restrained by two officers when Detective Vassey shot him in the chest. Vassey's attorney now tells me why.

(on camera): You're telling me this young man was not subdued and that he was fighting back?

JAMES PAYNE, BYRON VASSEY'S ATTORNEY: He was, yes, sir.

MATTINLY: He was actually taking that screwdriver and stabbing one of the officers multiple times?

PAYNE: In the abdomen area, yes, sir.

MATTINGLY: But not causing any injury?

PAYNE: Apparently he had not. Again, apparently the officer had a bulletproof vest on.

MATTINGLY (voice-over): Just 5'3" and maybe 100 pounds, the smiling teen in these pictures, according to Vassey's attorney, had become such a threat to the safety of the one officer that Vassey had no choice but to use deadly force.

(on camera): Did that officer yell for help or ask for someone to shoot this man?

PAYNE: No, sir, did not.

MATTINGLY: Then why did the detective feel like he needed to use deadly force at that moment?

PAYNE: Because the stabbing motions travelled to an exposed part of the down officer and he was not being subdued.

MATTINGLY (voice-over): The North Carolina Police Benevolent Association agrees. The legal support group calls the situation dangerous, call Keith Vidal's screwdriver a deadly weapon. And says Detective Vassey used authorized law enforcement action. The aggressive and threatening picture described is in sharp contrast to the family's belief that Keith Vidal should not have died.

MARK WILSEY, SHOOTING VICTIM'S BROTHER: Why would somebody shoot a 90-pound kid with two full-grown officers on top of him with two tasers deployed inside him? There's no reason.

MATTINGLY (on camera): Was that the only option here, to pull a firearm and pull the trigger?

PAYNE: At the instant that it occurred, again, having to step up into the shoes of the officer to make that judgment call, he had to make it in a split instant.

MATTINGLY: Was it the right decision?

PAYNE: Yes, sir.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MATTINGLY: The family released a statement through their attorney not responding to any of these latest accounts, but saying that they wanted to allow for time for the investigation to continue -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, David Mattingly, thank you so much. Let's talk more about the legal ramifications of this shooting death. Let's bring in our legal guys, Avery Friedman, a civil right attorney and law professor, joining us from Cleveland. Good to see you.

AVERY FRIEDMAN, CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY: Hi, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And Richard Herman, a New York criminal defense attorney and law professor joining us from Las Vegas. Good to see you as well.

RICHARD HERMAN, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Hi, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, gentlemen, the State Bureau of Investigations looking into this shooting, and so is the local prosecutors. So Richard, what are the key facts they have to determine here about reasonable threat, reasonable action taken?

HERMAN: Fred, the standard is whether the officer acted in an objectively, reasonable manner that's a standard performed by the United Supreme Court. Here, officers are trained, they're supposed to make a split second determination, but when you look at the fact pattern here, it's really disturbing.

A 90 pound child, restrained by two officers after being tazed, after being tazed, gets shot in the chest from an officer who enters the room and is heard on the tape saying I had to defend myself when he wasn't being attacked, that's a problem, Fred. There's a whole other story, but it's a very disturbing case.

WHITFIELD: So, Avery, you heard David Mattingly's piece that an officer did have a bulletproof vest on, but this young man was taking stabs at him with the screwdriver and that in of itself merits a threat, a reasonable threat and that this officer had to take action. Does there have to be more than that?

FRIEDMAN: Well, no, there really doesn't, but I noticed that even the lawyer was starting to stutter after David asked the right questions on this. You know, the piece that's missing here is the family said that after the two cops have their son down, again, 90, 100 pounds, tasers, holding him down. The other officer shows up 14 minutes later and within 70 seconds, the officer says according to the family, we don't have time for this. At that point, pulls the gun, kills the young man. This begs for further investigation. Grand jury, Justice Department, I'm in a court. I think this is very, very disturbing.

And while you don't want to substitute a judgment, the facts are very, very potentially compelling. So, further investigation is absolutely necessary in order to get the justice.

WHITFIELD: All right, now let's shift gears quite a bit. Let's talk about Alex Rodriguez and his suspension now being reduced from 211 games to 162 games. This by an arbitrator and so, Avery, I wonder while Alex Rodriguez in his statement says we're going to continue to fight this action, we're going to go to federal court, would it be the case of a federal court, would it take it or -- would it challenge an arbitrator's decision.

FRIEDMAN: Well, if the argument is that it was unfair, it violated due process, he is going nowhere because the due process laws applies to government, not to private entities like Major League Baseball. So in that respect, the federal court will not have jurisdiction. If it's a review of -- under the National Arbitration Act, there may be a question, but ultimately the discretion goes with the employer. I think at best, he's got an uphill fight.

WHITFIELD: And what do you think, Richard?

HERMAN: Well, it's an enormous uphill fight. The federal court will jurisdiction here. They will review the record, but the standard to reverse a decision and arbitration, Fred, is extremely high, to prove that the arbitrator was completely off the wall and missed the mark 100 percent, very tough standard to reverse an arbitration award.

And here I think the 162-game suspension is a plus for him. It could have been over 200 games and the issue of whether the Yankees are going to pay him next year and who they're going to get to play third base.

WHITFIELD: It's tantamount to a year away from the game, then the question, you know, the question is will we ever see A-Rod play again.

HERMAN: Right, and maybe the Yankees -- right and the Yankees could try to terminate his huge contract based on his conduct. They may want to do that. I don't know.

WHITFIELD: All right, Richard --

FRIEDMAN: There's a provision in the contract that does permit that, does give that authority to the Yankees.

HERMAN: Morals clause.

WHITFIELD: All right, Avery, Richard, thanks so much, always great to have you. The brilliant minds that you are. Thank you so much. Brilliant. Take care. We have got much more on the breaking news about Alex Rodriguez. Next, we'll go to Jason Carroll in New York for more details and more reaction.

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