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CNN Live Saturday

'99 Tornado Victims Suing Insurance Company; Mumps Outbreak in Midwest

Aired April 15, 2006 - 14:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Makings news right now, Milwaukee families are awaiting autopsy results on the bodies two children pulled from a lagoon in a park. The bodies are believed to be those of two boys who disappeared almost a month ago while heading to the park to play basketball. More on that story straight ahead.
A district attorney in Oklahoma plans to seek the death penalty against a suspect in the case of a missing 10-year-old girl. Kevin Underwood was arrested after a body believed to be that of Jamie Rose Bolin was found in his apartment. Details coming up.

President Bush is talking taxes on this April 15th, specifically tax cuts. In his weekly radio address, Mr. Bush is urging Congress to make his tax cuts permanent. He says lower taxes help boost the economy and create jobs.

For most American taxpayers, a two-day reprieve. Today is April 15th. But because it's a Saturday, the deadline for filing taxes in most states is Monday. Tuesday is the deadline in a half a dozen in other states and the District of Columbia, where Monday is a holiday.

In South Florida, a big surprise for workers at a car lot. This nine-foot alligator caused quite a stir after showing up at a dealership in Brevard County. A trapper had to be called in to remove the animal.

Welcome to CNN LIVE SATURDAY. I'm Fredericka Whitfield. It is April 15th.

Ahead this hour, health officials are trying to contain an outbreak of mumps in the Midwest. Find out why some say their efforts could be important in future battles against bird flu.

As Iraq's politicians try to form a new government, a battle over who will serve as prime minister. Can this political crisis be solved? We'll have a report from Baghdad. But first our top story.

After a punishing round of hail and wind on Good Friday, parts of Indiana are expecting more severe weather this Easter weekend. This hail storm was in the state's biggest city of Indianapolis. Several counties in the state reported damage from suspected tornados during yesterday's bout of bad weather.

In the Pacific Northwest, a different form of bad weather, some say bad weather. This was the scene of a snowstorm blew through the Cascades. While skiers are certainly not complaining, there are serious concerns for backcountry hikers. After the storm, authorities issued an avalanche warning.

And get ready, California, another Pacific storm will roll in this weekend with pounding rains, another half-inch could fall. Parts of the state are already overflowing after six weeks of near constant rainfall.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WHITFIELD: And you can keep track of the up-to-the-minute weather in your part of the country on our Web site, just log on to cnn.com/weather.

And coming up, long legal battles for some Oklahoma tornado victims, they're still trying to get their insurance company to pay up years after their homes were blown away.

The worst is expected to be confirmed shortly in the fate of two missing boys in Milwaukee -- missing for a month. Autopsies are expected to verify that bodies of pulled from a lagoon are the remains of 12-year-old Quadrevion Henning and 11-year-old Purvis Parker.

Reporter Ty Milburn of CNN affiliate WTMJ says the family has seen the bodies.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TY MILBURN, WTMJ REPORTER: The people in Milwaukee are waking up to some heartbreaking news this morning, those two little boys, Dre and Purvis, who have been missing for almost a month, well, this morning, they are dead.

(voice-over): After weeks of an exhaustive search, police found Quadrevion Henning and Purvis Parker's bodies at one of the first places they looked, at a park just blocks away from where the boys lived.

CHIEF NAN HEGERTY, MILWAUKEE POLICE: Two people walking through this park discovered a body floating in the lagoon.

MILBURN: The first body was found early Friday evening, the second body surfaced a few hours later. Police said the bodies were badly decomposed. Police showed family members photos of the body , they IDed them, all this while a group of neighbors and complete strangers said prayers and held a vigil outside the Henning family house.

(on camera): Police have been here all morning long putting out police tape. They say the autopsy should be done later this afternoon.

In Milwaukee, Ty Milburn reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: The families of the boys are waiting to hear the exact cause of death. An uncle says they just want to make sure there is no foul play. He says the families are holding up.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DENNIS FRAZIER, QUADREVION'S UNCLE: The whole thing finally brings closure to the families and also, at one point, it's kind like a chess match, you know, we're just sitting here waiting for the next move. And now that there's no more waiting, we know the outcome, the bodies have been viewed, and right now we can just get ready and prepare ourselves for the next step.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: And one of the next steps is a news conference. Milwaukee authorities plan to speak to the media sometime this afternoon and CNN will bring that to you live.

An Oklahoma family is spending this Easter weekend in mourning. Three days after 10-year-old Jamie Rose Bolin disappeared, a suspect with no apparent criminal history is accused of killing her. More details from CNN's Ed Lavandera in Purcell, Oklahoma.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Two days of searching for 10- year-old Jamie Rose Bolin came to a devastating end Friday afternoon here in the town of Purcell, Oklahoma, where authorities discovered her body in an apartment complex not too far away from where she was last seen. In fact, that is the disturbing twist to this story.

Her body was discovered in the apartment of 26-year-old Kevin Ray Underwood, who lived just downstairs, 15 feet away from where Jamie Rose Bolin and her family lived in this apartment complex.

The district attorney here in Purcell says that Underwood will be charged with first degree murder on Monday and will face the death penalty. And he says this is the most gruesome crime he has ever seen.

TIM KUYKENDALL, DISTRICT 21 D.A.: This is one of the most, if not the most, heinous, atrocious and cruel case that I've been involved with in my 24 years as a district attorney.

LAVANDERA: The news of Jamie Rose Bolin's death came as a devastating blow to her family. In fact, the family was brought here, to the police station, just moments after they had discovered the body in the apartment complex. Her father collapsed here. He was taken away by ambulance and family members say he has been sedated at a local hospital.

MARK CHILES, UNCLE: This happened right there in the apartment below him. And you need to know who your neighbors are. Don't let your kids get away from you, because, I mean, this can happen in a flash.

LAVANDERA: Authorities here in Oklahoma will not say how Jamie Rose Bolin was killed, nor will they go into any details as to how Kevin Ray Underwood came into contact with her. But they do say they will spend the weekend getting the necessary search warrants so they can search his apartment and car and be prepared to file those murder charges on Monday.

Ed Lavandera, CNN, Purcell, Oklahoma.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: The storm passed through seven years ago, but the fight over who covers the cost of cleaning up goes on. Find out how a storm led a storm over insurance coverage.

And later, what could be controversial about a White House Easter Egg Roll? We'll explain.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: We're keeping an eye out for more severe weather this afternoon. We have got a live look for you right now, Kansas City, also Omaha, Nebraska. Hail and possible tornados hit Indiana overnight and there could be more in store. Right now the potential for severe storms still developing over the Midwest area. We'll check in with our meteorologist Bonnie Schneider a little bit later on in the hour.

Meantime, we hear it all of the time from Katrina victims, they pay their insurance, now it's time for the insurance companies to pay them. So where's the cash? Insurers often try to limit payouts during times of calamities. Examples can be found long before Katrina.

Our Gerri Willis prepared this report for CNN's "PAULA ZAHN NOW."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm getting nervous. This is bad.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Look at that. Look at that.

GERRI WILLIS, CNN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR (voice-over): May 3rd, 1999, the strongest tornado ever recorded ripped through the southern suburbs of Oklahoma City. Up to a mile wide, with winds up to 318 miles per hour, it was part of a storm that killed 48 people and left widespread devastation. The tornado roared right by Donna and David Cosper's house.

DONNA COSPER, HOMEOWNER: The f5 tornado came right across the hillside there, where you see the treetops -- came right across there, and then there were two small tornadoes that came off of it, that came, went down through the trees and then hit the back of our home.

WILLIS: Cosper ran for a neighbor's storm cellar. About a mile away, off-duty police officer Larry Love was working on his yard.

LARRY LOVE, HOMEOWNER: And a car came around this corner and he stopped and he said, hey, there's a big tornado coming, heading this direction.

WILLIS: Love rushed to take shelter at his mother-in-laws and with his family listened to the police radio.

LOVE: There is an Oklahoma City police officer that said that she was at Southwest 133rd Place and Briar Hollow Drive and that there are homes down, devastated and people trapped. She was just basically right around the corner.

WILLIS: Officer Love spent the next few days searching through rubble and rescuing people. When he finally went into his own home, he saw it was badly damaged.

LOVE: ... the roof shingles.

WILLIS: Donna Cosper was shocked when she came out of the storm cellar. Houses were reduced to rubble. Somehow her own house was still standing, but was also damaged, cracks in the walls, the house frame twisted so doors wouldn't close and the air conditioning malfunctioned, soon causing condensation and mold inside. Grass even grew out of one wall.

Cosper and Love got in touch with their insurance company, State Farm, to start the repair process.

(on-camera): The Cospers, the Loves and others in this community had been faithfully paying their premiums to State Farm for years. They figured that if the worst happened they would be protected.

(voice over): But when the worst did happen, they say State Farm became part of the problem, not paying for all the damage.

JEFF MARR, ATTORNEY: We're suing State Farm for the way that they handled the catastrophe claims here in Oklahoma in 1999.

WILLIS: Jeff Marr represents Cosper, Love and more than 70 others in a class action suit against State Farm. He says State Farm hired a firm called Haag Engineering to inspect the homes, but he claims the engineering firm deliberately underreported the damage, allegations State Farm and Haag Engineering deny.

LOVE: They're saying that it was just poor construction.

WILLIS: Larry Love says State Farm first used a different engineering company to inspect his home. That company reported this about the roof: "The ridge beam appeared to be rotated, suggesting that the roof has undergone rotation or racking from the high winds. It appears this rotation caused the rafters to pull out of the beam."

Worried the inspection hadn't found all of the damage, Love asked for a second opinion. State Farm sent out Haag Engineering. Attorney Marr says the Haag report played down the tornado's effect on the house. "It appeared that the primary damage this dwelling received from the storm was from debris impact and interior exposure to weather and rain." And there was this about the damage to the roof: "The separations were as-built conditions." Haag claimed the problem was there before the storm.

LOVE: I have two engineering reports. They basically took the first one that said that my house was damaged and stuff. They just disposed of that, and they basically told me, no, the Haag report is gospel. This is exactly what it is. This is all we're paying, and you're not getting anything else.

WILLIS: State Farm paid Donna Cosper almost $62,000, but that was $30,000 short of what she ended up paying to fix structural damage, damage Haag Engineering said didn't happen in the tornado. Her safety engineer had a different story.

COSPER: He described it to me like the house just took a big breath because the pressure on the front of the house and the pressure on the back of the house, it just made the house suck apart.

MARR: State Farm used Haag to pay less on claims than what it should have, knowing that Haag had a bias in State Farm's favor and against the policyholder.

WILLIS: Marr points to a 1994 Texas State Supreme Court case that found State Farm hired Haag Engineering, knowing the firm would have a bias in the insurer's favor. In depositions for the Oklahoma case, Haag Engineering denied being biased against home owners.

And in a statement to CNN said the firm does not allow clients to influence the results of its reports. State Farm declined an interview, but in statements to CNN, State Farm said it expects objective opinions from outside experts like Haag Engineering. And State Farm said it paid out $4.5 million on 77 claims after the tornado, based on Haag Engineering reports.

State Farm did not say how many Haag Engineering evaluated claims were denied or reduced. In this deposition, State Farm's former vice president for claims, Frank Haines, said the company paid what is fair.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What should your policyholders have expected from State Farm following this catastrophe in regard to their claim handling?

FRANK HAINES, FMR. STATE FARM CLAIMS V.P.: They had a policy with State Farm, whether it be State Farm Casualty or State Farm Mutual Automobile, that their claim would have been handled as quickly as possible, as fairly as possible.

WILLIS: An Oklahoma court is getting ready to determine whether that really happened after the strongest tornado in recorded history.

COSPER: When I hear the "like a good neighbor State Farm is there," it makes me nauseous. To this day it, makes me nauseous.

LOVE: Let me show you back here. WILLIS: Larry Love still hasn't had his roof fully repaired. Donna Cosper spent $30,000 out of her own pocket to make her house livable. They hope that a judgment in their lawsuit will soon bring their seven-year nightmare to an end.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's moving right at us. We got to get out of here.

WILLIS: Gerri Willis, CNN, Oklahoma City.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Wow. That story comes to us from "PAULA ZAHN NOW." Be sure to join Paula weeknights at 8:00 p.m. Eastern, 5:00 Pacific.

Straight ahead, find out what health officials are doing to contain an outbreak of mumps in America's heartland.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Mumps is spreading across the Midwest this weekend. The outbreak is the worst in two decades. Here is Mary Snow in a report prepared for "THE SITUATION ROOM."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Health officials discovered the first U.S. cases on an Iowa college campus in December. Now cases of the mumps in Iowa have skyrocketed to more than 600. And nearby Midwest states report dozens more, puzzling doctors.

DR. WILLIAM SCHAFFNER, VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER: Where did it lurk? How is it that we didn't see further cases?

SNOW: Mumps cause the glands under the jaw to swell, and people usually have a fever and headache. Severe complications like deafness and meningitis are rare. Mumps spread when infected people cough and sneeze.

What about when they travel?

DR. JANE SEWARD, CDC EPIDEMIOLOGIST: A disease like mumps spreading on a plane, it's very uncommon. But we wanted to be cautious and just inform passengers.

SNOW: The Centers for Disease Control is now investigating whether this mumps outbreak put air travelers at risk. The government is reaching out to passengers on flights taken by two infected people. Those infected people had many layovers.

According to the CDC, the first infected person traveled from Waterloo, Iowa, in late March to Minneapolis, Minnesota, then to Detroit, Michigan, then to Washington, D.C., and back. The other went from Tucson, Arizona, to Dallas, Texas, to Lafayette, Arkansas, to St. Louis, Missouri, to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on April 2nd. SCHAFFNER: We can take this mumps epidemic as kind of a fire drill for what might happen if bird flu suddenly became transmissible to humans and was introduced into the United States.

SNOW: It's also testing the public health system response that was put into place after 9/11 to deal more effectively with biological emergencies.

PATRICIA QUINLISK, IOWA DEPT. OF PUBLIC HEALTH: So it is not only being useful for dealing with mumps, but it's actually testing our ability to deal with biological emergencies and showing us where we can do better.

SNOW: Mary Snow, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: That story originally air on "THE SITUATION ROOM," which you can watch, Wolf Blitzer, weeknights in "THE SITUATION ROOM," 7:00 Eastern, 4:00 Pacific.

In Milwaukee, a jury clears three white former police officers of most of the charges in the severe beating of a bi-racial man almost two years ago. The city plans to ask federal prosecutors to consider pursuing the case.

Trained dogs help search for a black bear that killed a 6-year- old girl in the mountains of east Tennessee. The bear also mauled the girl's 2-year-old brother and mother Thursday. Officials say it's extremely rare for black bears to attack humans.

And if you live in New Jersey and you smoke, do it outdoors. A state ban on smoking in bars, restaurants, and office buildings took place this morning. It does not apply to Atlantic City casinos. Violators face fines of up to $1,000.

In New York, the world's biggest ocean liner docks at a Brooklyn pier. For the first, the Queen Mary II steamed into New York Harbor through a thick fog early this morning.

Death and destruction at the Pentagon, the final moments of Flight 93.

And then a jury hears from Zacarias Moussaoui, ahead our legal experts look at the latest testimony.

And one man at the center of a fight over Iraq's future speaks out about the standoff.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: A look at our top stories right now. Severe weather in Indiana, damages reported today from hail, strong winds and perhaps even a tornado. Forecasters say the area could get more of this today. Autopsies are being conducted today on two decomposed bodies pulled from a lagoon in Milwaukee. The remains are believed to be young boys who disappeared nearly a month ago. A news conference is expected sometime this afternoon and CNN will bring that to you live.

A rush against time in the search for survivors of deadly mud slides in western Columbia. Rain triggered the slides on Wednesday and Thursday. Eleven bodies have been recovered and at least 28 people missing and presumed dead.

The new Palestinian prime minister says Washington is leading an unholy alliance to undermine election that put Hamas in power. The U.S., the European Union and Israel have cut direct funding. Today, Palestinian police stormed a government building to protest overdue salaries.

In Iraq, a car bomb killed at least four civilians today and wounded several others. The attack happened in Baghdad near a restaurant popular with police. An Iraqi police convoy passed by the car just as it exploded. At least five other Iraqis were killed in other attacks across the country.

On the Iraqi political front, still no break in the deadlock to form a so-called unity government. Talks today again focused on how to convince controversial prime minister Ibrahim al-Jafari to step aside. More on the crisis now from CNN's Aneesh Raman.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This man is at the center of Iraq's crippling political crisis and head of the parliament's second meeting amid sustained calls from Kurdish and Sunni leaders to step aside as the Shia candidate for prime minister.

Ibrahim al Jaafari remains defiant.

(on camera): The talks that are going on, do you have full confidence you will emerge as the prime minister of the next government?

IBRAHIM AL-JAAFARI, IRAQI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): The Shia alliance made their choice. I don't bet my position on the acceptance of a certain list or on a certain personality. Instead, I depend on what the people chose through the democratic political process.

RAMAN (voice-over): A Democratic process al Jaafari says elected his Shiite into the majority last December, an alliance that and elected him their candidate for prime minister. And, Jaafari says, it is his right to now try and form a government.

But Shia leaders are meeting over the weekend to end the stalemate and possibly replace Jaafari as their choice for prime minister ahead of Monday's meeting of parliament, a meeting Jaafari says is to early to decide the big issues. JAAFARI: Holding a parliamentary meeting on Monday is easy to do, but if we wanted the parliament to take some key decisions, we need more meetings so we can decide on the three issues, speaker of the parliament, president, then the prime minister.

RAMAN: In other words, this could be a lengthy process, perhaps take a month more. With Iraqis waiting still for a government to deliver.

(on camera): I went to one of the cafes on Rashid (ph) Street, and I was speaking to Iraqis there. They told me if you talk to any of the Iraqi politicians, remind them we risked our lives to vote them in. We went out in millions in December and went to the polls and they are frustrated with how long this is taking. What do you have to say to the Iraqi people?

JAAFARI: I add my vote to those people you spoke to. Forming the government is a national duty. When all the efforts come together, we will be able to achieve the popular and political dreams.

RAMAN (voice-over): It is a big gamble as Iraqi politicians continue to try the patience of the Iraqi people. Aneesh Raman, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: News around the world now, some of the fiercest fighting against Taliban forces in months in Afghanistan. Afghan troops, backed by U.S. led coalition forces attack a suspected Taliban hideout near Kandahar Friday. The battle left 41 insurgents and six Afghan policeman dead.

This demonstration in Nepal ended in violence. Police attacked the marchers with tear gas and canes, and the protesters threw rocks. The activists are demanding the restoration of democracy. More than a year ago, Nepal's king sacked the government and seized complete power.

A first for Chinese medicine. Doctors performed the country's first partial face transplant after a bear attack left a man disfigured. A hospital statement said the man received a new cheek, upper lip, nose and an eyebrow from a single donor. The patient is reported in good condition.

In our legal briefs, it was a week of gruesome evidence and bone chilling testimony in the Zacarias Moussaoui trial, pictures of burned bodies at the Pentagon, a recording of the struggle on board Flight 93 and finally, Moussaoui took the stand.

This was his chance to offer a defense. He ridiculed those who died on 9/11 and said he wished there could have been more deaths and more attacks. When asked if he felt any remorse, he said none whatsoever.

Let's ask our experts how the testimony might affect weather Moussaoui gets the death penalty. Avery Friedman is a civil rights attorney and law professor, joins us from Cleveland and Richard Herman is a criminal defense attorney from New York. Richard, are you in New York?

RICHARD HERMAN, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: I am in Fort Lauderdale.

WHITFIELD: I was going to say, that's looking a little Florida- like to me, you lucky dog. Let's talk about this Zacarias Moussaoui case. Avery, it would seem he may have cemented his death penalty sentence, which is what we've heard Zacarias Moussaoui has wanted all along.

AVERY FRIEDMAN, CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY: That's exactly what he wanted to do, Fredericka. I think we have a fact situation that's so overwhelming, as soon as that jury decided that he is eligible for the death penalty, at this point, all the jury is hearing is more and more evidence.

While the federal judge is trying to control it, the fact is, it is overwhelming. What remains at this point is the defense testimony of mental health professionals, who are going to be heard this coming week and basically, they will confirm he is a paranoid schizophrenic.

WHITFIELD: Richard, your impressions from all that has taken place this week in that case?

HERMAN: Fred, as you said earlier, the testimony and pictures were absolutely gruesome. I'm betting this jury will put the emotional impact of it aside. If they really want to punish this guy, life in prison for him that's going to be the ticket. Small prison cell, meals under the door, sleeping on a slab, that's the way to go for this guy. Killing him will be the easy way out. It's what he wants and they shouldn't buy into that. I think they're going to be smart enough. I'm hoping they will be able to put the emotional impact aside and really seek to punish this guy.

WHITFIELD: While you mention that there are still mental experts that have yet to testify, Avery, we also understood that shoe bomber Richard Reid was subpoenaed to testify but in a late ruling, the judge decide, no. Why?

FRIEDMAN: Those motions and the information are sealed. So while a number of us have speculation why that's happened, the truth is we have no idea. My hunch is that Reid really will have nothing to offer in terms of what the jury is considering right now.

WHITFIELD: At this point, the victims, all those involved have been through so much from this case, which has been so long drawn out and quite arduous. In addition to hearing from these mental experts, what else might be anticipated or what might be needed to seal the deal so to speak?

HERMAN: Seal the deal for the death penalty? I think that's pretty much there now. They're fighting so hard, the defense is doing -- the attorneys are going to play and review for the jury his testimony, Moussaoui's own testimony to show that this guy's nuts. Maybe this is really his plan all along. Maybe Moussaoui is doing this intentionally to try to invoke rage upon everyone, and to spare his life, to show that he's really insane. I don't know. I'd like to see this guy get life in prison. That's what I would like to see.

FRIEDMAN: I think you're looking at a death penalty here. I don't think that will happen.

HERMAN: I agree.

WHITFIELD: Richard and Avery. We're going to get back with you after a short break and then we're going to get your take on two other high profile cases including the rape allegations against member of the Duke University Men's Lacrosse team

And the Enron trial, where one of the former executives took the stand.

Plus, will politics break some eggs at an annual White House holiday event.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: More than a month ago, a woman accused members of the Duke University lacrosse team of raping her. It's an allegation that has exposed the racial and class divisions in Durham, North Carolina, but no charges have been filed and details of the case remain murky.

Let's bring in, once again, our legal experts to talk about this case, Avery Friedman and Richard Herman. All right, gentlemen.

Richard, let me begin with you. No DNA matches, we're being told, yet the D.A. said he's is proceeding with a criminal investigation. Is this consistent with most rape cases?

RICHARD HERMAN, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Well, most rape cases don't have DNA. And that's a fact. But this district attorney's running for office again, a very politically charged case.

But I tell you, in this case, the fact that there was no DNA after an alleged 30 minute sexual assault in a bathroom, where the alleged accuser scraped someone's arm during the course of that and claimed she was being strangled, coupled with time stamped photos of her entering with bruises on her before this incident took place, time stamped photos with her standing outside, smiling on a cell phone after it took place, coupled with a police report that she was found drunk and intoxicated, passed out in a vehicle, prior to going to the hospital and that coupled with the person she went with, her partner that night, who claims that she never mentioned she was sexually assaulted, my God, that is huge reasonable doubt. I don't know that they -- there's never going to be a conviction on this case, based on all those things.

WHITFIELD: Avery, based on all those things, how do you see it?

AVERY FRIEDMAN, CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY: You know, you have to have compassion for anyone who suffers, but the more thought you give to this, Fredricka, the more disturbing it is that the district attorney, Michael Nifong, has actually gone out and really gotten crowds involved in this. We have no charges, we have no indictment.

WHITFIELD: No arrests.

FRIEDMAN: And we have nothing. And we have got a community that's already divided, based on race, so the rhetoric that's been involved has actually made a bad situation worse for Durham. It's a terrible, terrible situation.

WHITFIELD: Was it made worse even within the past 24 hours where apparently police went to the dormitory, were able to interview a number of people, all this taking place without search warrants?

FRIEDMAN: Well, it's actually even worse than that. They actually snuck in the dorm, they waited for a student to swipe a card, snuck in behind them and it suggests the sort of dirty police work that is a reflection, I think, of desperation. Again, you can't minimize the hurt but the bottom line, this is a terrible, terrible case.

WHITFIELD: All right. Let's move on to another case.

HERMAN: And Avery ...

WHITFIELD: Go ahead, real quick, Richard?

HERMAN: I'm saying, you know, just the point, and something to talk about here, can you imagine if it was 46 black men in a home like that and one white woman says that she was sexually assaulted, do you think there'd be an arrest by this time? I think so.

WHITFIELD: All right. Let's move on to another case. Texas, long-awaited moment in the Enron case. More than two months into the trial, and former CEO Jeffrey Skilling takes the stand saying he was not aware of any illegal activity at the company.

So, Richard, was he believable?

HERMAN: Well, you know, he's coming with a lot of emotion and a lot of passion, Fred. And, you know, I know there were some reports that jurors were visibly taking notes. I don't know how much stock I put in that, because I've seen jurors write like that and after trial found out they were drawing pictures and things.

But I'll tell you, it was compelling testimony. Reasonable doubt here. He's blaming the government for the financial status of the company. I don't know, it's a tough call. But I'll tell you, he's got a lot of guts to take the stand and that's going to be his salvation, that's going to be his way out.

WHITFIELD: Blaming in part on a conspiracy.

So, Avery, how is the trial, in your view, going along?

FRIEDMAN: You know what? I expected more, Fredricka. WHITFIELD: Really?

FRIEDMAN: Yes. What I thought we were going to see -- and this is the key evidence here, at least part of it. Jeffrey Skilling, on September 6th, tried to sell 200,000 shares of Enron stock. And everything crescendoed to his fourth day in testimony and when he was asked the question about the details, the best he could say is I just don't remember. That was very, very powerful. And I don't care how charismatic, how compelling this fellow is, what strikes me is that is a huge hole in the defense and now, it's going to get worse because, starting Monday, the prosecution's ready to go.

WHITFIELD: All right. Avery Friedman, Richard Herman, thanks so much. Until next time, gentlemen.

FRIEDMAN: See you soon.

HERMAN: Thank you, Fred. Have a good day.

WHITFIELD: All right, and Happy Easter.

HERMAN: You too.

FRIEDMAN: Happy Easter.

WHITFIELD: Well, some people stood in line all night to get tickets to this year's White House Easter Egg Roll. Why is it such a big deal this year?

Let's go to CNN White House correspondent Elaine Quijano for the answer on that -- Elaine.

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon to you, Fredricka.

The Easter Egg Roll dates back to 1878, an American tradition that this year is taking on some political overtones. Now among those parents who stood in line early today to snap up some of the thousands of free tickets distributed today were gay and lesbian couples, parents who say they want to make their presence known.

These gay and lesbian couples saying that in a sign of unity on Monday, they will be wearing rainbow colored leis at the event. They insist that the display is simply a chance to introduce their families to the American public.

Here is Jennifer Chrisler, a lesbian mother of twins.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JENNIFER CHRISLER, FAMILY PRIDE COALITION: It is not at all a protest. This really is about gay and lesbian families taking their kids to a great American tradition. You know, there are a lot of voices right now talking about gay and lesbian families and we think it's really important that our voices be heard since we are those families and we are the ones raising those kids. And one way to do that is to identify ourselves when we participate in events like the White House Egg Roll.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

QUIJANO: While Chrisler says this is not a protest, she is the executive director of the Family Pride Coalition, a group that in the past, certainly has voiced its displeasure with the Bush administration, specifically against Margaret Spellings, the education secretary, who last year criticized a PBS kids' show that depicted a family that included lesbian parents.

Now, as for the White House, the only comment really is that officials here are saying all families are welcome to attend the Easter Egg Roll -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Elaine Quijano at the White House, thanks so much.

A new reality show starring junk food as the boogeyman.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You're killing your kids!

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WHITFIELD: Straight ahead, a look into the future, and it's not a pretty picture.

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WHITFIELD: A question for parents. Are you killing your kids? A new reality show says, you might be if you're allowing them to eat whatever they want. The TV show gives parents a glimpse into the future, to shock them into changing their ways. Here's Jeanne Moos with a story that first aired on CNN's "PAULA ZAHN NOW."

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JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For a parent, it's hard to swallow.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You're killing your kids.

MOOS: But "Honey, We're Killing the Kids," sure does make a pithy reality TV show title. Remember, "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids?" Shrunk and dunked in Cheerios.

Well, instead of shrinking, these kids are getting bigger and bigger. In the Learning Channel's new series, a nutritionist confronts families like the Youngs from Long Island.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You won't listen to me.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm never talking to Mom again. MOOS: They are three kids who are junk food junkies, who watched TV and never exercised. The high point comes in the beginning, when Dr. Lisa Hark shows the parents the future.

LISA HARK, NUTRITION: He already weighs more than most 18-year- old boys.

MOOS: What their 12-year-old will look like at 40. Photo aging is based on data that assumes James will continue his bad habits. The same thing happens with a different family in every episode, and every kid ends up looking like a serial killer.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's not my Stevie.

MOOS: Reminds us of a certain green guy.

Once they're scared silly, the nutritionist begins a three-week intervention. The junk food is stashed away, the family shops for healthy items. Mom tries recipes like tofu stir fry.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tofu tastes like dirt.

MOOS: Mom decides to make Robbie eat. Otherwise...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's going to die. Then it'll be honey, we actually did kill our children. Swallow now.

MOOS: To get them off the couch, TV and computer games are limited to two hours a day.

James rebels.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: After I'm 18, I'm gone forever.

MOOS: Robbie's caught stealing chocolate chip mini muffins from the junk food stash.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do not put that in your mouth. Do not -- if you eat it, no TV for a week.

MOOS: Some think the photo aging is a bit much. We showed clips to Mo'Nique, the star of "Phat Girlz."

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do I look fat in this?

MO'NIQUE, ACTRESS: No, Twiggy, I look fat in this. You look ugly in that.

MOOS: Mo'Nique wasn't thrilled with "Honey, We're Killing the Kids."

MO'NIQUE: But to show that? That's a form of hatred to me. So what if he looks like that in 40 years? He's a nice looking plump guy.

MOOS: But the nutritionist says changing bad habits will add years to their lives.

(on camera): Now if you think you're killing your kids, you can apply to be on the show at the Learning Channel Web site. That's how they recruit families.

(voice-over): And there is of course, a happy ending. Parents see what their kids might look like at 40 if they change their ways.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'll take him.

MOOS: Maybe these parents really could say "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids," but looking like a serial killer beats being killed in cereal.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don't eat me.

Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.

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WHITFIELD: That's enough to scare you. That story comes to us from "PAULA ZAHN NOW." Make sure to join Paula week night at 8:00 p.m. eastern, 5:00 pacific.

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WHITFIELD: Still ahead, "CNN PRESENTS: The Two Marys."

At 4:00 easter, if you're worried about your financial information getting out, we will talk to someone who says he can lock it up. A check of the day's headlines coming up next, and then CNN PRESENTS.

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