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U.S. Sends Letters of Reprimand to Soldiers Accused in Abuse Allegations of Iraqi Soldiers

Aired May 03, 2004 - 14:30   ET

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

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


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: And welcome back to the CNN Center in Atlanta. This is LIVE FROM... I'm Kyra Phillips. Here's what's all new this half hour.
Do you have your drug discount card? What it could mean for the millions of people on Medicare.

But first, the top stories we're following for you.

Former star investment banker Frank Quattrone is found guilty today on all three counts in the federal retrial of his case. The former First Boston banker was convicted on two counts of obstructing the investigation into hot initial public offerings at his firm. He was also found guilty on one count of witness tampering.

Wildfire season officially got under way in southern California today. Firefighters are battling three fires in the state. The largest has burned more than 1,000 acres.

U.S. troops making their presence known after being barraged by mortar fire in Najaf. Troops in the southern Iraqi city are venturing out of the base to occupy checkpoints in that area. Insurgents launched attacks overnight in Najaf starting a fire and damaging an armored Humvee.

They're getting bailed out in Baghdad. Six U.S. military policemen facing charges. Other U.S. soldiers have been suspended in the wake of allegations of Iraqi prisoner abuse. The fallout may not end there. Our Ben Wedeman has details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The U.S. military has issued six letters of reprimand. And that's the most severe form of reprimand within the U.S. military. And one less severe letter of admonishment to seven officers, non-commissioned and otherwise, connected in some way to this alleged incident of abuse at Abu Ghraib Prison.

Now, this is on the orders of Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez, the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq.

Now, six other soldiers, all military policemen, are the subject of a criminal investigation into this case. Now, earlier today we heard Reserve General Janice Karpinski, who was relieved of her duty as commander of Abu Ghraib Prison, saying that this issue goes higher than just a few officer on the ground.

BRIG. GEN. JANICE KARPINSKI, U.S. ARMY RESERVE: I think that there's others responsible. Not limited to one person or an individual or a command. But there is a shared responsibility in this.

WEDEMAN: Now I had the opportunity to speak to a former inmate of Abu Ghraib Prison, and he explained to me -- and he, of course, didn't want to appear on camera -- the sort of treatment he underwent in that prison.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): They would put the plastic cuffs on someone and leave him outside for hours in the rain, in the cold. They would humiliate them. And this was just punishment for simple things.

WEDEMAN: Now, the Iraqi Governing Council has weighed into this issue, demanding that Iraqi judges be allowed to sit in on U.S.-led interrogations and that Iraqi officials have free access for inspection of these U.S. detention facilities to insure, they said in a statement, that this sort of thing never happens again.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Now to the daring resolve of American Thomas Hamill. After weeks of being held hostage in Iraq, he gave his captors the slip, flagged down American troops in Iraq. Right now he's being checked out at the hospital in Ramstein Air Base in Germany.

Earlier today on CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING," his aunt and cousin talked to Soledad O'Brien about hearing of his escape.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: She had gotten a phone call, really, pretty much just after he was rescued by American forces there.

What did she tell you about the phone call that she had with her husband, from whom she hadn't heard word one for three weeks?

COLEENE HIGGINBOTHAM, AUNT OF THOMAS HAMILL: Just that he was just concerned about how everybody was doing. He wanted to know about his kids. He wanted to know how she was doing, how his mother was doing, how his grandmother was doing.

O'BRIEN: He was concerned about everybody else when, of course, it's everybody in Macon who's concerned about him.

C. HIGGINBOTHAM: That's right.

O'BRIEN: Did he give any details about his escape? I mean it sounds like a pretty amazing and incredibly brave escape. Did he give any of those details or in those kinds of phone conversations is it just I love you and I'll see you soon?

C. HIGGINBOTHAM: It was more I just love you and I'll see you soon. He didn't talk about any of the details.

O'BRIEN: Some of the reports that we have heard, Jason, I guess this is a second attempt, a second escape attempt, apparently. And it really, I mean when you read the descriptions, if it happened as these descriptions say it did, incredibly brave.

Tell me a little bit about Tommy.

Is that the kind of guy you know, I mean just an incredibly brave guy and so it sort of sounds like him when you hear it?

JASON HIGGINBOTHAM, COUSIN OF THOMAS HAMILL: Yes, he's all -- he always thinks of other people before himself. He'd give anything for to help somebody out.

O'BRIEN: But to be able to break out of a house, to then run a half mile to flag down a convoy, identify yourself as an American, instead of just getting out of there, going back so you can arrest your captors, I mean really sounds pretty incredible.

Coleene, tell me a little bit more about Thomas Hamill and the kind of guy that he is.

C. HIGGINBOTHAM: He's a Mississippi country boy, you know, and he...

O'BRIEN: Now, for those of who are New York City city girls, what does that mean exactly?

C. HIGGINBOTHAM: He's tough as nails.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Well, moving on to another story we've been following, that is the life of Pat Tillman. From the field of sports to the battlefields of war, as we remember former NFL player turned soldier Pat Tillman, we honor other athletes who served during the nation's wars.

Baseball Hall of Famer Bob Feller is a World War II hero. He Feller at the peak of his pitching career as a Cleveland Indian when he enlisted in the Navy. Ironically the pitcher called "Bullet Bob" soon became an anti-aircraft gunner.

We spoke with author Gary Bloomfield about the amazing Feller.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GARY BLOOMFIELD, AUTHOR, "DUTY, HONOR, VICTORY": He served in both conflicts, both Europe and Pacific. He volunteered immediately after Pearl Harbor.

He is one of those who actually stayed in condition on the ship, would do pull-ups on the overhead pipes, would run on the deck, actually conducted classes and so forth. He's well quite an amazing fellow. (END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Joining us by phone is that amazing fellow, war hero and baseball great Bob Feller. Bob, great to have you with us.

BOB FELLER, WORLD WAR II VETERAN, BASEBALL HALL OF FAMER: Thank you very much.

And there a lot of interesting things going on in the world today. And I'm no hero. The heroes don't return from wars. Survivors do.

So the heroes, as far as I'm concerned, are the ones that -- we lost over 406,000 men and Americans in World War II. But the heroes are the ones that never return. I'm just a survivor.

But I do love this country. And of course gave up baseball made me what I am today, if anything.

PHILLIPS: Well, Bob, not only baseball but also your military service. Absolutely must be commended. You were a Hall of Famer, leading the league in strikeouts seven times.

I got to ask you, why did you join the Navy?

FELLER: I knew Gene Tunney who was in a Navy physical fitness program. And I talked to him about coming in as soon as the war broke out. But I knew we were going to be in this war back as far as 1939, but nobody knew when.

And so when Pearl Harbor struck, I was on my to Chicago and I got ahold of Gene Tunney. I was going to sign my contract because the general manager of the Cleveland Indians was on his way to Chicago to meet me halfway between my home in Iowa and Cleveland.

And I met him that night, told him I was going to join the Navy on Tuesday morning and Gene Tunney flew out and swore me in in Chicago on Tuesday.

And then I went to boot camp in Norfolk, Virginia and then to war college in Newport, Rhode Island. And went boarded the battleship Alabama in the summer of 1942. We took supplies to Russia for a year.

And then after we sunk the last good ship the Germans had to (UNINTELLIGIBLE), went to the Pacific and spent almost two years in the Pacific before I returned to the United States. I was aboard ship over 30 months.

PHILLIPS: Well, Bob, I've got to ask you, it is sort of ironic that you've been called "Bullet Bob," of course being an amazing pitcher. But also you were an anti-aircraft gunner during the war.

I've got to ask you, when you look back, what meant more to you, baseball or serving in the military?

FELLER: Well, at that particular time we were losing very big in the Pacific. We were losing big in Europe. And at that particular time, to protect the sovereignty of the United States of America was much more important because during time of an all-out war, which that certainly was, winning World War II was the most important thing that happened to the United States in the last 100 years and maybe in the history of this nation.

And sports are very insignificant when it comes to war. And any coach of any sports team, and in particular football, that says we're going to play this game like we're fighting a war, he has never been in a war.

War is the dirtiest, most dangerous, unforgiving thing on Earth. And there's nothing glamorous about a war. Absolutely nothing. If anybody tries to glamorize a war to me is a fool. And I resent it.

PHILLIPS: Well, Bob, when you look at soldiers like Pat Tillman that gave up the million dollars for an athletic contract and served in the war and died for this country, what do you think of all these athletes that are complaining that they just aren't getting enough?

FELLER: Well, the answer is not much. And -- but he was as far as I'm concerned, he's a hero. He did what he wanted to do and the right thing.

Of course, I do know there's someone that said that he didn't do the right thing. But to me, he's certainly an American hero and deserves a Silver Star and he deserves to be buried at Arlington if they wanted to bury him there or whatever they did. I do not know.

But I think that I regret what has happened to him -- I don't regret. I feel sorry for his family and, of course, for himself. But I think he is an American hero just like a lot of others were in the early part of World War II. We need heroes in any war as far as Vietnam, World War II or World War I or whatever. Korea, et cetera.

I'm all for a strong military. You know that. When all the people in the world understand is who's got the most guns and the men that know how to use them. Nobody ever won a war by talking, that I know of.

PHILLIPS: Well, Bob, I've got to ask you finally, you said that baseball was more fun in the Navy than the major leagues. What did you mean by that?

FELLER: Say it again.

PHILLIPS: You said that baseball was more fun for you in the Navy than in the major leagues.

(LAUGHTER)

FELLER: I don't know if you said it quite right. But I said it was more important to be in the military trying to protect the sovereignty of this country than playing in professional baseball or any other sport. But this nation, freedom is not free. It is very, very costly. We've proven that time and time again. And we need more power over there where we are in Iraq and even Afghanistan. We need more troops to give that country back to them after we organize it.

You know, not everybody in the world loves us. You can figure that. This is a semi-religious war, there's a lot of religion involved. But not everybody loves the Americans, for whatever reason. They don't know themselves. Life is very cheap in some parts of the world. Even a lot of the people that are blowing themselves up to kill Americans and to kill the British and the ones that are cooperating over there, the coalition.

So I thank you very much for calling. And I love the Navy and I love our American military and I owe the people up in Washington, D.C. for the dedication of World War II memorial. Looking forward to it with my wife. And thank you very much.

PHILLIPS: Bob Feller. You say you're not a hero, but you truly are, in the military and also as a baseball great. We thank you for your time today. Thanks, Bob.

FELLER: You're welcome. Bye-bye.

PHILLIPS: Straight ahead convicted of one of Georgia's seven deadly sins. A high school athlete's sentence is overturned. Was the case racially motivated? Details next.

And on the campaign trail, new ads out today to help voters understand John Kerry's life story. Check it out.

And you need drugs? You might need a new card. The ins and outs of the new prescription drug program explained.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: The Georgia supreme court has thrown out a ten-year prison sentence for a high school athlete who had sex with an underaged girl. The court ruled that Marcus Dixon shouldn't have been charged with one of Georgia's seven deadly sins. CNN's Eric Philips reports now from the supreme court here in Atlanta.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ERIC PHILIPS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A very happy day today for Marcus Dixon and his legal guardians Ken and Peri Joins. They found out that the Georgia supreme court has overturned an earlier court decision which had convicted him of aggravated child molestation.

What that meant was that Marcus Dixon was to spend ten years in prison essentially for having what a jury decided was consensual sex with a classmate. This goes back to last year when Marcus Dixon and one of his classmate had sex in a classroom at their high school.

Two days later, the alleged victim said that it was rape, and she said that she had been forced to have sex against her will. Marcus Dixon said it was consensual. After hearing all the evidence, the jury decided that it was in fact two consenting teens that had sex.

However, there was one charge that the jury had to consider. And that charge was one of aggravated child molestation. Under Georgia's law, Marcus Dixon fit into that category because he had sex with a minor, that is someone who was under 16 years old.

And she sustained some injuries. There was some vaginal tearing and slight bruising during the course of the act. So they convicted him of that charge not knowing that this would send him to prison for ten years.

Of course, that conviction was appealed to the Georgia supreme court and the Georgia supreme court has said that the spirit of this law was not followed in Marcus Dixon's case and that the spirit of the law was not meant for two consenting teens having sex. So they overturned that.

However, there is still the issue of one other charge, a misdemeanor statutory rape charge. That conviction still stands. But that conviction only carries a maximum of one year prison sentence. He's already served more than a year. So he, his parents and his lawyers are hoping that soon Marcus Dixon will be a free man.

Eric Philips, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: And looking for relief from the high cost of prescription drugs in seniors are signing up for Medicare discount drug cards today. Our Sean Callebs in D.C. with the details. Hi, Sean.

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra.

Well before seniors begin signing up for prescription drug benefit cards, it would benefit them to do some research.

There are dozens of cards available. And senior citizens could sign up for one card. The Department of Health and Human Services announced elderly citizens can start signing up for the cards today, but the discounts do not kick in until June 1. HHS says the cards will save consumers somewhere between 10 and 25 percent of the retail cost of pharmaceuticals.

It is part of a new Medicare approved about half a year ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOMMY THOMPSON, HHS SECRETARY: Right now seniors are about the only group in America that pays the full price for their drugs. Now with this program, every time a senior with Medicare goes to the pharmacy, they can take these cards and save an average of 10 percent to 25 percent off their prescription drugs. And sometimes even more.

(END VIDEO CLIP) CALLEBS: At least 40 companies have been approved to sell discount cards through Medicare. The cards will offer certain discounts on certain drugs. There is no across the board financial break.

Critics say seniors will have to navigate their way through the dozens of cards and determine which is best for their needs. HHS says it is helping that process by offering TV ads that explain and information on the HHS Web site.

Critics in Congress say it is not the bonanza that the administration claims.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA), MINORITY LEADER: Seniors can purchase a prescription drug discount card that the Bush administration claims will save them up to 25 percent on the cost of their medications.

Like the new prescription drug bill itself, however, this sounds like a good deal but it isn't. Just like the president's drug bill, the big drug companies and insurance companies control what discount seniors will get and how much they will pay.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CALLEBS: Some of the cards are free, others can cost as much as $30. AARP says the new program will provide a big benefit to low- income seniors. They will not be charged for a card and will receive a $600 credit toward their medication -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Sean Callebs, thanks so much.

Straight ahead that rich guy that folks love to hate. You know who we mean. He's paying up. How big is the new dent in his wallet?

And the life and lovely actress who's calling herself a pig? Somebody call Oprah. Sounds like Gwyneth needs a self confidence boost. We've got your entertainment headlines a little later. LIVE FROM... say pass the chips right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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Aired May 3, 2004 - 14:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: And welcome back to the CNN Center in Atlanta. This is LIVE FROM... I'm Kyra Phillips. Here's what's all new this half hour.
Do you have your drug discount card? What it could mean for the millions of people on Medicare.

But first, the top stories we're following for you.

Former star investment banker Frank Quattrone is found guilty today on all three counts in the federal retrial of his case. The former First Boston banker was convicted on two counts of obstructing the investigation into hot initial public offerings at his firm. He was also found guilty on one count of witness tampering.

Wildfire season officially got under way in southern California today. Firefighters are battling three fires in the state. The largest has burned more than 1,000 acres.

U.S. troops making their presence known after being barraged by mortar fire in Najaf. Troops in the southern Iraqi city are venturing out of the base to occupy checkpoints in that area. Insurgents launched attacks overnight in Najaf starting a fire and damaging an armored Humvee.

They're getting bailed out in Baghdad. Six U.S. military policemen facing charges. Other U.S. soldiers have been suspended in the wake of allegations of Iraqi prisoner abuse. The fallout may not end there. Our Ben Wedeman has details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The U.S. military has issued six letters of reprimand. And that's the most severe form of reprimand within the U.S. military. And one less severe letter of admonishment to seven officers, non-commissioned and otherwise, connected in some way to this alleged incident of abuse at Abu Ghraib Prison.

Now, this is on the orders of Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez, the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq.

Now, six other soldiers, all military policemen, are the subject of a criminal investigation into this case. Now, earlier today we heard Reserve General Janice Karpinski, who was relieved of her duty as commander of Abu Ghraib Prison, saying that this issue goes higher than just a few officer on the ground.

BRIG. GEN. JANICE KARPINSKI, U.S. ARMY RESERVE: I think that there's others responsible. Not limited to one person or an individual or a command. But there is a shared responsibility in this.

WEDEMAN: Now I had the opportunity to speak to a former inmate of Abu Ghraib Prison, and he explained to me -- and he, of course, didn't want to appear on camera -- the sort of treatment he underwent in that prison.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): They would put the plastic cuffs on someone and leave him outside for hours in the rain, in the cold. They would humiliate them. And this was just punishment for simple things.

WEDEMAN: Now, the Iraqi Governing Council has weighed into this issue, demanding that Iraqi judges be allowed to sit in on U.S.-led interrogations and that Iraqi officials have free access for inspection of these U.S. detention facilities to insure, they said in a statement, that this sort of thing never happens again.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Now to the daring resolve of American Thomas Hamill. After weeks of being held hostage in Iraq, he gave his captors the slip, flagged down American troops in Iraq. Right now he's being checked out at the hospital in Ramstein Air Base in Germany.

Earlier today on CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING," his aunt and cousin talked to Soledad O'Brien about hearing of his escape.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: She had gotten a phone call, really, pretty much just after he was rescued by American forces there.

What did she tell you about the phone call that she had with her husband, from whom she hadn't heard word one for three weeks?

COLEENE HIGGINBOTHAM, AUNT OF THOMAS HAMILL: Just that he was just concerned about how everybody was doing. He wanted to know about his kids. He wanted to know how she was doing, how his mother was doing, how his grandmother was doing.

O'BRIEN: He was concerned about everybody else when, of course, it's everybody in Macon who's concerned about him.

C. HIGGINBOTHAM: That's right.

O'BRIEN: Did he give any details about his escape? I mean it sounds like a pretty amazing and incredibly brave escape. Did he give any of those details or in those kinds of phone conversations is it just I love you and I'll see you soon?

C. HIGGINBOTHAM: It was more I just love you and I'll see you soon. He didn't talk about any of the details.

O'BRIEN: Some of the reports that we have heard, Jason, I guess this is a second attempt, a second escape attempt, apparently. And it really, I mean when you read the descriptions, if it happened as these descriptions say it did, incredibly brave.

Tell me a little bit about Tommy.

Is that the kind of guy you know, I mean just an incredibly brave guy and so it sort of sounds like him when you hear it?

JASON HIGGINBOTHAM, COUSIN OF THOMAS HAMILL: Yes, he's all -- he always thinks of other people before himself. He'd give anything for to help somebody out.

O'BRIEN: But to be able to break out of a house, to then run a half mile to flag down a convoy, identify yourself as an American, instead of just getting out of there, going back so you can arrest your captors, I mean really sounds pretty incredible.

Coleene, tell me a little bit more about Thomas Hamill and the kind of guy that he is.

C. HIGGINBOTHAM: He's a Mississippi country boy, you know, and he...

O'BRIEN: Now, for those of who are New York City city girls, what does that mean exactly?

C. HIGGINBOTHAM: He's tough as nails.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Well, moving on to another story we've been following, that is the life of Pat Tillman. From the field of sports to the battlefields of war, as we remember former NFL player turned soldier Pat Tillman, we honor other athletes who served during the nation's wars.

Baseball Hall of Famer Bob Feller is a World War II hero. He Feller at the peak of his pitching career as a Cleveland Indian when he enlisted in the Navy. Ironically the pitcher called "Bullet Bob" soon became an anti-aircraft gunner.

We spoke with author Gary Bloomfield about the amazing Feller.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GARY BLOOMFIELD, AUTHOR, "DUTY, HONOR, VICTORY": He served in both conflicts, both Europe and Pacific. He volunteered immediately after Pearl Harbor.

He is one of those who actually stayed in condition on the ship, would do pull-ups on the overhead pipes, would run on the deck, actually conducted classes and so forth. He's well quite an amazing fellow. (END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Joining us by phone is that amazing fellow, war hero and baseball great Bob Feller. Bob, great to have you with us.

BOB FELLER, WORLD WAR II VETERAN, BASEBALL HALL OF FAMER: Thank you very much.

And there a lot of interesting things going on in the world today. And I'm no hero. The heroes don't return from wars. Survivors do.

So the heroes, as far as I'm concerned, are the ones that -- we lost over 406,000 men and Americans in World War II. But the heroes are the ones that never return. I'm just a survivor.

But I do love this country. And of course gave up baseball made me what I am today, if anything.

PHILLIPS: Well, Bob, not only baseball but also your military service. Absolutely must be commended. You were a Hall of Famer, leading the league in strikeouts seven times.

I got to ask you, why did you join the Navy?

FELLER: I knew Gene Tunney who was in a Navy physical fitness program. And I talked to him about coming in as soon as the war broke out. But I knew we were going to be in this war back as far as 1939, but nobody knew when.

And so when Pearl Harbor struck, I was on my to Chicago and I got ahold of Gene Tunney. I was going to sign my contract because the general manager of the Cleveland Indians was on his way to Chicago to meet me halfway between my home in Iowa and Cleveland.

And I met him that night, told him I was going to join the Navy on Tuesday morning and Gene Tunney flew out and swore me in in Chicago on Tuesday.

And then I went to boot camp in Norfolk, Virginia and then to war college in Newport, Rhode Island. And went boarded the battleship Alabama in the summer of 1942. We took supplies to Russia for a year.

And then after we sunk the last good ship the Germans had to (UNINTELLIGIBLE), went to the Pacific and spent almost two years in the Pacific before I returned to the United States. I was aboard ship over 30 months.

PHILLIPS: Well, Bob, I've got to ask you, it is sort of ironic that you've been called "Bullet Bob," of course being an amazing pitcher. But also you were an anti-aircraft gunner during the war.

I've got to ask you, when you look back, what meant more to you, baseball or serving in the military?

FELLER: Well, at that particular time we were losing very big in the Pacific. We were losing big in Europe. And at that particular time, to protect the sovereignty of the United States of America was much more important because during time of an all-out war, which that certainly was, winning World War II was the most important thing that happened to the United States in the last 100 years and maybe in the history of this nation.

And sports are very insignificant when it comes to war. And any coach of any sports team, and in particular football, that says we're going to play this game like we're fighting a war, he has never been in a war.

War is the dirtiest, most dangerous, unforgiving thing on Earth. And there's nothing glamorous about a war. Absolutely nothing. If anybody tries to glamorize a war to me is a fool. And I resent it.

PHILLIPS: Well, Bob, when you look at soldiers like Pat Tillman that gave up the million dollars for an athletic contract and served in the war and died for this country, what do you think of all these athletes that are complaining that they just aren't getting enough?

FELLER: Well, the answer is not much. And -- but he was as far as I'm concerned, he's a hero. He did what he wanted to do and the right thing.

Of course, I do know there's someone that said that he didn't do the right thing. But to me, he's certainly an American hero and deserves a Silver Star and he deserves to be buried at Arlington if they wanted to bury him there or whatever they did. I do not know.

But I think that I regret what has happened to him -- I don't regret. I feel sorry for his family and, of course, for himself. But I think he is an American hero just like a lot of others were in the early part of World War II. We need heroes in any war as far as Vietnam, World War II or World War I or whatever. Korea, et cetera.

I'm all for a strong military. You know that. When all the people in the world understand is who's got the most guns and the men that know how to use them. Nobody ever won a war by talking, that I know of.

PHILLIPS: Well, Bob, I've got to ask you finally, you said that baseball was more fun in the Navy than the major leagues. What did you mean by that?

FELLER: Say it again.

PHILLIPS: You said that baseball was more fun for you in the Navy than in the major leagues.

(LAUGHTER)

FELLER: I don't know if you said it quite right. But I said it was more important to be in the military trying to protect the sovereignty of this country than playing in professional baseball or any other sport. But this nation, freedom is not free. It is very, very costly. We've proven that time and time again. And we need more power over there where we are in Iraq and even Afghanistan. We need more troops to give that country back to them after we organize it.

You know, not everybody in the world loves us. You can figure that. This is a semi-religious war, there's a lot of religion involved. But not everybody loves the Americans, for whatever reason. They don't know themselves. Life is very cheap in some parts of the world. Even a lot of the people that are blowing themselves up to kill Americans and to kill the British and the ones that are cooperating over there, the coalition.

So I thank you very much for calling. And I love the Navy and I love our American military and I owe the people up in Washington, D.C. for the dedication of World War II memorial. Looking forward to it with my wife. And thank you very much.

PHILLIPS: Bob Feller. You say you're not a hero, but you truly are, in the military and also as a baseball great. We thank you for your time today. Thanks, Bob.

FELLER: You're welcome. Bye-bye.

PHILLIPS: Straight ahead convicted of one of Georgia's seven deadly sins. A high school athlete's sentence is overturned. Was the case racially motivated? Details next.

And on the campaign trail, new ads out today to help voters understand John Kerry's life story. Check it out.

And you need drugs? You might need a new card. The ins and outs of the new prescription drug program explained.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: The Georgia supreme court has thrown out a ten-year prison sentence for a high school athlete who had sex with an underaged girl. The court ruled that Marcus Dixon shouldn't have been charged with one of Georgia's seven deadly sins. CNN's Eric Philips reports now from the supreme court here in Atlanta.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ERIC PHILIPS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A very happy day today for Marcus Dixon and his legal guardians Ken and Peri Joins. They found out that the Georgia supreme court has overturned an earlier court decision which had convicted him of aggravated child molestation.

What that meant was that Marcus Dixon was to spend ten years in prison essentially for having what a jury decided was consensual sex with a classmate. This goes back to last year when Marcus Dixon and one of his classmate had sex in a classroom at their high school.

Two days later, the alleged victim said that it was rape, and she said that she had been forced to have sex against her will. Marcus Dixon said it was consensual. After hearing all the evidence, the jury decided that it was in fact two consenting teens that had sex.

However, there was one charge that the jury had to consider. And that charge was one of aggravated child molestation. Under Georgia's law, Marcus Dixon fit into that category because he had sex with a minor, that is someone who was under 16 years old.

And she sustained some injuries. There was some vaginal tearing and slight bruising during the course of the act. So they convicted him of that charge not knowing that this would send him to prison for ten years.

Of course, that conviction was appealed to the Georgia supreme court and the Georgia supreme court has said that the spirit of this law was not followed in Marcus Dixon's case and that the spirit of the law was not meant for two consenting teens having sex. So they overturned that.

However, there is still the issue of one other charge, a misdemeanor statutory rape charge. That conviction still stands. But that conviction only carries a maximum of one year prison sentence. He's already served more than a year. So he, his parents and his lawyers are hoping that soon Marcus Dixon will be a free man.

Eric Philips, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: And looking for relief from the high cost of prescription drugs in seniors are signing up for Medicare discount drug cards today. Our Sean Callebs in D.C. with the details. Hi, Sean.

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra.

Well before seniors begin signing up for prescription drug benefit cards, it would benefit them to do some research.

There are dozens of cards available. And senior citizens could sign up for one card. The Department of Health and Human Services announced elderly citizens can start signing up for the cards today, but the discounts do not kick in until June 1. HHS says the cards will save consumers somewhere between 10 and 25 percent of the retail cost of pharmaceuticals.

It is part of a new Medicare approved about half a year ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOMMY THOMPSON, HHS SECRETARY: Right now seniors are about the only group in America that pays the full price for their drugs. Now with this program, every time a senior with Medicare goes to the pharmacy, they can take these cards and save an average of 10 percent to 25 percent off their prescription drugs. And sometimes even more.

(END VIDEO CLIP) CALLEBS: At least 40 companies have been approved to sell discount cards through Medicare. The cards will offer certain discounts on certain drugs. There is no across the board financial break.

Critics say seniors will have to navigate their way through the dozens of cards and determine which is best for their needs. HHS says it is helping that process by offering TV ads that explain and information on the HHS Web site.

Critics in Congress say it is not the bonanza that the administration claims.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA), MINORITY LEADER: Seniors can purchase a prescription drug discount card that the Bush administration claims will save them up to 25 percent on the cost of their medications.

Like the new prescription drug bill itself, however, this sounds like a good deal but it isn't. Just like the president's drug bill, the big drug companies and insurance companies control what discount seniors will get and how much they will pay.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CALLEBS: Some of the cards are free, others can cost as much as $30. AARP says the new program will provide a big benefit to low- income seniors. They will not be charged for a card and will receive a $600 credit toward their medication -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Sean Callebs, thanks so much.

Straight ahead that rich guy that folks love to hate. You know who we mean. He's paying up. How big is the new dent in his wallet?

And the life and lovely actress who's calling herself a pig? Somebody call Oprah. Sounds like Gwyneth needs a self confidence boost. We've got your entertainment headlines a little later. LIVE FROM... say pass the chips right after this.

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