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Runaway Bride Could Face Charges; Technology Helps Track Down Missing Children
Aired May 02, 2005 - 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: There's a lot of talk about whether the law should punish a runaway bride here in Georgia for all the trouble she caused. A prosecutor in the suburban Atlanta county where Jennifer Wilbanks lives says he's researching whether to press charges.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DANNY PORTER, GWINNETT COUNTY D.A.: It's not like she was just running down the road and went, "I can't get married," and just kept running to the bus station. So the things we're concerned about are those things that show pre-planning and intent, because that's an essential element we're going to have to show if we charge with a crime.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Well, we usually call on CNN contributor Bob Barr for political analysis, but the former congressman is also a former federal prosecutor. He's in our Washington bureau. Bob, what do you think? Do you agree with the D.A. here?
BOB BARR, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: I think that Danny Porter, the district attorney in Gwinnett County, is playing it exactly as he should. He's saying he's going to look very carefully at the facts of this case and at the law. But I think, reading between the lines, he has a very sobering message for this young woman, and that is, it's one thing to get cold feet and do something stupid like just walk out on your wedding; it's something very different to cause the government to spend literally perhaps 100 or more thousand dollars of taxpayer money, and then to file a false report, make false statements to the FBI and to the police. That is a very serious matter, and one which I think the district attorney legitimately is looking into.
PHILLIPS: Now, the D.A., of course, is an elected official. You had tremendous public outrage about this story, Bob. So is he talking about charges because politically, it could be a good move? And does he really have something here legally? Did Jennifer Wilbanks do something illegally?
BARR: I think she probably did and it's something that the government has to take very seriously, because if you let her off the hook -- if it can be shown, as I think clearly it can be, that she gave false information to not only the local police, but to the federal FBI, the FBI itself. If you go around saying, well, it's OK for people to do that, because we feel sorry for them, because there was so much pressure because of the wedding, you're leaving yourself open to a lot more people getting cold feet about one thing or another and going to law enforcement officials, including the federal officials, and filing false reports. That's why this is so very important.
PHILLIPS: So if you were the D.A., what would you do?
BARR: I would do exactly what Danny Porter is doing here. Look at the facts first. Make sure that there really is, as there seems to be, and as common sense tells you, there was pre-planning, pre- meditation, talk with her, talk with her attorney. I'm sure she's going to have an attorney. She should have an attorney looking at possible criminal charges. And then, if the facts sustain it, file charges against her.
PHILLIPS: Did she get special treatment? I was a little surprised to see the videotape with the towel over her head, being escorted by a couple people. Do you consider that special treatment? And should she have been able to do that?
BARR: I have serious questions about why she was afforded this special treatment. You know, normally, those of us, whether we're having a problem with the media or not, have to get off an airplane, walk through the public corridors, the same as everybody else. We don't get a police escort.
There were a lot of times when I was in the heat of some controversy in the Congress that I would have loved to have had a police escort and whisk me off for special treatment and be able to hide under a blanket. But the fact of the matter is that we live in an open, a free society. And I think it was very improper for the police to give her that special treatment.
PHILLIPS: So Bob, real quickly, do you think they should still get married?
BARR: Well, if I were her ex-fiance, I'd have to think long and hard about even taking her out on another date, much less getting married.
PHILLIPS: Bob Barr. Thank you so much for your insights today.
BARR: Sure.
PHILLIPS: All right, well, we asked you to e-mail us about the runaway bride case. So what would you do if you were the prosecutor? Here are the e-mails that we received. We picked a group of them.
Ross says that: "Please leave this poor girl and her family alone. This really should be a private, not a public matter. As far as pressing charges, why don't we save our criminal resources to prosecute criminals? Everyone was praying to find this poor woman alive. Why not be thankful and chalk it up as a happy ending?"
Margaret says: "The words I'm not going to marry you are simple words and should be spoken if one does not wish to marry. She had no right to trouble so many people and spend such a large amount of public money."
Richard says: "She is a perfect example of what is wrong with this country today. Everyone is so obsessed with looking out for number one that they cannot see how their actions affect others. A little time in jail might make her realize that she is not the sole object of attention, and that millions of other people have real problems far more consequential than wedding plans."
Laurel says: "Give the girl a break. She lied to her friends, family and her fiance, causing a search on her behalf that took precious time away from real cases. Why should she be let off the hook just because she was under stress? Where I come from, that's no reason to break the law and waste valuable police resources. She needs consequences."
And Mike says: "Jennifer Wilbanks needs to offer a public apology and offer a sizable restitution to the city of Duluth and whatever the state of Georgia incurred searching for her. But then, of course, she can make up those financial costs with the inevitable book, talk show and television movie deals."
David says: "Everyone keeps overlooking the fact that she lied to authorities regarding two armed and dangerous felons that were supposedly on the loose. What if a blue van was located and the suspects she described were arrested because they looked like the people she described? You just can't get away with lying in this way about an armed abduction to the authorities. She should face legal consequences."
And finally, L.J. says: "The district attorneys in these cases have an obligation to the tax-paying public to harshly deal with people who waste our resources. It should not matter if she is from a prominent family, white or black."
One writer there made a good point. When are we going to hear from Jennifer Wilbanks? What does she have to say?
Well, a tough bill cracking down on child sex abusers is now law in Florida. Governor Jeb Bush today signed the Jessica Lunsford act. It requires that convicted molesters of children under 12 get at least 25 years behind bars. Any offender released from prison would be tracked by global positioning satellite. 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford was allegedly kidnapped and murdered by a convicted sex offender. Her body was found in March.
Tragically, Jessica Lunsford could not be saved, but investigators using amazing technology are trying to find missing and exploited kids is nationwide before it's too late. CNN's Kimberly Osias reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KIMBERLY OSIAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Nathan Doyley, missing August 2004, now two years old. Thirteen-year-old Bianca Lebron, picked up by a van outside school at dismissal time in 2001, never seen again. ERNIE ALLEN, CTR. FOR MISSING AND EXPLOITED CHILDREN: We've seen that the level of parental fear and anger has increased enormously.
OSIAS: Ernie Allen is the president of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
ALLEN: It's a huge problem. About 800,000 children are reported missing every year in this country, more than 2,000 kids a day.
OSIAS: Based in Alexandria, Virginia, the non-profit center works with families to get the word out and get results.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Have you reported the person missing to the police?
OSIAS: It's often a parent's first stop in the recovery process.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is he still missing?
OSIAS: Specially-trained operators gather abduction details, making sure a child is listed in the FBI's national crime computer. That information is then compiled on a poster and distributed to law enforcement, media, hospitals and hotels.
When a child's been missing for two years or more, they come to Joe Mullins. The former graphic designer melds art and science in what's called "age progressions."
JOE MULLINS, CTR. FOR MISSING AND EXPLOITED CHILDREN: Those kind of things we've heard since we were able to walk, you know, relatives saying, Oh, you have your mom's eyes, your dad's nose.
OSIAS: Leapfrogging a child's image from past to present.
MULLINS: This is Victor Shoemaker. It's still an active case. Victor is missing from West Virginia. So we're going to take him from 5 to 14.
OSIAS: To do that, Mullins starts with images of Victor's parents close to the same age.
MULLINS: And all the significant change is going to taking place in the lower two thirds. So we'll grab that lower two thirds of Victor's face and just pull it down, and he already starts to look bit more mature.
OSIAS: Then Mullins adds current hair and clothing styles, getting Victor into the age range. He compares that to pictures of boys the same age with similar features.
(on camera): The technology is getting results. According to the center, in 1990, the recovery rate was at 60 percent. Now that number has jumped to 96 percent. But for parents of missing children, like Nathan Doyley and Bianca Lebron, that number will never be high enough until their children come home.
Kimberly Osias, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: And straight ahead on LIVE FROM, canine callback. The Pentagon orders one of its top dogs back to active duty. You're going to meet him.
And what's the most popular story on cnn.com right now? Editors at our dot-com desk standing by.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: A new galactic movie journey has plenty of ticket buyers hitching a ride. Justin Timberlake is joining the cast of a sure box-office hit, and there's no chance he'll be blamed for a wardrobe malfunction.
SIBILA VARGAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Never say never.
PHILLIPS: Entertainment correspondent Sibila Vargas, live from L.A. You never know what's going to happen, Sibila.
VARGAS: You never know. But it was sci-fi versus action at the box office this weekend. In the end, the masses spoke and chose something that was out of this world. "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" opened big with $21.7 million, despite some not-so-stellar reviews. Last week's topper, "The Interpreter," slipped to second with just over $14 million, and "XXX: State of the Union," starring Ice Cube, was not as hot as expected. The sequel to Vin Diesel's "XXX" opened in third place with $13.7 million.
Well, it's not due out in theaters until 2007, but you can bet "Shrek 3" will be a box office hit, and now there's word that Justin Timberlake will be added to the cast. The pop star will join the usual suspects: Mike Meyers, Eddie Murphy, Antonio Banderas, and, of course, gal pal Cameron Diaz, in the third installment. Timberlake will be the voice of Arty, King Harold's rebellious nephew who goes on to be King Arthur. Timberlake tells CNN's "Showbiz Tonight" that he wasn't totally sold on the idea at first.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE, FORMER N'SYNC MEMBER: Jeffrey Katzenberg spoke to me about possibly doing a voice for "Shrek 3," and I said, no way. And, uh, he begged on his knees, literally.
MIKE MYERS, COMEDIAN: It was sad. He's a grown man. It was gnarly.
TIMBERLAKE: And, so, finally, I was like, OK, you know, get out of my driveway. This is just weird.
MYERS: The guy camped out in this guy's driveway, and then he called me. I came over.
TIMBERLAKE: We were just playing poker. MYERS: Playing poker, and there's Jeffrey, we hear him wailing outside, and I'm like, go home, man.
TIMBERLAKE: This is ridiculous, so finally, I'm like, OK, I'll do it!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VARGAS: I think he's going to be great. The news was announced yesterday at Lincoln Center. At Dreamworks Animation Now, a symposium held to give family audiences a look how studio 'toons are created.
Meanwhile, making history in movie news is Academy award-winning director Steven Soderbergh. The drastic helmer (ph) has teamed up with 2929 Entertainment to produce six high-definition films, and here's the kicker: for the first time ever, each film will release simultaneously in theaters, on television, and on home video. This day-and-date release strategy is an effort to streamline the distribution and marketing processes while giving consumers more control over how they view a new film. Soderbergh's first film is called "Bubble," a murder mystery set in a small town in Ohio.
Back to you, Kyra. That's the news from Hollywood.
PHILLIPS: All right. Sibila Vargas, thank you very much.
Well, straight ahead -- plagued by cameras, a Washington celeb is now ducking all of those tourists. Make way for mama mallard.
At the Pentagon, an old dog teaches new tricks. This K-9 expert is coming out of retirement. We'll explain why.
Pac-Man gets gobbled up by the Power Rangers. Details of the high-stakes game when we check Wall Street.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRISTINA PARK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We are checking some of the most popular stories on CNN.com. For the top ten reports that people are clicking on the most, log onto our Web site and click on "Most Popular" at the top right-hand side of your screen.
Our first story is getting a lot of clicks. Long-time Oklahoma baseball coach Larry Cochell resigns amid scandal. This just two days after ESPN reported that Cochell made racist remarks in two off-camera interviews, while praising freshman outfielder Joe Dunigan, who is African-American. Cochell says he deeply regrets what he calls his careless use of language.
Now another story, Daryn, that you talked about. Cnn.com users can't seem to get enough in the latest in the runaway bride saga. Our users are learning, as CNN viewers are, that Jennifer Wilbanks could face charges in the case. And finally the Titanic still making waves this time on the auction block. A gold pocket watch, once owned by Irish immigrant Nora Keane (ph), who survived the disaster, was sold for nearly $25,000, more than three times its estimated value. Now, the engraving on the back reads: "To my dearest Nora, your visit to County Limerick warmed my heart. God bless and be with you on your return to Pennsylvania. Signed, Loving Mother."
And for what's making our top ten most popular list right now, you know where to go.
I'm Christina Park, reporting for cnn.com.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: It's an unlikely combination. Pac Man is joining forces with the Power Rangers. Susan Lisovicz has the details, live from the New York Stock Exchange.
(STOCK MARKET REPORT)
PHILLIPS: Well, lost at sea. Two teenagers drift for almost a week and live to tell the tale. We're going to have that in the next hour.
And Major League pitcher Barry Zito steps up to help U.S. troops. Find out how you can pitch in, too. He's here live.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Well, it took a motorcade and the coordination of three government agencies, but the most famous duck in Washington finally has a new home. You may remember this mellow mallard set up housekeeping outside the Treasury building to sit on her eggs. Well, they hatched Saturday night after weeks of tourist admiration and Secret Service protection. The National Park Service and the U.S. Wildlife Service then teamed up to take the family to a city park. Mom led the way to a nearby creek, while the kids followed behind. Park officials say they're happy to take them under their wings.
Elsewhere in Washington, an aging retired combat veteran has been pressed back into service. The curious twist to the story? Well, he isn't a human. CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In the Pentagon, security is maintained not just by the human police officers, but by 15 working dogs who sniff for explosives. One dog is back for a farewell tour.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hey, Bill. Hey, sweety.
STARR: Bill, a 9-year-old German shepherd, retired four months ago to live with his handler, Sergeant Cecil Richardson.
SGT. CECIL RICHARDSON, PENTAGON POLICE OFFICER: Basically, he has done his time.
STARR: He is 63 years old in dog years. But now the Air Force, which owns Bill, wants him back at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's coming back on active duty, like a lot of other soldiers and sailors and marines.
STARR: The military has 1,500 dogs around the world, including Iraq and Afghanistan. But they need more.
(on camera): When Bill gets to Lackland Air Force Base, his mission will be to train human handlers on how to work with dogs just like him.
(voice-over): Officer Richardson knows dogs are need in these tense times, but he is devastated at losing his friend.
RICHARDSON: I've literally put my life in his hands on more than one occasion.
STARR: Bill is already a combat veteran.
RICHARDSON: He was here during 9/11 and worked many, many, many long hours there, clearing vehicles.
STARR: But in these busy hallways, in the offices which run wars, Bill has always been a friendly ambassador.
RICHARDSON: A lot more know him than know me. I'm usually referred to as Bill's handler or the guy that walks Bill the dog.
STARR: For many in uniform, he is a respected colleague.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE; Good boy. He's a great dog. I mean, he spent his dog years protecting us and sniffing for bombs and bad stuff. And all he asked for in return is a little wet slob sloppy kiss.
STARR: A bond between an elderly working dog and the people he has looked out for, even as national security calls him out of retirement.
RICHARDSON: That's my buddy.
STARR: Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: "Now in the News," the seemingly endless violence in Iraq. Just since Thursday, insurgent attacks have killed at least 105 people, most of them Iraqi civilians and security forces. Today alone, there were six deadly car bombings, four in Baghdad, two in Mosul.
Nearing the end of their case, prosecutors in the child molestation trial of Michael Jackson call more witnesses before turning things over to the defense. That could happen tomorrow, at which the defense has indicated it will ask the judge to dismiss the charges for lack of evidence.
Continuing signs of strength in one key industry. Construction spending rose five-tenths of one percent in March, the record level. That's on top of gains in January and February. Construction of offices and shopping malls outpaced housing construction, which has slowed considerably since February.
First, one of the United States' biggest allies in the war in Iraq is not toeing the line it comes to that deadly friendly fire shooting in Baghdad. Sometime later today, we are expecting Italy to release a report on what happened at a U.S. checkpoint in Baghdad in March. By most accounts, it will differ sharply from a U.S. report exonerating American troops.
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Aired May 2, 2005 - 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: There's a lot of talk about whether the law should punish a runaway bride here in Georgia for all the trouble she caused. A prosecutor in the suburban Atlanta county where Jennifer Wilbanks lives says he's researching whether to press charges.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DANNY PORTER, GWINNETT COUNTY D.A.: It's not like she was just running down the road and went, "I can't get married," and just kept running to the bus station. So the things we're concerned about are those things that show pre-planning and intent, because that's an essential element we're going to have to show if we charge with a crime.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Well, we usually call on CNN contributor Bob Barr for political analysis, but the former congressman is also a former federal prosecutor. He's in our Washington bureau. Bob, what do you think? Do you agree with the D.A. here?
BOB BARR, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: I think that Danny Porter, the district attorney in Gwinnett County, is playing it exactly as he should. He's saying he's going to look very carefully at the facts of this case and at the law. But I think, reading between the lines, he has a very sobering message for this young woman, and that is, it's one thing to get cold feet and do something stupid like just walk out on your wedding; it's something very different to cause the government to spend literally perhaps 100 or more thousand dollars of taxpayer money, and then to file a false report, make false statements to the FBI and to the police. That is a very serious matter, and one which I think the district attorney legitimately is looking into.
PHILLIPS: Now, the D.A., of course, is an elected official. You had tremendous public outrage about this story, Bob. So is he talking about charges because politically, it could be a good move? And does he really have something here legally? Did Jennifer Wilbanks do something illegally?
BARR: I think she probably did and it's something that the government has to take very seriously, because if you let her off the hook -- if it can be shown, as I think clearly it can be, that she gave false information to not only the local police, but to the federal FBI, the FBI itself. If you go around saying, well, it's OK for people to do that, because we feel sorry for them, because there was so much pressure because of the wedding, you're leaving yourself open to a lot more people getting cold feet about one thing or another and going to law enforcement officials, including the federal officials, and filing false reports. That's why this is so very important.
PHILLIPS: So if you were the D.A., what would you do?
BARR: I would do exactly what Danny Porter is doing here. Look at the facts first. Make sure that there really is, as there seems to be, and as common sense tells you, there was pre-planning, pre- meditation, talk with her, talk with her attorney. I'm sure she's going to have an attorney. She should have an attorney looking at possible criminal charges. And then, if the facts sustain it, file charges against her.
PHILLIPS: Did she get special treatment? I was a little surprised to see the videotape with the towel over her head, being escorted by a couple people. Do you consider that special treatment? And should she have been able to do that?
BARR: I have serious questions about why she was afforded this special treatment. You know, normally, those of us, whether we're having a problem with the media or not, have to get off an airplane, walk through the public corridors, the same as everybody else. We don't get a police escort.
There were a lot of times when I was in the heat of some controversy in the Congress that I would have loved to have had a police escort and whisk me off for special treatment and be able to hide under a blanket. But the fact of the matter is that we live in an open, a free society. And I think it was very improper for the police to give her that special treatment.
PHILLIPS: So Bob, real quickly, do you think they should still get married?
BARR: Well, if I were her ex-fiance, I'd have to think long and hard about even taking her out on another date, much less getting married.
PHILLIPS: Bob Barr. Thank you so much for your insights today.
BARR: Sure.
PHILLIPS: All right, well, we asked you to e-mail us about the runaway bride case. So what would you do if you were the prosecutor? Here are the e-mails that we received. We picked a group of them.
Ross says that: "Please leave this poor girl and her family alone. This really should be a private, not a public matter. As far as pressing charges, why don't we save our criminal resources to prosecute criminals? Everyone was praying to find this poor woman alive. Why not be thankful and chalk it up as a happy ending?"
Margaret says: "The words I'm not going to marry you are simple words and should be spoken if one does not wish to marry. She had no right to trouble so many people and spend such a large amount of public money."
Richard says: "She is a perfect example of what is wrong with this country today. Everyone is so obsessed with looking out for number one that they cannot see how their actions affect others. A little time in jail might make her realize that she is not the sole object of attention, and that millions of other people have real problems far more consequential than wedding plans."
Laurel says: "Give the girl a break. She lied to her friends, family and her fiance, causing a search on her behalf that took precious time away from real cases. Why should she be let off the hook just because she was under stress? Where I come from, that's no reason to break the law and waste valuable police resources. She needs consequences."
And Mike says: "Jennifer Wilbanks needs to offer a public apology and offer a sizable restitution to the city of Duluth and whatever the state of Georgia incurred searching for her. But then, of course, she can make up those financial costs with the inevitable book, talk show and television movie deals."
David says: "Everyone keeps overlooking the fact that she lied to authorities regarding two armed and dangerous felons that were supposedly on the loose. What if a blue van was located and the suspects she described were arrested because they looked like the people she described? You just can't get away with lying in this way about an armed abduction to the authorities. She should face legal consequences."
And finally, L.J. says: "The district attorneys in these cases have an obligation to the tax-paying public to harshly deal with people who waste our resources. It should not matter if she is from a prominent family, white or black."
One writer there made a good point. When are we going to hear from Jennifer Wilbanks? What does she have to say?
Well, a tough bill cracking down on child sex abusers is now law in Florida. Governor Jeb Bush today signed the Jessica Lunsford act. It requires that convicted molesters of children under 12 get at least 25 years behind bars. Any offender released from prison would be tracked by global positioning satellite. 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford was allegedly kidnapped and murdered by a convicted sex offender. Her body was found in March.
Tragically, Jessica Lunsford could not be saved, but investigators using amazing technology are trying to find missing and exploited kids is nationwide before it's too late. CNN's Kimberly Osias reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KIMBERLY OSIAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Nathan Doyley, missing August 2004, now two years old. Thirteen-year-old Bianca Lebron, picked up by a van outside school at dismissal time in 2001, never seen again. ERNIE ALLEN, CTR. FOR MISSING AND EXPLOITED CHILDREN: We've seen that the level of parental fear and anger has increased enormously.
OSIAS: Ernie Allen is the president of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
ALLEN: It's a huge problem. About 800,000 children are reported missing every year in this country, more than 2,000 kids a day.
OSIAS: Based in Alexandria, Virginia, the non-profit center works with families to get the word out and get results.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Have you reported the person missing to the police?
OSIAS: It's often a parent's first stop in the recovery process.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is he still missing?
OSIAS: Specially-trained operators gather abduction details, making sure a child is listed in the FBI's national crime computer. That information is then compiled on a poster and distributed to law enforcement, media, hospitals and hotels.
When a child's been missing for two years or more, they come to Joe Mullins. The former graphic designer melds art and science in what's called "age progressions."
JOE MULLINS, CTR. FOR MISSING AND EXPLOITED CHILDREN: Those kind of things we've heard since we were able to walk, you know, relatives saying, Oh, you have your mom's eyes, your dad's nose.
OSIAS: Leapfrogging a child's image from past to present.
MULLINS: This is Victor Shoemaker. It's still an active case. Victor is missing from West Virginia. So we're going to take him from 5 to 14.
OSIAS: To do that, Mullins starts with images of Victor's parents close to the same age.
MULLINS: And all the significant change is going to taking place in the lower two thirds. So we'll grab that lower two thirds of Victor's face and just pull it down, and he already starts to look bit more mature.
OSIAS: Then Mullins adds current hair and clothing styles, getting Victor into the age range. He compares that to pictures of boys the same age with similar features.
(on camera): The technology is getting results. According to the center, in 1990, the recovery rate was at 60 percent. Now that number has jumped to 96 percent. But for parents of missing children, like Nathan Doyley and Bianca Lebron, that number will never be high enough until their children come home.
Kimberly Osias, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: And straight ahead on LIVE FROM, canine callback. The Pentagon orders one of its top dogs back to active duty. You're going to meet him.
And what's the most popular story on cnn.com right now? Editors at our dot-com desk standing by.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: A new galactic movie journey has plenty of ticket buyers hitching a ride. Justin Timberlake is joining the cast of a sure box-office hit, and there's no chance he'll be blamed for a wardrobe malfunction.
SIBILA VARGAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Never say never.
PHILLIPS: Entertainment correspondent Sibila Vargas, live from L.A. You never know what's going to happen, Sibila.
VARGAS: You never know. But it was sci-fi versus action at the box office this weekend. In the end, the masses spoke and chose something that was out of this world. "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" opened big with $21.7 million, despite some not-so-stellar reviews. Last week's topper, "The Interpreter," slipped to second with just over $14 million, and "XXX: State of the Union," starring Ice Cube, was not as hot as expected. The sequel to Vin Diesel's "XXX" opened in third place with $13.7 million.
Well, it's not due out in theaters until 2007, but you can bet "Shrek 3" will be a box office hit, and now there's word that Justin Timberlake will be added to the cast. The pop star will join the usual suspects: Mike Meyers, Eddie Murphy, Antonio Banderas, and, of course, gal pal Cameron Diaz, in the third installment. Timberlake will be the voice of Arty, King Harold's rebellious nephew who goes on to be King Arthur. Timberlake tells CNN's "Showbiz Tonight" that he wasn't totally sold on the idea at first.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE, FORMER N'SYNC MEMBER: Jeffrey Katzenberg spoke to me about possibly doing a voice for "Shrek 3," and I said, no way. And, uh, he begged on his knees, literally.
MIKE MYERS, COMEDIAN: It was sad. He's a grown man. It was gnarly.
TIMBERLAKE: And, so, finally, I was like, OK, you know, get out of my driveway. This is just weird.
MYERS: The guy camped out in this guy's driveway, and then he called me. I came over.
TIMBERLAKE: We were just playing poker. MYERS: Playing poker, and there's Jeffrey, we hear him wailing outside, and I'm like, go home, man.
TIMBERLAKE: This is ridiculous, so finally, I'm like, OK, I'll do it!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VARGAS: I think he's going to be great. The news was announced yesterday at Lincoln Center. At Dreamworks Animation Now, a symposium held to give family audiences a look how studio 'toons are created.
Meanwhile, making history in movie news is Academy award-winning director Steven Soderbergh. The drastic helmer (ph) has teamed up with 2929 Entertainment to produce six high-definition films, and here's the kicker: for the first time ever, each film will release simultaneously in theaters, on television, and on home video. This day-and-date release strategy is an effort to streamline the distribution and marketing processes while giving consumers more control over how they view a new film. Soderbergh's first film is called "Bubble," a murder mystery set in a small town in Ohio.
Back to you, Kyra. That's the news from Hollywood.
PHILLIPS: All right. Sibila Vargas, thank you very much.
Well, straight ahead -- plagued by cameras, a Washington celeb is now ducking all of those tourists. Make way for mama mallard.
At the Pentagon, an old dog teaches new tricks. This K-9 expert is coming out of retirement. We'll explain why.
Pac-Man gets gobbled up by the Power Rangers. Details of the high-stakes game when we check Wall Street.
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CHRISTINA PARK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We are checking some of the most popular stories on CNN.com. For the top ten reports that people are clicking on the most, log onto our Web site and click on "Most Popular" at the top right-hand side of your screen.
Our first story is getting a lot of clicks. Long-time Oklahoma baseball coach Larry Cochell resigns amid scandal. This just two days after ESPN reported that Cochell made racist remarks in two off-camera interviews, while praising freshman outfielder Joe Dunigan, who is African-American. Cochell says he deeply regrets what he calls his careless use of language.
Now another story, Daryn, that you talked about. Cnn.com users can't seem to get enough in the latest in the runaway bride saga. Our users are learning, as CNN viewers are, that Jennifer Wilbanks could face charges in the case. And finally the Titanic still making waves this time on the auction block. A gold pocket watch, once owned by Irish immigrant Nora Keane (ph), who survived the disaster, was sold for nearly $25,000, more than three times its estimated value. Now, the engraving on the back reads: "To my dearest Nora, your visit to County Limerick warmed my heart. God bless and be with you on your return to Pennsylvania. Signed, Loving Mother."
And for what's making our top ten most popular list right now, you know where to go.
I'm Christina Park, reporting for cnn.com.
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PHILLIPS: It's an unlikely combination. Pac Man is joining forces with the Power Rangers. Susan Lisovicz has the details, live from the New York Stock Exchange.
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PHILLIPS: Well, lost at sea. Two teenagers drift for almost a week and live to tell the tale. We're going to have that in the next hour.
And Major League pitcher Barry Zito steps up to help U.S. troops. Find out how you can pitch in, too. He's here live.
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PHILLIPS: Well, it took a motorcade and the coordination of three government agencies, but the most famous duck in Washington finally has a new home. You may remember this mellow mallard set up housekeeping outside the Treasury building to sit on her eggs. Well, they hatched Saturday night after weeks of tourist admiration and Secret Service protection. The National Park Service and the U.S. Wildlife Service then teamed up to take the family to a city park. Mom led the way to a nearby creek, while the kids followed behind. Park officials say they're happy to take them under their wings.
Elsewhere in Washington, an aging retired combat veteran has been pressed back into service. The curious twist to the story? Well, he isn't a human. CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr reports.
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BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In the Pentagon, security is maintained not just by the human police officers, but by 15 working dogs who sniff for explosives. One dog is back for a farewell tour.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hey, Bill. Hey, sweety.
STARR: Bill, a 9-year-old German shepherd, retired four months ago to live with his handler, Sergeant Cecil Richardson.
SGT. CECIL RICHARDSON, PENTAGON POLICE OFFICER: Basically, he has done his time.
STARR: He is 63 years old in dog years. But now the Air Force, which owns Bill, wants him back at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's coming back on active duty, like a lot of other soldiers and sailors and marines.
STARR: The military has 1,500 dogs around the world, including Iraq and Afghanistan. But they need more.
(on camera): When Bill gets to Lackland Air Force Base, his mission will be to train human handlers on how to work with dogs just like him.
(voice-over): Officer Richardson knows dogs are need in these tense times, but he is devastated at losing his friend.
RICHARDSON: I've literally put my life in his hands on more than one occasion.
STARR: Bill is already a combat veteran.
RICHARDSON: He was here during 9/11 and worked many, many, many long hours there, clearing vehicles.
STARR: But in these busy hallways, in the offices which run wars, Bill has always been a friendly ambassador.
RICHARDSON: A lot more know him than know me. I'm usually referred to as Bill's handler or the guy that walks Bill the dog.
STARR: For many in uniform, he is a respected colleague.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE; Good boy. He's a great dog. I mean, he spent his dog years protecting us and sniffing for bombs and bad stuff. And all he asked for in return is a little wet slob sloppy kiss.
STARR: A bond between an elderly working dog and the people he has looked out for, even as national security calls him out of retirement.
RICHARDSON: That's my buddy.
STARR: Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.
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PHILLIPS: "Now in the News," the seemingly endless violence in Iraq. Just since Thursday, insurgent attacks have killed at least 105 people, most of them Iraqi civilians and security forces. Today alone, there were six deadly car bombings, four in Baghdad, two in Mosul.
Nearing the end of their case, prosecutors in the child molestation trial of Michael Jackson call more witnesses before turning things over to the defense. That could happen tomorrow, at which the defense has indicated it will ask the judge to dismiss the charges for lack of evidence.
Continuing signs of strength in one key industry. Construction spending rose five-tenths of one percent in March, the record level. That's on top of gains in January and February. Construction of offices and shopping malls outpaced housing construction, which has slowed considerably since February.
First, one of the United States' biggest allies in the war in Iraq is not toeing the line it comes to that deadly friendly fire shooting in Baghdad. Sometime later today, we are expecting Italy to release a report on what happened at a U.S. checkpoint in Baghdad in March. By most accounts, it will differ sharply from a U.S. report exonerating American troops.
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