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Judge Not?; Missing Idaho Kids; Sex Offender Act

Aired May 18, 2005 - 13:59   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.


(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They prey on our children like animals and will continue to do so until we stop them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: A federal push to keep track of child molesters. Will it work? We're going in-depth with a mother of a young victim.

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Do Women belong in combat? Congress considers a move to make sure females don't get involved in fighting.

PHILLIPS: There from the air an intruder in an Oregon neighborhood scrambles for cover.

O'BRIEN: Boy, then can climb well, can't they?

And to the moon, Alice. Hollywood redoes "The Honeymooners." How can you redo that, though? We'll talk with one of its stars, Michael Epps, who is the new Norton, live this hour.

From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Miles O'Brien.

PHILLIPS: And I'm Kyra Phillips. This hour of CNN's LIVE FROM starts right now.

O'BRIEN: And we begin this hour with a new day for national security, a new face of U.S. intelligence, a new chapter in the long and varied resume of John Negroponte. If you were with us just this last hour, you saw Negroponte take the oath of an office he actually moved into a few weeks back, director of national intelligence, DNI. That's a brand new position created by Congress at the urging of the panel that investigated intelligent shortcomings pre-9/11.

The responsibilities are vast. To some extent, vague. And to President Bush, vital.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Our nation is at war. And John is making sure that those whose duty it is to defend America have the information we need to make the right decisions. He's ensuring our intelligence agency works as a single unified enterprise. And he's serving as my principal intelligence adviser.

These are vital and urgent responsibilities. And John has what it takes to fulfill them all.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: So, you think you know John Negroponte? The veteran diplomat was most recently the first U.S. ambassador to post-Saddam Iraq. Before that, he spoke for the U.S. at the U.N., and he remains a member on the Council on foreign Relations.

He's also a former deputy assistant to the president for national security and a former ambassador to Mexico and the Philippines. Like Mr. Bush, he is a graduate of Yale.

PHILLIPS: Well, it turns out what the Secret Service didn't know when President Bush was in Europe last week could have hurt him. The U.S. embassy in Tbilisi, Georgia, says that the hand grenade that was found after Mr. Bush's outdoor address was not the dud used for training that Georgian officials initially reported. It was a live explosive tossed near the stage.

It may have gone off within 100 feet of the U.S. and Georgian presidents. It's only because of a glitch, the embassy says, that it didn't go off. The FBI is investigating.

As always, CNN is committed to providing the most reliable coverage of news that affects your security. Stay tuned to CNN for the latest information day and night.

O'BRIEN: The scene is the Senate floor, but it could just as well OK Corral today as the showdown begins over judicial nominations. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist draws first, calling for an up-or- down vote on one of the most controversial nominees, Priscilla Owen.

CNN's Kimberly Osias with more on a battle that has both sides twitching their trigger fingers -- Kimberly.

KIMBERLY OSIAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That is exactly right, Miles. But I tell you, tempers are certainly steaming, but I do think those guns are safely in the holsters, at least for now.

We are talking -- this has been going on since 9:30 this morning, Miles. They are going to take a break I think from about 3:30 to 4:30. And you can see a live picture right now on the Senate floor.

Of course at issue are two women, two conservative women. We are talking about Janice Rogers Brown and Pricilla Owen that are up for the federal bench. Both are conservative, and the president wants both of them on the bench. But that may never happen, because the Democrats and the Republicans are facing off over attempts to kill by filibuster the nominations of the two women.

And the filibuster, what we're talking about here is a technique that's used by the minority party to essentially stall for time and hopefully get to some kind of consensus, or in extreme cases to actually kill a nominee. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist says the filibuster was never intended to extend to judicial nominees. And it's become routine. Frist wants to go to a straight up-or-down vote so that a nominee can be confirmed by a simple majority, or at least 51 votes rather than the current 60 votes required if there is a filibuster.

Now being considered again, Priscilla Owen, as we have been talking, who's been waiting in the wings for four years for a potential lifetime appointment. President Bush proposed her during his first term in office. And Janice Rogers Brown, currently an associate justice on the Texas Supreme Court.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist is calling for action, any kind of action one way or the other. Just have some action.

SEN. BILL FRIST (R-TN), MAJORITY LEADER: Either confirm these nominees or reject the nominees. But don't leave them hanging. Don't leave our courts hanging. Don't leave the country hanging.

If the nominees are rejected, fine. That's fair. At least rejection represents a vote. But give nominees the courtesy -- the courtesy of a vote.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

OSIAS: In this filibuster fracas there have been several olive branches that have been extended in the way of a compromise, an offer of a limited filibuster of 100 hours. But so far, no middle ground at all.

Democrats charge the Republicans with quelling the minority voice and abuse of power, saying they're simply getting railroaded. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid says you can't change the rules in the middle of the game.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV), MINORITY LEADER: We are following the rules. We believe in following the rules, not breaking the rules. And while it's good to talk about this up-or-down vote, the fact is, to move forward as contemplated by the majority is moving toward breaking the rules to change the rules. And that's improper. It will change the Senate forever, and that's not good.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

OSIAS: Of course with a possible Supreme Court appointment later on down the line, the implications here are absolutely enormous. Next week, Tuesday or Wednesday, is what we hear is the earliest that there could be a test vote regarding the filibuster -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Kimberly Osias. Thank you very much -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Three people dead, two kids missing, and now a person of interest is being sought. Authorities in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, announced just a short time ago that all three victims had been bound and that there were blood splatters in the house.

CNN's Sean Callebs has more on the man police want to talk to.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The Kootenai County sheriff's office says they are looking for someone they term "a person of interest" who may have information about the grisly crimes committed here on the outskirts of the town of Coeur d'Alene. His name is Robert Roy Lutner. He is 33 years old. Authorities say at this point he is not a suspect, but apparently someone who was at the home around the time frame when these crimes were apparently committed.

He is said to be driving an old-style pickup truck, either a 1975 silver Ford or a 1990 Toyota. He is from this area, has family in the Boise area, about 400 miles from here.

Now, authorities were called to the home not terribly far behind us sometime around 6:00 in the evening on Monday night. At that time they found three bodies, that of Brenda Groene -- she is 40 -- her 13- year-old son, Slade, and Mark McKenzie, said to be Brenda's boyfriend.

It was sometime later, about six hours later, when authorities determined the two children were missing. A national Amber Alert has been issued. The FBI has been called in to assist in this.

They are looking for Dylan Groene. He is 9 years old. He's about four feet tall, weighs 60 pounds, has a blonde crewcut and blue eyes.

And his sister, Shasta, she is eight. A very slight child, about 40 pounds, under four feet tall, long auburn hair and hazel eyes.

We talked with members of the school district here. They said these were two children who were very bright. And authorities are doing all they can to find them at this hour.

The sheriff tells us the crimes were grisly. They will not say exactly how the three were killed. He says autopsies are being performed, and they hope to have some information later on today.

All eyes really on this person called a person of interest. His name is Robert Roy Lutner. Once again, he is 33, said to be driving an old model pickup truck.

That's the very latest.

Sean Callebs, CNN, in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Other news "Across America" now.

O'BRIEN: And we begin with some swirling in the skies over Florida. This is one of 17 funnel clouds spotted off of Key West yesterday. Nine officially reached waterspout status.

Now, if a waterspout moves onto land, what happens? It becomes a tornado. In this case, none of them did.

PHILLIPS: Well, when folks in California log on for their daily weather forecast, they can get the daily earthquake forecast, too. Government scientists now have a new Web site to give you the chances of the ground shaking on a very particular day. It will be updated hourly. You can sign up to get the e-mail if a quake occurs.

Also in California, a car ends up straight up and down after a crash on a busy freeway. Look at this picture.

O'BRIEN: Wow. How did they do that? How did that happen?

PHILLIPS: Well, you know, they crunched together. It causes the weight to go forward. You got it.

In all, four cars were involved in the accident on Highway 134 in Burbank. At least one person we hear was seriously hurt.

O'BRIEN: And police were on his tail, but this small black bear managed to get away. The bear was spotted rummaging through an apartment garbage can in western Oregon yesterday. Authorities spent the day trying to capture it, but the bear romped off into the woods on its own, eluding authorities just barely.

PHILLIPS: Ah.

The federal government may be stepping in to keep tighter controls on sex offenders.

O'BRIEN: Ahead on LIVE FROM, the mother of Samantha Runnion, the 5-year-old snatched and killed by a pedophile, will join us live to talk about new efforts to try and protect children.

PHILLIPS: And later on LIVE FROM, a rare vintage. Archaeologists toast an amazing discovery.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, a bill is being introduced in Congress today aimed at keeping better track of sex offenders. Florida Congressman Mark Foley says the measure targets those who "prey on children like animals." And that bill would require sex offenders to wear monitors for life in some cases and register with authorities before they are out of prison. They would have to check in, in person, twice a year, and notify authorities within three days of moving.

Let's go to California now and to Erin Runnion. You'll remember her 5-year-old daughter Samantha was sexually assaulted and murdered three years ago.

And I'll never forget the day that happened, Erin, because I was working and had to talk about it. It's sure nice to have you with us.

ERIN RUNNION, SAMANTHA RUNNION'S MOTHER: Thank you for having me.

PHILLIPS: Well, first of all, I want to get your reaction to this bill that's being introduced. From what you've heard, from what you've read, is this enough?

RUNNION: Is it enough? No. But it's a wonderful start.

I'm glad -- I'm supportive of the bill. I think it's a good thing.

I really think that it would make a lot of sense to have therapy as a mandatory condition of parole. I think it should be a mandatory condition of imprisonment for pedophilia.

It's one of the -- you know, there is no proof that this is treatable, but there is proof that it's - that they can control it. And I think therapy is the only way that they're going to have a chance at controlling it. And so I think it's important that we track them, absolutely. But I think we also need to treat them.

PHILLIPS: Well, let's talk about the aspect of therapy. We've actually had a convicted sex offender on our air a number of times. He has written a book about it, and he does believe therapy works. He says it working for him, it takes a lot of discipline.

RUNNION: Right.

PHILLIPS: You have to -- you have to concentrate on certain parts of the therapy in order to remain disciplined.

Is it taking place at all anywhere in the country where you have seen the research and see that it is working? And are you saying that it should be implemented no matter what and no matter what jail a predator is in?

RUNNION: I do -- I think, first of all, absolutely, that it should be mandatory for all pedophiles to have therapy in prison and out if they are released. I don't know of how many treatment centers there are, but I do know there are many treatment centers throughout the country that treat this.

There's a wonderful organization called Stop It Now, and they have a hotline for pedophiles to call, to get resources to find out how they can control it. And, you know, my feeling is that the only known deterrent to these crimes is the risk of getting caught.

So it's really -- you know, I'm -- I'm speaking out because I am asking America's moms and dads, parents, to rally in their communities, to call meetings, to talk about this issue, to not let it be brushed under the rug, because this has got to become a national movement.

They can control it. We just have to force them to. PHILLIPS: All right. In addition to that, in addition to the therapy, if you -- let's think back to Polly Klaas more than decade ago, all the way up to your daughter, and even more recently -- more recently, Jessica Lunsford, do you ever just sit at home and watch these recent cases and think what is taking so long to just implement a no tolerance law where these individuals on so many cases just are let free?

RUNNION: Yes. You know, I think it's -- it is, it's frustrating. It's frustrating to me that people don't talk about the fact that over 95 percent of these cases are actually trusted friends and family of the victims, that most -- most children know the people who molest them.

And that's why, you know, the people that we're talking about are serial pedophiles who get out and commit these crimes again and again. But the ones that never even get accused are the ones that I'm -- that are actually victimizing the most children the most often. And so that's why I feel like we have to -- we have to talk about punishment, but we really have got to talk about prevention. You know, I don't want to see another child on that TV screen.

PHILLIPS: Yes, you talk about that prevention in your Web site -- on your Web site, thejoyfulchild.org. I want to ask you about -- about the Web site.

Let's take a look at it. But you have just some amazing pictures of your daughter on there. Just talk about her for a few minutes.

I know you have two stepchildren that you love and cherish very much. But let's just remember Samantha for a moment and how you can go to this Web site and just learn about her and what you are trying to do.

RUNNION: Absolutely. Well, the Web site is thejoyfulchild.org, and you can look at pictures of Samantha and you can read about things that we're doing here in California. And we're working to go national with it.

But Samantha was my joyful child. That's where the name came from. She was an absolute joy.

Every room she walked into she just lit up. She would put her arms out stretched, embracing the world when she took pictures so often, and started every day either swinging on her swing set or drawing a picture. She was really creative, very bright.

She was taken just 10 days before her sixth birthday. And in my trunk I had presents for her. I had a giant dinosaur puzzle because she loved dinosaurs, she loved science. We had LEGOs because she loved to build.

We had all kinds of books because she was an avid reader. She was -- she was a really perceptive and fun little girl. And I will miss her every day. PHILLIPS: Well, her legacy lives on through you. Well, she lives on through you and your efforts. Erin Runnion, thank you so much. And we'll continue to follow this bill that is before Congress right now. Thanks for your time.

RUNNION: Wonderful. Thank you.

PHILLIPS: You bet.

O'BRIEN: Trump wants to dump current plans for rebuilding at Ground Zero. Ahead on LIVE FROM, we'll show you his back-to-the- future idea.

And remaking a television classic. "The Honeymooners" with a modern makeover. We'll talk to actor Michael Epps about what it's like to play Norton.

SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Susan Lisovicz at the New York Stock Exchange. Up next, I'll tell you how much piracy is costing the software industry.

Plus, will dads get gypped this Father's Day?

Those stories are coming up on LIVE FROM, so stay tuned.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: The Donald is challenging plans for the new Freedom Tower at New York's World trade Center site. Donald Trump showed reporters his own plan in New York today. He essentially wants to rebuild the twin towers destroyed in the September 11 terror attacks, except one floor higher.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, REAL ESTATE MOGUL: A very good friend of mine gave me an analogy, and said, "Donald if something happened to the Statue of Liberty, you wouldn't rebuild it as something other than the Statue of liberty. You would rebuild it as the Statue of Liberty." And it's the same thing we have here.

We want to rebuild the World trade Center as the World Trade Center, but better. A little bit taller, a lot stronger. Just plain better.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: Now, Trump is pushing this design conceived by engineer Ken Gardner (ph). The model was on display at the news conference. Trump scathingly criticized the Freedom Tower design. He says it looks like a skeleton, and if it's built, he says, the terrorists win.

PHILLIPS: Well, piracy is on the rise. A study finds that one- third of all of the software used comes from illegal sources.

O'BRIEN: Susan Lisovicz with more on that -- and more as well. (STOCK MARKET REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: President Bush sworn in John Negroponte as the nation's first director of National Intelligence. Negroponte is the former U.S. ambassador to Iraq and the United Nations. In his new job he will coordinate the gathering and sharing of information by 15 agencies.

The Senate showdown begins. Live pictures right now as senators are debating the controversial judicial nomination of Priscilla Owen. Majority Leader Bill Frist called on his colleagues to vote one way or the other. He left open the possibility of a controversial rule change to ban a filibuster of that nomination.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com


Aired May 18, 2005 - 13:59   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They prey on our children like animals and will continue to do so until we stop them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: A federal push to keep track of child molesters. Will it work? We're going in-depth with a mother of a young victim.

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Do Women belong in combat? Congress considers a move to make sure females don't get involved in fighting.

PHILLIPS: There from the air an intruder in an Oregon neighborhood scrambles for cover.

O'BRIEN: Boy, then can climb well, can't they?

And to the moon, Alice. Hollywood redoes "The Honeymooners." How can you redo that, though? We'll talk with one of its stars, Michael Epps, who is the new Norton, live this hour.

From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Miles O'Brien.

PHILLIPS: And I'm Kyra Phillips. This hour of CNN's LIVE FROM starts right now.

O'BRIEN: And we begin this hour with a new day for national security, a new face of U.S. intelligence, a new chapter in the long and varied resume of John Negroponte. If you were with us just this last hour, you saw Negroponte take the oath of an office he actually moved into a few weeks back, director of national intelligence, DNI. That's a brand new position created by Congress at the urging of the panel that investigated intelligent shortcomings pre-9/11.

The responsibilities are vast. To some extent, vague. And to President Bush, vital.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Our nation is at war. And John is making sure that those whose duty it is to defend America have the information we need to make the right decisions. He's ensuring our intelligence agency works as a single unified enterprise. And he's serving as my principal intelligence adviser.

These are vital and urgent responsibilities. And John has what it takes to fulfill them all.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: So, you think you know John Negroponte? The veteran diplomat was most recently the first U.S. ambassador to post-Saddam Iraq. Before that, he spoke for the U.S. at the U.N., and he remains a member on the Council on foreign Relations.

He's also a former deputy assistant to the president for national security and a former ambassador to Mexico and the Philippines. Like Mr. Bush, he is a graduate of Yale.

PHILLIPS: Well, it turns out what the Secret Service didn't know when President Bush was in Europe last week could have hurt him. The U.S. embassy in Tbilisi, Georgia, says that the hand grenade that was found after Mr. Bush's outdoor address was not the dud used for training that Georgian officials initially reported. It was a live explosive tossed near the stage.

It may have gone off within 100 feet of the U.S. and Georgian presidents. It's only because of a glitch, the embassy says, that it didn't go off. The FBI is investigating.

As always, CNN is committed to providing the most reliable coverage of news that affects your security. Stay tuned to CNN for the latest information day and night.

O'BRIEN: The scene is the Senate floor, but it could just as well OK Corral today as the showdown begins over judicial nominations. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist draws first, calling for an up-or- down vote on one of the most controversial nominees, Priscilla Owen.

CNN's Kimberly Osias with more on a battle that has both sides twitching their trigger fingers -- Kimberly.

KIMBERLY OSIAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That is exactly right, Miles. But I tell you, tempers are certainly steaming, but I do think those guns are safely in the holsters, at least for now.

We are talking -- this has been going on since 9:30 this morning, Miles. They are going to take a break I think from about 3:30 to 4:30. And you can see a live picture right now on the Senate floor.

Of course at issue are two women, two conservative women. We are talking about Janice Rogers Brown and Pricilla Owen that are up for the federal bench. Both are conservative, and the president wants both of them on the bench. But that may never happen, because the Democrats and the Republicans are facing off over attempts to kill by filibuster the nominations of the two women.

And the filibuster, what we're talking about here is a technique that's used by the minority party to essentially stall for time and hopefully get to some kind of consensus, or in extreme cases to actually kill a nominee. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist says the filibuster was never intended to extend to judicial nominees. And it's become routine. Frist wants to go to a straight up-or-down vote so that a nominee can be confirmed by a simple majority, or at least 51 votes rather than the current 60 votes required if there is a filibuster.

Now being considered again, Priscilla Owen, as we have been talking, who's been waiting in the wings for four years for a potential lifetime appointment. President Bush proposed her during his first term in office. And Janice Rogers Brown, currently an associate justice on the Texas Supreme Court.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist is calling for action, any kind of action one way or the other. Just have some action.

SEN. BILL FRIST (R-TN), MAJORITY LEADER: Either confirm these nominees or reject the nominees. But don't leave them hanging. Don't leave our courts hanging. Don't leave the country hanging.

If the nominees are rejected, fine. That's fair. At least rejection represents a vote. But give nominees the courtesy -- the courtesy of a vote.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

OSIAS: In this filibuster fracas there have been several olive branches that have been extended in the way of a compromise, an offer of a limited filibuster of 100 hours. But so far, no middle ground at all.

Democrats charge the Republicans with quelling the minority voice and abuse of power, saying they're simply getting railroaded. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid says you can't change the rules in the middle of the game.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV), MINORITY LEADER: We are following the rules. We believe in following the rules, not breaking the rules. And while it's good to talk about this up-or-down vote, the fact is, to move forward as contemplated by the majority is moving toward breaking the rules to change the rules. And that's improper. It will change the Senate forever, and that's not good.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

OSIAS: Of course with a possible Supreme Court appointment later on down the line, the implications here are absolutely enormous. Next week, Tuesday or Wednesday, is what we hear is the earliest that there could be a test vote regarding the filibuster -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Kimberly Osias. Thank you very much -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Three people dead, two kids missing, and now a person of interest is being sought. Authorities in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, announced just a short time ago that all three victims had been bound and that there were blood splatters in the house.

CNN's Sean Callebs has more on the man police want to talk to.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The Kootenai County sheriff's office says they are looking for someone they term "a person of interest" who may have information about the grisly crimes committed here on the outskirts of the town of Coeur d'Alene. His name is Robert Roy Lutner. He is 33 years old. Authorities say at this point he is not a suspect, but apparently someone who was at the home around the time frame when these crimes were apparently committed.

He is said to be driving an old-style pickup truck, either a 1975 silver Ford or a 1990 Toyota. He is from this area, has family in the Boise area, about 400 miles from here.

Now, authorities were called to the home not terribly far behind us sometime around 6:00 in the evening on Monday night. At that time they found three bodies, that of Brenda Groene -- she is 40 -- her 13- year-old son, Slade, and Mark McKenzie, said to be Brenda's boyfriend.

It was sometime later, about six hours later, when authorities determined the two children were missing. A national Amber Alert has been issued. The FBI has been called in to assist in this.

They are looking for Dylan Groene. He is 9 years old. He's about four feet tall, weighs 60 pounds, has a blonde crewcut and blue eyes.

And his sister, Shasta, she is eight. A very slight child, about 40 pounds, under four feet tall, long auburn hair and hazel eyes.

We talked with members of the school district here. They said these were two children who were very bright. And authorities are doing all they can to find them at this hour.

The sheriff tells us the crimes were grisly. They will not say exactly how the three were killed. He says autopsies are being performed, and they hope to have some information later on today.

All eyes really on this person called a person of interest. His name is Robert Roy Lutner. Once again, he is 33, said to be driving an old model pickup truck.

That's the very latest.

Sean Callebs, CNN, in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Other news "Across America" now.

O'BRIEN: And we begin with some swirling in the skies over Florida. This is one of 17 funnel clouds spotted off of Key West yesterday. Nine officially reached waterspout status.

Now, if a waterspout moves onto land, what happens? It becomes a tornado. In this case, none of them did.

PHILLIPS: Well, when folks in California log on for their daily weather forecast, they can get the daily earthquake forecast, too. Government scientists now have a new Web site to give you the chances of the ground shaking on a very particular day. It will be updated hourly. You can sign up to get the e-mail if a quake occurs.

Also in California, a car ends up straight up and down after a crash on a busy freeway. Look at this picture.

O'BRIEN: Wow. How did they do that? How did that happen?

PHILLIPS: Well, you know, they crunched together. It causes the weight to go forward. You got it.

In all, four cars were involved in the accident on Highway 134 in Burbank. At least one person we hear was seriously hurt.

O'BRIEN: And police were on his tail, but this small black bear managed to get away. The bear was spotted rummaging through an apartment garbage can in western Oregon yesterday. Authorities spent the day trying to capture it, but the bear romped off into the woods on its own, eluding authorities just barely.

PHILLIPS: Ah.

The federal government may be stepping in to keep tighter controls on sex offenders.

O'BRIEN: Ahead on LIVE FROM, the mother of Samantha Runnion, the 5-year-old snatched and killed by a pedophile, will join us live to talk about new efforts to try and protect children.

PHILLIPS: And later on LIVE FROM, a rare vintage. Archaeologists toast an amazing discovery.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, a bill is being introduced in Congress today aimed at keeping better track of sex offenders. Florida Congressman Mark Foley says the measure targets those who "prey on children like animals." And that bill would require sex offenders to wear monitors for life in some cases and register with authorities before they are out of prison. They would have to check in, in person, twice a year, and notify authorities within three days of moving.

Let's go to California now and to Erin Runnion. You'll remember her 5-year-old daughter Samantha was sexually assaulted and murdered three years ago.

And I'll never forget the day that happened, Erin, because I was working and had to talk about it. It's sure nice to have you with us.

ERIN RUNNION, SAMANTHA RUNNION'S MOTHER: Thank you for having me.

PHILLIPS: Well, first of all, I want to get your reaction to this bill that's being introduced. From what you've heard, from what you've read, is this enough?

RUNNION: Is it enough? No. But it's a wonderful start.

I'm glad -- I'm supportive of the bill. I think it's a good thing.

I really think that it would make a lot of sense to have therapy as a mandatory condition of parole. I think it should be a mandatory condition of imprisonment for pedophilia.

It's one of the -- you know, there is no proof that this is treatable, but there is proof that it's - that they can control it. And I think therapy is the only way that they're going to have a chance at controlling it. And so I think it's important that we track them, absolutely. But I think we also need to treat them.

PHILLIPS: Well, let's talk about the aspect of therapy. We've actually had a convicted sex offender on our air a number of times. He has written a book about it, and he does believe therapy works. He says it working for him, it takes a lot of discipline.

RUNNION: Right.

PHILLIPS: You have to -- you have to concentrate on certain parts of the therapy in order to remain disciplined.

Is it taking place at all anywhere in the country where you have seen the research and see that it is working? And are you saying that it should be implemented no matter what and no matter what jail a predator is in?

RUNNION: I do -- I think, first of all, absolutely, that it should be mandatory for all pedophiles to have therapy in prison and out if they are released. I don't know of how many treatment centers there are, but I do know there are many treatment centers throughout the country that treat this.

There's a wonderful organization called Stop It Now, and they have a hotline for pedophiles to call, to get resources to find out how they can control it. And, you know, my feeling is that the only known deterrent to these crimes is the risk of getting caught.

So it's really -- you know, I'm -- I'm speaking out because I am asking America's moms and dads, parents, to rally in their communities, to call meetings, to talk about this issue, to not let it be brushed under the rug, because this has got to become a national movement.

They can control it. We just have to force them to. PHILLIPS: All right. In addition to that, in addition to the therapy, if you -- let's think back to Polly Klaas more than decade ago, all the way up to your daughter, and even more recently -- more recently, Jessica Lunsford, do you ever just sit at home and watch these recent cases and think what is taking so long to just implement a no tolerance law where these individuals on so many cases just are let free?

RUNNION: Yes. You know, I think it's -- it is, it's frustrating. It's frustrating to me that people don't talk about the fact that over 95 percent of these cases are actually trusted friends and family of the victims, that most -- most children know the people who molest them.

And that's why, you know, the people that we're talking about are serial pedophiles who get out and commit these crimes again and again. But the ones that never even get accused are the ones that I'm -- that are actually victimizing the most children the most often. And so that's why I feel like we have to -- we have to talk about punishment, but we really have got to talk about prevention. You know, I don't want to see another child on that TV screen.

PHILLIPS: Yes, you talk about that prevention in your Web site -- on your Web site, thejoyfulchild.org. I want to ask you about -- about the Web site.

Let's take a look at it. But you have just some amazing pictures of your daughter on there. Just talk about her for a few minutes.

I know you have two stepchildren that you love and cherish very much. But let's just remember Samantha for a moment and how you can go to this Web site and just learn about her and what you are trying to do.

RUNNION: Absolutely. Well, the Web site is thejoyfulchild.org, and you can look at pictures of Samantha and you can read about things that we're doing here in California. And we're working to go national with it.

But Samantha was my joyful child. That's where the name came from. She was an absolute joy.

Every room she walked into she just lit up. She would put her arms out stretched, embracing the world when she took pictures so often, and started every day either swinging on her swing set or drawing a picture. She was really creative, very bright.

She was taken just 10 days before her sixth birthday. And in my trunk I had presents for her. I had a giant dinosaur puzzle because she loved dinosaurs, she loved science. We had LEGOs because she loved to build.

We had all kinds of books because she was an avid reader. She was -- she was a really perceptive and fun little girl. And I will miss her every day. PHILLIPS: Well, her legacy lives on through you. Well, she lives on through you and your efforts. Erin Runnion, thank you so much. And we'll continue to follow this bill that is before Congress right now. Thanks for your time.

RUNNION: Wonderful. Thank you.

PHILLIPS: You bet.

O'BRIEN: Trump wants to dump current plans for rebuilding at Ground Zero. Ahead on LIVE FROM, we'll show you his back-to-the- future idea.

And remaking a television classic. "The Honeymooners" with a modern makeover. We'll talk to actor Michael Epps about what it's like to play Norton.

SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Susan Lisovicz at the New York Stock Exchange. Up next, I'll tell you how much piracy is costing the software industry.

Plus, will dads get gypped this Father's Day?

Those stories are coming up on LIVE FROM, so stay tuned.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: The Donald is challenging plans for the new Freedom Tower at New York's World trade Center site. Donald Trump showed reporters his own plan in New York today. He essentially wants to rebuild the twin towers destroyed in the September 11 terror attacks, except one floor higher.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, REAL ESTATE MOGUL: A very good friend of mine gave me an analogy, and said, "Donald if something happened to the Statue of Liberty, you wouldn't rebuild it as something other than the Statue of liberty. You would rebuild it as the Statue of Liberty." And it's the same thing we have here.

We want to rebuild the World trade Center as the World Trade Center, but better. A little bit taller, a lot stronger. Just plain better.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: Now, Trump is pushing this design conceived by engineer Ken Gardner (ph). The model was on display at the news conference. Trump scathingly criticized the Freedom Tower design. He says it looks like a skeleton, and if it's built, he says, the terrorists win.

PHILLIPS: Well, piracy is on the rise. A study finds that one- third of all of the software used comes from illegal sources.

O'BRIEN: Susan Lisovicz with more on that -- and more as well. (STOCK MARKET REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: President Bush sworn in John Negroponte as the nation's first director of National Intelligence. Negroponte is the former U.S. ambassador to Iraq and the United Nations. In his new job he will coordinate the gathering and sharing of information by 15 agencies.

The Senate showdown begins. Live pictures right now as senators are debating the controversial judicial nomination of Priscilla Owen. Majority Leader Bill Frist called on his colleagues to vote one way or the other. He left open the possibility of a controversial rule change to ban a filibuster of that nomination.

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