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I.D. Theft Feared as Box of Citigroup Data Lost; Authorities Search for Missing Teen in Aruba; Massive Insurgent Bunker Destroyed; What Will Result from Michael Jackson Jury Decision?; Michael Jackson Fan Shows Support

Aired June 06, 2005 - 15:00   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: It's spelled U.P.S, but if you're among almost four million CitiFinancial customers whose data were lost by the world's biggest package delivery service, you can pronounce it oops. The missing package contained computer tapes headed for one of the big three credit reporting agencies, which will now be slapping a lot more fraud alerts on accounts.
CNN's Allan Chernoff is on the case in New York -- Allan.

ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, another four million people now have to worry about possible I.D. theft, this after UPS lost only one box which was on its way to the Experion Credit Bureau outside of Dallas.

But in that one box, computer tapes containing data on four million people, and that data included names, Social Security numbers, account numbers and payment history.

The Social Security numbers obviously the most sensitive of all of that, because there is the potential that somebody getting their hands on this information could use it to open new card accounts, to take out loans. We've seen this type of scamming before.

Now, Citigroup is saying there's no evidence that has occurred just yet, but obviously, they can't be certain because there is that danger. The company is saying it deeply regrets the incident, "which occurred in spite of enhanced security procedures we require of our couriers."

And also UPS is saying that, "We're proud of our record." However, the company also saying, "We sincerely regret the loss of this one package"

Now, Citigroup is arranging for people to be able to have free access to their credit reports and it's recommending in letters sent out to these nearly four million people that they check their credit reports very regularly.

And Kyra, unfortunately, this is becoming somewhat of a common occurrence. We experienced a similar situation here at Time Warner, the parent of CNN. It's also happened at Bank of America, Ameritrade, the discount brokerage firm. We could go on and on. This is happening all too frequently -- Kyra.

KYRA PHILLIPS, HOST: I know. I don't think I can call the companies anymore. I've got fraud alerts everywhere.

Allan Chernoff, thank you.

Well, 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.

Well, short day but a tall order for government workers in Aruba. The island nation gave employees the afternoon off to help search for an Alabama teenager who hasn't been seen in more than a week. Police are holding two apparent suspects, but they still don't know whether Natalee Holloway ran away, was kidnapped or had some sort of accident.

CNN's Karl Penhaul has the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A senior police official has told me that the two suspects being held in connection with the disappearance of Natalee Holloway are not being cooperative in interrogation sessions that have been held so far this morning. The police, official, though, says that that is the kind of behavior he would expect the behavior at this stage of the investigation.

(on camera) What he has said, though, is that two urgent lines of inquiry the police pursuing in these interrogations are, first of all, to press these men for any clues as to the whereabouts of Natalee Holloway. He said they're also trying to push the men to find out whether they are in any way linked to three other young men who were last seen in Natalee Holloway's company outside the Carlos and Charlie's bar. That was on Monday in the wee small hours exactly a week ago now.

In other news, the government of Aruba has given all its employees the afternoon off. They will be joining search and rescue teams, Dutch Marines and other volunteers in a massive island wide search this afternoon to try and turn up any further clues as to what may have happened to Natalee.

The island's chief prosecutor has also called for expert FBI dive teams to be called in, in another effort to widen the search for Natalee. Those dive teams are likely to see action on parts of Aruba's coastline where there are craggy rock faces and also strong ocean currents.

Karl Penhaul, CNN, Palm Beach, Aruba.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Counting the charges against Saddam Hussein. An Iraqi government spokesperson says the deposed dictator will face a dozen documented cases of crimes against humanity, but there could be more than 500 cases brought against him. Exactly when that trial will start is being disputed. Iraq's president and prime minister have indicated it would begin within two months, but Iraq's tribunal says no exact time has been set. Prosecutors say they have plenty of evidence of atrocities committed during Hussein's regime, but all investigations are not complete.

Insurgents who may have sought refuge in Karma now may have to go elsewhere. Karma is a town near Fallujah where U.S. Marines and Iraqi soldiers have found, toured and destroyed an underground bunker the size of nine football fields.

CNN's Jennifer Eccleston has more from her post in Baghdad.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JENNIFER ECCLESTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The series of underground bunkers discovered by the U.S. Marines and Iraqi forces are now destroyed. It was part of an ongoing anti-insurgency operation in Anbar Province, a center of the Sunni Arab resistance.

Now, the Marines and Iraqi soldiers uncovered this elaborate series of bunkers with large stores of heavy weapons, including rockets and mortars, ammunition and supplies. It was located in the town of Karma, not far from the troubled city of Fallujah.

The bunker was actually found on Thursday, one of a dozen weapons caches uncovered in the area in recent days. No insurgents were actually in the compound at the time, but it was likely, according to Marines, used recently, because there was fresh food in a kitchen. It had a fairly comfortable layout with furnished living quarters, two showers and a functioning air conditioner.

The bunkers were built into an old rock quarry and totaled roughly a half a million square feet, making it, according to the Marine spokesman, one of the largest underground insurgent hideouts discovered in at least the last year.

Now it's not clear whether the compound dated back to the era of Saddam Hussein or whether it was recently constructed by the insurgents, but again, that bunker has now been destroyed.

Jennifer Eccleston, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Well, he could be al Qaeda's new No. 3, and today he's in U.S. custody. Pakistani officials say they've handed over al Qaeda suspect Abu Faraj al-Libbi. The Libyan terror suspect has reportedly been whisked off by U.S. officials to an undisclosed location.

Al-Libbi was captured in a shootout with Pakistani agents last month. He was Pakistan's most wanted man, accused of masterminding two attempts on President Pervez Musharraf's life. Musharraf's quoted as saying he doesn't want people like al-Libbi in his country.

Checking other news around the world now, after seeing the citizens of France and the Netherlands issue a collective thumbs down on a proposed E.U. constitution, Britain's foreign secretary, Jack Straw, postpones a similar referendum in the U.K. A spokesperson for the prime minister, Tony Blair, says that the postponement doesn't mean a vote is ruled out for good. But n opposition leader says the E.U. constitution is a dead issue.

What's your global political I.Q.? Well, it could help you get tickets to the upcoming Live Aid concert. To even get into the ticket pool, U.K. entrants have to correctly answer this: which city is near the upcoming G8 summit: Berlin, Moscow or, C, Edinborough. By the way, the answer is c.

Finally, they'll take Paris. A new report out by the International Olympic Committee gives a leg up to Paris in its bid to host the 2012 summer games. London, Madrid and New York also fared well. A vote to determine the winner comes July 6.

While jurors debate the guilt or innocence of Michael Jackson, we debate the impact that the verdict will have. Regardless of the decision, it will be a challenge to repair Michael Jackson's image. What about the financial losses? We'll talk about Jackson's future just ahead on LIVE FROM.

And trouble for another entertainer, what Russell Crowe allegedly did with a telephone that got him locked up. Russell, behave yourself.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

PHILLIPS: Well, the legal fate of Michael Jackson is solely in the hands of his jury, but in one respect, the world will also deliver its verdict on the pop star, regardless of whether Jackson is found guilty or not guilty of child molestation charges.

Media strategist Robbie Vorhaus joins us now live from New York to talk about the impact this trial has already had on Jackson's career.

Good to see you, Robbie.

ROBERT VORHAUS, MEDIA STRATEGIST: Great, Kyra. Good to see you.

PHILLIPS: Well, of course, I want to talk about the what-ifs, but you mentioned something very interesting, and that is the governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger has been very quiet about all of this.

VORHAUS: That's right. He has. And if there's something that's keeping him awake, it's got to be the thought -- now imagine this scenario, Kyra. Imagine that Michael Jackson is, in fact, found guilty but he's released until sentencing.

He goes to Neverland and decides that he's not going to come out of his room and he's not going to put himself in front of the California justice system. And he stays put, refuses to come out. There's a standoff now between the Terminator, the governor of California, and Michael Jackson. Boy, if that's not a freak out situation.

PHILLIPS: Oh, boy. That -- I can just imagine the media circus then. But you know what? You bring up an interesting point, OK, the fact that maybe Michael Jackson would be holed up at Neverland if found guilty. Let's talk about the what ifs. What if -- if he is found guilty...

VORHAUS: Yes.

PHILLIPS: ... do you see Michael Jackson serving time in prison?

VORHAUS: Kyra, I personally don't. This is a very fragile human being who is guilty of one thing, and that's being inappropriate. We know that he has said that he likes to sleep with young boys. Whether he's guilty or not, we know that he's fragile. We see that he's already been to the hospital.

I don't think that this person will own up to his guilt if, in fact, he's found guilty. So if he is, I think that he's either going to find himself in the hospital. He's either going to find himself in Neverland or he may, in fact, be a flight risk, and I think that's up to the legal authorities to decide.

PHILLIPS: So you think he might take off?

VORHAUS: I think he could. I mean, I think that money -- with this much money and this much money at risk, and this somebody who is as popular as he is all over the world, there are a lot of places that would like to have Michael Jackson.

And look, he's still enormously popular all over the world. And, in fact, if Paris -- if France loves Jerry Lewis as much as they do, somebody is going to love Michael Jackson a whole lot more.

PHILLIPS: All right. What if he's found innocent?

VORHAUS: Well, then what he's going to do, as we saw, Kyra, on the air together, just when he was taken into custody initially and when he was handcuffed and went into the office and he put his arms up behind him to show that here he was in handcuffs and he was the victim, there's going to be a huge P.R. campaign. Some P.R. people are going to make an enormous amount of money, taking him around the world.

There's going to be a tour, a new record, a lot of deals, and he is going to show, in his mind, that the truth has won out and that he can go on. And the only thing that the people around him are going to continue to remind him of is stay away from young boys.

PHILLIPS: All right. I've got to ask about the coverage aspect.

VORHAUS: Yes.

PHILLIPS: So many of my older mentors, the big J, saying there is just too much coverage.

VORHAUS: J meaning journalism. Right?

PHILLIPS: Exactly, thank you. That's right, not Jackson.

VORHAUS: Got you.

PHILLIPS: What do you think? I mean, is there too much coverage? And I guess we could go a little deeper there and say what does all this represent? Not just, you know, sort of a tabloid exploitation of a pop star, but I guess you could look at it at a little bit of a deeper level.

VORHAUS: You have to look at it at a deeper level, because here is a man who is going to be 47 years old in August, who is the undisputed, the name the King of Pop. He has made an enormous amount of money, has affected a lot of lives.

And he is on the stand, awaiting a verdict now on being a pedophile, a child molester. So for anyone who says that we are covering this too much, I don't think that we're covering the important things enough, which is what about the fact that these people get to spend time alone with these kids? What about sexual addiction, sexual predators, et cetera?

I mean, we see a situation right now in Aruba that could be, in fact, some way related to sex. It's not -- we should be covering this, and until the drama unfolds, whether he's guilty or innocent, we need to continue to cover it the right way.

PHILLIPS: Media strategist, Robbie Vorhaus. And you know we will continue to cover it. I think we'll be talking a lot this week, Robbie.

VORHAUS: I look forward to it, Kyra. Always a pleasure.

PHILLIPS: Likewise. Thanks, Robbie.

Rain or shine, winter and spring, they have been there almost every day most of the day, shouting support for a superstar on trial. So who are these die-hard fans of Michael Jackson?

CNN's Ted Rowlands introduces us to one of them.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): of all the fanatical voices at the Michael Jackson trial there is one that stands out.

B.J. HICKMAN, MICHAEL JACKSON FAN: Michael is innocent. Michael is innocent.

ROWLANDS: B.J. Hickman has been here since January, leaving his home in Knoxville, Tennessee, to support Michael Jackson. He says he was here back when Michael Jackson danced on the SUV. In February he was here with others standing in the rain at 5 in the morning, trying to get a seat in the courtroom. And during jury selection when Michael Jackson went to the hospital with the flu, B.J. followed.

HICKMAN: Michael was waving at us. He was looking out the window, giving us the peace symbol.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He was standing up.

ROWLANDS: While understanding B.J.'s excitement at simply seeing Jackson is a bit difficult to comprehend, he is not alone. Every day when the pop star walks in and out of court, people from around the world who have traveled here are pressed up against the fence. Some are only able to see Jackson's umbrella. Still, most say it's worth it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm really glad I could be here. I feel really good among all these fan from all around the world.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I only got a few hours of sleep, but it's worth it for Michael.

ROWLANDS: In the beginning the crowds were huge. As the trial progressed, the numbers fell off, some days just a handful of fans. Now that the trial is nearing an end, the fans are back in force.

HICKMAN: Michael's innocent.

ROWLANDS: But rain or shine, B.J. has been here. He's living at the local Holiday Inn. He has a job at the local mall, flexible hours to allow him to come see Jackson at the courthouse.

(on camera) Why? That's the question a lot of people...

HICKMAN: I just said because I'm standing up for something I believe in. I'm standing up for innocence.

ROWLANDS (voice-over): B.J. has apparently caught the attention of Michael Jackson, and several weeks ago, B.J. says he was able to meet him.

HICKMAN: He let me inside of his car. It was really cool. And I got autographs and stuff.

ROWLANDS: Since then B.J. says he's been back to Neverland and has even met Jackson's children, which a Jackson spokesperson confirmed.

B.J. has also caught the attention of police. He spends a lot of time heckling prosecutors and certain members of the media.

HICKMAN: You she-devil racist.

ROWLANDS: B.J. is no longer allowed in the courtroom. He tried talking to Jackson, which is against the rules. How would he handle a guilty verdict? B.J. says he doesn't think it's possible.

HICKMAN: He's innocent.

You've got to keep on, Michael. We know you're innocent. Michael, you've got to keep fighting.

ROWLANDS: Ted Rowlands, CNN, Santa Maria, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Well, just ahead on LIVE FROM, a senior citizen practicing the oldest profession.

And she banished without a trace, and for seven years her family believed she was dead until now. Why a young woman chose to run from home and sever all ties with loved ones. We'll explain.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, news across America now.

More trouble for Russell Crowe. The actor was arrested and arraigned today on assault and weapons possession charges. Crowe allegedly threw a telephone that hit a hotel employee when he learned he couldn't make a phone call to Australia. Crowe's publicist says the actor threw the phone against the wall and at no time did he assault or touch any hotel employee.

A seven-year mystery solved in Texas. A former Texas A&M student who vanished and was feared killed has been found alive in Kentucky. Authorities believe that Brandi Stahr ran away after getting into a fight with her mother. Stahr's family was just months away from having her declared dead.

In New Jersey, a prostitution sting nabs an unlikely suspect. Police say an 80-year-old grandmother was running a prostitution ring out of her Camden County apartment. Police say the woman told them she did it to supplement her Social Security checks.

Well, listen up, Mac fans. Apple's latest decision could affect you. Kathleen Hays joins us live from the New York Stock Exchange to tell us why -- Kathleen.

(STOCK REPORT)

KATHLEEN HAYS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's the latest from Wall Street, Kyra. Back to you.

I can only imagine what some of our brains would look like modeled as a computer, right?

PHILLIPS: You know what? It's a little frightening. I don't think we want to go there. I hope there would be a lot of smart things that would be very apparent, right? HAYS: Definitely. For you it would be, Kyra, absolutely.

PHILLIPS: No hollow areas.

HAYS: No.

PHILLIPS: All right, Kathleen. See you tomorrow. Thank you.

That wraps up this edition of LIVE FROM. Now here's Candy Crowley with a preview of what's ahead on "INSIDE POLITICS."

Hi, Candy.

CANDY CROWLEY, HOST, "INSIDE POLITICS": Hey, Kyra.

Howard Dean is getting some criticism from some big name Democrats. Is the leader of the Democratic Party the best representative for the party?

Also today we'll talk with former Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle about what's happening on the Hill now that he's gone and what's being done to save an important military base in his home state of South Dakota.

"INSIDE POLITICS" begins in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: "INSIDE POLITICS" is next after a quick look at stories now in the news.

A possible sign of progress in the nuclear stalemate between the U.S. and North Korea. Officials from the two countries met in New York today at North Korea's request. More details are straight ahead on "WOLF BLITZER REPORTS" at 5 p.m. Eastern.

Government employees in Aruba have taken the afternoon off to help search for Natalee Holloway. The Alabama teenager vanished a week ago. Two people have been arrested in her disappearance. Police officials tell CNN the men are not being cooperative.

Awaiting his fate. Next hour Mark Hacking is expected to be sentenced for the murder of his wife. The Utah man pleaded guilty to shooting Lori Hacking while she slept and dumping her body in a trash bin. He faces up to life in prison.

A Florida prosecutor says this former professor was a key figure in soliciting money in the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The charge surfaced in opening statements in the trial against Sami al-Arian. He's one of the four men accused of raising money for the terrorist organization. The men deny the charges.

We'll see you tomorrow. Candy Crowley up next with "INSIDE POLITICS."

END 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 June 6, 2005 - 15:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: It's spelled U.P.S, but if you're among almost four million CitiFinancial customers whose data were lost by the world's biggest package delivery service, you can pronounce it oops. The missing package contained computer tapes headed for one of the big three credit reporting agencies, which will now be slapping a lot more fraud alerts on accounts.
CNN's Allan Chernoff is on the case in New York -- Allan.

ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, another four million people now have to worry about possible I.D. theft, this after UPS lost only one box which was on its way to the Experion Credit Bureau outside of Dallas.

But in that one box, computer tapes containing data on four million people, and that data included names, Social Security numbers, account numbers and payment history.

The Social Security numbers obviously the most sensitive of all of that, because there is the potential that somebody getting their hands on this information could use it to open new card accounts, to take out loans. We've seen this type of scamming before.

Now, Citigroup is saying there's no evidence that has occurred just yet, but obviously, they can't be certain because there is that danger. The company is saying it deeply regrets the incident, "which occurred in spite of enhanced security procedures we require of our couriers."

And also UPS is saying that, "We're proud of our record." However, the company also saying, "We sincerely regret the loss of this one package"

Now, Citigroup is arranging for people to be able to have free access to their credit reports and it's recommending in letters sent out to these nearly four million people that they check their credit reports very regularly.

And Kyra, unfortunately, this is becoming somewhat of a common occurrence. We experienced a similar situation here at Time Warner, the parent of CNN. It's also happened at Bank of America, Ameritrade, the discount brokerage firm. We could go on and on. This is happening all too frequently -- Kyra.

KYRA PHILLIPS, HOST: I know. I don't think I can call the companies anymore. I've got fraud alerts everywhere.

Allan Chernoff, thank you.

Well, 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.

Well, short day but a tall order for government workers in Aruba. The island nation gave employees the afternoon off to help search for an Alabama teenager who hasn't been seen in more than a week. Police are holding two apparent suspects, but they still don't know whether Natalee Holloway ran away, was kidnapped or had some sort of accident.

CNN's Karl Penhaul has the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A senior police official has told me that the two suspects being held in connection with the disappearance of Natalee Holloway are not being cooperative in interrogation sessions that have been held so far this morning. The police, official, though, says that that is the kind of behavior he would expect the behavior at this stage of the investigation.

(on camera) What he has said, though, is that two urgent lines of inquiry the police pursuing in these interrogations are, first of all, to press these men for any clues as to the whereabouts of Natalee Holloway. He said they're also trying to push the men to find out whether they are in any way linked to three other young men who were last seen in Natalee Holloway's company outside the Carlos and Charlie's bar. That was on Monday in the wee small hours exactly a week ago now.

In other news, the government of Aruba has given all its employees the afternoon off. They will be joining search and rescue teams, Dutch Marines and other volunteers in a massive island wide search this afternoon to try and turn up any further clues as to what may have happened to Natalee.

The island's chief prosecutor has also called for expert FBI dive teams to be called in, in another effort to widen the search for Natalee. Those dive teams are likely to see action on parts of Aruba's coastline where there are craggy rock faces and also strong ocean currents.

Karl Penhaul, CNN, Palm Beach, Aruba.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Counting the charges against Saddam Hussein. An Iraqi government spokesperson says the deposed dictator will face a dozen documented cases of crimes against humanity, but there could be more than 500 cases brought against him. Exactly when that trial will start is being disputed. Iraq's president and prime minister have indicated it would begin within two months, but Iraq's tribunal says no exact time has been set. Prosecutors say they have plenty of evidence of atrocities committed during Hussein's regime, but all investigations are not complete.

Insurgents who may have sought refuge in Karma now may have to go elsewhere. Karma is a town near Fallujah where U.S. Marines and Iraqi soldiers have found, toured and destroyed an underground bunker the size of nine football fields.

CNN's Jennifer Eccleston has more from her post in Baghdad.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JENNIFER ECCLESTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The series of underground bunkers discovered by the U.S. Marines and Iraqi forces are now destroyed. It was part of an ongoing anti-insurgency operation in Anbar Province, a center of the Sunni Arab resistance.

Now, the Marines and Iraqi soldiers uncovered this elaborate series of bunkers with large stores of heavy weapons, including rockets and mortars, ammunition and supplies. It was located in the town of Karma, not far from the troubled city of Fallujah.

The bunker was actually found on Thursday, one of a dozen weapons caches uncovered in the area in recent days. No insurgents were actually in the compound at the time, but it was likely, according to Marines, used recently, because there was fresh food in a kitchen. It had a fairly comfortable layout with furnished living quarters, two showers and a functioning air conditioner.

The bunkers were built into an old rock quarry and totaled roughly a half a million square feet, making it, according to the Marine spokesman, one of the largest underground insurgent hideouts discovered in at least the last year.

Now it's not clear whether the compound dated back to the era of Saddam Hussein or whether it was recently constructed by the insurgents, but again, that bunker has now been destroyed.

Jennifer Eccleston, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Well, he could be al Qaeda's new No. 3, and today he's in U.S. custody. Pakistani officials say they've handed over al Qaeda suspect Abu Faraj al-Libbi. The Libyan terror suspect has reportedly been whisked off by U.S. officials to an undisclosed location.

Al-Libbi was captured in a shootout with Pakistani agents last month. He was Pakistan's most wanted man, accused of masterminding two attempts on President Pervez Musharraf's life. Musharraf's quoted as saying he doesn't want people like al-Libbi in his country.

Checking other news around the world now, after seeing the citizens of France and the Netherlands issue a collective thumbs down on a proposed E.U. constitution, Britain's foreign secretary, Jack Straw, postpones a similar referendum in the U.K. A spokesperson for the prime minister, Tony Blair, says that the postponement doesn't mean a vote is ruled out for good. But n opposition leader says the E.U. constitution is a dead issue.

What's your global political I.Q.? Well, it could help you get tickets to the upcoming Live Aid concert. To even get into the ticket pool, U.K. entrants have to correctly answer this: which city is near the upcoming G8 summit: Berlin, Moscow or, C, Edinborough. By the way, the answer is c.

Finally, they'll take Paris. A new report out by the International Olympic Committee gives a leg up to Paris in its bid to host the 2012 summer games. London, Madrid and New York also fared well. A vote to determine the winner comes July 6.

While jurors debate the guilt or innocence of Michael Jackson, we debate the impact that the verdict will have. Regardless of the decision, it will be a challenge to repair Michael Jackson's image. What about the financial losses? We'll talk about Jackson's future just ahead on LIVE FROM.

And trouble for another entertainer, what Russell Crowe allegedly did with a telephone that got him locked up. Russell, behave yourself.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

PHILLIPS: Well, the legal fate of Michael Jackson is solely in the hands of his jury, but in one respect, the world will also deliver its verdict on the pop star, regardless of whether Jackson is found guilty or not guilty of child molestation charges.

Media strategist Robbie Vorhaus joins us now live from New York to talk about the impact this trial has already had on Jackson's career.

Good to see you, Robbie.

ROBERT VORHAUS, MEDIA STRATEGIST: Great, Kyra. Good to see you.

PHILLIPS: Well, of course, I want to talk about the what-ifs, but you mentioned something very interesting, and that is the governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger has been very quiet about all of this.

VORHAUS: That's right. He has. And if there's something that's keeping him awake, it's got to be the thought -- now imagine this scenario, Kyra. Imagine that Michael Jackson is, in fact, found guilty but he's released until sentencing.

He goes to Neverland and decides that he's not going to come out of his room and he's not going to put himself in front of the California justice system. And he stays put, refuses to come out. There's a standoff now between the Terminator, the governor of California, and Michael Jackson. Boy, if that's not a freak out situation.

PHILLIPS: Oh, boy. That -- I can just imagine the media circus then. But you know what? You bring up an interesting point, OK, the fact that maybe Michael Jackson would be holed up at Neverland if found guilty. Let's talk about the what ifs. What if -- if he is found guilty...

VORHAUS: Yes.

PHILLIPS: ... do you see Michael Jackson serving time in prison?

VORHAUS: Kyra, I personally don't. This is a very fragile human being who is guilty of one thing, and that's being inappropriate. We know that he has said that he likes to sleep with young boys. Whether he's guilty or not, we know that he's fragile. We see that he's already been to the hospital.

I don't think that this person will own up to his guilt if, in fact, he's found guilty. So if he is, I think that he's either going to find himself in the hospital. He's either going to find himself in Neverland or he may, in fact, be a flight risk, and I think that's up to the legal authorities to decide.

PHILLIPS: So you think he might take off?

VORHAUS: I think he could. I mean, I think that money -- with this much money and this much money at risk, and this somebody who is as popular as he is all over the world, there are a lot of places that would like to have Michael Jackson.

And look, he's still enormously popular all over the world. And, in fact, if Paris -- if France loves Jerry Lewis as much as they do, somebody is going to love Michael Jackson a whole lot more.

PHILLIPS: All right. What if he's found innocent?

VORHAUS: Well, then what he's going to do, as we saw, Kyra, on the air together, just when he was taken into custody initially and when he was handcuffed and went into the office and he put his arms up behind him to show that here he was in handcuffs and he was the victim, there's going to be a huge P.R. campaign. Some P.R. people are going to make an enormous amount of money, taking him around the world.

There's going to be a tour, a new record, a lot of deals, and he is going to show, in his mind, that the truth has won out and that he can go on. And the only thing that the people around him are going to continue to remind him of is stay away from young boys.

PHILLIPS: All right. I've got to ask about the coverage aspect.

VORHAUS: Yes.

PHILLIPS: So many of my older mentors, the big J, saying there is just too much coverage.

VORHAUS: J meaning journalism. Right?

PHILLIPS: Exactly, thank you. That's right, not Jackson.

VORHAUS: Got you.

PHILLIPS: What do you think? I mean, is there too much coverage? And I guess we could go a little deeper there and say what does all this represent? Not just, you know, sort of a tabloid exploitation of a pop star, but I guess you could look at it at a little bit of a deeper level.

VORHAUS: You have to look at it at a deeper level, because here is a man who is going to be 47 years old in August, who is the undisputed, the name the King of Pop. He has made an enormous amount of money, has affected a lot of lives.

And he is on the stand, awaiting a verdict now on being a pedophile, a child molester. So for anyone who says that we are covering this too much, I don't think that we're covering the important things enough, which is what about the fact that these people get to spend time alone with these kids? What about sexual addiction, sexual predators, et cetera?

I mean, we see a situation right now in Aruba that could be, in fact, some way related to sex. It's not -- we should be covering this, and until the drama unfolds, whether he's guilty or innocent, we need to continue to cover it the right way.

PHILLIPS: Media strategist, Robbie Vorhaus. And you know we will continue to cover it. I think we'll be talking a lot this week, Robbie.

VORHAUS: I look forward to it, Kyra. Always a pleasure.

PHILLIPS: Likewise. Thanks, Robbie.

Rain or shine, winter and spring, they have been there almost every day most of the day, shouting support for a superstar on trial. So who are these die-hard fans of Michael Jackson?

CNN's Ted Rowlands introduces us to one of them.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): of all the fanatical voices at the Michael Jackson trial there is one that stands out.

B.J. HICKMAN, MICHAEL JACKSON FAN: Michael is innocent. Michael is innocent.

ROWLANDS: B.J. Hickman has been here since January, leaving his home in Knoxville, Tennessee, to support Michael Jackson. He says he was here back when Michael Jackson danced on the SUV. In February he was here with others standing in the rain at 5 in the morning, trying to get a seat in the courtroom. And during jury selection when Michael Jackson went to the hospital with the flu, B.J. followed.

HICKMAN: Michael was waving at us. He was looking out the window, giving us the peace symbol.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He was standing up.

ROWLANDS: While understanding B.J.'s excitement at simply seeing Jackson is a bit difficult to comprehend, he is not alone. Every day when the pop star walks in and out of court, people from around the world who have traveled here are pressed up against the fence. Some are only able to see Jackson's umbrella. Still, most say it's worth it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm really glad I could be here. I feel really good among all these fan from all around the world.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I only got a few hours of sleep, but it's worth it for Michael.

ROWLANDS: In the beginning the crowds were huge. As the trial progressed, the numbers fell off, some days just a handful of fans. Now that the trial is nearing an end, the fans are back in force.

HICKMAN: Michael's innocent.

ROWLANDS: But rain or shine, B.J. has been here. He's living at the local Holiday Inn. He has a job at the local mall, flexible hours to allow him to come see Jackson at the courthouse.

(on camera) Why? That's the question a lot of people...

HICKMAN: I just said because I'm standing up for something I believe in. I'm standing up for innocence.

ROWLANDS (voice-over): B.J. has apparently caught the attention of Michael Jackson, and several weeks ago, B.J. says he was able to meet him.

HICKMAN: He let me inside of his car. It was really cool. And I got autographs and stuff.

ROWLANDS: Since then B.J. says he's been back to Neverland and has even met Jackson's children, which a Jackson spokesperson confirmed.

B.J. has also caught the attention of police. He spends a lot of time heckling prosecutors and certain members of the media.

HICKMAN: You she-devil racist.

ROWLANDS: B.J. is no longer allowed in the courtroom. He tried talking to Jackson, which is against the rules. How would he handle a guilty verdict? B.J. says he doesn't think it's possible.

HICKMAN: He's innocent.

You've got to keep on, Michael. We know you're innocent. Michael, you've got to keep fighting.

ROWLANDS: Ted Rowlands, CNN, Santa Maria, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Well, just ahead on LIVE FROM, a senior citizen practicing the oldest profession.

And she banished without a trace, and for seven years her family believed she was dead until now. Why a young woman chose to run from home and sever all ties with loved ones. We'll explain.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, news across America now.

More trouble for Russell Crowe. The actor was arrested and arraigned today on assault and weapons possession charges. Crowe allegedly threw a telephone that hit a hotel employee when he learned he couldn't make a phone call to Australia. Crowe's publicist says the actor threw the phone against the wall and at no time did he assault or touch any hotel employee.

A seven-year mystery solved in Texas. A former Texas A&M student who vanished and was feared killed has been found alive in Kentucky. Authorities believe that Brandi Stahr ran away after getting into a fight with her mother. Stahr's family was just months away from having her declared dead.

In New Jersey, a prostitution sting nabs an unlikely suspect. Police say an 80-year-old grandmother was running a prostitution ring out of her Camden County apartment. Police say the woman told them she did it to supplement her Social Security checks.

Well, listen up, Mac fans. Apple's latest decision could affect you. Kathleen Hays joins us live from the New York Stock Exchange to tell us why -- Kathleen.

(STOCK REPORT)

KATHLEEN HAYS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's the latest from Wall Street, Kyra. Back to you.

I can only imagine what some of our brains would look like modeled as a computer, right?

PHILLIPS: You know what? It's a little frightening. I don't think we want to go there. I hope there would be a lot of smart things that would be very apparent, right? HAYS: Definitely. For you it would be, Kyra, absolutely.

PHILLIPS: No hollow areas.

HAYS: No.

PHILLIPS: All right, Kathleen. See you tomorrow. Thank you.

That wraps up this edition of LIVE FROM. Now here's Candy Crowley with a preview of what's ahead on "INSIDE POLITICS."

Hi, Candy.

CANDY CROWLEY, HOST, "INSIDE POLITICS": Hey, Kyra.

Howard Dean is getting some criticism from some big name Democrats. Is the leader of the Democratic Party the best representative for the party?

Also today we'll talk with former Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle about what's happening on the Hill now that he's gone and what's being done to save an important military base in his home state of South Dakota.

"INSIDE POLITICS" begins in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: "INSIDE POLITICS" is next after a quick look at stories now in the news.

A possible sign of progress in the nuclear stalemate between the U.S. and North Korea. Officials from the two countries met in New York today at North Korea's request. More details are straight ahead on "WOLF BLITZER REPORTS" at 5 p.m. Eastern.

Government employees in Aruba have taken the afternoon off to help search for Natalee Holloway. The Alabama teenager vanished a week ago. Two people have been arrested in her disappearance. Police officials tell CNN the men are not being cooperative.

Awaiting his fate. Next hour Mark Hacking is expected to be sentenced for the murder of his wife. The Utah man pleaded guilty to shooting Lori Hacking while she slept and dumping her body in a trash bin. He faces up to life in prison.

A Florida prosecutor says this former professor was a key figure in soliciting money in the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The charge surfaced in opening statements in the trial against Sami al-Arian. He's one of the four men accused of raising money for the terrorist organization. The men deny the charges.

We'll see you tomorrow. Candy Crowley up next with "INSIDE POLITICS."

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