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Duke Rape Case; School Stabbing; The GOP Divide

Aired May 18, 2006 - 13:59   ET

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

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, he says he's innocent and can prove it. Reade Seligmann is a Duke University lacrosse player, one of three accused of rape, and he's about to appear in court for the first time to listen. His lawyers are going to be doing the one -- or they'll be the ones doing the talking, rather.
Our Jason Carroll is at the courthouse in Durham -- Jason.

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And hello to you, Kyra.

Just a few moments, ago, Reade Seligmann and his attorney, Kirk Osborn, arrived here at the courthouse, the Durham County Courthouse. He did not answer any questions. A number of questions were thrown out there -- as you can see them arriving.

His attorney was asked what he thought about the hearing, the hearing that's going to be taking place here just about a half-hour from now. Kirk Osborn said he was looking forward to it. When asked if he would be speaking after the hearing he simply said, "Maybe."

Now, let's talk just a little bit about that hearing that's going to be taking place. It will be taking place here, once again, at the Durham County Courthouse. I believe we have a live shot of the -- of the courtroom where the hearing will be taking place in just about a half-hour from now.

It's going to be a first setting. Typically, this is just a quick procedure. But this time around, Seligmann's attorney has filed a number of motions that he wants the judge to address.

He wants the district attorney to turn over a lot of the evidence that he has uncovered so far, evidence such as the alleged victim's toxicology report, the results of the medical examination that she was given at the hospital the night of the alleged attack, as well as her cell phone records. He's also going to be asking that Reade Seligmann's bond of $400,000 be reduced to $40,000.

Unclear at this point if the judge will hear those concerns. The district attorney, Michael Nifong, is probably most likely going to argue that these are the types of issues that don't need to be addressed during first setting. These are the types of issues that can be addressed at second setting. That takes place just about a month from now -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Jason, what's interesting, when this first came forward we didn't hear from any of the lacrosse players. But Reade had no problem going to the cameras. CARROLL: Interesting that he walked in right through the front door, right past a lot of reporters that are out here. There's been some speculation, some thought that perhaps he'll take a cue from one of his team members, David Evans, who, as you know, publicly spoke out earlier this week.

He was the first accused Duke lacrosse player to do such. Spoke out in front of a number of reporters claiming his innocence, also saying that not only was he innocent but that Reade Seligmann was innocent, as well as the third Duke lacrosse player who has also been charged, Collin Finnerty.

So we're waiting out here to see if Reade Seligmann does the same after this particular hearing, comes out and decides to give a statement as well -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right. We'll be following it. Thanks so much, Jason.

Let's get straight to Carol Lin. She's working a developing story for us. A school stabbing in South Carolina.

What more do we know, Carol?

CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Conway, South Carolina, Kyra, an 18-year- old woman was stabbed to death in a parking lot that separated a middle school and a high school. So let's find out who they have in custody.

On the telephone with me right now is Sergeant Bob Carr. He's the public information officer for Horry County, South Carolina.

Sergeant, can you tell us what happened and who the man is in custody?

SGT. BOB CARR, HORRY COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA, POLICE DEPT.: Yes. At approximately 10 minutes to 8:00 this morning, an incident occurred in the parking lot of the school. An 18-year-old female was stabbed, transported to Conway Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead shortly there afterwards.

We investigated the situation through the investigation and the leads we had. We have been able to arrest the man, Edwin Lee Cornelius, a 24-year-old black male. We don't know what the acquaintance he is of her, but we have him in custody.

LIN: You have witnesses, Sergeant. Did anybody say that there was a conversation between the two, a fight? Did he know her name?

CARR: No, the only thing we know at this place and time is that there was some confrontation, there was some pointing of fingers, arguing, and stuff like that, initially. But we're not exactly sure.

It was right when school was opening up, and that was what the problem was. We have hundreds of witness and people who saw and heard things, and we're just trying to get them all together and come up with exactly what happened.

LIN: Do you think this is an isolated incident, or are you looking for other suspects?

CARR: No, we believe that we have the person who did it. It was an isolated incident. The kids at the school at no time -- their safety was ever in jeopardy.

It occurred in the parking lot. The school locked down immediately to protect the students.

We have school resource officers, one at the high school and one at the middle school. So the children were completely protected from any outside problems.

LIN: Got you. And hopefully they didn't see anything, Sergeant. I mean, is it fair to say that this was an unusual thing to happen, especially in that location?

CARR: Oh, positively. We have very little problems at that school. This was an isolated situation, and, you know, things happen of that nature.

But we're here, we're protecting the citizens that are here. We have the suspect. And we're continuing the investigation.

LIN: But who was the 18-year-old? Was she a student at the high school or did she work there?

CARR: We're trying to determine that right now. We do believe that she was a student, but we haven't confirmed that yet, because parents are going to have to identify the child. So we're trying to get all of this information together. But we do believe she was a student of the school.

LIN: Oh, so young.

CARR: Yes, very much so. Such a loss..

LIN: Sergeant Bob Carr, so sad. Thank you very much.

Sergeant Bob Carr is the public information officer of Horry County, South Carolina.

Kyra, so far they think it's an isolated incident. No other suspects. But such a sad day for those parents.

PHILLIPS: No doubt. Let us know if you get more information.

LIN: You bet.

PHILLIPS: Thank, Carol.

President Bush visits the front line in the immigration battle. He's due to arrive this hour in Yuma, Arizona, in a follow-up to his big speech Monday on immigration reform and border security. Part of the plan is for the National Guard troops to beef up border enforcement. Yuma is said to be the nation's busiest illegal border crossing, where agents catch as many as 450 people a day.

The borders may be porous, but the philosophical fence between the White House and many congressional Republicans is ironclad. CNN's John King surveyed the prospects for the president's immigration plans for "THE SITUATION ROOM".

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A lot of the calls these days are about immigration.

REP. STEVE CHABOT (R), OHIO: The overwhelming number are in favor of border security, against anything that approaches amnesty.

KING: Congressman Chabot was one of the targets when White House deputy chief of staff Karl Rove visited the Capitol Wednesday. Rove's hope, try to narrow the divide on how to deal with the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants already in the United States. But Chabot and other conservatives on hand reported little if any movement.

(on camera): Was Karl greeted politely? Was the skepticism aired out? Do you think there's a majority of the Republican conference that could support a guest worker program?

CHABOT: I personally do not think a majority of the Republican conference could support anything that even approaches amnesty that's what many of us consider this so-called guest worker program to be.

KING (voice-over): The president insists his approach is not amnesty because it would require those who entered the country illegally to pay back taxes and fines and then have a path to eventual citizenship. But it's a tough sell in the House. Even some Republican moderates say they cannot back the president's approach.

REP. CHRISTOPHER SHAYS (R), CONNECTICUT: You came here illegally now you can stay and become a citizen, I don't think that's going to happen.

KING: A stiff opposition leaves the administration in an emotional fight with its traditional allies. Not just in the Congress.

RUSH LIMBAUGH, RADIO SHOW HOST: Is the president - are you and the president, the administration aware of the dissatisfaction on the whole issue of illegal immigration that exists not just within the Republican base but within the country at large.

RICHARD CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Yes we are, I think, Rush.

KING: The man that counts the votes for House Republicans sees he president's record low approval ratings as a major factor in the party's immigration divide. REP. ROY BLUNT (R), MISSOURI: I think the president understands that this is a different situation than the president was in when his numbers were at 56 and 60 percent just not too long ago.

KING: For now, the House leadership isn't budging from its view that border security upgrades should come first, then debate what to do with illegal immigrants already here after the November election.

BLUNT: But, you know, maybe the Senate will come up with a magical formula here that we don't anticipate them coming up with.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The issue has reached critical mass.

KING: The president may lack the necessary clout, but pollster Whit Ayres predicts voter anger will drive Republicans to resolve their differences.

WHIT AYRES, REPUBLICAN POLLSTER: Politically, I think there's a far greater danger in doing nothing, giving the overwhelming desire of Americans to deal with this issue and deal with it quickly.

KING (on camera): One potential compromise being discussed by some Republicans would allow those who entered the United States illegally to sign up for a new guest worker program and stay, perhaps indefinitely. But if those workers wanted citizenship, they would have to go home and get in line.

John King, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: John King is part of the best political team on television. You can see more of John's stories on "THE SITUATION ROOM" with Wolf Blitzer. Tune in this afternoon at 4:00 Eastern. The live primetime edition airs at 7:00.

A potentially new approach to an old adversary. President Bush once included North Korea in his so-called axis of evil. Now "The New York Times" and wire reports say the administration is opened to negotiations on a peace treaty. There's never been one in the 53 years since the end of the Korean War.

Talks purportedly could coincide with those on North Korea's nuclear program. But the White House say nothing can happen until Pyongyang returns to the table. "The Times" says the U.S. fears the North Korean standoff may be complicating the situation with Iran.

Killer waves and winds and water. A powerful typhoon hit southern China today. At least 11 people are dead, bringing that typhoon death toll in Asia to at least 50.

Scores of homes are flooded in an area where more than a million people had to evacuate. It's the worst storm on record in that region during the month of May.

From tent to trail, a new beginning for a man who has seen his share of disaster in New Orleans. You remember his story? LIVE FROM is back in a moment with a follow-up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: And of course we're following everything out of the Capitol live. We're talking about those confirmation hearings for the head of the CIA. General Michael Hayden answering a number of questions from various committee members. We will dip in and take it live as it gets heated.

Well, grab a Kleenex. Here's the latest on a hurricane hero in need of help himself. We brought you his story last week.

Remember him, that Louisiana man living in a tent inside his demolished home? A locked FEMA trailer on his front lawn, but sadly out of reach.

Well, now we've got reporter Bill Capo of our New Orleans affiliate WWL, who followed up with him.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BILL CAPO, REPORTER, WWL (voice over): Ed Wragge is a different man now, dressed up, hair combed, and smiling as he welcomed me into his new, temporary home, the FEMA trailer he finally has the keys to. Moving in changed his life.

ED WRAGGE, GENTILLY, LOUISIANA, RESIDENT: What a difference. I got a good night's sleep, thanks to you. A wonderful night's sleep. No bugs, the air-conditioner worked, everything fine.

CAPO: It's a big change from last Wednesday, when the 71-year- old man was sleeping on a cot in a tent set up inside his gutted home because he was locked out of the powerless trailer that had been sitting in front of his house for weeks. Forty years ago, Ed was a hero, rescuing the victims of Hurricane Betsy, and he couldn't understand why he was ignored when he needed help.

WRAGGE: It's been real frustrating. I give up (INAUDIBLE). You know, I don't know what to do.

CAPO (on camera): When Ed called me to two week ago, I had several conversations with FEMA, asking them to take action to help him. But when I came out here two days ago and found that he was in the tent, he told me that the contractor in charge of delivering the trailer for FEMA was the Floor Corporation (ph). So I contacted a spokesman for that company, and when he heard about the situation he rushed a crew out here to make sure that the power was connected and to put the keys to the trailer in Ed's hand.

WRAGGE: They put me in a trailer right away, wouldn't leave until the trailer was hooked up. I mean, it's wonderful. They treated me marvelous once you came on the scene.

CAPO (voice over): Being able to move into the trailer is allowing his nephew to begin restoring Ed's heavily flood-damaged house because he's determined to move back into his home of more than 40 years.

WRAGGE: I was born in this area. I lived all my life here. I own this house.

CAPO: But another good thing happened to Ed after that first report. Good-hearted people reached out to help him.

WRAGGE: People came by, a couple came by, an individual came by, and calls. Even from Mississippi I had a call.

CAPO (on camera): Everybody wanting to help you?

WRAGGE: Everybody wanted to help me. I could not believe it.

CAPO (voice over): And when I gave him copy of the e-mails I received from people wanting to help him, Ed was overwhelmed. And a strong man not used to showing his emotions said thanks with tears of gratitude.

WRAGGE: To know that people care about you -- I'm sorry. I was taught not to cry.

CAPO: He lost a lot of treasure after Hurricane Katrina, but Ed Wragge is making precious new memories now of the people who cared enough to help a hero in his time of need.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Well, Ed's nephew hopes to have the home restored before the next store hits. Again, thanks to Bill Capo, with our affiliate, WWL.

Well, all of this week, CNN continues a yearlong look into the future, your future. Amazing developments that are just around the corner and will change the way we all live. This month we focus on the workplace.

So many of us dream of conducting business in the comfort our own homes, but sometimes working from home is not all that it's cracked up to be.

CNN's Miles O'Brien has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HEATHER, WORK-AT-HOME MOM: I have to have flexibility working from home with a 4-year-old. One of the drawbacks to working from home is that I can never leave my work.

My husband works at home part of the time, also. He sits on the couch behind me in the office while we both try to conduct phone calls and business and e-mails. And it definitely has its moments, especially when I hole myself up in the corner of my house while my daughter is playing elsewhere.

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Going to work in your pajamas sure sounds enticing, doesn't it? But working from home can be terribly distracting, what with the kids, dogs and refrigerator nearby. The solution may be just outside your door.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Home office will look more like a sanctuary where my imagination can run free, not where it's shut down.

O'BRIEN (voice-over): Actually, marketing CEO Joey Ryman (ph) is known for his bright ideas, like turning this old square-dancing hall in his backyard into a home office. Ryman (ph) sees a future where nearly everyone can work from a home in a pleasing setting that breeds creativity and comes complete with what he calls an ubernanny (ph).

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What was the office manager now is your house manager. But they are also kind enough and compassionate to take care of your children.

O'BRIEN : Ryman (ph) says today's workers aren't striving to become millionaires, but instead famillionares (ph), people who put their wealth in their family and friends. But first he says we need a change of pace.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I imagine that we're going to go to a six- hour workday and a four-day work week. For those people who don't think that slowing down wins the game, they ought to read "The Tortoise and the Hare." The tortoise does win.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Bright lights, big city, that's long been the allure of Times Square, the electric pulsing heart of New York City. Now you don't have to go there to be a part of it, or at least to own a part of it. Lights, signs, and other memorabilia are being auctioned off today, and of all places, Philly.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS (voice over): Before there was Las Vegas, there was Times Square. Almost from the dawn of electric lights, a symphony of images, colors in motion celebrating our dreams, our desires, even our vices, and what was often referred to as the crossroads of the world.

Many of those displays were the work of a company called Artkraft Strauss. After more than a century in business, that company is doing some spring cleaning, putting little pieces of old Times Square on the auction block.

For instance, from 1907 to 1996, Artkraft Strauss was in charge of the Times Square ball drop marking each new year. A dozen of the bulbs that made the ball glow were up for auction today. But it wasn't just New Year's Eve that made Times Square special. It was spectacular every night of the year thanks, in large part, to the huge advertising signs that lit up the sky. This 1992 Coca-Cola display used a mile of neon lights and six miles of fiber-optic tubing. While you won't be able to fit that into your den, this model for the project is available for purchase.

This drawing was the inspiration for the famous Camel billboard which blew actual smoke rings for a quarter of a century. Mr. Peanut waved his neon cane in this 1952 display. A replica is for sale.

Talk about a marquee attraction, here's part of the 1962 theater sign for "The Sound of Music". And speaking of entertainment, this neon likeness of comedian Bob Hope may have one lucky bidder signing, "Thanks for the memory."

Although the lights of Times Square still burn brightly every night, there are other ways for advertisers to make a splash these days. But in its era, a display in Times Square was look a commercial on the Super Bowl.

During a recent New York Museum show on outdoor advertising, the curator put it this way: "You can't tell if it's entertainment or somebody trying to sell you things, and maybe you don't even care."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Well, auctioneers say it's hard to predict how much any of those items will go for because they're so unique. We'll keep an eye on it.

Well, new video in of Reade Seligmann in court, one of the three Duke lacrosse players accused of rape. Live coverage of that hearing should begin any moment now. Once it does we will take it.

Our Jason Carroll is there in Durham. There's your live pictures right there. You can see Reade in between his two attorneys.

We don't know if we're gong to hear from him or not. He's one of the three accused of rape. We will definitely listen to what the lawyers have to say. And indeed, you never know, we might hear from Reade Seligmann after it's over with. We'll take that live as soon as it starts.

Well, Merck is facing more questions about the dangers posed by its discontinued Vioxx painkiller.

Susan Lisovicz like from the New York Stock Exchange with all the detail.

(BUSINESS REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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