Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Today

Grilling Skilling at the Enron Trial; Woman Rescued from Burning Car at Pennsylvania Hospital

Aired April 10, 2006 - 10:30   ET

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

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: More live pictures from here in Atlanta. Tens of thousands of people showing up to protest immigration reform and some of the laws that could be soon on the books. This is just outside the center part of Atlanta, and most of the protesters wearing white. They say they've chosen to do that because they say white represents that they intend a peaceful protest. More on that and the many, many other demonstrations planned all across the country today.
First, though, to Houston. He has been painted the greedy villain behind Enron's fall, and for weeks, Jeffrey Skilling has heard witnesses accuse him of corporate misbehavior. Today the former CEO gets to tells his side of the story.

Our Ed Lavandera is covering the trial in Houston.

Ed, this seems like this might be a risky move to take the stand in his own defense?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, as Jeffrey Skilling sees it, and as he said as he left the courthouse last week, is he views this as his chance to tell the truth of what happened and his involvement in the collapse of Enron. So he sees it as an opportunity to straighten out the facts and present a much rosier picture of his involvement was, what happened in Enron.

You know, there are many people who also say that he really had no choice and that he had to testify, that, quite frankly, his reputation and the image that he has here in Houston couldn't get any worse. So he couldn't do any damage to himself by testifying and that perhaps several days of testifying before this jury -- that in some way, they will perhaps find him to be a more likable guy than the image they perhaps already have of him.

KAGAN: It could be, but isn't he known to have a bit of a temper? He could kind of lose his cool on the stand.

LAVANDERA: Right, they have said that. And you can suspect -- expect that, you know, what the defense -- his defense attorneys will do, you know, prod him along. His testimony is expected to be very similar in many ways to what he has already said before Congress a few years ago, that when he left the company -- the company a few months before Enron's collapse, he left it in fine condition, everything was financially secure.

But of course the true test will come when the prosecution and the government prosecutors start hammering away at Skilling. How he reacts then will probably be the true test of what the jury walks away thinking of him.

KAGAN: So that's one big fish. What about Ken Lay? Is he also expected to testify?

LAVANDERA: He is. We understand that he will also testify on his own behalf. After Skilling is done, we suspect that it will take several days for his testimony to wrap up, and then we understand that there will be some other witnesses between Skilling, and then Ken Lay will testify after that. So -- it's hard to guess exactly when he'll be on the stand, but perhaps probably not this week. Maybe next week or the week after.

KAGAN: Ed Lavandera, live from Houston, Texas. Ed, thank you.

And now on to a split second decision: keep driving or die? How about that for a choice? A Pittsburgh area woman had to make that choice when fire broke out in her car. The door locks were stuck, so she kept going straight to the hospital.

Reporter Jake Ploeger of our affiliate WTAE picks up the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JAKE PLOEGER, WTAE REPORTER (voice-over): Working the midnight shift as a security guard at a local hospital is typically a pretty laid-back job. Not the case early Saturday morning for these two guys, stationed at the Alle-Kiski Medical Center.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All of a sudden, we see this bright orange glow come at us, and that's not normal.

PLOEGER: What the guard saw was this Mercury Sable, engulfed in flames, driving into the parking lot. Inside, Renee McGuigan, who says she was driving along when she noticed something odd.

RENEE MCGUIGAN, DROVE FLAMING CAR TO HOSPITAL: Actually, right about Route 28 at the exit, I seen some smoke, and I was looking in the car and I see more smoke and then there were flames everywhere. And so I just drove straight to the hospital.

PLOEGER: Once McGuigan drove into the hospital, the guards grabbed fire extinguishers and ran toward the burning car.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We didn't know how much time, you know, we had or who was even in there at the time. We didn't know how many were in there.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was very hard to believe that there was someone inside, because the whole car was on -- it was a complete orange ball of flame.

PLOEGER: John Hill broke the window, then opened the door, while a medic, Jen Grebauer, pulled McGuigan out of the car into safety.

MCGUIGAN: Thank you so much, all of you. Thank you.

PLOEGER: Thankfully, McGuigan is safe, but now the big question: why didn't she just pull over and jump out when she noticed her car was on fire? Well, McGuigan says she couldn't get the locks off of her doors, and she was afraid to stop.

MCGUIGAN: There was no -- really, just one or two cars on the road. I don't know, I drive for help.

PLOEGER: And that drive was one the most terrifying of her life.

MCGUIGAN: It was very scary. A lot of smoke, fire everywhere.

PLOEGER: But thanks to two security guards and a medic, she's going to be fine.

MCGUIGAN: They're all brave. Really brave.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: And that report from our affiliate WTAE. And joining us now, one of the paramedics who rescued the driver, and the two security guards.

Let's say good morning to Richard Ponteri, Jen Grebauer and John Hill. They are in Pittsburgh this morning.

Well, it is a good morning. It's good to have you here with us.

JOHN HILL, SECURITY GUARD: Thank you.

JEN GREBAUER, PARAMEDIC: Thank you.

RICHARD PONTERI, SECURITY GUARD: Thank you. Nice to be here.

KAGAN: We'd love to hear more of the story here. So you're standing there. Here comes this woman in a burning car. What do you see and what do you think? Anybody jump in.

HILL: Just saw an orange glow coming at us, and next thing you know, there's a car. And we couldn't get the doors opened. Broke the window and Jen came out of nowhere and pulled her right out.

GREBAUER: I was outside. I was outside when she pulled up.

KAGAN: So it's the woman who pulls her out?

GREBAUER: Yes.

HILL: The little one!

KAGAN: The little one, too. I love this part of the story.

GREBAUER: Yes, that's what adrenaline does.

KAGAN: And that's what it was, Jen? You didn't even have a chance really to think? You just kind of just dove right in there?

GREBAUER: Yes. I saw her come. Well, I heard her beeping. She was beeping and screaming. And I looked over and saw the fire and that was the end of it. I ran over and helped her.

KAGAN: Did it even compute, though? Because, you know, you see something that's so out of the ordinary, a woman driving down the street in a burning car. Did it -- did you think to yourself that that's really what it was?

GREBAUER: No, not at first. It took a double take. You don't see that every day.

KAGAN: And any concern from any of you for your personal safety?

HILL: Never had the time to think about it.

PONTERI: Yes, never had time.

HILL: But there was a lot of other people who need to be thanked in all this. There was a voluntary Saxsburg (ph) firemen that were in the waiting room at the E.R. that came out and did help us extinguish the flames and everything else. So there was more credit to go around here.

PONTERI: And then we have a maintenance man that brought extra fire extinguishers down to us, as well, so...

KAGAN: So this woman might feel unlucky, but indeed she actually was very lucky because all of the people she needed to help her showed up just at the right time.

PONTERI: Yes.

HILL: Perfect.

KAGAN: And she looks like she's in pretty good shape. It could have been a lot worse.

HILL: Oh, yes.

PONTERI: Oh, yes.

GREBAUER: It had a lot of potential.

KAGAN: And until you get in a situation like this, you really have no idea how you'll react, do you?

PONTERI: You don't.

GREBAUER: We have training for it, but when it actually occurs, sometimes it's different.

KAGAN: Well, clearly, the training paid off and your good instincts did as well. Let me just ask, do you guys consider yourselves heroes? HILL: No.

PONTERI: No, not at all.

KAGAN: Just a day at the office.

GREBAUER: That's right!

HILL: Maybe Jen.

KAGAN: Maybe Jen. Yes, let's give it to the girl! Love that. Well, you might not, but there's one woman at least who's very appreciative. And thank you for taking time to tell our story and -- your story. And may the next day at work be -- let me just even wish you boring, how's that?

GREBAUER: Thanks. We need a boring day.

HILL: It's never boring at AVH, I'll tell you.

KAGAN: Probably not. Maybe just a little slower, perhaps.

Thanks for taking time to tell the story, and congratulations on doing the right thing in saving a woman's life.

HILL: Thank you.

GREBAUER: Thank you.

KAGAN: Thank you.

PONTERI: Thank you very much.

KAGAN: The latest technology may leave you in the dark.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Here a photograph was just taken. We will use it to prosecute you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Cameras fighting crime, ahead on CNN LIVE TODAY.

And the Nazis took it, and now the art goes back in the family. That's ahead when CNN LIVE TODAY continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: At this hour, we're watching two live events as they take place. On the left part of your screen, this is an immigration demonstration here in Atlanta, Georgia. Tens of thousands of people are expected to show up for this two-mile march. The protesters wearing white, saying that that indicates that their intent on having a peaceful protest. On the right side of your screen, President Bush, he's at Johns Hopkins University today. He is giving one of his latest series of speeches on Iraq and the global war on terror. If the president answers questions,or takes questions, we will go there live. Meanwhile, we'll continue to monitor that speech for you.

(MARKET REPORT)

KAGAN: She fought an epic battle. It went on half a century, and now she has won. A woman will get back her family's looted treasures.

With more on that, here's Kareen Wynter.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KAREEN WYNTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): An iconic Austrian artwork, reportedly worth hundreds of millions of dollars, on display for the first time in the United States at a Los Angeles museum, following a lengthy legal battle.

MARIA ALTMAN, OWNER OF PAINTINGS: I'm not a forceful person, but I like to follow through when I start something.

WYNTER: Ninety-year-old Maria Altman survived a Nazi invasion of Austria in 1938, but left behind precious family heirlooms: jewelry, porcelain figurines and paintings stolen during the occupation. Altman recalled how the Germans looted her uncle's home, taking five paintings by Austrian artists Gustav Klimt, the most famous this portrait of Altman's aunt, Adel.

ALTMAN: A huge truck pulled up and just emptied everything that was in that house.

WYNTER: Altman, a then newlywed, says her family fled Austria three years later and relocated to California. Unaware of how valuable the paintings were, and that they ended up in an Austrian government gallery. That's until 1998 when an Austrian reporter began tracing the artwork's history, triggering a fierce fight to reclaim them.

HUBERTUS CZERIN, AUSTRIAN JOURNALIST: The fate of the family, the fate of the paintings, I think nobody knew it.

WYNTER: Austria refused to return the paintings, claiming they were willed to its national museum.

RANDOL SCHOENBERG, ALTMAN ATTORNEY: I think it was a willing ignorance they had that they could hide behind this sort of legalistic argument of the will.

WYNTER: The Supreme Court reviewed the case in 2004 and ruled Altman could sue the Austrian government in American courts. The family knew it was a long shot, but their attorney began mediations with Austria. Altman was blown away by the ruling. ALTMAN: I could not imagine that three Austrian judges who were paid by the government would speak unanimously against the government and they did.

WYNTER: Maria Altman says she never imagined she would see this day, the culmination of a seven year fight for what was rightfully hers.

ALTMAN: I wish came true.

WYNTER: The Klimt paintings are on display until June and they'll be up for sale, the price and perspective buyers still under wraps.

ALTMAN: I know one thing, I won't hang them in my house.

Reporter: Kareen Wynter, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: Prying eyes on the Internet. A lawsuit claims the government may be nosing around e-mail.

CNN LIVE TODAY returns in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Jill Carroll's family says thank you, a public thank you, to everyone who helped get her home safely. In their statement, the Carroll family says, "We may never be certain which steps actually led to her release." Carroll, who's a journalist, was held hostage in Iraq for 82 days. She was released on March 30th.

This is a new video from kidnappers. It is raising hopes in Germany it is the first they've seen of the engineers in eight weeks. They were abducted outside their workplace north of Baghdad in late January. Their captors warn they could be killed if U.S.-led forces do not release all prisoners.

He is considered the most bloodthirsty terrorist in Iraq, but has U.S. propaganda exaggerated the true threat posed by Abu Musab al Zarqawi? "The Washington Post" reports the U.S. military has launched a campaign to turn Iraqi civilians against their al Qaeda figure. Their method: painting him as an evil foreigner -- he is from Jordan -- and overstating his threat to Iraq. The newspaper quotes a senior military intelligence officer as saying Saddam loyalists and other Iraqis pose the real long-term threat. Al Zarqawi, by the way, has a $25 million bounty on his head.

The White House is downplaying this one, but it doesn't deny the report. Is the U.S. planning a nuclear strike against Iran? Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Seymour Hersh says the Bush administration is drawing up plans to attack Iran to take out its nuclear program. Hersh is writing for "The New Yorker." He says as the White House stretches diplomacy, it's even considering a nuclear strike.

Earlier today on CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING, Hersh said the nuclear option is creating deep divisions within the Pentagon.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEYMOUR HERSH, "THE NEW YORKER": It's gotten to the point where in a weeks, its hope that the senior leadership of the military will go to the president and say categorically Mr. President, no nuclear option. Take it off the table. There is a lot of planning.

And by the way, Soledad, the planing is not just contingency planning. It's going into the next phase, operational planning. That is, they're seriously looking at options. But if the president doesn't choose to take -- remove the nuclear option, officers -- I'm told some senior officers will resign.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: The White House says it's pursuing a diplomatic solution to Iran's nuclear program, but officials also say that normal planning does include military options just in case.

It's the poorest Catholic parish in Los Angeles County. Today, its voice is out front on the national debate on immigration. We'll take a look.

And high school girls' dreams.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have goose bumps. It is so touching, just because it's going to be so rememorable (sic) at prom and just -- just unbelievable.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: But it's a dream that was nearly wrecked by Hurricane Katrina. Find out who saved the day at prom night.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: In Southern California, an arrest in the February crash of a million dollar sports car. The driver of the rare Ferrari is now charged with suspicion of grand theft. Police say that Stephan Eriksson (ph) did not own the car or two others in his collection. They apparently belonged to British financers. Eriksson is a Swedish video game entrepreneur. he somehow escaped serious injury in that spectacular crash.

That little voice that keeps telling you not to do something -- it might be in your head, but in some places, it might be lurking overhead. We're talking surveillance cameras helping fight crime.

CNN's Gary Nurenberg has that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GARY NURENBERG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): From the Walnut Hills neighborhood of Cincinnati to a wooded area of Baltimore ...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stop, this is a restricted area.

NURENBERG: Cities are turning to a new generation of talking surveillance cameras to deter crime.

GLENWOOD THOMAS, ENVIRONMENTAL CRIMES AGENT: They're able to capture the license plates of vehicles.

NURENBERG: Glenwood Thomas works on environmental crime enforcement in Baltimore where the cameras are being used to stop illegal dumping.

THOMAS: Some of the things that amaze me is restaurants who dump oil in the allies. We have car companies that dump oil inside the drainage system.

PATOR ROBERT BURLEY, OLIVER COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION: I right now am tired of people disrespecting the space where I live and operate every day.

NURENBERG: Residents asked the city to install the cameras.

NINA HARPER, OLIVER COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION: I'm very frustrated because in the mornings, I drive around the community and I see the trash where the night before it may not have been there.

NURENBERG: The cameras are triggered by motion detectors. The threat clear.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Your photograph was just taken. We will use it to prosecute you.

ROY GREEN, WALNUT HILLS, OHIO: Sounds like the sergeant that I had in the military. It would make me want to do he said to do.

NURENBERG: Baltimore has only used the cameras two months but Thomas is convinced.

THOMAS: The cameras have been an overwhelming success. Basically those areas where the cameras were placed are now clean areas.

NURENBERG (on camera): But those who study the use of cameras by law enforcement agencies say there is another predictable result as well.

CEDRIC LAURANT, ELECTRONIC PRIVACY INFO. CTR.: They're very effective at preventing crime in the specific location where they're located but not at other places. What happens is the phenomenon of displacement. Criminals go somewhere else.

NURENBERG: Baltimore's Thomas is no Mary Poppins when it comes to displacement but still has a bottom line.

THOMAS: Since the cameras have been up here, this is pretty much a clean location now.

NURENBERG: Gary Nurenberg, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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