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CNN Live Today

Rape Charges at Duke University; Rapist Faces Victim in New Hampshire Court; Homes on the Move

Aired April 18, 2006 - 11:01   ET

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

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to the second hour of CNN LIVE TODAY. I'm Daryn Kagan.
At the top of the hour, rape charges at Duke University. Two lacrosse players are taken into custody this morning, and a third arrest could come soon.

Just minutes ago, Collin Finnerty appeared in court. He is charged with rape, sexual offense and kidnapping. So is his teammate, Reade Seligmann. They're accused of attacking a woman who was hired to strip at the team's off-campus party.

Our Alina Cho is in Durham with the latest.

Alina, the latest developments that have taken place just in the last hour?

ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's absolutely right, Daryn. A lot happening here in the courthouse behind me.

Just to be clear, this was the first court appearance for both of the suspects, Reade Seligmann and Collin Finnerty. Reade Seligmann, however, posted bond this morning, and in so doing, he waived his right to appear. So, he physically was not in court this morning.

For the other suspect, Collin Finnerty, that was not the case. He did not post bond. So he did have to physically be here in the courthouse behind me.

Now, I can tell you that the hearing lasted just five minutes, perhaps even less than that. Finnerty signed a waiver saying he did not need a court-appointed attorney. His lawyer was asked, was he aware of the charges? He responded, yes, he was. And then superior court Judge Ronald Stevens (ph) announced that the next court appearance for both of the suspects would be May 15th.

Now, Finnerty is a 19-year-old sophomore, a lacrosse player at Duke University from Garden City, New York. The other suspect is Reade Seligmann, as I mentioned a moment ago. He is a 20-year-old sophomore, also a lacrosse player at the school.

Here is what we can tell you about what happened this morning, because a lot has happened. Both of the suspects arrived at the county jail not too far from here very early this morning, around 5:00 a.m. Eastern Time. They were in the same squad car. Seligmann was wearing a yellow shirt and jeans and Finnerty was in a jacket and tie. Both were processed at the jail. That means they were fingerprinted and photographed. They also made an appearance before a local magistrate.

Now, one of the defense attorneys who represents one of the team captains but neither of the suspects made this statement to reporters earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BILL THOMAS, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: The two that they indicted had no contact with this woman whatsoever. We are shocked, absolutely shocked. We always thought she would pick out someone who at least had a conversation with her, paid her. This is outrageous, absolutely outrageous.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHO: So, again, the headline, Daryn, is that two suspects arrested early this morning. First court appearance for both of them. One of the suspects, Seligmann, waived his right to appear. The other suspect, Collin Finnerty, physically was in court behind me just a moment ago.

Of course, we are watching and waiting for all of the developments in this case. We'll bring them to you as soon as we have them.

KAGAN: But Alina, the original allegations, this woman apparently said that there were three attackers. And now there's only two men who have been arrested. How do you explain that?

CHO: That's right. That was the big question. As soon as we heard that there were two sealed indictments yesterday, everyone was asking, why not three arrests? Why only two?

Well, this morning, the D.A. Michael Nifong put that question to rest. He said -- and I am quoting now a statement -- "It had been my hope to be able to charge all three of the assailants at the same time, but the evidence available to me at this moment does not permit that. Investigation into the identity of the third assailant will continue in the hope that he also can be identified with certainty."

And it is important to remember, Daryn, Nifong went on to say that, in addition to bringing the assailants to justice, it is important that we, in his words, "... lift the cloud of suspicion from those team members who were not involved in this assault."

So, a lot of developments this morning, Daryn, as you can see. A lot of activity behind me. We are watching for all of them, and we will bring them to you as soon as we have them.

KAGAN: A lot of information, but a lot of questions as well. These indictments were sealed. Did the prosecutor say why he asked for that? CHO: He did not. But I can tell you, traditionally, what happens in cases -- I can tell you, first of all, that sealed indictments in Durham are rare, we are told. But having said that, traditionally, what happens is that an indictment is sealed when the suspects are considered a flight risk. It's unclear whether that had anything to do with this particular case, but that is traditionally what happens.

Now, going forward, of course, now we know the identities of the suspects, we know the charges involved, and so the indictment has officially been unsealed. But as to why exactly that happened in the first place is still an open question -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Alina Cho, live from Durham, North Carolina.

Alina, thank you.

Well, this case has inflamed some deep divisions in Durham. Both are evident in two colleges that call the city home. The alleged victim is a student at North Carolina Central University. The suspects, of course, are enrolled at Duke.

To get the feelings on campus, let's welcome in Seyward Darby this morning. She is the editor of "The Duke Chronicle."

Seyward, good morning. Good to have you back here with us.

SEYWARD DARBY, EDITOR, "THE DUKE CHRONICLE": I can't hear anything.

KAGAN: Seyward, can you hear us?

DARBY: Yes.

KAGAN: OK. There we are. Thanks for being here with us.

How is this news of -- how is the news of the two arrests being treated on campus?

DARBY: Well, this happened so very early in the morning, a little before 5:00 a.m., that not that many students I think know about it at this point. They are learning about it right now as they're getting up and going to class.

In terms of what I have heard from people I've talked to about what they say, some people are surprised that it's these two. A lot of people were expecting that if it would be anybody, it would be the seniors who lived in the house, because -- well, for various reasons. Mainly because it was their house. And so some people are surprised that it was the two sophomores.

Others are saying that they still don't believe it, and others are saying, well, the D.A. must have evidence. So, right now, confusion still reigns.

KAGAN: Which leads to me next question. In general, public opinion on campus right now, is it leading to supporting the players or condemning them?

DARBY: You know, there's really not a consensus. Right now, it's still split. Again, it's very early in the day for a college student, and so not that many people have come out and expressed an opinion about it.

There has been no organized demonstration or protest in response. So, students are really just getting wind of this. And whether or not these two arrests will sway anybody's opinion has yet to be seen. And I'm sure we'll find out in the next few hours.

KAGAN: Seyward, I want to ask you about a story we saw in the online edition of your campus newspaper, a story I haven't seen anywhere else. And it says that police went into a dorm and used -- and it's alleging that they used a student's or one of the players' e- mail addresses to send an e-mail to other players. Perhaps it would have been like a sting to encourage them to come forward and confess something.

DARBY: We do know that police went into Eden's (ph) dormitory, which is on west campus, the main campus of the university, to interview lacrosse players. There were no search warrants issued.

Now, in terms of the e-mail, it allegedly came from one of the lacrosse players. The account was a single line that simply basically said, "I'm going to go to the police because a crime was committed."

The defense attorneys have said that the young man whose account this came from was in class at the time, he could not have sent the e- mail. And a defense attorney told us that he thinks perhaps the police sent it, as you said, as a method of getting people to say something. Now, that has not been confirmed in any way. It was just odd that the e-mail was sent out.

KAGAN: All right. We'll have to ask police in Durham about that when we get a chance.

Meanwhile, Seyward, is there anything positive that's come out of this whole situation? Perhaps, I'm thinking, the dialogue that has developed between students at Duke and students at North Carolina Central?

DARBY: There have been some positive aspects. You know, there's been a lot of drama, I think, really epitomized today by what happened at the jail very early this morning. But in terms of dialogue between Duke and North Carolina Central, just yesterday the student government of North Carolina Central met with several student leaders from Duke at a dinner, and they discussed ways to enhance discussion between the two campuses, enhance interaction.

Certainly, that was triggered by the recent allegations that have come to light. But at the same time, that was not the complete focus of the discussion.

People generally talked about the need to connect the campuses more. And at this point, dialogue is dialogue and people are going to have to wait and see if tangible results come out of it.

KAGAN: And you and your paper will be following that.

Seyward Darby, editor of the Duke newspaper.

Thank you.

DARBY: Thank you.

KAGAN: On to a New Hampshire courtroom. Emotions exploding as a rape victim confronts her attacker. Reporter Andy Hershberger, with our affiliate WMUR, shows us what happened.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDY HERSHBERGER, REPORTER, WMUR (voice over): Police say that it was Charles Rallings' (ph) fantasy to have a sex slave. And on May 5th of last year, he tried to turn that fantasy into a reality. He kidnapped a 23-year-old woman from the streets of Manchester, a victim who he barely new. Rawlings slashed her throat, beat and raped her multiple times over the course of several hours.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think you are a sick pervert who should rot and burn in prison and hell. You cut me, beat me, violated me in unimaginable ways. People like you don't deserve to live.

MAUREEN O'NEIL, ASSISTANT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ATTORNEY: This is what he used to draw across her right cheek to show that he was still in control of the situation, and he threatened her with this.

HERSHBERGER: Rawlings sexually assaulted the victim in his vehicle, then drove to his house in Derry, where the rapes continued. He bound her with ropes and Duct tape, tying her to a chair and to a tree. With the victim bleeding and almost naked, Rawlings took her back to Manchester to retrieve evidence where she was able to escape.

CHARLES RAWLINGS, DEFENDANT: I'd like to say I'm sorry. I'm so very sorry. I regret the pain I've caused you and your family. I'll regret those actions for the rest of my days.

HERSHBERGER: A college graduate with a certification as an emergency medical technician, Rawlings says he was drunk and high on cocaine the night of the attack. He pled guilty to attempted murder, 10 rapes, multiple assaults and kidnapping. He will spend a minimum of 40 years in prison.

JUDGE JILLIAN ABRAMSON, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT: You belong in a cage. And it is my fervent hope that you go straight from the penitentiary to hell. Some say there is no difference.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: That story coming to us from WMUR.

Well, remember all those mobile homes sitting unused in Arkansas? They're finally being moved. But what's really going to kind of blow your mind, where the trailers are being moved to. We'll tell you in a moment.

Also, remembering San Francisco's great wake 100 years ago today. Coming up, a possible 21st century disaster, 3,700 people dead, $70 billion in damage. But this massive quake, we're not talking California here. We're going to reveal the unlikely epicenter.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Time for some encouraging medical news. There's a new way to fight breast cancer with fewer side-effects. It's a drug that's already used by women to fight osteoporosis.

Up until now, Tamoxifen has been the standard for women at high risk for breast cancer, but some women are reluctant to use it because side-effects may include uterine cancer, blood clots and cataracts. Well, now, initial results of a government study on post-menopausal women show Raloxefine is just as effective to treat breast cancer, but it is safer.

Nearly 11,000 mobile homes sit empty in Arkansas. FEMA bought those trailers after Hurricane Katrina, and they cost you, the taxpayers, more than $300 million. You might be surprised to find out what the government is doing with them now.

An update from CNN's Susan Roesgen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUSAN ROESGEN, CNN GULF COAST CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Under pressure from everyone from local officials to the president himself, the Federal Emergency Management Agency is finally sending some of these infamous mobile homes not south, where Katrina hit, but north. About 100 are headed to another town in Arkansas, Marmaduke. Between 600 and 1,000 are headed to Caruthersville, Missouri. And between 300 and 500 are going all the way to Edison, New Jersey, 1,300 miles away.

FEMA says mobile homes in Arkansas and Missouri could be used to house people who lose their homes in a tornado. But, Edison, New Jersey?

A FEMA spokesman told me, that's in case the Atlantic Seaboard gets hit with a hurricane or a terrorist attack. FEMA will pay $6 per mobile home per mile, making the moving cost for just the first 1,000 mobile homes more than $5.5 million. But, at this point, FEMA has no plans to take any down to hurricane victims in Louisiana, because, according to FEMA's own rules, in most cases, mobile homes can't be placed in a flood zone.

Susan Roesgen, CNN, New Orleans.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: And you can see stories like that on "ANDERSON COOPER 360" weeknights at 10:00 Eastern here on CNN.

Immigration crackdown. Talk becomes action in Georgia. Governor Sonny Perdue has signed a sweeping immigration bill into law. It targets illegal immigrants and the people who hire them. It's described as one of the toughest in the nation.

Among other things, the law denies some taxpayer-funded services to illegal immigrant adults. It also sanctions employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants. And it requires police to check the immigration status of people they arrest.

Many provisions won't take effect until some time next year. Legal challenges to the law are expected.

Illegal immigration a crime? Not in Arizona. The governor vetoes a bill there that would have done just that. The measure gave state and local police permission to arrest illegal immigrants anywhere in Arizona.

Police agencies didn't like that plan. They wanted immigration arrests to remain the responsibility of the federal government, as they do for now.

Let's check in on business news. Health insurance premiums keep going up and up. The American Medical Association says it's about time for the government to step in and do something about that.

Susan Lisovicz joins us live from the New York Stock Exchange with that -- Susan.

SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN FINANCIAL CORRESPONDENT: So, Daryn, we're not talking about surging oil prices. We're talking about surging health care costs. And there is a scathing report from the American Medical Association that basically says consolidation in the health insurance industry is creating mere monopolies across the country.

According to this report, just a few top insurers control a majority of markets, exceeding thresholds that should trigger anti- trust concerns. For instance, in more than half of the regions examined in this report by the AMA, a single insurer controlled more than half the business and health maintenance organization and preferred provider networks underwriting.

Why is that? Well, there have been just a huge number of mergers in the last decade. By the AMA's count, more than 400. I'll name some names for you.

WellPoint, for instance, now the country's largest insurer with 34 million members, came from the combination with Anthem. United HealthCare snapped up PacificCare. Other names mentioned in this report with large market share, Kaiser Permanente, Blue Cross.

The idea is, Daryn, that when there are these kind of mergers, in whatever business it is, there are oftentimes savings for the company as a benefit to the merger. These savings normally should be passed on to consumers. This study would seem to refute that in a large way.

KAGAN: So, bottom line, what does this mean for consumers, bottom line?

LISOVICZ: Well, less choice, for one. I mean, it obviously limits consumers' choices. The AMA report obviously pointed to that.

And they dictate the price and the terms of your health care. Premiums, I don't think I need to remind you or any of our viewers, have been going up three times the rate of inflation. It's difficult, for instance, for competition, because when you have a new insurer to try to get into a market with that kind of dominance, they can't get the buying power for health care that these big boys do.

Insurers say consolidation keeps rates from going even higher, blames increases on underlying costs of health care. But the AMA wants the Justice Department to open an anti-trust investigations. And let's face it, when you're talking about inflation, things that exceed inflation, you're talking about energy, and you're talking about health care and education. That's usually the big three -- Daryn.

KAGAN: How about the markets right now? What do they look like, Susan?

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Three decades on the run? It's over now. In Florida, an 87-year-old killer shows up in court, finally. This woman was convicted in the death of a teenager back in 1976. The victim's family could barely contain their emotions during the court appearance.

More from reporter Kellie Butler from our Miami affiliate WPLG.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JANET PEREZ, BROTHER MURDERED: It's hard. After 30 years, you know, suddenly you see the person who killed -- who killed a family member.

KELLIE BUTLER, REPORTER, WPLG (voice over): Janet Perez fought back tears as she came face to face with the woman who killed her 13- year-old brother. Wearing her signature big dark-rimmed glasses, 87- year-old Maria Otero appeared before a judge.

Otero had been on the run since 1976. That's when she was convicted of second-degree murder. She fled the country before sentencing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm the only principal from that trial that is still alive. The prosecutor passed away, the judge passed away.

BUTLER: Donald Bearman (ph) represented Otero three decades ago. After she skipped out on her bond, he never thought he would see her again. Then, last week, cold case detectives tracked Otero down at this Alapata (ph) apartment. She had apparently reentered the country years earlier under her maiden name. In 1975, Otero, a wealthy woman with many properties, shot and killed Johnny Perez because he and some other teens were trespassing, swimming in her pool along Northeast 29th Street. During the trial, Otero testified the gun went off accidentally. The jury did not buy it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: After 30 years, it's like a wound that has been ripped open again. So it's not very easy for any of us.

BUTLER: Johnny Perez's mother Eva and father Juan are in their 70s now. They still break down remembering the devastating day they lost their son. The Perez family has an attorney, Bobby Ratner (ph). Years ago, Ratner's (ph) father represented the family in a civil suit against Otero.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She presents, as she did 30 years ago, manipulative, unremorseful. It's time for this woman to be brought to justice.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: Well, as we move on today, it is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, but one historian says it will be reduced to ruins again.

Plus, we'll talk with an earthquake specialist who knows all about responding to a disaster. He was there when Katrina came ashore.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: It is a disaster by which all others are measured, the Great Quake struck 100 years ago today. It crippled San Francisco.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: May I ask everyone to have a moment of silence, please. In those that perished during the fire, and in their memory, a moment of silence.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: A ceremony this morning marked the exact moment quake hit. A handful of people who lived through that quake were there. Others on hand could only wonder what a similar quake would do today.

With more on that, here is CNN's Chris Lawrence.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Almost like clockwork, disaster strikes again and again. Same cities, same furious weather.

SEN. DIANNE FEINSTEIN (D), CALIFORNIA: We keep putting homes in plains that you know are going to be inundated with water.

LAWRENCE: That's Senator Dianne Feinstein talking about torrential rains that flooded northern California.

(on camera): Are there certain places we just shouldn't live?

SIMON WINCHESTER, AUTHOR: I'm afraid there are. And I think New Orleans is one of them.

LAWRENCE (voice over): Simon Winchester says a city under sea level doesn't make sense. The same goes for a bay area built on fault lines, or desert towns so dry they have to import water. He's written about the 1906 earthquake that destroyed San Francisco.

WINCHESTER: Everyone in California is in this blissful state of denial. An earthquake? Well, it might happen.

LAWRENCE: Winchester says Europe is littered with the ruins of once great cities.

WINCHESTER: And I wouldn't be surprised if in 100 or 200 years' time if you looked at a map of America you'll see the ruins of New Orleans, the ruins of Tucson, the ruins of some towns in southern Florida where we simply should not have built cities. And we'll just look at them as tourists and say, how crazy for people to have lived there.

LAWRENCE: Yet, millions of people keep moving to coastal communities, from south Florida to San Francisco.

FRED STUDER, SAN FRANCISCAN: We built in an impossible place. You know, the bridge, the Golden Gate Bridge was built so that people could go back and forth between these two impossible places. But the fact that the quality of life is just so spectacular just far outweighs the impossibility.

LAWRENCE: There are signs all over the city to remind residents what's coming next century, next year, next week.

ANNEMARIE CONROY, DIRECTOR, EMERGENCY SERVICES: A major rupture of the Hayward Fault would cause catastrophic damage throughout San Francisco and also throughout the East Bay.

LAWRENCE: Annemarie Conroy runs the Office of Emergency Services. She recently revamped its entire plan to better deal with a disaster.

CONROY: For San Francisco, it's not a question of if. It's a question of when.

LAWRENCE (on camera): In fact, experts say sometime in the next 25 years there's a 62 percent chance that another big quake will tear apart the Bay Area. They're telling people to stock up on enough food and supplies to last three days. That's about how long they'll be on their own until help arrives.

Chris Lawrence, CNN, Berkeley, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: Take another little trip with me back in time. Take a look at these. They weren't Red Cross shelters or FEMA trailers. But the survivors of the Great Quake had their own post-disaster housing. The cabins have become known as earthquake shacks. More than 5,600 of the redwood and fir structures were set up in refugee camps. A preservation groups says that fewer than 30 remain at peak occupancy. More than 16,000 San Franciscans lived at them. Talk about inflation. Families once rented them for a couple of bucks a month. Today, one quake shack -- and keep in mind, we're talking about 720 square feet -- recently sold for $600,000. Only in California! Maybe New York City.

(WEATHER REPORT)

KAGAN: We're so fascinated with the New Madrid Fault in this part of the country, we sent our Daniel Sieberg to what part of the country to look at what could happen if the big one hit them.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANIEL SIEBERG, CNN TECHNOLOGY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Three-thousand seven hundred people dead, tens of thousands injured, many more homeless or out of work, $70 billion in damage, all from a magnitude 7.7 earthquake, not in Asia, not in South America. According to the latest FEMA report, that's a very real possibility right in the heartland of the U.S.

We're looking at about 11 million people at risk from an earthquake in the central U.S. Of that 11 million, about two-and-a- half million for Memphis and St. Louis. We still have a lot of people vulnerable in rural communities in the central U.S.

The non-profit central U.S. Earthquake Consortium is made up of experts from eight states, trying to ensure the worst doesn't happen. Almost 200 years ago, the New Madrid Zone was hit with at least three massive quakes during a period of three months. Each of them about the size of the one that devastated the Pakistan-Indian border in October last year.

Today, scientists worry that the geological clock there is counting down to another one.

(on camera): Can you tell me by looking at this map where the 1811, 1812 earthquake was?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sure.

SIEBERG: But because the earth underpinnings here are so different compared to California's coast, understanding what triggers these quakes is harder to pinpoint.

JOAN GOMBERG, U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY: Here in the New Madrid Seismic Zone, we're in the middle of a plate, and it's really a big mystery as to why we have big earthquakes here.

SIEBERG: That possibility has officials at all levels of government scrambling for solutions, no matter the cost.

(on camera): Sometimes to plan for the future, you have to change the past. This is the I-40 bridge that connects Arkansas with Tennessee. It's one of the busiest commercial truck routes in the country. State and federal governments are spending almost $200 million to retrofit it, and make sure it's safe in case of a serious earthquake.

(voice-over): But the I-40 bridge is just one of many critical structures in the New Madrid Zone that still need attention. And whether it's people at home preparing with safety kits or schools running earthquake drill, experts say it's never too soon to act.

ARCH JOHNSTON, CTR. FOR EARTHQUAKE RESEARCH AND INFO: Your gambling, that it's not going to happen. That's OK for individuals, but it's not OK for government. It's not OK for the long-term planning for the security and well-being of people. Case in point: New Orleans.

GOMBERG: Earthquakes here -- that's our Katrina. The possibility here, and with an earthquake you don't get any warning unlike hurricanes.

SIEBERG: Memphis may be the home of rock 'n' roll, but the people there hope that's only true in one sense.

Daniel Sieberg, CNN, Memphis, Tennessee.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: So you want to be prepared if you live in the earthquake zone. There's some things you can do today in case disaster strikes tomorrow. the U.S. Geological Survey offers these reminders for you. You want to identify potential hazards in your home and fix them. That can mean bolting your home to its foundation and strapping your water heater in place. Create a disaster preparedness plan. Everyone in the family should know what to do. And have disaster kits filled with everyday medical supplies as well.

Making amends for the wrongs of the civil rights era. A beloved icon at the center of this Alabama initiative. That story is head here on LIVE TODAY.

And A decades-old murder finally comes to trial. It's a Roman Catholic priest who is standing accused. That part is shocking enough. Ahead on LIVE TODAY, we'll tell you who police say his victim was.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: His long stay turned into a long legal fight. Apparently, it's all over for a Florida professor. In a deal with prosecutors, Sami Al Arian, a Palestinian rights activist, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to raise funds for a terrorist group. He was jailed after his indictment, three years ago and fired from the University of South Florida, where he was an engineering professor. Under this plea deal, Al Arian, who arrived in the U.S. 30 years ago, has agreed to be deported. Sentencing is May 1st, and he's expected to be kicked out of the U.S. after that.

Healing the hurts of the civil rights area. Alabama lawmakers have passed a deal that would pardon Rosa Parks and other figures. Their crime? Violating old laws aimed at keeping the races separate. Some African-American lawmakers question whether a pardon is necessary. Those laws were ruled unconstitutional long ago. Alabama's governor has not said whether he will sign the measure.

Devotion. It may have cost a nun her life. She helped ex-cons move on after prison. Well, now authorities say a man who lived at the halfway house that she ran has confessed to killing the nun.

Alysha Palumbo of our CNN affiliate report IVBB reports from Buffalo, New York.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALYSHA PALUMBO, IVB REPORTER (voice-over): Police say this man, 36-year-old Craig Lynch has confessed to killing Sister Karen Klimczak and then burying her body here on George Street on the east side of Buffalo.

MCCARTHY GIPSON, BUFFALO POLICE COMMISSIONER: It was through her love of people that she wound up making the ultimate sacrifice.

PALUMBO: Detectives say Lynch claims the murder was an accident.

GIPSON: An accident in terms of his intention at that instant was not to cause her demise, but that the -- he was apparently under the influence of drugs at the time.

PALUMBO: They say Lynch was in her room, stealing her cell phone, when she came in and found him.

SGT. JIM LONGERGAN, BUFFALO POLICE: He's in her room committing a crime. He hears her coming. He hides, grabs her from behind. He's claiming he did not mean to kill her. However, he did.

PALUMBO: Investigators say they got a break in the case when they dialed Sister Karen's cell phone and reached someone who had bought the phone from Craig Lynch. They questioned Lynch, and that's when he confessed.

GIPSON: He has given a statement which ultimately has led us to the location where he had secreted her body.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: Ironically, the nun's body was found at the same location where a Buffalo priest was murdered back in 1987. The halfway house that she ran was named after that priest. A man of God and a cold-blooded murder. Jury selection today in the trial of a Roman Catholic priest. He is charged with killing a nun who devoted her life to the church. After more than two decades, the case is finally moving forward.

Gary Tuchman has the story. You might have seen it first on "ANDERSON COOPER 360."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When a nun was found murdered in Toledo, Ohio, more than a quarter-century ago, Father Gerald Robinson presided over her funeral mass. Now, he's standing trial, charged with being the murderer.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All we can say is that the murder weapon, we believe we'll be able to demonstrate, was in the control of the suspect.

TUCHMAN: The body of Sister Margaret Ann Pahl was found in a hospital chapel the day before Easter 26 years ago. The wounds on her chest and neck resembled a cross. A bloody altar cloth covered her body. Former Toledo Police Officer Dave Davison was among the first on the scene.

DAVE DAVISON, FORMER TOLEDO POLICE OFFICER: We knew she had been strangled, because of the marks on her neck. We knew that she had been stabbed, and it looked like a rape. So we're thinking this has to be some kind of butcher.

TUCHMAN: Officer Davison says, when he talked with people, only one name came up as a suspect: Father Robinson.

DAVISON: Well, they were claiming he was an alcoholic and he had a temper, had struck nuns before.

TUCHMAN: But nobody was ever arrested, and the case went cold. Robinson, a chaplain at the hospital where the killing took place, remained an active priest until 2003, when a Toledo woman came forward, alleging she was sexually abused as a child by Catholic priests, including Robinson and the local diocese during Satanic rituals.

Police don't know if those claims are true, but the investigation into Sister Margaret Ann Pahl's murder reopened, and the priest was arrested, alleged to have stabbed the nun with a letter opener. Investigators say blood stains on that weapon matched those from the altar cloth.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When a weapon is laid down or when anything is laid down, it leaves a pattern. So we're talking about blood transfer patterns.

TUCHMAN: There is a gag order in the case, so it's not known if allegations of Satanic rituals will be brought up in the trial, or just what the alleged motive it. The priest has been placed on leave, but is free on bond, allowed to wear his collar, and insists he's innocent.

During his jury selection on Monday, at least two prospective jurors said they doubted a priest could kill a nun. He has had much support among parishioners.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's an innocent priest. He was a priest for how many years? I knew him for 20 years. He could never do that.

TUCHMAN: Father Paul Kwiatkowski used to be Robinson's roommate.

PAUL KWIATKOWSKI, ROBINSON'S FORMER ROOMMATE: He was a quiet person, kind of shy. But that's why those of us who know him just cannot fathom how he would be capable of a crime like this.

TUCHMAN: The cop who found the nun's body claims police weren't aggressive with the case years ago because it was helping to protect the church. The department today says it will not comment about that charge, but Davison says the church still holds sway in this heavily Catholic city.

DAVISON: If he's convicted, I'll be the most surprised person in the city.

TUCHMAN: If he is convicted, Gerald Robinson faces the possibility of spending the rest of his life in prison.

Gary Tuchman, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: And this reminder for you. "ANDERSON COOPER 360" every weeknight, 10:00 p.m. Eastern right here on CNN.

For a lot of couples, the tax deadline has come and gone. For some, a new filing season begins today. We'll tell you what that is. The odd connection between taxes and divorce, just ahead on LIVE TODAY.

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KAGAN: Yes. Bono is the one. One of his songs has the number one lyric, at least according to music fans in the U.K. A poll by VH1 found that the 1991 song "One" by the Irish rockers U2 held the one line that Brits loved the best. "One life with each other, sisters and brothers." Now Bono has always said the song isn't about what you think, but he's never really explained. His bandmate, The Edge says it's not a wedding song.

An honorable mention, "My Generation" from The Who. The line, "Hope I die before I get old" was number eight.

Which leads us to the topic of death and taxes, you know, the only certainties in life. Well, there might be another to add to the list. Our next guest says that many couples file for divorce the day after the tax deadline, which, of course, would be today. Apparently tax filings can reveal some interesting things to a split-minded spouse.

Beverly Pekala is a divorce attorney in Chicago. She joins us by phone.

Beverly, good morning.

BEVERLY BEKALA, DIVORCE ATTY.: Nice to chat with you.

KAGAN: So this could be a really busy day for you?

PEKALA: It's a very busy day. It's been busy, and it's going to keep on being bus for the next several weeks, I think.

KAGAN: So explain this connection to us, between tax filings and divorce filings.

PEKALA: Well, lots of people who are, unfortunately, in a situation where they're thinking about divorce, they wait until the tax returns are filed, because, frankly, they're not really familiar with the finances of their family. And they wait until the tax returns are filed to see what the truth is, to see what the income is, to see what the business interests are.

KAGAN: So we're talking about marriages that were in trouble already. It's not like, oh, filed those taxes, time to go get a divorce.

PEKALA: Not usually, no. These are people, their ears were up already. Although every once in a while somebody sees something on the return and says, hey, wait a minute, you've been hiding things from me.

KAGAN: You've got to be kidding.

All right, so let's get free advice from you, counselor. If somebody sees something or if they do get some information and they are kind of like-minded, what would be your advice?

PEKALA: The first thing is to investigate. What's the truth? Ignorance is not bliss. Find out what's really gone on. If your spouse has secret accounts and they're showing up on the returns. If there are business interests you didn't know anything about, if they got a big bonus last year and, gee, forgot to tell you, the first thing is, let's investigate and find out what's what and where the money went.

KAGAN: And when it's time to move, call a good divorce attorney.

PEKALA: You betcha.

KAGAN: I gotcha.

All right, Beverly, thank you. We know you're busy. As you said, lots of filings this time of year. Beverly Pekala, a divorce attorney from Chicago, Illinois.

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KAGAN: And that's going to wrap up our couple of hours today. I'm Daryn Kagan. International news is up next. Stay tuned for YOUR WORLD TODAY. And then I'll be back right here with the latest headlines from here in the U.S. in about 20 minutes.

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