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CNN Live Today

White House Protester Charged With Threatening Foreign Official; Duke Rape Allegation; Gas Pains

Aired April 21, 2006 - 10:59   ET

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

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And this just in to CNN. We are getting new information on that protester right there who interrupted President Bush and President Hu yesterday.
CNN producer Susan Garraty is on the line with us.

And Susan, what's that new information?

SUSAN GARRATY, CNN PRODUCER: The new information is that Dr. Wenyi Wang is going to be charged in federal court. She has been charged on federal -- federal terms with threatening a foreign official.

The attorney that I just got off the phone with, Terry Marsh (ph), says this came to a surprise to her, that she hasn't even been able to speak directly with her client today, and that this -- originally, she was under the impression that these were going to be just much lesser charges. And now it's been bumped up to a federal charge.

HARRIS: I see. OK, Susan. We appreciate it.

CNN producer Susan Garraty with new information for us.

And now, new developments on the report in the Duke rape investigation. The Associated Press says a second dancer is now showing her initial doubts of the alleged victim. The two performed together at the lacrosse party but did not know each other. Initially, the second dancer questioned the woman's accusations. Now she says she believes the claims.

Also emerging, a cabby who could help drive the legal defense of at least one of the lacrosse players now charged.

Details on that and other developments from CNN's Alina Cho.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Just hours after suspects Collin Finnerty and Reade Seligmann arrived at a Durham jail in handcuffs, police were searching Finnerty's dorm room on the Duke campus. A copy of the search warrant reveals officers were looking for photos or videos of the lacrosse party, clothing worn on the night of the alleged attack, even a white high-heeled shoe the accuser says she lost when she left the house. What they seized, a news article and an envelope addressed to Finnerty from his girlfriend in Boston. It's not known how these items might be connected to the case.

Defense attorneys say Finnerty and Seligmann are innocent and were not at the off campus home at the time of the alleged rape.

A potential key witness, cab driver Moez Mostafa, who now says he made not one, but two trips to the home in the early morning hours of March 14th. His first trip, he says, was to pick up Reade Seligmann. Less than an hour later, around five minutes after 1:00 a.m. Mostafa says he was back to transport four other players. When he arrived...

MOEZ MOSTAFA, CAB DRIVER: I saw a bunch of people outside the house on the right side, on the left side.

CHO: Mostafa says he noticed what he called "some kind of trouble" and overheard one of the players talking about either the accuser or her friend.

MOSTAFA: But he, one guy, he said she's just a stripper.

CHO: News of the alleged rape has not stopped thousands of Duke alumni from returning to their alma mater. It's reunion weekend.

Bucky Fox went to Duke Law School. He's here for his 40th reunion and says he's not worried about how all of this will affect the university's reputation.

BUCKY FOX, DUKE ALUMNUS: I still get calls from parents and friends who want their kids to go to Duke and they want to know if I can help them in that process. So, that tells me that there are still an awful lot of kids who'd love to come to Duke.

CHO: Alina Cho, CNN, North Carolina.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: Notoriety sells, especially on eBay. The online auction house is seeing a booming business on Duke Lacrosse mementos.

More than a hundred items have been posted this morning. Most were T-shirts. It's not clear if people are buying them as a show of support or merely as fad items. One newspaper says on-campus sales of Duke lacrosse merchandise tripled in recent weeks.

We are all feeling gas pains this morning, the kind you get when you go to the pump and see those prices climbing by the day. And if that's not bad enough, along the Northeast coastline there are temporary shortages. Some pumps are dry, and AAA tracks these things and says the average price for unleaded regular, the kind you pump yourself, is now $2.85 a gallon. But as you can see from the map here, plenty of folks are paying more than 3 bucks, and analysts say it's only going to get worse.

Joining us now from Washington is John Townsend, manager of public and government affairs for AAA.

John, good to see you.

JOHN TOWNSEND, MANAGER, PUBLIC AND GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS FOR AAA: Good morning, Tony.

HARRIS: John, are we seeing real shortages here?

TOWNSEND: We're seeing shortages in several parts of the country, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and other parts of the country, as this part of the country makes a switch over from ethanol -- to ethanol, rather. And that's what's causing the situation, because many parts of the country are switching to a different blend of gasoline this year, this time around...

HARRIS: John -- John, they do this every year. I mean, we do -- don't we go through this switch every year?

TOWNSEND: Well, we do go through a spring switchover every year, but what's different this year is the switch to the ethanol blend which was mandated, or is a result of the energy bill from last year, and so gasoline now has an ethanol base. And you cannot ship it through the pipeline, and so you have to carry it by the truck wagon. And that's going to cause temporary shortages in several parts of the country, and that's what we're seeing.

It's only a temporary situation. There should be no reason for panic. There's no reason for real concern or alarm. That's going to manifest itself for the next two or three weeks or so.

HARRIS: OK. So, are the shortages leading to the spike in prices?

TOWNSEND: No. That's only part and parcel of it. The real reason behind this sharp increase in prices may be speculation about what may happen tomorrow.

In other words, you have this kind of chicken little attitude in the New York mercantile exchange, on the stock market, and investors and speculators are really driving up the price. So, you see all of this money being poured into gas futures and in crude oil futures, and so it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy about higher prices.

I saw someone on a network this morning talking about prices going to $3.50, or maybe $4, and that is reckless and irresponsible. And at the same time, it's driving up prices.

HARRIS: Yes.

TOWNSEND: And so, you have all of these analysts out there saying the sky is falling in, the sky is falling in. It's the chicken little attitude. And it's scaring...

HARRIS: But John, you know what it sounds like? It sounds like there is a bit of manipulation going on here by all of the speculators you're talking about. TOWNSEND: You are a very wise man, Tony. And you're not too many dimensions removed from the truth. And that's what's so sad about this, because there's no natural disaster.

Listen, the last time we saw these kind of prices was in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. But where is the natural disaster this time around? Where is the international crisis this time around?

And a lot of this is borne not only by the high cost of crude, which is at $70 or above, but also because of speculators who keep driving up the prices by buying and telling their customers to go into gas futures and crude oil futures.

HARRIS: You know what's outrageous about that? You know, speculators, these are people who are sitting around talking about this.

TOWNSEND: Right.

HARRIS: They're just talking about, hey, guess what's going on in Nigeria, hey, what's going on, on the Ivory Coast? And the next thing you know, it impacts our prices. That's outrageous.

TOWNSEND: It is outrageous. And it's unconscionable, too. And the American public are -- is outraged about this.

Let me tell you, we have zero tolerance for $3 gas.

HARRIS: Right.

TOWNSEND: We saw that in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and Rita. And you see that it's changing our lifestyle, that demand is down about 0.6 percent this time around. After the hurricanes it was down 1.1 percent. And that's sending a shot across the bow.

We're saying to politicians, we're saying to our political leaders that we can't stand it, this is too much, it is intolerable, it is unconscionable. And we...

HARRIS: OK, John. What do we do? What do we do? What do we do here?

Are we -- are we -- are we changing? Should we change? Are there any indications that we're changing our driving habits?

TOWNSEND: There is slid indication that we are changing our driving habits. For example, one of the things that we can do to take the future into our hands and the situation into our hands is, number one, to drive a more energy-efficient automobile. Most Americans households have more than one vehicle, so don't drive the SUV, don't drive the gas-guzzler, as it were. Drive the most economic car that you have.

Number two, consolidate all of your trips. And plan ahead. And keep your eyes peeled, because we've seen in the Washington metro area, as we've seen across the country, there's a swing in prices, because from neighborhood to neighborhood, the prices can vary. And you can save as much as 10 to 20 cents a gallon by shopping with your steering wheel.

HARRIS: And that feels outrageous. Ten to 20 cents difference from -- that feels -- all right.

And what about vacations? Should we be thinking about -- or is there any evidence that folks here are thinking differently about their vacation plans?

TOWNSEND: We will know officially in a couple weeks...

HARRIS: Yes.

TOWNSEND: ... when we begin to do surveys on what Americans are going to do about Memorial Day. But we saw some indications of this last year as July 4th came, as Labor Day came, people began to take shorter trips.

They did not compromise everything. They began to take advantage of three-day holiday weekends. And we think we're going to see more of that.

And you're going to see more people traveling on a tank of gas. So, if you can make a day trip with a tank of gas, more people will do that. People, as I said a moment ago, have zero tolerance for $3 gasoline.

HARRIS: Yes.

John Townsend is the manager of public and government affairs for AAA.

TOWNSEND: Thank you, Tony.

HARRIS: John, good to see you. Good information. Thank you, sir.

TOWNSEND: Thank you.

HARRIS: And we'll will keep our eyes peeled on rising gas prices all day. And we'll talk to a pawn shop worker who says business is booming thanks to high gas prices a little later this hour.

Americans have long had a love affair with their vehicles. Now there's a love triangle. China's the new suitor. Millions more drivers, plus millions more cars equal an uncertain future for oil.

CNN's Candy Crowley with a story that first ran on "ANDERSON COOPER 360."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Holy gas pains, America, $3.19 for regular in Los Angeles and in Chicago.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it sucks.

CROWLEY: Ever wonder how it came to this?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it's because of shortage of oil.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I know that the world situation is tenuous and that the oil companies will take advantage of any opportunity to stick it to us.

CROWLEY: Kind of. But think economics 101. Think supply and demand.

PHIL FLYNN, VICE PRESIDENT/ENERGY ANALYST/GENERAL MARKET ANALYST, ALARON TRADING: This has been a story of incredible demand growth in China. And -- and what people are starting to realize, that, if you look at the upside potential for China demand over the next 10 to 20 years, there's not going to be enough oil left for anybody else.

CROWLEY: Meet the leaders of the two biggest oil-consuming countries on the planet, the People's Republic of China, the United States of America.

BUSH: China is home to an ancient civilization, and it is helping to shape the modern world.

CROWLEY: It's not just about pandas anymore. This is no longer Ronald Reagan's China. No longer a waking giant, China is a walking giant, powering through the days on an economy growing by as much as 10 percent a year. And, increasingly, China is a speeding giant, dumping bicycles for cars, 10 million privately owned cars, and 75 million more Chinese are expected to buy a car in the next 15 years.

They're going to need a lot more gas. Overall, energy needs are expected to more than double by 2020. Where in the world does China get all that supply? Same place the U.S. does, and elsewhere.

JEFFREY BADER, DIRECTOR, BROOKINGS INSTITUTION CHINA INITIATIVE: Well, they're getting 10 or 11 percent of their oil from Iran. So, it's going to be a -- kind of a push-pull with China on Iran.

CROWLEY: The United States thinks China, having used the global marketplace to prosper, needs to step up to the plate and help solve global problems -- case in point, Iran, where the Bush administration thinks China has been pulling punches on Iran's quest for nuclear weapons, because China wants to protect a key oil supply line.

And while the subject came up at the White House, it appears the U.S. got Milquetoast.

HU JINTAO, CHINESE PRESIDENT (through translator): Both sides agree to continue their efforts to facilitate the six-party talks to seek proper solution to the Korean nuclear issue. And both sides agree to continue their efforts to seek a peaceful resolution of the Iranian nuclear issue.

CROWLEY: The reality is, the U.S. no longer has the world playing field or the world oil supplies to itself. China, once an insular, isolated country, has long since thrown open its bamboo curtain, posing problems and offering possibilities.

Candy Crowley, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: Still ahead, what causes 80 percent of car crashes? Here's a hint: you probably do it every time you get behind the wheel. The answer straight ahead on CNN LIVE TODAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: And a developing story we're watching out of the Houston area.

Chad Myers, take a look at this -- this video with me here. This is a school where portions of the roof were torn away by a line of storms, large hail it says here, damaging winds. This is southeast Texas and Meyer Elementary School.

Now, we were certainly aware of the storms that rolled through Atlanta last night, but what's going on in Texas right now?

(WEATHER REPORT)

HARRIS: Well, recently, Delta Airlines slashed salaries and cut jobs. Now, the financially-strapped airline wants more. "The St. Petersburg Times" reports Delta is asking employees to pull extra shifts and clean airplanes at night, no pay. It's all voluntary.

Workers get a T-shirt for the effort. A T-shirt. And as Delta puts it, a chance to demonstrate pride in the company.

We'll keep tabs on how that's working out.

Another company is feeling the heat from its customers. Susan Lisovicz has the story from New York and how it might affect you -- Susan.

SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN FINANCIAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Tony.

And that metaphor about feeling the heat is appropriate, because it involves the company DuPont, which makes Teflon. And we all know what Teflon is, that popular nonstick cookware. It's found in just about every kitchen.

Well, there's a lot of owners of Teflon that are very upset about it, and there could be a class-action suit. That's what they're trying to do. Owners of Teflon are in 15 states working to combine their individual lawsuits in a class-action suit against DuPont. The lawsuits claim DuPont failed to let the public know about possible health risks from Teflon.

They cite DuPont's own studies which show the material could become toxic if heated to a certain level, enough, for instance, to fry an egg. If the cases do get certified as a class-action suit, DuPont might face liabilities of to $5 billion. So, that's a lot of money...

HARRIS: Man.

LISOVICZ: ... even for a company as big as DuPont -- Tony.

HARRIS: Hey, Susan, was -- has anyone been injuried?

LISOVICZ: You know, it's an interesting question, and it's an interesting strategy that the company has taken. We don't know if anyone's been injuried. That's actually not how the plaintiffs are proceeding in this case. Instead, what they're going after is DuPont's failure to notify the public about the potential health risks.

Studies show that acids used to make Teflon release toxic particulars when heated to 464 degrees, and at 680 degrees, they can cause cancer. The culprit is an acid that the EPA has labeled as a carcinogen. But interestingly enough, the EPA is not recommending that people stop using Teflon products.

A year ago, we did tell you how DuPont paid the EPA about $16.5 million because of its failure to notify. But that is all. I mean, you can use Teflon right now. The EPA is not recommending that you get rid of it.

HARRIS: Yes, it's interesting.

Susan, how about the markets?

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

LISOVICZ: For now, Tony, back to you.

HARRIS: OK. Susan, thank you.

Still ahead, a story you have to see to believe. So here it is. A racehorse falls and rolls right over the rider. We'll tell you what happened to the jockey and his horse next, coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Man, take a look at this. A horse falls to the ground during a race in Kentucky, then rolls right over the jockey. Well, the jockey was rushed to the hospital, where amazingly he is in stable condition today. Unfortunately, the horse didn't fare as well. He fractured a leg in the accident and had to be put to sleep. Well, we know we're supposed to keep our eyes on the road when we drive, but who hasn't fiddled with the radio or a cell phone? These everyday distractions can be dangerous, even deadly.

Kathleen Koch with this report from "PAULA ZAHN NOW."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's become such a part of daily driving that Americans don't even try to hide their bad habits behind the wheel.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I use my cell phone, I'll read, I'll do crossword puzzles.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One hand on the wheel, one hand looking down, dialing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When they start screaming, you know, if you're driving down the highway, you've got to do something for them.

KOCH: But new research has found nearly 80 percent of crashes involve just such types of distracted driving, within three seconds before the incident.

CHARLIE KLAUER, VIRGINIA TECH TRANS. INST.: Most of the studies that have been done in the past, nearly all of them, deal with just looking at how driving behavior or how different types of distractions actually degrades driving performance. This is the first study that actually links those types of behaviors to crashes and near crashes.

KOCH: It was a mammoth study. One hundred cars packed with cameras and sensors, driven by 241 people in the Washington, D.C. area for more than a year. They knew the cameras were there, but it didn't take long to slip back into some bad habits.

Researchers caught one driver on a cell phone nearly striking a child on a tricycle. Another driver putting in a CD almost loses control of his car. Later this same man, very drowsy, runs off the road.

In another case, the driver looks down at something in the car, swerves to miss the vehicle in front of her that stops, and then hits a telephone pole.

All together, the cameras captured 82 crashes and more than 8,000 close calls.

And for the first time, researchers were able to tell which bad habits were the riskiest. They found reaching for a moving object increases the risk of a crash by a factor of nine. Drowsiness by four. Reading or applying makeup by three times, and dialing a handheld device like a cell phone by nearly three times.

(on camera): The most common distraction, not surprisingly, was the cell phone. Researchers found the identical number of crashes were caused whether dialing, talking or listening.

(voice-over): Study results will be used to design better collision-avoidance warning systems and make stereos, navigation systems and other interior features more driver friendly.

KLAUER: We need better design of these types of technologies so that drivers can keep their eyes forward on the roadway much more than they are able to now.

KOCH: Researchers hope proving a direct link between bad behavior behind the wheel and crashes might persuade drivers to change their ways. Others believe drivers have to be forced to behave by more laws banning distractions like cell phones.

Kathleen Koch, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: Well, researchers found the most easily distracted drivers were 18 to 20-year-olds, four times more likely to have a distraction accident than older drivers.

Watch "PAULA ZAHN NOW" weeknights at 8:00 p.m. Eastern, 5:00 Pacific.

This just in to us from The Associated Press. Former NBA star Jason Williams appears headed back to court. A New Jersey appeals panel has cleared the way for Williams to be tried on a reckless manslaughter charge.

Williams has been free on bail since a 2004 conviction. That was for covering up the shooting death of a hired driver at Williams' home. The 2004 jury acquitted Williams of three other charges in the case.

And that story has just been confirmed by us here at CNN.

Murder in the Catholic church. A priest is on trial for allegedly killing a nun. Reverend Gerald Robinson has pleaded not guilty to strangling and stabbing Sister Margaret Ann Pahl in what some describe as a ritualistic killing. The case dates back to Easter weekend, more than a century ago.

CNN's Keith Oppenheim has details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KEITH OPPENHEIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Father Gerald Robinson was a popular priest who spoke Polish. In Toledo's Catholic community, few would have suspected him of murder.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just can not believe it. I just won't. Unless I hear it from him, I won't believe it.

OPPENHEIM: Twenty-six years ago this month, a 71-year-old nun was found murdered in the chapel of Toledo's Mercy Hospital. Sister Margaret Ann Pahl was strangled and stabbed more than 30 times on the neck and chest. At the time, Father Robinson was the hospital chaplain. He was questioned, but never charged.

Dave Davison, a former Toledo police officer, was among the first to arrive at the crime scene.

DAVE DAVISON, FMR. TOLEDO POLICE OFFICER: The story I heard was that he had cut short Good Friday services here, and that she confronted him on it, and said don't do it for Easter services. Don't cut it short. Next thing you know, she is dead.

OPPENHEIM: Some investigators believe it was a ritual killing, and that her wounds were in the shape of a cross.

SGT. STEVE FORRESTER, DETECTIVE, TOLEDO POLICE: We have some evidence now that we believe indicates that some type of ceremony took place.

OPPENHEIM: Twenty-four years later, an unrelated investigation into the diocese, led detectives back to the Sister Pahl murder case. In April 2004, Robinson was arrested and charged with murder. The difference this time, a sketch artist noticed something previously overlooked.

DAVID YONKE, REPORTER, "TOLEDO BLADE": He recognized that there was a pattern in the -- on the altar cloth left in blood by what was the weapon that stabbed her, which was a letter opener.

OPPENHEIM: Prosecutors believe the weapon was a dagger-shaped letter opener, and say the priest has admitted it was his, but denies killing the nun.

The case against Robinson is based largely on old circumstantial evidence.

JACK SPARAGOWSKI, FATHER ROBINSON SUPPORTER: And the facts just aren't there to, at least in my mind, to get a conviction here.

OPPENHEIM: A spokesperson for the diocese wouldn't talk about the case, but as the trial begins, the question is, in a heavily Catholic community, could a jury convict a priest for a murder that happened 26 years ago?

(on camera): Later today, the jury is expected to take a field trip and go to the hospital chapel where Sister Margaret Ann Pahl was murdered.

Keith Oppenheim, CNN, Toledo .

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: Attention must be paid. Students rally on behalf of the young man killed at a Florida boot camp. We're live with the story next.

Stay with us. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: The sit-in is over and the protest heads to the streets. This morning, Florida college students and two well-known activists are rallying in Tallahassee. They're protesting the state's handling of a teenager's death at a juvenile boot camp. The 14-year-old died after a surveillance camera captured guard kicking and beating him.

CNN's Susan Candiotti joins us from our Miami bureau.

Susan, good morning to you.

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Tony.

As you said, while the state of Florida is still trying to get to the bottom of exactly what happened in that boot camp death to 14- year-old Martin Anderson, a rally this day to try to keep the pressure on investigators. You saw a little bit of those pictures moments ago. Here's some more of that. Hundreds of students, led by the Reverend Jesse Jackson and the Reverend Al Sharpton, march on the Capitol of Tallahassee, joined by the parents of 14-year-old Martin Anderson.

During the past few days, many of these same people, or some of them anyway, staged a sit-in at the governor's office, demanding action. You will recall that Martin Anderson died January 6th. It was the day after his first day at a sheriff's boot camp in the Pensacola area. The boy had trouble running over the course of a half an hour, and during that time, as seen on the surveillance period, he kept falling down and guards are also seen surrounding him, striking him, giving him the knee at various points to keep him going.

Finally, finally someone in the group calls for medical help. Since then, there have been two autopsies, one saying that the teen died of natural causes, and blames sickle cell trait as the root cause. The family has been alleging a cover-up, and they want arrests. Governor Jeb Bush has ordered, already has taken place, a second autopsy by now, and a special prosecutor has taken over the investigation at the governor's demand. Already that prosecutor has said that Martin Anderson did not die of natural causes. However, everyone is still waiting for the full results.

And in the meantime, Tony, in the middle of all of this, just last night, the head of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement tendered his resignation to Governor Bush.

During an agency-head meeting yesterday, according "The Miami Herald" Gun Tunnel, the head of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, compared Reverend Jesse Jackson to Jesse James, and Illinois Barack Obama to Osama bin Laden. So far, the head of that police agency has not commented on his alleged off-color marks. However, the governor did accept his resignation last night -- Tony.

HARRIS: Boy. All right, Susan let me mention a name to you, and you connect his significance to this case -- Lieutenant Charles Helm.

CANDIOTTI: Yes, he is one of the boot camp guards that was involved in the incident. He, along with some others, are now out of work because the boot camp was closed down after this happened. He is now unemployed. We spoke to an attorney for him to try to get more insight, to get his side of the story. And we got a statement from his lawyer, this is his lawyer talking. His name is Waylon Graham, and he says of his client, quote, "He's real concerned. There seems to be this frenzy with a certain group of people who are trying to whip politicians into a frenzy to get them to arrest somebody. You want these medical examiners and doctors to do a good job and not be rushed or pressured by the politicians to reach findings that please the politicians."

So there is some evidence now from some of the guards anyway that they're saying that they thought the boy was faking it, and that's why they held off on getting him medical help.

But, Tony, before we go too, we wanted to give you some insight as to what the Reverend Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton had to say during that rally.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AL SHARPTON, CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST: If we had not brought attention to the issue, no one would have done anything. Supposed if there had not been some response, some marching, some agitation, we would have never found out it wasn't sickle cell. So if no one raises the issue, no one investigates the issue, no one looks into the issue.

REV. JESSE JACKSON, RAINBOW/PUSH COALITION: We saw on television this young man being beaten to death. And then they lied and said he died from sickle cell trait. I have sickle cell trait. You don't die from sickle cell.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CANDIOTTI: So again, Tony, there is still this investigation going on. We still do not have the results of the second autopsy. However, the state attorney says he is looking into everything, but no results as yet.

HARRIS: CNN's Susan Candiotti for us from our Miami bureau. Susan, thank you.

Desperate times call for desperate measures, and with gas prices shooting through the roof, folks are feeling the pinch. In some parts of the country, gas is three bucks or more for a gallon of unleaded regular. And we're hearing that folks are pawning their stuff for gas money.

Joining us by phone now from the Casa View Pawn Shop in Dallas, Texas is Mary Rodriguez.

Mary, good to talk to you.

MARY RODRIGUEZ, CASA VIEW PAWN SHOP: How are you doing?

HARRIS: Well, thank you, Mary. What's the most expensive item that someone has brought in to pawn so far for money for gas?

RODRIGUEZ: Rolex watches and diamond rings, fur coats. You know, with the older generation, they have their real nice stuff, and they bring that in, and, I mean, we're seeing a little bit of everything.

HARRIS: Are we talking about -- you mentioned older folks, that's not your normal clientele?

RODRIGUEZ: No. No, our normal clientele is 18, between 18 and 45. Now we're getting people into the 60s, 70s, and even in the 80s that are having to come in and pawn stuff for gas.

HARRIS: You know what, Mary, that would seem to suggest that people are coming in now who might be on a fixed income. Does that ring true?

RODRIGUEZ: That's exactly what's happening, yes. That's exactly what we're seeing is they're coming in and they're saying, we'll pick up our stuff at the end of the month -- or the beginning of the month when we get our check, and they're having to pawn just to get gas until the end of the month.

HARRIS: I mean, that sounds particularly sad, doesn't it?

RODRIGUEZ: Yes, it does. It's sad. And then we're also getting people coming in and they're looking for bicycles, and motor scooters and things like that.

HARRIS: Oh, boy.

What did you pay -- the last time you filled up, what did you pay for -- I guess it's unleaded. What did you pay?

RODRIGUEZ: I paid 40 bucks.

HARRIS: You paid 40 bucks?

RODRIGUEZ: Yes.

HARRIS: And how much per gallon?

RODRIGUEZ: At $2.99 per gallon. And I didn't even fill up.

HARRIS: And you didn't fill up.

RODRIGUEZ: You can't even -- you can't afford to fill up. You have to get what you have.

HARRIS: Are you experiencing in that area any shortages, any outages?

RODRIGUEZ: I've seen a lot of lines. I've seen lines, and I've seen just people that come in and they say that they're going to buy a bus card. They're going to ride the bus.

HARRIS: Hey, Mary, let me ask you something. Just remind me again of how a pawn shop works. I bring you something in and...

RODRIGUEZ: Well, that's the nice thing about a pawn shop, is if you want it back, you don't have to sell it. You can bring it in and you've got two months. You come in and pay your interest once a month, or you come in and you -- at the end of the two months, and you pick it up. Or if you want to pay once a month for however long you need to, you can.

HARRIS: Do you think this is just the beginning? Do you think you're going to see more of this kind of activity?

RODRIGUEZ: Within the last three months, I've seen more of the older generation coming in, and usually you just don't see that. But yes, I do think it's going to stay like that if the gas price keep going up. People are not going to be able to afford to drive their SUVs, their larger trucks and their larger vehicles.

HARRIS: Mary, we appreciate it. Thanks for your time.

RODRIGUEZ: You're very welcome.

HARRIS: And now a potty to be proud of. Wendell's Restaurant outside of Columbus, Ohio has won a best bathroom contest. And with good reason. Besides being clean, online voters say Wendell's highly coveted commodes are always stocked with plenty of towels, soap and mouthwash. What's the payoff? The restaurant win a plaque, and prize it probably doesn't really need, a month's worth of restroom cleaning.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta is keeping an eye on your waistline after the break. That wasn't a clever way to segue that, was there?

We'll be right back.

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HARRIS: The CDC says 16 percent of children and teens between 16 to 19 are considered overweight. That's more than nine million. It is a trend that one woman in Austin, Texas is trying to change by getting kids moving, in a marathon way.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SR. MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It wasn't an Olympic ceremonies, but for these medal recipients, it was just as inspiring. Some kids ran, some walked. Fast kids, slow kids, overweight kids, disabled and blind kids. All of these kids completed a 26.2-mile marathon, not in one day, but over a period of six months. All of these marathon kids were gold medalists.

DR. EDUARDO SANCHEZ, TEXAS DEPT. OF HEALTH SERVICES: I congratulate each one of you kids for running, walking 26.2 miles, for eating those fruits and vegetables. GUPTA: Founder Kay Morris said the idea is to have young kids embrace health and finance in their everyday lives.

KAY MORRIS, EVENT FOUNDER: Our mission is to move kids who are at risk of being sedentary, and we do already recognize that a lot of children are just not out there moving around as much as they used to, so this gives them a vehicle that really resonates with them and with their families. And we're trying to build a habit.

GUPTA: Kay held the first event 10 years ago with about 10,000 kids in Austin, Texas, led by the man who went on to win seven Tour De Frances, Lance Armstrong.

Today. some 100,000 kids across Texas and the United States have registered to be marathon kids.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We used to eat, like, white breads and unhealthy cereals, but now we're eating, like, really healthy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When I'm not in school, sometimes we go to the track. And when I'm on the playground at school, then sometimes I run around there a lot.

GUPTA: And for Jeff Tucker, being a marathon kid's dad had fringe benefits.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I started being active a little at a time, adding to it, making -- changing my food from less healthy to more healthy. And to this day, I've lost 88 pounds in about six months.

I feel like now I can really teach from my heart because in the past, I've asked kids to do a lot of things, and looking at me it was evident I was not practicing what I was preaching.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Awesome job, guys! What a strong finish. Way to go!

GUPTA: Every marathon kid is winner.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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HARRIS: God save the queen, that's the resounding theme across Britain has their beloved Queen Elizabeth II turns 80. The birthday girl was decked out in royal red as she celebrated this morning with a walkabout at Windsor. She greeted her loyal subjects, who turned out by the thousands, bearing flags, and flowers and carrying cards galore. During her reign, there have been 11 U.S. presidents and 10 British prime ministers. Queen Elizabeth has gone on more than 256 official overseas visits to 129 different countries. She is patron to 620 charities and organizations, and has gathered nearly 388,000 honors and awards. After that, 78,000 Christmas puddings given out by the queen. Our Paula Newton take a look at Elizabeth II's reign.

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PAULA NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): To be a modern monarch means wielding influence not through power, but popularity. Queen Elizabeth II has always known that, even if she hasn't lived her life by it.

MARY FRANCIS, FMR. DEP. PRIVATE SECY.: I'm not sure that the queen will spend a lot of time reflecting. She's a very brisk and practical person, but she wouldn't be human if she didn't look back and feel a great sense of satisfaction.

NEWTON: Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, known as "Lillibet" to friends, was born April 21, 1926. But it was only a decade later that she knew she was truly destined to lead an empire. It was a fluke of history, really, the work of scandal. Her Uncle Edward abdicated so he could marry Wallace Simpson, the divorced American woman who was the love of his life, but a spoiler to the throne.

Elizabeth's father became king. She was the accidental heir, and it entrenched in her a sense of duty. She's been through 11 presidents and counting, shared a favorite pastimes with them.

But there is an intensely private side to this grandmother and mother. By most accounts, a devoted parent who can only now savor some stability in her family.

Paul McCartney toasted her 50 years on the throne with those family words...

(SINGING)

NEWTON: Her children tested that anthem. Three of her four children divorced, one most famously.

And then there was the car crash. Through all of that grief, the queen learned a tough lesson, one her deceased daughter-in-law understood so well. She is queen to a people. What they think truly matters. As if to punctuate that point, she bowed to Princess Diana's coffin.

Now on her birthday, many of her royal subjects will sing "God Save the Queen" and truly mean it. Polls show almost 70 percent of Britons want her to serve until the day she dies.

She is unlike any woman on earth, and at 80, the verdict on her life is in: Queen Elizabeth II isn't just admired, she is loved.

Paula Newton, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: And still ahead on CNN LIVE TODAY, find out how to get free drinks. That's next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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HARRIS: I'm Tony Harris at the CNN Center in Atlanta. International news up next. Stay tuned to "YOUR WORLD TODAY" and I'll be back with the latest headlines from the U.S. in about 20 minutes.

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