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Moussaoui Gets Life; Was It Worth It?; Inside "Supermax"; Border Battle; 9/11 Relatives Respond to Trial Sentence

Aired May 04, 2006 - 10:00   ET

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

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We'll go ahead and get started.
At this hour in a Virginia courtroom, the final act in a four and a half year legal drama. Formal sentencing for admitted al Qaeda conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui gets underway in Alexandria, Virginia. Moussaoui will be locked away for life, but he avoids the death penalty. Some relatives of 9/11 victims say they're satisfied, others are outraged.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALEXANDER SANTORA, LOST SON ON 9/11: He's going to have the best life he ever had. He's got three square meals a day. He's got a clean room. He'll be exercised every day. How great is this? He was probably living in some hobble somewhere. So, you know, we bend over backwards to show the world that we are very compassionate. And you know something, this man doesn't deserve any compassion whatsoever. It would have been a lot easier for 28 cents or 30 cents to buy a round and place it right in his brain. That would have been very simple. We would have saved million upon millions of dollars.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Al Santora lost his son on 9/11. He was a firefighter.

Moussaoui taunted the court throughout the trial. He'll get one last chance to speak today. More on the trial and the outcome from justice correspondent Kelli Arena.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KELLI ARENA, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): On his way out of the courtroom, Zacarias Moussaoui yelled, "America, you lost." Defiant until the end, he never expressed any remorse for 9/11. Still, the jury decide Moussaoui will not be executed. The 37-year- old is expected to spend the rest of his life in a maximum security prison. Carie Lemack lost her mother on September 11th.

CARIE LEMACK, 9/11 FAMILY MEMBER: He's an al Qaeda wannabe and he does not deserve any credit for 9/11 because he was not part of it and I am so glad the jury recognized that.

ARENA: Other 9/11 family members were disappointed.

MARGARET POTHIER, 9/11 FAMILY MEMBER: I think he deserved the death penalty and I'm sorry he didn't get it. ARENA: We know from the verdict form that three jurors believed Moussaoui's role in the 9/11 conspiracy was minor and that he had limited knowledge of the attack plan. The jury rejected the government's claim that Moussaoui's actions resulted in nearly 3,000 deaths on September 11th.

PAUL MCNULTY, DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL: We respect that and we accept that, but accountability for the crimes committed has been achieved through the prosecution. There's no doubt about that.

ARENA: No jurors were swayed by the notion that executing Moussaoui would make him a martyr for al Qaeda. They also weren't convinced he was mentally ill. Although the majority accepted the defense's argument Moussaoui came from a dysfunctional family with a violent father.

EDWARD MACMAHON, MOUSSAOUI'S DEFENSE ATTORNEY: The court charged us with defending Mr. Moussaoui's constitutional rights and we have done so to the best of our abilities.

ARENA: Even though the four and a half year legal drama did not end with a death sentence, President Bush defended the outcome.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: And they spared his life which is something that he evidently wasn't willing to do for innocent American citizens.

ARENA: Kelli Arena, CNN, Alexandria, Virginia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: Three of the Moussaoui jurors say his role in the September 11th attacks was minor. What about others who are in U.S. custody? They're accused of direct involvement. Khalid Shaikh Mohammed was considered al Qaeda's number three and a key 9/11 planner. He was arrested in Pakistan in March of 2003.

Also being held, Ramzi Bin al Shibh. He is said to be a coordinator of the plot and part of an al Qaeda cell in Hamburg, Germany. No word on when or if either will be tried.

Joining me now, criminal defense attorney Stanley Cohen who is well-known for, among other things, defending the political head of Hamas. And in Charlottesville, Virginia, a former federal prosecutor, Timothy Heaphy.

Gentlemen, good morning.

STANLEY COHEN, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Good morning.

TIMOTHY HEAPHY, FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR: Good morning, Daryn.

KAGAN: First of all, question to both of you, and Tim, we'll start with you. Did the system work or was this a big waste of money?

HEAPHY: No, the system absolutely worked, Daryn. I don't think it was a waste of money at all. Trials are cathartic and I think the victims needed this. I think America in some ways need this.

We had a chance to hear a lot about what happened before 9/11. The victim's had a chance to talk about the extent of their loss. That, in and of itself, is a value that was very significant. And this man who had some role, however peripheral, is going to spend the rest of his life in prison. That's sweet justice for these victims.

KAGAN: Stanley, what about you? Once Moussaoui pleads guilty, couldn't they have just gone ahead and given him life in prison and not gone through this part of the trial?

COHEN: Well, the process is designed to be difficult, to set up roadblocks. It's as your other guest indicated, it's sort of a cathartic process for people. The government had an obligation. The jury has spoken. It is costly. It is time-consuming. It's not easy, but that's the way it's supposed to be. That's what the system of justice is about when the government seeks to execute someone for crimes.

KAGAN: By the way, were either one of you surprised with the verdict?

COHEN: I was . . .

HEAPHY: (INAUDIBLE). I'm sorry, Stanley, go ahead.

COHEN: Yes, I was shocked. And the reason why I say I was shock was I guess I have become too cynical over the last four to five years. I was pleasantly surprised to see that a jury in the most conservative district, in the most conservative circuit could get beyond the anger and the fear and the need for reprisals in their mind.

KAGAN: You know you say that, but there have been six defendants facing the death penalty in this very courthouse since 1998 and none has received the death penalty.

HEAPHY: And that's actually fairly consistent nationwide, Daryn. It's extremely difficult for people to impose that kind of ultimate judgment on other people. We see it again and again, particularly in federal court. It is extremely personal for jurors, no matter how heinous the crime or how awful the person. It is a huge hurdle to climb and therefore I'm never surprised.

KAGAN: Harder at the federal level than at the state level?

HEAPHY: I think in harder at the federal level than in some states, yes. There are a number of different findings that the jury has to make under the federal Death Penalty Act. The jury instructions, the standards that are applied are extremely weighted towards finding of life without parole, and that's as it should be given how ultimate the punishment is.

KAGAN: Let's talk about these bigger fish. Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and Ramzi Bin al Shibh. Their off somewhere. The government has them probably in a military prison. Do you think that they will ever see a civilian court like Moussaoui did?

COHEN: No. Look, both of them, my understanding is, are cooperating with the government. You know the government has strange bedfellows all the time. And one sure way to save your life, one sure way to get some dispensation no matter how heinous the crime may be attributed to you, is to cooperate. Once you begin to cooperate with the United States government and prosecutions and investigations, whether you're telling the truth or not, often unfortunately the case, the likelihood of going to trial, the likelihood of being prosecuted I think for 9/11 or any other al Qaeda activity attributed to them is probably nonexistent at this point.

KAGAN: Tim, what do you think? Ever one of them ever see a civilian court?

HEAPHY: Well, Daryn, the government fought very hard during the lead-up to the Moussaoui trial to prevent Mr. Moussaoui from having access to Shaikh Mohammed to prevent the information that he's provided from coming out. That suggests to me, as Stan said, that he is cooperating. That there are operations going on based on that information that he's provided. A trial and a prosecution of him would jeopardize a lot of that. Maybe some day, but I don't think any time soon he's going to see an American courtroom.

KAGAN: Stanley Cohen, Tim Heaphy, thanks for your time, gentlemen.

COHEN: Thank you.

HEAPHY: Thank you, Daryn.

KAGAN: Good to talk to you.

Let's talk a little bit about what is ahead for Zacarias Moussaoui, life in prison. And we're not just talking any prison. Moussaoui is expected to serve his sentence at the facility known as Supermax. The prison has housed some of the country's most notorious criminals. A look inside from CNN's Carol Costello.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): It's called Supermax, the Federal Administrative Maximum Security Prison located in Florence, Colorado, some 90 miles south of Denver. But it's by no means a mountain vacation. It's often called the Alcatraz of the Rockies.

There, the constant is cold, hard, isolation. Inmates are kept in solitary confinement 23 hours a day in sound-proof 12 foot by 7 foot cells with one window just four inches wide. For one hour a day, they're able to walk in a small walled, heavily guarded yard with no views of the mountains nearby and no interaction with other inmates.

And those inmates at Supermax are often called the worst of the worst. Among them, Olympic park bomber Eric Robert Rudolph, shoe bomber Richard Reid, unabomber Ted Kaczynski, Oklahoma City bombing accomplice Terry Nichols, mastermind of the first World Trade Center bombing Ramzi Yousef. And before he was executed, Oklahoma City bomber Tim McVeigh. Yes, there's plenty of company at Supermax, but their constant companion is confinement.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: The Colorado prison opened in 1994. It was the first of the so-called Supermax facilities. And as we mentioned, Moussaoui's formal sentencing taking place right now in this Alexandria, Virginia, courthouse. When it concludes, we'll hear more from our Kelli Arena who's inside the courtroom. Also we expect to hear from relatives on what they think on this final sentence. More on that just ahead.

Meanwhile, he is accused of soliciting sex from a teenager on the Internet.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This guy is a criminal. We hope to see him in the Florida state prison system for a very long time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: He worked at Homeland Security. This morning he's in court. The case and the suspect in a live report.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHERIFF JOE ARPAIO, MARICOPA COUNTY, ARIZONA: I could very easily turn these people over to immigration. They get a free ride back to Mexico. Right now they're getting a free ride to the jail.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: And an Arizona sheriff talks tough on illegal immigration. The lawman and the lawbreakers. You're watching CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: A chance to rethink this one in Mexico. And on second thought, small amounts of marijuana, cocaine and heroin will not be legal in Mexico after all. It looks like Mexico's president, Vicente Fox, has bowed to U.S. pressure. He says he won't approve a bill that would have decriminalize possession for scant quantities of the drugs. U.S. politicians are applauding the change of heart. It came just a day after a spokesman vowed Mr. Fox would sign the bill. Critics say the legislation would have created drug tourism from the U.S.

The old west with a new twist. A tough-talking sheriff has rustled up what he calls his posse patrol. The gang keeps watch on the boarder and rounds up illegal immigrants. Peter Viles investigated for "Lou Dobbs Tonight."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PETER VILES, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): A perp walk you won't see anywhere else, illegal aliens arrested for allegedly agreeing to be smuggled into America and making the mistake of passing through Maricopa County, Arizona.

SHERIFF JOE ARPAIO, MARICOPA COUNTY, ARIZONA: I'm trying to get a message out to all the illegals from Mexico to stay out of this county.

VILES: Maverick Sherif Joe Arpaio (ph) believes Arizona's new anti-smuggling law applies not just to coyotes but to the illegal aliens they transport.

ARPAIO: It's interpreted by the county attorney that those that are in conspiracy with a smuggler can also be locked up. I'm the only law enforcement agency doing it.

VILES: And doing it his way, using some of his vast posse of 3,000 volunteers to patrol the desert. This volunteer helped round up nine illegals and two alleged smugglers Tuesday morning.

ANDREW RAMSAMMY, VOLUNTEER: When you get a phone call at 4:00 in the morning from the sheriff, you respond.

VILES: Arpaio's deputies have jailed 120 illegals this year and this sheriff does not believe in catch and release.

ARPAIO: It's a felony, one and a half years to three years in prison if convicted. So it's not a misdemeanor. I could very easily turn these people over to immigration, they get a free ride back to Mexico. Right now they're getting a free ride to the jail.

VILES: Jail space is not a problem. Arpaio is the sheriff who built a tent city of jail cells.

ARPAIO: The message has to be loud and clear. We're not taking it anymore. You enter this country illegally, you're going to be arrested, you're going to be deported.

VILES: It's likely, though, the county will face a legal challenge in its use of its new law. At the state level, it is being used only to target the smugglers.

The sheriff bristled at the suggestion his posse is somehow similar to the Minutemen, saying his volunteer posse undergoes extensive professional training and is sworn in under the Arizona state constitution.

Peter Viles for CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: We're going to hear more of what Sheriff Arpaio has to say. He will be my guest right here on CNN in the next hour.

For a look at all sides of the boarder debate, you can watch "Lou Dobbs Tonight" every weeknight at 6:00 Eastern here on CNN.

It's always exciting when your doctor shares this kind of baby news.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I went to the doctor when I found out I was pregnant and I was only supposed to have one. And then when I went back to the doctor for another ultrasound they told me it was twins.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Hold on mom. That's not all. You're taking triplets home. Triplets to your triplets. LIVE TODAY deals a full house just ahead.

And Gerri Willis is always in the house for us on a day like today.

Ger, you're helping us talk about how you might save on gas again.

GERRI WILLIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. You know, and I got the white v-neck memo, obviously. We're dressed exactly alike today.

Gas rebate cards. We're going to show you how to save more money on gas. That's coming up. "Five Tips" will be next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: This just in to CNN from Alexandria, Virginia. The Associated Press reporting that al Qaeda conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui has now been formally sentenced to life in prison for his role in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. He had possibly been facing the death penalty, but yesterday a federal jury decided that instead Zacarias Moussaoui will spend the rest of his life in jail. The judge today performing that formal sentencing. We'll hear from our Kelli Arena very soon who was inside that courthouse. Also we expect to hear from family members who lost loved ones on 9/11.

Meanwhile, let's go ahead and check the markets. They've been opened about 50 minutes. A little movement there. The Dow, you can see, is up about 53 points. The Nasdaq is moving as well. It is up 17 points.

On to soaring gas prices making all of us wince a little bit at the pump. But one cost-saving tool could be as close as your back pocket. Our Personal Finance Editor Gerri Willis offers her "Top Five Tips." She is talking gas rebate cards today and if it's a match for you.

Good morning, Ger.

WILLIS: Hey, good morning, Daryn. Good to see you.

You know these gas rebate cards can really give you some significant savings. Now if you have a credit score over 720, and that's a really good score, and you fill up your gas tank at least twice a month, gas rebate cards can be a real value. They give you a 3 percent to 5 percent rebate on your fill-up. Now that means if you spend $40 a week filling up your tank, you'll save about $2 a fill-up and that, Daryn, is over $100 savings per year.

KAGAN: But there are two different types of gas rebate cards. So how do you know which one to choose?

WILLIS: Indeed there are. There are the general credit cards that offer gas rebates and then there are the cards offered by specific oil companies that give you rebates for purchases at specific gas stations. Now, you are better off going with a card offered by a credit card company since you'll have more flexibility where you get your gas and you won't be limited when you're shopping around.

KAGAN: But what about those interest rates?

WILLIS: You know, the interest rates can be high. Interest rates on these cards are higher than the average card. And the average card about 14 percent. But rates on these cards could be as high as 23 percent depending on your credit history. So it's really important that you reap the benefits of the gas card the right way and that's by paying off your balance in full each month. Don't carry over a balance. That's a bad idea. Also make sure that you're not paying an annual fee as well. That will keep your cost for the card down.

KAGAN: What about the fine print?

WILLIS: Absolutely got to read it. You still want to comb through the details of the gas card. First of all, make sure you get the exact rebate limits. In most cases, your rebate is limited to $300 to $600. And to get the full rebate amount, most of these cards require you go to a standalone station. Now that's a station whose primary function is selling gas. Sometimes your rebate will only be valid if you pay at the pump, not inside. And half the time your rebate won't automatically go to your account, so you'll have to contact the issuer to redeem your rebate and, in some cases, you only have six months to a year to get that rebate.

KAGAN: So how do you do a little comparison shopping here?

WILLIS: Absolutely. Companies are sending out 14 million pieces of mail for offers on these oil and gas cards. Remember, as a consumer, you're the prize here. It costs them $100 to $150 to get new customers. So don't just pick a solicitation out of the mail, because you're probably getting a lot of them. Do some comparison shopping. A couple of great websites to go to here, cardratings.com or creditcardguide.com. And finally, take advantage of the competition and negotiate. You may not get a larger rebate, but you can get other concessions like a lower interest rate and that's definitely worth thinking about.

KAGAN: Meanwhile, it's Thursday. I can't believe it's Thursday all ready.

WILLIS: I know. KAGAN: Makes me wonder what's coming up on "Open House" this weekend.

WILLIS: 9:30 a.m. Eastern, Saturday morning, "Open House," we'll be talking about great ways to save on gas, including gas cards, but also other out-of-the-box home energy tips. We're going to talk about the bubble. We're going to debunk it a little bit. And then we are searching for the perfect paint color for your house. Daryn, I don't know if you've ever done this search, but it can be a nightmare trying to find the perfect color. You can make a big mistake. We'll show you some really great ways to do that intelligently and save some money as well.

KAGAN: Very good. Gerri Willis, we'll see you this weekend. Thank you, Gerri.

WILLIS: Thank you.

KAGAN: Other news that we were -- our top story today comes out of Alexandria, Virginia, and that has to do with al Qaeda conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui. He has now been formally sentenced. This took place in the courthouse today. He will be facing life in prison -- never to see the light of day again. Meanwhile, our Kelli Arena just out of the courthouse and she joins us now live from Alexandria.

Kelli, he had a chance -- he wasn't just sentenced, he had a chance to speak today and he has had some bizarre behavior throughout the years in the courtroom. What was he like today?

KELLI ARENA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Oh, Daryn, it was pretty shocking. I just ran out and I have to tell you that there were some victim family members who were sitting in the courtroom and we did not expect to hear from them today but the judge asked if anybody wanted to speak. And Rosemary Dillard (ph), who we've heard quite a bit from outside the courthouse, who lost her husband on September 11th, said that she wanted to be heard.

She got up. She went to the podium. She said she's listened every day in court. She directly addressed Moussaoui and said, I want you to know how you wrecked my life, my career. You took the most important person in my life. You know, if it wasn't for you -- if you had helped, if the government had helped, my husband would still be alive. Another person -- she also told them. She said, I've watched your twittle your beard and make faces. And I hope you never see the sky. I hope you never see the sun. I hope your name never comes up in a newspaper article again for the rest of my life or the rest of history.

Abraham Scott (ph), another family member who you have seen, a lot, Daryn, got up. He lost his wife in the Pentagon attack. He said, again addressing Moussaoui, told him that he hopes that he and the rest of his colleagues in al Qaeda are put away forever. He said that he hoped that bin Laden would be brought to justice in that same courtroom. He told him, believe me, he will be here. And he said that you and the rest of your colleagues can never deter the freedom that we have in this country. Another victim, Lisa Dolen (ph), got up. She lost her husband on September 11th. And she just had one sentence to say to Moussaoui. She said, Mr. Moussaoui, there is still one final judgment day.

Moussaoui sat there. He listened. When he first walked into that courtroom he was smiling. He was giddy. He was flashing the victory sign. He waived sarcastically at the judge. But when he had to confront those people, his demeanor changed.

The judge then said that he would have an opportunity to speak and, of course, he did. He got up and he said, rather than say what I wanted to, I'm going to respond to the victim family members who just spoke. And he said, you know, you said I destroyed a life and you lost a husband. He said, maybe one day you can think about how many people in the CIA have destroyed a life. He said, you say we are a hate organization. I say the CIA is the peace and love organization, very sarcastically, Daryn.

He says the woman said that -- one victim's husband's was a Naval officer. He said, of course, he was working for the government of peace and love in a war ship. And he said, this country has hypocrisy beyond belief. Your humanity is selective. Only you suffer. Only you feel.

At this point, one of the prosecutors, Rob Spenser (ph), jumped up and told the judge that he objected to this. That he did not feel that the statements were appropriate. That this was not the time for Moussaoui to be making a political statement.

The judge agreed and told him that if you can continue to make comments that are appropriate, they have to do with your sentence, not a political statement. And he went on to say, you have branded me a terrorist or whatever, a criminal. He said, look at yourself first.

I have fought for my beliefs. I'm a Mujahedeen. You think you rule the world. I will prove it. You are wrong. I have nothing more to say.

You don't want to hear the truth. You wasted an opportunity for this country to know why people like me, why people like Muhammad Atta, have so much hatred. You don't want to hear it. We will come back again. If you won't hear it, you will feel it. If you won't hear it, you will feel it. God curse America! God bless and save Osama bin Laden. You will never get him.

That the end of the statement from Zacarias Moussaoui. The judge at the conclusion said Mr. Moussaoui, you made a statement yesterday on your way outside of court saying America, you lost, I won. She said, Mr. Moussaoui, look at the people in this courtroom today. Every person in this courtroom is going leave, they are free to go any place they want, to feel the sun, to smell the fresh air, to look at the bird, eat what they want, associate with whom they want.

You will spend the rest of your life in a super maximum security prison. In terms of winners and losers, I think it's quite clear who lost. And then Moussaoui said, it was my choice. And the judge said, it was hardly your choice.

She said there was a lot of criticism about whether or not this trial should have come to the criminal justice system, whether or not it should have been in a military tribunal. She says that she's satisfied. That this was a great win for the American people. That this shows that a very difficult, complicated prosecution of a terrorist can be handled. And then she went on to thank the lawyers involved on both sides of this case who have work, as you know, Daryn, for four and a half years on a very complicated, tedious issue. Very emotional as well.

Back to you, Daryn.

KAGAN: A lot happening in that courtroom. What happens to him now? When does he get moved to Colorado?

ARENA: That is, you know, Bureau of Prisons doesn't really publicize a lot of its movements. We do expect that to happen very soon. And you're right, I mean, he will be going the super maximum security prison in Colorado. It's known as the "Alcatraz of the Rockies." We heard a description of that prison in court. He'll be in a very small room. A little bit of light comes each day. He'll have one hour of exercise outside. But total isolation, Daryn, 24/7.

Actually, when Moussaoui heard somebody make a reference to him spending the rest of his life in prison, he kept shaking his head, oh, no, no, like it wasn't going to happen. And as you know, he has said several times in this courtroom that he believes that the president of the United States will free him and send him on a plane back to London. From the reaction that he had today in court, it looks like he's still holding on to that dream.

KAGAN: All right, well, he'll have a long, long time in a little teeny cell in Colorado to think about those travel plans.

ARENA: He sure will.

KAGAN: That's what he gets. Kelli, thank you for reporting. We'll hear more from you in the next hour. Thank you for that.

Still ahead, death threats, now an about face. A mayor accused of taking money from a dead marine promises to pay up. That's ahead on CNN LIVE TODAY.

Plus, more Americans killed in Iraq and more grieving mothers here at home. A story of sadness that goes far beyond one family.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: News from Boston now. One of the biggest boondoggles in a public works project in U.S. history making news in Boston again.

Here is Carol Lin with news on the big dig.

CAROL LIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Boy, you're saying it, Daryn. You remember this project. KAGAN: Sure.

LIN: It dates back to George W. Bush -- George Bush senior's administration. I mean, this thing started 16 years ago. All right, it was a tunnel that was being dug in the main artery, the central artery underneath Boston. All right, 16 years later, it's finally being completed, but now criminal charges are surfacing against six current and former employees of Aggregate Industries. That is the company that provided the concrete for that huge project.

What they're saying is, according to these charges, -- and the biggest one is that they apparently mixed and co-mingled leftover concrete with new concrete, Daryn. They're talking about -- these allegations are talking about something like 60 percent of the concrete used in this construction project could be mixed with old concrete. But they're saying structurally, if there were flaws in the concrete, it would have showed up by now. The concrete was poured about six years ago.

But these six current and former employees are probably going to be in federal court later today. There's a news conference scheduled for later today also to talk about these charges.

KAGAN: All right. We will be tracking that. Carol Lin, thank you.

LIN: You got it.

KAGAN: Blood and rubble on the street outside of a Baghdad courthouse this morning. Police say a bomb killed at least nine people and wounded another 46. According to witnesses, a would-be suicide bomber removed her explosives vest when she was denied access to the court. She left the vest outside the building, and that's where it exploded. Also today, two more American soldiers were killed in a roadside bombing in Baghdad. That brings the total number of U.S. military deaths in this war to 2048.

Each of those numbers represents a loved one who will not be coming home and a family member devastated by grief. CNN's Alina Cho puts a face on the loss with this soldier's story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Jose Gomez loved his mother so much he worried for her, so much that when he found out he had to return to Iraq for a second tour of duty, he kept it a secret. His mother knew about the first tour. But for the second, Gomez told her he had left New York to take classes in Texas.

MARIA GOMEZ, SLAIN SOLDIER'S MOTHER (through translator): He would tell me, mama, I'm going to study so you will be well, so you won't have to work.

CHO: Maria Gomez said it was just like her son to say that, and she had no reason to doubt him. Then the news. Last Friday, Maria came home from work and found two members of the Army's notification team waiting on her doorstep.

GOMEZ (through translator): When we went upstairs, he said, sit down. And I replied, no, you please, sit down. When he said no, sit down, I have some bad news. Then he told me, your son died. At that moment, I thought I was going to die.

CHO: Gomez said she couldn't believe it, and won't until her son's body comes home.

GOMEZ (through translator): I still don't believe it's true.

CHO: Felix Jimenez is Gomez's stepfather.

FELIX JIMENEZ, SLAIN SOLDIER'S STEPFATHER (through translator): He was a great kid, great.

CHO: Jose Gomez and his mother came to the U.S. from the Dominican Republic when he was three, shortly after his father died. Last week, Sergeant Gomez was on routine patrol in Baghdad when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee. The 23-year- old was one of two soldiers killed.

But the story doesn't end there. Gomez's death comes three years after the death of his then-fiance, who died under similar circumstances. Twenty-one-year-old Anna Lori Esparza Gutierrez (ph) was an Army private. She died in an IED attack in Tikrit in 2003, the second female soldier killed in Iraq. The two met during Gomez's first tour of duty. They got engaged there. Gomez came home for her funeral.

In time, he met another woman, and asked her to marry him just before leaving for his second tour. His mother said he called her every Saturday.

GOMEZ (through translator): He did everything for me. I lived for him. He lived for me.

CHO: Gomez said in his last call to her, he told her he'd have a surprise for her. He was talking about Mother's Day.

GOMEZ (through translator): I feel like I'm already dead.

CHO: Gomez was a U.S. resident before leaving for Iraq. The Pentagon says it's possible posthumously he'll become a U.S. citizen.

Alina Cho, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: You can catch Alina Cho's reports on CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING," weekdays starting at 6:00 a.m. Eastern.

Now let's go ahead and update you on a story we first told you about yesterday here on CNN LIVE TODAY. A mayor accused of taking money from a dead marine says he is getting death threats, and now he admits he made a big mistake. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR JAMES BOSTICK, FORT LUPTON, COLORADO: It's my fault.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So what are you going do now?

BOSTICK: Try to do whatever I can with Mrs. Sepulveda to get this issue put to bed. As soon as I get the money, it's hers. I mean -- fast.

(END VIDEO CLI)

KAGAN: James Bostick is the mayor and funeral director in the small Colorado town of Fort Lupton. He was mistakenly sent $7,500 from the savings account of a marine that he helped bury, and he had refused to give the money to the marine's mother. Bostick says his intentions were not to, as he put it, "screw over a marine."

Katrina-like flooding. Could it happen in South Florida?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: On a scale of one to 10, how concerned are you about hurricanes?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ten. Very concerned.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: And some say with good reason. One report compares the...

KAGAN: And some say with good reason. One report compares the Lake Okeechobee dike to Swiss cheese. We explain when LIVE TODAY continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Live to Alexandria, Virginia. This is Rosemary Dillard, one of the relatives who lost loved ones on 9/11 responding to the formal sentencing of Zacarias Moussaoui.

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

ROSEMARY DILLARD, 9/11 FAMILY MEMBER: ... my career from me. I was encouraged to retire after that. And by being very fortunate, I was hired by a consulting company, Circle (ph) International. I've gotten very involved in www.pentagonmemorial.org -- .net, I'm sorry.

And I'm just angry with him. And I have to deal with my anger.

I wanted to get up, but I knew the court wouldn't let us get up. I'm not blaming them. I'm not -- I don't -- I'm just trying to deal with it on a day-to-day basis. And the CIA, they have things that they have not shared that I would like for them to share with all the family members, and that became clear during the trial.

What this has actually done for me is made me know that I need to be more involved politically, and by that I don't mean run for an office, but make sure that the people I am voting for are going do the job that they said. And as Carie Lemack said yesterday, going the TSA, I was supposed to be at that meeting as well. So we've got to be more involved, and our safety both on the ground and in the air.

I'm not concerned at all, because I think God is watching us.

I think there was some more of the gobbledy-goo goo that continues to come out of his mouth. I don't think he has a real truth bone. I don't think he knows exactly what he's doing, but I think he does that intentionally.

You know what, I'm going to pass that to Abe and let Abe answer that, because I'm very upset about it.

QUESTION: What was it like as a family member having to listen to that?

ABRAHAM SCOTT, 9/11 FAMILY MEMBER: The different antics that he mentioned throughout the trial was very -- it was just like a dagger being stuck in my heart personally, just him not showing no remorse whatsoever for what those 19 terrorists did on 9/11 and what he was planning on doing whenever, if it was on 9/11 or as a follow-on.

But it was extremely hard for me sitting in that courtroom listening to him without jumping across that little fence and doing bodily harm to him, not kill him, but just doing bodily harm to him, just to relieve my tension.

Now that this chapter has closed, I just want to say not only to you, but the leaders of our country, as well as the people of our country. And this is a perfect example of what we need to start focusing in terms of protecting our borders and the people within this country.

In my opinion, I listened to the rhetoric of the president the other day. I'm listening to Congress, both the House and the Senate, about the immigration. In my opinion, we need to stop talking and take action to close the borders, redirect funding, in my opinion, that I think billions of dollars are being spent on unnecessarily for what I consider not a war on terrorists, but we need to focus our funding to closing our borders, gaining accountability for the people who are in this country and who are coming into this country, as well as making sure that the memory of those 2,972 individuals are kept alive.

QUESTION: You invoked the memory of your wife when you looked him in the eyes today. Could you repeat what you said when you looked right at him? SCOTT: I said something to the effect that he killed -- was responsible for killing, something to the effect, for killing not only my wife, but the 2,000 plus, and that we would have been married 24 years on the 27th of December, 2001, 24 beautiful years, as well as her 46th birthday, very young, in my opinion. She would have been 46 on the 27th of -- I mean the 12th of October of 2001. I also mentioned that I looked forward to one day when his boss, or whatever he considers bin Laden, bringing him to justice and having him placed on trial in this very same courtroom.

QUESTION: How high are your expectations that in your lifetime you will see Osama bin Laden or Ayman al-Zawahiri in the courtroom?

SCOTT: I hate to say this, but I don't foresee -- I don't have real confidence in this administration bringing them to justice. I look forward to the new administration coming in and focusing on what's needed to be done in terms of taking the necessary intelligent action and military action to bring bin Laden to justice.

LISA DOLAN, 9/11 FAMILY MEMBER: I spoke about my husband being a career Naval officer, and his passion for our country, for America and for our justice system, and that I was proud of him and proud of our justice system as it has taken place over these last several years.

I also told Mr. Moussaoui that he still has one final judgment day, and I believe in that, and that's where I get my comfort.

QUESTION: What was your reaction to what he had to say at the end?

DOLAN: I had expected him to make one or more of the comments that he usually does make. I didn't realize that he would be specifically talking to us. It was a little bit upsetting, a little bit disturbing. But given his state of mind and given the comments he has made over the last several months as he has walked out of the courthouse, it wasn't a complete surprise.

QUESTION: Do you feel any sense of closure now...

DOLAN: Yesterday and today there has been a chapter in the walk I take since 9/11, a chapter that is closed, and right now what I'm looking forward to is the next chapter in my life and a clean page to write upon. And I take comfort in the fact that my husband's memory will never be forgotten. We have two beautiful children together, and they are his living memorial and his living legacy.

QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE) in your lifetime?

DOLAN: In my lifetime? I hope so. As a career Navy spouse, I actually have a lot of faith in our military, and I do believe that one day our military will capture bin Laden.

QUESTION: How do you spell your name?

DOLAN: Lisa, L-I-S-A, Dolan, D-O-L-A-N.

QUESTION: And you lost?

DOLAN: I lost my husband, Captain Bob Dolan. He was in the Navy Command Center at the Pentagon.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.

DOLAN: Thank you.

SCOTT: Come here. Come here. We just want to say one thing and that is as -- and I hope that I'm speaking for the three of us. We're not going to let -- we're not going to let bin Laden, we're not going let Moussaoui deter our morale in life. We're going move on. The three of us are working on building a living memorial for our loved ones, 184 victims that perished on 9/11 at the Pentagon and are also in the Pentagon and as well on Flight 77. We're also doing some wonderful things in terms of giving out scholarships to children that will benefit their future.

I look forward to -- I look forward to -- my goal in life right now is to take care of my mother and my mother-in-law, as well as to, more importantly, to be a father as well as to provide those guidance that my wife did to our two daughters.

Thank you.

KAGAN: Perspective only that family members can provide, just following the formal sentencing of al Qaeda conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui. Many of these people had a chance to have their say in the courtroom and wanted to share with reporters about what they think about the formal sentencing of Zacarias, as well. More ahead on that story.

Also, love, respect and trust. They forged a father-son bond. A tribute to Earl Woods, ahead on CNN LIVE TODAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: I want to go to Barto, Florida. A Department of Homeland Security official accused of trying to have sex with a teenage girl on the Internet makes an appearance in court.

Our Susan Candiotti is there -- Susan?

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Daryn.

Yes, the hearing wrapped up just a little while ago and, as expected, bond was set for Former Deputy Press Secretary for Homeland Security, Brian Doyle. That bond set at $230,000. And according to his lawyer, he is expected to make that bond and could be heading back home to Maryland as early as later this afternoon.

The attorney for Mr. Doyle describes him as very, very depressed and humiliated over what has happened. In court this day, there was testimony from the police decoy that, according to authorities, Doyle thought he was talking to a 14-year-old girl. Turns out, in fact, it was the decoy, a female deputy. He is charged with 23 counts of sending harmful material, trying to induce a minor into sex using the Internet as his medium.

Now, this former DHS official, having been charged with this crimes, is also charged with sending about 16 video clips over the Internet. In court, there was testimony from this detective that, quote, "he admitted to everything and not only what he is charged with, she said, but also to having had phone conversations about sex with other young girls over the Internet."

Now, after the hearing, Doyle's lawyer said that not only is his client depressed about all of this, but his reaction to what he heard, he said, quote, "it scared the hell out of me, too." But, naturally, he said, he wants to hear all the evidence that the state claims to have against his client, have further discussions with his client, Mr. Doyle, and also have him examined back home by at least two or three or more psychiatrists who specialize in sexual dysfunction to see what kind of a defense they might be able to put on."

He has not yet been arraigned. That day is set for later this month -- Daryn.

KAGAN: You know, so many disturbing aspects of this case. Of course, number one being that a child could have been a victim here. But also the fact that this man worked for the Department of Homeland Security and was so free in giving out information over the Internet.

CANDIOTTI: In fact, yes, he not only told -- according to authorities, in the very first phone calls that he had and Internet conversations with the person he thought was a 14-year-old, he told this girl what he did for a living and that he worked for the Department of Homeland Security. And even eventually sent her some photographs of himself, including one where he was wearing his employee I.D. badge.

Now, another question, of course, is what kind of security background checks were done on Mr. Doyle to begin with before he was hired by the Department of Homeland Security. Now, we know -- we're raising this as a point because we know that a few years ago, when he worked for "Time" magazine, there was an incident. He was, according to some employees, using the company computer to watch pornographic materials. Apparently not involving minors, we stress, but nevertheless, he was disciplined over that. The question becomes was DHS aware of that before they hired Mr. Doyle. According to his defense attorney, he does not think that DHS was aware of that.

KAGAN: Susan Candiotti, live from Florida. Thank you for that.

Another story relating to Internet porn. Still ahead, talking about a stolen childhood. A victim of Internet porn speaks out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MASHA ALLEN, CHILD PORNOGRAPHY VICTIM: The abuse started the night I got there. Matthew didn't have a bedroom for me. He made me sleep in his bed from the very beginning. He molested me all the time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: We'll have Masha's story and her brave motions to speak out, when CNN LIVE TODAY returns.

Also, an Arizona sheriff talks tough on illegal immigration.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I could very easily turn these people over to immigration. They'd get a free ride back to Mexico. Right now they're getting a free ride to the jail.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: The lawmen and the law breakers. Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County joins me live in just a few minutes.

CNN LIVE TODAY continues right now.

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