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CNN Live Today

CSI: High School; Military Misconduct Investigations; Cuba Conundrum

Aired June 06, 2006 - 10:58   ET

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

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Taking photos, bagging evidence. These students in Florida were just pretending to be crime scene investigators.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: That's when their make believe mystery became all too real.

CNN's Carol Costello Reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOSH ROZENTAL, STUDENT WHO FOUND BODY: There are no words to describe it. I was freaking out, like, so bad.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): For a group of high school criminology students it was a frightening lesson in forensics.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It looked real, but we thought since we were here for an investigation it wouldn't be.

COSTELLO: The summer class from St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale was on a field trip Monday conducting a mock crime scene investigation when they came across a real dead body.

ROZENTAL: We found a guy with his hand wrapped around the fence, and then we -- everyone came over there and we saw, like, his face. And we thought it was part of the crime scene.

COSTELLO: In fact, the students thought their teacher, Sue Messenger, was playing a trick on them.

BILLY SPRITZER, STUDENT WHO FOUND BODY: I thought she made it really look good, I thought, because the hand was grabbing the fence. And I touched the hand and it felt like a real hand.

SUE MESSENGER, CRIMINOLOGY TEACHER: All of a sudden, a student came running up to me and said, "Ms. Messenger, did you plant a real body?" Well, I had actually planted these cardboard skeletons, and I was like, "No."

COSTELLO: The teacher and her students notified the police, who turned the area into a real crime scene.

SGT. ANDY PALLEN, FT. LAUDERDALE POLICE: Ironic set of circumstances that they were out here in a summer program for a crime scene investigation when they came across the body.

COSTELLO: Police believe the victim, a man about 55 years old, died of natural causes. But the gruesome discovery was an invaluable lesson for students trying to solve a mock mystery and stumbling upon the real thing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That was the first time I had ever seen a dead body, so I thought that was kind of crazy. And the smell I'll never forget. But this is a great experience.

MESSENGER: You know that old expression true life is stranger than fiction? I think this is definitely -- it definitely holds true here.

COSTELLO: Carol Costello, CNN, New York

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: Canada's largest counterterrorism arrests since 9/11. Several suspects appear in court. What exactly were they planning? More details to be released soon.

HARRIS: And soaring gasoline prices, they're hitting people in America's heartland especially hard. Now they're trying as best they can to cope. That story straight ahead.

Casualties of war or cold-blooded murder? An Iraqi civilian may be a victim of premeditated murder in the hands of U.S. troops. That's according to a source close to a military investigation. The military officer says some of the Marines have admitted to a cover-up by staging a crime scene in Hamdaniya. This case is separate from the alleged massacre of 24 Iraqis in Haditha in November.

For the latest on this developing story, we'll be checking in with CNN Senior Pentagon Correspondent Jamie McIntyre in just a couple of minutes.

The U.S. military has faced questions in four separate cases of fatal shootings, Haditha and Hamdaniya, as we just mentioned, as well as a March incident in the town of Ishaqi. Several civilians died there. The military has cleared U.S. troops of wrongdoing in that case.

And in Samarra, reports that U.S. soldiers shot and killed two women. Those women were accused of speeding through a military checkpoint.

Let's take a closer look with a veteran of the military justice system. Hardy Vieux is a former Navy JAG defense lawyer.

Hardy, good to talk to you.

HARDY VIEUX, FMR. NAVY JAG LAWYER: Good morning, Tony.

HARRIS: Hey, let's see if I can get you on the record on this a bit. On one hand, we understand the stress that some of these soldiers are under, but really, we don't understand the stress. On the other hand, there is certainly no room for the kind of incident that is alleged in Haditha.

What are -- what are your thoughts on this? Let me get you on the record on your thinking on this.

VIEUX: Well, the stress, as you mentioned, Tony, is quite intense. I mean, nothing like anything that we would be familiar with. I mean, these Marines and sailors and other service members are routinely attacked, and they can't discern who's friend or who's foe. And they've been there for long tours of duty.

So, all of that conspires against them. I mean, the situation is very volatile. And they have to make decisions at a moment's notice. And sometimes things don't necessarily go the right way.

HARRIS: Hardy, how do you feel about the fact that there is so much open conversation, speculation on an investigation that is not complete?

VIEUX: That troubles me greatly, because there is room for influencing a possible panel of juries or a jury panel, which we refer to as members. In this case, where you have members of Congress, the president and other high-ranking officials speaking out, and basically making known what their take is, and seeming to understand and think that they know what the result will be, that's very problematic. It could certainly prejudice and pollute the jury pool, and that's something that's going to lead to a lot of problems for the military justice system down the line.

HARRIS: So, Hardy, I have to ask you, tell me why details of these investigation are being, in essence, leaked out. It's our job to ask the questions, of course, but, clearly, we are getting information from people who are very close, military folks who are close to these investigations.

VIEUX: The details are salacious. I mean, they're the kind of details that people want to talk about by the water cooler. And there's a lot of politics involved as well.

But what folks need to remember is there are parallel military criminal investigations that are pending. And in order for these service members to have a fair trial, should it come to that, then folks should wait for the facts to come out and wait to see what the evidence shows. All of this talk and the speculation is really going to call into question the credibility of the system, and it's going to make the job of the prosecution, as well as the defense quite difficult.

HARRIS: Yes. Hardy, you mentioned all of the talk and the speculation. Does -- does that get back to the soldiers on the ground, for example? In these cases, the Marines on the ground?

Does all the speculation, all the talk about possible charges, does that get back to the soldiers? And how then are they to react? VIEUX: Most certainly it does. In this day and age of the Internet and the technology that we have -- and, of course, family members are watching the news and reading the papers. So we can be rest assured that a lot of these innuendoes and the speculation has made it to Iraq. And it will certainly impact the thinking of the service members who are out there trying to do their duty as professional as possible.

HARRIS: Hardy -- Hardy, does it -- can it have the effect of making soldiers guarded? Can it have the effect of making soldiers less safe?

VIEUX: Yes, it certainly can, because now they have to think a little bit longer in terms of their reaction time. And that's not to say we want soldiers trigger happy, but we don't need our service members over there wondering if they have the support of the citizenry back in the states.

And so, we don't need to cloud their judgment or put more on their plates. The plates are already full as it is. They need to concentrate on their mission and executing that mission. And the politics aside, that's what they need to do, and they have been doing it as professionals.

HARRIS: Can the fact that so many of the details are coming out on these investigations, can it be perceived by some soldiers as a bit of a betrayal?

VIEUX: It certainly can. I mean, that's speculation, and I'm not comfortable going there. But I would think certain service members can certainly look at this and think, well, are we -- do we really have the support of the American people back home? What are we doing here? And at the end of the day, it could have serious impact on the morale of the troops.

HARRIS: And the bottom line, final analysis, it would be probably best for all of us -- we're going to ask our questions -- to wait until the investigations are complete.

VIEUX: I couldn't agree with you more, Tony. At this point we need to simply wait for the investigators to do what they need to do, whether it be Haditha or Hamdaniya, and let the facts come out and let the evidence tell the story of what did or did not occur in November and in April of 2006.

HARRIS: And even as we say that, we both know that that's not going to be happen. We have to be honest.

VIEUX: Well, I'm going to be optimistic about this one, Tony.

HARRIS: OK, Hardy. Appreciate it. Thanks for your time.

VIEUX: Thank you. OK.

NGUYEN: Well, this just in to CNN. We've got some new video out of Indianapolis. And remember the story last week of Desmond Turner, the 28-year-old man accused of killing a family of seven, including three children? Well, he turned himself in last night. And today, he was in court, and this is the latest video of Desmond Turner, as he faces seven counts of murder in Indianapolis, following the murder of seven family members that he is accused of killing.

We'll stay on top of that story.

Also, you'll want to take a look at this. We've also been talking to you about Mt. Merapi over in Indonesia. This volcano was just on the verge of erupting.

Well, take a look. It has erupted.

HARRIS: Whoa.

NGUYEN: Indonesian officials are just in the frantic throes of trying to evacuate 11,000 villagers from around the mountain. The lava dome has swelled in recent weeks, and we've been following this, knowing that this was imminent.

Well, the mountain has erupted. The volcano has erupted. And 40 trucks and cars have been sent to try to evacuate a lot of these villagers living near the bottom of the mountain. The problem has been, these villagers have been trying to stave their livestock and their homes and a lot of their crops because many of them...

HARRIS: In the aftermath of the earthquake.

NGUYEN: Right.

HARRIS: Yes.

NGUYEN: And Mt. Merapi has been one of the deadliest and most active volcanoes in that area. So we've been watching it for some time now. Well, apparently, it has erupted today.

HARRIS: Yes.

NGUYEN: And so the importance right now is trying to get people out of harm's way as that lava flows down the mountain.

HARRIS: President Bush is on the road and on the stump this morning. He's stepping up his campaign for immigration reform. One of the most controversial elements is his call for a guest worker program.

Right now the president is on his way to Artesia, New Mexico. He'll tour a law enforcement training center and speak on border security and immigration.

Then he travels on to Texas. There he will visit the Border Patrol headquarters in Laredo.

We will have coverage of Mr. Bush's remarks on immigration. That event is now scheduled for 1:10 Eastern. That's 10:10 Pacific. It's the Cuba conundrum, reach land and you can stay. But other immigrants coming to the U.S. don't get that deal, and it's causing conflicts.

CNN's Susan Candiotti has the story that first ran on "ANDERSON COOPER 360."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Have you ever regretted coming here?

ALEX MORALES, MIGRANT: Oh, no, I will never do that.

CANDIOTTI (voice-over): As a young man, Alex Morales wind surfed his way from Cuba in search of freedom in America.

MORALES: There wasn't the right system for anybody, any human being at all.

CANDIOTTI: A hundred and 10 miles away and 12 years later, Morales renovates homes in Miami and wind surfs semiprofessionally.

Yet with U.S. immigration battles in full swing involving other nationalities, Cuban migrants have mainly stayed out of the debate over who should go and who should be allowed to stay.

MORALES: It's really hard because we're all human beings. And it's -- you know, it's hard to say no to somebody when somebody says yes to you.

CANDIOTTI: Cubans are treated differently, thanks to Congress. But things can get desperate. These Cubans, some swinging machetes, try to fight off the Coast Guard. If intercepted at sea, they're sent back to Cuba. But unlike immigrants from other countries, if they reach land, they're home free. It's called the wet foot/dry foot policy.

Anti-Castro Activist and Radio Talk Show Host Ninoshka Perez insists different rules for Cubans are necessary.

NINOSHKA PEREZ, ANTI-CASTRO ACTIVIST AND RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: The conditions of repression and dictatorship in Cuba have not changed. There have not been a free and democratic elections in Cuba in the last 47 years.

CANDIOTTI: Migrant Alex Morales suggests the U.S. is responsible for not getting rid of Fidel Castro long ago.

MORALES: The only thing they do is say OK, if you manage to get here, we're going to give you a break.

CANDIOTTI: But other groups don't get a break. These Haitians making a dangerous trip in overcrowded boats are rounded up after making land and deported. CHERYL LITTLE, FLORIDA IMMIGRATION ADVOCACY GROUP: You have a group like the Cubans who have certain special protections. You have the Haitians who basically have nothing. And it can be very divisive because it pits one group against the other.

CANDIOTTI: It does matter where people come from. Cubans like Alex Morales have an advantage enshrined in law. There's no sign others will get that privilege, whatever seas they've navigated.

Susan Candiotti, CNN, Miami.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: Anderson Cooper is covering all angles of the immigration story. You can watch "AC 360" weeknights at 10:00 Eastern, 7:00 Pacific.

HARRIS: He is a gifted student with high academic ambitions, but this Ivy leaguer is now learning a tough lesson about life as an illegal immigrant.

NGUYEN: You're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: In China, it is out with the old since, well, the old is not needed anymore. It took only seconds to blow up the old but temporary dam that held back the Yangtze River while the giant Three Gorges Dam was under construction. The new dam is the world's largest hydroelectric project. It was completed last month, but power- generating facilities won't be finished until 2008 -- Betty.

NGUYEN: How cool was that?

HARRIS: That was good, yes.

NGUYEN: That thing went down no time at all.

HARRIS: Warming things up.

NGUYEN: Rob Marciano joins us to talk about the weather outside.

Rob, as you know, it is 6-6-06. So I'm a little concerned. Any crazy weather -- you know, things happening?

ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: No, no devilish sort of weather like that.

(WEATHER REPORT)

NGUYEN: Thank you, Rob.

MARCIANO: See you, Betty.

NGUYEN: Tony. HARRIS: Still ahead, this battle has already been fought in the Supreme Court, but a couple of homeowners still have some fight left in them.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL CRISTOFARO, FIGHTING EVICTION: Chaining ourselves to the house, barricading ourselves into the house, a human chain, whatever it takes to send a message that we are not going anywhere.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: OK. Hold-out homeowners versus the city council, that is ahead on LIVE TODAY.

NGUYEN: Also ahead right here on CNN LIVE TODAY, a cautionary tale.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It shook the whole apartment. It sounded like a sonic boom. Boom!

Like a whoosh! Whoosh! That's what it sounded like. Whoosh!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: How did it go again? And would you believe he was just doing his laundry? Oh, you have got to see this story.

Keep it right here.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Two families in New London, Connecticut, are facing eviction. The city council voted last night to kick them out of their homes. They're the last two holdouts in an imminent domain case that started eight years ago.

NGUYEN: Yes, and it got a boost from the Supreme Court.

Jon Camp of our affiliate WFSB has the details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CRISTOFARO: You, you, you, you, and you, and you, you are a disgrace to the city, the state and the nation.

JON CAMP, REPORTER, WFSB (voice over): Strong rhetoric and a strong message for New London City Council members.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Return the keys and leave us alone.

CAMP: The city has been trying to take Michael Cristofaro's home through eminent domain for the last eight years. With others, he's fought it through protests and through the courts. But last June, the U.S. Supreme Court sided with the city, and finally, at this meeting, despite Governor Jodi Rell's attempts to stop it, the city council voted to remove the last two long-time property owners from their homes, upsetting most everyone in the crowd.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The motion passes 5-2.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't want to listen anymore.

CAMP: So why did the city council pass it? Mayor Beth Sebilia.

MAYOR BETH SEBILIA, NEW LONDON, CONNECTICUT: The citizens of New London, the 25,000 citizens, need to have an economic driver to alleviate the tax burden and to improve our schools.

CRISTOFARO: I'll do whatever it takes to stay in that property.

CAMP: Including chaining yourself?

CRISTOFARO: Chaining ourselves to the house, barricading ourselves into the house, a human chain, whatever it takes to send a message that we are not going anywhere.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: Well, we want to talk now about a race against time in Indonesia. Health workers are starting a massive immunization campaign in the earthquake disaster zone. They're trying to prevent outbreaks of measles and tetanus among survivors.

Some 650,000 people were displaced by last month's quake in central Java. And with a third in makeshift shelters with no toilets or running water, they are vulnerable to disease.

Meanwhile, check this out. More rumblings from a nearby volcano.

HARRIS: Yes.

NGUYEN: Mt. Merapi spewed more lava and hot gas today. Now, this thing is on the brink of eruption.

HARRIS: Yes.

NGUYEN: And we thought a little bit earlier that it already erupted. I mean, look at the lava flow. It kind of looks like it.

Here's a bigger view of exactly where Mt. Merapi is. But what's happening right now is, because all this lava is coming down the mountain, some 11,000 villagers near the foot of this mountain are being forced to evacuate. So the efforts are ongoing to get those thousands out of harm's way.

HARRIS: Yes.

NGUYEN: And we'll stay on top of that.

HARRIS: And obviously the last thing those folks need on the heels of the earthquake and so many deaths. So many -- so many people lost their lives, lost everything.

NGUYEN: I know. It's been a difficult year.

HARRIS: So we'll continue to watch that.

Exercising freedom of speech or invading someone's privacy? That's for a court to decide in what's believed to be the first lawsuit brought by a serviceman's family against a Topeka church.

Members of the Westborough Baptist Church have picketed military funerals nationwide. They claim U.S. military deaths in Iraqi are god's punishment for America's tolerance of gays.

Albert Schneider's son was killed in Ira, and his funeral was picketed by church members. Schneider says no one has the right to enter someone's private funeral. A church spokeswoman says the church might counter-sue.

NGUYEN: Well, her murder in Iraq served a grim notice: absolutely no one of is safe from insurgent targeting. Now maybe a new message from the abduction and murder of aide worker Margaret Hassan.

"The New York Times" is reporting that a Baghdad judge has ordered a life sentence for a man who apparently played a minor role in the 2004 crime. The verdict was the first in the abduction of a foreigner in Iraq. Now, the newspaper points out two other men have been acquitted in that case.

A proposed deal for Iran. Iran got details this morning on a package of incentives designed to persuade it to curve its nuclear program. Six world powers, including the U.S., drew up this plan. The Associated Press reports a major concession, saying the U.S. is prepared to provide Iran with some nuclear technology if it stops enriching uranium. The AP cited an unnamed diplomat. Iran's nuclear negotiator says the incidents need more study.

HARRIS: And Betty, as you know, we are following developments in Canada. A court hearing today for the 12 adult men who were arrested over the weekend, alleged to be involved in a terrorist plot, they were in court today.

We're starting to see some activity outside of the courtroom, as you see there. We will check in on this situation right after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: I want to take you back to Toronto, Canada, now, just outside of the justice center there, where 12 adult men charged in a terrorist plot are back in court today. And the men are facing, wow, just a list of charges, from participating in or contributing to the activity of a terrorist group, to training and recruitment. Canadian investigators have sort of widened this probe. More arrests, we're told, are likely and that this Canadian cell may be linked to terrorist cells in at least six other countries, including the United States.

Jeanne Meserve for us is in that courtroom. And we are trying to connect with her. As soon as she gets free and gets a break from the proceedings, she'll come on out and we'll talk to her and get an update on the situation in court today.

NGUYEN: In the meantime, the same-sex marriage debate, it is a hot-button issue that just won't go away. A constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage is likely to fail this week in the Senate, but similar amendments are slated to come up for a vote this year in several states.

CNN's John King reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOAN VANREECE, RESIDENT OF TENNESSEE: It's the thought that matters.

JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Joan and Nancy met in Tennessee 18 years ago and have been partners ever since. Their politics admittedly a bit out of step in a place that is unmistakably Bible Belt.

J. VANREECE: She's definitely more on the front lines than I am. I'm the silent partner behind. But...

NANCY VANREECE, LESBIAN: The silent partner. Yes, right.

J. VANREECE: But, you know, it's a risk.

KING: The risk is taking a leading role in the real front lines of the gay marriage debate, campaigning against a proposed constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage.

Tennessee is one of seven states with proposed amendments this year, along with Alabama, Idaho, South Carolina, South Dakota, Virginia and Wisconsin. Nineteen states already ban gay marriage, a movement Christian conservatives like Tennessee State Senator David Fowler says will continue to expand if there are not enough votes in Congress to advance a nationwide ban. Fowler disputes critics who say Republicans used gay marriage initiatives to drive up conservative turnout in the 2004 presidential cycle and are hoping for a repeat this November.

DAVID FOWLER (R), TENNESSEE STATE SENATOR: Many of us, people like me, we, deep down, do believe that marriage is not one of those things we can define any way we want to. And it has nothing to do with politics. If it makes for good politics, fine. But to me, it's not about politics.

KING: White Evangelicals are the major force behind the anti-gay marriage movement here in Tennessee and across the country.

Many African-American pastors, like Henry Coles of Nashville's Word of Faith Christian Center, also oppose gay marriage, and are striking odd alliances this election year.

PASTOR HENRY COLES, WORD OF FAITH CHRISTIAN CENTER: It's a fundamental, doctrinal precept of my -- my faith in Christ Jesus. And -- and for me, as a representative of -- of Christ, unions begin with a man and a woman.

J. VANREECE: My name is Joan Vanreece.

N. VANREECE: And my name is Nancy Vanreece.

KING: This testimonial in favor of same-sex marriage was delivered at a gay pride festival.

But Joan and Nancy met in Bible study, and bristle when God is brought into the political debate.

J. VANREECE: And I know that my God loves me. And I don't understand why that has to be...

N. VANREECE: Should we actually vote to include discrimination into our constitution, ever? And that's a legal question. It's not a faith-based question.

KING: Joan and Nancy promise not to be outworked between now and November. But as they make their views abundantly clear, they concede around here, they are likely outnumbered.

John King, CNN, Madison, Tennessee.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: Casualties of war or cold-blooded murder? An Iraqi civilian may be a victim of premeditated murder at the hand of U.S. troops. That's according to a source close to a military investigation. The military officer says some of the Marines have admitted to a cover-up by staging a crime scene in Hamdaniya. Now this case is separate from the alleged massacre of 24 Iraqis in Haditha. That in November.

For the latest on this developing story, let's check in now with CNN senior Pentagon correspondent Jamie McIntyre. And, Jamie, in talking about the Hamdaniya case, the initial reporting now is coming under closer scrutiny, and the story is changing a bit, isn't it?

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SR. PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, it is, Tony. The official account was that this man who was killed by U.S. Marines back in April in Hamdaniya was a suspected insurgent believed to be planting a roadside bomb, but now investigators have cast a lot of doubt on that story. There are six -- I'm sorry, seven Marines and one Navy corpsman being held in the brig at Camp Pendleton, California, awaiting the outcome of this investigation, which has been fairly swift since it began with the complaints of local Iraqis in Hamdaniya back in the beginning of May, who claim that they thought this man had been killed unjustly. The original story was encapsulated in a written note, that the family had possession of and showed to a reporter from Night Ridder (ph) news service. They've posted that note.

We can see that in the sergeant's handwriting, it says, quote, "We spotted a man digging on the side of the road from our ambush site. I made the call and engaged. He was pronounced dead at the scene with only a shovel and an AK-47," signed by one Marine sergeant, witnessed by a Marine staff sergeant.

But investigators, who've been talking to these Marines and say that some of them have admitted that that is not the truth, say they believe the man was, in fact, dragged from his home, shot, and then the rifle and shovel were placed by him to make it look like he was an insurgent planting a roadside bomb.

Now, none of these Marines or this Navy Corpsman have yet been charged, although sources told us that they believe that some of the charges could include premeditated murder. As one sources said, they went out to get someone, perhaps not this particular person, but someone, and they ended up killing this man.

Now the defense attorneys who are beginning to put together a defense for these Marines and this Navy Corpsman are incensed by these leaks of information. They say they haven't even seen the charges yet, and they're convinced that they're going to be able to mount a vigorous defense and exonerate their clients. But again, no charges have been filed. We expect it could happen as early as this week.

HARRIS; And, Jamie, remind us again of the difficult task being faced by Marine Corps Commandant Michael Hagee as he tries to counsel his Marines.

MCINTYRE: Well, both this incident at Hamandiya, and of course the bigger alleged massacre at Haditha have provided significant challenge to the Marine Corps, and the Marine Corps ethos. General Michael Hagee, who is the top Marine, went on a trip to Iraqi to talk to his Marines personally, to stress to them that to no matter how much stress you're under in combat, the real courage in combat is not so much the courage to fight, but the courage to do the right thing, particularly when it comes to protecting non-combatants on the field. He's back from Iraq now, having met with virtually all the Marine bases in Iraq, and he's spreading that message in the U.S. as well and at bases here. And again, it underscores how serious the Marine Corps thinks this is going to be, once that investigation comes out. And by the way, sources tell us that the Naval criminal investigation of the Haditha incident still could take another six to eight weeks to wrap up.

HARRIS: CNN's senior Pentagon correspondent Jamie McIntyre.

Jamie, thank you.

NGUYEN: Well, thousand of protesters hit the streets of Somalia's Capitol, Mogadishu, today. It was a show of support for the city's largest plan, in the face of an advance by Islamic militia, who HAS seized part of the capital. The clan vows to defend its land against the militia, which drove out fighters from a secular alliance yesterday. The U.S. accuses the Islamist of ties to al Qaeda. HARRIS: A new warning for pregnant women about what they eat. Consumer advocates are going beyond government deadlines. The story just coming up in just a couple of minutes on CNN's LIVE TODAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Here's the question. Is canned tuna safe for pregnant women? Well, "Consumer Reports" is adding its voice to this debate. The magazine reported on government tests of canned light tuna and albacore. "Consumer Reports" says the tests showed both types could have harmful levels of mercury. It's now recommending that pregnant women not eat any canned tuna. The government says there's no research to suggest pregnant women would be harmed by an occasional serving of tuna, even tuna with a higher-than-average level of mercury. And a tuna trade group says the benefits of seafood outweigh any risk from trace amounts of mercury. So you decide.

HARRIS: Yes, you decide.

In Minnesota, they came into the hospital as conjoined twins, but they are going home as healthy, happy individuals. Just three weeks ago, surgeons separated Abbigail and Isabelle -- or Isabella? I like Isabella.

NGUYEN: You like Isabella? She's cute, either -- whatever you call her, yes.

HARRIS: Yes, the separation surgery took place at the Mayo Clinic of Rochester. They were born six months ago joined at the chest and stomach.

In China, surgeons say they have successfully removed a third arm from a baby boy. The arm was surprisingly well-developed, but not fully functional. The two-month old boy will have to undergo a lot of physical therapy to build up strength in his remaining left arm.

NGUYEN: And to get your "Daily Dose" of health news online, here's what you have to do. It's so simple. Log on to our Web site. You'll find the latest medical news, a health library and information on diet and fitness. The address, cnn.com/health.

HARRIS: OK, the date today, 06-06-06.

NGUYEN: Do you have to remind us?

HARRIS: I know.

NGUYEN: I don't like to even like saying it.

(BUSINESS HEADLINES)

HARRIS: OK, we want to take you back to Toronto and just outside the justice center there in Toronto, where 12 adult men, 17 in all, charged, Betty, as you know. And the other five children, minors, charged in a terrorist plot, were in court today, the men facing a laundry list of charges. The hearing wrapped up just a short time ago.

Here's the attorney for one of the suspect's, Steven Chan (ph).

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GARY BATASAR, DEFENDANT'S LAWYER: The allegations, as you've reported, are quite serious, including the storming and bombing of various buildings and an allegation, apparently, that my client personally indicated that he wanted to behead the prime minister of Canada.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: And we should tell you that a bond hearing for the suspects is now scheduled for next week.

Now, a case investigators say is, well, pretty evil. Two elderly women suspected of befriending homeless men, taking out insurance policies on them, and then luring them into violent deaths.

HARRIS: It's a frightening thought. Peter Viles with more on this report from "ANDERSON COOPER 360."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PETER VILES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The two elderly ladies pleaded not guilty to fraud. 75-year-old Helen Golay in the glasses and the bouffant, and 73-year-old Olga Rudderschmidt, allegedly behind a scheme so twisted, it shocked even the cops.

DET. DENNIS KILCOYNE, LAPD: I'll tell you, I'm in my 30th year, probably 21 years in homicide, and this is -- this is pretty evil.

VILES: Death number one, a homeless man named Paul Vados killed by a hit and run driver in this alley way in 1999. No suspect was apprehended.

Death number two, a year ago, another alley, another hit and run, another dead homeless man, Kenneth McDavid. Again, no suspect. There was something weird about the McDavid case, though. Two old ladies kept bugging the investigating detective for information.

LT. LYLE PRIDEAUX, LAPD: He was suspicious in that these two women, with no apparent interest in this person were making all these inquiries and wanted copies of reports and things like that.

VILES: The women were Helen Golay and Olga Rudderschmidt. It just so happened they had taken out nine life insurance policies on McDavid, the homeless victim. When another detective heard that, he said, wait a minute. I remember those two from a cold case.

KILCOYNE: The cobwebs are cleared out, the file is located, and there's the Paul Vados 1999 incident, and sure enough, the same two little old ladies, Olga and Helen, were doing the same thing then.

VILES: What emerged was chilling, women who allegedly befriended homeless men, took out insurance policies on them, and then collected more than $2 million when the men died violent deaths.

COMMANDER HARLAN WARD, LAPD: We have refocused the death investigations of these two men on these two women.

VILES: They were arrested last month. Golay, near the beach in Santa Monica where she owns property; Rudderschmidt, in a modest Hollywood apartment complex. For now they're charged only with lying when they took out the insurance policies.

KIM SAVO, DEPUTY FEDERAL PUBLIC DEFENDER: They're charged with mail fraud. Mail fraud. It's a very boring federal offense.

ROGER DIAMOND, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: There's just no evidence of any murder. If they had evidence, they would have filed charges.

VILES: But police believe there were two murders and that the women are the prime suspects.

(on camera): Now, police are still investigating, and they're asking the public in Los Angeles for some help. The question, are there other homeless men who have suffered the same fate?

Peter Viles for CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: And look for the latest on this investigation weeknights on "ANDERSON COOPER 360," beginning at 10:00 p.m. Eastern.

NGUYEN: It's time now to get a look at what is ahead at the top of the hour with YOUR WORLD TODAY.

HARRIS: Hala Gorani joins us from the CNN International newsroom. Hala, good morning to you.

HALA GORANI, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Good morning, Tony. Good morning, Betty. We're going to be looking at that spike in violence in Iraq, 104,000 civilians killed last month alone in Baghdad.

Also a couple of very interesting stories for you. Many industries are expected to benefit from the World Cup, which kicks off in Germany this Friday. One of them the oldest profession in the world, prostitution. We have a special report from our Chris Burns in Berlin.

Also, a fascinating medical breakthrough. For the first time in England, doctors transplant a beating heart. Instead of packing it in ice, it just kept beating in a special device. We'll bring you that story, as well.

All that at the top of the hour, YOUR WORLD TODAY, coming up in about 15 minutes. Back to you.

NGUYEN: That is fascinating.

HARRIS: Couldn't see enough of that heart, could you? NGUYEN: Yes, I was mesmerized by it. All right, Hala.

HARRIS: Oh, sure, go back to it, why don't you? All right, Hala, thank you.

NGUYEN: Now I got to watch to see the rest of that, OK.

HARRIS: Man.

NGUYEN: Right now, we're going to talk about the long haul in the Heartland, where drivers regularly log hundreds of miles a day. Find out how they are coping with high gas prices.

HARRIS: That's ahead on CNN, the most trusted name on news.

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NGUYEN: All right, this is really remarkable. It was supposed to be a routine household chore, but all of that changed in an instant, just like that.

HARRIS: All right, here's the deal, Glen Johnson says he has used gasoline to wash his clothes for years.

NGUYEN: Why?

HARRIS: Not anymore.

Greg Vandergrift (ph) of our affiliate KREE has this cautionary tale.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GLENN JOHNSON, SUFFERED BURNS IN BLAST: It got so hot it melted the...

GREG VANDERGRIFT (ph), KREE REPORTER: Charred shorts, a memory of a fiery escape for Glenn Johnson.

JOHNSON: It shook the whole apartment, sounded like a sonic boom -- boom! Like a whoosh -- whoosh! That's what it sounded like -- whoosh!

VANDERGRIFT: Saturday morning he recalls adding a couple cups of gas to detergent, much like he has for years, while watching grease- stained clothes at his St. Paul's apartment building.

JOHNSON: Mixing a little gas with water will dissolve grease from your clothes.

VANDERGRIFT: But bandages hiding what authorities call second- degree burns reveal a knee-knocking moment.

JOHNSON: I seen a ball of fire come across the sink and, you know, and I made it toward the door. It blew me out of the laundry room and onto the steps. VANDERGRIFT: St. Paul Fire responds.

DEP. CHIEF MIKE HOGAN, ST. PAUL FIRE DEPT.: Not a good idea to wash your clothes in gasoline.

VANDERGRIFT: Deputy fire chief Mike Hogan says gasoline shouldn't be used for cleaning, and believes vapors got from the washer to a spark or flame.

HOGAN: He's very lucky. He could have burned or killed.

JOHNSON: And Hogan adds he's lucky all the gas didn't vaporize.

HOGAN: So he had two cups, so roughly equal about a half-a-stick of dynamite.

JOHNSON: I'm blessed to be alive.

VANDERGRIFT: He got burned once; now he's washed his hands of an old habit.

JOHNSON: I will never use gasoline again.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: OK, the city of Holly Springs, Georgia, down the road from us, huh?

NGUYEN: Not too far.

HARRIS: Will present a local man a commendation for bravery later this month. Steve Walker helped police officer Julie Ann Welch (ph) subdue a perp. Have you see this?

NGUYEN: Look at -- OK, here's what happened, she needed a hand, you see right there, because she is 5'4", and the guy, who didn't want to be cuffed, is nearly six-feet tall, towers over her.

Hey, come on, get back into the screen. There, look, look! OK, so that's where Walker comes in. He rushed to help Officer Welch, still wrestling with that suspect, Mike Schmidt (ph). Schmidt was finally hauled away and arrested, so he's getting a little award for his bravery.

HARRIS: Very good.

NGUYEN: But she needed a hand. Look at this basketball player!

HARRIS: Some of those WWF moves come in handy.

NGUYEN: She needed just to take him down, a pile driver or...

HARRIS: Climb a ladder, put him in a sleeper hold, call it a day.

NGUYEN: Yes, sleeper hold. HARRIS: And there's this. There are houseboats and then there are houseboats. This historic Seattle home -- wow! -- was lifted from its foundation and rolled onto on a barge for a 100-mile trip to Washington's Shaw (ph) Island. The house was to be demolished, so the land it sits on could be redeveloped. But a couple bought it and, you know, hatched a plan to move it, in what one onlooker called the ultimate in recycling.

NGUYEN: I'd say so.

Well, international news is up next. You'll want to stay tuned for YOUR WORLD TODAY.

HARRIS: And we will be back with headlines from the U.S. in about 20 minutes.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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