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Scott Peterson Trial; McGreevey Scandal; Biblical Discovery?
Aired August 18, 2004 - 8:59 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. For some residents along the Gulf Coast of Florida it's time to go home today, what's left of it, anyway.
After jurors spend days of hearing the lies about Scott Peterson and from Scott Peterson, how much is an on-tape denial worth in that case?
The earth gives way, swallowing up an SUV. A pregnant woman nearly trapped inside.
And swept away. Sidewalks and streets turn into raging across the pond on this AMERICAN MORNING.
ANNOUNCER: From the CNN Broadcast Center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING with Bill Hemmer and Soledad O'Brien.
Welcome, everybody. Good morning. Nine o'clock here in New York City. Heidi Collins along with us today.
And good morning again.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning.
HEMMER: Soledad at home resting. We'll let you know when there is news.
In the meantime, Scott Peterson's defense team gets is first crack at Amber Frey today. Yesterday, jurors heard a phone call in which Peterson denies being responsible for his wife's death. Hard to tell how the jury might react. You can make your own call in a moment when we play that tape for you. We'll also talk with former San Mateo County prosecutor, Dean Johnson, our guest in California, back with us again today.
COLLINS: Also, the growing push to get New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevey out of office quickly. Already there are some prospective candidates being floated around. We will hear from former New Jersey Governor Christie Todd Whitman to find out whether she might be one of them.
HEMMER: Also, it may be one of the biggest finds in biblical history, a cave used by John the Baptist. It's authenticity, though, may be impossible to prove, we're told. We'll talk to the archaeologist who found it and find out what he has to say about it in a moment here.
COLLINS: Jack here now.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: "The Cafferty File" will be coming up, I'm told, at some point in the third hour of the broadcast. We usually do it in the second hour, but we got a little pressed for time.
And the "Question of the Day" has to do with Muqtada al-Sadr. We've gotten hundreds of responses, and some of are you not taking the question seriously. And those are some of the best letters. And we'll read some of those a little later this hour.
HEMMER: Thanks, Jack.
CAFFERTY: They're terrific.
COLLINS: Thanks, Jack.
HEMMER: Let's get to Florida, where we start this hour now. Hundreds of thousands continue struggling to put their lives back together after Charley. Today, Sanibel Island, a popular tourist destination, set to reopen. And Bob Franken is now there live this morning.
Bob, good morning there.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.
And what we had with this hurricane is proof that Mother Nature does not play any economic favorites. Sanibel Island is across a causeway. It is quite exclusive. As a matter of fact, one of the nicknames for it is Mayberry for rich people.
Six thousand full-time residents live here, by the way. They don't like it called that. They say that there is some diversity, some employees here.
But the 6,000 residents have been kept off since Friday because of concerns about the bridge that they're crossing now, now that they're being allowed back on. There have been concerns about fallen electrical lines, damage, et cetera. But as you can see, there is a long line, a long line of cars. And I mean long line. It extends for well over a mile as people have to show passes to prove that they live here.
Starting at 7:00 this morning, residents were let on the island. Later this morning, the business people will be let on. They're going to encounter something that officials say has been greatly cleaned up.
They said just a day or so ago it was impassable. The debris, the fallen lines, et cetera, caused nothing but problems. It was just not something not worth living through -- living for. But the mayor of the town says that with the cooperation of federal and state officials, they've made it at least to the point where people can go in and inspect how badly their homes have been damaged.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MAYOR MARTY HARRITY, SANIBEL ISLAND, FLORIDA: Well, I think the feeling here is one of relief because we've had such a well-planned hurricane evacuation and the effort of all of the agencies from the federal government to the state and local governments, and getting this recovery effort put together. I mean a little over 100 hours ago you couldn't walk on Sanibel with all the debris. And now we're opening the island up and getting back to normal.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FRANKEN: And now people are going to find out that it is anything but back to normal. They're going to find houses that to some degree have been damaged.
The damage could have been worse, but they have a very strict building code here because the residents, for the most part, can enforce it -- can afford it. And therefore, there is not the damage to the structures.
But people who are usually able to get their way and go and come when they please have had to wait several days. They've stayed in neighboring motels, that type of thing. Now they're going to get in to see the damage themselves -- Bill.
HEMMER: All right. Bob, we'll be watching that today. Bob Franken there in Florida -- Heidi.
COLLINS: The prosecution's star witness in the Peterson murder trial, Amber Frey, is set to be cross-examined on the witness stand this morning. But yesterday more taped phone calls as Scott begins to worry Amber may suspect him in Laci's disappearance.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
SCOTT PETERSON, DEFENDANT: Amber, are you asking if I had something to do with this?
AMBER FREY, HAD AFFAIR WITH SCOTT PETERSON: You never told me you haven't.
PETERSON: Yes, I have. I had nothing to do with this. You know that.
FREY: How -- how -- how am I supposed to know that when I didn't even know you were currently married, you have a child on the way? How was I supposed to...
PETERSON: The only way you can know that is just by knowing.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
COLLINS: Dean Johnson, former San Mateo county prosecutor, has been in the courtroom. He's joining us now this morning from Redwood City.
Dean, hello to you. Welcome back to AMERICAN MORNING. DEAN JOHNSON, FMR. SAN MATEO COUNTY PROSECUTOR: Good morning. Thank you.
COLLINS: After all of the lies that Scott Peterson has apparently told and that the jury has heard, what sort of denial like that, what will that impact have on the jury?
JOHNSON: Well, I think the jury understands very clearly in these latter phone calls that Scott Peterson knows he's being taped and he's not going to say anything incriminating. There is one very telling passage for me where Amber Frey asks Scott, "Scott, are you still comfortable talking with me on this phone?" And Scott says, "Yes, I'm comfortable talking about certain things." He knows he's being taped at that point.
COLLINS: All right. Well, let me ask you about this now. We've talked about this a little bit this morning, the conversation between Laci Peterson's mother, Sharon Rocha, and Scott Peterson. Want to go through the transcript.
Not audible here, but the transcript that says from Sharon Rocha, "You killed my daughter. Didn't you?" Peterson: "No, I don't, mom."
Sharon says, "Yes, you did, Scott. And I want to know. Just let me bring my daughter home. OK? That's all I want. I don't want anything else from you."
"I want you to tell me where my daughter is. I want to be able to bury my daughter. Now would you tell me where she is, Scott?" Peter southern says, "Don't know where she is. I want my wife."
She says, "Stop lying. I'm tired of your lies. You have looked me in the eye for weeks and been lying to me. You have looked me in the eye for years and been lying to me and to Laci. Now where is she?" He says, "I wish I knew."
Will this be called into evidence, Dean?
JOHNSON: We don't know. There actually is a transcript of another conversation between Sharon Rocha and Scott Peterson that has already been put into evidence. It's not this transcript.
We don't know why this particular conversation is not in evidence yet. It may come up later. Certainly Scott Peterson is being very effectively cross-examined by Sharon Rocha, and she's a very formidable examiner, believe me. Scott Peterson may become the first defendant in history to be cross-examined effectively by four different women and never take the stand.
COLLINS: All right. A little bit more sound we want to listen to now, Dean. This happened between Scott Peterson and Amber Frey.
It was about the news conference that they had that we all remember where Amber Frey got before the press and she that she did not know that Scott Peterson was married when she was having the affair with him. Let's listen. (BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
PETERSON: Yes, it sounds weird, but I was so -- so in awe of you, so proud of you, if you will, when you did that. It was amazing just -- you know, you have an amazing character.
It also made me... well, I pulled over and threw up when you cried. I was listening to the radio because it's so hard to hear.
FREY: Threw up?
(END AUDIO CLIP)
COLLINS: You say this interchange captures the essence of how Scott Peterson is actually of two minds. What do you mean by that?
JOHNSON: Well, look at what he's saying. He's saying, Amber, I love you, I'm so proud of you for going forward, I'm so proud of you it made me throw up.
This Scott Peterson has an extraordinary ability to compartmentalize, to separate two parallel lives, one with Laci, one with Amber. And what's happening here, what's happening through this whole interchange is that his house of cards is coming down.
He can't compartmentalize anymore. On the one side, he's Scott Peterson, the suspect, Scott Peterson the person who has lost Laci, and Amber is a -- in that world Amber is a witness coming forward against him.
On the other hand, on these telephone conversations, he's trying to still pretend to be Amber's lover, to woo her, to keep her close, to find out what's happening with her. And those two worlds just can't coincide.
COLLINS: Dean, really quickly, before we let you go, what do you expect from Mark Geragos today? How tough is he going to be?
JOHNSON: I think he's going to be very tough. I had said before that I expected that Geragos would do almost no cross-examination. We now have some rulings from Judge Delucchi on what Geragos cannot do.
Those suggest that Geragos intended and still intends to go after Amber and to attack her character, to go into as many of her relationships as he possibly can. The judge has said you cannot go into any relationships that existed before or after Scott, but relationships that you had during the time you were with Scott, during the time you were taping, those you can go into. I expect a very broad and sweeping cross-examination now.
COLLINS: Dean Johnson, former San Mateo County prosecutor. Dean, thanks so much for all that.
JOHNSON: Thank you, Heidi.
HEMMER: About nine minutes past the hour now. New Jersey's former governor has joined a growing chorus calling for the current governor, Jim McGreevey, to resign now and not in mid-November, as he announced last week. Christie Todd Whitman was with us earlier today here on AMERICAN MORNING.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: Why go now?
CHRISTIE TODD WHITMAN, FMR. NJ GOVERNOR: Because once you've announced that you are going to be leaving with -- before your term is up, you are a lame duck. And your ability to do your job is compromised.
You add on to that the fact that the governor stood up and said, look, there's something going on in my life that means I'm not going to be able to fulfill my obligations as governor of the state of New Jersey in November, but I know it now. That doesn't make sense. It means he's distracted now. And this states needs a governor who fully concentrates on the needs of the people, particularly because we're in a state of high alert.
We have a convention coming up across the river from us and the end of this month. We need someone who is not distracted by anything. And I just don't understand how you can say I know I'm going to be distracted so much in three months from now that I can't do my job, so I'll stick around for those three months, but I'm telling you now.
That just isn't right. And when you add to the fact that, even when you have a change of government through the electoral process, you don't have three months. Excuse me. You only have two at the most.
So the point here is, if the governor were to step down today, he would allow the people to make a decision in a special election that would be held in November. That's time enough for them to hear from the candidates and to be able to pick who they want for at least the next year. And then that person really should, if they're going to have continuity, be someone who is willing to stand for re-election for the next four as well.
HEMMER: Do you want your old job back?
WHITMAN: No. I think it's time for someone new, because I do feel very strongly that whoever the candidate is should be willing to say that they'll serve the next four years and five years more of governor. I think that would be too much.
HEMMER: Here is what Jim McGreevey wrote yesterday, an op-ed piece that appeared in "USA Today." In part, and quoting now, "The fact that I've chose to leave office before the end of my term only heightens my responsibilities to the citizens of New Jersey, not only to complete the initiatives we have started, but also to oversee an orderly transition of power."
Do you see a smooth transition as necessary? WHITMAN: Oh, listen, he has no problem at all. When I left the governorship, when I went to the Bush administration, my successor had three weeks. He was in the same position as Senator Cody (ph).
We're talking about a senator of his own party who has been in the Senate for some 20 years-plus. He knows the job inside and out. It's not going to take three months.
Governor McGreevey has said he's not going to be able to do his job in November. That means he's distracted today. He can't do it the way he needs to do it today. He should step aside.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: Former governor of New Jersey Christie Todd Whitman with us earlier today -- Heidi.
COLLINS: Twelve minutes past the hour now. Time for a look at some of today's news with Carol Costello.
Hi, Carol.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, Heidi. Thank you.
The House committee is now gathering on Capitol Hill for another closed-door hearing on the 9/11 report. The select Intelligence Committee will meet with the 9/11 Commission co-chairs. The former heads of the CIA and the FBI also set to appear.
Eight terror suspects charged with terrors of related offenses have made their first appearance in a British court. The men were arrested earlier this month in terror sweeps throughout England. One of the suspects has been described by U.S. officials as a senior al Qaeda operative. The men will be held in custody pending a plea hearing set for August 25.
A group of American children discovered in a Nigerian orphanage are now recovering with foster families in Houston, Texas. Authorities are investigating claims that the seven children, who range in age from eight to 16, were abandoned by their adoptive mother in Africa last October. A hearing is expected later this month.
And in Massachusetts, a pregnant woman drove through what appeared to be a puddle, but surprise. It turned out to be a sinkhole that nearly swallowed her car. Officials said a water main break was the cause of the large hole. The woman, who was six months pregnant, and another passenger escaped the submerged vehicle without injury -- Heidi.
COLLINS: Thank goodness for that! Good lord!
COSTELLO: Can you believe that? It just looked like a little puddle.
COLLINS: And boom! It was gone. All right. Carol Costello, thanks. Frightening flooding yesterday, too, along the coast of England. Torrential rain and high tide mixed to create a raging river of mud and debris in the village of Boscastle. Look at that current.
The water swept away everything in its path, including several cars and trucks that you see here. The flash flood sent families fleeing to higher ground. No one in the small town, though, was injured.
HEMMER: Can't take your eye off of that video, huh?
Chad Myers watching weather in this country now. To the CNN Center.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HEMMER: All right, Chad. Thanks for that.
In a moment here, more golden performances in Athens. We'll get a live report from Greece in a moment on that.
COLLINS: And is there a vendetta against Michael Jackson, as his lawyers claim? We're going to hear from the lead investigator in the 1993 case against the pop star.
HEMMER: Also, have archaeologists made a discovery of biblical proportions? Make that biblical. Back in a moment with that story after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Archaeologists in Israel claim to have wiped away 2,000 years of biblical mystery. They say they found the cave where John the Baptist baptized many of his followers, perhaps even Jesus. Shimon Gibson uncovered the cave and authored a book about it, "The Cave of John the Baptist." He's joining us now this morning from Jerusalem.
Thanks so much for being with us, Mr. Gibson. We appreciate your time. Let me ask you, how can you be sure that this cave was actually John the Baptist's?
SHIMON GIBSON, CLAIMS JOHN THE BAPTIST FIND: Well, when we found the cave in December of 1999, I called in and saw these drawings which were (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to the plaster on the walls on the cave. And the drawings themselves are images relating to the life and times of John the Baptist, his death, as well as to his significance for Christianity.
So clearly, in the Byzantine period, the 5th to -- the 4th or 5th centuries AD, this was a cave which was used to commemorate John the Baptist and the story of his life. But the amazing find was when we dug below the floors of the Byzantine cave and came across remains dating back to John the Baptist himself.
COLLINS: My goodness, you must have been very excited to find those different artifacts. This was actually a three-year excavation process. What led you to this cave in particular?
GIBSON: Well, we were doing an archaeological survey in the vicinity of Ankarum (ph), which is the traditional hometown of John the Baptist. And upon the discovery of this cave, which was -- which was a chance discovery, it wasn't something which we thought would be there -- but finding this cave, realizing the significance, I got in touch with a colleague of mine, Professor James Taber (ph) at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. And together, we planned to undertake an archaeological excavation inside the cave.
We dug there for three years. We could have informed everyone about the significance of the cave back in December 1999, but I wanted to be absolutely sure that we were -- that we knew what was there in the cave and that we knew what had occurred in the cave dating back to the beginnings of the Byzantine period and all the way back to the time of John the Baptist himself.
At the bottom of the cave, we found ritual installations which don't fit in to what we know about normative Jewish purification practices of the first century. So, clearly, there was a sect of people practicing water purification rites very similar to that of John the Baptist. And because of the later Byzantine tradition, it seems logical that they are one and the same.
COLLINS: Well, if, in fact, your research turns out to be true, and this was indeed the cave where John the Baptist was, Christians will certainly be very excited about it. We appreciate your time this morning, Shimon Gibson. Thanks so much.
GIBSON: Thank you.
COLLINS: Bill.
HEMMER: In a moment here, live to Athens. An Olympic update waiting for you in a moment. Also, our Olympics quiz this hour. Which of the following sports has not been an event of the summer games: roller hockey, pigeon shooting, croquet or tug of war?
Chew on that. The answer after a break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: All right, here we go. Which of the following sports has not been an event at the summer games: roller hockey, pigeon shooting, croquet or tug of war? And the answer is roller hockey.
Tug of war last held in 1920. Croquet and pigeon shooting two events at the summer games in Paris in 1900.
COLLINS: I was going to say tug of war. I thought I would have been wrong; 1920, though, I wasn't around.
So Jack Cafferty now and "The Cafferty File."
CAFFERTY: Thank you, Heidi. We're starting with the 9/11 scorecard today. The number of days since the 9/11 Commission made recommendations for protecting this country against terrorism? Twenty-seven. The number of recommendations adopted by your Congress? Zero.
While we sit here counting the days since the report came out, it should be noted that Congress is still on vacation. They should be so proud.
Wednesday, which means looking at things people said in the last week that got our attention, beginning with mind control. "It's not science fiction, it's your television set. It's information in general. Times Square is mind control. I ate a chocolate bar because I saw a sign in Times Square." That's Denzel Washington talking about that movie he's in, "The Manchurian Candidate."
"I couldn't get a job with the CIA today. I'm not qualified." That would be Porter Goss, President Bush's CIA director nominee in a newly-released March interview he did with the documentary filmmaker, Michael Moore.
Actually, he's not a documentary maker. He's a propaganda filmmaker, Michael Moore. Documentaries are factual.
"I just want you to know how hard I've been working for you here. I've been organizing Republicans for Bush-Cheney, I've been organizing Austrian-born bodybuilders for Bush-Cheney. I've even been organizing girlie men for Bush-Cheney." That would be the California governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, at a recent fund-raiser for the Republican Party.
"A sensitive war will not destroy the evil men who killed 3,000 Americans." Vice President Dick Cheney on Senator John Kerry's promise to fight a more sensitive war on terror.
And the best one of the week probably is from Maureen Dowd. "I do think we're watching the biggest teenage rebellion in political history. I mean, it's as though he borrowed the family station wagon from his dad and crashed it into the globe." Maureen Dowed, author of "Bush World" on President Bush and his policies in an interview with my old buddy, Tim Russert, over there on "Meet the Press."
HEMMER: Thank you, Jack.
Get a break here. "90-Second Pop" in a moment here on Wednesday morning.
Find out why Bruce Springsteen's politics may end up hitting him where it hurts the most. And why late night TV could be ready for a sex change.
Ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Still to come, why does Michael Jackson say he thinks someone is out to get him? That's coming up right here on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Get you -- get you down to Wall Street right now, a few seconds away from the opening bell. Take time just for a second here to talk about these oil pries, again, pushing $47 a barrel. Christine Romans telling us it may go to $50 a barrel.
COLLINS: $50.
HEMMER: We will see on that. Eighteen points to the positive yesterday for the Dow 30; 9972 is your opening mark today, still a touch below the 10000 there. Nasdaq market site, 1795, up about 12 points in trading from yesterday.
So good morning yet again. Welcome back. Stocks opened for business now in New York City.
COLLINS: It is 9:30 right here on this AMERICAN MORNING. And the Michael Jackson case resumes tomorrow.
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Aired August 18, 2004 - 8:59 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. For some residents along the Gulf Coast of Florida it's time to go home today, what's left of it, anyway.
After jurors spend days of hearing the lies about Scott Peterson and from Scott Peterson, how much is an on-tape denial worth in that case?
The earth gives way, swallowing up an SUV. A pregnant woman nearly trapped inside.
And swept away. Sidewalks and streets turn into raging across the pond on this AMERICAN MORNING.
ANNOUNCER: From the CNN Broadcast Center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING with Bill Hemmer and Soledad O'Brien.
Welcome, everybody. Good morning. Nine o'clock here in New York City. Heidi Collins along with us today.
And good morning again.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning.
HEMMER: Soledad at home resting. We'll let you know when there is news.
In the meantime, Scott Peterson's defense team gets is first crack at Amber Frey today. Yesterday, jurors heard a phone call in which Peterson denies being responsible for his wife's death. Hard to tell how the jury might react. You can make your own call in a moment when we play that tape for you. We'll also talk with former San Mateo County prosecutor, Dean Johnson, our guest in California, back with us again today.
COLLINS: Also, the growing push to get New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevey out of office quickly. Already there are some prospective candidates being floated around. We will hear from former New Jersey Governor Christie Todd Whitman to find out whether she might be one of them.
HEMMER: Also, it may be one of the biggest finds in biblical history, a cave used by John the Baptist. It's authenticity, though, may be impossible to prove, we're told. We'll talk to the archaeologist who found it and find out what he has to say about it in a moment here.
COLLINS: Jack here now.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: "The Cafferty File" will be coming up, I'm told, at some point in the third hour of the broadcast. We usually do it in the second hour, but we got a little pressed for time.
And the "Question of the Day" has to do with Muqtada al-Sadr. We've gotten hundreds of responses, and some of are you not taking the question seriously. And those are some of the best letters. And we'll read some of those a little later this hour.
HEMMER: Thanks, Jack.
CAFFERTY: They're terrific.
COLLINS: Thanks, Jack.
HEMMER: Let's get to Florida, where we start this hour now. Hundreds of thousands continue struggling to put their lives back together after Charley. Today, Sanibel Island, a popular tourist destination, set to reopen. And Bob Franken is now there live this morning.
Bob, good morning there.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.
And what we had with this hurricane is proof that Mother Nature does not play any economic favorites. Sanibel Island is across a causeway. It is quite exclusive. As a matter of fact, one of the nicknames for it is Mayberry for rich people.
Six thousand full-time residents live here, by the way. They don't like it called that. They say that there is some diversity, some employees here.
But the 6,000 residents have been kept off since Friday because of concerns about the bridge that they're crossing now, now that they're being allowed back on. There have been concerns about fallen electrical lines, damage, et cetera. But as you can see, there is a long line, a long line of cars. And I mean long line. It extends for well over a mile as people have to show passes to prove that they live here.
Starting at 7:00 this morning, residents were let on the island. Later this morning, the business people will be let on. They're going to encounter something that officials say has been greatly cleaned up.
They said just a day or so ago it was impassable. The debris, the fallen lines, et cetera, caused nothing but problems. It was just not something not worth living through -- living for. But the mayor of the town says that with the cooperation of federal and state officials, they've made it at least to the point where people can go in and inspect how badly their homes have been damaged.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MAYOR MARTY HARRITY, SANIBEL ISLAND, FLORIDA: Well, I think the feeling here is one of relief because we've had such a well-planned hurricane evacuation and the effort of all of the agencies from the federal government to the state and local governments, and getting this recovery effort put together. I mean a little over 100 hours ago you couldn't walk on Sanibel with all the debris. And now we're opening the island up and getting back to normal.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FRANKEN: And now people are going to find out that it is anything but back to normal. They're going to find houses that to some degree have been damaged.
The damage could have been worse, but they have a very strict building code here because the residents, for the most part, can enforce it -- can afford it. And therefore, there is not the damage to the structures.
But people who are usually able to get their way and go and come when they please have had to wait several days. They've stayed in neighboring motels, that type of thing. Now they're going to get in to see the damage themselves -- Bill.
HEMMER: All right. Bob, we'll be watching that today. Bob Franken there in Florida -- Heidi.
COLLINS: The prosecution's star witness in the Peterson murder trial, Amber Frey, is set to be cross-examined on the witness stand this morning. But yesterday more taped phone calls as Scott begins to worry Amber may suspect him in Laci's disappearance.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
SCOTT PETERSON, DEFENDANT: Amber, are you asking if I had something to do with this?
AMBER FREY, HAD AFFAIR WITH SCOTT PETERSON: You never told me you haven't.
PETERSON: Yes, I have. I had nothing to do with this. You know that.
FREY: How -- how -- how am I supposed to know that when I didn't even know you were currently married, you have a child on the way? How was I supposed to...
PETERSON: The only way you can know that is just by knowing.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
COLLINS: Dean Johnson, former San Mateo county prosecutor, has been in the courtroom. He's joining us now this morning from Redwood City.
Dean, hello to you. Welcome back to AMERICAN MORNING. DEAN JOHNSON, FMR. SAN MATEO COUNTY PROSECUTOR: Good morning. Thank you.
COLLINS: After all of the lies that Scott Peterson has apparently told and that the jury has heard, what sort of denial like that, what will that impact have on the jury?
JOHNSON: Well, I think the jury understands very clearly in these latter phone calls that Scott Peterson knows he's being taped and he's not going to say anything incriminating. There is one very telling passage for me where Amber Frey asks Scott, "Scott, are you still comfortable talking with me on this phone?" And Scott says, "Yes, I'm comfortable talking about certain things." He knows he's being taped at that point.
COLLINS: All right. Well, let me ask you about this now. We've talked about this a little bit this morning, the conversation between Laci Peterson's mother, Sharon Rocha, and Scott Peterson. Want to go through the transcript.
Not audible here, but the transcript that says from Sharon Rocha, "You killed my daughter. Didn't you?" Peterson: "No, I don't, mom."
Sharon says, "Yes, you did, Scott. And I want to know. Just let me bring my daughter home. OK? That's all I want. I don't want anything else from you."
"I want you to tell me where my daughter is. I want to be able to bury my daughter. Now would you tell me where she is, Scott?" Peter southern says, "Don't know where she is. I want my wife."
She says, "Stop lying. I'm tired of your lies. You have looked me in the eye for weeks and been lying to me. You have looked me in the eye for years and been lying to me and to Laci. Now where is she?" He says, "I wish I knew."
Will this be called into evidence, Dean?
JOHNSON: We don't know. There actually is a transcript of another conversation between Sharon Rocha and Scott Peterson that has already been put into evidence. It's not this transcript.
We don't know why this particular conversation is not in evidence yet. It may come up later. Certainly Scott Peterson is being very effectively cross-examined by Sharon Rocha, and she's a very formidable examiner, believe me. Scott Peterson may become the first defendant in history to be cross-examined effectively by four different women and never take the stand.
COLLINS: All right. A little bit more sound we want to listen to now, Dean. This happened between Scott Peterson and Amber Frey.
It was about the news conference that they had that we all remember where Amber Frey got before the press and she that she did not know that Scott Peterson was married when she was having the affair with him. Let's listen. (BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
PETERSON: Yes, it sounds weird, but I was so -- so in awe of you, so proud of you, if you will, when you did that. It was amazing just -- you know, you have an amazing character.
It also made me... well, I pulled over and threw up when you cried. I was listening to the radio because it's so hard to hear.
FREY: Threw up?
(END AUDIO CLIP)
COLLINS: You say this interchange captures the essence of how Scott Peterson is actually of two minds. What do you mean by that?
JOHNSON: Well, look at what he's saying. He's saying, Amber, I love you, I'm so proud of you for going forward, I'm so proud of you it made me throw up.
This Scott Peterson has an extraordinary ability to compartmentalize, to separate two parallel lives, one with Laci, one with Amber. And what's happening here, what's happening through this whole interchange is that his house of cards is coming down.
He can't compartmentalize anymore. On the one side, he's Scott Peterson, the suspect, Scott Peterson the person who has lost Laci, and Amber is a -- in that world Amber is a witness coming forward against him.
On the other hand, on these telephone conversations, he's trying to still pretend to be Amber's lover, to woo her, to keep her close, to find out what's happening with her. And those two worlds just can't coincide.
COLLINS: Dean, really quickly, before we let you go, what do you expect from Mark Geragos today? How tough is he going to be?
JOHNSON: I think he's going to be very tough. I had said before that I expected that Geragos would do almost no cross-examination. We now have some rulings from Judge Delucchi on what Geragos cannot do.
Those suggest that Geragos intended and still intends to go after Amber and to attack her character, to go into as many of her relationships as he possibly can. The judge has said you cannot go into any relationships that existed before or after Scott, but relationships that you had during the time you were with Scott, during the time you were taping, those you can go into. I expect a very broad and sweeping cross-examination now.
COLLINS: Dean Johnson, former San Mateo County prosecutor. Dean, thanks so much for all that.
JOHNSON: Thank you, Heidi.
HEMMER: About nine minutes past the hour now. New Jersey's former governor has joined a growing chorus calling for the current governor, Jim McGreevey, to resign now and not in mid-November, as he announced last week. Christie Todd Whitman was with us earlier today here on AMERICAN MORNING.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: Why go now?
CHRISTIE TODD WHITMAN, FMR. NJ GOVERNOR: Because once you've announced that you are going to be leaving with -- before your term is up, you are a lame duck. And your ability to do your job is compromised.
You add on to that the fact that the governor stood up and said, look, there's something going on in my life that means I'm not going to be able to fulfill my obligations as governor of the state of New Jersey in November, but I know it now. That doesn't make sense. It means he's distracted now. And this states needs a governor who fully concentrates on the needs of the people, particularly because we're in a state of high alert.
We have a convention coming up across the river from us and the end of this month. We need someone who is not distracted by anything. And I just don't understand how you can say I know I'm going to be distracted so much in three months from now that I can't do my job, so I'll stick around for those three months, but I'm telling you now.
That just isn't right. And when you add to the fact that, even when you have a change of government through the electoral process, you don't have three months. Excuse me. You only have two at the most.
So the point here is, if the governor were to step down today, he would allow the people to make a decision in a special election that would be held in November. That's time enough for them to hear from the candidates and to be able to pick who they want for at least the next year. And then that person really should, if they're going to have continuity, be someone who is willing to stand for re-election for the next four as well.
HEMMER: Do you want your old job back?
WHITMAN: No. I think it's time for someone new, because I do feel very strongly that whoever the candidate is should be willing to say that they'll serve the next four years and five years more of governor. I think that would be too much.
HEMMER: Here is what Jim McGreevey wrote yesterday, an op-ed piece that appeared in "USA Today." In part, and quoting now, "The fact that I've chose to leave office before the end of my term only heightens my responsibilities to the citizens of New Jersey, not only to complete the initiatives we have started, but also to oversee an orderly transition of power."
Do you see a smooth transition as necessary? WHITMAN: Oh, listen, he has no problem at all. When I left the governorship, when I went to the Bush administration, my successor had three weeks. He was in the same position as Senator Cody (ph).
We're talking about a senator of his own party who has been in the Senate for some 20 years-plus. He knows the job inside and out. It's not going to take three months.
Governor McGreevey has said he's not going to be able to do his job in November. That means he's distracted today. He can't do it the way he needs to do it today. He should step aside.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: Former governor of New Jersey Christie Todd Whitman with us earlier today -- Heidi.
COLLINS: Twelve minutes past the hour now. Time for a look at some of today's news with Carol Costello.
Hi, Carol.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, Heidi. Thank you.
The House committee is now gathering on Capitol Hill for another closed-door hearing on the 9/11 report. The select Intelligence Committee will meet with the 9/11 Commission co-chairs. The former heads of the CIA and the FBI also set to appear.
Eight terror suspects charged with terrors of related offenses have made their first appearance in a British court. The men were arrested earlier this month in terror sweeps throughout England. One of the suspects has been described by U.S. officials as a senior al Qaeda operative. The men will be held in custody pending a plea hearing set for August 25.
A group of American children discovered in a Nigerian orphanage are now recovering with foster families in Houston, Texas. Authorities are investigating claims that the seven children, who range in age from eight to 16, were abandoned by their adoptive mother in Africa last October. A hearing is expected later this month.
And in Massachusetts, a pregnant woman drove through what appeared to be a puddle, but surprise. It turned out to be a sinkhole that nearly swallowed her car. Officials said a water main break was the cause of the large hole. The woman, who was six months pregnant, and another passenger escaped the submerged vehicle without injury -- Heidi.
COLLINS: Thank goodness for that! Good lord!
COSTELLO: Can you believe that? It just looked like a little puddle.
COLLINS: And boom! It was gone. All right. Carol Costello, thanks. Frightening flooding yesterday, too, along the coast of England. Torrential rain and high tide mixed to create a raging river of mud and debris in the village of Boscastle. Look at that current.
The water swept away everything in its path, including several cars and trucks that you see here. The flash flood sent families fleeing to higher ground. No one in the small town, though, was injured.
HEMMER: Can't take your eye off of that video, huh?
Chad Myers watching weather in this country now. To the CNN Center.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HEMMER: All right, Chad. Thanks for that.
In a moment here, more golden performances in Athens. We'll get a live report from Greece in a moment on that.
COLLINS: And is there a vendetta against Michael Jackson, as his lawyers claim? We're going to hear from the lead investigator in the 1993 case against the pop star.
HEMMER: Also, have archaeologists made a discovery of biblical proportions? Make that biblical. Back in a moment with that story after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Archaeologists in Israel claim to have wiped away 2,000 years of biblical mystery. They say they found the cave where John the Baptist baptized many of his followers, perhaps even Jesus. Shimon Gibson uncovered the cave and authored a book about it, "The Cave of John the Baptist." He's joining us now this morning from Jerusalem.
Thanks so much for being with us, Mr. Gibson. We appreciate your time. Let me ask you, how can you be sure that this cave was actually John the Baptist's?
SHIMON GIBSON, CLAIMS JOHN THE BAPTIST FIND: Well, when we found the cave in December of 1999, I called in and saw these drawings which were (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to the plaster on the walls on the cave. And the drawings themselves are images relating to the life and times of John the Baptist, his death, as well as to his significance for Christianity.
So clearly, in the Byzantine period, the 5th to -- the 4th or 5th centuries AD, this was a cave which was used to commemorate John the Baptist and the story of his life. But the amazing find was when we dug below the floors of the Byzantine cave and came across remains dating back to John the Baptist himself.
COLLINS: My goodness, you must have been very excited to find those different artifacts. This was actually a three-year excavation process. What led you to this cave in particular?
GIBSON: Well, we were doing an archaeological survey in the vicinity of Ankarum (ph), which is the traditional hometown of John the Baptist. And upon the discovery of this cave, which was -- which was a chance discovery, it wasn't something which we thought would be there -- but finding this cave, realizing the significance, I got in touch with a colleague of mine, Professor James Taber (ph) at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. And together, we planned to undertake an archaeological excavation inside the cave.
We dug there for three years. We could have informed everyone about the significance of the cave back in December 1999, but I wanted to be absolutely sure that we were -- that we knew what was there in the cave and that we knew what had occurred in the cave dating back to the beginnings of the Byzantine period and all the way back to the time of John the Baptist himself.
At the bottom of the cave, we found ritual installations which don't fit in to what we know about normative Jewish purification practices of the first century. So, clearly, there was a sect of people practicing water purification rites very similar to that of John the Baptist. And because of the later Byzantine tradition, it seems logical that they are one and the same.
COLLINS: Well, if, in fact, your research turns out to be true, and this was indeed the cave where John the Baptist was, Christians will certainly be very excited about it. We appreciate your time this morning, Shimon Gibson. Thanks so much.
GIBSON: Thank you.
COLLINS: Bill.
HEMMER: In a moment here, live to Athens. An Olympic update waiting for you in a moment. Also, our Olympics quiz this hour. Which of the following sports has not been an event of the summer games: roller hockey, pigeon shooting, croquet or tug of war?
Chew on that. The answer after a break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: All right, here we go. Which of the following sports has not been an event at the summer games: roller hockey, pigeon shooting, croquet or tug of war? And the answer is roller hockey.
Tug of war last held in 1920. Croquet and pigeon shooting two events at the summer games in Paris in 1900.
COLLINS: I was going to say tug of war. I thought I would have been wrong; 1920, though, I wasn't around.
So Jack Cafferty now and "The Cafferty File."
CAFFERTY: Thank you, Heidi. We're starting with the 9/11 scorecard today. The number of days since the 9/11 Commission made recommendations for protecting this country against terrorism? Twenty-seven. The number of recommendations adopted by your Congress? Zero.
While we sit here counting the days since the report came out, it should be noted that Congress is still on vacation. They should be so proud.
Wednesday, which means looking at things people said in the last week that got our attention, beginning with mind control. "It's not science fiction, it's your television set. It's information in general. Times Square is mind control. I ate a chocolate bar because I saw a sign in Times Square." That's Denzel Washington talking about that movie he's in, "The Manchurian Candidate."
"I couldn't get a job with the CIA today. I'm not qualified." That would be Porter Goss, President Bush's CIA director nominee in a newly-released March interview he did with the documentary filmmaker, Michael Moore.
Actually, he's not a documentary maker. He's a propaganda filmmaker, Michael Moore. Documentaries are factual.
"I just want you to know how hard I've been working for you here. I've been organizing Republicans for Bush-Cheney, I've been organizing Austrian-born bodybuilders for Bush-Cheney. I've even been organizing girlie men for Bush-Cheney." That would be the California governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, at a recent fund-raiser for the Republican Party.
"A sensitive war will not destroy the evil men who killed 3,000 Americans." Vice President Dick Cheney on Senator John Kerry's promise to fight a more sensitive war on terror.
And the best one of the week probably is from Maureen Dowd. "I do think we're watching the biggest teenage rebellion in political history. I mean, it's as though he borrowed the family station wagon from his dad and crashed it into the globe." Maureen Dowed, author of "Bush World" on President Bush and his policies in an interview with my old buddy, Tim Russert, over there on "Meet the Press."
HEMMER: Thank you, Jack.
Get a break here. "90-Second Pop" in a moment here on Wednesday morning.
Find out why Bruce Springsteen's politics may end up hitting him where it hurts the most. And why late night TV could be ready for a sex change.
Ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Still to come, why does Michael Jackson say he thinks someone is out to get him? That's coming up right here on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Get you -- get you down to Wall Street right now, a few seconds away from the opening bell. Take time just for a second here to talk about these oil pries, again, pushing $47 a barrel. Christine Romans telling us it may go to $50 a barrel.
COLLINS: $50.
HEMMER: We will see on that. Eighteen points to the positive yesterday for the Dow 30; 9972 is your opening mark today, still a touch below the 10000 there. Nasdaq market site, 1795, up about 12 points in trading from yesterday.
So good morning yet again. Welcome back. Stocks opened for business now in New York City.
COLLINS: It is 9:30 right here on this AMERICAN MORNING. And the Michael Jackson case resumes tomorrow.
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