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American Morning
Muqtada Al Sadr Reportedly Gives Up, But Iraqis Want Real Proof; Surprise Delay in Scott Peterson Trial
Aired August 19, 2004 - 07:00 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. The fighting across Iraq continues. Muqtada Al Sadr reportedly gives up, but the Iraqis say they want real proof.
A surprise delay in the Scott Peterson trial. Why was the jury sent home early?
And this wildfire in the West getting bigger and creeping closer and closer to hundreds of homes, on this AMERICAN MORNING.
ANNOUNCER: From the CNN Broadcast Center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING, with Bill Hemmer and Soledad O'Brien.
HEMMER: Good morning, everyone. Seventy-five days until November 2nd, the Election 2004. Who's counting?
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: You are.
HEMMER: Good morning, Heidi Collins.
Yes, apparently so.
How about the surprise delay in the Scott Peterson case. Going to be delayed until Monday now. Defense attorneys supposed to cross- examine Amber Frey yesterday. The jury went home early. Before that, though, jurors got to hear the very last phone call between Frey and Peterson. We'll more on that. Also we'll talk with the D.A. Jeanine Pirro about what all this could mean now in a few moments.
COLLINS: Also, John Kerry blasts President Bush for his plan to realign U.S. troops worldwide. But the White House has been quick to fire back. In just a moment, we'll talk to Deputy National Security adviser Jim Wilkinson.
HEMMER: Also it is "back to school" time. This time of year, parents shopping for school supplies. Got some tips today on how to buy without breaking the bank. A bit later, we'll talk to our personal finance coach, David Bok (ph) is in the house this morning.
COLLINS: That used to be one of my favorite times of the year, buying the notebooks and stuff.
Good morning, Jack.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Hello. We're going to look at a murder trial in Chicago in which it took the jury just two hours to convict this guy and send him away. A trial that would have gone by without notice, except for the fact that Oprah Winfrey was in the jury. We'll take a look at that in a few minutes.
HEMMER: All right, Jack. Thanks.
COLLINS: Thanks, Jack.
Iraqi officials are calling on radical cleric Muqtada Al Sadr to publicly say he will step down and disband his army. U.S. tanks have surrounded the Najaf shrine, where Al Sadr is believe believed to be holed up.
John Vause is live in Baghdad now with the very latest on it all.
John, good morning.
JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Heidi.
More ultimatums, deadlines and threats for Muqtada Al Sadr from the interim Iraqi government. This time it is the minister of state, saying that he wants to hear directly from Muqtada Al Sadr. He wants to hear him say that he is willing to leave the Imam Ali Mosque. He wants to hear him say that he willing to dissolve his Mehdi militia. He also wants the Mehdi militia to hand over all their weapons, and he wants Al Sadr's supporters all over Iraq to free prisoners which they are currently holding.
The minister of state says there will be no amnesty for Muqtada Al Sadr. He were will stand trial. He's facing a number of charges, among them, an accusation of murder. Now if Muqtada Al Sadr does not agree to these conditions, the minister of state says that military action could be within hours. There's no hard deadline given, just a statement that it could be hours away.
Sporadic fighting continues in Najaf. U.S. tanks and Humvees are reportedly within 400 yards of gates of the Imam Ali Mosque. That is The closest they've been within more than two weeks of fighting. The Mehdi militia is also manning positions in alleyways around the mosques.
And a senior Western source has told CNN that on the ground there, there is no cease-fire deal in place. There are no plans for U.S. forces to pull back, and right now, it is the interim Iraqi government which is calling the shots in all of this.
And one last point, Heidi, here in Sadr City, in Baghdad, a sprawling slum area, a stronghold of Al Sadr supporters. There has been heavy fighting between U.S. Marines and forces and Al Sadr supporters -- Heidi.
COLLINS: John, I wonder if there's any chance, from the way you see it, that Al Sadr will actually come out and make a statement on this publicly? VAUSE: Well, we haven't heard from Al Sadr for quite a few days now. It was only within the last week or so that we heard him actually say anything to his supporters. It was a defiant statement back then. The only thing we've heard from Al Sadr was that letter delivered from his Baghdad office to the Iraqi National Conference here in Baghdad, which is why the interim government now wants to hear from him. It seems that he has gone underground. No one has heard from him.
But the other problem, too, is that the interim Iraqi government is now saying, is that even when he does make these statements, he can't be believed. They say he is a master of bluff and brinkmanship. So very tense time now, especially in Najaf -- Heidi.
COLLINS: Yes, it's certainly happened before.
All right, John Vause, live from Baghdad this morning. John, thanks.
If U.S. troops don't leave Najaf in the next two days, a terrorist groups claims they will kill a hostage. Al-Jazeera TV showed a videotape yesterday of French journalist Micah Garen, held captive by militants. Garen, who also carries a U.S. passport, was kidnapped last Friday. He is said to be working on a documentary about Iraqi cultural history and archaeological sites at risk in a war zone.
HEMMER: Heidi, five minutes past the hour.
At Scott Peterson's murder trial, star prosecution witness Amber Frey was set to be cross-examined yesterday, but then a potential new development. The judge sent the jurors home.
Here's Rusty Dornin now in California.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Her attorney said Amber Frey arrived ready, willing and able to face a cross-examination by defense attorney Mark Geragos, only to be frustrated when the highly anticipated questioning was delayed. The judge told the jury there was a potential development that had to be checked out. It came as a surprise. No details were given in court, but Peterson's father seemed to know something.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
QUESTION: Anybody have an idea why we're out of court today?
LEE PETERSON, SCOTT PETERSON'S FATHER: Yes, but we can't say.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DORNIN: A source close to the case tells CNN the delay concerns the defense's request to play additional tapes of conversations between Scott Peterson and Frey that were not played by prosecutors in court.
Frey's attorney says it's been a tough ordeal for her client.
GLORIA ALLRED, AMBER FREY'S ATTY.: She may have to reveal more on the witness stand, and I'm sure that's not going to be easy.
DORNIN: Three witnesses, including Peterson's father, Lee, scheduled to testify Thursday, have been postponed. Amber Frey is due to be back on the stand Monday morning for what is expected to be a one to two-day cross-examination.
Rusty Dornin, CNN, Redwood City, California.
(END VIDEOTAPE)e
HEMMER: Back here in New York now, Jeanine Pirro, D.A. for Westchester County and New York State, here to talk about the latest developments.
Good morning to you.
JEANINE PIRRO, WESTCHESTER CO. N.Y. D.A.: Good morning, Bill.
HEMMER: There's a lot we did not know, but does this delay help either side?
PIRRO: Well, I know it hurts the prosecution, because as you know, based on the tapes we've heard and Amber Frey, trashed so much before the trial, we now have a different side of Scott Peterson that we're hearing about, and everything, interestingly enough, that she said in the beginning is corroborate by the defendant himself on his own tapes -- you know, why did you tell me that you were married, that you weren't married? Why did you tell me you lost your wife? Is it your child? Everything is now twisted, because the defendant says, I can't say, I can't say if it's my child. Loss can mean a lot of different things. And so the momentum was going with the prosecution. It's stopped.
HEMMER: So if it stopped then, do you subscribe to this theory that Mark Geragos is trying to slow that momentum down?
PIRRO: Well, you know, I don't know what he's thinking. But if that was his intent, it certainly happening, because now the jury is frustrated. You know, the positive feelings that they were having toward Amber, and it's clear from people in the courtroom, who said, look, the jurors would look at her, they would smile, they would actually scowl at Scott Peterson. And it's a different trial. The tables have turned in the last week in this case.
HEMMER: Let's go back to the tapes here, January 17th, one of the conversations played yesterday. Listen here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AMBER FREY: The thing is, you know where it went wrong for you, Scott, in this plan? Is that you didn't the media would be so big and I'd ever learn of this. That's where it went wrong. That's it's so huge that I did learn of this, and that now where are you?
SCOTT PETERSON: Amber, it just hurts so bad for you to think I could have something to do with this.
FREY: You don't think this is hurting me still that...
PETERSON: I know.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: Before she took the stand, across the board, legal analysts says the prosecution is really behind the eight ball. How much advance have they made given Amber Frey's testimony on the stand, do you believe?
PIRRO: Oh, a huge advance with Amber Frey, because at this point, she is a sympathetic individual. She is someone to whom Scott Peterson lied, pulled the wool over her eyes, and by the way, she was very shrewd, Bill, on those tapes. I mean, she asked every question.
HEMMER: And perhaps well-practiced, also.
PIRRO: She could be well-practiced, and there's nothing wrong with that. Plus -- but if you listen to the tapes, Bill, you hear a woman saying, my God, if you told Laci, she was OK with this? Are you kidding me? And then she's goes to the next level and says, if you did, then why couldn't you spend the holidays with me? I mean, you know, there's no...
HEMMER: Final conversation, February 19th. This is what jurors heard also. Listen here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FREY: I think that now, for me, Scott, and really everything that has happened in the last 50-plus days for myself, and my family and you, and everything that's going on right now, I think it'd be best if you and I didn't talk anymore until there's resolution in this whole...
PETERSON: Yes, I agree with that.
FREY: OK, Scott.
PETERSON: Goodbye for now.
FREY: Huh?
PETERSON: Goodbye for now.
FREY: Good life now?
PETERSON: Goodbye for now.
FREY: Goodbye, Scott.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: Sounds like a conversation you hear during a soap opera in the middle of the afternoon. But we are told that Mark Geragos will show that Amber Frey took nude photos, that Amber Frey called Scott Peterson 14 times on Christmas Eve, that Amber Frey was trying to attach herself to Scott Peterson, and he was trying to push her away.
PIRRO: You know, Mark Geragos...
HEMMER: Does that strategy work?
PIRRO: He's got to tread very lightly, because right now this jury is sympathetic and feels sorry for Amber. I mean, they know that Laci was a woman, you know, who was murdered and loss its child -- lost her child.
But what we have with this is an individual who didn't get involved in this knowing anything any of what was going on, and now she's in the middle of this, and she's done the right thing. She's come forward. She's tape-recorded conversations. She's corroborated everything that she said initially, but even if you trash her credibility, the bottom line is the tapes are his voice and what he said. And the jury's not going to forget that this man denied his own child.
HEMMER: Court resumes again Monday. Jeanine Pirro, thanks, D.A., Westchester County -- Heidi.
COLLINS: The judge in Kobe Bryant's sexual assault case has relaxed his gag order now. District Judge Terry Ruckriegle loosened the sweeping restrictions he imposed with a gag order earlier this month.
Now lawyers, police and witnesses can talk to reporters in some circumstances. The judge said he must limit some out-of-court speech to help ensure a fair trial.
Ten minutes after the hour now. Time for a look at some of today's other news and Carol Costello.
Carol, good morning.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, Heidi. Thank you.
Some two dozen people will face disciplinary action in connection with the abuse scandal at the Abu Ghraib Prison. That's according to military sources familiar with the just-completed Army report on apparent mistreatment there. Known as the Fay Report, it's suspected to be released as soon as next week. Barbara Starr will have an in- depth preview of what it will reveal in just about a half hour.
Iranian defense minister says Iran might launch a preemptive strike against Israeli or American forces in the region to prevent an attack on its nuclear facilities. Speaking on the Arabic network Al- Jazeera, the minister warned that Iraq is present in the Gulf and could be present in Iraq as well.
Nearly 13,000 acres have been consumed by wildfire near Dryden, in central Washington. Dry brush and winds are feeding the massive flames, forcing hundreds to leave their homes. Fifteen-hundred firefighters are battling the blaze, which has been burning for 11 days. No injuries have been reported.
And stunning pictures this morning from the Mars rover, Spirit. The golf cart-sized explorer sent back this image, taken from a hillside. It shows the plains of the Gusev (ph) Crater and its rim on the distant horizon. Scientists say the rover is finding signs that water may have left its mark on bedrock in the crater.
Back to you, Bill.
HEMMER: That rover is still going, Carol.
COSTELLO: Still up and running.
HEMMER: Keep it up.
Thanks, Carol.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HEMMER: In a moment here, a look at who's been hit hardest by Hurricane Charley, homeless and powerless in Florida, and then that summer heat in the afternoon, too. It is tough going still.
COLLINS: Absolutely.
Plus, a lesson in back-to-school shopping, where to go and who to take with you to get the most for your money.
HEMMER: Also, one incredible comeback in Athens. Wow. Plus, a live update on what's happening today.
Back in a moment here on AMERICAN MORNING, after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: It's been nearly a week since Hurricane Charley devastated Florida's west coast, and now there's a growing concern about its impact on the area's elderly population.
John Zarrella reports from Punta Gorda.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN MIAMI BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): Gary Paro spent the day struggling to sift through the sun-scorched remains of his mobile home. Paro has been living in his car since the storm passed.
(on camera): It's got to be awful hard on you in (ph) this heat.
GARY PARO, PUNTA GORDA RESIDENT: It's not easy. Life's not easy.
ZARRELLA (voice-over): His daughter, Terry (ph), came to help him sort through what little is left. She's tried to get him to leave. He won't.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's guarding his rubble.
ZARRELLA: For the elderly here in Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte, life after Charley has been particularly difficult. A third of Charlotte County residents are over 65. The Red Cross and other relief agencies are desperately trying to get those left homeless by the storm into shelters.
CHERIE DIEFENBACK, VOLUNTEER NURSE: If they can at least come in at night, get some sleep in an air-conditioned space, get hydrated, get some food, let us assist you. We have a lot of able-bodied young people that are just waiting to help them that will go to their homes with them.
ZARRELLA: Sonny and Stella Luninfeld (ph) did come in. They are among about 200 elderly people here at this Red Cross shelter. Stella was suffering from heat exhaustion when they got here.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They told me we were going to die and, of course, that's going to build up your blood pressure and staying out in that heat until we finally came here.
ZARRELLA: Health care professionals worry that elderly people refusing to leave their homes and suffering through the heat will add to Charley's death toll. Many are running short of medications.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Two hundred and seventy-five scarves, one set of dentures.
ZARRELLA: Bobbi Houseman (ph) is 72. Her husband died six years ago.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And I'm tired. I don't know what to do. I don't have no idea what to do next.
ZARRELLA: Houseman is like many of the elderly. Memories lay in that rubble. Bobbi's engagement ring is in there somewhere. She managed to find a box of valuables.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is what I've got. It's all I've got. I'm going to go to the clubhouse that's down here this way.
ZARRELLA: John Zarrella, CNN, Punta Gorda, Florida.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS: A disaster relief fund has been set up to help victims. So far, more than $1 million has been donated.
HEMMER: I just fear for those people every time you hear their story, too. Heidi, thanks.
Today is finally the day for Google to go public.
Gerri Willis, "Minding Your Business," in today for Andy Serwer.
Good morning to you, Gerri. Nice to have you here.
GERRI WILLIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Bill.
HEMMER: They took a shot, though, didn't they, in the capital market?
WILLIS: I'm telling you, if there was any idea at all that the '90s weren't working anymore, take a look at these numbers. Google, originally estimated that the shares would be priced at $135 each, raising nearly $40 billion. Uh-uh. They prices them at 85. They're going to raise $23 billion. A little more than half, obviously, of what they had planned. The founders, the payoff for them, Bill, it's not too good here. These are the two West Coast geeks who started the company.
HEMMER: Not too good? I'm looks at millions and billions on that board.
WILLIS: Yes, but compared to what they expected, not so much. They're getting $41 million each from this IPO. The remaining stake will be worth $3.2 billion each. They had a great idea. They made it happen for themselves for sure.
HEMMER: Ultimately, though, we'll see where that $85 price goes, if it goes lower in the coming six months or a year or if it goes even higher.
WILLIS: You know,the interesting thing here, the institutional investors staying away from this.
HEMMER: Is that so?
WILLIS: Yes, they were a little scared of the stock auction price, didn't like it. And so now we'll see what they think today.
HEMMER: In the meantime, broader markets -- the Dow's back above 10,000.
WILLIS: Yippee, but we'll see what happens today. Futures lower here, but were up 110 points on the Dow. We're looking at what could be, we're not sure, could be a good day. Maybe not. We'll see. It all depends on oil prices these days.
HEMMER: Forty-seven bucks a barrel.
WILLIS: You bet.
HEMMER: That'll do it.
Thank you, Gerri. Nice to you here this morning.
WILLIS: Thank you, Bill.
HEMMER: All right -- Heidi.
COLLINS: Still to come this morning, Oprah did it, but is justice best served by having celebrities serve on juries? That's coming up.
And trying an AMERICAN MORNING Olympics Challenge now. The honor of world's greatest athlete is usually given to the winner of which event? The answer, and an update, live from Athens, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Know the answer? The honor -- you do? -- of the world's greatest athlete is usually given to the winner of which events? Jack Cafferty?
CAFFERTY: Ping pong.
(LAUGHTER)
COLLINS: Excellent guess, but no, it's the decathlon. Introduced to the Olympics in 1912, it consists of 10 events, of course, over two days -- 100-meter dash, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400-meter run, 110-meter high hurdles, discus throw, pole vault, javelin throw and 1,500-meter run.
HEMMER: Let's hear it for Bruce Jenner -- Bruce Jenner, 1976.
COLLINS: Wheaties box for sure.
Day six of competition is under way at the Olympics in Athens.
Mark McKay joining us now with an update from Athens.
And, Mark, last night a reminder to all athletes. It ain't over until it's over.
MARK MCKAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Exactly right, Heidi. We welcome you to the land of feta, but we would like to have all cheddar cheese heads of the world, well, rejoice. A boy from Wisconsin has done good here at the Athens Games, 21-year-old Paul Hamm. Much expected of this 21-year-old, and he certainly didn't disappoint. Wednesday, the world champion nearly took a tumble on the mat, landing precariously close to the judges' table. Hamm didn't panic, recovered nicely, in fact, in the high bar, and he went on to win the title. Hamm is the first American male to win the Olympic gymnastics all-round gold.
The oldest record in swimming fell at the Athens Games on Wednesday. And the Olympic title goes to the United States. The women were gold in the 4x200 meter relay, winning their sixth gold medal in the pool. Now, the Michael Phelps watch, speaking of the pool, will resume in just a few hours' time. The Baltimore swimmer is going for gold in the 200-meters individual medley. And, Heidi, the U.S. women's softball team just continues to roll. They rolled against the Greeks, the host nation today, 7-0. The mercy rule was evoked. They've now got six straight shutouts on the board here in Athens.
COLLINS: I'm still tired, Mark, from last night. Sorry. Stayed up very late with the Paul Hamm thing.
Thanks so much, Mark.
He won by 12/1,000 of a point.
And after falling earlier, too, that's the point, the way he came back.
COLLINS: Yes, went all the way down to 12th place, then to 4th, then to the gold. Unbelievable!
HEMMER: See that, Jack?
CAFFERTY: I was watching Mayberry on channel 34.
It just took two hours yesterday for a Chicago jury to find a man guilty of murder. A case that would have passed virtually unnoticed were it not for the fact that Oprah Winfrey was a member of the jury. The billionaire TV talk show hostess was definitely a distraction, leading some to wonder why the lawyers would agree to have such a high-profile person serve on the jury.
Even Oprah says she didn't think her involvement was fair to the victim's family. She says, this is not about Oprah. Then she says she's going to have a jury reunion special on her TV show. So it is about Oprah in the end, isn't it?
Anyway, Here's the question. Should celebrities serve on juries? And you can e-mail us your thoughts on that, maybe who you'd like to have on your jury, if you're up some sort of capital charge, am@CNN.com.
HEMMER: Yes, one of the most extraordinary things, that case took three days, and that was it, and it was done.
CAFFERTY: Yes, it should be a lesson to the rest of the judges. That clown out in California handling this Peterson trial, I mean, every time Geragos hiccups he recesses for a week so that we can make sure Geragos doesn't have pneumonia. What kind of nonsense is that?
HEMMER: Thank you, Jack.
In a moment here, back to Iraq. Watching the very latest of the standoff with Muqtada Al Sadr? Will it end? And if so, will it be peaceful in the end?
Also John Kerry hitting back at the president on the plan to redeploy troops from Asia and for Europe, a response from the White House on Kerry's claims in a moment, as we roll on, right after this. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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Aired August 19, 2004 - 07:00 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. The fighting across Iraq continues. Muqtada Al Sadr reportedly gives up, but the Iraqis say they want real proof.
A surprise delay in the Scott Peterson trial. Why was the jury sent home early?
And this wildfire in the West getting bigger and creeping closer and closer to hundreds of homes, on this AMERICAN MORNING.
ANNOUNCER: From the CNN Broadcast Center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING, with Bill Hemmer and Soledad O'Brien.
HEMMER: Good morning, everyone. Seventy-five days until November 2nd, the Election 2004. Who's counting?
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: You are.
HEMMER: Good morning, Heidi Collins.
Yes, apparently so.
How about the surprise delay in the Scott Peterson case. Going to be delayed until Monday now. Defense attorneys supposed to cross- examine Amber Frey yesterday. The jury went home early. Before that, though, jurors got to hear the very last phone call between Frey and Peterson. We'll more on that. Also we'll talk with the D.A. Jeanine Pirro about what all this could mean now in a few moments.
COLLINS: Also, John Kerry blasts President Bush for his plan to realign U.S. troops worldwide. But the White House has been quick to fire back. In just a moment, we'll talk to Deputy National Security adviser Jim Wilkinson.
HEMMER: Also it is "back to school" time. This time of year, parents shopping for school supplies. Got some tips today on how to buy without breaking the bank. A bit later, we'll talk to our personal finance coach, David Bok (ph) is in the house this morning.
COLLINS: That used to be one of my favorite times of the year, buying the notebooks and stuff.
Good morning, Jack.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Hello. We're going to look at a murder trial in Chicago in which it took the jury just two hours to convict this guy and send him away. A trial that would have gone by without notice, except for the fact that Oprah Winfrey was in the jury. We'll take a look at that in a few minutes.
HEMMER: All right, Jack. Thanks.
COLLINS: Thanks, Jack.
Iraqi officials are calling on radical cleric Muqtada Al Sadr to publicly say he will step down and disband his army. U.S. tanks have surrounded the Najaf shrine, where Al Sadr is believe believed to be holed up.
John Vause is live in Baghdad now with the very latest on it all.
John, good morning.
JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Heidi.
More ultimatums, deadlines and threats for Muqtada Al Sadr from the interim Iraqi government. This time it is the minister of state, saying that he wants to hear directly from Muqtada Al Sadr. He wants to hear him say that he is willing to leave the Imam Ali Mosque. He wants to hear him say that he willing to dissolve his Mehdi militia. He also wants the Mehdi militia to hand over all their weapons, and he wants Al Sadr's supporters all over Iraq to free prisoners which they are currently holding.
The minister of state says there will be no amnesty for Muqtada Al Sadr. He were will stand trial. He's facing a number of charges, among them, an accusation of murder. Now if Muqtada Al Sadr does not agree to these conditions, the minister of state says that military action could be within hours. There's no hard deadline given, just a statement that it could be hours away.
Sporadic fighting continues in Najaf. U.S. tanks and Humvees are reportedly within 400 yards of gates of the Imam Ali Mosque. That is The closest they've been within more than two weeks of fighting. The Mehdi militia is also manning positions in alleyways around the mosques.
And a senior Western source has told CNN that on the ground there, there is no cease-fire deal in place. There are no plans for U.S. forces to pull back, and right now, it is the interim Iraqi government which is calling the shots in all of this.
And one last point, Heidi, here in Sadr City, in Baghdad, a sprawling slum area, a stronghold of Al Sadr supporters. There has been heavy fighting between U.S. Marines and forces and Al Sadr supporters -- Heidi.
COLLINS: John, I wonder if there's any chance, from the way you see it, that Al Sadr will actually come out and make a statement on this publicly? VAUSE: Well, we haven't heard from Al Sadr for quite a few days now. It was only within the last week or so that we heard him actually say anything to his supporters. It was a defiant statement back then. The only thing we've heard from Al Sadr was that letter delivered from his Baghdad office to the Iraqi National Conference here in Baghdad, which is why the interim government now wants to hear from him. It seems that he has gone underground. No one has heard from him.
But the other problem, too, is that the interim Iraqi government is now saying, is that even when he does make these statements, he can't be believed. They say he is a master of bluff and brinkmanship. So very tense time now, especially in Najaf -- Heidi.
COLLINS: Yes, it's certainly happened before.
All right, John Vause, live from Baghdad this morning. John, thanks.
If U.S. troops don't leave Najaf in the next two days, a terrorist groups claims they will kill a hostage. Al-Jazeera TV showed a videotape yesterday of French journalist Micah Garen, held captive by militants. Garen, who also carries a U.S. passport, was kidnapped last Friday. He is said to be working on a documentary about Iraqi cultural history and archaeological sites at risk in a war zone.
HEMMER: Heidi, five minutes past the hour.
At Scott Peterson's murder trial, star prosecution witness Amber Frey was set to be cross-examined yesterday, but then a potential new development. The judge sent the jurors home.
Here's Rusty Dornin now in California.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Her attorney said Amber Frey arrived ready, willing and able to face a cross-examination by defense attorney Mark Geragos, only to be frustrated when the highly anticipated questioning was delayed. The judge told the jury there was a potential development that had to be checked out. It came as a surprise. No details were given in court, but Peterson's father seemed to know something.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
QUESTION: Anybody have an idea why we're out of court today?
LEE PETERSON, SCOTT PETERSON'S FATHER: Yes, but we can't say.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DORNIN: A source close to the case tells CNN the delay concerns the defense's request to play additional tapes of conversations between Scott Peterson and Frey that were not played by prosecutors in court.
Frey's attorney says it's been a tough ordeal for her client.
GLORIA ALLRED, AMBER FREY'S ATTY.: She may have to reveal more on the witness stand, and I'm sure that's not going to be easy.
DORNIN: Three witnesses, including Peterson's father, Lee, scheduled to testify Thursday, have been postponed. Amber Frey is due to be back on the stand Monday morning for what is expected to be a one to two-day cross-examination.
Rusty Dornin, CNN, Redwood City, California.
(END VIDEOTAPE)e
HEMMER: Back here in New York now, Jeanine Pirro, D.A. for Westchester County and New York State, here to talk about the latest developments.
Good morning to you.
JEANINE PIRRO, WESTCHESTER CO. N.Y. D.A.: Good morning, Bill.
HEMMER: There's a lot we did not know, but does this delay help either side?
PIRRO: Well, I know it hurts the prosecution, because as you know, based on the tapes we've heard and Amber Frey, trashed so much before the trial, we now have a different side of Scott Peterson that we're hearing about, and everything, interestingly enough, that she said in the beginning is corroborate by the defendant himself on his own tapes -- you know, why did you tell me that you were married, that you weren't married? Why did you tell me you lost your wife? Is it your child? Everything is now twisted, because the defendant says, I can't say, I can't say if it's my child. Loss can mean a lot of different things. And so the momentum was going with the prosecution. It's stopped.
HEMMER: So if it stopped then, do you subscribe to this theory that Mark Geragos is trying to slow that momentum down?
PIRRO: Well, you know, I don't know what he's thinking. But if that was his intent, it certainly happening, because now the jury is frustrated. You know, the positive feelings that they were having toward Amber, and it's clear from people in the courtroom, who said, look, the jurors would look at her, they would smile, they would actually scowl at Scott Peterson. And it's a different trial. The tables have turned in the last week in this case.
HEMMER: Let's go back to the tapes here, January 17th, one of the conversations played yesterday. Listen here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AMBER FREY: The thing is, you know where it went wrong for you, Scott, in this plan? Is that you didn't the media would be so big and I'd ever learn of this. That's where it went wrong. That's it's so huge that I did learn of this, and that now where are you?
SCOTT PETERSON: Amber, it just hurts so bad for you to think I could have something to do with this.
FREY: You don't think this is hurting me still that...
PETERSON: I know.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: Before she took the stand, across the board, legal analysts says the prosecution is really behind the eight ball. How much advance have they made given Amber Frey's testimony on the stand, do you believe?
PIRRO: Oh, a huge advance with Amber Frey, because at this point, she is a sympathetic individual. She is someone to whom Scott Peterson lied, pulled the wool over her eyes, and by the way, she was very shrewd, Bill, on those tapes. I mean, she asked every question.
HEMMER: And perhaps well-practiced, also.
PIRRO: She could be well-practiced, and there's nothing wrong with that. Plus -- but if you listen to the tapes, Bill, you hear a woman saying, my God, if you told Laci, she was OK with this? Are you kidding me? And then she's goes to the next level and says, if you did, then why couldn't you spend the holidays with me? I mean, you know, there's no...
HEMMER: Final conversation, February 19th. This is what jurors heard also. Listen here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FREY: I think that now, for me, Scott, and really everything that has happened in the last 50-plus days for myself, and my family and you, and everything that's going on right now, I think it'd be best if you and I didn't talk anymore until there's resolution in this whole...
PETERSON: Yes, I agree with that.
FREY: OK, Scott.
PETERSON: Goodbye for now.
FREY: Huh?
PETERSON: Goodbye for now.
FREY: Good life now?
PETERSON: Goodbye for now.
FREY: Goodbye, Scott.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: Sounds like a conversation you hear during a soap opera in the middle of the afternoon. But we are told that Mark Geragos will show that Amber Frey took nude photos, that Amber Frey called Scott Peterson 14 times on Christmas Eve, that Amber Frey was trying to attach herself to Scott Peterson, and he was trying to push her away.
PIRRO: You know, Mark Geragos...
HEMMER: Does that strategy work?
PIRRO: He's got to tread very lightly, because right now this jury is sympathetic and feels sorry for Amber. I mean, they know that Laci was a woman, you know, who was murdered and loss its child -- lost her child.
But what we have with this is an individual who didn't get involved in this knowing anything any of what was going on, and now she's in the middle of this, and she's done the right thing. She's come forward. She's tape-recorded conversations. She's corroborated everything that she said initially, but even if you trash her credibility, the bottom line is the tapes are his voice and what he said. And the jury's not going to forget that this man denied his own child.
HEMMER: Court resumes again Monday. Jeanine Pirro, thanks, D.A., Westchester County -- Heidi.
COLLINS: The judge in Kobe Bryant's sexual assault case has relaxed his gag order now. District Judge Terry Ruckriegle loosened the sweeping restrictions he imposed with a gag order earlier this month.
Now lawyers, police and witnesses can talk to reporters in some circumstances. The judge said he must limit some out-of-court speech to help ensure a fair trial.
Ten minutes after the hour now. Time for a look at some of today's other news and Carol Costello.
Carol, good morning.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, Heidi. Thank you.
Some two dozen people will face disciplinary action in connection with the abuse scandal at the Abu Ghraib Prison. That's according to military sources familiar with the just-completed Army report on apparent mistreatment there. Known as the Fay Report, it's suspected to be released as soon as next week. Barbara Starr will have an in- depth preview of what it will reveal in just about a half hour.
Iranian defense minister says Iran might launch a preemptive strike against Israeli or American forces in the region to prevent an attack on its nuclear facilities. Speaking on the Arabic network Al- Jazeera, the minister warned that Iraq is present in the Gulf and could be present in Iraq as well.
Nearly 13,000 acres have been consumed by wildfire near Dryden, in central Washington. Dry brush and winds are feeding the massive flames, forcing hundreds to leave their homes. Fifteen-hundred firefighters are battling the blaze, which has been burning for 11 days. No injuries have been reported.
And stunning pictures this morning from the Mars rover, Spirit. The golf cart-sized explorer sent back this image, taken from a hillside. It shows the plains of the Gusev (ph) Crater and its rim on the distant horizon. Scientists say the rover is finding signs that water may have left its mark on bedrock in the crater.
Back to you, Bill.
HEMMER: That rover is still going, Carol.
COSTELLO: Still up and running.
HEMMER: Keep it up.
Thanks, Carol.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HEMMER: In a moment here, a look at who's been hit hardest by Hurricane Charley, homeless and powerless in Florida, and then that summer heat in the afternoon, too. It is tough going still.
COLLINS: Absolutely.
Plus, a lesson in back-to-school shopping, where to go and who to take with you to get the most for your money.
HEMMER: Also, one incredible comeback in Athens. Wow. Plus, a live update on what's happening today.
Back in a moment here on AMERICAN MORNING, after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: It's been nearly a week since Hurricane Charley devastated Florida's west coast, and now there's a growing concern about its impact on the area's elderly population.
John Zarrella reports from Punta Gorda.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN MIAMI BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): Gary Paro spent the day struggling to sift through the sun-scorched remains of his mobile home. Paro has been living in his car since the storm passed.
(on camera): It's got to be awful hard on you in (ph) this heat.
GARY PARO, PUNTA GORDA RESIDENT: It's not easy. Life's not easy.
ZARRELLA (voice-over): His daughter, Terry (ph), came to help him sort through what little is left. She's tried to get him to leave. He won't.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's guarding his rubble.
ZARRELLA: For the elderly here in Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte, life after Charley has been particularly difficult. A third of Charlotte County residents are over 65. The Red Cross and other relief agencies are desperately trying to get those left homeless by the storm into shelters.
CHERIE DIEFENBACK, VOLUNTEER NURSE: If they can at least come in at night, get some sleep in an air-conditioned space, get hydrated, get some food, let us assist you. We have a lot of able-bodied young people that are just waiting to help them that will go to their homes with them.
ZARRELLA: Sonny and Stella Luninfeld (ph) did come in. They are among about 200 elderly people here at this Red Cross shelter. Stella was suffering from heat exhaustion when they got here.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They told me we were going to die and, of course, that's going to build up your blood pressure and staying out in that heat until we finally came here.
ZARRELLA: Health care professionals worry that elderly people refusing to leave their homes and suffering through the heat will add to Charley's death toll. Many are running short of medications.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Two hundred and seventy-five scarves, one set of dentures.
ZARRELLA: Bobbi Houseman (ph) is 72. Her husband died six years ago.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And I'm tired. I don't know what to do. I don't have no idea what to do next.
ZARRELLA: Houseman is like many of the elderly. Memories lay in that rubble. Bobbi's engagement ring is in there somewhere. She managed to find a box of valuables.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is what I've got. It's all I've got. I'm going to go to the clubhouse that's down here this way.
ZARRELLA: John Zarrella, CNN, Punta Gorda, Florida.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS: A disaster relief fund has been set up to help victims. So far, more than $1 million has been donated.
HEMMER: I just fear for those people every time you hear their story, too. Heidi, thanks.
Today is finally the day for Google to go public.
Gerri Willis, "Minding Your Business," in today for Andy Serwer.
Good morning to you, Gerri. Nice to have you here.
GERRI WILLIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Bill.
HEMMER: They took a shot, though, didn't they, in the capital market?
WILLIS: I'm telling you, if there was any idea at all that the '90s weren't working anymore, take a look at these numbers. Google, originally estimated that the shares would be priced at $135 each, raising nearly $40 billion. Uh-uh. They prices them at 85. They're going to raise $23 billion. A little more than half, obviously, of what they had planned. The founders, the payoff for them, Bill, it's not too good here. These are the two West Coast geeks who started the company.
HEMMER: Not too good? I'm looks at millions and billions on that board.
WILLIS: Yes, but compared to what they expected, not so much. They're getting $41 million each from this IPO. The remaining stake will be worth $3.2 billion each. They had a great idea. They made it happen for themselves for sure.
HEMMER: Ultimately, though, we'll see where that $85 price goes, if it goes lower in the coming six months or a year or if it goes even higher.
WILLIS: You know,the interesting thing here, the institutional investors staying away from this.
HEMMER: Is that so?
WILLIS: Yes, they were a little scared of the stock auction price, didn't like it. And so now we'll see what they think today.
HEMMER: In the meantime, broader markets -- the Dow's back above 10,000.
WILLIS: Yippee, but we'll see what happens today. Futures lower here, but were up 110 points on the Dow. We're looking at what could be, we're not sure, could be a good day. Maybe not. We'll see. It all depends on oil prices these days.
HEMMER: Forty-seven bucks a barrel.
WILLIS: You bet.
HEMMER: That'll do it.
Thank you, Gerri. Nice to you here this morning.
WILLIS: Thank you, Bill.
HEMMER: All right -- Heidi.
COLLINS: Still to come this morning, Oprah did it, but is justice best served by having celebrities serve on juries? That's coming up.
And trying an AMERICAN MORNING Olympics Challenge now. The honor of world's greatest athlete is usually given to the winner of which event? The answer, and an update, live from Athens, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Know the answer? The honor -- you do? -- of the world's greatest athlete is usually given to the winner of which events? Jack Cafferty?
CAFFERTY: Ping pong.
(LAUGHTER)
COLLINS: Excellent guess, but no, it's the decathlon. Introduced to the Olympics in 1912, it consists of 10 events, of course, over two days -- 100-meter dash, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400-meter run, 110-meter high hurdles, discus throw, pole vault, javelin throw and 1,500-meter run.
HEMMER: Let's hear it for Bruce Jenner -- Bruce Jenner, 1976.
COLLINS: Wheaties box for sure.
Day six of competition is under way at the Olympics in Athens.
Mark McKay joining us now with an update from Athens.
And, Mark, last night a reminder to all athletes. It ain't over until it's over.
MARK MCKAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Exactly right, Heidi. We welcome you to the land of feta, but we would like to have all cheddar cheese heads of the world, well, rejoice. A boy from Wisconsin has done good here at the Athens Games, 21-year-old Paul Hamm. Much expected of this 21-year-old, and he certainly didn't disappoint. Wednesday, the world champion nearly took a tumble on the mat, landing precariously close to the judges' table. Hamm didn't panic, recovered nicely, in fact, in the high bar, and he went on to win the title. Hamm is the first American male to win the Olympic gymnastics all-round gold.
The oldest record in swimming fell at the Athens Games on Wednesday. And the Olympic title goes to the United States. The women were gold in the 4x200 meter relay, winning their sixth gold medal in the pool. Now, the Michael Phelps watch, speaking of the pool, will resume in just a few hours' time. The Baltimore swimmer is going for gold in the 200-meters individual medley. And, Heidi, the U.S. women's softball team just continues to roll. They rolled against the Greeks, the host nation today, 7-0. The mercy rule was evoked. They've now got six straight shutouts on the board here in Athens.
COLLINS: I'm still tired, Mark, from last night. Sorry. Stayed up very late with the Paul Hamm thing.
Thanks so much, Mark.
He won by 12/1,000 of a point.
And after falling earlier, too, that's the point, the way he came back.
COLLINS: Yes, went all the way down to 12th place, then to 4th, then to the gold. Unbelievable!
HEMMER: See that, Jack?
CAFFERTY: I was watching Mayberry on channel 34.
It just took two hours yesterday for a Chicago jury to find a man guilty of murder. A case that would have passed virtually unnoticed were it not for the fact that Oprah Winfrey was a member of the jury. The billionaire TV talk show hostess was definitely a distraction, leading some to wonder why the lawyers would agree to have such a high-profile person serve on the jury.
Even Oprah says she didn't think her involvement was fair to the victim's family. She says, this is not about Oprah. Then she says she's going to have a jury reunion special on her TV show. So it is about Oprah in the end, isn't it?
Anyway, Here's the question. Should celebrities serve on juries? And you can e-mail us your thoughts on that, maybe who you'd like to have on your jury, if you're up some sort of capital charge, am@CNN.com.
HEMMER: Yes, one of the most extraordinary things, that case took three days, and that was it, and it was done.
CAFFERTY: Yes, it should be a lesson to the rest of the judges. That clown out in California handling this Peterson trial, I mean, every time Geragos hiccups he recesses for a week so that we can make sure Geragos doesn't have pneumonia. What kind of nonsense is that?
HEMMER: Thank you, Jack.
In a moment here, back to Iraq. Watching the very latest of the standoff with Muqtada Al Sadr? Will it end? And if so, will it be peaceful in the end?
Also John Kerry hitting back at the president on the plan to redeploy troops from Asia and for Europe, a response from the White House on Kerry's claims in a moment, as we roll on, right after this. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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