Return to Transcripts main page
American Morning
Investigation into Death of Army Officer; California Freeway Standoff
Aired June 08, 2005 - 07:29 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.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back, everybody. It is coming up at 7:30 here in New York.
More on this intense standoff this morning on that California freeway. Did you see that?
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: What a day it was yesterday. Six-and- a-half hours this thing went on. I-10 shut down for hours, too. Tens of thousands jammed up along the freeways there in L.A. Police were trying to figure out how to handle this gunman here. Finally a percussion grenade is put in the window. The dog goes in. We'll talk to a member of the sheriff's department about what happened there and how this all came to an end yesterday.
O'BRIEN: It was riveting to watch, I thought. You just couldn't take your eyes off of it.
HEMMER: (INAUDIBLE).
O'BRIEN: Yes, for hours.
Let's get a look at the other headlines making news this morning with Carol Costello.
Good morning.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Good morning to all of you.
"Now in the News."
A developing story out of California. FBI agents have arrested two people and detained two others in an ongoing terrorism investigation near Sacramento. They include Muslim leaders and a father and son. One of the men reportedly confessed to attending an al Qaeda camp at Pakistan. More details could be released later today. Stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.
Two former security guards in Aruba are expected to appear in court today in connection with the disappearance of 18-year-old Natalee Holloway. A lawyer for the men tells CNN his clients are accused of murder and kidnapping. Holloway's stepfather spoke with us just a half-hour ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) GEORGE "JUG" TWITTY, NATALEE HOLLOWAY'S STEPFATHER: The laws in Aruba are different, and the way they do their investigations are totally different than they do in the United States. And it's difficult. It's frustrating. But on the other hand, I do feel like that they're doing everything they can do to try to find Natalee.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: The search for Holloway resumes this morning. The Alabama teenager has been missing since May 30.
Iraqi police are looking into another car bomb attack. This morning's blast taking place at a gas station north of Baghdad. At least three were killed. And a major military push is under way near Iraq's border with Syria. Dozens of suspected insurgents have been detained. We'll hear more on the operation in our next hour from CNN's Jane Arraf. She is embedded with U.S. troops in the region.
The FBI may soon be able to subpoena records without the approval of a judge or a grand jury. A Senate committee has voted to extend the FBI's powers in terror investigations. It's part of the Patriot Act renewal bill. The measure is now heading to the full Senate. We'll probably hear much more about this later today.
O'BRIEN: That one is sure to be controversial.
COSTELLO: Yes.
O'BRIEN: Carol, thanks.
An investigation is under way into how a high-ranking Army officer died last weekend in Iraq. The military says the 44-year-old West Point professor who volunteered to go to war died of non-combat injuries.
Barbara Starr is live at the Pentagon with more on this, this morning.
Barbara -- good morning.
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Soledad.
Well, another U.S. military family is struggling with the grief of a loved one dying in Iraq.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
STARR (voice over): Colonel Ted Westhusing had one of the most high-pressure jobs in Iraq: training Iraqi security forces in counterterrorism and special operations. Ted Westhusing died Sunday in Iraq. No one can say for certain what happened.
His mother got the call on her birthday.
TIM WESTHUSING, COLONEL'S BROTHER: She was expecting a call from him, and that was not the call she got.
STARR: His family, like so many others, in agony.
WESTHUSING: It tears at your insides like you would never know.
STARR: Ted Westhusing is the highest ranking Army officer to die in Iraq. He was a professor at the military academy at West Point before volunteering for Iraq.
WESTHUSING: He just wanted to go over there and help out, because he felt that he could make a difference.
STARR: Westhusing's death is listed as non-hostile. That category includes accident, illness, foul play, an act of nature, such as being struck by lightning, or suicide.
Military sources confirm to CNN that family members have been told Westhusing was found with a single gunshot wound. But the Army emphasizes it is conducting a full investigation to determine what happened.
WESTHUSING: It just breaks your heart, it really does, that there's such, you know, a great person that had so much capability, so much to offer. It's gone. I'd just like for people to know that he gave everything to make a difference.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
STARR: Now, Soledad, no one can say yet exactly what did happen here. The military is conducting an investigation. But his friends and colleagues and family remember an Army officer who served in peace and wartime with distinction -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: God, what a heartbreak for his family, Barbara. The military's final assessment will be forthcoming soon?
STARR: Indeed, Soledad. They are conducting a full investigation into this matter out of respect for Colonel Westhusing's family. And that investigation, the military is not discussing the details yet. If it comes to that point, however, in these cases, in general, broadly speaking, they will conduct what they call a psychological autopsy, if it comes to that, trying to determine what factors were at play, what might have been going on that contributed to this tragedy -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: So sad. All right, Barbara, thanks -- Bill.
HEMMER: Now to this incredible standoff ending in southern California. A gunman led police on a three-hour car chase yesterday after police say he tried to kidnap a woman. The suspect then locked officers in a standoff for several more hours after that. Deputies eventually shoved a tear gas grenade into the man's van, shot and wounded him and used a dog to drag him outside.
Captain Tom Spencer is with the L.A. County Sheriff's Department on the scene for that standoff, live in Monterey Park, California. Captain, good morning to you out there. This is a situation that had just about everything. You have a three-hour chase, a three-hour standoff, two counties, six-and-a-half hours total. Some have suggested this is -- this should be a videotape that is used to train young officers for the future about how you handle matters like these. Do you believe your men did everything right?
CAPT. TOM SPENCER, L.A. CO. SHERIFF'S DEPT.: Yes, I do. With the use of the armored vehicles, we were able to contain the suspect, so he couldn't travel anywhere. It was ideal, because we had that large wall on the opposite side of the vehicle. We didn't have to evacuate anybody. He was totally isolated. And we really took our time and tried to deal with him and resolve the situation in a peaceful manner.
HEMMER: We are watching the videotape where the tear gas goes into the back window of that minivan. But before this, you had about a three-hour period where negotiations were going on back and forth. During that time, what was said to this man inside that van?
SPENCER: We had our crisis negotiators talking to him the entire time. And it got to the point where towards the end he was talking about committing suicide. He asked us what was the best way to kill himself, and made statements such as "Maybe I'll just step out and let you guys kill me."
At that point, he had actually put -- he had two guns in the car, was always holding at least one and sometimes both. He actually put both guns down and started writing a note, which we believe was probably a suicide note. And we decided at that time it was time to make our move.
HEMMER: Yes. Do you know what his condition is today, captain?
SPENCER: I understand that he's in stable condition.
HEMMER: We've got some videotape we can show our viewers, too. At the very end the police dog goes in. Give me an idea about how you train these dogs to do what we're watching right now.
SPENCER: Those dogs are trained by and live with our handlers, and they do some amazing things. And the dog was used yesterday to actually get a hold of the suspect. And then the handler gives him the command to bring him, the suspect. And the dog will actually pull that suspect towards the handler, until we can see that his hands are free. Doesn't have a weapon, at which time he'll recall the dog, and the deputies will go in and make the arrest.
HEMMER: And we see three of these large vehicles surrounding this minivan. Do you use this procedure very often? Because, as far as I can recollect, watching these chases live back here in New York City from the helicopters circling over L.A., this is the first time I've seen this maneuver.
SPENCER: Actually, those vehicles are fairly new to the police and the SWAT community. We've had ours for about two years, and we've used them several times in the same manner. They're very heavy armored vehicles. The large one weighs about 36,000 pounds. The small one is about 18,000. And once you get them in position, the car cannot budge them. They can't go anywhere. And it affords the police officer a very high level of safety, while being able to be up close and observe everything the suspect is doing.
HEMMER: One more question here. When this whole matter started to unfold, apparently this man was trying to kidnap a woman. She got away. But as he was kidnapping her, apparently she mouthed to a neighbor or to an eyewitness the numbers "911." How critical was that in getting the process started from the beginning?
SPENCER: You know, that part of the investigation actually occurred in another county. But in talking with the captain of Ventura County Sheriff's Department, it was critical. I mean, I really admire this woman for refusing to get into the vehicle, taking a stand. I understand that she just told him, "I'm not getting in the car," and made a run for her house, at which time the suspect, I think, became very afraid, got in his car and left. And that's when Ventura County sheriffs picked up the vehicle and a pursuit began.
HEMMER: What a day it was, huh? Three pit maneuvers, too, trying to make that car spin out, that white minivan. It worked on the third try. Captain, thanks for your time today.
SPENCER: Thank you.
HEMMER: Thomas Spencer with the L.A. County Sheriff's Department. You're most welcome -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: It's 20 minutes before the hour. Let's get another check of the weather this morning with Chad Myers.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HEMMER: In a moment here, Andy is ""Minding Your Business" with word today on how much longer we can expect to see gas over about two bucks a gallon. There might be some good news in this story coming up in a moment.
O'BRIEN: Plus, Russell Crowe gets a chance to tell his side of the story. Is he going to talk about his alleged hotel tantrum on late-night TV? "90-Second Pop" is just ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Welcome back, everybody. Andy is looking at gas prices and the market this morning as he minds your business.
Good morning.
ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: Good morning, Soledad.
Kind of a paradox here. The U.S. Energy Department says that worldwide demand for petroleum is slowing. The growth is slowing. Get this: It grew 3.2 percent last year. Only expected to grow 2.7 percent this year.
But in the same breath, the department is saying that gasoline prices will remain high. They say, don't expect gas prices to go below $2 a gallon this year.
So, what's the wrinkle? Well, U.S. refineries are working full tilt. They can't work any faster than this. So that's why, even though gas -- even though oil is not going up, the demand for it is not increasing so long much. Gas prices are not expected to fall so much.
Let's talk about the markets yesterday, a mixed session.
O'BRIEN: I thought you had cupcakes for us morning.
SERWER: No, no, I don't. And I'm going to get that. There's a reason why Soledad will not be getting her cupcakes this morning. Market were mixed yesterday. Dow up. Nasdaq and S&P down.
The story that Soledad is referring to, however, is Google. Google was up yesterday $2.18, but it only got to $2 -- $293, I should say, not quite breaking 300. When it breaks, if -- I should say if -- it breaks $300, we're going to get some cupcakes on the set.
O'BRIEN: Early next week, I'm predicting, but, you know...
SERWER: Well, we'll see.
HEMMER: We get cupcakes. Are you supposed to buy us a share? We're going to watch this thing go for months?
SERWER: Four hundred. No. Who knows?
HEMMER: Maybe.
SERWER: It could be. Come on.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: If you had fulfilled your obligation to this group and gotten that share of stock when it came out.
O'BRIEN: I know.
CAFFERTY: What was the IPO price, 65 bucks?
SERWER: Yes, that's right.
CAFFERTY: I mean, we could have been having a big dinner at Morton's or something.
SERWER: Eighty-one, I think it was, by the way. But, yes, you know, I should have gotten one for each or just one for you.
CAFFERTY: Well, it doesn't matter since you didn't get any.
SERWER: Yes.
O'BRIEN: And they were having cupcakes.
CAFFERTY: I mean, it doesn't matter.
SERWER: Do you want a cupcake instead?
CAFFERTY: No. No.
SERWER: No.
CAFFERTY: I don't.
SERWER: I can understand that.
CAFFERTY: Yes.
SERWER: Bittersweet.
CAFFERTY: I'm very busy over here.
SERWER: I understand. I apologize.
CAFFERTY: I have a lot to do. I have a lot to do and not very much time left to do it in.
(CROSSTALK)
CAFFERTY: General Motors announces cutting 25,000 jobs in the next couple of years. At its peak, in 1979 GM employed 600,000 people. Today it's 125,000. The company said health care costs -- this is staggering. Health care costs add $1,400 to the sticker price of every GM car or truck built.
And it's not just GM that's in trouble. Ford and Chrysler are also watching as foreign automakers capture an ever-increasing share of the North American market.
So, the question is: What can be done to save America's automotive industry?
Mike in South Carolina: "You don't see the foreign carmakers pushing huge pickups and SUVs. They make smaller ones and more fuel- efficient ones."
Douglas in Chicago: "I think as the quality of American cars continues to improve, the American car industry will improve. We can see recent gains in Cadillac and Chrysler because of better quality and improved styling. These conditions must be replicated throughout the industry."
Pamela in Michigan writes: "If you want to save American industries you have to start buying American products."
Mark writes: "Other than trucks, GM doesn't make cars people want to buy. There is no excitement. They're stuck on six-cylinder front drives. Executive management is a bunch of dinosaurs." Joe in Florida writes: "First, the airlines, now the auto industry. I can see it coming down the turnpike now. More government bailouts, wasting taxpayer's money on companies whose executives for years have been taking bonuses and stock options while gutting rather than improving the companies."
HEMMER: Wow! What are we, 25 years removed Lee Iacocca or Chrysler in 1980 was the bailout then?
O'BRIEN: You know, nobody picked up, though, on the health care costs. That's kind of interesting.
HEMMER: Well, staggering, too.
O'BRIEN: Yes.
SERWER: The morning is still young or something like that.
O'BRIEN: Thanks, Jack.
Still ahead this morning, Coldplay is one of three hot bands with big CD releases this week. The poppers tell us whether any of these releases are worth picking up. That's up next on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Welcome back, everybody. It's time for the Wednesday edition of "90-Second Pop." Our pop pundits today, Toure, CNN's pop culture correspondent.
Good morning.
TOURE, CNN POP CULTURE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.
O'BRIEN: Karyn Bryant from "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT."
Good morning.
O'BRIEN: And Andy Borowitz from Borowitzreport.com.
Good morning. Good morning. Good morning.
Russell Crowe, we all know it now, had a little legal trouble.
ANDY BOROWITZ, BOROWITZREPORT.COM: He did.
O'BRIEN: The poor guy.
BOROWITZ: He did. He was...
O'BRIEN: What did he do, first of all?
BOROWITZ: He was in a hotel in New York City. He was trying to dial home.
O'BRIEN: Which hotel, do you know? TOURE: The Mercer.
BOROWITZ: The Mercer Hotel.
O'BRIEN: Oh.
TOURE: Where there's always a big celebrity.
O'BRIEN: Right.
BOROWITZ: That's right. He was having trouble dialing home to Australia. So, he went down to the desk, the front desk.
O'BRIEN: To get some help.
BOROWITZ: To get some help to use the phone. He found that phone didn't work either. And then he did what most of us do when our phones don't work, he threw the phone at the desk clerk, cutting him below the eye. Now, I think...
O'BRIEN: The desk clerk needed stitches actually.
BOROWITZ: He did.
KARYN BRYANT, CNN HOST, "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT": Right.
O'BRIEN: I mean, he was injured.
BOROWITZ: I think it sheds light on an important issue to me, which is celebrity phone violence. We've seen this with Naomi Campbell when she threw a phone at several assistants. In the hands of a celebrity, a phone is a deadly weapon. They need some form of phone control in this country.
O'BRIEN: He was charged with assault.
BOROWITZ: Right, with a deadly phone.
BRYANT: This is the sexiest perp walk I've seen in awhile. The guy is hot. I don't even care.
BOROWITZ: I love this.
(CROSSTALK)
O'BRIEN: Absolutely.
BRYANT: He wanted to call his baby and his mama at 4:30.
O'BRIEN: Well, I didn't realize you were the defense attorney in the case. I'm sorry, Karyn. Well, he has an opportunity now go on David Letterman and make it all right, because that's really often what you do.
BOROWITZ: Exactly.
O'BRIEN: You go on the show, mea culpa.
TOURE: And he's pushing his movie, which is good. It's strong. It's not incredible, "Cinderella Man" which is not...
BOROWITZ: Right.
TOURE: There's no real in for women here that I see. It's just a guy movie about a boxer from, what, 70, 80 years ago that nobody ever heard of.
O'BRIEN: Does the publicity helps or hurts the movie?
BOROWITZ: From what I've heard around the set today, the ladies love a guy who throws a phone.
(CROSSTALK)
BOROWITZ: See what I'm talking about?
O'BRIEN: Moving on, let's talk about some new releases. Coldplay, White Stripes, Black Eyed Peas.
TOURE: Yes.
O'BRIEN: What do you like and what do you not like?
TOURE: I am over the moon about the White Stripes. They are awesome.
BOROWITZ: Yes, I guess.
TOURE: It's good bluesy, like, rock with, like, southern flavors.
BOROWITZ: Yes.
TOURE: And Jack White is just a genius. I mean, this is not a product, right? We're so used to product in the music business. This is not a product. This is an outlet for a genius. Jack White is a genius.
O'BRIEN: Well, I'm (INAUDIBLE) that you like this one.
TOURE: Absolutely.
O'BRIEN: How about the other ones?
BOROWITZ: I'm with Toure on this one.
TOURE: Coldplay, you know, it's hard to grow as an artist when the whole world is watching. And I think this album is very repetitive of what they've done before. It's very like, you know, dramatic and ethereal and, you know, like, the high school dance final song, like every song is trying to be that.
BOROWITZ: Right. TOURE: And actually I'm trying to distinguish the difference between the songs, because they kind of sound very similar.
BOROWITZ: Right.
TOURE: And even the one that we played, I'm, like, OK, which one was that?
BOROWITZ: Right.
TOURE: That's...
BRYANT: The thing with Coldplay, I saw them in concert a couple of weeks ago. They're fantastic live. Their records do grow on you. I think the last one, "A Rush of Blood to the Head," had more diversity on it. But I think upon re-listening to "X and Y," it will grow on you even more, and the songs will discern themselves. And I think they're good.
BOROWITZ: The only thing I'll say about the Black Eyed Peas, which I listen to, is that people should know this: Justin Timberlake is on it. And I think there should be a warning label to that effect. I really do.
BRYANT: But so is -- well, the thing with the Black Eyed Peas, Soledad, there is no parental warning on it. It's safe for kids.
BOROWITZ: Right.
BRYANT: This is a band, a group that says, unabashedly, they want a career. They don't need...
(CROSSTALK)
O'BRIEN: You're in the car listening to them.
BRYANT: It's fun music.
TOURE: There should be a parental advisory for mediocrity, because I don't want my kids listening to -- I mean, you know, this is the thing I hate the most, that products that pretend it's an art, you know, pretends it's artistry...
BRYANT: It's just putting on...
O'BRIEN: Well, to me, there are none of those in the music industry.
TOURE: Right. That's the lowest thing of all. I mean, we know this product. We know this artist. But the products who pretend to be art artists, I hate it.
BRYANT: If you're having a summer barbecue, put it on and people will...
O'BRIEN: All right, I like that. "The Sopranos." BRYANT: They're back.
O'BRIEN: The DVD is now out from last season.
BRYANT: Well, the DVD is out, and they are shooting season six. David Chase, the creator, says it perhaps will not be the last season. For a long time it was rumored to be the last season. He says this new season will be about commercialism, about buying and selling things. He says, America...
O'BRIEN: There's also little bit of behind the scenes.
BRYANT: Little teasers online. But, you know, he says that this season -- you know, America is a great country, and everything's for sale. That was one of his little teasers. So who knows? I mean...
O'BRIEN: What does that mean?
BRYANT: I don't know. I just think...
O'BRIEN: I'm more confused now.
BRYANT: The tension that Tony had with Carmela before will building keep probably.
BOROWITZ: Right.
TOURE: I mean, the key thing is if it's not the last season, then Tony can't die. And that was the thing I was like, OK, if this is the last season, anything can happen.
BOROWITZ: My prediction...
TOURE: I don't know. You can end with him in jail.
BOROWITZ: My prediction...
TOURE: You could end up with him dead. You could end up with him alive. Like, whatever you want to do, if you're David Chase.
O'BRIEN: You know what, though? The characters can die and then they just do the whole thing in flashback.
BRYANT: In flashback.
BOROWITZ: My prediction about the season, there will be a lot of swearing on it.
O'BRIEN: You know what I like about you, Andy? You always go out on a limb.
BOROWITZ: Go out on a limb.
O'BRIEN: It's really refreshing. And I appreciate that. You guys, we're out of time. But I thank you. Also, we should mention that you can join Karyn Bryant this evening on "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT." She's going to take a sneak peek at the movie that everybody is talking about. It's "Mr. and Mrs. Smith." It's Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie in a revealing interview with "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT." That's at 7:00 p.m. on "Headline News" -- Bill.
HEMMER: All right, Soledad. At the top of the hour in a moment here, deliberations in the Michael Jackson trial head now into a fourth day. We'll talk about that. Which side does that favor now on day four? Is it the prosecution or is it the defense? A closer look. Both sides of that ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Still to come in Aruba, the two suspects in the disappearance of an 18-year-old Alabama girl are expected to face a judge today. We're going to talk to the defense attorney for one of the men just ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Aired June 8, 2005 - 07:29 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back, everybody. It is coming up at 7:30 here in New York.
More on this intense standoff this morning on that California freeway. Did you see that?
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: What a day it was yesterday. Six-and- a-half hours this thing went on. I-10 shut down for hours, too. Tens of thousands jammed up along the freeways there in L.A. Police were trying to figure out how to handle this gunman here. Finally a percussion grenade is put in the window. The dog goes in. We'll talk to a member of the sheriff's department about what happened there and how this all came to an end yesterday.
O'BRIEN: It was riveting to watch, I thought. You just couldn't take your eyes off of it.
HEMMER: (INAUDIBLE).
O'BRIEN: Yes, for hours.
Let's get a look at the other headlines making news this morning with Carol Costello.
Good morning.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Good morning to all of you.
"Now in the News."
A developing story out of California. FBI agents have arrested two people and detained two others in an ongoing terrorism investigation near Sacramento. They include Muslim leaders and a father and son. One of the men reportedly confessed to attending an al Qaeda camp at Pakistan. More details could be released later today. Stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.
Two former security guards in Aruba are expected to appear in court today in connection with the disappearance of 18-year-old Natalee Holloway. A lawyer for the men tells CNN his clients are accused of murder and kidnapping. Holloway's stepfather spoke with us just a half-hour ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) GEORGE "JUG" TWITTY, NATALEE HOLLOWAY'S STEPFATHER: The laws in Aruba are different, and the way they do their investigations are totally different than they do in the United States. And it's difficult. It's frustrating. But on the other hand, I do feel like that they're doing everything they can do to try to find Natalee.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: The search for Holloway resumes this morning. The Alabama teenager has been missing since May 30.
Iraqi police are looking into another car bomb attack. This morning's blast taking place at a gas station north of Baghdad. At least three were killed. And a major military push is under way near Iraq's border with Syria. Dozens of suspected insurgents have been detained. We'll hear more on the operation in our next hour from CNN's Jane Arraf. She is embedded with U.S. troops in the region.
The FBI may soon be able to subpoena records without the approval of a judge or a grand jury. A Senate committee has voted to extend the FBI's powers in terror investigations. It's part of the Patriot Act renewal bill. The measure is now heading to the full Senate. We'll probably hear much more about this later today.
O'BRIEN: That one is sure to be controversial.
COSTELLO: Yes.
O'BRIEN: Carol, thanks.
An investigation is under way into how a high-ranking Army officer died last weekend in Iraq. The military says the 44-year-old West Point professor who volunteered to go to war died of non-combat injuries.
Barbara Starr is live at the Pentagon with more on this, this morning.
Barbara -- good morning.
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Soledad.
Well, another U.S. military family is struggling with the grief of a loved one dying in Iraq.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
STARR (voice over): Colonel Ted Westhusing had one of the most high-pressure jobs in Iraq: training Iraqi security forces in counterterrorism and special operations. Ted Westhusing died Sunday in Iraq. No one can say for certain what happened.
His mother got the call on her birthday.
TIM WESTHUSING, COLONEL'S BROTHER: She was expecting a call from him, and that was not the call she got.
STARR: His family, like so many others, in agony.
WESTHUSING: It tears at your insides like you would never know.
STARR: Ted Westhusing is the highest ranking Army officer to die in Iraq. He was a professor at the military academy at West Point before volunteering for Iraq.
WESTHUSING: He just wanted to go over there and help out, because he felt that he could make a difference.
STARR: Westhusing's death is listed as non-hostile. That category includes accident, illness, foul play, an act of nature, such as being struck by lightning, or suicide.
Military sources confirm to CNN that family members have been told Westhusing was found with a single gunshot wound. But the Army emphasizes it is conducting a full investigation to determine what happened.
WESTHUSING: It just breaks your heart, it really does, that there's such, you know, a great person that had so much capability, so much to offer. It's gone. I'd just like for people to know that he gave everything to make a difference.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
STARR: Now, Soledad, no one can say yet exactly what did happen here. The military is conducting an investigation. But his friends and colleagues and family remember an Army officer who served in peace and wartime with distinction -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: God, what a heartbreak for his family, Barbara. The military's final assessment will be forthcoming soon?
STARR: Indeed, Soledad. They are conducting a full investigation into this matter out of respect for Colonel Westhusing's family. And that investigation, the military is not discussing the details yet. If it comes to that point, however, in these cases, in general, broadly speaking, they will conduct what they call a psychological autopsy, if it comes to that, trying to determine what factors were at play, what might have been going on that contributed to this tragedy -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: So sad. All right, Barbara, thanks -- Bill.
HEMMER: Now to this incredible standoff ending in southern California. A gunman led police on a three-hour car chase yesterday after police say he tried to kidnap a woman. The suspect then locked officers in a standoff for several more hours after that. Deputies eventually shoved a tear gas grenade into the man's van, shot and wounded him and used a dog to drag him outside.
Captain Tom Spencer is with the L.A. County Sheriff's Department on the scene for that standoff, live in Monterey Park, California. Captain, good morning to you out there. This is a situation that had just about everything. You have a three-hour chase, a three-hour standoff, two counties, six-and-a-half hours total. Some have suggested this is -- this should be a videotape that is used to train young officers for the future about how you handle matters like these. Do you believe your men did everything right?
CAPT. TOM SPENCER, L.A. CO. SHERIFF'S DEPT.: Yes, I do. With the use of the armored vehicles, we were able to contain the suspect, so he couldn't travel anywhere. It was ideal, because we had that large wall on the opposite side of the vehicle. We didn't have to evacuate anybody. He was totally isolated. And we really took our time and tried to deal with him and resolve the situation in a peaceful manner.
HEMMER: We are watching the videotape where the tear gas goes into the back window of that minivan. But before this, you had about a three-hour period where negotiations were going on back and forth. During that time, what was said to this man inside that van?
SPENCER: We had our crisis negotiators talking to him the entire time. And it got to the point where towards the end he was talking about committing suicide. He asked us what was the best way to kill himself, and made statements such as "Maybe I'll just step out and let you guys kill me."
At that point, he had actually put -- he had two guns in the car, was always holding at least one and sometimes both. He actually put both guns down and started writing a note, which we believe was probably a suicide note. And we decided at that time it was time to make our move.
HEMMER: Yes. Do you know what his condition is today, captain?
SPENCER: I understand that he's in stable condition.
HEMMER: We've got some videotape we can show our viewers, too. At the very end the police dog goes in. Give me an idea about how you train these dogs to do what we're watching right now.
SPENCER: Those dogs are trained by and live with our handlers, and they do some amazing things. And the dog was used yesterday to actually get a hold of the suspect. And then the handler gives him the command to bring him, the suspect. And the dog will actually pull that suspect towards the handler, until we can see that his hands are free. Doesn't have a weapon, at which time he'll recall the dog, and the deputies will go in and make the arrest.
HEMMER: And we see three of these large vehicles surrounding this minivan. Do you use this procedure very often? Because, as far as I can recollect, watching these chases live back here in New York City from the helicopters circling over L.A., this is the first time I've seen this maneuver.
SPENCER: Actually, those vehicles are fairly new to the police and the SWAT community. We've had ours for about two years, and we've used them several times in the same manner. They're very heavy armored vehicles. The large one weighs about 36,000 pounds. The small one is about 18,000. And once you get them in position, the car cannot budge them. They can't go anywhere. And it affords the police officer a very high level of safety, while being able to be up close and observe everything the suspect is doing.
HEMMER: One more question here. When this whole matter started to unfold, apparently this man was trying to kidnap a woman. She got away. But as he was kidnapping her, apparently she mouthed to a neighbor or to an eyewitness the numbers "911." How critical was that in getting the process started from the beginning?
SPENCER: You know, that part of the investigation actually occurred in another county. But in talking with the captain of Ventura County Sheriff's Department, it was critical. I mean, I really admire this woman for refusing to get into the vehicle, taking a stand. I understand that she just told him, "I'm not getting in the car," and made a run for her house, at which time the suspect, I think, became very afraid, got in his car and left. And that's when Ventura County sheriffs picked up the vehicle and a pursuit began.
HEMMER: What a day it was, huh? Three pit maneuvers, too, trying to make that car spin out, that white minivan. It worked on the third try. Captain, thanks for your time today.
SPENCER: Thank you.
HEMMER: Thomas Spencer with the L.A. County Sheriff's Department. You're most welcome -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: It's 20 minutes before the hour. Let's get another check of the weather this morning with Chad Myers.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HEMMER: In a moment here, Andy is ""Minding Your Business" with word today on how much longer we can expect to see gas over about two bucks a gallon. There might be some good news in this story coming up in a moment.
O'BRIEN: Plus, Russell Crowe gets a chance to tell his side of the story. Is he going to talk about his alleged hotel tantrum on late-night TV? "90-Second Pop" is just ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Welcome back, everybody. Andy is looking at gas prices and the market this morning as he minds your business.
Good morning.
ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: Good morning, Soledad.
Kind of a paradox here. The U.S. Energy Department says that worldwide demand for petroleum is slowing. The growth is slowing. Get this: It grew 3.2 percent last year. Only expected to grow 2.7 percent this year.
But in the same breath, the department is saying that gasoline prices will remain high. They say, don't expect gas prices to go below $2 a gallon this year.
So, what's the wrinkle? Well, U.S. refineries are working full tilt. They can't work any faster than this. So that's why, even though gas -- even though oil is not going up, the demand for it is not increasing so long much. Gas prices are not expected to fall so much.
Let's talk about the markets yesterday, a mixed session.
O'BRIEN: I thought you had cupcakes for us morning.
SERWER: No, no, I don't. And I'm going to get that. There's a reason why Soledad will not be getting her cupcakes this morning. Market were mixed yesterday. Dow up. Nasdaq and S&P down.
The story that Soledad is referring to, however, is Google. Google was up yesterday $2.18, but it only got to $2 -- $293, I should say, not quite breaking 300. When it breaks, if -- I should say if -- it breaks $300, we're going to get some cupcakes on the set.
O'BRIEN: Early next week, I'm predicting, but, you know...
SERWER: Well, we'll see.
HEMMER: We get cupcakes. Are you supposed to buy us a share? We're going to watch this thing go for months?
SERWER: Four hundred. No. Who knows?
HEMMER: Maybe.
SERWER: It could be. Come on.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: If you had fulfilled your obligation to this group and gotten that share of stock when it came out.
O'BRIEN: I know.
CAFFERTY: What was the IPO price, 65 bucks?
SERWER: Yes, that's right.
CAFFERTY: I mean, we could have been having a big dinner at Morton's or something.
SERWER: Eighty-one, I think it was, by the way. But, yes, you know, I should have gotten one for each or just one for you.
CAFFERTY: Well, it doesn't matter since you didn't get any.
SERWER: Yes.
O'BRIEN: And they were having cupcakes.
CAFFERTY: I mean, it doesn't matter.
SERWER: Do you want a cupcake instead?
CAFFERTY: No. No.
SERWER: No.
CAFFERTY: I don't.
SERWER: I can understand that.
CAFFERTY: Yes.
SERWER: Bittersweet.
CAFFERTY: I'm very busy over here.
SERWER: I understand. I apologize.
CAFFERTY: I have a lot to do. I have a lot to do and not very much time left to do it in.
(CROSSTALK)
CAFFERTY: General Motors announces cutting 25,000 jobs in the next couple of years. At its peak, in 1979 GM employed 600,000 people. Today it's 125,000. The company said health care costs -- this is staggering. Health care costs add $1,400 to the sticker price of every GM car or truck built.
And it's not just GM that's in trouble. Ford and Chrysler are also watching as foreign automakers capture an ever-increasing share of the North American market.
So, the question is: What can be done to save America's automotive industry?
Mike in South Carolina: "You don't see the foreign carmakers pushing huge pickups and SUVs. They make smaller ones and more fuel- efficient ones."
Douglas in Chicago: "I think as the quality of American cars continues to improve, the American car industry will improve. We can see recent gains in Cadillac and Chrysler because of better quality and improved styling. These conditions must be replicated throughout the industry."
Pamela in Michigan writes: "If you want to save American industries you have to start buying American products."
Mark writes: "Other than trucks, GM doesn't make cars people want to buy. There is no excitement. They're stuck on six-cylinder front drives. Executive management is a bunch of dinosaurs." Joe in Florida writes: "First, the airlines, now the auto industry. I can see it coming down the turnpike now. More government bailouts, wasting taxpayer's money on companies whose executives for years have been taking bonuses and stock options while gutting rather than improving the companies."
HEMMER: Wow! What are we, 25 years removed Lee Iacocca or Chrysler in 1980 was the bailout then?
O'BRIEN: You know, nobody picked up, though, on the health care costs. That's kind of interesting.
HEMMER: Well, staggering, too.
O'BRIEN: Yes.
SERWER: The morning is still young or something like that.
O'BRIEN: Thanks, Jack.
Still ahead this morning, Coldplay is one of three hot bands with big CD releases this week. The poppers tell us whether any of these releases are worth picking up. That's up next on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Welcome back, everybody. It's time for the Wednesday edition of "90-Second Pop." Our pop pundits today, Toure, CNN's pop culture correspondent.
Good morning.
TOURE, CNN POP CULTURE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.
O'BRIEN: Karyn Bryant from "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT."
Good morning.
O'BRIEN: And Andy Borowitz from Borowitzreport.com.
Good morning. Good morning. Good morning.
Russell Crowe, we all know it now, had a little legal trouble.
ANDY BOROWITZ, BOROWITZREPORT.COM: He did.
O'BRIEN: The poor guy.
BOROWITZ: He did. He was...
O'BRIEN: What did he do, first of all?
BOROWITZ: He was in a hotel in New York City. He was trying to dial home.
O'BRIEN: Which hotel, do you know? TOURE: The Mercer.
BOROWITZ: The Mercer Hotel.
O'BRIEN: Oh.
TOURE: Where there's always a big celebrity.
O'BRIEN: Right.
BOROWITZ: That's right. He was having trouble dialing home to Australia. So, he went down to the desk, the front desk.
O'BRIEN: To get some help.
BOROWITZ: To get some help to use the phone. He found that phone didn't work either. And then he did what most of us do when our phones don't work, he threw the phone at the desk clerk, cutting him below the eye. Now, I think...
O'BRIEN: The desk clerk needed stitches actually.
BOROWITZ: He did.
KARYN BRYANT, CNN HOST, "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT": Right.
O'BRIEN: I mean, he was injured.
BOROWITZ: I think it sheds light on an important issue to me, which is celebrity phone violence. We've seen this with Naomi Campbell when she threw a phone at several assistants. In the hands of a celebrity, a phone is a deadly weapon. They need some form of phone control in this country.
O'BRIEN: He was charged with assault.
BOROWITZ: Right, with a deadly phone.
BRYANT: This is the sexiest perp walk I've seen in awhile. The guy is hot. I don't even care.
BOROWITZ: I love this.
(CROSSTALK)
O'BRIEN: Absolutely.
BRYANT: He wanted to call his baby and his mama at 4:30.
O'BRIEN: Well, I didn't realize you were the defense attorney in the case. I'm sorry, Karyn. Well, he has an opportunity now go on David Letterman and make it all right, because that's really often what you do.
BOROWITZ: Exactly.
O'BRIEN: You go on the show, mea culpa.
TOURE: And he's pushing his movie, which is good. It's strong. It's not incredible, "Cinderella Man" which is not...
BOROWITZ: Right.
TOURE: There's no real in for women here that I see. It's just a guy movie about a boxer from, what, 70, 80 years ago that nobody ever heard of.
O'BRIEN: Does the publicity helps or hurts the movie?
BOROWITZ: From what I've heard around the set today, the ladies love a guy who throws a phone.
(CROSSTALK)
BOROWITZ: See what I'm talking about?
O'BRIEN: Moving on, let's talk about some new releases. Coldplay, White Stripes, Black Eyed Peas.
TOURE: Yes.
O'BRIEN: What do you like and what do you not like?
TOURE: I am over the moon about the White Stripes. They are awesome.
BOROWITZ: Yes, I guess.
TOURE: It's good bluesy, like, rock with, like, southern flavors.
BOROWITZ: Yes.
TOURE: And Jack White is just a genius. I mean, this is not a product, right? We're so used to product in the music business. This is not a product. This is an outlet for a genius. Jack White is a genius.
O'BRIEN: Well, I'm (INAUDIBLE) that you like this one.
TOURE: Absolutely.
O'BRIEN: How about the other ones?
BOROWITZ: I'm with Toure on this one.
TOURE: Coldplay, you know, it's hard to grow as an artist when the whole world is watching. And I think this album is very repetitive of what they've done before. It's very like, you know, dramatic and ethereal and, you know, like, the high school dance final song, like every song is trying to be that.
BOROWITZ: Right. TOURE: And actually I'm trying to distinguish the difference between the songs, because they kind of sound very similar.
BOROWITZ: Right.
TOURE: And even the one that we played, I'm, like, OK, which one was that?
BOROWITZ: Right.
TOURE: That's...
BRYANT: The thing with Coldplay, I saw them in concert a couple of weeks ago. They're fantastic live. Their records do grow on you. I think the last one, "A Rush of Blood to the Head," had more diversity on it. But I think upon re-listening to "X and Y," it will grow on you even more, and the songs will discern themselves. And I think they're good.
BOROWITZ: The only thing I'll say about the Black Eyed Peas, which I listen to, is that people should know this: Justin Timberlake is on it. And I think there should be a warning label to that effect. I really do.
BRYANT: But so is -- well, the thing with the Black Eyed Peas, Soledad, there is no parental warning on it. It's safe for kids.
BOROWITZ: Right.
BRYANT: This is a band, a group that says, unabashedly, they want a career. They don't need...
(CROSSTALK)
O'BRIEN: You're in the car listening to them.
BRYANT: It's fun music.
TOURE: There should be a parental advisory for mediocrity, because I don't want my kids listening to -- I mean, you know, this is the thing I hate the most, that products that pretend it's an art, you know, pretends it's artistry...
BRYANT: It's just putting on...
O'BRIEN: Well, to me, there are none of those in the music industry.
TOURE: Right. That's the lowest thing of all. I mean, we know this product. We know this artist. But the products who pretend to be art artists, I hate it.
BRYANT: If you're having a summer barbecue, put it on and people will...
O'BRIEN: All right, I like that. "The Sopranos." BRYANT: They're back.
O'BRIEN: The DVD is now out from last season.
BRYANT: Well, the DVD is out, and they are shooting season six. David Chase, the creator, says it perhaps will not be the last season. For a long time it was rumored to be the last season. He says this new season will be about commercialism, about buying and selling things. He says, America...
O'BRIEN: There's also little bit of behind the scenes.
BRYANT: Little teasers online. But, you know, he says that this season -- you know, America is a great country, and everything's for sale. That was one of his little teasers. So who knows? I mean...
O'BRIEN: What does that mean?
BRYANT: I don't know. I just think...
O'BRIEN: I'm more confused now.
BRYANT: The tension that Tony had with Carmela before will building keep probably.
BOROWITZ: Right.
TOURE: I mean, the key thing is if it's not the last season, then Tony can't die. And that was the thing I was like, OK, if this is the last season, anything can happen.
BOROWITZ: My prediction...
TOURE: I don't know. You can end with him in jail.
BOROWITZ: My prediction...
TOURE: You could end up with him dead. You could end up with him alive. Like, whatever you want to do, if you're David Chase.
O'BRIEN: You know what, though? The characters can die and then they just do the whole thing in flashback.
BRYANT: In flashback.
BOROWITZ: My prediction about the season, there will be a lot of swearing on it.
O'BRIEN: You know what I like about you, Andy? You always go out on a limb.
BOROWITZ: Go out on a limb.
O'BRIEN: It's really refreshing. And I appreciate that. You guys, we're out of time. But I thank you. Also, we should mention that you can join Karyn Bryant this evening on "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT." She's going to take a sneak peek at the movie that everybody is talking about. It's "Mr. and Mrs. Smith." It's Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie in a revealing interview with "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT." That's at 7:00 p.m. on "Headline News" -- Bill.
HEMMER: All right, Soledad. At the top of the hour in a moment here, deliberations in the Michael Jackson trial head now into a fourth day. We'll talk about that. Which side does that favor now on day four? Is it the prosecution or is it the defense? A closer look. Both sides of that ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Still to come in Aruba, the two suspects in the disappearance of an 18-year-old Alabama girl are expected to face a judge today. We're going to talk to the defense attorney for one of the men just ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
